Exam Score: 720 (Q50 V37 IR4 AWA4.5) 20151201

Educational Background: CCU Finance seniorPreparation Time: 3 months (late August to late November)Study Materials: OG OV PP1.2 GWD Forum JJ Manhattan SC All online resources

First, I want to thank all the forum members who have posted before and the seniors who shared their resources. Every casual word from you gave me strength. I also want to thank my classmate Lee; without him, I wouldn’t have even known about Manhattan.

I’ve always had the idea of studying abroad, and it was my own fault for being too fond of playing, which led me to start so late. When I first started preparing, I considered enrolling in a prep course, but my reluctance to spend money and my stubborn personality forced me to study on my own. The habit I developed throughout the entire process, from starting preparation to finishing the exam, was to visit the forum daily for any necessary information or tips from seniors, hoping to gain even a slight advantage. Although most of the recent experience-sharing posts on the forum are from those who attended prep courses, and I believe that prep courses definitely provide significant benefits, this post is not intended to discourage prep courses. It’s simply to offer encouragement to those who have decided to self-study or are currently self-studying, sharing the difficulties, mindset, and methods encountered during preparation, hoping it might be helpful. It also serves as a personal record, as this was my first exam costing $250 USD, making the experience particularly memorable.

Here is a link to a post that I found very helpful during my preparation. I adopted many of the ideas from it, and it was of great assistance to me. Interested friends can take a look.

http://forum.chasedream.com/thread-739174-1-1.html

《Summary》

Early stage: Start with OG and OV to build a foundation (if your SC is weak, it’s recommended to read Manhattan SC first) → PP1.2 (to verify the problem-solving strategies learned from OG) → In the two weeks before the exam, do one GWD set daily to get familiar with the exam feel (thorough review is essential).

《RC》

Reading comprehension felt surprisingly tricky. While I found earlier reading tests and TOEFL reading manageable, GMAT RC presented a real challenge. I struggled to grasp the main points, especially with the OG’s later questions. It felt like I was guessing on every answer. This uncertainty made me question my ability to handle CR and SC. I had to push through, and it wasn’t until I was nearing the end of the OG that a realization hit me: RC is basically CR in disguise. You need to understand the underlying meaning, not just the words on the page. When tackling long passages, focus on the purpose and tone of each paragraph. Don’t get bogged down in every single detail; aim for the main outline. However, keep enough of the content in mind so you don’t waste time on detail-specific questions. To answer quickly, memorizing transition words and phrases that signal attitude can help, as these are often tested. Personally, I prefer understanding the meaning over pure memorization. This approach might feel uncomfortable at first, leaving you with a sense of unease from not fully grasping everything immediately. That’s where consistent practice comes in – it helps you develop a method for quickly identifying the passage’s core message. Once you truly understand the passage, the questions become much easier.

《CR》

Honestly, when I first started practicing CR, I couldn’t understand the questions well. I was too focused on finding the answer directly within the question, which really limited my thinking. My advice? Don’t worry about speed when you first start. Read the question, form your own hypothesis about the answer *before* looking at the options. For example, in a Strengthen question, think about what would bolster the argument in your own words. Then, check the options. This strategy gives you a much clearer perspective. For any CR question, whether it’s Strengthen, Weaken, or Assumption, I found it helpful to challenge the argument from the opposite side. Think of it like a game: Why do down jacket sales spike in winter? Because it’s cold, obviously. Training yourself with simple, everyday examples helps build that critical thinking muscle. I also can’t recommend Ron from the Manhattan forum enough. His free courses were a game-changer for the entire Verbal section, unlocking a whole new level of understanding! As you do more CR questions, you’ll start to see patterns in the answer choices. It feels tough at first, but with consistent practice, you’ll build the confidence you need.

 《SC》

SC was the toughest of the three question types for me! Initially, choosing an answer felt like rolling dice. It was thanks to my classmate Lee that I started reading Manhattan SC. After studying it, I approached SC more systematically. I must admit that although the content is presented simply, it covers all the fundamental grammar rules. While I never found grammar particularly difficult in middle or high school, SC exposed my weakness in not fully understanding grammar. Most importantly, during the initial preparation phase, you must summarize every question. Not only should you understand why an answer is incorrect, but also why the correct option is right. Utilize online forum resources to find the best explanations. Although this takes a lot of time, it will ultimately be worthwhile. Remember to persevere. Towards the end of my preparation, I focused more on CR and RC, neglecting SC somewhat. In the actual exam, I encountered many SC types I hadn’t seen before. Even recalling them now, I have no clear idea, and I’m unsure how many I got right. My error rate was definitely high.

