Alright so its over....

690: Q49 V34

Score is a bit disappointment considering i scored 710, 730 in 2 gprep tests....but was well preapred for a 20 point margin...so have made peace with myself...

During my prep I had hit wall atleast 3 times....n towards the end ...last 15 days....my job created some unpleasant surprises....that made my gmat attempt really high stakes game....

I am sure there will be better posts on learning strategies, so I'll list out my learnings:

1> Time: if you haven't appeared in any competetive exam for more 3-4 years...but want to beat the gmat in 1st attempt...you shall need minimum 3 months...ofcourse there are many who can do good in 2 weeks, but i guess those people don't need any posts to tell them that...they know it from within...

2> Forum usage: it is a boon in these times. I consider myself lucky to have access to this forum during my prep....I visited 2 other famous forums (and equally helpful) also, but beatTheGmat somehow felt most welcoming...!!!

But..but: aimless surfing though good, should be done in very initial phases of learnings....when you dont have a plan in place...once you are neck deep ...most optimum use was when i googled the question whose expln i found in forum and posting your doubts (which u shud track also for responses). ofcourse solving other's problems is excellent, but do keep track of learnings

3> every one has a weakest link...mine was SC. almost 70% of my time went in sc...but results nvr equated to efforts....but in final run i decided nt to ignore others. that was a gud decision as last week i spent on giving tests and its only b'cos of this move that i was able to complete 41 ques of verbal on time
(720 gprep was encouraging, but i was still strugling with sc...)

3> material: manhatten SC is must...but it was still insuffice for me....i read alot of stuff, but somehow nvr nailed SC.
CR bible is voluminous...so read it in begining of prep...esp the chapter on causation. but if short on time...Kaplan-800...that made CR breeze for me... CR was my strength frm very begining...n devoting 20 secs extra on each CR question helped me overcmg SC disadvantage....
On G-day i was sure of evry CR question except 1.

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I will add to this post if smthg comes to my mind...

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for now i need advise frm your end :
since i started gmat w/o much research on colleges...i struggled to choose 5 of them at my test-center

so please shed some light on how do i start now...when are the latest deadlines that i can chase...

I have chosen following for my score-cards:

> ISB
...(yup I m frm india
, and am a s/w engrr wid 4 yrs ..but its largely telecom...so that is the reason for my second choice)

> IE, spain : MBA in telecom

> NUS

> McMaster univ , canada....this one is wild card entry...so dont have any idea...


any forums u recommend to help me plan the journey ahead...
pls let me knw