GMAT Strategy

I just started studying of GMAT 4 days ago. I bought the official guide and took the diagnostic test taking my time answering the questions. According to the interpretive guide, I scored excellent in problem solving, lower end of the above average for data sufficiency, above average for reading comprehension, above average for critical reasoning and below average in sentence correction.

I just took the first practice test on MBA.com and what a distaster this test was. I panicked during the quantitative section. I froze during the test, I forgot how to even do a simple addition of 2 numbers. If the problem took more than 45 seconds to solve, my fear that I might not answer all questions in time took over and started making educated/ sometimes not so educated guesses. I completed the quantitative section with 20 mins to spare. Being upset with my performance on the quantitative section, I had trouble focusing on the verbal section. I found myself reading the same sentence over and over again. I could not focus. I somehow managed to complete the verbal section with about 2 minutes to spare.

Then came the dreaded results, Q 32, V 25 giving me a total of 490.

I am totally devasted and worried that I might repeat this performance on the actual test.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to calm the nerves? I still have 3 months before the actual test and I am planning to take 1 practice test every week if possible creating a real test like atmosphere. Practice makes perfect but 490? I know I would have done better if I would have been able to relax.

Did anybody else have a similar experience? And how did you stay focused during the test. For me every easy quantitative question made me even more upset.

Thanks Brent. I really liked the time management video. I will be watching it right before every practice test I take in the future and on the test day.

Hi Isha or Parul

Do not worry at all.On an avg people take 4-6 months for the prep and you have not even studied for 6 days .

But now you have a good starting point. You know where to put your energy, you know your strength and your areas of improvement. Stick to right study material and a realistic time table.

Now that you have taken 1 official mock, please do not take the 2nd one till you are near your target date. You only get two tests (ofcourse you can redo), hence use them smartly.

All the Best !!!

Hey,

A lot of people go through your state when doing a practice exam for the very fist time. Take for example myself. When I did my very first exam, I scored a 460. I was very devastated with the results but it made me want to get my dream score more. Look at the sections that really brought you down and the experience during the test. Were Geometry questions scary for you? Did you not understand the language of a certain passage? And etc. That's what really helped me focus when going through my prep and now I am easily scoring in the 600 range on mock tests.

A common ingredient a lot of us here seem to figure out is that confidence is one key ingredient on this beast of a test. If you can calm yourself down and just focus on the questions given, you'll do amazing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-ecpn2l-YI

Thats a link to a motivational speech I listen to when I feel nervous. It helps me so I hope it can help you too!

Hope you the very best with your studies!!!