Hello Everyone,
First attempt at real thing today
690
Q49
V35
I feel I beat the GMAT, but it feels like one of those games (I will use hockey as that is what I played in high school) where you won 5-4 and the last 5 minutes you spent playing defense and left the ice feeling like if they had more time you wouldn't have won.
Point is there is a lot of room for improvement and I intend to improve. Especially with he 35 Verbal.
Practice tests are as follows:
DATE Exam Total Quant Verbal
12-Jul OG #1 650 45 34
25-Jul 800 #1 600 34 37
4-Aug V #1 620 40 35
29-Aug V #3 600 38 32
1-Sep V #4 540 40 21
3-Sep V #5 600 42 29
5-Sep OG #2 640 46 32
8-Sep REAL 690 49 35
V= Veritas
800 = 800 score
I also took the Veritas live class, which I found incredibly helpful. Tons of practice problems, great (very approachable at any time) instructor, great tips and tricks you learn about approaching math. Verbal classes as well, I just think I realized how to approach problems way to late and didn't get the practice that I needed using new methodology. I do not think that I could have pulled the 49Q without the things I learned at Veritas.
These boards are awesome if you have a question that you need answered in a reasonably quick amount of time, and the explanations (especially those by Ian Stewart, Stuart K, the guy with the polar bear avatar, and some of the others) here are great. I have also started to see how many things I can answer in a detailed way for others, which I believe helps a lot, I just started doing this way too late.
Veritas has a policy where I can retake the class for free once, but I will leave this for after the 2nd try if I need it.
How I studied:
Did OG book 1, went over the answers, the hard math at the end of the books was doable but I was averaging 5 minutes + on them.
After OG, I enrolled in the course and took my first OG exam before hand. (surprising how little improvement I had from this practice to real thing, but let me tell you The AWA for the first time takes some brain power away and the real thing is just way more intense)
During the course I would do my best to keep with the homework (there is a lot of it).
After the course I spent about a week taking practice tests every day and doing assorted sorts of studying. Spent yesterday just running around and barely reviewing some of the "cheat sheets" I got at Veritas.
I will score 750+ on this thing, that is my goal. But I need help. From this community I have gathered that the MGMAT vocab books are great and are recommended by many, so I think I will buy that, and use the practice tests that come with it.
Any advice anyone has regarding the verbal portions of the class are welcome, in fact they are encouraged. I want to get that 35 in the 45-50 range. I know what I need to do to get that Q north of 50, but Verbal has me vexed at the moment of what the best approach is.
Anyway, I'm taking three weeks off to get back in shape (constant GMAT studying with only light workouts here and there really is a toll on your body) and do some serious partying on the weekends. But after I want to do a 6-8 week prep and give this thing another go.
Thanks!!!
First attempt at real thing today
690
Q49
V35
I feel I beat the GMAT, but it feels like one of those games (I will use hockey as that is what I played in high school) where you won 5-4 and the last 5 minutes you spent playing defense and left the ice feeling like if they had more time you wouldn't have won.
Point is there is a lot of room for improvement and I intend to improve. Especially with he 35 Verbal.
Practice tests are as follows:
DATE Exam Total Quant Verbal
12-Jul OG #1 650 45 34
25-Jul 800 #1 600 34 37
4-Aug V #1 620 40 35
29-Aug V #3 600 38 32
1-Sep V #4 540 40 21
3-Sep V #5 600 42 29
5-Sep OG #2 640 46 32
8-Sep REAL 690 49 35
V= Veritas
800 = 800 score
I also took the Veritas live class, which I found incredibly helpful. Tons of practice problems, great (very approachable at any time) instructor, great tips and tricks you learn about approaching math. Verbal classes as well, I just think I realized how to approach problems way to late and didn't get the practice that I needed using new methodology. I do not think that I could have pulled the 49Q without the things I learned at Veritas.
These boards are awesome if you have a question that you need answered in a reasonably quick amount of time, and the explanations (especially those by Ian Stewart, Stuart K, the guy with the polar bear avatar, and some of the others) here are great. I have also started to see how many things I can answer in a detailed way for others, which I believe helps a lot, I just started doing this way too late.
Veritas has a policy where I can retake the class for free once, but I will leave this for after the 2nd try if I need it.
How I studied:
Did OG book 1, went over the answers, the hard math at the end of the books was doable but I was averaging 5 minutes + on them.
After OG, I enrolled in the course and took my first OG exam before hand. (surprising how little improvement I had from this practice to real thing, but let me tell you The AWA for the first time takes some brain power away and the real thing is just way more intense)
During the course I would do my best to keep with the homework (there is a lot of it).
After the course I spent about a week taking practice tests every day and doing assorted sorts of studying. Spent yesterday just running around and barely reviewing some of the "cheat sheets" I got at Veritas.
I will score 750+ on this thing, that is my goal. But I need help. From this community I have gathered that the MGMAT vocab books are great and are recommended by many, so I think I will buy that, and use the practice tests that come with it.
Any advice anyone has regarding the verbal portions of the class are welcome, in fact they are encouraged. I want to get that 35 in the 45-50 range. I know what I need to do to get that Q north of 50, but Verbal has me vexed at the moment of what the best approach is.
Anyway, I'm taking three weeks off to get back in shape (constant GMAT studying with only light workouts here and there really is a toll on your body) and do some serious partying on the weekends. But after I want to do a 6-8 week prep and give this thing another go.
Thanks!!!
