I had my test date on May 6th, 2008. Am not too pleased with my score, which is 700 btw, as I was expecting atleast 720. My scores in the two mba.com tests were 730 and 740. So , I guess, it is a bit on the lower side. After debating for about a month whether I should re-take it or not, especially since my main target school ISB has an average of 714, I decided not to. My job would never permit me anyway.
some observations as someone who has been there, done that
1. The official guide is the best guide- 11th edition is the current one. always check up the latest edition before buying one. It costs around 2000 INR and is absolutely worth it. There is also a soft copy floating around and you should be able to get one.
2. Dont make ur preparation too short like 20 days or something, neither should you make it too long. i think 1.5 to 2 months is ideal.
3. Make sure your name on your passport and your GMAT application matches. Trust me , this is important. one of my friends was not allowed to take the test because of the mismatch.
4. Take the test at a time when your body is most active. if you are a late raiser, dont pick the 9 AM slot.
5. If you have a very busy or demanding work schedule, avoid score top's 1000 questions series. it will only bog you down. i could only progress till around 250 in SC and was almost exhausted by the end of it.
6. Make sure you take the two mba.com tests as late as possible. ideally one week before your test for the first one and 2 days before your test for the next one. If you take it early, you will miss one accurate indicator of your score.
7. if your target score is say, 720, cancel or postpone the test if none of your mba.com tests hover below the 690 mark . There is a definite correlation between the two.
8. Dont have a huge gap between revisions of a section. make sure you revise atleast once a week. Otherwise you will tend to forget.
9. The OG explanation sheet should be read for all questions atleast once. Even if your answers are right. Only then you will know why a particular solution is wrong.
10. Over all, it should be fun ride. make sure you dont let the even get bigger than it actually is. Remember , it is only one factor in your overall application.
