GMAT 700-A debrief

I gave my GMAT today and scored a 700(though I thought I could get a 730+....anyways)

I would contribute my story of GMAT here and so that others can get something to takeaway.

1. Most important thing. Always note whatever new thing you learn. I used to write in hard copy. (have got 5 registers now) These were my indispensable source during revision. I used to note down concepts, idioms, advices or just anything that I used to think could be of help. One can use a word document or excel file to do the same. Actually I now feel that saving in soft copy is better. One can share them and also, it is easy to find keywords in soft copy , when you revise.

2. Whatever posts you make, or read on beatthegmat.com (here referred as BTG) or other forums, just ctrl+S them. Save them in a folder. I had a 'BTG cool posts' named folder where I kept all the good posts.

3. I used to visit Manhattan GMAT forums a lot. Explanations given are great and authentic (that is most important)

4. Books I suggest

OGs: I actually feel that all questions on real test were similar to OG questions. So first thing is finish the OGs (I did 10th and 12th)

The subject wise list is as under

SC: Manhattan SC+OG question’s explanations through internet

CR: I started with Manhattan CR guide. During the last days I read Powerscore CR bible. But I am bit skeptic about Powerscore, whether it helped me or not.

RC: Just do the RC’s that are in the OGs. Apart from this, I got a very good document on RC’s over the internet. That document I have attached in the post. It is named ‘cool tips by Gin’

For idioms, I used the excel sheet available on BTG resources. I have attached that too in the post

For Maths, I had some problem in Number properties and Inequalities. These two topics form most of the hard questions on the test. I bought MGMAT number properties guide and recommend every one to buy.

For AWA I used a template, available on BTG. I Scored a 5.5. And I am telling you, preparation for AWA does not require any thing but to learn that template, a day before actual GMAT. But 1 thing to point out that I used to write essays in all tests. That helps in building stamina. Don't skip essays because then you shall get a rather inflated score, because you will be less tired.

Apart from this I used 300 CR questions and 300 Maths questions available on the BTG website. Also I used to search google/BTG/urch/manhattan forum for specific topics like mixtures/ permutations etc and practice. Answering on forum posts is also a great way to learn.

Also there are some great posts on BTG, written by experts. Go through them and use them

For timing:

For Maths I used the 55-35-15 strategy. That means finish 10th question on 55th minute, 20th on 35th minute and 20th on 15th minute
For English I used 58-38-18 strategy. That means finish 10th question on 58th minute, 20th on 38th minute and 30th on 18th minute

On test day: Administrators were very helpful. If you feel that you are feeling nervous, just think that GMAT wants you to get nervous and if you can avoid nervousness, may be you can score 20 more points. So what do you choose nervousness or 20 more points?

Tests that I used
MGMA T free test (1 month back-score 690)
Kaplan 4 tests (1 month back-never scored more than 630)
Official GMAT test 1st test-710
Official GMAt test 1st test reinstalled-730
Official GMAT test 2nd test-720
Official GMAT test 2st test reinstalled-730

I postponed GMAT once, because I was not confident for 700 and GMAT is so important for future that I didn't wanted to take any chance . So my advice is that you give GMAT only when you have confidence that even on a bad day,
you shall score 700.

P.S I never used any unauthentic resource, question bank or any list of questions that did not have answers or explanations. I think that using these kind of resources can lead you to make wrong concepts. Although I did around 200 questions from the 1000 SC document, but then I left it, because it used to take a lot of time, searching for the authentic explanations. If you do 1000 sc, my advice is that you keep on saving the best explanations at a place or in a document. And after that when you return back to those questions, with the explanations that you have saved, then only you will be able to learn something out of them.