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Hi Aman, please share your score and percentile with our readers.
Overall Score - 770, Overall percentile 99%ile | Quant - Q51 - 97%ile , Verbal - V42 -96%ile, AWA - 7 - 81%ile
How did you prepare – Self-study or Coaching? Which one do you think is better?
I took help of an online coaching module, and religiously followed the study schedule as per their advice.
According to you, what is the most important aspect of the GMAT preparation?
The most important aspect of preparation is consistency and dedication. The zeal and passion to be somewhere would ignite the efforts that are being put into.
Which mock series did you enrol for?
I took the Mocks from Jamboree & Egmat and also the official mocks.
How many full-length mock tests and sectional mock tests did you take?
I took more than 15 mocks, as I had been off studies for 4 years so to build the stamina of concentration for the D-day, I had to rigorously take mocks. 95% of the mocks that I did were full-length tests, I just did a couple of sectional mocks for revision purpose.
What was your approach while taking mocks? How do you think the mock tests helped you in your preparation?
I followed a defined approach and sequence wile taking these mocks so that I could build a strategy for the main exam. As the mocks progressed I was getting better at the execution of devised strategy.
Which section were you strong in? Since you were strong in that section, how did you focus on the other sections?
I was good in quants since my school days, majorly in 10th, where I managed to score 98/100 in maths. The competitive exams for B-schools comprises of the topics majorly from that part. For verbal I had to start from scratch, as I was into reading articles, so I started with Reading Comprehension and then gradually moved on to Sentence correction and then to Critical Reasoning.
Which section was your Achilles heel? How did you overcome that?
Verbal was my weakness, and I worked really hard by getting an in-depth understanding of the questions asked. Time management in verbal section was a major concern for which I had to re-structure my approach towards solving questions.
How much time did you devote to GMAT preparation on a regular basis?
It was an effective prep time of 5-6 months, wherein I was working full time. So I made a routine of studying from 6-10 in the morning then 10-6 office and then 7-10 studies again. It was hard to maintain this consistency, there were odds but then it had to cover in weekends.
What was the lowest point in your GMAT preparation journey and how did you overcome that?
The lowest point came in my prep wherein I was stuck at a certain score in mocks and by changing all kinds of approach I was not able to improve. So I took a break for a couple of weeks and then re-started the prep for certain topics with a fresh approach.
What resources would you suggest to future aspirants?
Every person likes few modules and dislikes others, I would suggest candidates to take the 1st demo lesson and then decide. I personally used E-GMAT.
What according to you are the DO's and DON'Ts of GMAT preparation?
The major Do's for GMAT are mainly maintaining consistency while preparation and also making up for the lost time in weekends The biggest Don't is just Don't give up, even if you can't score on the 1st attempt do give a second try.
Which mock series would you like to suggest to future aspirants? Is one mock series sufficient or do you suggest a combination of 2 different mock series?
I would suggest that the official mocks are sufficient but if they want to go for any other mock they can take E-GMAT or Jamboree.
What'd be your final advice to future aspirants?
Just don't lose focus while you are preparing and always channelize your energy, All shortlisting and the pros and cons of B-schools can be evaluated after you get a decent score. Also, perseverance is the key to success.