I just Beat The GMAT!

First off, this is a somewhat long post but I wanted to share everything that I have learned and gotten from this studying process. I have never posted on here before but I felt it was only fair to give back and post my two cents on the whole GMAT studying process after obtaining so much great information from this site. I could never thank sites such as beatthegmat enough, everyone thinking about taking the GMAT should use this site, thank you beatthegmat.

Background
I studied engineering in undergrad from a top 25 engineering program (public school), graduated in '07 and now have three years of full time work experience with an engineering consulting firm.
Why am I taking the GMAT?
Having become somewhat bored with engineering, I wanted to look for a new possible path to go into and business school always intrigued me. My roommate had just finished his application process and having seen him successfully complete it and get into a top 5-10 school, I knew that it could be done with enough determination and drive.

Goal
My goal in studying for the GMAT was to score in the mid-700s, while maintaining a somewhat normal life and working full time, all being done without my girlfriend getting too mad at me for studying all the time and not spending any time with her. I started the studying process in January since it was the winter and I figured I wouldn't be missing out on any fun outdoor weekend stuff (I live in the mid-atlantic region so winters can be pretty cold), I highly recommend studying during the winter if you have the option, you have many less distractions and I often didn't mind going home to study since it was dark out by the time I was leaving work and there wasn't much else going on.

Study Plan
To get my study plan I read through many debriefings and was able to pick out what I thought were the most successful techniques as well as what company produced the best study material. I decided to self study since the majority of people I heard from really only recommended the classes as a more effective way of staying on track. Therefore, I decided that if I could set a schedule and stick to it the classes wouldn't be necessary, but if you are a type of person who might tend to fall behind schedule or get lazy with your studying, classes are probably for you. I also decided that I would get the entire 8 book collection from Manhattan GMAT series, these are usually the highest rated and come with CAT tests that people highly recommended as well.
I wanted to maintain a somewhat normal life throughout this process so I figured I would study 2 nights a week on weekdays after work and one day of studying on the weekend. I tried to do between 10-15 hours a week studying. Since I wasn't in a rush to get a score I knew I had plenty of time and didn't even have a date scheduled to take my exam (in my mind I was thinking the whole process would take around 12 weeks but didn't pressure myself to finish if I wasn't prepared), this helped keep some pressure off me. If possibly take the GMAT at a time when you can take as much time studying as you need and you don't have to rush through it to meet some deadline. The longer period of time you have to study, in my opinion, the easier it will make your life just make sure you don't procrastinate for too long and never end up taking the test, stay on track.
I figured 10-15 hours a week would be about enough to get through one MGMAT book a week. I wanted to get through the majority of these books before I started taking CATs and worrying about scores. I started with the Quant books and since I have an engineering degree and I have a very solid math background I figured it wouldn't be too difficult but the GMAT is different from any type of math I had ever done, mainly the data sufficiency section. Anyways, I figured one MGMAT book a week, with the problems in the book as well as the problems recommended for that section in the OG 12.

Materials
- Complete set of 8 Manhattan GMAT books- as rated, I thought these books were incredibly effective at teaching you the proper techniques for solving problems in a quick and efficient manner (https://www.amazon.com/Manhattan-GMAT-St ... 138&sr=8-2)
- 12th edition Official Guide, absolute must have (https://www.amazon.com/Official-Guide-GM ... 162&sr=1-1)
- Critical Reasoning Bible, everyone says it's the best CR book and I have no complaints about it (https://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-GMAT-C ... 185&sr=1-1)
- Verbal Review OG 2nd Edition, great source for extra verbal problems (https://www.amazon.com/Official-Guide-GM ... 203&sr=1-1)

