730 (50Q 38V) AWA 5

[praky_rules]

Hi Folks,

Gave the GMAT a week back. Although I am not very happy with my Verbal score, I am satisfied.This forum has been very useful.

The best way for me to give back to the community is by answering your questions. Please feel free to shoot any questions that come to your mind. I hope I can be of some help.

Thanks!! happy Gmatting to you all.

[maihuna]

Hi Folks,

Gave the GMAT a week back. Although I am not very happy with my Verbal score, I am satisfied.This forum has been very useful.

The best way for me to give back to the community is by answering your questions. Please feel free to shoot any questions that come to your mind. I hope I can be of some help.

Thanks!! happy Gmatting to you all.

How did u felt in Q. Are the Q tougher. R u satisfied with 38 or u think that was a bad luck and u might have easily scored let say 41. What went right what went wrong. How much time one shud give max for gmat.

[praky_rules]

I was disappointed with my Verbal. I screwed up my timing in Verbal because usually finish my tests early(thats not good either). I had to guess a couple of questions in the end.

if you are aiming for 48 or 49, Math is walk is easy. If you are aiming for 50 or 51, Math requires "patience". By the way I guessed the last two questions on Math too!!

What I mean by patience is read the question carefully - At higher levels, Math is going to be "wordy". Things look scary but they are not. Be Calm....not slow...but calm...there is a difference....The key is to not read the questions 20 times and waste time, but rather to read it slow/calm the first time.First 20 questions, you need to concentrate hard. Then I think you will get experimental questions, which you can do in less than a minute. I dozed of a little bit in middle of Quant.
Avoid that.

But if you want 48 say, your strategy should be slightly different.

Verbal was actually easy till spent a few extra minutes on my third passage. That screwed me up.

[riteshbindal]

I have heard that now a days RC is coming pretty lengthy. Was that the case with you?
I liked that part "I dozed of a little bit in middle of Quant" Hehehee.

[praky_rules]

That observation may be true. All my RCs were long or atleast I felt that because they were boring.

The reason I screwed verbal was because a lady started AWA next to me. That will surely screw u up. Be sure to get ear plugs. Once they are in the ear, leave them alone. If you touch them, they will make a crumbling noise. They will help mitigate the damage.

[riteshbindal]

That observation may be true. All my RCs were long or atleast I felt that because they were boring.

The reason I screwed verbal was because a lady started AWA next to me. That will surely screw u up. Be sure to get ear plugs. Once they are in the ear, leave them alone. If you touch them, they will make a crumbling noise. They will help mitigate the damage.

Beautiful girls create problem everywhere for we guys hehehe... Juz kidding, no offence to anyone.

[beatthegmat]

Ear plugs are certainly important! People around you are always annoying during the GMAT, regardless of gender.

[riteshbindal]

Eric, I think we should get used to earplugs while taking practice tests. I just realised that I unknowingly talk (not loudly) to myself in practice tests to get better understanding of question. I may be crazy but that works for me.
But when I will take real GMAT, it may feel odd to me that I am speaking but unable to hear anything.

[NikolayZ]

Congrats on decent score ! =)
This week on Monday there was my first attempt in GMAT ( after 2 weeks of studying), got 680, but messed up Verbal! Guess why ?! I really wanted to commit a crime when this girl left to me started to type on her essay. Totally annoying and you can't even concentrate on the SC, not talking about big passages =)
So earplugs are definitely - MUST HAVE.

Congratulations again!

[praky_rules]

During the Quant and my AWA, there was no one next to me. I thought "sweet". but then a lady started her AWA just towards the end of my Quant. It was not fun at all. I am sure she wanted to say something out there....so always expect the worst.

Key lessons:
They will provide you with earplugs...but use them while you practise your tests.

Then dont keep squeezing them as they make a crackling noise. shove it in and leave it alone!!

Another thing: The breaks are 8 mins as most of you know. But once you get to your computer, you get an extra times minute to read instructions!! Get a new workbook when you go out after verbal. If you dont like your pen, ASK FOR A NEW ONE. They gave me two pens and both didnt work. I mean not "properly" but did not work at all. So they gave me a fresh set. And ask for two pens (my center they gave me two). Otherwise ask!

Height of the chair is adjustable. Monitors are adjustable. I moved the monitors closer to me as my eyes are not the best!

And If you go to test center early, you can actually start the test early.

[beatthegmat]

Eric, I think we should get used to earplugs while taking practice tests. I just realised that I unknowingly talk (not loudly) to myself in practice tests to get better understanding of question. I may be crazy but that works for me.
But when I will take real GMAT, it may feel odd to me that I am speaking but unable to hear anything.

You may want to practice being purposefully quiet--I think exam proctors can crack down on you in certain cases if you talk out loud in the exam room.

Example: what if you said outload, "oh the answer is D"?

[praky_rules]

I was under the impression that you are not supposed to even open your mouth....If riteshbindal sits next to me when I take the GMAT, I will certainly freak out.

I get disturbed very easily....That means I have to reread the question again. Thats irritating.

I like the way he says "real GMAT".and"unknowingly talk"..funny...

[beatthegmat]

The official policy is that you aren't supposed to talk. However, on my test day I remember hearing someone talk to themselves a little. I just ignored that person.

[riteshbindal]

I was under the impression that you are not supposed to even open your mouth....If riteshbindal sits next to me when I take the GMAT, I will certainly freak out.

I get disturbed very easily....That means I have to reread the question again. Thats irritating.

I like the way he says "real GMAT".and"unknowingly talk"..funny...

Hehehehe... I don't know why but my quant just speeds up if I do verbal calculations. Will keep in mind that I have to just whisper or just move the lips but no sound

[praky_rules]

Will keep in mind that I have to just whisper or just move the lips but no sound

that sounds like it came out of the screenplay of a kinda movie I see late at night!