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Just kicked by the GMAT !!

Find out how Beat The GMAT members tackled GMAT test prep with positive results. Get tips on GMAT test prep materials, online courses, study tips, and more.
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by vtoot » Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:25 am
Hi all,
I'm french and I want to enter a top european EMBA. My target score is 730, which I guess may be over the requirements, but isn't it better to achieve a good score ?! However, I was confident that I would at least manage to reach 650/680...but the GMAT kicked me the hard way : I ended up with a "shameful" score of 590 (Q39 V33) !!

I used the following books:
- OG 12th
- CR powerscore
- SC manhattan

I prepared myself for over two months, balancing quant and verbal, and took several tests on saturday or sunday mornings (2 official tests + manhattan tests) taking care of doing the AWA for each and every test in order to be in the closest conditions to the real setup. I yielded scores from 580 (which was an exception) to 650 two days before the exam (2nd official test).

During the test I had 2 to 3 tricky quant questions -which I guessed meant I missed it !- and ended with an easy question that I failed (I was thinking about that a bit when I started the verbal part...). The verbal section was more challenging -which I felt was great- but it wasn't any better eventually...

I know I can reach the 730's but right now I must confess that I start having doubts. Furthermore I had enough of that ***** (=>means great :) GMAT stuff and would have like it to end !! But my actual score postpones all of the other steps to get to the MBA.

In a certain way, it would have been much more difficult to handle a 640/650 because I would have to choose between retaking the GMAT or applying (and hoping my overall application would be great as a whole) ! Now there is no question about it and my score can hugely improve !!

I will have a break in july but the GMAT preparation will strike back in august :-)
I hope the 60-day study guide will help me achieve my target score.

Moreover, my plan is to do all the questions in the OG 12th and track all my errors, review all the RC concepts and improve my SC skills. Maybe I'll buy the Manhattan "number properties" and the official verbal + quant complementary books. I plan to retake the exam in october or november...

Do you think that will make it ?

Thanks in advance for your comments and thanks for this great site !
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by money9111 » Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:24 pm
Hang in there! Lord knows I've been in that position before... I thought I would get mid 600's and ended up with a 580, but I'm confident I can get to the 700 level during my next retake...

"Maybe I'll buy the Manhattan "number properties" and the official verbal + quant complementary books." - 100% for it!
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by uwhusky » Fri Jul 09, 2010 7:06 am
Good luck on your 2nd journey! I am in the same shoes and know how you feel.

I also agree with money on the Manhattan math books, and in fact, I think you should pick up all of them! Word Problems in my opinion are what will take to bridge the gap from low to mid 40's up to high 40's.
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by money9111 » Fri Jul 09, 2010 7:20 am
if you can get all of them... go for it! i can't wait to get rid of ALL of my GMAT material... I'm going to make an incredibly funny blog post when I'm through!
My goal is to make MBA applicants take onus over their process.

My story from Pre-MBA to Cornell MBA - New Post in Pre-MBA blog

Me featured on Poets & Quants

Free Book for MBA Applicants

Join the discussion