General Guidelines for the last week before GMAT

Get some rest the week before the test. If you have a job, take a break at least for 2-3 days before the test day. Do not do much on the day before the test. You need to accumulate your strength and then shoot it out on the test day; just like the professional athletes do when they train. The idea is to work out a lot before the competition and then rest for a few days, thus having getting your body used to regular work out, and then take a break for a day, therefore, having the double strength on the D-day.

Take a few full GMAT’s in the last week so that you know how it feels to sit for 4.5 hours and take the full test. By doing this, you will know how much effort to put into the essays and each section because you don’t want to be worn out by the verbal. Also, try to take the practice tests at the time your real test will be, e.g. 10 am, 1 pm, etc. Some people say that it helps to do some questions in the morning before you go to pass  GMAT, but I think essays do a good enough job warming up the brain. Also, during the last few weeks concentrate on polishing your strategy and timing, rather than math or grammar.

It is important to know the test center location and what it is like inside etc. Especially it is useful to know when they start letting people in. For example, when I was taking my GMAT, the appointment said 10 am, but I needed to show up at least an hour in advance, so I did come at 9 and met about 10 other people with whom I was waiting for another half an hour till 9:30 when we were permitted to start the registration. It is not lethal to wait for half an hour, but if you are waiting to take GMAT that you have been preparing to for half a year and that determines your future, those 30 minutes of waiting will not add days to your life.

To register for GMAT, you will need to contact ETS rep office or I think you can do it online if you are taking the test in the US (one of my friends tried but the web system said the center was full; it was in Hawaii, but when she called, the operator said the center was literally empty for that month, so you may want to double-check). Otherwise, you can register either by phone or fax. On the phone, it will take you about 20 minutes to deal with all the questions and payment, but you will know the date of you test immediately. Registering by fax, however, you send in your information with 3 preferred test dates and then the test administrator sees if they are available and registers you for them. If the dates you have specified are not available, you will be contacted, most probably by email, to negotiate the dates. It can take as long as two weeks for them to process your fax. It took them a week for mine. You can pay by money order, check, or credit card. The most effective is the credit card because it does not have any delays; other options such as money order, for example, have to be done 60 days in advance.

When you come, you are supposed to have an ID and whatever else you want, but the administrator won’t let you have anything except the ID, 5 pencils, 2 ear plugs, key to your locker, and  7 scratch sheets with you (I also had computer glasses). The rest will be put away into a locker, about 15”w x 20”h x 15”d. They will give you some pencils (I talked them into letting me take a pencil sharpener). With the collection of things: 5 pencils, 7 stapled sheets of scratch paper, glasses, key to the locker, ID, pencil sharpener, and ear plugs, it will be pretty bulky to get seated.
Before the GMAT, you need to pick out the schools you want your score tests to be sent to (5 is max). You don’t need to know the codes in advance; there will be names of schools in the alphabetical order. Actually, it is good that you will be busy picking the schools, it will relieve/release the stress; you have as much time as you want. After that, two essays will torture your mind for an hour.

Good idea is to change the setting in the last few days before the test. I had a great chance to go to another city and take my test there (since the center in my town was full). I arrived on Friday and on Saturday took TOEFL (I am an international student). As the result, on Tuesday, as I came in to take GMAT, I already knew the test center location, the policies, the fact that the 5-minute breaks can be as long as 50 minutes, etc. Also, I knew that I have to fill out a disclaimer before I could take the test, so I immediately headed for the table with sheets (you will need to put your name and signature verifying that will not in any way distribute the questions that you encounter on the test day). Since I have gone through the procedure just two days ago and did pretty well on the TOEFL, I was fairly relaxed while getting seated at the computer and positioning my pencils as well as sticking in the ear plugs. (it is important that you know how to use them). In addition to all those benefits, I was in an unknown town and was separated from all my friends/work/problems and could concentrate on the upcoming test and relax. It is also important that there are no troubles sitting in your head during the last days before the test. Don’t build up psychological pressure; try to think about pleasant things.

