Just finished the GMAT and received a 770 (50 q 44v). This was my second attempt on the GMAT.
My first experience was as follows:
I began studying around February by taking the Princeton Review class and actually took the test in May. This was probably a mistake, but my work schedule made it difficult to consistently study over this period of time. Nevertheless, I was scoring in the 700+ range on practice exams with Princeton Review and GMATPrep, on which I scored a 720 three days before I took the actual exam. The last PR test I took I scored a 750. I was confident going into the first test.
Obviously, I was shocked and stunned when I scored a 610 on the real test. Surprisingly, I was in the 47% on the quant section while verbal was still respectable. At the time I had no idea what I had done wrong. Looking back now, however, I think it had to do with timing. Specifically, I think the Princeton Review practice exams hurt my test taking strategy. On those tests, I was only missing 4-5 questions on the quant section to score in the 700+ range. This means that you cannot miss very many questions on the real test. When I came across a few tough questiosn on the real thing, I couldn't / wouldn't move forward and got caught up. After that I was rushing throughout the rest of the exam.
My experience the second time around:
I took a break from studying, only periodically reviewing GMAT material. Then I started studying more by mostly taking practice exams. Most helpful, I think, was the Manhattan GMAT tests. These tests really taught me how to move on if I could not get one question right. The math was also very difficult. I also supplemented this with Kaplan 800 and some Kaplan practice tests.
I took about 5 practice tests in the 1.5 weeks prior to the real thing. All scores were 700+, but none were 770. I scored a 740 on the GMATPrep two days prior to the real test. THe day before I reviewed material for 2 hours or so and relaxed the rest of the day. I also reviewed for about 45 mins today (day of the test).
During the test I found the math to be surprisingly easy. In fact, it was so easy that I thought I was bombing the math section again! I was hoping to get a 680, best case scenario. I think I have MGMAT to thank for this. Oddly enough, I did have one question on parabolic curves earlier in the test, which I had not come across on any other practice material. Other than that, most of the material I had come across and the math was MUCH easier than MGMAT.
So thank you to this board. It has been an excellent resource as I have prepared for the GMAT. Hopefully this will serve as encouragement for those of you who had an unsatisfactory score the first time around.
770! - after a shocking 610 on first attempt
This topic has expert replies
- givemeanid
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2007 2:51 pm
- Location: New York, NY
- Thanked: 6 times
- Followed by:1 members
Congrats on a great score! A double congrats for showing so much improvement. The point you make about PR tests making you feel like you need a lot of questions right to get a high score is very appropriate. I just took my first MGMAT CAT after exhausting all 4 PR tests and I could tell that I need to make some tweaks in my test taking strategy.
Reading your debrief gives me confidence that I can make enough tweaks in the next 2-3 weeks before the D-Day.
Thanks for the insight and congrats once again.
Reading your debrief gives me confidence that I can make enough tweaks in the next 2-3 weeks before the D-Day.
Thanks for the insight and congrats once again.
So It Goes
-
- Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 3:11 pm
- Thanked: 2 times
- aim-wsc
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 2469
- Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:09 pm
- Location: BtG Underground
- Thanked: 85 times
- Followed by:14 members
congrats szaronsj
thats a BIG leap and a great achievement!!
thats a BIG leap and a great achievement!!
Getting started @BTG?
Beginner's Guide to GMAT | Beating GMAT & beyond
Please do not PM me, (not active anymore) contact Eric.
Beginner's Guide to GMAT | Beating GMAT & beyond
Please do not PM me, (not active anymore) contact Eric.