Studying
I started my study plan right on track with one book a week but soon got antsy and wanted to see just how much I had learned after only a few weeks so I took my second CAT (my first having been my diagnostic). My score was a 640 Q44 V33, I don't know what I was expecting having only studied a few weeks but this score really worried me but instead of letting it get me down and discourage me, I used it as fuel to work harder and focus even more on my studying. In some weird way this score was a good thing since it showed me I wasn't going to just get a 700 without putting the work in and it drove me to work for the 700s. It takes a lot of studying to go from mid 600s to that 700 level, trust me.
After CAT #2 didn't go as planned I got back on track with my one MGMAT book a week and decided I wouldn't take another CAT for at least a month maybe longer. I also ordered the Critical Reasoning Bible and 2nd Edition Verbal books as a knee jerk reaction to seeing a 33 in Verbal but I'm glad I did, both of these books proved useful.
Studying continued into the winter and after about 6 more weeks of studying and 6 more MGMAT books done, I decided that it was time to start focusing on CATs in order to see if I was anywhere near my goal. I decided to take my next CAT at the library close to my house, this way I would be in an unfamiliar setting with distractions potentially around me, just like when I was taking the real test (I think taking the tests in the library really helped when I actually took the test and would suggest it to people). My CAT #3 went much better 690 q44 v39, I was encouraged because all my studying wasn't going unrewarded while at the same time I knew I was nowhere near satisfied, and the studying had to continue.
And so it did, from here on I took a CAT either every week or every other week, at around the same time of day that I was thinking to schedule my test and on a Saturday so I would be well rested the night before rather than exhausted from a full day of work, this made my mental state as close to the real thing as possible. My CATs scores keep increasing and I think it was directly related to reviewing my practice tests. Reviewing you each CAT is probably the most helpful thing you can do to increase your overall score, Manhattan gives you outstanding information regarding your breakdown of questions from each CAT, make sure you generate a report for each CAT and review every single problem you got wrong. Most of the time when I reviewed the CAT I noticed that I knew the material I just made a careless mistake or rushed, this helped me realize I needed to slow down and focus much harder when taking my test. Also reviewing helps show what you may still need to work on, in my case Sentence Correction always seemed to be my Achilles heel.
Soon I realized it was time to schedule an exam, I did it for about 2 weeks later than I initially wanted to (therefore drawing out the studying process for a few each weeks) but I really wanted to take it on a Friday and at around 11am since that was the time of day I had been taking my practice tests. Now with the test date set and the MGMATs almost complete, it was time to move on to GMATPrep.

GMATPrep
First off, don't do any GMATPrep questions before you take these tests, otherwise the results will be skewed and the score will not be accurate whatsoever. I had read this previously and it made sense so as much as I wanted to do practice GMATPrep questions (since they are about the best actual test question examples there are), I was able to hold back and not do any prior to taking the GMATPrep tests. That being said, these test are very accurate in comparison to the real thing. My two scores were 720 and 710 and my actual score was 730 (my second test was weighed down by some large distractions that happened while at the library but oh well). Take these tests in a setting exactly like you will for the real test, as I did with all my CATs I took them at the library and made sure to do the AWA and took 5 minute breaks in between sections, this will help you come test day.
In reading some peoples debriefs I noticed that some people would sometimes take a GMATPrep test as a diagnostic, this never made sense to me and still doesn't. Don't use these until you are ready to take your actual GMAT, if you take the first one and realize you're horribly unprepared then move the test day back and keep studying, don't take a GMATPrep test months before you're scheduled to take your real test just to see where you stand. Use them as they are intended to be used and they will help you get comfortable for your real GMAT, make sure you review all your errors and look to see what you still may need to touch up on.
Only after you take the GMATPrep, download these documents to help you prepare before the actually test
198 GMATPrep Hard Quant Questions- https://www.beatthegmat.com/198-level-70 ... 43783.html
GMATPrep CR Questions- https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-prep-cri ... 06783.html
GMATPrep SC Questions- https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmatprepsc-105446.html
GMATPrep RC Questions- I can't find the link but there is another document for practice questions out there.

AWA
Starting with my CAT #5 I began writing the AWA before taking each CAT, the first time I did the AWA I had a separate window open on my computer with a template I planne don following for AWA's. This way I was writing the AWA as a practice and going through the motions so my brain would be ready for the 4 hour test, after that first AWA I wrote it from with the template open, just like the real test would be. Don't stress too much on your AWA, maybe a month before your actual test start casually looking over templates, I used chineseburned (https://gmatclub.com/forum/how-to-get-6- ... 64327.html) and got a 6.0, very easy to follow and straight forward. Make sure you take a few tests while writing the AWA so that you will be ready for the extra hour of thinking.

CAT Scores
I loved checking other peoples CAT scores to compare to mine and use them to try and gauge what I thought I would get down the line so here you go.
ManhattanGMAT CAT #1 (diagnostic) 660- q44 v36
MGMAT CAT #2 2/6/11- 640 q44 v33
MGMAT CAT #3 3/19/11- 690 q44 v39
MGMAT CAT #4 4/2/11- 730 q48 v42
MGMAT CAT #5 4/9/11- 710 q48 v38
GMATPrep #1 4/23/11- 720 q47 v42
GMATPrep #2 4/30/11- 710 q48 v36
Actual GMAT 5/6/11- 730 q49 v42

