GMAT cracked - 730/6.0

[Iridium Flare]

Hi Andy,

Essays are called Analytical Writing Assessment... thats wer the "AWA" comes from...

Regarding prep... well, whats nice about the essays is that you dun need to be creative with the format. You'd find formats in any prep book... all bks follow a similar format, just the words change.

Best thing is to go thru all the formats you have, from all the books uve got. Then, you can come up with your own format.. or try what I did (Have mentioned it in the prep method Iv described in a post above)... format is the easy part.

Whats imp abt AWA is the points you come up with in your essay. You are scored based on the strength of the points you have. Incase you arent aware, you have 2 essays in the GMAT - Issue and Analysis.
In an Issue essay, you get two opposing views, you take one stand, and defend it...
In an Argument Essay, you get a situation that you weigh, so you dun take one side and fight!! you just explain pros and cons of the argument.

In either essay, you must have logical points to prove what your opinion is. Examples improve scoring, but stick to only one or two examples... you dun have time for more than two anyway.

I dun know what more to say, once you have your own format in place actually, all you need is to keep writing.. mba.com has 127 essay topics you can download. Just keep practicing and read the explanation in Princeton. Its the best.. This isnt much help.. but its what I did..

Regards.

[allurin.ecstacy]

First of all congratulations for crackin GMAT wid a great score.

I have a some doubts though.. i m new to MBA prep never attempted even CAT or know the type of questions and i plan to give GMAT maybe in july august i wanna know if

1) is there any coaching required for me as i know next to nothing bout mba prep

2) I stay in a comparatively sleepy town where i can find only one GMAT coachin centre so dunno how it is.

3)should i try to prepare myself(seems tough though)

4) Wat should be the first step i should take.

I got names of all books n matter mentioned in ur thread n the one of Yogi baba.

Regards

"Questions are never indiscreet. Answers sometimes are. "

[Iridium Flare]

Hi Allure,

Depends on how good your school maths and english is..

Classes have their pluses.. they help you undersand the game faster. They also help you with the registration and give you an exam environment to practice in.

But the portion for GMAT per se is not tough, if you were good at maths in school, and if you have your school grammar book (like Wren & Martin) you may not need a class. Once u understand how GMAT works (that any prep book will tell you) .. all you need is practice.


Tell you what..

Get any one prep book, like Princeton... or Manhattan.. run thru the stuff in that one book quickly... so you'll know what is needed of you for the exam.

Then see if you can get someone to send you the POWER PREP software.. like I said in an earlier post, its two tests you get from the GMAT guys directly... solve the first test with your rudimantary preparation and see what your score is..
If you get a 600 or a 620+ score, dun think you need a class.. just practice and motivation..

If your score is below 600, then maybe u can get yourself enrolled for the class..

Talk to Anees... he is one of the best persons you can talk to on Pagalguy regarding any mba query.. see what he says..

Hope Ive helped..

Regards.

"When Life sucks, living it well is Revenge."

[dextar]

Hi Iridium
Congrats for ur awesome score.
Pls help me out with my verbal strategy!!
I have read ur posts regarding strategies that u followed but anyways I'm stuck in verbal
It has been a month since I started my prep. However, I can't feel the momentum going my way. I started my GMAt Preparation with Kaplan Premier, completed it in 10 days(QA in 2 days). THen I completed SC from OG 11 using the sheet format mentioned in the beatthegmat forum. After this, I took GMAt Prep1 and scored 600 (Qa 48 va 24). COuldn't even finish verbal in time.
I then started with RC and Cr from OG 11 slowly but steadily. However, I was startled to see my speed in RC.(very slow). I was taking too much time. I did most of the questions in CR in timed mode. However, I was not able to do RC in the proper time limit.
After finishing off verbal from OG-11, I took one GMAT CAT 1 from Kaplan CD this Saturday. I was expecting better this time. However the score was demoralising 570 (QA 50 Va 24).
THe common things that I noted during both the tests are that suddenly out of nowwhere , I start crumbling under sheer pressure of SC and RC. Sometimes I fail to distinguish what is the error being tested in SC. This doesn't happen with me while solving OG-11 questions. In Rc, I don't remember the paragraph, so that I have to go and check each and every option from the passage and that takes a lot of time.
QA is ok for me. In both the tests, I have been able to comlpete QA 15-minutes in advance.
My question:
Pls let me know what additnal things(material ) to do.Is it advisable to once agin go to OG-11 at this time?
Thanks in anticipation.

[Iridium Flare]

Hi Dextar

1) Kaplan tests ARE demoralising... so dun worry.. 570 is a fine score if its Kaplan.

2) You probably know.. wen you dun finish a section, you get penalised even more severely. Thats why the first test was only 600 inspite of a good quant score. YOU HAVE TO COMPLETE EACH SECTION.

3) What is the time limit ur aiming at for RC?

4) OG questions are simpler than the actual GMAT. In OG11, the first diagnostic test (I felt) had tougher questions than the rest of the book.

5) One of the major probs with SC is that u cant identify the error in the question sentence.
In those cases, read the options. Identify errors in options. Strike out options that are not feasible.

