-
masterbruce
- Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:03 am
- Thanked: 1 times
- GMAT Score:770
When I saw my score, it was one of the happiest moments in my life. Not only because I got the score I desired, but because it was payoff for the countless hours of hard work I put in.
Since I knew I had a lot of time before I was going to retake the GMAT (I planned to take it in June of 2010), I kind of put GMAT on the backburner for a coupla months. It wasn't until February 2010 when I decided to jump back on the GMAT study program. This time, I ordered the complete set of books from Manhattan GMAT (I love the plastic booklet they give you which is exactly the same as the official one...never used the stopwatch though). I started going through them at a leisurely pace and suddenly it was May before I knew it! So then I started picking up the pace and went through all of the MGMAT books. I also got the 2nd edition official guides for math and verbal and redid the OG as well....keeping track of progress on the MGMAT excell spreadsheet. As this was my second time studying, I felt I was much more confident in the math and verbal. Thinking back, I was actually surprised I was able to score even 730 as I felt much smarter in regards to the GMAT this time around, yet I was still hitting only 750 on the MGMAT tests. I also took the GMATPrep tests multiple times and would copy the problems I got wrong and google the answers for them. I didn't feel ready in June, and then in July, and then August, and then September...until I finally decided I HAD to take it in October to get in some apps for Round 1 or 2. Also, if I screwed up in Oct, I still had option to retake it in Nov and have it in for apps in Dec or Jan 2011. During July I kind of rediscovered this site and read alot of excellent info (too much info sometimes). I also signed up for the Practice Problems Online center from BTGMAT (there was a 50% off deal) and did that during august and september. I found it helpful and easy to get through as the video explanations are very easy to follow. The only issue is that I think the problems aren't sufficiently challenging for a 750+ scorer. But still good for warming up the brain. Near the end of August, I felt that I was hitting a wall...pretty much I could no longer improve on either verbal or math, as everything I got wrong were simply too hard for me to grasp and everything else I already knew. Anyways, in the 3 weeks before the test, I took 2 MGMAT tests, and got 780 and 750. Neither of them were real test conditions, I took them piecemeal and took breaks even between questions. I never did the essays.
Week before the test: redid all problems I got wrong in the MGMAT guides, OG, and read explanations for questsions I got wrong on online problems from MGMAT site. Did MGMAT challenge problems posted on this site. Took off from my work/internship and just didn't do anything strenuous
Night before the test: looked over old problems (I know they recommend that you stop studying the day before the test...but personally that would make me more nervous). I made sure to get a good night's sleep and I DID...this is actually one of the most important steps to getting a good score.
Test day (test at 3pm): Woke up at 8am refreshed and happy having had a good nights sleep. Looked over some old questions. Read materials on writing the essays (spent about an hour) since I skipped essays on my practice tests. Got some food at 12 pm. Watched some youtube clips of my favorite athletes to motivate me. Listened to some music to motivate me. Ran the GMATPrep test one final time to read instructions to warm up brain for test. Arrived at test center at 2:30, signed in (it was much easier than the first time when my ID had a different name). I was nervous as usual...I had studied so hard, I needed to perform up to par. I knew I was capable of a high score, now I just needed to bring my A game when it counted. Started the test at 2:45. The guy administering the test was a very nice fellow...and this helped improve my mood.
Test: Found the essays relatively easy...don't know my grades yet, so I don't know how I did. But i finished both on time and didn't struggle to write. Important to use the sheets they give you to make rough outline before you write...it makes the writing process much easier.
- took break
Started the quant section. Was relieved to find the first question doable, required some calculations so took more time than I would've liked. Then I hit a wall....I had a work rates problem that I knew was very doable, yet suddenly my thought process kinda froze. I couldn't arrive at an algebraic solution. Time was ticking. I started to freak inside. I didn't want to guess randomly. Finally I decided to plug in numbers...an approach I stayed away from in my practice. Got an answer that matched one of the choices and I was happy to pick it without further thought. There were a few problems that stumped me that I had to take an educated guess and one sequence question which I spent quite a bit of time on before figuring out there was a pattern. (Note: this is a big difference between taking the real test vs practice test. On practice tests, if I didn't know an answer, I just guessed and moved on without caring. On the real test, I really really really did not one to guess on any question. This made me get stuck on several questions for over 3 min each. Good thing I had some questions done in 30 sec to counterbalance (very important) or else I would've ran out of time. Anyways, once I was done with math, I was quite happy...I enjoy verbal.
