I just Beat The GMAT!

I just came back from taking the GMAT. I am 37 and I work full-time. I am a journalist (i.e., left-brained) and consider myself EXTREMELY BAD at math. Even so, I want to get an MBA; it's always been a dream to work in business. So I have been tackling the brutal and humiliating task of studying for the GMAT (humiliating because almost every quant. problem to me looks like this: *%$#$$##@@@@ (gibberish).

I have been studying with Kaplan since November; I took the GMAT course twice. I don't really know how many hours I have studied since November; I did not keep track. But I probably did hundreds of problems in the Kaplan and Official Guide books (although I did not do many of the Kaplan problems online). I made flash cards. I have notebooks full of notes. I hired a tutor for about 6 hours to go over math (admittedly, even with the tutor I still did not understand some of the concepts, but I am starting to think that I never will). I spent hours memorizing formulas and learning math that, frankly, I never even learned when I was in high school. I remember being in algebra and flunking every single test.

I spent very little time on verbal (total of 6-10 hours max). And the verbal questions I tend to get wrong are the critical reasoning ones.

I took 2 weeks off work and the last 2 weeks I have been studying FULL-TIME. I did both the GMATprep tests on mba.com, as well as 3-4 Kaplan practice tests and the UPT. The last practice test score I got (last Saturday) was a 500. I was thrilled. YES, THRILLED.

ALL THAT I NEEDED TO GET TODAY WAS A 550. My school of choice would be fine with a 550 combined with my work experience. I was confident, after reading reports of people who went up points from the practice test scores, that I would get a 550-600 (100 points above my last practice test). I did everything that was recommended: 9 hours of sleep, got there early, had snacks. I was still very nervous, and I noticed that if I gave in to the anxiety that my mind would start to wander and I could not focus. Nevertheless, I got through it without any timing problems.

I got a 400.

When I saw that score on the screen, I said, out loud:

OH MY ####### GOD.

I know. Horrible.

I actually thought during the test that I was doing great. I am shocked and appalled at my score. Now, I do not know whether my school will even take me, or whether I need to study even more and retake the test. Will studying more really take me to a 550 in the real exam? At this point I am extremely skeptical, although if you guys say yes, I would do it.

Can someone honestly tell me, I know with very limited info., whether perhaps I need to just forget about B school? Maybe I am just not cut out for this exam, or B school?

No, you don't need to forget about b-school. Sometimes, sh!t just happens. You'll retake and do better.

Remember to focus on the quality of problems you study, rather than the quantity. If you're just aiming for a 550, then ignore the last third of each OG section, any perm/comb stuff, etc. I would pick up a high school math book and work through it -- it would be pretty helpful.

What was your score breakdown (Q and V)?

I'm sorry the test didn't go better, but you'll take it again and conquer it -- the GMAT can be beaten and you will beat it. Don't let a dream of going into business be killed by 4 hours of your life.

my score breakdown V32, Q10

ejperryman:

NO YOU ARE NOT STUPID. You have been simply socialized to dislike Quantitative subjects and as a result you got defeated even before the battle started.

Dude you journalists have a way with words and if you can put together a convincing argument with premises and conclusions to argue a particular viewpoint, then you can take on Quantitative subjects if you start by saying "Math is not difficult". The question is 'WILL YOU QUIT'?

I used to hate math but realized that I wouldn't never progress quantitatively as long as I lived with a fear of it . The starting point to Mathematics is to tell yourself that 'the problem is surmountable'. When you do so, your mind becomes clearer and you can start to think logically and take a question apart. By nature, math is foundational, and if your foundations are weak you MUST REVISIT THEM. I got his quote from a science writer at the Economist : Mathematics builds on itself, so that one missed step can lead to a lifetime of failure

Have you read 'Outliers' by Malcolm Gladwell? That book is so revelatory because it makes you realize that Math Mavens (and experts in many field) weren't just born that way- not denying that there may be some inherent predisposition to expertise in a certain area - they simply put in the effort required (what Malcolm Gladwell refers to as ' The 10,000 hour Rule') to become extremely skilled at what they do.

Here's what I recommend:
1. Throw away that "I'm a left brain journalist stuff you've told yourself" and have now come to believe
2. Consider getting a personal tutor
3. Get the Manhattan GMAT Books (even consider the tutor options they provide). I use the books for personal study and they've helped me with a lot of stuff I was deficient with (I'm not affiliated with MGMAT but MGMAT has taught me a lesson : "that a good product with sell itself because of the value it provides to people" -MGMAT you better seek me out and pay me for putting in a good word for your products )
4. Work diligently on your math - it does not come over night. With diligent practice you'll start to think mathematically. Not to sound all corny but have you watched The Matrix? Neo didn't become bad ass Neo till he went through practice.

You have no idea how much I wished Time Travel were possible. I want to seriously go back in time and give an 8 year old version of myself a smack on the head for thinking Math was hard - BS -I only needed to put in more time and I'd be extremely good at math today.

So dude WILL YOU QUIT OR WILL YOU FACE THE CHALLENGE? I think you can do it!!

Don't give up!!

Sorry to hear about your misfortunes. Keep your head up, It isn't that bad.

A score of Q10 means you're missing the fundamentals. I was going to recommend the Manhattan GMAT books like the previous poster, but they might be a step above what you need.

Are you able to take a High School Algebra class? That would be most beneficial to you.

Also, if you study the verbal a little bit more, you should easily be able to get your score above V40 and that will help your score quite a bit. It's easiest to improve the area in which you're strongest at.

Good luck and don't give up!

Well I have one word for you or two "NOVA GMAT"!

Go get the book as fast as you can....frankly you will come thanking me in no time

After that go through the MGMAT books you will be surprised......
Just come back and tell me the results......

