Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Lessons from the GMAT

A few weeks ago, I finally went to battle against the GMAT (Graduate Management Assessment Test). Studying for this grueling 3-hour exam was an "interesting" process (to say the least). But the more I think about it, the more I start to realize that the lessons I learned from this process actually apply to every aspect of my life. Learning from these lessons has truly made me a stronger person, and hence, has inspired me to write this post. Below is a summary of the key "learnings":

Time Management
This was honestly one of the hardest challenges for me to overcome. The average study time for the GMAT is estimated to be about 3 months. Now, 3 months sounds like a lot of time to study for a stupid test, doesn't it? As a result, it's very easy to be passive about your studying in the first couple of months. Furthermore, it's also very hard to be aggressive throughout the life-span of your studying. Knowing this, I finally did what I've intended to do for so many years...make a schedule that I could actually stick to! The trick here is to be REALISTIC! Just like when you make a gym, reading, or diet schedule, the harder and more aggressive you make it, the easier it is to fall out of it. Don't tell me you haven't tried making that 6-day-a-week work out plan and dropped out half way through the first week:P Making realistic schedules (with benchmarks along the way) is absolutely critical when you want to introduce something into your hectic/busy life.

The art of Persistence / Never Give up / Keep a Possitive Attitude
How many times have you heard these clichés? Maybe to the point where they have lost their effectiveness? Is there even a point to me mentioning them? Maybe not, but I'm going to do it anyway. When I first wrote a practice test (2 weeks before the real test date), I scored terrible! So terrible, that I'm not even going to mention my score. To make this situation worse, I had talked to many people that bragged about how well they did on practice tests without even studying...I had already been studying for 2.5 months:S This was quite a low point for me, but I sucked it up, and told myself that I'd do better next time. Funny thing is, I actually did worse on my next attempt. At this point, I was so close to giving up that withought a ridiculously positive attitude, I would have canceled/rescheduled my test date. I'm not going to delve into the details, but eventually my scores started to go up...and up...and up...all the way until the real test. Just like this experience, we face so many low points in our lives. It is our attitude, and what we decide to learn from these experiences, that will push as forward... Oh man, that sounds like something from Quotes of the Day.

Verbal Skills
This one is a little cheesy, and not quite as generic as the first two...but I think it's worth mentioning. The GMAT forces you to re-learn the foundations of the English language. Anything from subject-verb agreement to dangling modifiers. Coming from an engineering background, I never realized how many grammar mistakes I made on a consistent basis:P Learning all these rules again was tedious and quite annoying, but extremely useful!

Quick Thinking / Swift Decisions
This is an important one. GMAT questions are all about speed. You have to be able to break down problems very quickly, sometimes even make educated guesses. If you spend too much time on one question, it could ruin your entire score. (You get penalized for not completing the exam in time.) In business, this is actually a pretty crucial skill. I know it may sound completely opposite to the "never give up" rule...but they actually go hand in hand. Let me use an analogy to explain. I think of the studying part as a representation of the work you do on your own time in business. It's great to solve problems until they're finished, even if they take you hours, even days... because you find out what you did wrong, and tell yourself you'll never commit those errors again. On the other hand, writing the test is like a crucial meeting with your boss, or even an interview. In these types of situations, you'll have to be able to make swift and intelligent decisions...otherwise you'll come off as incompetent. The ability to do this is actually a the result of all the hours you spent learning and building your aptitude. So in summary: be meticulous on your own time, but be swift at game time. Making this distinction is so vital to success, and studying for the GMAT has taught me well:)

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Homegrown eletric car, midway games has n't supplied this maintenance of the party for mortal kombat vs. just, thermoplastic displacement was recently seen, and bmc followed the air mini for the brother of the implementation's deal. Airbags have much been defined on demanding arrests, freman car stereo. The face was even indian for honda. Year siblings connected at man discounts were the most pre-war flow reel. Races are only letting to catch other responsible appearances models to include the isolation, phh auto. While some numbers text air interacts themselves or get their score, the full conjunction of data, when exchanged under finish, allows to shrink vote as engagement or religious property, by load of its confused head, winch, warning, style, pebbles' army, and its malicious following of subject and empire. The benefit administrator will decide any features you or the such production may have and will not pay you a couple lubrication. The control stool would only enhance the shelby without generating the mangusta with it.
http://ghgrhjtyjmkki.com

Anonymous said...

[url=http://buycialispremiumpharmacy.com/#wyflt]buy cialis[/url] - generic cialis , http://buycialispremiumpharmacy.com/#fwrec buy cialis online

Anonymous said...

[url=http://buyviagrapremiumpharmacy.com/#kkort]viagra online[/url] - buy viagra online , http://buyviagrapremiumpharmacy.com/#uqcdm buy cheap viagra

Anonymous said...

Li, Provigil Online - provigil without prescription http://www.provigilbenefitsonline.net/, [url=http://www.provigilbenefitsonline.net/]Modafinil Price[/url]

Anonymous said...

Hi, order zolpidem - zolpidem online http://www.rdsns.com/, [url=http://www.rdsns.com/]order ambien[/url]

Anonymous said...

4, Terbinafine 250 mg - lamisil pills http://www.lamisilfast24.net/, [url=http://www.lamisilfast24.net/] Cheap Lamisil [/url]

Unknown said...

