How I Got 770 on the GMAT

Mridul Dawar: Diag.Score – 640/800, GMAT Score – 770/800 Improvement – 130

I joined Manya-The Princeton Review (North Campus) on 12th December 2015. Before joining the class, I knew that Math was my strong area. This even reflected in my first diagnostic test score, which was 640 (quant-46; I do not remember the verbal score).

For any student who is strong at a subject, it is natural for him/her to not pay due attention to what is being taught in the class. However, as I attempted more questions and appeared for more tests, I realized that being strong at Math does not guarantee a high score in the quant section. I saw that I was taking considerably more time than required to attempt questions. After this initial setback, I started paying more attention to the techniques taught in the class.

In the initial days of applying the techniques and writing many things down, one takes even more time than one usually does, and that sometimes leads one to question the utility of the techniques. When I gave my second test, the increased time per question reflected in my score when it dropped to 560. However, the techniques taught do work and I say this with utmost confidence. After practicing for a while, my speed improved and so did my quant score. In the mock test that I gave a week before the test, my score went up to 740 (Quant – 49 Verbal – 42). My quant score on the actual GMAT was 50.

My learning can be summarized as follows:

1. (This one is for the students who have been generally good with mathematics). NEVER LET A QUESTION HIT YOUR EGO: One should always spend a reasonable amount of time on any particular question and if things do not work out, one should move on. Over time, one develops an ability to determine whether a question is solvable in the maximum time that one has allotted for each question. This ability comes only with practice; there is no shortcut or “Jugaad”.

2. Be regular. Attempt as many pacing drills from the portal as possible. Attempting the questions under timed conditions prepares one to face the real test with confidence and a clear mind, factors that are undoubtedly the most important in determining one’s score.

To be honest, I was scared of the Verbal section from the very beginning. I was never an avid reader; consequently, I had an aversion to reading comprehension passages. I had the misconception that only people who like English can crack the verbal section. At that time, I could not have possibly realized that I was completely wrong. With utmost gratitude, I declare that my verbal teacher played a crucial role in the process of overcoming my fears.

3. After every test that I took, I made sure that I analyzed it, helping to identify the areas that need to be worked upon.

4. I think the most significant contribution to my score improvement pertains to Reading Comprehension. Initially, I was apprehensive about the passage mapping strategy, just as any other student is, but eventually I realized the importance of passage mapping, which ultimately proved fruitful on the actual exam.

Mridul Dawar