GMAT Prep: Week Three

Needless to say, I don’t think I’ll have a lot to say everyday so might as well make this a weekly thing. Well after that shocker of a test last Sunday, I took another full length test on Tuesday and heaven be praised, I managed a 710. It was quite reassuring and it prompted me to schedule my test for May 10, 2014!

As of today, I have finally finished reviewing all concepts required for the test, from now on it shall only be a lot of practice. I also intend to make flashcards of each topic for quick reviews. I thought I’d make them interesting so bought myself a sketchbook and lots of coloured pens, let’s hope they help!

In other news this week, I bought one of those erasable note boards so that I could get used to them before the actual test. It looks pretty good but I am yet to make use of it, will give it a shot tomorrow when I take a full test.

My Erasable Note Board

Necessity is the mother of invention they say, I say it’s food :P. Whipped up a very delicious omelette yesterday when I was hungry in the evening 🙂

My Delicious Omelette

Until next time, Cheers!

GMAT Prep: Day Thirteen

I took my second full length test today and while was there was a slight improvement in score from last week (640 to 650), it was not phenomenal. While closer inspection did reveal that the level of difficulty of about 60% of the questions was quite high, but nevertheless need to buck up and get those scores improved. I managed better at Math than Verbal, which was quite a surprise!

Once I was done analysing errors, I decided to take a walk down memory lane, listening to some of my favourite music. ABBA once sang:

And I’ve often wondered, how did it all start? 
Who found out that nothing can capture a heart 
Like a melody can? 
Well, whoever it was, I’m a fan 

and I couldn’t agree with them more!

Until next time, Cheers!

GMAT Prep: Day Eleven

Today I timed myself to complete a full section of Math (75 minutes) and Verbal (75 minutes). The first thought that went through my head was ‘phew!’, at least I finished in time this time. In the diagnostic test, I ran out of time. The second thought was that the accuracy had some improvement. This was essentially to gear up for the second full test that I shall take this weekend, here’s hoping for the best!

I’m also reading a book called ‘The Mind Map Book’ by Tony Buzan and I quite like the concept that he talks about. The brain can store infinite amounts of information, it’s just that we humans, choose to store our information very inefficiently and therefore are unable to effectively utilize the full power of the brain. The book might just be able to live up to it’s claim that it will: ‘Unlock your creativity, boost your memory, change your life’.

The Mind Map Book

Once I’m done with the book, I shall attempt to create mind maps of my study material, should help liven things up 🙂

Until then, Cheers!

GMAT Prep: Day Nine

I discovered yoga today! Well not really discovered, since it’s been around for quite a while. Basically I wasn’t able to go for a morning walk today so thought I’d try a few exercises right at home. Turns out that typing ‘yoga for dummies’ in YouTube actually works (Check it out here). 12 basic yoga exercises for 45 minutes and I was ready to get started!

Apart from the regular studying and answering questions, also took stock of where I stand so far. Was happy to see myself above the average for now but long way to go!

Percentile Ranking in GMAT

Until next time, Cheers!

GMAT Prep: Day Seven

Today was a milestone day! In exactly one month, my leave from work ends. On the one hand, I’m very happy with what I have achieved in the past one week and on the other, it’s sobering to realise just how much of a climb is ahead. With that though I plowed right into my studies today, thereby making up for yesterday’s slacking.

I have either forgotten or I never actually knew just how much there is to know about verbs! My head is practically spinning from reading about all the rules and the exceptions to the rules and everything else there is to know about words. I’m suddenly very happy to look at math. Atleast there are no surprises there, I may be rusty on a few concepts, but once I go through it, I do remember it.

It was also a day to be illogically happy about inconsequential things. Like my new set of tupperware bottles 🙂

Tupperware Bottles

Until next time, Cheers!

GMAT Prep: Day Six

Well the day after the full test was a slow one, didn’t exactly finish everything that I was supposed to but I’m not going to stress over it (okay I was being lazy on a Sunday; in my defense, even the GMAT guide says to take one day off in the week :P). The weather was amazing, really beautiful and my eyes kept straying towards the window. Learnt a lot about the much dreaded phrases and clauses and a caught just a glimpse of the verbs section; looks like it will be a roller coaster :P.

The village of Ardmore in Ireland where Nora Robert’s Irish Trilogy books are set

I re-read a book, a beautiful novel set in Ireland, with descriptions that almost make you feel like you can reach out and touch the images (see above). A very restful book, it got me thinking about life in general. Most of us know that we should stop and smell the roses and yet we rarely do. The few times we do, it feels so amazing that we cherish those moments, foolishly believing that they are only precious because they are rare. Well unlike the precious minerals in this world, these moments are plenty: we only have to look for them. So I believe that taking the time at the end of the day to write a few lines about the day is my way of taking in the moment. What’s yours?

Until next time, Cheers!