《Q》

I didn’t prepare extensively for the Math section. Based on my previous foundation, I have to admit that Q is generally easier for Asians. I just memorized some English terminology and practiced some problems regularly to maintain my feel for the exam. In the two to three weeks before the test, I did one GWD set daily to get used to the exam interface. As a fellow forum member mentioned, GMAT math tests mathematical thinking, not just the ability to solve for a value. If you find a particular path isn’t working, it’s likely you’re on the wrong track. Of course, sometimes you can force a solution, but this kind of practice is beneficial for your thinking process. I still encourage everyone to think more deeply. However, perhaps because I didn’t practice in-depth, I didn’t achieve a perfect score in Q, which is the most regrettable part of the entire exam. I advise everyone to take the Math section seriously, as a higher Q score seems to offer more significant benefits. If I had scored a 51, I probably would have gained many more points!

《IR》

According to previous posts on the forum, IR passages are less difficult than Verbal, and the math is less difficult than Q. Therefore, I didn’t prepare specifically for it. During the exam, karma struck. I was too nervous, so I ended up guessing on many questions. I cannot offer specific preparation advice, and I only managed to achieve a less-than-satisfactory score.

《AWA》

I started organizing my template two weeks before the exam, trying to write one essay per day. There are many resources on the forum that you can find. Create a template that suits your style and aim for a solid, competent performance.

《JJ》 My exam date was December 1st. On November 25th, I saw the news about the question pool change while browsing PTT and felt like all hope was lost. I had initially planned to rely on JJ to boost my confidence. In the end, I had no choice but to face it. Fortunately, within a few days, there were nearly 200 math JJ questions available. I did encounter a few questions during the exam, and although they were relatively easier ones, they did help stabilize my nerves. For the Reading section, perhaps due to insufficient preparation, there were only scattered fragments. Although I encountered them during the exam, I couldn’t recall the content clearly. I urge everyone to manage their exam time effectively. Many strong test-takers share estimated dates for question pool changes, but don’t become too fixated on JJ. Just have a general impression. Ultimately, you must rely on yourself during the exam.

 《Mindset & Afterword》

First and foremost, the GMAT is an adaptive test, so absolutely do not have the mindset that you must answer every question correctly. During the exam, truly adopt the mentality that if a question is difficult, it’s just a hard question, and don’t let it limit you. We’ve all put in so much effort; trust yourself when you’re at the test center and approach each question with a calm mindset. When I was taking the Verbal section, I encountered some SC questions where I couldn’t find a correct answer no matter how I tried. At that moment, I thought it was unreasonable that I couldn’t answer it at all. However, regardless of whether I was in the lower or higher scoring section, once I decided I couldn’t answer that question, I simply gave up, guessed randomly, and moved on to the next question – a new life. (Remember to wear the legendary $250 USD earplugs; they really enhance the experience.) The preparation process was solitary; I had no one to share with or guide me. I read through the methods of various seniors, figuring things out on my own and verifying if my problem-solving thought process was correct. It was undoubtedly mentally challenging, but whenever I thought, “If I can’t overcome this hurdle, I definitely won’t be able to navigate the truly difficult paths ahead,” I found the motivation to continue. I recommend creating a study plan, setting a fixed amount of practice for each day, and ideally, deciding on your exam date in advance to prevent your laziness from overcoming your rationality. Maintaining a normal and regular lifestyle is also crucial. If you have regular leisure activities, don’t abandon them. You need to study, but you also need to relax. There were a couple of weeks where I completely lost the motivation to study, purely because I had pushed myself too hard trying to accelerate my progress earlier. I am extremely, extremely, extremely grateful to Dustin. Dustin’s self-study blog truly provided me with many directions and methods. All the information shared was free and very detailed. Friends planning to take the GMAT can also visit the blog first to get acquainted with the exam. Thank you so much for all your efforts for everyone, Dustin!!!! Although my score is definitely not at a “god-tier” level, I hope some of these insights can provide encouragement to self-studiers. The preparation period is always filled with anxiety and uncertainty. Don’t worry about others who seem impressive; focus on developing your own abilities. Trust yourself during the exam, and you won’t have any regrets, regardless of the outcome. If any friends are looking for materials, feel free to send me a private message. While I’m not exceptionally professional, I’ll help in any way I can within my capabilities. I wish everyone the best in achieving their desired scores.
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