GMAT - From 500 to 680 (46Q 38V) - 6.0 AWA - The Beat The GMAT Forum

Hey All,

First off, I'd like to say that the GMAT is not impossible, but it can be very taxing. Also, I waited a while to write this because I'm less than a month away from attending grad school at a top 20 university (with a 2/3 scholarship). This has been a dream come true, and I'm very happy that someone in my position has been given this opportunity. My GMAT experience took place in October of 2009, so here is what I have to say about it.

Before my GMAT exam in October of 2009, I took the exam twice. The first practice test I took, I received a 500 without any practice. This worried me a bit because I knew that top schools look for competitive GMAT scores. I didn't feel nervous about preparing for the exam. I told myself that I am going to study and work really hard. This was easier said than done. One of the biggest hurdles for me was setting a definitive schedule so that I can learn everything within a given time frame. Before the first exam, I used some pretty good material from main stream prep companies, and also some advanced material on specific subjects. I thought, "as long as I work hard, I will do really well." Unfortunately, I learned that doing well on the GMAT will be more than just hard work.

After my first exam, I received a 600. I was pretty shocked. I wanted to puke after viewing my verbal score. I always scored a 35 or better on all of my practice exams. I just wanted to roll up into a little ball and stay away from society until I could find the answer to this predicament. I gave it a second shot and improved only slightly to a 630. I was not only concerned about my score, but also my confidence during the test. I felt as if the 630 was pretty lucky at this point because the verbal seemed so difficult during the actual exam. This all took place in 2008. I decided that I need to take some time off to re-evaluate my goals. Is grad school really for me? Why do I need to validate myself with some stupid test anyway? For me, it wasn't just a test. It was years of wanting more out of my life. My parents are immigrants from Europe and never took any formal English. They come from very humble backgrounds and came to this country to give me a better life. One thing my mom always emphasized was education. She told me, "Son, education will give you more than money. It will open your mind and give you opportunity beyond what you can comprehend at this moment." I wanted this not only for myself, but also for my family.

Fast forward to 2009. I was looking for another test prep company because I wanted a more holistic curriculum for my test prep. I spoke to a few people, then found Bara Sapir from Test Prep NY on Beat the GMAT. I decided to look into her services. Off the bat, her tutors seemed very knowledgeable, so I thought I'd gather some more information from her. The best part of her service is that they teach you how to handle anxiety prior to the test and during the test. I couldn't find any other test prep company at the time that handled the GMAT in this manner. After speaking with her, I told her that I not only want help with my anxiety, but I need a lot of help with my verbal, specifically Sentence Correction. We talked about my goals and my schedule. After setting a schedule, she set me up with a Math and a Verbal tutor. From day 1, Bara was really nice, and she understood where I was coming from. Some students don't need as much preparation because they studied a lot for their SATs or went to a very rigorous schools that gave them the tools to succeed at an early/earlier age. For me, I knew that I needed to work hard and mentally prepare myself to step up. She sat down with me to help me understand what triggers my anxiety and how to deal with it. The best part about this is that I apply this to other things in my daily life. Her techniques are built to provide you a way to deal with things in the future, not just the GMAT. I didn't have a difficult time grasping the quant, but verbal was a beast that needed to be taken down. Honestly, I think this is another part where Test Prep NY shines. The verbal tutor was simply amazing. I'm so upset that I didn't use a verbal tutor earlier in my studies. The main point that I want to make here is that a verbal tutor, especially a specialist in that area, understands the nuances of the verbal section. For example, in the Official Guide the answer explanations aren't very good. I always seemed to try many questions and apply those techniques, but always found exceptions. The verbal tutor was able to point out specifically why each answer is incorrect and why the correct answer is the best choice. I've been on many forums, and I noticed that a lot of users who get the correct choice do so without knowing all of the reasons why that sentence is correct. I truly believe this is why you see so many, "I received 35+ on all of my practice tests, but my verbal on test day is a 29." Verbal can change and be very dynamic. You have to arm yourself with a lot of knowledge to have the confidence to beat the verbal section. Overall, I cannot thank Bara and her team enough for all of the help that they have given me. If you are struggling with the GMAT and don't know where to go, I suggest you speak with Bara at Test Prep NY. It's more than just hard work and setting a schedule. You have to train yourself to get mentally prepared and to be in a certain state on test day. I'm not saying that test prep companies are for everyone, but getting additional info won't hurt.

Although my score is not super high, it is good enough to get me where I wanted to go (with a scholarship). During the test, I was very confident, and I actually could have performed even better if my quant was a bit higher. Here are a few things that I noticed about my GMAT experience:

1) Don't let anyone tell you that you have to be "innately" smart to do well. IQs and test scores can change because not everyone's preparation is the same.

2) Don't be satisfied with your performance unless you attain your goal. This doesn't mean, I wanted a 790, and got a 780. You should still be realistic and understand what your goals should be. My initial goal was a 700, and even though I didn't reach 700, I am very satisfied with a 680.

3) Set a schedule and stick with it.

4) Challenge yourself with really difficult problems. Understand why the problems are difficult. Also, I noticed that the more you rely on back solving or traditional test prep techniques, the harder it is to do well on the really difficult questions.

5) Don't be afraid to ask for help. Get a study group together or whatever you need.

6) Don't get scared if you didn't do well the first time.

7) Don't get tunnel vision. Just because a method of studying works for someone, does not mean that it will work for you.

May the force be with you.

-Donkey

GMAT - From 500 to 680 (46Q 38V) - 6.0 AWA

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