I just Beat The GMAT!

Hi all,

I took the GMAT today and got 720 (Q-44, V-45). I'm trying to find out how much I could improve and what it would take.

My practice test scores were:

GMAT Prep 1: 720
GMAT Prep 2: 700
GMAT Focus 1 (Q): 37-45
GMAT Focus 2 (Q): 41-47
GMAT Focus 3 (Q): 46-50
Kaplan Book Online Test: 680 (Q-46, V-40)
Princeton Review Book Online Test 1 (V): 43
PR Book Online Test 2 (V): 39

For the GMAT Prep tests, the quantitative scores were higher than the verbal scores, but I don't remember what they were.

For studying, I took the first two GMAT Focus (Q) about 1.5 months ago, separated by about a week. During that week, I studied for roughly 10 hours by doing quantitative problems. I had planned to study regularly for the next 1.5 months, but up until a week ago, I had studied only an additional 2-3 hours. Last Saturday I took GMAT Prep #1 and then I studied about 2-4 hours per day starting Sunday evening (except Thursday) until yesterday afternoon. I took all the remaining practice tests in that time, including GMAT Prep #2, which I took yesterday afternoon. That was the first time I wrote the essays.

Today during the test, I found the quantitative section to be pretty difficult. I made a point to double check my answers on the 1st 10 questions because I had read they were more important. I'm not sure this was wise, because I ran out of time, something I had not done during the practice tests. I had 8 minutes for the remaining 7 questions, and eventually 45 seconds for the final three. The last two questions I selected an answer, but barely read the question.

The verbal section was easier than I expected. I found the reading comprehension to be pretty simple. Only one of the writings was hard to follow. I thought the same thing about the critical reasoning. I thought the sentence correction was tricky. This is the opposite of how I felt about the practice tests.

How difficult would it be for me to imrove to a 760? Would an actual course help, or just more practice? How many hours would it take, overall? I'm sure there are some tricks or just ways to approach certain problems that I'm unaware of. I brushed up on most of the math concepts I was unclear on, but I could have done more. I never did get a firm grasp on problems dealing with factors and multiples.

I feel like my verbal was as good as I could hope for (if not better), but I thought my quantitative would be better. In the past, I've always performed better in quantitative classes and on quantitative tests. If I take it again, am I likely to improve my quantitative and be able to keep the verbal at that level?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Given that GMAT Focus is a relatively new tool, compared to GMATPrep, how similar or different did you find the material on Focus vs GMATPrep material?

I am taking the test on Friday, but I am also considering a second attempt at the beginning of September. Therefore, I am strongly considering using GMAT Focus. Your input would be very useful.

AleksandrM wrote:Given that GMAT Focus is a relatively new tool, compared to GMATPrep, how similar or different did you find the material on Focus vs GMATPrep material?

I am taking the test on Friday, but I am also considering a second attempt at the beginning of September. Therefore, I am strongly considering using GMAT Focus. Your input would be very useful.

GMAT Focus seems to have harder problems, more probability / Combinatorics problems. I've only taken two GMAT Focus tests so far.

Definitely good hard questions, without being incredibly number intensive.

V45!!!!

Nothing sounds more sexy than this! You are one verbal monster chief!

Hats off!

Refer to
https://www.beatthegmat.com/the-myth-of- ... 20149.html

cramya wrote:Refer to
https://www.beatthegmat.com/the-myth-of- ... 20149.html

Great point Cramya.

But there are SO MANY people who are obsessed with a GMAT score. A high score does not necessarily put you in a good program, but a bad score can definitely leave you out of the game.

We want to go to a business school, and this is the main GOAL!

760 + REJECTED < 710 + ACCEPTED!

Why would you take the test again? I don't understand ... there is zero benefit to a higher score for Western schools. You just need to go on the Businessweek admissions forums. People with 750+ are being rejected without interview by the boatload (I'm not saying that they are being rejected because of their high GMAT scores ... my point is that GMAT will not make up for other weak parts of your application ... )

I agree, there is no benefit to taking the test again. If your application is otherwise strong enough, a 720 will get you in. A 760 (or whatever) will not mask any issues in your application. In other words, you've done what you had to do, which is break 700 - if you get rejected now, it certainly won't be because your GMAT score wasn't good enough.

I'd spend my time writing my admissions essays now - it's the last aspect of your application that you have control over!

In other words, a looser with a 750 is still a looser!

I have heard that getting a very high score is almost like getting a low score. In both situations, you have to have a very strong application. I find it a bit strange. However, if I had to guess...

Most of the high scores come from folks in mathematics and engineering, and there are so many of them in the pool, that it becomes very difficult to differentiate yourself. Therefore, schools end up rejecting folks in these two areas with very high scores but relatively standard apps in every other way.

I think that it is a bit easier for people like me who come from social science/liberal arts background and display a very strong understanding of business practices in their application, in addition to a unique story and/or background.

Remember, schools compare people based on cohort groups. For example, they will not compare an engineering student to a student with a degree in history or music.