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Highly desponded by the GMAT scores.

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Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
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Highly desponded by the GMAT scores.

by justpal » Wed Aug 27, 2008 11:36 pm
Hi Guys,

I took my GMAT exam yesterday, and at about 5:30 pm when I looked at my scores I was dazzled. All my hard work of last 4 months just went down the drain. I scored 490 (Q 36 V 22), which was not what I was expecting. I was anticipating my score to be at least 690+, and that would have been a decent score. In my last 5 GMATPrep practise test I scored <=700 in each of them and don’t know what went wrong, perhaps it was not the lucky day for me. I was a nervous but that wouldn't be the cause of the steep decline in my score.

Well, i have been a regular visitor on this forum and i have read many success and failures turned into success stories in this forum and i do need a sincere help here. What should i do??? should i retake the exam in a months time ??? should i wait to recoupe my emotions??? or should i just leave it???

Alright, just a quick background...Since last 4 years, I am working as a IT consultant in a Global consultancy firm. I got my Bach. in Commerce (India) and Masters in IT (Australia). On a scale of 1 to 10 i grade myself 8 on Quant and may be 6.5 on Verbal. Well, i have been working in Australia for about 4 years so i am comfortable with speaking english, but spoken english is way to different than GMAT Verbal.

Can someone out there please guide me. My aim is to get a score of <=690, I know its not easy but i am ready to put all my energy into it.

Cheers,
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by madeline » Thu Aug 28, 2008 5:10 pm
I assume you meant >= when you typed <= the two times.

If you took GMATPrep more than FIVE times, those final scores are going to be very skewed since you would encounter more and more familiar problems.

I recommend the Manhattan GMAT series of books for brushing up on the basics tested (minus the reading comprehension and critical reasoning - didn't find them helpful personally). If you know your own weak points (specific quant concepts, for example), get the booklets that touch just those points - but it sounds like it might do you good to get all of them anyway!

The other suggestion I have is to do lots of practice tests (but not repeats of the same ones!), in real exam conditions - that means, essays, break, quant, break, verbal, the full 4 hours. If you haven't done a lot of it or "cheated" the exam conditions, you might find yourself much more nervous or difficult to focus when you sit for the exam. If you do this continuously for at least a week and then go for the real thing, you would have less of an issue with stress or concentration.

Good luck!
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Re: Highly desponded by the GMAT scores.

by justpal » Thu Aug 28, 2008 8:07 pm
Hi Madeline,

I do appreciate your reply.
As adviced by you i have bought the Manhattan Series GMAT books for both Quant and Verbal.
Because i am working fulltime i can only devote 3 hours on weekdays and 6 on weekends for the gmat studies...was wondering if that should be enough. I know i am looking for a jump of about 200 points in my second attempt, which is going to be daunting but as said that "Easy sails can't make great Sailors" i am going to go with all my horses. I dont know whether i am thinking realistically?
Well, you are right that while studing for my first attempt i was practising in a confortable and cosy environment but this time i will go as per your recommendations.
Again the questions stands "Is one month enough for the second attempt" or i should wait for long. I am as such going to miss the deadline for 1 stage of applications in most B-schools which sucks but what to do.
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Highly desponded by the GMAT scores

by hangon_forme » Mon Sep 01, 2008 5:07 am
I have read your post and I indeed share a similar experience. I have few suggestions which might be useful.

Take a test in the weekend and pin-point the areas that need an improvement. Keeping your target score in mind, you should get Q48, V40 (rough scale) in the actual test. It would be sufficient if you are able to spend roughly 3-4 hrs per day. And practice tests are must. Ensure that you are able to score more than 700 in any practice tests. Take the real GMAT test once you are confident. Surfing this forum, you will find many inputs on the books you need to concentrate on, for further improvement.

Good Luck.
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by California4jx » Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:27 am
No need to worry, i was in the same boat - read my post.

https://www.beatthegmat.com/not-yet-on-a ... 17528.html

I would suggest diversify your material, specially do OG-11 and other GMAC material. Put yourself in real environment and repeat tests until all the patterns (not the answers) of each questions are engraved in your mind.
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by brianhoberg » Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:36 pm
I understand your frustration with the GMAT. Just keep on top of reviewing where you are making mistakes, where you are spending the greater amount of your time, and focus on your weaknesses. I am back and trying to tackle the GMAT once again after getting a really low score (like a 410 about a year ago). The problem is, I did not study correctly and made costly mistakes in the process. Hang in there and keep trying. don't let it defeat you!
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Re: Highly desponded by the GMAT scores.

by justpal » Mon Sep 01, 2008 7:19 pm
Hey Guys, thanks a lot for your suggestions.....yeah i have started working out the problem sets from OG11 and it seems that its helping me out....
another thing what i am doing is to going through Manhattan series to get my Quant fundamentals right.
What i am thinking here is i will do OG 11 twice and also do V and Q from Manhattan series and then i will sit for my practise tests, so that i am well equipped with the knowledge. I hope this will work....My work is getting more and more hectic now a day and i am trying hard to keep myself focused. I have also started visiting beatthegmat site regularly and am keeping myself motivated to get my goal.
Guys can you please advice me on how you prepared for Verbal part....the CR's that i got in my first attempts were the real killer.....
Also i am planning to fly to another city this time to retake my gmat....Errr..!!!! i am not getting supersticious .... it just a thought....
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by rsbhatt » Wed Sep 10, 2008 10:54 am
Dont worry. Same happened to me. Scored 590 in first GMAT and three weeks later scored 680. May be nothing was wrong with you preparation. Read my post
https://www.beatthegmat.com/590-to-680-i ... 18335.html
See if it was helpful.
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Re: Highly desponded by the GMAT scores.

by justpal » Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:39 pm
Thanks RSBhatt for your notes and the post. Well i have started working hard and have also booked my exam in OCT. I hope every thing will go just well.
Well, you were still better off than me as you scored 590 in your first attempt. I just want to make it this time.
I am preparing from Manhattan Series and OG 11.... is it going to be enough???
I think this will be my last shot and if i can't make it then i need to explore other options for me....
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Re: Highly desponded by the GMAT scores.

by rsbhatt » Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:08 am
justpal wrote:Thanks RSBhatt for your notes and the post. Well i have started working hard and have also booked my exam in OCT. I hope every thing will go just well.
Well, you were still better off than me as you scored 590 in your first attempt. I just want to make it this time.
I am preparing from Manhattan Series and OG 11.... is it going to be enough???
I think this will be my last shot and if i can't make it then i need to explore other options for me....
I think OG11 and MGMAT are enough. I never worked MGMAT book, I just browsed their forum and in my opinion MGMAT is best. I was reading in somebody else's post on this forum that may be it is a glitch in program that sometimes you don't get hard questions. Try new tests because after you have done a few exercises from power prep, you know 5-6 questions reappearing and that automatically increases your score. Just before my D-day, I did not do excercise from book, rather took three tests (without assay writing section). Because I knew I have learned the basic as much as I could. It was a little exhausting by third one but on test day I felt like I was just doing one more exercise. And on test day just keep remind yourself it is what you have seen before and you know it and you can do it. Good luck with next exam.
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Re: Highly desponded by the GMAT scores.

by justpal » Mon Sep 22, 2008 11:23 pm
Guys,

I have 4 weeks before my second attempt....what should be my study plan....i need help my friend....
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