After 1.5 years, finally done. 710 (Q:47, V:42)

I can't believe it but I am now finally able to write this once and for all.
I took my test this past Saturday and got a 710 (Q:47, V:42). While I wasn't happy about my Quant performance considering I've always scored 49, I was more than happy with my Verbal score. I've never scored that high before! The feeling was unreal and I sat there when the score popped up with the stupidest, biggest grin on my face. Still in shock, I sat in my car for a good 20 minutes just staring at the print out sheet.

I really wanted write this because in moments of deep uncertainty and during times when I wanted to give up, some threads here really gave me hope. I want to do the same to those who are still in the race.

Do. Not. Ever. Give. Up. Period.

Background about me: I'm a 29 year old male, Econ background, 3.1 GPA from a State school. I'm currently a Merchandise Planner at a big retailer. I consider myself average when it comes to just "getting things" but have proved to myself that I can be a hard worker. I regret not working hard in my undergrad, etc. etc.

Study Material: there are SO MANY resources out there. I think the biggest takeaway for me from this whole process is this - YOU owe it to yourself to figure out and understand how YOUR MIND works. Not everyone learns materials the same way, and we all process information differently. The sooner you learn about yourself, your strengths and weaknesses holistically, the sooner you will improve.

I've taken MGMAT classes, EMPOWER, GMAT PILL, EGMAT. I won't go into reviewing each and every one but here's my brief feedback.

I consider myself to be very process driven person. I see something, I analyze what, who, why, etc. that something is, and I try to follow the pattern. Maybe I'm a terrible learner, or just simple-minded but the courses that resonated with my way of thinking the most were EMPOWERGMAT (quant), and EGMAT (verbal).

Rich @ Empowergmat is insane. I don't know how, but his methods are so simple, straightforward, process driven, and error proof with enough practice. My quant score consistently hit 49 after I took his course. In my last test I was a bit rusty with Quant because I focused so much on verbal.

EGMAT - I don't know what it is about this course, but it's very similar to Empowergmat in the sense that it's very process driven, and simple. I focused mostly on SC at EGMAT but I think by doing so it helped me with CR & RC as well. How? EGMAT focuses on the MEANING on the SC instead of grammar rules alone. I think many test takers easily just dive into dissecting the errors of the sentence without fully grasping what the sentence is saying. By practicing their methods, I'm certain it improved my CR & RC scores because I applied the MEANING focus to every CR prompt, and RC passage. Reflect on your experiences thus far - do you literally ask yourself "what's this question asking me right now?". If you don't spend the time to understand what they're really asking for, then how do you know what to look for? Slow down.

Other takeaways:
1. Quality of FOCUS - it's so so so hard to do this. You can solve 100 problems in 1 hour, but chances are the quality of your focus to questions will be off. I honestly believe that it's not about solving as many problems as possible. I didn't finish the supplemental OG VERBAL 2, and QUANT 2 books. I bought the GMATPREP additional 400 questions and got through only half. IT'S OKAY IF YOU DON'T FINISH EVERY SINGLE PROBLEM. But it's NOT OKAY, if you rush through them without fully understanding your mistake and why you chose that specific answer.
2. SLOW DOWN - we're all Over Achievers in my book - trying to go back to B-school for whatever the reason. We want to get where we want to, and we wanted to get there yesterday. But this test does not care about your wants. It wants to know if you really understand the material. Slow down. Start small, slow, but be very consistent daily. Start with 2 questions for each section of the exam. Add one or two as each day, or week goes by.
3. STAMINA - just think about this logically. If you're a working professional, chances are you're probably not used to sitting for 4 hours straight with 3 8-minute breaks in-between. Now think about trying to do that during test day, and having the ability to stay calm, stay completely FOCUSED, NOT think about if you did the previous question correctly, etc. etc. You see where I'm going with this? STAMINA. You have to build it by practicing it. This doesn't mean take 4 hour exams every single day when you're not ready for practice exams yet. It means study in 75 minute blocks. Assume it's actual test setting - no smoking, no chatting, no looking. Start small, start slow. If 75 minutes seems daunting, start with 10 minutes. Start small, start slow, be consistent.
4. Smoking - this section is for smokers only but still important I think. If you think that not having a smoke for 4.5 hours straight will not impact your score, I suggest not smoking for 4.5 hours during work and observe your mental sharpness. I personally think it definitely affects it. Either quit, or don't smoke for a week before.
5. GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK - do not, I repeat, do NOT be so hard on yourself. Yes, you can absolutely do this. Yes, it takes time. But do not beat yourself up, instead be very very honest with yourself. Go out once in a while, see some friends, have a drink, enjoy the process. If you don't feel like studying one day, have the confidence to say f*ck it, and move on and enjoy your day. Watch a movie, read a book, etc. But the next day, you should be mentally ready to study again. Do not make this a task. Do not be tied down by it.

In the end, there isn't just 1 way to beat this damn test. You have to figure out what works and doesn't work for you, and have the confidence and comfort to keep moving forward.

I feel like I wrote some cheesy inspirational speech but this was pretty sincere from me. I think many students who struggle to get the score they "want" tend to learn more than just study materials. It's actually a bit of a reflection of who you are by going off the common path and finding your own way. That's what I had to do and I'm glad I did.

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