Keep your head up!!! (710, Q: 49, V: 37)

[daraverla]

Hey fellas, I have been a quiet lurker on this board. Nevertheless, after successfully finishing my 3rd GMAT test last week, I would like to share some useful information with you fellas.

First of all, I would like to let you know my previous test results prior to the one I took last week.

1st 650 Q: 47, V: 32
2nd 620 Q: 43, V: 28

So here we go. You are reading a post written by someone who is not anywhere closely labeled as a genius. If anything, I am a normal, sub-IQ130 person who has simply succeeded in mastering some useful test taking techniques.

For those of you who have at least broken 650 mark during your previous tests, you HAVE POTENTIAL to score well over 700. In other words, the only reason you have not scored well on GMAT is not a lack of knowledge or information necessary to "ace" the test; rather you have not approached this test in most effective and efficient manner. Here are a few tips you may find interesting:

Math

1. If you carefully look at the answers provided in your Official Guide book for math section, you should be immediately able to notice that the length of the answer on average is not more than 200 characters. In other words, you will deal with math questions that does not need special knowledge, messy calculation, or complicated logistic mindset. Indeed, a shortcut to every single math question is available in every problem. You just have to find one in a given time. I know it's easier said than done, but you just have to twitch your mindset in this way so that you would not panic about the apparent difficulty of the problems you see on the exam.

2. Do not study one of those Permutation/Combination BS. With all due respect to those helful posters who have provided useful information on these topics, I have to say that Permutation/Combination questions are overrated as far as the number of questions present in the test. I saw only one very basic Permutation problem, and I have seen this exact pattern in a number of times from various sources. So don't waste your time trying to perfect your Permuation formula smackdown, because you will only see only 1~2 basic questions about them.

3. Data Sufficiency: I know this is the area from which some of you guys take severe punishments. However, I have to say this: this is easier than the problem solving questions. Don't solve it. Just know whether you can set up an equation to find an answer. That's all these questions are asking. CAN YOU SET UP A VIABLE EQUATION? Practice, practice, I can't overemphasize the importance of doing Official Guide problems over and over again, which I have managed to do at least three times in the last 3 months or so. Basically, try to force yourself to spend enough time to make sure that you can identity the question types on an actual test.

4. Try to allocate enough time on first 10~15 questions. If you are doing OK in the first 15 questions, you will see the immediate dropoff in difficulty of questions following the first 15. I barely had time for the first 2 tests, but I managed to have more than 10 minutes left in the last test. Granted, I was extremenly lucky to have much easier questions than what I had orginally expected.

Verbal

1. There is no excuse whatsoever to miss SC questions. This is not about some sort of skill, talent, or ability. It is purely about how much you have done those SC problems. Try to do at least 30 SC questions a day in order to familiarize yourself with these types of questions. Again, don't be happy about being "70%" right. You - every single one of you - should get more than 95% of the questions right.

2. reading comprehension: You have to paraphrase each paragraph, and you need to practice on reading comprehension with paraphrasing to sharpen your critical abilities. Do every single passage with this technique. This is not optional for you, if I must insist. Do it if you feel your English is a sore spot.

I will think about a few more things later, and I will try to write out more stuff. However, keep this in mind.

If I could raise my score from 620 to 710 in a couple of months without hardly studying other than reviewing the questions I have solved before, YOU CAN ALSO DO IT. Trust me on this one.

[manusmile144]

Hi Daraverla,
Congrats for your Success!!!! You've shown that with determination and hard work success can be achieved. Tell me what strategy you used for reading comprehension? As fas as SC is concerned is Official Guide enough for practise?

Regards
Manu

[manusmile144]

Hi Daraverla,
Congrats for your Success!!!! You've shown that with determination and hard work success can be achieved. Tell me what strategy you used for reading comprehension? As fas as SC is concerned is Official Guide enough for practise?

Regards
Manu

[roborob]

congrats darva.... where are you thinking about applying to ?

i like the message you have written in your signature area.

[daraverla]

Originally posted by manusmile144

Hi Daraverla,
Congrats for your Success!!!! You've shown that with determination and hard work success can be achieved. Tell me what strategy you used for reading comprehension? As fas as SC is concerned is Official Guide enough for practise?

