Just received my AWA score - 5.5. So it make a perfect GMAT experience - 760 (Q:50, V:42). Yup I did it!!
When I gave my first diagnostic(Princeton) without any prep, I scored 640. Thus I knew that preparation should easily take me above 700 and that 760 should be a good score to aim to. Though I would be honest, the last few days before GMAT, I was not sure; my preparation was not complete and I was not getting very encouraging scores on the practice CATS. Thus I had made up my mind that anything above 700 should be good. Another thing is that I had got so exhausted during my preparation (juggling family, work and GMAT is not an easy thing.) that I had decided that I would not retake the test whatever may happen.
How was the actual GMAT?
It is true that whatever you get on your prep you get more or less similar score. My prep scores were 750, 740 and 750 (test 1 repeat). The actual GMAT math was a bit tough. I was bamboozled on the third question itself. Here I learned another thing. Don't get too emotional with a question. It is OK to get even the first question wrong! My pacing methodology was very simple. I would just look at the clock and make sure that at the halfway mark (when the clock shows around 38) I should have completed half (around 20) of the question. If I could maintain that then I was doing great. I had realized from my practice tests experience that if I use up too much time in the initial questions, then I would get panicky and this would screw whole of my test. Therefore I was prepared to get even the initial questions wrong, so as to have a good pacing and complete the test in proper time. (I actually complete both the sections with 10 mins to spare.)
Verbal I found to be easy. Particularly I found CR to be easy. It was not as tough as the Manhattan GMAT tests. Even the RCs were reasonable; not like Manhattan GMAT CATS which gives you a book to read. Though I would say one thing, I was not lucky enough to get any repeat questions from the official Guide or the prep tests.
My Preparation
As mentioned earlier my preparation was not complete. I had even not given the last Manhattan CAT and gave the prep only 3 times. Also I was not able to complete the official guide (CR part). But I did go through the Manhattan SC guide thoroughly. I would put the GMAT exam as thus: you need to take care on only the SC part. For the rest you can actually not learn anything. you can only improve with practice.
I also had taken Princeton review tests. But my personal opinion regarding these tests is that they are totally crap. You might only want to use it for practice but do not take the scores much seriously. I mean in the last test it gave me 650, 1 week before the test. They are like they expect you to get all the questions right. Even if you get one question wrong, you can kiss a score above 700 goodbye. On the other hand i was getting 730 consistently on Manhattan CATs. Manhattan CATs are really good. They are tougher than GMAT and have a very good analysis which actually gives you the level of questions that you are getting write and the level of questions you are getting wrong.
My Mantra for preparation.
If you want to do just the bare minimum for you preparation, here' what I would suggest.
1. Very Important! Buy Manhattan SC guide. with it you would get 6 Manhattan CATS.
2. Get official guide. Do prepare according to the Manhattan SC guide and do official guide questions.
3. It is important to complete official guide. preferably twice . Maybe make an excel sheet of the questions you are getting wrong and revisit the questions that you are getting wrong. Also remember that the question in the end are very important. So if you cannot complete the official guide, then prioritize the end questions.
4. for RC, CR and Quant, pick up any ref material and go through the concepts. But do remember to do official guide questions and look at the solutions.
5. Finally gauge your progress using the Manhattan CATs and GMAT prep.
6. Don't forget to give the tests along with the essays.
7. Couple of days before the test just relax and chill out!!
Regards
The One
When I gave my first diagnostic(Princeton) without any prep, I scored 640. Thus I knew that preparation should easily take me above 700 and that 760 should be a good score to aim to. Though I would be honest, the last few days before GMAT, I was not sure; my preparation was not complete and I was not getting very encouraging scores on the practice CATS. Thus I had made up my mind that anything above 700 should be good. Another thing is that I had got so exhausted during my preparation (juggling family, work and GMAT is not an easy thing.) that I had decided that I would not retake the test whatever may happen.
How was the actual GMAT?
It is true that whatever you get on your prep you get more or less similar score. My prep scores were 750, 740 and 750 (test 1 repeat). The actual GMAT math was a bit tough. I was bamboozled on the third question itself. Here I learned another thing. Don't get too emotional with a question. It is OK to get even the first question wrong! My pacing methodology was very simple. I would just look at the clock and make sure that at the halfway mark (when the clock shows around 38) I should have completed half (around 20) of the question. If I could maintain that then I was doing great. I had realized from my practice tests experience that if I use up too much time in the initial questions, then I would get panicky and this would screw whole of my test. Therefore I was prepared to get even the initial questions wrong, so as to have a good pacing and complete the test in proper time. (I actually complete both the sections with 10 mins to spare.)
Verbal I found to be easy. Particularly I found CR to be easy. It was not as tough as the Manhattan GMAT tests. Even the RCs were reasonable; not like Manhattan GMAT CATS which gives you a book to read. Though I would say one thing, I was not lucky enough to get any repeat questions from the official Guide or the prep tests.
My Preparation
As mentioned earlier my preparation was not complete. I had even not given the last Manhattan CAT and gave the prep only 3 times. Also I was not able to complete the official guide (CR part). But I did go through the Manhattan SC guide thoroughly. I would put the GMAT exam as thus: you need to take care on only the SC part. For the rest you can actually not learn anything. you can only improve with practice.
I also had taken Princeton review tests. But my personal opinion regarding these tests is that they are totally crap. You might only want to use it for practice but do not take the scores much seriously. I mean in the last test it gave me 650, 1 week before the test. They are like they expect you to get all the questions right. Even if you get one question wrong, you can kiss a score above 700 goodbye. On the other hand i was getting 730 consistently on Manhattan CATs. Manhattan CATs are really good. They are tougher than GMAT and have a very good analysis which actually gives you the level of questions that you are getting write and the level of questions you are getting wrong.
My Mantra for preparation.
If you want to do just the bare minimum for you preparation, here' what I would suggest.
1. Very Important! Buy Manhattan SC guide. with it you would get 6 Manhattan CATS.
2. Get official guide. Do prepare according to the Manhattan SC guide and do official guide questions.
3. It is important to complete official guide. preferably twice . Maybe make an excel sheet of the questions you are getting wrong and revisit the questions that you are getting wrong. Also remember that the question in the end are very important. So if you cannot complete the official guide, then prioritize the end questions.
4. for RC, CR and Quant, pick up any ref material and go through the concepts. But do remember to do official guide questions and look at the solutions.
5. Finally gauge your progress using the Manhattan CATs and GMAT prep.
6. Don't forget to give the tests along with the essays.
7. Couple of days before the test just relax and chill out!!
Regards
The One
