3rd Attempt - Wat a Waste - Does hard work really pay?

[just4myself]

Hi guys....

I took the test on 29th August & scored a 640 (47,31). This was my third attempt n i was expecting nothing less than 680...Suddenly felt that all my hard work of 4 months went down the drain.
Verbal - I got many "complete the following" sentences (Almost 5 to 7) and 1 BF question (it was the 4th or 5th question), No strengthen / weaken question. Due to lack of time, I had to guess 1 RC para (3 questions) and 1 CR "complete ..." which appeared at the end of the test. Got many many SCs (easily > the standard 14)..
Quant - 1st questions - Made a mistake on a silly sequence problem. Cud have solved in 9 on 10 times...Took 7 minutes for the 1st question and panic set in. Got 2 to 4 SD / average problems, Many many (Almost 8 to 10) lxl problems, Numbers problems, No P&C problems tho

Well heres my history of attempts

1st attempt Sept 2007 - 510 (46,16) AWA - 6.0
2nd attempt Oct 2007 - 640 (48,28 ) AWA - 6.0
3rd attempt Aug 2008 - 640 (47,31) AWA - Expecting 5.0 (Minimum)

I have never worked so hard as I did for the 3rd attempt. I really gave it my all... Ignored work, attractions, friends, parties, even family n what not..

Moreover, I think my 3rd attempt has done no good but has infact hampered my changes as my scaled score in quant dropped from 48 (85%ile) to 47 (79%ile).

But i totally agree with the fact that this is the best GMAT forum available... Really honest people and they give real honest advice. Although i dont have many posts against my name, I have been on this forum for quiet some time...Would like to thank each one of you on this forum...

Well just an to attempt to give something back to this forum, heres my short debrief (really don't feel like advising anyone on anything... I feel I 'm always wrong - So i've written a very short debrief)

Quant - Was strong in this area. Scored >48 in all my GMAT Preps. Studied from OG11, Sets, BTG quant forums...

Verbal - Studied the 1000 SC (Completed all of them), 1000 CR (Almost 600) & 1000 RCs (about 300) and Sets, OG11... Had to do these as I had exhausted all my study material. Was getting a pretty decent success rate on the 1000 series. Scored an average of 32 to 35 in GMAT Prep.

AWA - OG 11.

I had also studied the GMAT Flashcards. They were really useful. For my 1st attempt i'd studied from Kaplan & Princeton.
__________________________________________________________

Well now I need some more advise...
Heres my profile...
Engineer from India...
Acads - Average
Work Exp - A Quality Assurance Engineer working with one of the best and largest companies in India. Total work exp is 3 years (In Dec)
Can get decent RECOs & write good essays (Nothing great tho)
Desired field of MBA - General Management or Entrepreneurship - Frankly speaking, not yet decided on the field of study as i've got a very faint idea... Will mostly decide in the 2nd year of my MBA...
I'm trying for the top 35 US colleges in the North & North East...I don't think doing an MBA from a below average college is gonna help after investing so much. Now because of this score, I'm planning to apply to some european colleges too...

I desperately needed a good GMAT score (>680) to compensate for my average acads and work exp. and also to get some financial aid. But all my hopes have been shattered...

I've got 3 options now:
1. Take gmat again....but it will be my 4th attempt and have lost all confidence in myself, my hard work, my luck (Also I guess taking gmat for the 4th time creates a bad impression). I am ready to go thru all that once again... but i don't know what areas do I improve upon and believe me its not a good feeling to take it for the 4th time
2. Gather 1 more year of work experience n apply for 2010 intake... As my work profile right now is really impressive...
3. Apply this year itself.... I'm still ready to give my all on writing essays and get the best of RECOs. I think i'll b applying to European colleges too

I'm inclined towards the 3rd option

Apologies for writing such a long post but I need your advise to help me out... I've written this post with great pain and wet eyes....Tried to forget those days but still cannot.... Feels like i'm writing this post for eons and m still unable to finish it...

Your advise will b really helpful.... Thanks.

But one thing is for sure.... I am gonna get out of this mess and in style as I've done before in life... I know that no 1 can take a decision on my behalf. I'll b taking my own decision but if u give the pros & cons of each of my options wud b of great help.Thanks

[aj5105]

With strong essays & good recos - u should be thru to a coll of ur choice.
This is my frank opinion.
All the best !

[just4myself]

Thanks for the reply aj5105

But has anyone got thru into the top 35 colleges with a 640 in gmat & 3 yrs of work experience? I mean can anyone go thru just on the basis of Essays & Recos?

[osamakhan]

I would say give it another shot. Since, GMAC reports last three scores, it will knock out your 510 score. Clearly, if you retain or improve your score, your average of three scores would be hight. Lets say if you are able to score 720, your avg. would be 670- which is much closer to your goal 680.

Also, if you haven't used powerscore gmat critical reasoning bible- use it and you would surely increase your accuracy in CR.

Goodluck man.

[justpal]

Hey Mate....let me start with a one liner....."Easy Seas can't make good Sailors"....So first of all take it sportingly....i know its easier said than done...
Well my story is similar to yours....i got 500 on my first attempt and i am planning to take gmat again which will be my second attempt and i dont know why and where i was wrong. I use to get an average of 710 in last 5 practise tests i took but was just not able to replicate the same on the real gmat...so have a heart of a wounded warrior and keep on fighting...It's well said that it's not all about how much you can take but it's about how far you can go with all that you take.
Now, coming to you options...toh i guess your last option is quite strong of the three. Write a killer essays and get a good work reco's and i guess you should be just fine. Alternatively, as mentioned in the previous post, you can take it for the 4th time and try to score higher, and your first attempt score wont get mention on your report. And if you do so, then my thought is to choose another test centre interstate....(this is just my belief, cos i am going to do so).
Apart, from that what to say.....i think so you have browsed all the materials that you possibly can and it just matter of little bit of luck.
Also, i have heard from some of my friends who have gotten an admission with low score based on their essays and extra activities.
Well i wish you all the luck this time in whatever decision you make....there is nothing i can suggest as far as GMAt preperations cos i by myself got 500 on first attempt so i feel some what incompetent to advice.
Cheers....

[ajguerre]

My scoring pattern was similar to yours. On sept 2nd I scored a 710.

IF I CAN DO IT SO CAN YOU

Don't give up! You still have time to take the exam in October and make to the first rounds, and definitely to the second rounds.

You are almost there!!!

[just4myself]

Guys thanks a lot 4 all ur inputs....

As I had mentioned in my 1st post, I don't mind taking the GMAT for the 4th time.... But my real concern is, Is it advisable? Cuz i think i'm surely gonna get some frowns from colleges for my 4th attempt.
Also as mentioned by OsamaKhan, my 4th attempt will knock out my 1st score; but will it really help as schools normally take the best score and not the average.
@ ajguerre: Congrats on a wonderful score buddy.... i read ur de-brief... its really encouraging...
@ Justpal: Guess its time to redeem urself... I bet u'll b successful... All the very best

All in all... I have still not given up on GMAT...my problem is, whether a 4th attempt is advisable? If I am to take the 4th attempt, it will not be before Nov as I had ignored my work and its definitely taking a toll on me...I may take the 4th attempt may be in November end...If I find a 4th attempt is worth it. Right now, as I need to take my mind off gmat for sometime, I am preparing my essays, recos, etc. I will be applying to schools with a 640 and I can always send my 4th attempt score later during my applications.

So this is my plan but going ahead with this, i really need to know if a 4th attempt at the gmat is wise enough...Kindly give ur suggestions.

Once again thanks a lot guys...