-
arjunjalan
- Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 9:26 pm
Hi folks,
So i just got my ass whooped by the GMAT, and I knew it within 2 hrs of the test.
A little background about myself.
Nationality-: Indian
Education-: B.S.Mechanical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago (3.3/4.0 GPA)
Work Ex-: After a 1 yr internship at Case New Holland as a Product Development Intern, I left USA, came back to India and have been working in my family logistics business for about a year now.
Future plans-: I was really pumped up about the GMAT. I had no application plans for at least till the next year. I was only focussed on getting a good GMAT score(700+) and wanted to build a solid application in the course of the next year or two, based on the fact that i would do well on my GMAT.
Preparation-:
So the first GMAT book I bought was may be in the month of June, Kaplan Premier. I did this very casually, wanting to familiarize my self to the format of the test. I did this for about a month, just working on topics one by one. I did this till mid-july when I actually booked a date for the 1st of October.
This is when I realized I need to buck up. The following were the books/courses I gathered after booking my test date.
OG13.
Enrolled for the KAPLAN online On-Demand course.
MGMAT SC
MGMAT CR
MGMAT RC
MGMAT IR and Essay
Kaplan 800
Through out July I went to work, came back home, and started cracking at the books. And I was studying my ass off over the weekends Gave kaplan practice tests with all sections, simulated all breaks, and got the scores in the range of 620-650. I started feeling dejected, as I wasn't hitting the mark(700). As a result lost some confidence. But I was on my way to solving each and every question in all the above stated books, and i was doing so fairly well. So was kind of in a no man's land.
Last 2 weeks in august, I worked only 3 days a week in order to study harder. Starting giving tests every other week. I was feeling good about my concepts. Verbal was a little tight, but I was rocking the Quant sections. My grasp on english is very good. But GMAT can mess you up anyways. SC was getting hard, and i was finding it hard to focus on SC and CR towards the end of the exam. CR was a breeze. Having studied in America for 4 years, and having taken liberal art electives, I was quite comfortable with studying and analyzing boring topics, leave alone skim them for comprehension questions. But I felt good as I slowly gathering momentum.
In September, I didn't go to work at all. Started focussing more on Verbal. All my practice was timed. Kaplan quiz banks was my choice, having finished the OG. I simulated individual sections of Verbal and Quant throughout the day via Kaplan quiz banks and was killing it, with time ti spare(7-8 mins). More than 90% accuracy in all. Though I was aware of the fact the these quiz banks are probably not adaptive, I thought the extra 7-8 mins would help me work through the adaptiveness of the actual test.
My last two weeks of September, I gave the 2 GMATPrep exams. I kept them closer to the actual test date so as to peak and condition my self at the right time. 1st Test was a 690 (Q49 V35). Math was a little off, bad time management, Verbal was tight, but I figured 700 is within sight, with the exam day adrenaline hopefully making up for the extra 10 points. 2nd test 650 (Q48 V 31). Time management was a major issue on this one, missed a couple of questions on Verbal. So i was feeling a bit low, but I pulled up my socks my last week. Worked a lot of questions during the week, reviewed MGMAT SC and CR. Worked on some time management strategies. I was feeling fairly confident of breaking the 700 barrier.
Test day-:
This is what i think majorly contributed to my downfall.
My exam was at 3:00PM, i tried sleeping at 11 the night before. Just wouldn't happen. I kept thinking about the exam, so I said i might as well catch up on some shows. I remained up till 2, watching Entourage, Big Bang Theory etc, thinking ill easily get up by noon, and be prepared for the exam. The test center was only 15 mins from my place. BUT. I ended up waking up at 8am and just couldn't get back to sleep after that, twisting and turning in my bed for a good 1 hr, before i realized i was working on a lost cause. So I got up, got my caffeine, and just counted down the hours.
I reached my test center 45 mins before the test, revised a little, and then starting yawning. I must admit i was not feeling sleepy, but my cross hair felt a little off.
My essay was very good, completed a long essay based on a template i had been consistently using, with time to spare. IR was good too. Took the break, had some gatorade, visited the bathroom, washed up. Got back cracking. Quant started well, but midway through i started feeling jittery and nervous for no reason. After contemplation, here's why I think that happened. Nicotine. Even during the practice tests, i use to smoke during the break, and I know that it was allowed. But on test day, I decided not to. And i think it may have had severe effect on my concentration. The result was a 590 (Q44 V27). Everything halfway through Quant was downhill, and I guess its a good think that I know this chance is gone, I tried to pick myself for verbal, didn't happen. My time management was good, completed everything on time, though I looked at the time every 5 mins, I think that may have stressed me a little. Anyways, clearly my accuracy was in shambles.
More than anything, I really feel it was a horrendous test day, with my mind clouded and unclear, and a bad beginning to the day. I really thinking staying nicotine free for 5 hrs under stress, after having consumed a lot before the exam may have severely affected my performance under pressure. What do you guys think?
I really need advise on when to attack the GMAT again. What's a good time frame to give yourself before hitting it again. What study strategy do you approach the second time around. I have a lot of MGMAT and Kaplan practice test, should I trust those, or look to get more material from GMAC itself?
I think I have good momentum going, it was just a very bad day in the office. I am also quitting, and want to give my self some time to do so before attacking the GMAT again.
Greatly looking forward to all the help you guys can offer me. beatthegmat has been a great source of knowledge,inspiration and clarity for me. You guys rock!!!
