7 tricks to score a 700 plus on GMAT at the first attempt

My GMAT experience:

These are things that worked for me and by no means decide that these ought to work for everyone else every single time.

The ticket to applications: The GMAT scorecard

First thing I did was to Google to find some mock tests and bought some books on GMAT preparation. A total effort of half an hour and I decided that I should write the GMAT in another 8 weeks or so. Could I crack the exam in 8 weeks, I did not know. I had a job that demanded 12 hours plus of availability if not work, I had not written an exam in a very long time. I used the calculator for everything. I had forgotten all basic math long back.

Soon it turned out that my day job did not leave me with much motivation at the end of the day and there was always ‘something else’ to do on weekends.

I did not trust myself again to sit and study for GMAT by myself and looked up some coaching classes around town and took a session at one of those.  They were far from motivating to say the least and I ran away from them. I found another guy wanting to join a study group and soon four of us decided to be a study group. Before the third meet two of them dropped. Me and the other chap met on Saturdays, practiced for few hours, and wound up with an evening tea. Sundays, we met late morning and wore out before lunch. We did some online practice tests and some simulation tests in addition to the books – OG, Kaplan. Sometimes we would get so worn out and bored that we ended up either cooking fancy dishes or catching up with the latest movie in town.

Scored a 720 the first time and thought that was enough.

1. Getting stuck at a 650 score:

My first GMAT mock test on OG was a little more than 500 !!!!. Thats when I decided – no calculator for the next few weeks, my brain’s math department had hibernated and needed a good shakeup.

But getting a 650 after a couple of sessions was no big deal. It was moving above that mark that proved to be a ‘no progress zone’ for me. I have heard it happen to many others who have spoken to me later and that is why I am writing this down. Here is how I moved beyond 650 into the 700s.

Quant – once you have done the mock tests, go back to the answer sheet that you marked rights from wrongs. circle all the wrong answers and check which section of math that you are mostly going wrong in. Check the basics of that math section on the web or in a math book and learn them. For example if you are getting all percentage problems wrong then there is something that you think you know about percentages. So refresh your knowledge with a basics book or the web. Now, solve problems from that section. Find hard puzzles and solve them. Now retake the test and see how you fare. In summary, find your problem area and iron it out. Sounds simple, but trust me, there are people lazy enough not to recognize the problem area and will keep getting frustrated at why their score is not improving.

Language: GMAT English may be a little different than the English that you usually speak, coz we often modify the language to suit our dialects or native languages. And here too, we are bound to make similar mistakes, not realizing and wondering why our language mock tests has so many wrong answers. Again, go back to the mock test answer sheet. Mark all the ones that you got wrong. Look at the questions and find the pattern/category of your mistakes. Get back to the category and practice that till you get all of it right. Now try the test again.

Dont expect magic just because you identified your mistakes. Sometimes in one iteration, you may be able to identify only one common mistake you do and you may need to do this exercise two or three times till you are consistently scoring in the range that you want. Remember, if you keep doing what you have always done, you will always get what you always got. To improve, look your mistakes closely and you should be able to learn and set it right. Trust me it ain’t that hard. I am pretty average and could do it, so you should be able to do it better ;).

2. Thinking that a 700 plus score is a must

Depends on the school and your profile. You may have the most interesting profile for the school and close to 700 is good enough. Also you might have 780 and a very common, uninteresting profile and may not get admission. A good GMAT score is like the physique of a good model. Its necessary, but its not the only criteria that will put the model on the cover of a magazine. A good interesting personality that fits the product(school) is very important.

3. Kaplan is better, OG is better, xyz is better

There is lot of debate on this on the web. In my opinion, start practicing OG, alternate with Kaplan and OG and then do simulation tests on the computer or online and then focus on improving yourself as discussed in point 1. There is not hard and fast rule. Practice makes one perfect and so dont stop till you have done well on the mock tests.

4. Does study group help ? Is it better to go to classes ?

You know yourself better. Choose an option that will help you be motivated and finish the GMAT at the earliest.

5. GMAT is the hardest part of the pre MBA phase

Ha ha…wait till you start your application. I drafted my application essays and then started thinking … ‘all my life, is this all I have done’ or at times ‘I have done so much over so many years and I have just 400 words to say it all’. For most people writing applications takes lots more time than writing the GMAT. So plan well so that you can apply in round 1 and 2 of admissions. Well, I applied in round 3 and did get selected but missed out on a chance to apply for scholarships :(. Also, the best places in Fontainebleau are booked by then.