hi guys,
i practiced on maybe half the qns in the OG book, but i did sign up for a prep course which was useful in telling me the strategy to answer questions for DS and SC. I'm sure I could have got that info online, but in the past month I've also been working full-time and doing my MBA applications from scratch so that I can meet the R1 deadlines. in short i did almost no practice for the GMAT.
anyway, got 770 Q50 V44. The only thing I did was to do 3 full length powerprep tests in the four days leading up to the exam, all at the same time (1pm) and with the same 10 mins breaks in between. I discovered that drinking small amts of water, and having a light snack each time, was good. I also learnt that it was better to feel tired at the start of each section, so that I'd be more alert at the end. I know, weird points, but the key for me was to learn how to be 'on my game'.
Leading up to the test, I got 740, 780, 780 for the 3 practice tests. I probably could have done better this time (i failed to finish Q, and by the time I got to V I was so tired I finished the whole thing with 30 mins to spare). But overall, it was fine. I'm also a college senior, and I've found that makes the math concepts + reading the esoteric comprehension passages much easier.
Summary: 2 key learnings
1) train yourself to be on your game by simulating test conditions
2) if you're in college, do it before you start work because you'll be better trained to do it
EDIT: I got 6.0 for AWA too, although it was the first time I was doing it and I had not looked at a single topic. Clearly there's something to this method of following a strict structure.
i practiced on maybe half the qns in the OG book, but i did sign up for a prep course which was useful in telling me the strategy to answer questions for DS and SC. I'm sure I could have got that info online, but in the past month I've also been working full-time and doing my MBA applications from scratch so that I can meet the R1 deadlines. in short i did almost no practice for the GMAT.
anyway, got 770 Q50 V44. The only thing I did was to do 3 full length powerprep tests in the four days leading up to the exam, all at the same time (1pm) and with the same 10 mins breaks in between. I discovered that drinking small amts of water, and having a light snack each time, was good. I also learnt that it was better to feel tired at the start of each section, so that I'd be more alert at the end. I know, weird points, but the key for me was to learn how to be 'on my game'.
Leading up to the test, I got 740, 780, 780 for the 3 practice tests. I probably could have done better this time (i failed to finish Q, and by the time I got to V I was so tired I finished the whole thing with 30 mins to spare). But overall, it was fine. I'm also a college senior, and I've found that makes the math concepts + reading the esoteric comprehension passages much easier.
Summary: 2 key learnings
1) train yourself to be on your game by simulating test conditions
2) if you're in college, do it before you start work because you'll be better trained to do it
EDIT: I got 6.0 for AWA too, although it was the first time I was doing it and I had not looked at a single topic. Clearly there's something to this method of following a strict structure.
Last edited by jelt on Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