Yours sincere,
Arjun Jalan
[
So i just got my ass whooped by the GMAT, and I knew it within 2 hrs of the test.
A little background about myself.
Nationality-: Indian
Education-: B.S.Mechanical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago (3.3/4.0 GPA)
Work Ex-: After a 1 yr internship at Case New Holland as a Product Development Intern, I left USA, came back to India and have been working in my family logistics business for about a year now.
Future plans-: I was really pumped up about the GMAT. I had no application plans for at least till the next year. I was only focussed on getting a good GMAT score(700+) and wanted to build a solid application in the course of the next year or two, based on the fact that i would do well on my GMAT.
Preparation-:
So the first GMAT book I bought was may be in the month of June, Kaplan Premier. I did this very casually, wanting to familiarize my self to the format of the test. I did this for about a month, just working on topics one by one. I did this till mid-july when I actually booked a date for the 1st of October.
This is when I realized I need to buck up. The following were the books/courses I gathered after booking my test date.
OG13.
Enrolled for the KAPLAN online On-Demand course.
MGMAT SC
MGMAT CR
MGMAT RC
MGMAT IR and Essay
Kaplan 800
Through out July I went to work, came back home, and started cracking at the books. And I was studying my ass off over the weekends Gave kaplan practice tests with all sections, simulated all breaks, and got the scores in the range of 620-650. I started feeling dejected, as I wasn't hitting the mark(700). As a result lost some confidence. But I was on my way to solving each and every question in all the above stated books, and i was doing so fairly well. So was kind of in a no man's land.
Last 2 weeks in august, I worked only 3 days a week in order to study harder. Starting giving tests every other week. I was feeling good about my concepts. Verbal was a little tight, but I was rocking the Quant sections. My grasp on english is very good. But GMAT can mess you up anyways. SC was getting hard, and i was finding it hard to focus on SC and CR towards the end of the exam. CR was a breeze. Having studied in America for 4 years, and having taken liberal art electives, I was quite comfortable with studying and analyzing boring topics, leave alone skim them for comprehension questions. But I felt good as I slowly gathering momentum.
In September, I didn't go to work at all. Started focussing more on Verbal. All my practice was timed. Kaplan quiz banks was my choice, having finished the OG. I simulated individual sections of Verbal and Quant throughout the day via Kaplan quiz banks and was killing it, with time ti spare(7-8 mins). More than 90% accuracy in all. Though I was aware of the fact the these quiz banks are probably not adaptive, I thought the extra 7-8 mins would help me work through the adaptiveness of the actual test.
My last two weeks of September, I gave the 2 GMATPrep exams. I kept them closer to the actual test date so as to peak and condition my self at the right time. 1st Test was a 690 (Q49 V35). Math was a little off, bad time management, Verbal was tight, but I figured 700 is within sight, with the exam day adrenaline hopefully making up for the extra 10 points. 2nd test 650 (Q48 V 31). Time management was a major issue on this one, missed a couple of questions on Verbal. So i was feeling a bit low, but I pulled up my socks my last week. Worked a lot of questions during the week, reviewed MGMAT SC and CR. Worked on some time management strategies. I was feeling fairly confident of breaking the 700 barrier.
Test day-:
This is what i think majorly contributed to my downfall.
My exam was at 3:00PM, i tried sleeping at 11 the night before. Just wouldn't happen. I kept thinking about the exam, so I said i might as well catch up on some shows. I remained up till 2, watching Entourage, Big Bang Theory etc, thinking ill easily get up by noon, and be prepared for the exam. The test center was only 15 mins from my place. BUT. I ended up waking up at 8am and just couldn't get back to sleep after that, twisting and turning in my bed for a good 1 hr, before i realized i was working on a lost cause. So I got up, got my caffeine, and just counted down the hours.
I reached my test center 45 mins before the test, revised a little, and then starting yawning. I must admit i was not feeling sleepy, but my cross hair felt a little off.
My essay was very good, completed a long essay based on a template i had been consistently using, with time to spare. IR was good too. Took the break, had some gatorade, visited the bathroom, washed up. Got back cracking. Quant started well, but midway through i started feeling jittery and nervous for no reason. After contemplation, here's why I think that happened. Nicotine. Even during the practice tests, i use to smoke during the break, and I know that it was allowed. But on test day, I decided not to. And i think it may have had severe effect on my concentration. The result was a 590 (Q44 V27). Everything halfway through Quant was downhill, and I guess its a good think that I know this chance is gone, I tried to pick myself for verbal, didn't happen. My time management was good, completed everything on time, though I looked at the time every 5 mins, I think that may have stressed me a little. Anyways, clearly my accuracy was in shambles.
More than anything, I really feel it was a horrendous test day, with my mind clouded and unclear, and a bad beginning to the day. I really thinking staying nicotine free for 5 hrs under stress, after having consumed a lot before the exam may have severely affected my performance under pressure. What do you guys think?
I really need advise on when to attack the GMAT again. What's a good time frame to give yourself before hitting it again. What study strategy do you approach the second time around. I have a lot of MGMAT and Kaplan practice test, should I trust those, or look to get more material from GMAC itself?
I think I have good momentum going, it was just a very bad day in the office. I am also quitting, and want to give my self some time to do so before attacking the GMAT again.
Greatly looking forward to all the help you guys can offer me. beatthegmat has been a great source of knowledge,inspiration and clarity for me. You guys rock!!!
Yours sincere,
Arjun Jalan
[