6) Yes, u can forget the para in RCs. Especially if its Kaplan Verbal.. tough paras.
Before reading -
(a)count number of paras in the RC
(b)Glance thru first and last line of each para to identify whether the RC is Scientific, Geographic or Social or whatever.
(c)After reading each para, quickly ask urself if uv understood. If yes, then proceed. If no, glance thru it again.. trust me.. there is time...just dun get distracted by panicking.

If u still cant remember, then while reading, just remember in general what the para says. When u read a question, even if u cant answer the question directly, you shud know wer in the passage the answer is.

7) Reading speed. Hmm... what can i say? U have to make a conscious effort. Run ur finger quickly below the line ur reading. It might help.

Ur afraid of the VA. Dun be. Everytime u feel panicky just breathe. When u panic, ur breathing rate goes up.. control ur breathing rate and the anxiety reduces..its not magic.. its biology.

9) Id say u need to revise the VA. What are ur mistakes? Which ones are common? Is it the idioms u get wrong? Is it the punctuation? If u cunt identify the error, could you understand it in the answer explanation or couldn't you? Is your thinking wrong in CR? What is wrong? Can you understand the answer explanations?
RC needs practice nuthing else.

Take some time off ur regular study and just gather all ur mistakes. OG, Kaplan, the tests, wateva else uv solved. Make notes of ur mistakes. Clear the mistakes u understand. What u cant agree with, bring it here to the forum.. maybe we can all help u understand.. savvy?

Im sorry I dun know the beatthegmat format for SC.. if you can tell me what it is, i can help u.

When are you taking the GMAT?

Regards.

[Iridium Flare]

Hi,


Dunno where to post this query...I am from Pune and i have gotten admission into SPJCM.
I have to join in Dubai on the 13th of May.

I would like to know if there is anyone here who is from Pune and would be joining in Dubai like me.

Please could such a person get in touch with me so we cud maybe leave Pune together..

hoping for responses...

[raj_deb]

Originally Posted by Iridium Flare

Hi Allure,

Depends on how good your school maths and english is..

Classes have their pluses.. they help you undersand the game faster. They also help you with the registration and give you an exam environment to practice in.

But the portion for GMAT per se is not tough, if you were good at maths in school, and if you have your school grammar book (like Wren & Martin) you may not need a class. Once u understand how GMAT works (that any prep book will tell you) .. all you need is practice.


Tell you what..

Get any one prep book, like Princeton... or Manhattan.. run thru the stuff in that one book quickly... so you'll know what is needed of you for the exam.

Then see if you can get someone to send you the POWER PREP software.. like I said in an earlier post, its two tests you get from the GMAT guys directly... solve the first test with your rudimantary preparation and see what your score is..
If you get a 600 or a 620+ score, dun think you need a class.. just practice and motivation..

If your score is below 600, then maybe u can get yourself enrolled for the class..

Talk to Anees... he is one of the best persons you can talk to on Pagalguy regarding any mba query.. see what he says..

Hope Ive helped..

Regards.

"When Life sucks, living it well is Revenge."

Hi Iridium,

Seen ur helpful replies an thought of asking u for some dope on GMAT prep tests.....u must hae gone thru them.

How do the foll prep tests compare with the actual GMAT in terms of scores. How many points more/less:
Kaplan
Princeton
Veritas
800
Powerprep (mba.com)

Pls do reply.......I have given 1 test after studying for close to 2 months....Got 710 on Princeton....dont know how to rate myself.....Will be taking the GMAT end June. Need to know where I stand.

Thanks,
Raj

[Iridium Flare]

Hi Raj,

I cant tell you how many points more or less comparative scores wud be re...
I'll tell you how I scored.. maybe it'll give you an idea..

Kaplan is very low scoring.. dun compare ur Kaplan scores to anything... use Kaplan for practice.. esp the quant.. 560-620 is a good score..

Princeton- i scored 690.. so ur 710 is wonderful

Veritas-i dun know aything about this one.. never used it

800- dunno. didnt do this either.. but its Kaplan rite.. hehe notorious.. need i say more?

Powerprep is apparently the closest to the real thing..they say ull probably score close to the scores u get here... however.. shud tell you.. . the questions on the actual gmat were tougher... but then my score was also better on the actual one
PP1 - 710 PP2 - 690 Actual GMAT - 730

So you see... lotsa luck to you!

[raj_deb]

Originally Posted by Iridium Flare

Hi Raj,

I cant tell you how many points more or less comparative scores wud be re...
I'll tell you how I scored.. maybe it'll give you an idea..

Kaplan is very low scoring.. dun compare ur Kaplan scores to anything... use Kaplan for practice.. esp the quant.. 560-620 is a good score..

Princeton- i scored 690.. so ur 710 is wonderful

Veritas-i dun know aything about this one.. never used it

800- dunno. didnt do this either.. but its Kaplan rite.. hehe notorious.. need i say more?

Powerprep is apparently the closest to the real thing..they say ull probably score close to the scores u get here... however.. shud tell you.. . the questions on the actual gmat were tougher... but then my score was also better on the actual one
PP1 - 710 PP2 - 690 Actual GMAT - 730

So you see... lotsa luck to you!

thanks buddy.....will kepp that in mind

[sagarkhale]

Great Post !
Inspirational stuff.
Just want to know the exact list of books and what order to study.
Would be nice to know what was your study schedule as u were working.
i am planning to take GMAT this July /aug can u help?