Hello everyone, After 2 months of intensive prep, I am finally done with the GMAT. Final score 750 (51/42) :: A brief background - Belong to the UK, Economics grad. working for a strategy consulting firm since the past 4.5 years. In …
Hello everyone,
After 2 months of intensive prep, I am finally done with the GMAT. Final score 750 (51/42)
A brief background - Belong to the UK, Economics grad. working for a strategy consulting firm since the past 4.5 years. In India since December on a project, going back next month.
After close to 5 yrs of working in the Consulting space, I decided I wanted to try out something different, specifically in the Finance domain for which an MBA was the next logical step. This was sometime in November last year, soon after which I was asked to come to India on an assignment. Took me a couple of weeks to settle down, so I effectively started my prep sometime around Christmas. Some of my colleagues in India were also preparing for the GMAT and it is they who introduced me to this wonderful forum - PG.:D
The Prep - Started off by taking a mock GMATPrep test in which I scored a 620. In Quant DS was a problem and in Verbal SC & RC hadn't gone too well.
Quant - I didn't really have a problem with Quant, just needed to adjust to DS questions because I hadn't come across such questions before. Referred primarily to Veritas Quant Guides supplemented with some Manhattan Quant material.
Verbal - I am a native English speaker so I was pretty confident about SC & RC; surprisingly I did badly on both these areas on my mock test.
For SC I first went through the Manhattan SC Book which was recommended by almost everybody but I personally didn't find the book to be of much help 'coz it had too much material which I didn't think I needed.
I was looking for something more concise that could provide me with all the SC rules in a bullet-point manner. This is when a fellow PG member recommended the SC Grail to me. I found this book to be immensely useful in my prep 'coz it gave me all the SC rules in one crisp document. The idiom list is one of the most comprehensive ones that I've come across.
For CR I primarily relied on the OG12 & 10 and some LSAT CR questions.
For RC I practiced all the high-difficulty passages from RC99 and also did a few LSAT RC passages.
Practice Tests - Took the 6 MGMAT tests on which my scores ranged from 680-770. Scored a 780 on the last GMATPrep test that I took (some questions were repeats from the OG)
Lessons learnt:
- I should have practiced more RC. On the actual test I was a bit flummoxed by a couple of the passages which were much more difficult than those that I had seen in the OGs. OG RCS are way to easy in my opinion compared to what I got on the test.
- I could have done some more tests from different sources; Manhattan tests are good but the questions are not like what I got on the actual test. The quant questions, specially, are too calculation-intensive on the MGMAT tests.
- I think I got a little overconfident on SCs since I was a native English speaker. I tended to do a lot of the questions using the 'ear', which is not a good idea. Stick to the rules and you'll do just fine.
A word on this beautiful country: This is my first trip to India and I have really enjoyed my time here. Didn't have much time to travel but did manage to see some places around Delhi.
Above all, I got a 750 on the GMAT, so India definitely proved lucky for me!
Thanks everyone for your support and guidance. Three Cheers to you
Signing off
David
Hello everyone,
After 2 months of intensive prep, I am finally done with the GMAT. Final score 750 (51/42)
.....
Thanks everyone for your support and guidance. Three Cheers to you
Signing off
David
Congrats Dave!
Sent you a PM.Please check!
Great score man.
Congrats!!!
A quick question how many (if any) Bolded statement questions did you get on CR?
Great score man.
Congrats!!!
A quick question how many (if any) Bolded statement questions did you get on CR?
Sorry for the late reply. Had gone on a break for sometime,exploring the places in India.Now I hope to be a little more active here. I remember that I had got 3 Bold faced CRs in all. One of these questions was quite complex and I had difficulty figuring out what exactly was one of the bold faced statement .Hope that helps!
Hello everyone,
After 2 months of intensive prep, I am finally done with the GMAT. Final score 750 (51/42)
A brief background - Belong to the UK, Economics grad. working for a strategy consulting firm since the past 4.5 years. In India since December on a project, going back next month.
After close to 5 yrs of working in the Consulting space, I decided I wanted to try out something different, specifically in the Finance domain for which an MBA was the next logical step. This was sometime in November last year, soon after which I was asked to come to India on an assignment. Took me a couple of weeks to settle down, so I effectively started my prep sometime around Christmas. Some of my colleagues in India were also preparing for the GMAT and it is they who introduced me to this wonderful forum - PG.:D
The Prep - Started off by taking a mock GMATPrep test in which I scored a 620. In Quant DS was a problem and in Verbal SC & RC hadn't gone too well.
Quant - I didn't really have a problem with Quant, just needed to adjust to DS questions because I hadn't come across such questions before. Referred primarily to Veritas Quant Guides supplemented with some Manhattan Quant material.
Verbal - I am a native English speaker so I was pretty confident about SC & RC; surprisingly I did badly on both these areas on my mock test.
For SC I first went through the Manhattan SC Book which was recommended by almost everybody but I personally didn't find the book to be of much help 'coz it had too much material which I didn't think I needed.
I was looking for something more concise that could provide me with all the SC rules in a bullet-point manner. This is when a fellow PG member recommended the SC Grail to me. I found this book to be immensely useful in my prep 'coz it gave me all the SC rules in one crisp document. The idiom list is one of the most comprehensive ones that I've come across.
For CR I primarily relied on the OG12 & 10 and some LSAT CR questions.
For RC I practiced all the high-difficulty passages from RC99 and also did a few LSAT RC passages.