You aren't stupid. I have always been horrible in math - and my first attempt at the GMAT I studied for 5 months got a 470. I studied like crazy for three more months to get a 550.

My recommendations:

GMAT math workbook from Kaplan, it will help you brush up

GMAT OG 11 AND gmat fix. The GMAT fix book is great becuase it presents several ways to solve each problem in OG 11. gmatfix.com

EZ solutions - I bought and worked through all of them.

Online practice tests - I did all 6 manhattan and some 800score.

Also, realize you need to crush the verbal to balance out your math. I bought Manhttan guide to sentence correction.

I agree with everything everyone has said already but since you have asked for the honest opinion I would add some..
of course you are not stupid.. maths is just a subject and you just never took it seriously and that's it. If you work harder and SMARTER, then there is no reason why you can't get your desired score.
As for verbal, you already have got 32. It is good enough for 550. And since you are a journalist, I am sure you can improve.

That was my opinion about whether you can do it or not. OF course you can.

But I have something more to tell and and you might hate me for this.
A Quant score of 10 means you have a long way to go. You have already taken prep courses and a private tutor. So chances are that you are not gonna turn into a maths whiz overnight.
The MBA and your job after MBA will require you to be pretty good in Maths(that's what I have heard from people). and Even if you spend endless hours and somehow manage to score 550, that doesn't mean that you like maths. You just improved your score.
and if you don't like Maths, why would you wanna do an MBA? Why don't you find something you love to do and you can be good at it?
IMO, It's always better to be the best in something you like to do than be mediocre in something you just want to do because everyone is doing it.

as for your question whether you are cut out for B schools, no one can answer that. you should know whether you have the attitude for life after an MBA.
I know some people (well only 2) who crib that they got the degree but hate the work and it's just not for them. I just don't want you to be one of them. that's all.

hang in there. what were your SAT or ACT scores? do you remember them? if you do, then that is your level. get the basics correct, and you'll find yourself hitting your target.

Thank you everyone for your honest and heartfelt words. I am very grateful that you guys took your time to opine on my situation. I am gonna wait to see whether my (3rd or 4th tier?) B school takes me with the gastly 400 score before re-testing. In the meantime I will gather up everyone's recommended books/materials.

By the way, now that I've had 24 hours to reflect on my disaster yesterday, I have to say that a lot of what Kaplan taught me may be wrong. They said to expect a lot of geometry if I was doing badly. Well, with a quant score of 10 I was in fact doing badly. And yet I only got one or two geometry problems. My math questions were 97% ratios (which I have NEVER understood), probability and percents (both of which I thought I was OK at, or so I thought). The other 3% was algebra. Kaplan also recommends guessing D on yes/no data suff. questions, and E on value questions. And I got A LOT of DS questions, so obviously that did not help.

I thought the verbal section I got was not easy by any stretch. And of course by the time I get to verbal I am really wiped out and not able to focus and take longer on questions and have to run through the last 2 or 3 questions. I thought that taking 4-6 practice tests would prep me for endurance. Maybe I need to take double or triple that to prep.

PS: for tohellandback, thanks a lot for the analysis. I want to go into marketing or start my own business. i actually had a fellowship at HBS for a year and those classes had ZERO math (in fact, it was mostly case method/discussion and projects). and lots of ppl tell me math is a minor part of B school. you disagree?

ejperryman wrote:Thank you everyone for your honest and heartfelt words. I am very grateful that you guys took your time to opine on my situation. I am gonna wait to see whether my (3rd or 4th tier?) B school takes me with the gastly 400 score before re-testing. In the meantime I will gather up everyone's recommended books/materials.

By the way, now that I've had 24 hours to reflect on my disaster yesterday, I have to say that a lot of what Kaplan taught me may be wrong. They said to expect a lot of geometry if I was doing badly. Well, with a quant score of 10 I was in fact doing badly. And yet I only got one or two geometry problems. My math questions were 97% ratios (which I have NEVER understood), probability and percents (both of which I thought I was OK at, or so I thought). The other 3% was algebra. Kaplan also recommends guessing D on yes/no data suff. questions, and E on value questions. And I got A LOT of DS questions, so obviously that did not help.

I thought the verbal section I got was not easy by any stretch. And of course by the time I get to verbal I am really wiped out and not able to focus and take longer on questions and have to run through the last 2 or 3 questions. I thought that taking 4-6 practice tests would prep me for endurance. Maybe I need to take double or triple that to prep.

PS: for tohellandback, thanks a lot for the analysis. I want to go into marketing or start my own business. i actually had a fellowship at HBS for a year and those classes had ZERO math (in fact, it was mostly case method/discussion and projects). and lots of ppl tell me math is a minor part of B school. you disagree?

not at all, dude.I just told you what I have heard and what I thought.
good luck with the prep man and this time try to review each single wrong answer.
and If possible ask some experts whether applying to the school with this score would be a good idea. I would suggest retaking GMAT and then applying with the new score. Again what I have read on forums and some other source is that it can be tough to get in for the re-applicants. (I mean in case they don't accept you)

and most importantly, don't let anyone decide what you are good for and what you are not.
cheers!!!

Do not for one second think that the GMAT is an IQ Test. I scored a 710 and know MANY people who have scored lower than me and are probably more intelligent than me.

Just because you are having difficulty with the GMAT does NOT make you stupid. I agree with the previous posters that you must go back and review the basics of high school algebra to improve your math score. Most prep materials assume you already have this knowledge so they may not be very helpful. It will take a lot of work, but you WILL get there.

P.S.
Business school most certainly involves math in the first year. It does not involve complex mathematically equations or geometry, but business school most certainly favors a "mathematical" mind. With that being said, math is important for business SCHOOL, not necessarily BUSINESS. So if an MBA and a career in business is what you really want, GO FOR IT!