Every 6-10 weeks someone asks me how I studied for the GMAT and any advice I have. Well, here’s my story!
Unfortunately, in college I was friends with a bunch of over achievers who thought it’d be a good idea to take the GMAT during senior year after they’d secured full time jobs. So, due to peer pressure and insecurity, I too signed up to take the test.
I took the ManhattanGMAT class which was ~7 weeks long. Each week consisted of 2 hours in a classroom, and 2 hours or so of homework. I’d say I did around 1/2 of the recommended homework each week. After taking the prep course, I immediately signed up for a date to take the actual exam which was about 2 weeks out. The date was during my finals week at NYU, but I wanted to take it before I headed out for a post-graduation trip to Asia with friends (the same ones who’d peer pressured me into taking this exam!!).
Before the prep course, I took a practice test and scored ~610 (my memory is slightly hazy, but it was in that ballpark). My goal was to get to a 700 by the time I took the test, and I was around a 680 by the time I finished the prep course.
The number one piece of advice for anyone taking this test is to create and use flashcards to internalize the information you need to answer the most difficult questions. This was a strategy I stole directly from my Dad who used it to become a doctor (much harder than getting into bschool – so it seemed battle tested).
With that in mind, I went through the 7-8 books that the test prep course had provided, and made a flashcard for any piece of info that I thought would help me answer questions. I made them for the types of triangles, grammar rules, and for the toughest types of questions (two trains going towards each other, the ones that require factorials, etc).
I had 200-300 flashcards, and would look at them when I had 5 mins on the subway, or while waiting for a friend. When I’d correctly answered a given card in three consecutive cycles (I put the card on the bottom of the deck after I’d tried to answer it), I discarded it.
The week before the test, I studied for 3-4 hours/day (mostly the flashcards plus some practice problems). The day before, I didn’t do anything but workout, eat some good food, and watch a movie. It’s important to rest your brain and de-stress! Now, I’d probably also do an extra long mediation session but I wasn’t into that back then.
I don’t remember exactly the slope of the curve, but there was a huge increase in my scores in the week before the test. I started off maybe at the 700 mark for a practice test, and then got a 720, and a 750 before my studying ended (don’t take too many practice tests. They are good to gauge where you’re at, but take a lot of time and aren’t very instructive in helping you improve). I’m pretty confident if I’d pushed the test back another week I could have continued to improve…but the commonly accepted rule says increasing your score above a 700 doesn’t help too much in getting you into school. Btw, I share these numbers only so you can see my progress from the original 610 to when I took the exam and what I did to get there – not to brag!!!
The day of the test of course I was a bit nervous. The worst part of the GMAT is that they ask you “do you want to accept this score” after you take the test. Basically, you can say “no” – and it’s like it never happened. But, if you “accept the score” it goes on your record. My advice: just accept the score unless you had a monumental meltdown for some reason. Because of the way the test works, you get harder questions if you answer questions correctly. So, if you’re getting hard questions, even if you can’t answer them, you’re doing well!
In the end, I scored a 740. I remember not being completely happy with the score when I got it, and the person working the front desk who’d given me the score basically said “I don’t get it – if I got that score, I’d be jumping up and down!”
My advice is to not put that much pressure on yourself. And, if you score above the range you need to get into your dream school, go celebrate! Luckily, I came to my senses about 10 mins after leaving the test center and couldn’t wipe the smile off my face for a few days.
Good luck, don’t stress, and look forward to two of the best years of your life 🙂
Wonderful beat ! I would lik to apprentice whilst you amend
your website, how caan i subscribe for a weblog web site? The account helped me a applicable deal.
I were a lottle bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered shiny clear idea
Stop by my blog … get more info
My spouse and I stumbled over here different website and thought I should check things out.
I like what I see so i am just following you.
Look forward to going over your web page again.
You are so interesting! I do not think I’ve truly read through anything
like this before. So good to find someone with genuine thoughts on this issue.
Seriously.. many thanks for starting this up.
Thiss site is one thing that is needed on the web, someone
with a little originality!
Feel free to surf too my website; more info
Howdy! Someone in my Facebook group shared this site with us so I came to give it a look.
I’m definitely loving the information. I’m book-marking and will be tweeting this to my
followers! Fantastic blog and excellent design and style.
I read this post completely concerning the comparison of most recent and
preceding technologies, it’s awesome article.
I’m not that much of a internet reader to be honest but your blogs really nice, keep it up!
I’ll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back down the road.
All the best
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you penning this write-up and the rest of the website is also really good.
Hello very nice blog!! Guy .. Excellent ..
Wonderful .. I will bookmark your site and take the feeds additionally?
I am satisfied to seek out a lot of useful information here in the post, we need
work out more techniques on this regard, thank
you for sharing. . . . . .
I am sure this paragraph has touched all the internet
people, its really really pleasant piece of writing on building up new blog.
Hello are using WordPress for your blog platform?
I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and create my
own. Do you require any coding expertise to make your own blog?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Hello there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that
it’s truly informative. I’m going to watch out for brussels.
I’ll appreciate if you continue this in future. Many people will
be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
Very great post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to mention that I have truly loved browsing your weblog posts.
In any case I’ll be subscribing for your rss feed and I’m hoping you write again very soon!