Practice Tests - Took the 6 MGMAT tests on which my scores ranged from 680-770. Scored a 780 on the last GMATPrep test that I took (some questions were repeats from the OG)
Lessons learnt:A word on this beautiful country: This is my first trip to India and I have really enjoyed my time here. Didn't have much time to travel but did manage to see some places around Delhi.
- I should have practiced more RC. On the actual test I was a bit flummoxed by a couple of the passages which were much more difficult than those that I had seen in the OGs. OG RCS are way to easy in my opinion compared to what I got on the test.
- I could have done some more tests from different sources; Manhattan tests are good but the questions are not like what I got on the actual test. The quant questions, specially, are too calculation-intensive on the MGMAT tests.
- I think I got a little overconfident on SCs since I was a native English speaker. I tended to do a lot of the questions using the 'ear', which is not a good idea. Stick to the rules and you'll do just fine.
Above all, I got a 750 on the GMAT, so India definitely proved lucky for me!
Thanks everyone for your support and guidance. Three Cheers to you
Signing off
David
Hi David..
Congrats on your score! I read your post and could'nt help but share that I am in a similar situation. I am an Indian sent on an assignment to Canada and work pressure and my laziness have held me back from putting in hardwork on the GMAT front. Your story in a way has inspired me.
When do you plan to apply to the B-schools? Looking forward to your reply!
Sunetra
Hey David,
congrats for the gr8 score .... that's all ur hard word n nothing else :)
which b school u r planning for now ....
all the best for future 😃
Thanks guys. Always glad to be of help:-P
I'll be applying only in Sept. this year now. Wharton is my dream school but obviously very difficult to get into. Am also thinking of applying to Tuck and Fuqua. And maybe a few others as well. Still doing research on that part actually.
Thanks guys. Always glad to be of help:-P
I'll be applying only in Sept. this year now. Wharton is my dream school but obviously very difficult to get into. Am also thinking of applying to Tuck and Fuqua. And maybe a few others as well. Still doing research on that part actually.
Whoa! Just hearing the name of these schools makes me imagine myself there.
Aren't you looking at the schools in UK from where you belong to ?
Congratulations,btw!
Aren't you looking at the schools in UK from where you belong to ?I think I would prefer an international MBA experience.
To most of you in India UK is international but since I am from there I would prefer something outside the UK. Also most programs in the UK are one-year peograms while I am looking more at a two-year program.
I think I would prefer an international MBA experience.
To most of you in India UK is international but since I am from there I would prefer something outside the UK. Also most programs in the UK are one-year peograms while I am looking more at a two-year program.
Don't you think that going for a two year MBA program in the current market situation is risky. A one year MBA program brings you back in the work force by one complete year which means that you'd able to save a good amount of money and will be able to repay the MBA loans faster.
orchid01 SaysDon't you think that going for a two year MBA program in the current market situation is risky. A one year MBA program brings you back in the work force by one complete year which means that you'd able to save a good amount of money and will be able to repay the MBA loans faster.
I actually want to switch industries and one year MBA programs are not a great proposition if you want to switch industries altogether.Secondly, I don't want to be always on my toes as it is in a one year program,but rather would like to explore more horizons ,participate in different activities in business school and have enough time to give a concrete shape to my plans for future. Given all the considerations above, I think that for me a 2 year MBA program makes a greater fit. Again that's an absolutely personal decision and varies from person to person.
Hey David,
Congratulations!
I need a little help with GMAT. I am looking for the SC Grail that you mentioned in your post. Is it possible for you to email it to me? Please let me know and I shall PM my email id to you.
Good luck with the applications!
Pooja
Hi friends!!
I have heard about SC grail book for sentence correction ......is that book good enough for CAT/XAT entrance exams???
If anybody has any idea then plz reply....
Thanks
yes.............I also want to know the same which ravijamesbond has asked......plz reply
Hi friends!!
I have heard about SC grail book for sentence correction ......is that book good enough for CAT/XAT entrance exams???
If anybody has any idea then plz reply....
Thanks
No, the SC Grail is for the sentence correction part of the GMAT only. I'm not sure whether it can be used for other exams.
Congratulations david for the score. What material did you use for Data sufficiency. I have already bought MGMAT SC Guide,SC Grail and Powerscore CR Bible but don't know what is good material for the Maths part ?
friendlyfire SaysCongratulations david for the score. What material did you use for Data sufficiency. I have already bought MGMAT SC Guide,SC Grail and Powerscore CR Bible but don't know what is good material for the Maths part ?
I did not use any specific material for Data Sufficiency. I referred Veritas Quant material for the concepts. Also used MGMAT quant material.I think that you can either refer Veritas or MGMAT material because there's a good overlap in the content.
david_cro SaysI did not use any specific material for Data Sufficiency. I referred Veritas Quant material for the concepts. Also used MGMAT quant material.I think that you can either refer Veritas or MGMAT material because there's a good overlap in the content.
Thanks David for the response. If I were to buy one of the two set of books for Quant-either Veritas or MGMAT-which one would you suggest to go for ?
friendlyfire SaysThanks David for the response. If I were to buy one of the two set of books for Quant-either Veritas or MGMAT-which one would you suggest to go for ?
Sorry for the late response. Had gone for some adventure sports for the last 10 days. It's been greatly relaxing. Regarding your question, you can go for either of the Quant book sets- there's not much difference between the two.