I just Beat The GMAT!

What I'm doing is reading these forums...getting tips on how to identify and improve on my weaknesses.

My CAT experience is a different story..because my goal the second time around was to improve my maths ability..which I did. (Even though in the exam I didn't fare as well in maths as I would've liked, overall I've improved by ability and confidence in maths).

What I'm trying to do with the GMAT is take practice sectional tests...keep a track of my accuracy...note down the areas in which I'm making a mistake (for ex: In SC, it's parallelism and modifiers) and then I'm trying to improve. The practice test results show that it's making a difference.

I'd request you to go through the forums and identify your weaknesses! It could be specific topics, it could be the additional pressure you face under timed conditions, it could even be the fact that you're giving enough time to other aspects of life!(friends, hobbies, overall development etc.)

Also, talk to a couple of friends whom you respect and whose advice you trust. That's always helpful. (and the fact that these people know you best, they'll really be able to help you out)

Ankit, sorry to hear about your results. I am also at the same situation or may be even lower than you. Even though working hard, I messed up and scored only 580 (50Q, 20V, 5.0AWA) in my first attempt during Aug.

Some how not sure about the next move, I wasted 1.5 months to take the further any decision. Now finally I am back on track and decided to give another shot.

Like you, I have also exhausted all the materials but still there is scope of improvements. As you stated you have time to prepare for GMAT, I guess the only thing missing is the motivation. I am not sure how much my plan can help you but here it is as follows:-

1. No need to cut your relationships or living in isolation for the entire preparation period. Keep fix time for your studies for each day and during study time, only studies should be on top priority. Cutting relationships leads to low moral. But yes you can fix time to meet your buddies/GF/parents/colleagues etc.

2. If you are not sure about concepts (verbal in my case) then pick your verbal books again and start reading only a chapter in a day. You said you finished powerscore CR in 3 days. I don't think that we should rush in case of grasping the concepts. Go Slow but make an effective lead. Gradually confidence will come with time. Pick a chapter/topic, study it and may be after 5-6 hours or probably on very next day solve the questions on that topic. Pick the questions on the forum rather than the book. You can use search with the desired keywords to get the questions on that topic. Also CR is the topic where you can score 100%. So if it less than that then YES there is scope of improvement. And after every 3-4 days revise your topics. The more you revise, the more you will get the perfection.

3. Since you have exhausted your materials. So leave that material because probably you just have given your GMAT so for most of the questions you know the answers. So now even you score 100% on the exhausted materials, it will never shows your true learning or weakness. Instead of exhausted practice material, either pick the new one or come to GMAT forums. There are 3-4 major GMAT forums. Daily people used to post enough questions that if you solve those questions then it would be enough for you.

4. Do not just solve the forum questions on your notebook. Instead of doing so, post back the detailed reply on the forum. Look it like that you have to teach that topic. Do not just post answer like "IMO A/B/C/D/E". As it would not help. You must know why each option is incorrect in that question. So always post detailed reply. In case, if you don't know the answer, do not just wait for the other's answer. Either googled that post or search the topics/concept on which that question is based. Remember the more effort you put in, the more effective will be the outcome.

5. Take Verbal like Quant. As I said above, you should always know why a particular answer is correct and why the other four choices are wrong. Certainly it will help in building up the concepts.

6. Whether to book the next date now is up to you. I have thought to book it when I will feel that I know enough concepts on the verbal. One can book the test date 24 hours prior to the test time. So, if you are not sure about your test plan/date then don't book the date but be regular in your studies. Do not make a gap even for a single day.

7. Reward yourself. On every small success or even failure I use to reward myself. It gives me feeling that I am part of this world. Set the milestones and celebrate after achieving each milestones. Spread happiness and get back the happiness.

Long post !!! Pick whatever seems right to you and get ready to fight back again.

Remember: There is well said phrase in Hindi that "Karat Karat aabyass jarmat hote jaat sujan". Means that the "to and fro" motions of rope leaves the mark even on the well's stone. OR if to say in English "Practice makes the man perfect".

Hope this may help...

Good Luck

Codesnooker................
Thanx for taking out time to write such an inspiring and informative response...
First...i need to take a balanced approach in my life......i cant ignore other aspects of my life just to clear one exam....i need to plan everything....though its gonna be difficult...but that's d way life is.....

Second..I have realised it will be hard second time........to analyse and improve..but i am ready to put in efforts needed to achieve my target score.......believe me i have raised my target score.....now my target score is 750+...earlier it was 730.....n now i have realised that people who have raised their score second time.....man you did the tremendous job..i can understand how difficult it is to again start and get a good score...

Third...I cant afford to take a long break.....because time is running out for second round of application......i cant take it too early and screw my exam again nor i can take it too late so that i miss my appplication date...

lastly..i will be back with my target score nad a debrief.......thats my promise to myself and all those who have responded to this thread.......

Go for it Ankit .... Focus is the word.


Make BTG proud by adding another 750+ to this awesome community ....

Hi Ankit,

I would first like to ask you to do som introspection regarding yourself. Why is GMAT so important to you?

What if you give the GMAT and do not manage to get into any decent university would that be acceptable to you?

Also I would like to ask you as to why do you want a career in Management? Is it because it is something glamorous or is it because you really like business management?

Man there is so much more to life than these standardized tests and they are only a small part of your applications. If you see the broader picture then GMAT alone counts for little. There are so many other things that universities/people look for. There are so many qualities that essentially matter. Do you have those required qualities within you?

Do you think that you can deal with failure??? Do you think that given adversity you can come out on top? Can you get up when you fall down?? These are the things that would really matter for a career in Management.

Frankly speaking I stil don't know why you want to move out of a career in Chartered Accountancy? i don't know about India but at least in Pakistan they have much much higher pay scales than business management people and are generally well respected due to the amount of hard work they have put in to achieve their goals.

Regards

smalishah84
Thanks for replying..........
These all questions are on my mind.......
Firstly,being a chartered accountant and working in IT industry is somewhat not a chartered accountant dream off......

Secondly,I am not doing management just for money and career.They are important but not on top of my list.I always seeen myself going in to top B school.......sometimes u dnt have to have reason for your dream....thingss like learning,experience,campus life....even small things......i wanna live that...n cherish that......

Thirdly,If i fail again....i will give it again with again different stratergy..i believe in finishing things what i have started.......

Fourthly,You are right that GMAT is one of the criteria,but i guess all others things are not so great,so i have always focussed on getting good score which may compensate for other things......

Just got my official scorecard..AWA 5.................except my verbal score everything was same as i dreamt off...............