I have been on Pagalguy.com for nearly an year now. I noticed this thread on CAT and Related Disucssion, “All I wanted to Say about CAT”. Now an ebook is unveiled each year by this very forum by the very same name. So I said to myself whenever I w…
I have been on Pagalguy.com for nearly an year now. I noticed this thread on CAT and Related Disucssion, "All I wanted to Say about CAT". Now an ebook is unveiled each year by this very forum by the very same name. So I said to myself whenever I write GMAT, no matter how Uninspiring my score may be, I would start an analogous thread here. :)
My GMAT prep started on 11th Jan. CAT left an indelible scar. I prepared really well, was even part of the coveted "DT" (Dream Team - Delhi/NCR).
95+ was almost a foregone conclusion. Thus, to see 93.4%ile against my name was nothing less than a disappointment.
It was on 11th Jan 2012, that the thought of taking GMAT took shape. I wanted to book a valentine's date but unfortunately all dates were taken. A week later, I saw a vacancy on 17th Feb. And voila!
I sincerely believe that my GMAT prep was really modest, and thus my score is not even exceptional. I write this thread only to fulfill a long standing promise and to encourage others to not lose hope. (You'll find later)
So yes. Around 18th Jan 2012 was when I picked up OG 12. A very dear friend of mine was willingly guiding me. This guy scored 770 in September. Suffice it to say, he knows his stuff. So he asked me to solve the OG. Religiously. Two weeks tops he said. But first take a Diagnostic test.
I took Knewton mock GMAT.
Score: 640
He wasn't complaining. Without any prep 640 is not so bad. To validate the hypothesis, I saw a couple of people with 760 eventual scores, who scored 640 in the diagnostic too!
The thing I personally failed to do was analyze the diagnostic test properly. It was basically due to paucity of time. Around end Jan, I had B school interviews, one after the other. IMT-G, followed by SIBM - P, and finally SCMHRD. They took a toll on my GMAT prep. I was sailing in two boats simultaneously. Dangerous waters I tell you. That is also the difference between a good score and an exceptional score.
I finished OG 12 2 weeks before my GMAT. My accuracy was worrisome in a couple of sections:
PS: 94%
DS: 90%
RC: 85%
CR: 75%
SC: 64%
So my 770 friend suggested to do the Manhattan SC Guide. I read through 200 pages in about 2 days. Just a week before my GMAT. (Something you should try to avoid. Be fully prepared atleast a month before. Again, the difference between a good and an exceptional score.)
In the meanwhile, having nothing to do (being in final year of college) I took 2 more mocks.
Manhattan Free GMAT: 660
GMAT Prep1: 640
The writing was on the wall. I wasn't ready.
I took GMAT Prep1 After doing the SC guide, 5 days before the exam. (Try to take GMAT Prep a month prior to the actual exam)
If VALR was my savior in CAT (scored 99th Percentile in CAT), it was the nemesis in GMAT. In all the mocks, I scored 48+ in QA but 35- in VA. I was really disturbed to see the huge difference between CAT'sand GMAT's Verbal. A lot of people say not to take GMAT if you aren't confident, but I had no other option.
Since this breakdown came 6 days before my GMAT, I would have lost all the 250$. Taking twice or taking once after a month would have meant the same thing. I chose the former. I did however figure out that it was the length of the exam, at nearly 4 hours, that was daunting more than the questions themselves.
Even though the 770 friend tried to talk me into taking Prep2. I didn't. It would have really squashed my confidence, if at all I had any.
Cut to today. The GMAT Day. I started the AWA section. Breezed through it. Had a few Lays chips in the break, and back again. Now, suddenly I realized Quant questions were really tough. First 2-3 were easy but the subsequent questions, woot. It was a little unnerving, but I knew I had done well enough to get atleast a 50. I finished the section 10 minutes before time.
Break
Lethargy crept in. I spent nearly 10 minutes on the first 2 questions and was playing catch up for the rest of the time. Again, a little more prep and a few more mocks would have helped to make my score exceptional. Finally, I was done with 1 minute remaining on the clock.
Would you like to see the score?
Yes
Last time my heart was beating this fast, was before CAT result.
Q - 50 92%ile
V - 34 69%ile
OA - 710 92%ile
Last night in my dream I scored 740. So, slight disappointment.
But as my friend put it, with 3 weeks of prep and the kind of mock scores I got, 710 is respectable. (>10% increase over GMAT Prep)
I do firmly believe though, more prep would have helped my cause. Especially my verbal score, which is abysmal by my own admission. The overall score is however, not too bad.
I write this long post, not to bore you but to inspire to rise above adversities and get a decent score. :)
Remember, have faith. Read OGs, use this excellent forum, but most of all have faith in your abilities. :)
3 Days before GMAT, I was thinking of cancelling.
2 Days before GMAT, I was reading the thread "Low Scores in GMAT? Find help here."
Dont lose hope. :)
P.S. AWA - 5.5 (Without any prep :D)
Hi Nipun,
You did very well in about a months time. you already had CAT background. IMO, you need not think 710 as low score, unless only top 2 or 3 MBAs are your choice.
Apart from Manhatten SC and OGs what else book would you recommend as must read?
Hi Nipun,
You did very well in about a months time. you already had CAT background. IMO, you need not think 710 as low score, unless only top 2 or 3 MBAs are your choice.
Apart from Manhatten SC and OGs what else book would you recommend as must read?
Aiming for European MBA. 710 is above average, I think, for all European B Schools. Besides, 7-8 B schools in the US, it is above average in most schools. However, taking it again would be placing emphasis on the wrong side of the application. :)
If I had to do it all over again, I would probably concentrate on my weakness.
Verbal Section.
You must find your weakness(es) and work on it/them.
Usually, Indians do well in Quant. But there are always exceptions.
Challenges I faced:
1. Saturation of Quant score, near 48, in first couple of Mocks.
2. Abysmal accuracy in SC.
3. Sleep. Yes. I used to sleep in between. If CAT, at 2 hours 20 minutes, was sleep inducing, then GMAT at nearly 4 hours is almost certain to make you sleep in between.
If I were to start again, I would probably refer to the following books:
OG 12, OG 11, OG 10, SC Grail, Manhattan SC, RC99
(I did do a few of their RCs during my CAT prep days, but only a few.)
After the full prep, I would have taken atleast 7-8 Mock GMATs, something I did not do.
Again, the choice of sections you want to strengthen and subsequently the books you want to read, depends entirely on your weaknesses. Give a free mock to assess the aforementioned.
Hope it helps! :)
ATB!