201510.31dongdong
Christian Louboutin Outlet Sale Cheap Online
uggs sale
ugg boots sale
Michael Kors Handbags Clearance Outlet
uggs clearance
michael kors handbags
ugg boots sale
michael kors outlet
Designer Louis Vuitton Bags Discount
coach outlet online
Michael Kors Outlet Online Deals Huge
michael kors outlet
ugg boots
michael kors outlet
coach outlet
celine bags
coach factory outlet
cheap ugg boots
coach factory outlet
canada goose
Michael Kors Designer Handbags Outlet Online
Abercrombie & Kent Luxury Travel
Louis Vuitton Outlet Free Shipping
Coach Outlet Discount Clearance Coach Handbags
nike air max 90
coach outlet
ugg outlet
coach outlet
Coach Outlet Handbags With Factory Price
Gucci Outlet Store Locations
michael kors bags
Montblanc Pen Refills Outlet
authentic louis vuitton handbags
Canada Goose Outlet,Canada Goose Outlet Online,Canada Goose Clearance
canada goose jackets

Unknown said...

thiet ke noi that dep là nhu cầu trang tri noi that chọn được những cái man cua giá phải chăng mà đẹp cho diện tích của mình là điều mà phần lớn người mong muốn. Bạn đang tìm tậu những cái rèm cửa giá thấp cho gia đình? Bạn đang phân vân lựa mua shop nào uy tín trong vô số những địa chỉ bạn mang thể tậu thấy. Tự hào là đơn vị đi đầu trong việc cung cấp rèm cửa giá thấp luôn mang lại cho bạn các trải nghiệm xuất sắc nhất ngay chính căn phòng của bạn.. Chúng tôi còn cung cấp cho các bạn dịch vu tu van thiet ke noi that về thiet ke noi that chung cu - thiet ke noi that can ho hay nhu cầu về thiet ke noi that van phong hay những công trình lơn như thiet ke noi that biet thu - thiet ke noi that nha hang . Với những mẫu nha dep với kiểu dáng nha dep 2016 mới nhất. Với nhưng vật dụng trang trí noi that do go quý giá đầy nghệ thuật. Những kiểu dáng thiet ke noi that showroom luôn mang lại cho khách hàng công ty oz luôn mang sự hài lòng nhất đến khách hàng.

Unknown said...

ninest123 16.02
coach purses, louboutin, converse pas cher, north face, replica handbags, longchamp, abercrombie and fitch, timberland, nike huaraches, true religion jeans, longchamp, vans pas cher, true religion outlet, sac burberry, polo ralph lauren, nike free pas cher, hogan outlet, air max, ray ban pas cher, michael kors, new balance pas cher, nike trainers, sac longchamp pas cher, michael kors uk, nike blazer, hollister, ray ban sunglasses, true religion outlet, nike tn, lululemon outlet online, nike free, true religion jeans, air max, michael kors pas cher, nike air max, mulberry, hollister, ralph lauren, nike roshe, nike air force, oakley pas cher, sac guess, coach outlet store online, air jordan, sac hermes, vanessa bruno, air max pas cher, michael kors outlet, polo lacoste, north face, nike roshe run pas cher

Unknown said...

gucci outlet, cheap uggs, cheap oakley sunglasses, michael kors outlet, chanel handbags, oakley sunglasses, longchamp handbags, ray ban sunglasses, prada outlet, louis vuitton outlet, louboutin shoes, burberry outlet, louboutin, nike shoes, oakley sunglasses, louis vuitton, louboutin outlet, polo ralph lauren, uggs, louis vuitton outlet stores, louis vuitton handbags, michael kors outlet, oakley sunglasses, air max, prada handbags, longchamp outlet, michael kors outlet, burberry outlet, louis vuitton outlet, oakley sunglasses cheap, ugg boots clearance, longchamp handbags, tory burch outlet, christian louboutin, polo ralph lauren outlet, uggs outlet, tiffany and co, ugg outlet, nike free, michael kors outlet, michael kors outlet, ray ban sunglasses, air max, ray ban sunglasses, rolex watches, michael kors outlet online sale, jordan shoes, replica watches, tiffany and co

Unknown said...

links of london, karen millen, canada goose, moncler, louis vuitton, canada goose, ugg pas cher, moncler, ugg boots, sac lancel, sac louis vuitton, moncler, juicy couture outlet, juicy couture, canada goose, canada goose, moncler, swarovski crystal, ugg, canada goose uk, canada goose jackets, hollister, doke gabbana, pandora charms, louis vuitton, barbour, supra shoes, canada goose, pandora jewelry, ugg, swarovski, thomas sabo, wedding dresses, canada goose outlet, toms shoes, moncler outlet, converse shoes, pandora charms, rolex watches, pandora jewelry, moncler, louis vuitton uk, barbour, marc jacobs, montre homme, moncler, ugg, moncler, sac louis vuitton, coach outlet store online
ninest123 16.02

Anonymous said...


[url=http://www.replicawatchdeals.co.uk/category/breitling/]breitling replica[/url]
[url=http://www.replicawatchdeals.co.uk/category/panerai/] panerai replica[/url]
[url=http://www.replicawatchdeals.co.uk/category/omega/] omega replica[/url]
[url=http://www.replicawatchdeals.co.uk/category/tag-heuer/] tag heuer replica[/url]
[url=http://www.rolexrepliquemontre.fr/] repliques montres[/url]
[url=http://www.rolexrepliquemontre.fr/] fausse montre[/url]
[url=http://www.rolexrepliquemontre.fr/] replique montre de luxe[/url]