DropThatMonkey

I received it online in adobe format. I was so very pleased! If I could have just done a little better on the Q. Oh well, a 620 with a 6.0 AWA isn't too shabby for a 29 year old who hasn't sat in a class in 7 years. I wish I could better remember what my topics were, or how I responded. I did not spend much time on AWA prep. I looked over some template examples, and some practice topics in the OG just to get a feel for what I was to expect. However, I did not actually put any essays down on paper...I really just looked AWA for maybe 30 minutes during my last study session before the GMAT. One thing that did help: I quickly sketched my talking points down on the provided dry erase board. I then used that rough sketch to keep me pointed in the right direction. Otherwise, it was pretty straight forward. I think for me, it was better just to outline a few quick points, then start writing. Hope that helps someone. Of course, from what I can gather...most here seem to be foreigners with little essay/verbal proficiency. But hey...you guys are rocking the Q! Universal language that it is! I thought about this the other day, but forgot to mention it. I had not given ANY thought to what the test center environment would be like. In my study session...I always had on headphones with classical music playing. I should note that I listened to classical as a fan, and as a means to stay focused...not under the assumption that classical music makes you smarter e.g. the "Mozart Effect." At any rate, another reasons for the headphones was to drown out my 4 mo. old daughters periodic cries. SO, to get to the point...when I got to the test center and discovered that they made headphones and earplugs available...I gave em' a whirl. Personally, I think they contributed a great deal to my success. I was able to really stay focused. Even minor distractions have the effect of sapping my stamina during long study sessions/ test sessions. So, for any of you that are even slightly easy to distract...please consider the earplugs/headphones...it seems trivial...but I guarantee that it will help.:grad:

I just got my official score report with the scored essays. I got a 6.0 on the essay section! WOOT! Very excited...I actually didn't think I did that well. Just wanted to let everyone know. Thanks again for all your help.

Gschmilinsky...I just wanted to make this comment about your posts: In almost every thread, I find a post of yours that is being supportive to the author. You try and find some good in everything posted here. Good for you! I just thought that you deserved some kudos for your efforts.

Salama, The quant didn't seem too difficult compared to anything else I'd seen in the GMAT Prep or the OG. Both quant and verbal in GMAT Prep were VERY similar to the real GMAT. I was coming in at 21-25 on quant in GMAT Prep. So, I did a little better than expected with a 32. In short, if you really go over the OG quant questions and study (and understand) the answers/explanations...you'll do fine. NOW...just settle in, and go kick the GMAT's arse!

Hey Guys and Gals, I'm a long time lurker, so this is my first post. I would first like to say that I credit a great deal of my success to this and other forums dedicated to studying for the GMAT. Your insights and adivce are such a tremendous help to so many people. Before I get to my thoughts on the test...here's a little bit about me: I am a 29 year old father of a 3 month old. I am employed full time and have been out of college for 7 years now. I am going back to my alma mater to get my MBA- the realization of a long time goal for me. This test was definately a monster under my bed. I have never been good at math. Honestly, I think people are predisposed to be good at either quant or verbal...not both. At any rate, the quant section is where I focused my studies. I started with the Lighthouse Math review for GRE/SAT/GMAT for a general brush up on basic math skills. I then began a program of working quant problems from both OG 11 and Kaplan. Considering my limited amount of study time due to the baby, I tried to lock in 1 hour every day, and then 6 hours on the weekend. This was by and large my schedule for almost 3 months. In the last 3 weeks, I began to include verbal questions in my study time, and I also began taking full length practice tests. I never scored above a 570, which had me a little nervous. Not because I wouldn't be happy with that score (only needed a 550), but because that seemed to be my range to the high side. Yet, here I am with a 620. This is such a matter of pride for me, and I view it as the successful culmination of months of hard work. I have enjoyed the responses to scores in these forums! It appears that anyone not breaking 700 is ready to toss themselves into the abyss! I can understand the stress revolving around trying to get into a top program...but trust me folks, the GMAT is not the end of the road nor is it the end of the world. My thoughts on the test? It was a doozy. However, I had such a level of confidence due to my preparation, that I was not too overcome with anxiety. That is not to say that I wasn't nervous. I just kept telling myself that the nerves were a result of my desire to succeed. I also kept myself in a very positive frame of mind. I woke up at 5:30 on the 26th (test at 9:00), and immediately started pumping myself up. I did not look at any material the day before the test or the morning of. I just strictly focused on getting my mind in the right state. I think that was critical. I did not feel that the problems on the test were any easier or harder than anything I'd seen in the OG. IN FACT, I felt more than a few of the questions were nearly identical to what I had seen in the OG. Further proof that the OG should be the foundation of any study program. I will say that on the Verbal, I got some incredibly difficult RC questions. They were extremely long passages, and the questions were tougher than I had seen before. Also, I wish that I had prepared a little bit more for the AWA. The ability to write essays comes naturally to me, but I took too much time formulating a layout and ended up being pressed for time. I wish I could offer you all some sage advice, or advance some new theory/practice that would help you reach new GMAT highs. The truth is, the GMAT is an experiment-they put you in a highly stressful and time consuming "maze" and see how you find your way out. I did not feel that it is any measure whatsoever of intelligence. So, if you want to do well, buckle down and study. Pure preparation will determine how you negotiate the twists and turns of the "maze." I want to again offer my thanks to everyone here. You all deserve a pat on the back for participating in something that can improve peoples lives. Just think, in a small way, your efforts are helping to improve my family's quality of life, not to mention making me a happier and more fulfilled person! Keep it up and the very best of luck to you all.