Hi everyone! After more than a year of studying I finally, finally, crossed over 700! I'd like to share my experience to show that, while some people make it sound easy, for the rest of us it is a long, hard journey.
When I first set out to apply to B school last summer I enrolled in a MGMAT online course and hired a friend to tutor me on the side. My first three CATs were 520, 590, 550 - never even breaking 600. I sat for the test anyway and managed to get a 640, but felt it still wasn't good enough to apply.
So over 2014 I continued to study on my own and kept up with the material until, in May 2015, I got desperate and paid for a MGMAT Bootcamp class. Thankfully my boss let me take 2 weeks "vacation" to do GMAT nonstop. My CATs came in at 640, 670, and 640, not much improvement. My 2nd official test was another 640.
Frustrated, and frankly a little embarrassed, I kept studying. Notecards in the subway every day. Getting up at 5/6am to study before work. Coming home late in the evening. It was grueling. If this is you, I feel your pain. A lot of people make it sound easy; test twice, go from 680 to 740, etc. But that was not my experience at all. So if you are a mere mortal who maybe isn't great at math, I'd just like to reiterate that IT IS POSSIBLE.
Over the summer of 2015 I found Magoosh and started using the service. I was VERY impressed and can't recommend it enough. I regret not using it from the start; in fact it would have saved me thousands of dollars.
In July & August I was busy and did almost no GMAT. However, since I'd paid for it, I sat for a 3rd exam and got a 690. While very pleased, my Q was lower than some of my CATs so I decided to keep at it. Two weeks later I tested a 4th time, got a 650, and cancelled the score.
After canceling that score I basically stopped studying. But I had paid for a 5th test a while ago and decided to give it a go. Lo and behold I walked out with a 710!
I know this test is high-stakes, but I think it's important to take the pressure off. After I had resigned myself to applying with a 640, bam 690. The exact same thing happened with the 710. In the end, success for me had more to do with being relaxed and familiar with the test than any content that I learned.
I'd also like to say don't underestimate luck. The 650 I cancelled had a V 98%, but a Q of 35%! I have no idea why. Some days you just don't do well, so keep at it and take it again.
So for all of you struggling in the mid 600's out there, take heart. While it is a punishing, soul-crushing journey, it can actually pay off.
When I first set out to apply to B school last summer I enrolled in a MGMAT online course and hired a friend to tutor me on the side. My first three CATs were 520, 590, 550 - never even breaking 600. I sat for the test anyway and managed to get a 640, but felt it still wasn't good enough to apply.
So over 2014 I continued to study on my own and kept up with the material until, in May 2015, I got desperate and paid for a MGMAT Bootcamp class. Thankfully my boss let me take 2 weeks "vacation" to do GMAT nonstop. My CATs came in at 640, 670, and 640, not much improvement. My 2nd official test was another 640.
Frustrated, and frankly a little embarrassed, I kept studying. Notecards in the subway every day. Getting up at 5/6am to study before work. Coming home late in the evening. It was grueling. If this is you, I feel your pain. A lot of people make it sound easy; test twice, go from 680 to 740, etc. But that was not my experience at all. So if you are a mere mortal who maybe isn't great at math, I'd just like to reiterate that IT IS POSSIBLE.
Over the summer of 2015 I found Magoosh and started using the service. I was VERY impressed and can't recommend it enough. I regret not using it from the start; in fact it would have saved me thousands of dollars.
In July & August I was busy and did almost no GMAT. However, since I'd paid for it, I sat for a 3rd exam and got a 690. While very pleased, my Q was lower than some of my CATs so I decided to keep at it. Two weeks later I tested a 4th time, got a 650, and cancelled the score.
After canceling that score I basically stopped studying. But I had paid for a 5th test a while ago and decided to give it a go. Lo and behold I walked out with a 710!
I know this test is high-stakes, but I think it's important to take the pressure off. After I had resigned myself to applying with a 640, bam 690. The exact same thing happened with the 710. In the end, success for me had more to do with being relaxed and familiar with the test than any content that I learned.
I'd also like to say don't underestimate luck. The 650 I cancelled had a V 98%, but a Q of 35%! I have no idea why. Some days you just don't do well, so keep at it and take it again.
So for all of you struggling in the mid 600's out there, take heart. While it is a punishing, soul-crushing journey, it can actually pay off.
