Since I've started studying in March, I've frequented Beat the GMAT and even used its resources like the flashcards, but a rather poor contributor. Eric and team, I hope this makes up for it!
My Love-Hate Relationship with the GMAT
In short, I love it; it hates me. I first took the GMATs in May 2008 and scored a dismal 560. Like many of you, I aspire to Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton. However, my aspirations were never enough to motivate me to truly study. I was always too busy - with work, family, travel, and other things. Even when I finally set a date, I failed to study. Secretly, my overinflated ego believed I would get a great score. After all, I had gotten a 1520 (out of the 1600 scale) on my SATs. Life and the GMATs, as they often do, proved me wrong.
When I got my score, I was really downtrodden and embarrassed. I knew I would not get into my dream schools without something better and yet, I delayed. For almost two years, I put off studying. And then, during my leave of absence from work, I finally decided that Harvard might not be worth it but I certainly was! I set aside four months and a goal of 760.
My Study Plan
I have to confess, I did take an expensive prep course, Kaplan's GMAT course (the regular one and not the advanced one). Part of this was the structured discipline that a weekly class would give me. The other part was that I had been out of college for almost 10 years, and had not studied math for over 14 years since high school and had not taken geometry since 1993! I really felt that the class environment and instructor support would be valuable to me. I would encourage people to assess whether they truly can self-study or need this kind of structured support and to consider any kind of instructor-led course if the latter is the case. Kaplan had a lot of support materials that are not available without their classroom course, but I did note that the course book, content, and strategies follow the bookstore version closely enough that you could buy that and study if you don't need classroom motivation. You know yourself best; just do not be like me and sloth away years if you need support.
- The course was structured over 9 weeks of classes with an extra week's worth of practice materials after the last lesson. Counting vacation weeks and additional time after my last class through to my exam week, I studied for a total of 14 weeks.
- I studied at least four hours a day, every day and including weekends. Of course, I took the usual breaks on Memorial's day and some travel days to visit the parents.
- I did all my required homework. Not always before every class, but I truly worked on each problem to understand it, read through the explanation even when I got the right answer and post a post it by the problems I got wrong so that I could revisit it later.
- I took my practice tests: 1 diagnostic test and only 4 of the required 6 Kaplan practice tests. I also did not take the GMATPrep exams, though I do not recommend following my bad example with regards to this. The reason why I took less exams than recommended was that I felt like I needed to focus most of my energy into (1) mastering basic content and (2) mastering strategies that I could apply when taking my tests and (3) learning key question patterns and burning them into memory
The Idiot's Guide to Math
- Math was my weakest link so I focused on this for the greatest return on my time investment. I had to relearn really basic math, including my multiplication and division table as well as algebra and geometry concepts. I used www.mathisfun.com, which has timed quizzes as well as paper-based ones, and believe me, I read through everything on that website and I did this every day for a week.
- I memorized Kaplan's pocket reference guide within 2 weeks. I am sure you can probably find similar books out there. My instructor gave me the best advice with regards to memorizing basic content. Each day memorize one small subset like the pythagorean triples (a^2 + b^2 = c^2 where a,b, c = 3, 4, 5 or 5, 12, 13 or 7, 24, 25 etc).
- I made my own flashcards and, in addition to putting on basic math content etc, i wrote down questions and answers to some of the more difficult types of questions so that i would have actual examples of how to apply the formulas or strategies. Closer to the exam date, I printed out and used Beat the GMAT flashcards to make sure my knowledge was truly comprehensive but I felt most comfortable starting off with my own.
- I spreadsheeted the math questions I got wrong in my textbook, the OG, and my practice exams. Yes, I did. Every single one. I believe this made a difference on test day, as I recognized a lot of the patterns I analyzed on my spreadsheet during my exam.
- Mastering the basic strategy for attacking each type of question is critical (i.e., writing down the data sufficiency question type, simplifying the equations in the question before moving on to the statements, determining what answer might be sufficient before reading the statements, looking for an always yes or always no answer OR a single variable, etc)
- Good pacing made a 50 point difference in each of the times I paid attention to it. When the clock moved down from 75 to 55 minutes, I had to be on question number 10, etc.
- Finishing is more important than getting every question right. I am told there is a huge penalty for not finishing the math section, but a lesser one for finishing and not getting the right answers. I knew that, generally speaking, the first 10 questions were more important so I spent more time on those during my tests. I was also always stretched for time at the end of my exam. I knew when the clock hit 3 minutes, I had to outright guess, submit, guess submit on the last 4 or 5 questions. I personally feel it's ok to do this. I still got a 720!
