On the practice exam, I was very disappointed with my 600. Truthfully, I was probably more disappointed with how I breezed through the quant section. I got frustrated early on. The questions might have flustered me. Having such a reaction after a few weeks of quant review was probably discouraging which is why I likely nonchalantly clicked answered choices and moved on to the verbal section on which I was more relaxed. What’s funny is that when I actually tried to review the exam, I recognized the concepts tested like difference of squares. The take-away was that I need to flood my brain with GMAT material. I need to have it on my brain enough where I mull things through. Am I there yet given the weeks that have pasted since the practice exam? No way. However, I am getting closer. I must admit that I’m not trying to just think about the GMAT. However, it should dominate over things like pre-MBA prep programs, my upcoming move, and some personal things because of its significance to my life goals and countenance.

Since completing the practice exam, I’ve taken two weeks to do a week’s worth of Manhattan GMAT materials. Why two weeks? Well, I had to tweak my schedule entirely. I had to figure out when to sleep, eat, work, travel, etc. I had to figure out when to review, ask questions, where to read, etc. And life happens even when you want to just focus on something like the GMAT.  I won’t go into details about life happening but we all know good and well that it does.

I am currently completing week 2 of my Manhattan GMAT syllabus and am recovering as necessary. I’ve woken up after 5 am the past two mornings which is an hour later than I plan to. Moreover, I went to bed at 7:30pm yesterday evening with the intention of getting up after a brief nap to finish listening to week 2′s lecture. Good intentions weren’t enough though. So I will be completing the lecture this morning. The good news is that I just finished week 2′s lab. It’s one of today’s assignments. I did it earlier than expected due to a system glitch but am happy to cross it off my list. The lab was on diagrams for critical reasoning questions. I am finding that I get anxious in reading the questions and the arguments presented. I need to figure out how to relax and recall that critical reasoning was possibly my weakest verbal area on the practice exam referenced. I don’t understand how since its somewhat (key word somewhat) similar to reading comprehension on which I have historically performed well. Any way, I am determined to figure out how to relax and do well on critical reasoning questions. I do not want to purchase PowerScore’s Critical Reasoning Bible as recommended by GMAT Club. I will see what I can do with my Manhattan GMAT book and Princeton Review Reading Smart book. I’ve mentioned the reading comprehension book because it might offer hints and tips for relaxing or being free minded in answering the type of questions that trigger negative reactions from me.

 Well that’s all folks. I’ve gotta get back to moving upward (in score) and forward (in life).

Many blessings.

I surfaced among my GMAT prep buddies only recently. One responded with, “We were about to put your face on a milk carton because you’ve been M.I.A.!” The statement was true. The good thing is that I “experienced” the place where I will potentially move in two months or so. My buddies, a brother/sister duo, have appointed themselves my parole officers, so to speak. I checked in with the sister yesterday en route to the YMCA for a much needed workout/study break. I ended up not studying after the gym but was pretty content with what I accomplished beforehand.

So what have I done recently? I left Alaska two Wednesday ago and jetted to DC immediately. I got back home to the Seattle area the following Monday and cracked open my Peterson’s book that evening, even with a brewing head cold. I started from the very beginning again. I took the book with me to work to use on the train and bus. I studied more on Tuesday and think I did minimal work on Wednesday and Thursday. I say minimal because what I accomplished was likely only on the train and bus in the morning. I was pretty drugged up trying to knock out the head cold. Friday’s a blur but I know that I had completed the arithmetic chapter because I began working through the algebra chapter Saturday. I am almost finished with the algebra.

Today was tough. I had to go through about 70 pages since I didn’t follow through after my workout yesterday. It’s cool though. My mind’s full of difference of squares (binomial polynomials..lol), algebraic fractions, and operations with exponents. I stopped about six or seven pages shy of my goal or more specifically, at problem 14 out of 25 in the chapter test. I did pretty well if I must say so myself. I definitely deserve a banana smoothie with ginseng and immunity defense. Moreover, I had a strenuous workout yesterday that I can still feel. I might want some blueberries in that smoothie. I could use the extra Vitamin C and flavor.

Sidebar: I logged into the Manhattan GMAT site today to grab my syllabus and study tracker. I allowed myself to be distracted by MG’s blog entry on new editions of the Official Guides. For a moment I thought about getting the new verbal and quant books. I even looked at the upcoming calendar for course start dates meaning I considered re-enrolling in a prep course. I’m so not down for kicking out another $300 right now for GMAT stuff. I’m going to grind it out with my support system. Besides, sitting in a seat and studying is what’s most critical to my prep anyway and I’m working on that. I intend to use Scriblink, a free online whiteboard, with some “free” tutors. My friends/associates don’t know it yet but they will be getting some invites to join me on Scriblink. There’s always a problem or two that I want to understand better or should understand but don’t. Scriblink and friends should help me connect the dots. I’m going to stay away from putting more cash into the GMAT until December when I reschedule my exam and get an appointment at a testing center in Anchorage. I’m not sure what daylight in Anchorage will be like in January and I sure do hope that it doesn’t matter. I’m on a mission. I need to beat the GMAT so that I can be free and have a wild card in my pocket to use at my discretion or better yet, God’s perfect timing.

I’m blogging to capture my GMAT prep experience. I don’t want to count the number of times I’ve started studying. I don’t even want to say how long I’ve been talking about taking the exam either. Just know that I cracked open a book today and am determined to get to b-school be it run, walk, or crawl.

Today’s GMAT prep consisted of Peterson’s GRE GMAT Math Review. I’m so glad that I have that book. I have the Kaplan Math Refresher which I will also use. Peterson’s is preferable right now because it seems to be pretty comprehensive. For example, in the first real chapter (2), arithmetic is introduced with some basic number properties. What impressed me though was how much the book gets into fractions right away which makes sense given the applicability of number properties to fractions. Another plus about the book is that it gives you short problems to practice right after each topic presented. Kaplan’s book does the same but it also has some longer tests with increasing difficulty. I seem to prefer the topic overview and quick practice immediately. Peterson’s a go for me. I’m glad that a friend recommended it and am going to not regret just picking it up despite having it for months. There’s a time and season for everything. I’m going to see if I can get through more of chapter 2 tonight. The goal is to not take more than two evenings a chapter. We’ll see how that goes. I know that I have to be vigilant because time’s ticking away and I need to do extremely well and will. I’ll get into some great schools too. I’m claiming it right now.

Let the Word Do the Work

A banana should do tonight since I didn’t exhaust myself studying or exercising.