Psychological pressure and worrying is destructive. If you concentrate on your overall standing while taking the test, you will not do your best. I had no idea how good I was doing. I just did not know. I was constantly doubting my answers on the verbal (I was never sure about the CR). Math was easier cause I did check my answers and was sure I got the questions right, yet still I scored only 49 out of 60. Do not worry about the test; you will have worried enough by the test day. See nothing but the question you are working on and the time you still have to complete the section.

Physical things

Know how to use the ear plugs; conveniently enough, you will find a set of headphones near you (left there by the TOEFL kids), and you can use them too. When I was taking my GMAT there was a good number of distracters: keyboard typing, computer fans, electric lights buzzing, mouse clicks, passing cars that I could see in a crack in the blinds, door opening and closing and people coming in and out. It is important not to hear all of that and to be in the questions. When I was taking my GMAT, I had a very nice looking blonde sitting right next to, but unfortunately, after several looks, I figured she did not come to the ETS center to meet the man of her dreams but to take the test, so I followed her example. I wonder what she got… I tried to look into her unofficial score report, but she folded it fast enough for me not to see the score and stormed out. I was not too hasty to hide my 750 though, but she did not even look; it was not my day.

When I came originally it was cold in the room because of the air conditioning and I thought that I dressed too lightly and that I would not be able to concentrate on the test due to the temperature, but very soon it got pretty warm and even hot (the room was small, so it even smelled with people). Some say that it is the best when you are a little cold – they say the brain works better…. I think it is true. Use your regular cloths, something that is comfortable and can be conveniently taken off if needed. As the official bulletin says, dress in layers.

Do not wear out yourself a few days before the test. The test will wear you out should that be the goal.

Break

A good thing to do during the break is to go to the bathroom, even if you need not. You will get some rest, won’t be staring at the computer screen, and will get occupied with some simple thoughts such as jamming zipper or a stain on your shirt. One trick that helps is getting some cold water on your face and esp. temples. This is known as a diver’s reflex. God or the Mother Nature (whoever you believe it was) has taken some precaution to save us in case we, humans, drop in the water. As the result, when your face hits the water, the brain gives an alert to the body and slows down metabolism and other body functions, about 50%! Thus freeing up to 50% more oxygen for the brain to use up, thus allowing us to stay under water longer. Of course this is no way of getting a high score on the GMAT, but it will help to flush the brain a bit, a little reset button if you wish.

Get some food, a sugary drink, and some water with you to the testing center. It is better to have more. You never know how you will be feeling, so try to be prepared to anything; often when nervous, the stomach gets  mind of its own. Good nutrition for several days before the test is also preferable; it lets you be physically well and enhances endurance.

Things to do after the test

A. get drunk because you got a high score and don’t care about anything

B. get drunk because you got a low score and don’t care about anything

If this matches your philosophy, get a bottle before you visit the test center. However, allow yourself plenty of time, for other test takers may be following the same logic, creating lines in the liquor stores near the test center.

If I missed anything, please, provide your feedback as well as questions on the forum pages. I hope this was helpful, and again, Good luck with the test. Let me know if there are still trouble.

-BB

For reference, here are my score results:

First Diagnostic KAPLAN test: 530 Sept 20, 2001

Kaplan test 1 540 Oct 5, 2001

Kaplan test 2 420 (50, 8) Nov 20, 2001 [math only]

Kaplan test 3 610 (40, 33) Jan 25, 2002

Kaplan test 4 620 (50, 31) Feb 5, 2002

Princeton test 1 420 Dec 20, 2001 [math only]

Princeton test 2 620 Jan 10, 2002

Princeton test 3 610 Jan 12, 2002

Princeton test 4 620 Jan 16, 2002

PowerPrep test 1 710 (48, 39) (Jan 20, 2002) [ I saved powerprep for the very end]

PowerPrep test 2 730 (50, 39) (Feb 11, 2002) [I took this one 24 hours before the real test]

Official GMAT 750 (49, 42) (Feb 12, 2002)