The Verbal Side of Things
- I was already at the 90th percentile even on my low 560 test so I did not focus too much on this. Like the math however, I did all the required homework and made flashcards focusing on mastering strategy.
- One thing that did help: I practiced reading comp and critical reasoning heavily and did so only when I was physically alert. It is really easy to glaze over the reading sometimes, and I noticed, when I did, I got many more wrong answers. Also, my attitude was that, even if the material is dry, I will love the topic, at least for the 75 minutes I was completing my verbal section.
- Since my original AWA was a 4.5, my goal was a 6 or at the very least 5.5. Thus, unlike most folks, I did study for this. I memorized a very simple template (so that I would not have to waste time struggling to find the right words, for my intro paragraph, transition sentences at the beginning of each paragraph, and my conclusion). With my issue essay, when I picked an issue to write about in each paragraph, I would describe the issue, provide an example of the issue as it relates to the topic, and then extend my explanation to show how each issue damaged the author's ability to arrive at the conclusion. I ended up with a 6!
On Test Day
I never questioned my ability to break 700. I always felt that I needed to put in the time and mental power to doing what it takes. If I did not get a 700 on my second try, it was simply because I had not yet mastered all the strategies and not because I was incapable. Really, any score above 560 would be an improvement. If I did not succeed on try #2, I would retake it a third time and succeed. I think this attitude is critical to sustaining a draining study plan and to being successful on test day.
I took Eric's advice about relaxing and went out to dinner with my boyfriend the night before. The day of, I brought along my ipod, arrived 30 minutes early to the test center, and sat outside listening to beethoven's 9th and really did visualize myself going through each section and succeeding. Before each section, I reviewed in my head the strategies for attacking each question type. When I went over my time checkpoint for the first 10 math questions and thought that I had bombed the quant, I decided I would not panic and simply keep going to earn a high 600. I'm sure glad I did!
Conclusion
I know it can be disheartening to get a score in the 50% percentile. I was. But, I picked myself up and approached my studying from a determined, systematic, and emotionally controlled point of view and I was able to be successful. I did not reach my 760 goal but I definitely got close (enough so not to bother trying again). I did have one friend who is both a genius and an incredible test take and he got a 700+ on the GMATs without even studying at all! Well, I am bright but I am neither of those things. For those of you who also originally scored in the 500s, know that that you can do it too.
My Love-Hate Relationship with the GMAT
In short, I love it; it hates me. I first took the GMATs in May 2008 and scored a dismal 560. Like many of you, I aspire to Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton. However, my aspirations were never enough to motivate me to truly study. I was always too busy - with work, family, travel, and other things. Even when I finally set a date, I failed to study. Secretly, my overinflated ego believed I would get a great score. After all, I had gotten a 1520 (out of the 1600 scale) on my SATs. Life and the GMATs, as they often do, proved me wrong.
When I got my score, I was really downtrodden and embarrassed. I knew I would not get into my dream schools without something better and yet, I delayed. For almost two years, I put off studying. And then, during my leave of absence from work, I finally decided that Harvard might not be worth it but I certainly was! I set aside four months and a goal of 760.
My Study Plan
I have to confess, I did take an expensive prep course, Kaplan's GMAT course (the regular one and not the advanced one). Part of this was the structured discipline that a weekly class would give me. The other part was that I had been out of college for almost 10 years, and had not studied math for over 14 years since high school and had not taken geometry since 1993! I really felt that the class environment and instructor support would be valuable to me. I would encourage people to assess whether they truly can self-study or need this kind of structured support and to consider any kind of instructor-led course if the latter is the case. Kaplan had a lot of support materials that are not available without their classroom course, but I did note that the course book, content, and strategies follow the bookstore version closely enough that you could buy that and study if you don't need classroom motivation. You know yourself best; just do not be like me and sloth away years if you need support.
- The course was structured over 9 weeks of classes with an extra week's worth of practice materials after the last lesson. Counting vacation weeks and additional time after my last class through to my exam week, I studied for a total of 14 weeks.
- I studied at least four hours a day, every day and including weekends. Of course, I took the usual breaks on Memorial's day and some travel days to visit the parents.
- I did all my required homework. Not always before every class, but I truly worked on each problem to understand it, read through the explanation even when I got the right answer and post a post it by the problems I got wrong so that I could revisit it later.
- I took my practice tests: 1 diagnostic test and only 4 of the required 6 Kaplan practice tests. I also did not take the GMATPrep exams, though I do not recommend following my bad example with regards to this. The reason why I took less exams than recommended was that I felt like I needed to focus most of my energy into (1) mastering basic content and (2) mastering strategies that I could apply when taking my tests and (3) learning key question patterns and burning them into memory
The Idiot's Guide to Math
- Math was my weakest link so I focused on this for the greatest return on my time investment. I had to relearn really basic math, including my multiplication and division table as well as algebra and geometry concepts. I used www.mathisfun.com, which has timed quizzes as well as paper-based ones, and believe me, I read through everything on that website and I did this every day for a week.
