You have been preparing for GMAT so hard it begins to resemble Germane Methods for Accentuated Torture! With so much of prep behind you, what you are now telling yourself is “Sh*t! I know I am going to freak out when I sit in front of the Test Screen and screw up my chances of getting even a 600”. If you are already feeling like this or think that there is a statistically significant probability that you will in the near future, read on. (Else, go back, hit the prep books till you begin to freak, then come back to this blog and you will notice the relevance).
The Day Before
You are now as prepared as you are ever going to be. Don’t try to cram that extra bit of wisdom on the day before. Also, doing the last mock test on the day before is not a bright idea. Take the last mock (preferably the official GMAT Prep test) a couple of days before. Based on the results, work out some more exercises in the area where you have lower scores. This should give you the confidence that you know your strengths and weaknesses and have worked specifically on the latter for a couple of days before the real test. Ensure that you get a good 8 to 9 hours of sleep on the day before the GMAT. Also ensure that you know where exactly your test centre is and how to get there. Spending some time to get to know this will be worth your while on the test day.
On the Day of your GMAT
You are well rested, armed with all the required papers and documents (place them is you bag the night before) and know exactly where the test centre is. You simply can’t be doing better than this. The rest of the day depends on when your test is scheduled.
Test Scheduled for Morning
You need to be up at least three to four hours before your scheduled time. You need to plan to reach the centre at least 30 to 45 minutes before the test. It is always better to reach the venue earlier and use the time to take in the surroundings and get acclimatized than to be rushing there in the last minute, not quite sure if you are going to make it. That would be a bad start.
If you are a late riser, then either schedule a test for the afternoon, or start getting up early as per the plan for the test day at least a week before the actual day. This will help your brain wake up along with your body on that most important day. Now, spend about an hour running through your cheat sheets and a few easy and medium level problems. This is just warm up exercises for your brain. Just as you would not warm up for a marathon by running a marathon, don’t try to overdo your warming up by trying to crack all the complex questions you can find. Understand that this is just to get your brain jump started.
Allow me to let you in on a little secret – GMAT is as much about your mental and physical endurance as it is about preparation and intelligence. The four odd hours are going to sap your energy. So, for the morning test taker, it is important that she has sufficient carbohydrates in her. Choose your favourite carbs breakfast, but don’t be gluttonous. But at any cost do not miss your breakfast.
Test Scheduled for Afternoon
All the spiel about getting to the centre on time and doing warm up exercises holds good to you too. However, there is a slight change in the diet recommended. Have a hearty breakfast… because you are going to have a very light lunch. The last thing we want is you falling asleep in front of the test screen. Here again, a light lunch with your favourite carbs would be a good idea.
At the Test Centre
Did you always wonder why there are those two breaks? ‘Let me just get on with it and finish off the whole thing in one go!’ That would be a bad idea. Those two breaks are useful to refill on your energy and to give your body and mind a few minutes to relax before getting back to the pressure of tackling one question a minute or so. Ensure that you carry bananas, dark chocolate and some fruit juice or water (buy and keep in your bag the night before). Banana and dark chocolate help replenish chemicals that get depleted during periods of mental activity (like taking the GMAT!). I would recommend that you avoid any caffeinated energy drinks. Trust me, the chocolates and banana will do the trick. Also use the break to stretch and walk around within the locker area. This will relax your body. Use the break to the last minute to relax your mind and body and you will do much better in your next section.
Now, all there is left for me to do is wish you the very best. Enjoy your test day!
