More updates

Have been slow over last 3 days. Could just cover about 15 CR problems.

Plan to accelerate things from today. Looking at some good CR and PS practice in the evening.

35 days to go...

Long weekend updates

The long weekend was quite fruitful. Was able to complete the Math skill refresher in Kaplan premier and now looking at the CR section. It's only CR that's getting in my way now, as am more confident with analytical aspect of Quant. So this week will be dedicated to Verbal studies and hopefully, I'd hit a good score over the weekend. Will make sure I give my best this week too.

39 days to go...

Another postponement of the G-Day!

It is very difficult to put my feelings in words. I think I should console myself by saying that I don't want to make a half-hearted try  to the exam. Rather I would like to make sure I am confident to get at least 700+ score and then schedule the G-Day. I should have thought about this much earlier and given myself time before scheduling the exam, but there are some mistakes you need to make in order to get wiser.

And I would also not call this a mistake. I was cruising along well with the preparations till I got back to Japan. There were a few professional hiccups and the subsequent fire-fighting (not my fault, of course...but if you have colleagues who end up having police cases on them, you have to fire-fight as an account manager) left very less space for GMAT Prep. It all meant starting off right from the beginning. And especially after the Kaplan CAT, I am sure I need to really work my way towards the top again.

Am now aiming my GMAT on Nov. 5. This will be almost 2 months before the deadline of Round 2 applications for the B-Schools I have chosen. In the mean time, I will have an admissions event for Wharton on October 6. Look forward to some systematic studies in the time to come.

In any case, the mission remains on! Am not going to abandon it of course. It is just a good way to learn that lack of preparation, lack of planning, lack of good execution is a perfect recipe to disaster ;-)

42 days to go...

Kaplan Destruction!

Was completely destroyed by Kaplan CAT Test and managed to score only 570 (Q34, V32).
However, this was the very first full test I took and I still have a very good feeling.

The reason for this destruction was that I had just taken the Kaplan Diagnostic test. This means I was already tired when I started the CAT. Add to it the extra 1 hour for AWA. I was doing well at the beginning of the Quant section, but faltered and had a streak of 7 wrong questions which did me. Was never able to recover after that.

Am yet to do the post-mortem analysis of my Verbal section, but somehow I think I am back on track. All of a sudden there is this enthusiasm in me to really beat the GMAT. And I am really happy that I am now in this mode. I just hope I don't need to postpone the exam.

The Kaplan Online Companion videos are awesome. They were just the kind of motivation I needed. Now I am sure that the GMAT is not at all a monster, but just a test where I need to apply my analytical skills. And to be able to do that, I need good sleep :)

Am really pumped up and will make sure I put on more updates now!

20 days to go! 

Balance Sheet Sept 17

Put in 2 hours in Sentence Correction and did 50 problems. Got 41 correct. Kaplan method for SC is really helping me.

Will do a bit of Math tomorrow. Planning to put in at least 4 hours of good study.

Looking forward...

22 days to go...

Chicago Booth Event Sept 14

Attended the Chicago Booth Summer Event by Booth students on September 14. It was great to meet some wonderful people from Second Year of Full-time MBA.
There were some really good inputs that I got.

1. GMAT Score should be around or above 700 (common sense as Booth is one of the top 10 B-Schools)
2. Applicants with multi-cultural exposure are encouraged. I guess this is because of the varied perspectives they can bring to the class. Hopefully I can highlight this aspect of my application....
3. Got good inputs about the strategy classes held by Prof. Keg.
4. Got to know about pre-term courses I can do and also about the convenient location of Chicago Booth when it comes to the job-hunting season.

All and all, got motivated and sat down to study...Hopefully I am able to tame the GMAT :)

Balance Sheet Sept 12

Worked a bit on DS, and also looked at some basic CR and SC concepts of Kaplan SC Strategy.

1. Quant: Solved OG DS problems from #25 to #48. It was a good revision of some basic concepts. The real test starts when the problems cross # 125.

2. Verbal: Went through theory of CR and solve 5 problems in Kaplan. Also went through introductory theory of SC.

Plan for tomorrow:

1. Quant:
Theory: Revisit MGMAT Number properties
Practice: Continue solving OG DS.

2. Verbal:
Theory: Go through Kalplan SC theory
Practice: Kaplan CR and SC.

27 days to go!

Updates for today...

The prep is going pretty well as of now, partly because of low workload. Even though I did my daily volume of work and attended a sudden meeting, I was able to squeeze in some time to revise OG DS from problem 25 to almost problem 50. I should say I am slowly getting confident.

Plan to go home and put in a couple of hours for CR and SC practice. That will be really awesome!

Look forward to updating the blog in the evening...

Plan for tomorrow!

Didn't notice that I had stopped putting up targets and updates on the progress of the preparation. I can really use this as the best example of how procrastination destroys someone :-(

Plan for tomorrow:

1. Quant:
Theory: Revisit MGMAT Number Properties
Practice: OG DS, problem 15 to 25, i guess.

2. Verbal:
Theory: MGMAT SC and CR Guide

Practice: Kaplan CR & SC

Blogger iPhone App!

Probably this is what I needed the most!

I have realised that I desperately need to do some self-talking when I have to focus on things. In case of the GMAT Prep, my blog has served as the best medium to self-talk. It was a shame that I did not discover the iPhone Blogger app before.

Thanks for this app, Blogger! I will be able to connect back to my blog and focus better!

Way to go!!!

Back on track?? GMAT Prep #5

Well that 610 the other night had scared the daylights (and all other lights) out of me!
I was working on Quant ever since and today's GMAT Prep showed that Quant is slowly getting within my grasp...

I put up an okay show with 640, and the breakup is really interesting...It was a Q44 V34, making me believe that if I put in systematic study of Verbal, the dream 700+ score is not really out of my reach. Of course, it will mean some effort from my side, and the score today has been encouraging enough to get me back on track.

The business trip that is looming large on my October 11 G-Day will not be able to deter me from putting in my best efforts. I should be back to the blog tomorrow night, live and kicking!
Here I come, you b$%%#rs!!!

29 days to go...

Another debacle...

Took GMAT prep again just to reach a meager 610 with Q39 and V34. I am seeing a steady decline in my Verbal scores, whereas Quant has always been at a constant 39. This means I need to look at improving Verbal up by at least 10 points, and Quant by 7. I am working towards it, but it seems a bit difficult with all the pressures on the work front.
But I can't give up now. Need to get back on track and improve!
Will put the next update tomorrow, and make sure there are no more hiccups!

30 days to go....

Still trying to get back on track...

Am trying to get back on track by looking at flash-cards, etc. but am not able to get the momentum. I guess I need to work on it for another couple of days and I will be there.

In any case, will take up Kaplan and MGMAT Guides. Won't really give up. Another business trip to Europe may force me to postpone the exam again, but want to be completely prepared before that, i. e., start hitting 700s.

Will get up in the morning and study....

33 days to go...

Pathetic preparation forces me to postpone the exam...

Well after a real long absence, here I am with the latest post..

Not much to write. Did nothing over last two weeks. Got a V37 Q39 and 620 on the exam today. Was surprised Quant has not been as bad as I was expecting. In any case, need to pull my socks.

Had to postpone the G-Day to October 11. Need to slog till then and start getting 700+ at least on GMAT Prep.

Attended the Chicago Booth Event and was pleased to meet some nice people. Will continue to update on that as well. Nothing much, just frustration all around me!

Will post tomorrow morning when I am in a better mood :)