GMAT Prep: Day Five

I skipped ahead a day in my schedule and took my first full length GMAT test today. The first thing I must note is that it is exhausting! Physically, the sheer task of sitting down 3 and a half hours at a stretch with only minimum breaks is one factor but second, more concerning one is the fear that little clock in the corner can instill in you. Even second measured and recorded, never to return again. Ok so maybe that’s a little too dramatic but honestly, it was disconcerting and I think I need to get used to it soon!

On a happier note, scored a 640 on the test! Detailed review of each answer is still underway but feel like I’ve got a good start 🙂

GMAT Practice Test One

Until next time, Cheers!

GMAT Prep: Day Four

Today I learnt a lot about Critical Reasoning. Very confusing thing really, though it sounded very simple to me initially. So I decided to try and construct a few of these CR passages by myself just for the fun of it.

Premise: I decided to study at home

+      Assumptions: There would be no distractions

_________________________________________________________

=      Conclusion: I took time off from work.

Well as I realised today, this is a flawed argument. You see my assumption about no distraction was the one that got tested today. I had pre-ordered the new Jeffrey Archer book, ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’ and it got delivered! Now I have been waiting for this book for 6 months, so it was a herculean task to set it aside and focus on GMAT prep. I managed exactly half an hour and then I just ripped off the packaging and the rest as they say is history. Now just so you get the complete idea, I am a maniac when it comes to reading books. While most people would have read a few chapters and then got back to the all important preparation, that was not going to be me. Needless to say, I spent the better part of the evening (6 hours to be precise) devouring every twist and turn in the extremely gripping tale. At the end, all I could do was breathe a sigh of relief that it was over and (hopefully!) I wouldn’t have a distraction like this again in the space of the next month. Well actually it’s pretty much guaranteed because a small note at the end of the book said that the next installment wouldn’t be out until 2015 and by then the GMAT would be long over, phew!

Be Careful What You Wish For

Until next time, Cheers!

GMAT Prep: Day Three

Got too late finishing up last night so didn’t manage to post. I had one major and one minor epiphany yesterday. The major one had to do with the GMAT preparation. I realized that it is of no use working on a particular topic and practicing lots of different questions and getting really awesome at it. What really happens in a test is that you have a mixed bag of questions, you never know what topic or topics is gonna come up in the next question. And that’s really when the problem begins, you may have a very complete knowledge about a subject and learnt all the formulas and shortcuts there are but somehow when the question comes out of the blue, you have no idea what to do with it even though it is staring at you in the face! This is especially true when you are timing yourself and trying to finish certain number of questions in certain minutes. So here’s my two pence worth of advice. When preparing for any such exam which is a) time bound and b) draws questions from multiple subject areas; always prepare by practicing the way it actually appears on the test. This means that you should:

1. Always time yourself and and try to finish within that time. It’s no good to say, oh if only I had more time, I would have got that one. In the real exam there is no more time than what is allotted. By all means, while reviewing the answers, finish what you couldn’t and figure out where and why you went wrong but recognize that you’ve lost the score on that one and you ideally shouldn’t make that mistake again. It’s actually a very powerful way to learn.
2. Always practice a mixed bag of questions. Sure, you should learn the concepts beforehand and make yourself notes that you can always check through but don’t think that solving 30 questions of a subject guarantees that you know it like the back of your hand. You could still be stumped in the actual test scenario if a question is twisted or if it is combined with another subject. I’d rather have these curve balls thrown at me right from the time I practice.

I realize that I can in no way substantiate this advice at this point so just a disclaimer that you should try and find out from other sources as well.

The second epiphany was not really an epiphany but a re-realization of the fact that cooking is therapeutic! I have cooked dinner for the last 2 nights in a row and boy have I felt good after that. It didn’t hurt that the dishes turned out pretty damn brilliant too! Have a look at last night’s pasta 🙂

Pasta!

So in short, any time you’re feeling blue, just head to kitchen and cook something, trust me you’ll smile. Until then, Cheers!

GMAT Prep: Day Two

I suddenly realise what exactly is the task I have taken upon myself. Can I really find something about my day to talk about at the end of it? Well I’m going to try really hard so let’s see how that works out. Today I made two important discoveries and while these were discovered during the pursuit of GMAT prep, they were technically more, shall we say: life related.

The Almighty To do List

The first was that I have spent the last 2 days feeling oh so happy about the fact that I have taken the time off from work and how I have much more control over my time now and how organized my study schedule is. But is that really the case? Let’s face it, being at home brings it’s own distractions, it’s just the way you look at it that makes you handle things or throw up your hands in frustration! Hence, the  realisation that I can plan my schedule at work too and then handle the distractions (mostly labelled ‘urgent’) as they come without losing sight of the overall goal to be achieved.

The second is actually funny. I’ve always had a strange passive resistance to change. I may have become adept at accepting change but I’ve never actively embraced any change; it has sort of become part of my life over time and then it’s the norm once again. But today I realised that I’m actively following a study schedule and format that is the absolute opposite of what I have done all my school life! In fact I didn’t even realise it until a friend pointed it out but strangely I am perfectly comfortable and in fact enjoying this process! Not to say I didn’t enjoy my earlier process but so far this works too! Well as they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating!

Until then, Cheers!