Thanks MGMAT: 590 --> 680

by **daniel.t.mcfadden** Tue Apr 01, 2014 4:25 pm

Earlier today I completed the official GMAT exam. I'm extremely pleased with my score of a 680 (44Q, 39V). Without a doubt, my 90 point increase from diagnostic to test day is attributable to the fantastic instruction at MGMAT.

Few things I learned throughout the process that I think are worth sharing...

- The OG Archer/Navigator is amazing.
- Diligently review practice problems (past OGs). I think I've seen almost every video Tim, Stacey, et al. have created.
- My CATs were up and down. I peaked as high as 650 (CAT #4) and then CAT #5 fell to 610.
- GMAT Prep software is really helpful the 2-3 weeks leading up to the actual test. Interestingly enough, I maxed out at a 640 on these tests, too.
- Get into a rhythm and focus on the middle-difficulty problems. It's somewhere in the MGMAT study guides, but you're not going to get many 700-800 level questions without nailing 500-700 zones.

For the actual day, try to get a good night's sleep. Easier said that done, and I had probably four or five nightmares just thinking about the test, but just try to relax. Eat a full breakfast and pack a healthy snack/water/chocolate for the marathon. Arrive early! It snowed today in Minnesota (woof), and I clearly wasn't expecting to drive with white flurries coming out of the sky.

Take the breaks! 8 minutes is enough to clear your mind. I thought the essay was okay, the IR was a bit harder than the Prep but not as difficult as MGMAT. Quant and Verbal... you really can't tell. I think I'm tricking myself into thinking that just because I saw many answer choices in Verbal with a "-" or ";" or a ton of idioms I was doing well. Maybe that's true, but the moral of the story is that you really can't assess where you are at in an adaptive test.

Get your score! A few of my friends said they felt unsure and didn't request their scores. Knowing that most b-schools only take your highest score, what is the big worry?

After four months of studying, the biggest takeaway I have is that you need to go into the test confidently. It's tough, but it's tough for everyone and having studied with MGMAT, know that you have done one of the single greatest study tactics. Best of luck to everyone; finishing the test is one hell of a celebration!