760 (Q 49 V45)

Find out how Beat The GMAT members tackled GMAT test prep with positive results. Get tips on GMAT test prep materials, online courses, study tips, and more.
This topic has expert replies
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2007 7:39 am
Location: Chicago

760 (Q 49 V45)

by lazer613 » Mon Jul 16, 2007 7:05 pm
Just got home. 760. I'm ecstatic! I didn't spend very much time preparing (3-6 weeks, less and an hour per day) and I'm obviously very happy with my score.

More details tomorrow.

Just one thing: Quantitative was harder than expected. Was hurrying at the end to answer all the questions. Had 5 questions to go and 5 minutes remaining. I was guessing, honestly.

Lazer

Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2007 7:39 am
Location: Chicago

by lazer613 » Tue Jul 17, 2007 6:12 am
OK. Here are some details of my preparations and my experience taking the test:

My preparations. NOT my advice for you!

On Memorial Day, about 7 weeks ago, I decided to apply to an MBA program which, of course, required taking the GMAT. A few days later, I took out some GMAT prep books from the library: Kaplan, Princeton Review and Barrons.

I started by learning the basics about the test, i.e. that there are 3 sections - AWA, Quant and Verbal. Over the next 3-4 weeks I did a few practice questions here and there. Not really studying, just warming up my brain to the way the test works and the type of questions that are asked. Probably did a total of less than 100 practice questions during that time.

The diagnostics indicated that I needed the most work on verb and less on quantitative.

On June 21, I knew I wasn't ready yet, so I renewed my library books for another 3 weeks. :D

I finally got around to doing more studying around July 1. Still didn't do much (< 1 hour/day) until July 8. After looking at the comments on this site and others, I decided to return the library books and purchase the OG11 and concentrate solely on it for my final week of preparation. I was surprised to find that there was very little in the way of explanation or strategy. OG11 consists primarily of practice questions and their explanations.

On July 9, I scheduled my GMAT for the following week, July 16.

I decided to do 100 practice questions from OG11 for each section (RC, CR, SC, PS and DS), trying for 100 each day M-F and then use the weekend to review all sections.

I did the 3 Verbal sections by Friday and didn't get around to looking at the Quant sections until Sunday night 6pm. I know. You're thinking, "OMG, this guy is nuts."

Just realize that I'm generally a very good test taker (or so I thought!) and I'm very familiar with the concepts in the Math portion. DS was new to me, but it didn't seem too difficult. I do NOT recommend this procrastination strategy. I'm just relating my personal experience.

By Monday morning I had done my 100 questions on everything except PS and I finished those up on the train to the test center on Monday night.

My experience from studying for the GMAT was that most of the questions that I got wrong on the practice tests were a result of my not reading the question carefully enough or, worse, simply mismarking my intended answer. I was convinced I would do well if I simply read the questions slowly and carefully and rechecked each of my answers before confirming.

My brain was ready.

Oh... As far as AWA is concerned, I read the overview of how it works and the strategy in PR and Barrons, which I thought were good. I'm not a terrific writer, but I can organize my thoughts fairly well. I also knew that the AWA portion was not considered as highly as other portions, if at all.

More in next post...