Thanks bryantmichaels, iamjakekim and p2dski!!
Good luck to you guys too!!
I cannot thank this forum enough , it has been my most steadfast companion through thick and thin! Kudos to the guys behind it - guys you are doing a fab job, just don't ever stop..
So now is the pay back time and i ll try my best to do my bit..
This was my second attempt, the first being in Sep'08 when i landed up with an utterly devastating 670(48Q,34V). I knew this score didnt reflect my true ability and therefore decided to postpone my mba by a year.
PREPS
I jump-started the preps again around mid May'09 beginning with my weakest link - verbal. Being a non-native speaker I realized that i need to improvise on my overall proficiency in the language.
As suggested by some veterans, i started reading the economist daily. Moreover, I also did a lot of LSAT RCs and CRs. For SC , i stuck to the 1000 SC document.
For quant , i repeated the MGMAT tests that i used for the 1st attempt. Used a few documents floating around on the net, the 99+ questions doc posted by zuleron is a nice compilation and i found it pretty useful.
During the end of my preps I did all the additional 300 questions in OG 12.
MATERIALS USED
-OG 11 , 12 - a substitute does not exist
-MGMAT SC guide - indispensable !
-GMAT paper based tests
-MGMAT tests - averaged around 680
-GMAT Preps - averaged around 720
- Princeton crackgmat , tests - not recommended
-Kaplan 800, premier, tests- not recommended
TEST EXPERIENCE
The big difference this time around was that i was fresh throughout the test. My stamina did not ditch me. I finished the Quant section with 6 minutes to spare - a feat i didnt achieve in any of my practice tests!! I didnt come across even a single perm/comb/prob quest. The tougher questions were from co-ordinate geometry and some tricky number properties DS.
Verbal was as hazy as it has always been. I couldnt really judge how i was performing. No boldface questions, 4RCs passages - 1 civil rights, 1 business and 2 science. SCs , i would like to believe , were pretty ok. Finished verbal just on dot.
Some lessons learned (though the hard way
):
* Kaplan and Princeton materials are highly NOT recommended by me. I relied heavily on them during my first attempt and repented.Stick to the official material as much as possible. The MGMAT material (comes next only to the official material)is, by far, the best resource for the GMAT.
* Refrain from blindly following the strategies suggested by high scorers or tutors. Understand that every person is unique and it requires a tailor made game plan for every individual to ace the same test.For eg : In spite of being warned against the note-taking strategy ,I used it and it proved to be the best fit for me in terms of ROI.
* Dont over-obsess over the practice test scores and don't over-do test taking. Make it a point to simulate the real test conditions while taking the practice tests.Do not skip the AWAs. Conquer your stamina , dont let it conquer you.
* Avoid analyzing your performance while you are taking the real thing. This is a subtle but also major distraction. Take one question at a time,forget the past and try not to predict the future.
* Make sure you are thorough with the content matter first and then work on speed.
I would be glad to be of help to all those who are preparing! Just shoot if you have any queries !!
All the very best!