Regards
Manu

Hey thanks for the congrat. As you can see, I did it with my determination, not with any sort of intellect. Having said this, if you get consistently 4 or 5 out of 6 questions on practice reading comprehension, you should be gunning for perfect on any kind of reading comprehension questions. Here are my personal strategies.

1. Paraphrase each paragraph.

eg. " 1. Two theories (Anne Summers and editor) -> 2. Anne Summers (bad), "overeaggeration", "propangandistic" 3. editor (good) , "improved sanitary condition", "created facilities" ->4. author's take (good overall, with Anne Summers partially correct)

2. Approach the "According to the passage", "According to the author" questions with the kind of mindset that "I have to get this right! After all, all I need to do is FIND , not think of, the section which the questions pertain to."

3. By practicing this paraphrase steps (i know this is time-consuming), you will naturally develop a critical reading skill to help you forsee what is coming ahead.

4. You should always anticipate what may lie in the next paragraph by closely reading the first sentence of each paragraph. Think of this way, it is much easier to watch a movie with weird twists and turns when you know the plots ahead of watching the movie. The same principle applies here as well.

5. Minimize re-reading the passages by accurately paraphrasing each paragraph.

6. I will personally guarantee you that once you have intensively practice this method for a week (at least 2 hours a day), you will notice significant improvement in your reading skills. I will personally guarantee you on this one!

[daraverla]

Originally posted by roborob

congrats darva.... where are you thinking about applying to ?

i like the message you have written in your signature area.

Thanks man! This is the wisdom I have learned in the hard way through the years of agony, I guess.

My stats: 710 GMAT, 3.25 GPA from UCLA, 4 yrs of WE, some extra.

I plan to apply for Tuck School in the 3rd round, on April 19th. I know this is a long shot, but I will try anyway since this will give you a good feedback for the next year's application procedures, should I fail to gain admission this year.

Good luck.

[daraverla]

Originally posted by manusmile144

Hi Daraverla,
Congrats for your Success!!!! You've shown that with determination and hard work success can be achieved. Tell me what strategy you used for reading comprehension? As fas as SC is concerned is Official Guide enough for practise?

Regards
Manu

Official Guide should be a plenty for SC. I didn't use any other book extensively for GMAT study, and I would assume any of us would need to so.

Again, I would like to reiterate the fact that you guys should be really confident, given that a person like myself substantially raised the score from 620 to 710. I really mean this, fellas, Keep your head up!

[daraverla]

Originally posted by roborob

congrats darva.... where are you thinking about applying to ?

i like the message you have written in your signature area.

I have noticed your signature as well. Are you still studying for GMAT?

If so, try this strategy. Sign up for two GMAT tests, one for the month you wanna to take,and the other for the following month. And tell yourself, "you know what? If I mess up, fine, I will just take the test again next month. No biggie. I am going to take the test with comforts knowin that I have another chance for the next month."

Many of us inadvertantly give ourselves extra pressure by unconsciously telling us that we need to score over 700. This is not true as many other people have said on numerous occassions. You should be fairly competitive with 680 with those with over 700 scores. 20 pts difference in GMAT is nothing. Nothing at all. So lower your standard, and surprise yourself at the end.

[roborob]

Originally posted by daraverla

I have noticed your signature as well. Are you still studying for GMAT?

If so, try this strategy. Sign up for two GMAT tests, one for the month you wanna to take,and the other for the following month. And tell yourself, "you know what? If I mess up, fine, I will just take the test again next month. No biggie. I am going to take the test with comforts knowin that I have another chance for the next month."

Many of us inadvertantly give ourselves extra pressure by unconsciously telling us that we need to score over 700. This is not true as many other people have said on numerous occassions. You should be fairly competitive with 680 with those with over 700 scores. 20 pts difference in GMAT is nothing. Nothing at all. So lower your standard, and surprise yourself at the end.

That is a good testing stategy, but I think I am satisfied with my 680.

Yeah, I'm going to wait until this fall to begin the admissions process. I don't have as many years w/e as you do, so I don't want to hurt my chances by applying to third round. Good luck!

[bazooka76]

Congratulations on your score. Way to go. You have given a pretty good boost to people in this forum.