Thoughts on Manhattan GMAT Material
Amazing material. The books helped a great deal and even though many people have written it before me, let me say it again, the material, especially the Math portion, is much harder than the actual GMAT. While their scoring might be adjusted to show a score similar to what you may get on the GMAT (by allowing more incorrect questions for a certain score, maybe?), the questions asked are way beyond what you will see. They are great practice and I recommend you using them but the algebra and trap answers are much harder, they will test all of your Quant skills but in the process improve your Quant score. Also, don't be mad if you go over your time limit for the Quant section by a few minutes, I usually paused the test at the end so that I got to every question, a few extra minutes with these questions is more than fair.
The Verbal was good, mainly Reading Comprehension and Sentence Correction, however the Critical Reasoning were a little bit off from the actual GMAT CRs. I used the Critical Reasoning Bible and I'm glad I did, I would suggest using that book as well along with the extra 2nd edition Verbal book to give you extra practice questions to go through while you're learning rather than wasting the good OG 12 questions on your early learning stages (Verbal was my weaker section and I needed all the extra practice I could get, if you're already strong with verbal, the OG 12 will probably be sufficient for you). Everyone says the MGMAT Sentence Correction book is amazing and for good reason, every time I spent a day or two looking through this book my Verbal score for that weeks CAT would be higher than the previous CAT, my verbal score seemed to live and die by that one book.
Overall, I would suggest the MGMAT material to everyone, especially self studiers like myself, they walk you through everything you need to learn and teach it to your very clearly. The CATs are some of the best out there but don't get discouraged by how tough they can be, you will be relived once you see the actual GMAT Quant questions.

Key Takeaways/Final Thoughts
- Sometimes when you come home from a long day of work (usually towards the end of the work week) and you can't seem to think straight and your brain is tired and you're having trouble getting questions right, stop for the night. It took me a few frustrating nights to realize that all I was going to get accomplished at that point was getting more upset and more angry, walking away from studying for the night was the best thing to do.
- Take exams in a library setting where distractions may occur, while the testing centers do a good job of keeping things quiet there can be a lot of coming and going by the test prompters so a library is a pretty similar setting to the actual testing center.
- I realize that this is going to be so much easier to say than do but the week of the test try and relax. I got myself so worked up I ended up losing sleep and even getting a little bit sick. Try and keep your mind busy with other things when you're not looking over GMAT stuff, try and do something like play a round of golf or do something outside, it will not help you at all to worry.
- I kept going to the gym during my studying process and I think this helped me by releasing alot of extra energy I had from being at my desk studying so much. It was great to be around people and clear my head a few days a week rather than constantly being surrounded by my GMAT books, try and get out and exercise during the studying process, it will help with your mental state of mind.
- Use sites like Beatthegmat.com and Gmatclub.com, both are amazing resources that have more helpful information than you could ever get around to actually using. If you have a question about a certain problem, chances are its been discussed on one of those sites. Also, gmatclub has a nice little question of the day that keeps your mind sharp even on off studying days.
- If you have a problem solving a question and are self studying like me, use the internet to look up the questions. Every question I had a question about had already been addressed on some GMAT site, and gave a clear explanation, this was extremely helpful for self studiers who don't have an instructor to ask questions to.
- A lot of the questions you see online in forms/websites are way more difficult than the real GMAT problems. I saw some of the most complex combonatics problems imaginable on some sites meanwhile I didn't even see one such problem on the actual GMAT and on my GMATPreps the hardest combo problem I got was rather elementary in comparison. I would often try questions I saw online only to get them wrong and get discouraged, don't let this happen to you, realize that these testing companies have to keep making questions in order to have a product to sell and in a lot of cases they make the questions more difficult than they are on the real test. Gmatclub question of the day is about the right difficulty, also take their free Quant test, it's similar difficulty as well. The internet is an amazing resource but use it with caution.
- When you're reading Reading Comprehension paragraphs, trick yourself into thinking you're actually interested in what the topic is and that you genuinely care about the paragraph. I read a few people suggest that and it sounded kind of funny at first but it does help, if you have a bored attitude going into a paragraph you're not going to be nearly as focused as you should be and will miss alot of key information. If instead you read the first sentence and say to yourself, 'this is something I really wanted to read about' or 'I wonder what this is paragraph is going to try and prove', anything along those lines will help you get much more involved with the paragraph and you will retain much more information this way, try it, it does help greatly.
- Use Ursula's excel sheet (https://www.beatthegmat.com/need-to-impr ... t1946.html) to help when studying and tracking your timing for questions. It will allow you to see if you need to speed up or have time to spare, a useful tool.
- Perhaps the best motivational phrase I saw while studying, and believe me you will see a lot, was "People don't fail, they just give up". I thought this was especially true for this test, if you really want that high score you can achieve it, don't get discouraged if you're doing poorly just focus more and studying harder, it really is all about how badly you want it.

Good luck to everyone and if you have any questions let me know, thanks again beatthegmat.

Awesome score and patient debrief.

Thanks for the inspiration mike..

Thanks for the inspirational post