- I memorized Kaplan's pocket reference guide within 2 weeks. I am sure you can probably find similar books out there. My instructor gave me the best advice with regards to memorizing basic content. Each day memorize one small subset like the pythagorean triples (a^2 + b^2 = c^2 where a,b, c = 3, 4, 5 or 5, 12, 13 or 7, 24, 25 etc).
- I made my own flashcards and, in addition to putting on basic math content etc, i wrote down questions and answers to some of the more difficult types of questions so that i would have actual examples of how to apply the formulas or strategies. Closer to the exam date, I printed out and used Beat the GMAT flashcards to make sure my knowledge was truly comprehensive but I felt most comfortable starting off with my own.
- I spreadsheeted the math questions I got wrong in my textbook, the OG, and my practice exams. Yes, I did. Every single one. I believe this made a difference on test day, as I recognized a lot of the patterns I analyzed on my spreadsheet during my exam.
- Mastering the basic strategy for attacking each type of question is critical (i.e., writing down the data sufficiency question type, simplifying the equations in the question before moving on to the statements, determining what answer might be sufficient before reading the statements, looking for an always yes or always no answer OR a single variable, etc)
- Good pacing made a 50 point difference in each of the times I paid attention to it. When the clock moved down from 75 to 55 minutes, I had to be on question number 10, etc.
- Finishing is more important than getting every question right. I am told there is a huge penalty for not finishing the math section, but a lesser one for finishing and not getting the right answers. I knew that, generally speaking, the first 10 questions were more important so I spent more time on those during my tests. I was also always stretched for time at the end of my exam. I knew when the clock hit 3 minutes, I had to outright guess, submit, guess submit on the last 4 or 5 questions. I personally feel it's ok to do this. I still got a 720!
The Verbal Side of Things
- I was already at the 90th percentile even on my low 560 test so I did not focus too much on this. Like the math however, I did all the required homework and made flashcards focusing on mastering strategy.
- One thing that did help: I practiced reading comp and critical reasoning heavily and did so only when I was physically alert. It is really easy to glaze over the reading sometimes, and I noticed, when I did, I got many more wrong answers. Also, my attitude was that, even if the material is dry, I will love the topic, at least for the 75 minutes I was completing my verbal section.
- Since my original AWA was a 4.5, my goal was a 6 or at the very least 5.5. Thus, unlike most folks, I did study for this. I memorized a very simple template (so that I would not have to waste time struggling to find the right words, for my intro paragraph, transition sentences at the beginning of each paragraph, and my conclusion). With my issue essay, when I picked an issue to write about in each paragraph, I would describe the issue, provide an example of the issue as it relates to the topic, and then extend my explanation to show how each issue damaged the author's ability to arrive at the conclusion. I ended up with a 6!
On Test Day
I never questioned my ability to break 700. I always felt that I needed to put in the time and mental power to doing what it takes. If I did not get a 700 on my second try, it was simply because I had not yet mastered all the strategies and not because I was incapable. Really, any score above 560 would be an improvement. If I did not succeed on try #2, I would retake it a third time and succeed. I think this attitude is critical to sustaining a draining study plan and to being successful on test day.
I took Eric's advice about relaxing and went out to dinner with my boyfriend the night before. The day of, I brought along my ipod, arrived 30 minutes early to the test center, and sat outside listening to beethoven's 9th and really did visualize myself going through each section and succeeding. Before each section, I reviewed in my head the strategies for attacking each question type. When I went over my time checkpoint for the first 10 math questions and thought that I had bombed the quant, I decided I would not panic and simply keep going to earn a high 600. I'm sure glad I did!
Conclusion
I know it can be disheartening to get a score in the 50% percentile. I was. But, I picked myself up and approached my studying from a determined, systematic, and emotionally controlled point of view and I was able to be successful. I did not reach my 760 goal but I definitely got close (enough so not to bother trying again). I did have one friend who is both a genius and an incredible test take and he got a 700+ on the GMATs without even studying at all! Well, I am bright but I am neither of those things. For those of you who also originally scored in the 500s, know that that you can do it too.
I will be employed when I apply to bschool. Even if I were not, I do find that, of my friends who were unlucky enough to be involuntarily terminated, those who could articulate how they've actively taken advantage of their opportunities since are still successful with bschools. 
