Hello All,
I recently joined this site and in the past couple of weeks and it has become an addiction. There are so many talented people on this site, hopefully some of you can share some good advice with me to help me on my journey to break 700.
So this is my first introductory post on this site, I would like to tell you about my prep thus far:
I took the
MGMAT course from Dec - Feb and basically have been working out of the
OG 11 books and
MGMAT Strategy Guides, so far these are my scores from their CATS:
MGMAT CAT #1: 580 - Q40 V30
MGMAT CAT #2: 580 - Q37 V32
GMAT Prep: 540 (Dont remember the breakdown)
MGMAT CAT #3: 580 - Q37 V33
MGMAT CAT #4: 620 - Q39 V35
MGMAT CAT #5: 640 - Q44 V34
As you can see just very recently I broke out of the 580 slump, and am somewhere in the low 600s. I am starting to freak out because my test is planned for end of May and I really dont know what I should do (or can do) to help me improve to be consistently scoring in the 700s.
I have done for the most part what everyone else has proposed in their journey posts. I have diligently kept an
error log, and have taken copious notes. In which I have transcribed to 3 X 5 cards and try to go over them as frequently as possible. Have done all (if not most) Quant problems in all of the
OG books and similarly for the Verbal (except for RC and CR - which I have been really trying to focus on these last couple of weeks with some minor improvements) Whats more frustrating is that I quit my job the last couple of months to study for the GMAT fulltime, and my score has shown relatively low ROI. But I swear I have been working my ass off!
And on top of it all I had initially planned to take the test next week (6th) and booked a vacation to Mexico on the (7th) as either a congratulatory trip or a relaxation trip after bombing it to unwind for a few days, and then to get back into the grind when I got back.
So clearly that is not the case now since I postponed my test to the end of the month, because I just dont feel ready, Im not consistently scoring where I would like to be (700s). And now I feel super guilty for abandoning my studies for a couple of days to go vacation on the beaches of Mexico when I havent even taken the test
(Since I am unable to cancel the airfare or hotel bookings) I know I should probably try to relax out there, but I know this is going to be eating away at my soul.
So basically when I come back I will somehow have to shake the hangover and will have about 2 weeks to study hardcore to remember everything that I forgot due to my Mexico trip and try to learn what I am clearly lacking to help me break into the 700s. Is this even possible?
When I come back I plan on reviewing all of my problems from the
OG that I missed again, truly trying to understand the solutions, and attempt to take a practice test every 3-4 days to keep my stamina up and improve my timing. Aside from that does anyone else have any helpful tips/advice to help me on my quest?
I guess to summarize:
1). Is this even realistic given my schedule, to go from where I am at now to the 700 range within a couple of weeks?
2). If so, can someone provide some helpful tips/advice (i.e. Questions I should be working on, timing drills, certain content areas of focus, etc.)
3). What do you guys propose I do for my Mexico trip, I have a tendency to lose all of these rules and content very quickly (i.e. should I make an attempt to do some studying on the plane? Try to shake my hangovers in the mornings and attempt to do some reading? etc.)
4). When I return from Mexico does my approach detailed above (studying old problems, taking practice tests every 3-4 days, reviewing some specific content areas, etc.) make sense, or do you guys propose any other processes, tips, studying areas, etc?
Sorry for the long winded story, it was my attempt to seek advice as well as do some therapeutic ranting....Im just really burned out right now since I have been religiously studying this stuff since December and I still feel so far from goals with the deadline fast approaching.
Thanks everyone for listening and for anyone that can provide any kind of input/advice, I would sincerely appreciate it!!
Thanks!