I just Beat The GMAT!

Hi,

I am a regular reader of this forum and I started my preparation after reading some posts in the strategy forum and tried to apply those applied strategies to my preparation.

I took GMAT today morning and scored 750.
Thanks a lot to all those who posted their experiences and strategies.

Details of my score :
Q 49 (89%)
V 44 (97%)
Total 750 (98%)

Practice Test scores:

GMATPrep1 - 580[Q39,V31]
Kaplan paper test - 680[Q48,V42]
Kaplan CD1 - 550[Q38,V26]
MGMAT1 - 610[Q37,V36]
MGMAT2 - 640[Q43,V35]
MGMAT3 - 670[Q43,V38]
MGMAT4 - 690[Q45,V38]
GMATPrep2 - 700[Q49,V37]

Background : Engg (1997 graduate), Indian female, working in software industry for 10+ yrs

About preparation:
- Used OG 10, Manhattan SC and Manhattan word translations, Kaplan Math, Ace the GMAT. Each book helped in improving some skills.

- Took around 3.5 months of study with 30mins - 1 hr per day for most of the days. Had to take a break for a month because of some personal reasons. It was really tough preparing daily and at the same time taking care of two naughty kids and a husband

Highlights :
Essays
- I could write my Argument essay very well. Found around 5 issues with the argument and could elaborate on each. Took exactly 30 mins to write and proof-read
- Not so lucky on the Issue essay. Could find only one relevant point. Elaborated on that and ran out of time just before I clicked the confirm button after proof-reading. (I hope the essay is saved and that they will rate it. I had clicked on Next button. But could not click the Confirm button)
Quant
- Quant Questions were similar to the ones in OG 10 and a bit easier than MGMAT & Kaplan questions. Anyway I think preparing for the tough questions helped in cracking the easy ones faster.
- Quant questions were quite simple till the 26th one and that got me really worried. Then it started asking difficult questions from combinations, probability,compound interest etc
- Had to spend around 5 minutes on 2-3 Quant questions, but finally got them right (I think).
- Ran out of time and had to guess from 32nd question
Verbal
- Verbal SC were not so easy. (But then, this is my weakest area). Questions were similar to the Q's in Manhattan SC
- RC was quite simple. All the 4 RC passages were simple and very clear compared to MGMAT and Kaplan. I think I got all the questions right and that made the difference in my Verbal score when compared with my practice tests.
- CR were similar to the OG 10 questions.
General
- I took 2-3 mouthfuls of red bull and gatorade during the breaks and that really helped. Thanks a lot to the people who posted that idea in this forum. I used to feel totally drained out during the mock tests.
- Also, I think I was quite lucky to get easy questions.

In short, books such as OG 10, Manhattan SC,WT, Kaplan Math, Ace the GMAT all helped a lot. The strategies posted in this forum were of great help.
Thanks a lot to Eric and also all who posted here.

Regards,
Geetha

Hey ...Great Score..All the best with your Apps.
Dennis

Congrats Geetha! That is an awesome score. I'm scheduled to take my GMAT this weekend and was getting a little worried about the Quant question types. Did you get a lot of DS questions compared to Problem Solving? Appreciate your help.

Hi Geetha,
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!

I know how it is preparing for GMAT when you have small kids

Would you share your RC and SC strategy with us?

Another thing, how much Kaplan math helped you in handling the GMAT quant?

Thanks, everybody.

- DS questions were less in number and very much similar to the ones in OG 10. Towards the end I found a couple which were a little difficult and I guessed on them

- For SC I studies Manhattan SC guide only and completed the OG 10 questions. I think both helped

- For RC, frankly I didn't have any strategy and I used to score badly in most of the mock tests. In all MGMAT tests, I got almost all questions in RC wrong. But the passages and questions were a pleasent surprise to me in the actual GMAT. They were quite simple and clear. The questions were straight forward.

I think if you solve the RC questions in OG guide, that would be enough. (But I completed only 3-4 passages in OG. So not able to give an advice on that.)

Regards,
Geetha

Kaplan Math helped initially in refreshing the basic concepts. But I think OG , Manhattan guides and Ace the Gmat helped me better.

Congratulations! and good luck with your admissions. I know how difficult it can be to manage spending ample time for GMAT with kids around. I will be giving my test next week and wondering if I can contact you via email with any specific questions, I would really appreciate it. I also graduated in 97 with 10 years of IT experience. Would love to learn your experiences.

my email id is : [email protected]


-Suma

Congratulations Geetha,
This is an awesome score. I have seen very few people who have aced 750 in their test even if they score in range of 700 during the practice. Please tell your strategies how did you do it (+50 is not easy). You must be really calm, composed and balanced during the test.
thanks and good luck

Geetha,

Was your essay scored finally?
Same thing happened to me. Though I completed my essay and was doing proof reading, I could not press Next and Confirm button. Will that essay be saved?