- took break. Went outside to stretch in the sun. Came back ready to finish the fight!
Verbal - went smoothly. The reading passages were quite easy except for one...which I can't even remember now. Got stuck on the last question...there were 2 choices both of which I liked and disliked. Switched several times and didn't get to confirm as time ran out! Note: In practice tests, i would usually finish verbal section with 20 to 30 minutes left over. On the real thing, I finished at the last second. Main reason is on practice tests, I just went with my gut which is quite good. On the real thing, I would double check and read every choice even if I knew the answer...this is a big difference you must be aware of.
Clicked to see my score and saw 770 (my goal since I want to teach for Manhattan GMAT one day) and I was jumping up and down inside (not literally since I was in the test center and would not want to disturb others). At that moment I felt a happiness I had not felt in a long, long time. Now my MBA application journey begins as my GMAT journey ends.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Key takeaways:
1. Get good night's sleep before test. VERY VERY VERY important.
2. Take real test only after you've hit your target score consistently on practice tests from reputable sources (ie MGMAT or GMATPrep). Don't think you'll do better on the real thing than on practice...in fact, it's more likely you'll do worse due to nervousness and pressure.
3. When studying, focus on QUALITY rather than QUANTITY. It's better if you do 3 math problems in a day but fully master them than doing 30 math problems without really absorbing them. People often neglect the reviewing part of studying...ie they do problems and then just skim the explanations. In fact, you should spend alot of time reviewing the questions you got wrong...No PAIN, NO GAIN.
4. Don't put too much pressure on yourself on test day. This is obviously harder to do than to preach. But too much pressure can make you freeze and underperform. I had a huge advantage in that this was a retake and I already had a good score under my belt. So I told myself don't worry too much...worse case scenario I still have the 730 from my first test.
Good luck to all future GMAT-takers!
Since I knew I had a lot of time before I was going to retake the GMAT (I planned to take it in June of 2010), I kind of put GMAT on the backburner for a coupla months. It wasn't until February 2010 when I decided to jump back on the GMAT study program. This time, I ordered the complete set of books from Manhattan GMAT (I love the plastic booklet they give you which is exactly the same as the official one...never used the stopwatch though). I started going through them at a leisurely pace and suddenly it was May before I knew it! So then I started picking up the pace and went through all of the MGMAT books. I also got the 2nd edition official guides for math and verbal and redid the OG as well....keeping track of progress on the MGMAT excell spreadsheet. As this was my second time studying, I felt I was much more confident in the math and verbal. Thinking back, I was actually surprised I was able to score even 730 as I felt much smarter in regards to the GMAT this time around, yet I was still hitting only 750 on the MGMAT tests. I also took the GMATPrep tests multiple times and would copy the problems I got wrong and google the answers for them. I didn't feel ready in June, and then in July, and then August, and then September...until I finally decided I HAD to take it in October to get in some apps for Round 1 or 2. Also, if I screwed up in Oct, I still had option to retake it in Nov and have it in for apps in Dec or Jan 2011. During July I kind of rediscovered this site and read alot of excellent info (too much info sometimes). I also signed up for the Practice Problems Online center from BTGMAT (there was a 50% off deal) and did that during august and september. I found it helpful and easy to get through as the video explanations are very easy to follow. The only issue is that I think the problems aren't sufficiently challenging for a 750+ scorer. But still good for warming up the brain. Near the end of August, I felt that I was hitting a wall...pretty much I could no longer improve on either verbal or math, as everything I got wrong were simply too hard for me to grasp and everything else I already knew. Anyways, in the 3 weeks before the test, I took 2 MGMAT tests, and got 780 and 750. Neither of them were real test conditions, I took them piecemeal and took breaks even between questions. I never did the essays.