If some one wishes to be updated with most up-to-date technologies then he must be
pay a quick visit this web site and be up to date daily.
It’s appropriate time to make some plans for the future and it is time to
be happy. I’ve read this post and if I could I wish to suggest you some interesting things or
suggestions. Perhaps you could write next articles referring to this
article. I desire to read more things about it!
Very quickly this site will be famous among all
blogging and site-building users, due to it’s fastidious posts
Hello There. I found your weblog the usage of msn. This is an extremely smartly
written article. I will make sure to bookmark it and come back to learn more of your
helpful information. Thanks for the post. I
will certainly comeback.
I have been browsing on-line more than three hours as of late, but I by no means found any fascinating article like yours.
It is pretty value enough for me. In my view, if all site owners and bloggers made just right
content material as you probably did, the web can be a lot more helpful than ever before.
That is a very good tip particularly to those fresh to the blogosphere.
Short but very accurate information… Thanks for sharing this one.
A must read article!
hello!,I really like your writing very so much! percentage we
keep up a correspondence more approximately your article on AOL?
I need a specialist on this area to unravel my problem.
May be that is you! Taking a look ahead to look you.
Actually when someone doesn’t understand after that its
up to other viewers that they will help, so here it occurs.
I blog often and I genuinely appreciate your content.
The article has really peaked my interest. I will take
a note of your site and keep checking for new information about once a week.
I opted in for your Feed too.
What’s up mates, its fantastic post concerning tutoringand entirely explained, keep it up all the time.
Your way of explaining all in this piece of writing is in fact fastidious, every one be capable
of simply know it, Thanks a lot.
It’s awesome for me to have a web page, which is good designed for my
know-how. thanks admin
I think the admin of this web page is in fact working hard in support of
his site, for the reason that here every stuff is
quality based data.
An outstanding share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a friend who
has been conducting a little research on this.
And he actually ordered me breakfast simply because I discovered
it for him… lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!!
But yeah, thanx for spending some time to talk about this matter here on your web page.
Have you ever considered about including a little bit more than just your articles?
I mean, what you say is valuable and everything.
But think of if you added some great images or video clips to give your posts more,
“pop”! Your content is excellent but with images and clips, this site
could certainly be one of the most beneficial in its niche.
Great blog!
I get pleasure from, lead to I found exactly what I used to be taking a look for.
You’ve ended my 4 day lengthy hunt! God Bless you man. Have
a nice day. Bye
Hi there! Do you know if they make any plugins to safeguard
against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about
losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any suggestions?
Hi! I’ve been following your web site for a long time
now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Humble
Tx! Just wanted to mention keep up the good job!
Sweet blog! I found it while browsing on Yahoo News.
Do you have any tips on how to get listed
in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there!
Appreciate it
Good post. I definitely love this website. Thanks!
Hey! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after browsing
through some of the post I realized it’s new to me.
Nonetheless, I’m definitely glad I found
it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back frequently!
Hello There. I discovered your weblog using msn. That is a really smartly written article.
I’ll be sure to bookmark it and return to read extra of your useful information. Thanks for the post.
I will certainly comeback.
Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied
on the video to make your point. You clearly know
what youre talking about, why throw away your intelligence on just posting videos to your
blog when you could be giving us something informative to read?
Today, I went to the beach front with my kids.
I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and
said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.”
She put the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside
and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go
back! LoL I know this is entirely off topic but I had to tell someone!
We are a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community.
Your site provided us with valuable info to work on. You have done a formidable job and our whole community
will be thankful to you.
Wow, this article is fastidious, my sister is analyzing
these things, thus I am going to inform her.
Hi there are using WordPress for your site platform?
I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and
set up my own. Do you need any coding expertise to make your own blog?
Any help would be really appreciated!
My spouse and I absolutely love your blog and find the majority of your post’s to be precisely what I’m looking for.
Do you offer guest writers to write content for yourself? I wouldn’t mind
publishing a post or elaborating on a number of the subjects you
write concerning here. Again, awesome web log!
Hello, Neat post. There’s an issue with your website
in internet explorer, would check this? IE still is
the marketplace chief and a huge part of other folks
will pass over your great writing because of this problem.
Thank you a bunch for sharing this with all folks
you really know what you’re talking approximately!
Bookmarked. Please also consult with my website =).
We will have a hyperlink exchange arrangement between us
Paragraph writing is also a excitement, if you be acquainted with afterward you can write or else it is difficult
to write.
I visit each day a few web pages and sites to rewad content,but
this webpage presents quality based content.
my blog post; check here
Remarkable! Its truly awesome paragraph, I have got much clear idea concerning from
this piece of writing.
hi!,I really like your writing very much! proportion we communicate more about your post on AOL?
I need a specialist in this house to solve my problem.
Maybe that’s you! Having a look forward to look you.
Wonderful article! We will be linking to this great content on our site.
Keep up the good writing.
It’s going to be finish of mine day, but before finish I am reading this great article to
increase my experience.
Wow, incredible weblog format! How lengthy have you ever been blogging for?
you made running a blog look easy. The full look of your website is
great, let alone the content!
Good post. I learn something new and challenging on websites I stumbleupon on a
daily basis. It will always be helpful to read content from other writers and use a
little something from their websites.