Need advice!!! retaking GMAT..

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Need advice!!! retaking GMAT..

by purvi.gupta.g » Mon Dec 27, 2010 3:51 am
Hi all!!

I took my first GMAT on 29th Oct and scored a 650(Q49,V31) AWA-5.5
Screwed my Verbal completely.

Now I am going to retake it in Jan...(Jan end). I deliberately took two months off so dat I unlearn the questions and start fresh all again. I dont knw if dat was a rite decision. But now dat I am getting bak to my buks, I need a serious advice.

Strategy for the first GMAT
The last time I tuk GMAT I used the following buks-
1. OG11
2. Verbal OG 2
3. MGMAT SC Guide
4. Kaplan Premier Program
5. MGMAT tests (all 6)
6. GMAT Prep tests

I practiced timed tests with proper breaks and with AWAs everytime. I made proper notes for all the sections. I also kept an error log for all the sections. But I dont knw where I lost it! I had been scoring consistently 680 and above in all the tests. GMAT prep(1st-680, 2nd- 720) I was kind of confident that I would score at least 700 in the test.

The first Experience
I know I had given my best last time, but things just dint work in my favour! I was supposed to take my test in Jaipur which is 5 hrs from my town. The day before the test my train got late by 6hrs. I was supposed to reach Jpr at 12 noon....but I reached at 7 in the evening. I was completely exhausted physically and mentally by then!! As I had got up early in the morning..and reached in the evening. On my way I revised all of my mistakes I had kept a log of in Verbal. I was left wd revising Quant. I revised it at nite b4 d test after reaching jaipur.. And slept around 11. My test was at 1 in the noon. I had thought I would take a sound sleep and get up by 9. But because my uncle had to drop me at my test center, he woke me up at 8 and asked me 2 get ready by 8.30 so dat he could drop me at my relatives' place whose home was very close to the center. I had no choice...feeling sleepy I got ready 4 d test. I just dint feel fresh at all! I had thot I wud take a nap at my relatives' place, but out of anxiety I could not sleep!! At the end I went to the center trying to feel fresh.

I made it a point to go to the washroom and wash my face before the test and during all the breaks. I did that. And it definitely worked. My awa went great. My quant was also fine, not gr8. I could concentrate well through both the sections. But during the verbal section, I just could not concentrate. I could not sit through the test. And as a result I scored just 31 in verbal. Whereas I had been scoring 35 and above in all of my tests in verbal. This came to me as a real shock. I had nvr scored below 680 in my tests!!!!!!

Is it possible that I lost in Verbal just because of the exhaustion that happened due the delay of train? Or bacuse I was underslept? Or was my prep not sufficient??? I just cant figure out my mistake!! Please help!

Strategy for the second time
Now I am planning to retake it in Jan. How should I prepare? I plan to study for not more than a month. Because I also feel that one more mistake that I made last time was- I studied too much. I used to study for around 7-8 hrs everyday. And I did feel mentally exhausted by the end of 3 months. I dont want to repeat that mistake. I will study 4 hrs evryday. This is wat I have decided.

I plan to do the OG12, Exercises in Kaplans PremierCD and revise MGMAT SC Guide.
Take 2GMATPrep tests and maybe 2 MGMAT tests.
Apart from these, I have downloaded a Aristotle 100 LSAT CR questions apt for GMAT, Aristotle RC99 and 300+ Quant questions that were uploaded by Eric, an Idioms list and Nova Data Sufficiency.
I will do the awa with the tests.

Please Advise
How should I prepare this time?
What should I do to break the 700 barrier?
Is my strategy fine?

Experts please help! I really have to score 700+ this time. I am ready to put in all the effort. Please guide me through it.

Thanks a lot.
I appreciate your time.

P.S.- And this time I will go to Jaipur 2 days before the test so that I dont exhaust myself in travelling. My stamina is poor!

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by karanrulz4ever » Mon Dec 27, 2010 9:57 am
Hi Purvi,

I don't think the efforts that you put were the reasons you didnt get your target score. I guess it was the anxiety and nerves before the test that cost you dearly.

Don't burn yourself too much. Practice problems and read explanations of the questions you make mistake in thoroughly. Use the OG and MGMAT SC guide well.

Stay calm before and during the test. I know this is easier said than done, but you need to do so in order to scale the GMAT.

Good Luck!!

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by purvi.gupta.g » Mon Dec 27, 2010 10:03 am
Hi Karan,

Thanks a lot for the advice!
I will follow this!

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by Random Wok » Thu Dec 30, 2010 9:49 am
Your Quant looks pretty solid. I second the recommendation to use the MGMAT SC guide. Additionally, if you need more SC help, consider getting the BTG practice questions on this site. They have a lot of good SC questions with full video explanations.

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by rishi raj » Fri Dec 31, 2010 11:47 am
Studying for 7-8 hours can really drain you. I think you should cap your studies at 5 hours divided in periods of 1.5 hours each with ample break in between.
You have the right material and I think what is important is to stay calm not only during the exam but in the run up for the exam also.
You may want to take each GMATPREP test twice.

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by purvi.gupta.g » Fri Dec 31, 2010 11:50 am
Thanx a lot guys!!!!!!

I havent started studying yet!!!
I will definitely start 2day...
And I will take the exam on 31st.
Dats it. I dont think I want to drag it beyond that..

and btw

"Happy New Year" ppl!!!!!!!!
Lots of luck and love!

Purvi!

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by purvi.gupta.g » Fri Dec 31, 2010 12:13 pm
hey!

but i gave the GMATPrep tests twice last time already!
I think they will gv inflated results....
wat shud i do in that case?