750 GMAT Writeup

Here's a post-GMAT writeup I did back in April 2010. Hope it helps one or two of you monkeys.

750 (48Q, 45V, 6.0 AWA)

I began my test prep in January 2010 with no set date that I wanted to take the GMAT. My intention was to take it when I could break the 720 barrier on the practice exams.

Materials Used:

OG 12th ed.
OG Quant
Manhattan GMAT Series (All 8 Books)

Prior to any studying, I took the diagnostic test in the OG. I missed more than half the quant questions but only missed a half-dozen of the verbal questions. After seeing my results from the diagnostic test, I read and worked through all the problems in each of the 8 MGMAT books. I was pretty impressed with both the breadth and depth of the topics covered by these books. The questions and explanations at the end of each chapter helped immensely. I’d work through a couple of chapters each night, watching an episode of The Office or 30 Rock as a study break between chapters.

Once I completed all the MGMAT books, I worked through all the problems in the OG, which were a breeze in compaison.

After completing the OG, I picked up the OG Quant Review, made an error log and reworked those problems after a couple days. If I still missed them, they stayed on my list to rework. If I got them right, they came off my “most wanted” list.

The next step for me was to start taking practice tests. I started out taking the MGMAT CATs, reworking any problems I missed. My scores ranged from 700-760.

Scheduled my actual gmat test date and took the two free GMAT Prep tests as my final workup to the test itself.

Didn't bother studying for the essay, and just followed this template:

P1. Introduction, relevancy, thesis
P2. Issue from perspective A
P3. Issue from perspective B
P4. Discussion as to why A is stronger than B and emphasis that the issue is not clearcut
P5. Conclusion

Fell like I was screwing up badly on the test, but it's designed to take you to the point where you're missing 50% of the questions, so I knew I couldn't be doing too badly.

Ended up scoring a 750...could have definitely done better on the quant if I had focused my efforts more.

I’d say my big takeaways from this experience are that the GMATPrep tests and the OG are spot on with the actual test. MGMAT is definitely a great resource and it overtrains you so that the actual test is actually a little bit of a relief in comparison.

Biggest piece of advice to any future test takers out there is to pace yourself...give problems around 2mins, and if you know you can't solve it, bite the bullet. No point in spending 5 minutes on a single problem then run out of time before you finish.