Hi everyone!
My name is Alessandro, I am completing bachelor's degree in Engineering in Milano, Italy.
I learned about this forum the night before my GMAT: I was disappointed for this because I found a lot of interesting tips and hints.
I did my first GMAT attempt on 27th April. The preparation took me a week. I used mainly
GmatPrep and Kaplan800.
I think that 730 score is a pretty good result for a first timer-- other people in the test center was going to kill me, I guess.
Coming from engineering I was pretty confident with quantitative, I had to learn some idioms and "tricks" for verbal, anyway.
I really think that GMAT tests one's skills, but also the ability to handle stressful situation, the ability to focus, and creativity(time is the key, you have to be creative to loose some "knots").
GMAT makes you stay in your room like a soldier in a bunker, but when you click "Show score", then see it... You feel like Armstrong on the moon surface. Put off your "ear defenders", and start again to listen to all the sounds and noises like computer buzzing and so on...
I think I portrayed the feeling, right?
I will give you some other details about my experience in the next days!