Week before the test: redid all problems I got wrong in the MGMAT guides, OG, and read explanations for questsions I got wrong on online problems from MGMAT site. Did MGMAT challenge problems posted on this site. Took off from my work/internship and just didn't do anything strenuous
Night before the test: looked over old problems (I know they recommend that you stop studying the day before the test...but personally that would make me more nervous). I made sure to get a good night's sleep and I DID...this is actually one of the most important steps to getting a good score.
Test day (test at 3pm): Woke up at 8am refreshed and happy having had a good nights sleep. Looked over some old questions. Read materials on writing the essays (spent about an hour) since I skipped essays on my practice tests. Got some food at 12 pm. Watched some youtube clips of my favorite athletes to motivate me. Listened to some music to motivate me. Ran the GMATPrep test one final time to read instructions to warm up brain for test. Arrived at test center at 2:30, signed in (it was much easier than the first time when my ID had a different name). I was nervous as usual...I had studied so hard, I needed to perform up to par. I knew I was capable of a high score, now I just needed to bring my A game when it counted. Started the test at 2:45. The guy administering the test was a very nice fellow...and this helped improve my mood.
Test: Found the essays relatively easy...don't know my grades yet, so I don't know how I did. But i finished both on time and didn't struggle to write. Important to use the sheets they give you to make rough outline before you write...it makes the writing process much easier.
- took break
Started the quant section. Was relieved to find the first question doable, required some calculations so took more time than I would've liked. Then I hit a wall....I had a work rates problem that I knew was very doable, yet suddenly my thought process kinda froze. I couldn't arrive at an algebraic solution. Time was ticking. I started to freak inside. I didn't want to guess randomly. Finally I decided to plug in numbers...an approach I stayed away from in my practice. Got an answer that matched one of the choices and I was happy to pick it without further thought. There were a few problems that stumped me that I had to take an educated guess and one sequence question which I spent quite a bit of time on before figuring out there was a pattern. (Note: this is a big difference between taking the real test vs practice test. On practice tests, if I didn't know an answer, I just guessed and moved on without caring. On the real test, I really really really did not one to guess on any question. This made me get stuck on several questions for over 3 min each. Good thing I had some questions done in 30 sec to counterbalance (very important) or else I would've ran out of time. Anyways, once I was done with math, I was quite happy...I enjoy verbal.
- took break. Went outside to stretch in the sun. Came back ready to finish the fight!
Verbal - went smoothly. The reading passages were quite easy except for one...which I can't even remember now. Got stuck on the last question...there were 2 choices both of which I liked and disliked. Switched several times and didn't get to confirm as time ran out! Note: In practice tests, i would usually finish verbal section with 20 to 30 minutes left over. On the real thing, I finished at the last second. Main reason is on practice tests, I just went with my gut which is quite good. On the real thing, I would double check and read every choice even if I knew the answer...this is a big difference you must be aware of.
Clicked to see my score and saw 770 (my goal since I want to teach for Manhattan GMAT one day) and I was jumping up and down inside (not literally since I was in the test center and would not want to disturb others). At that moment I felt a happiness I had not felt in a long, long time. Now my MBA application journey begins as my GMAT journey ends.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Key takeaways:
1. Get good night's sleep before test. VERY VERY VERY important.
2. Take real test only after you've hit your target score consistently on practice tests from reputable sources (ie MGMAT or GMATPrep). Don't think you'll do better on the real thing than on practice...in fact, it's more likely you'll do worse due to nervousness and pressure.
3. When studying, focus on QUALITY rather than QUANTITY. It's better if you do 3 math problems in a day but fully master them than doing 30 math problems without really absorbing them. People often neglect the reviewing part of studying...ie they do problems and then just skim the explanations. In fact, you should spend alot of time reviewing the questions you got wrong...No PAIN, NO GAIN.
4. Don't put too much pressure on yourself on test day. This is obviously harder to do than to preach. But too much pressure can make you freeze and underperform. I had a huge advantage in that this was a retake and I already had a good score under my belt. So I told myself don't worry too much...worse case scenario I still have the 730 from my first test.
Good luck to all future GMAT-takers!
Last edited by masterbruce on Mon Oct 11, 2010 6:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
