Success Story Part 2: "Why GMAT... Why!"

(This is the second in a series of blog posts in which Julie DeLoyd, a Veritas Prep GMAT alumna-tuned-instructor, will tell the story of her experience through the MBA admissions process. Julie will begin her MBA program at Chicago Booth this fall. You can read Part 1 of her story here.)

"The GMAT. THE GMAT." That's what kept going through my head. Would I be going to business school? The result of this one test was the answer.

My mother used to write for a lot of the big standardized tests: The SAT, GRE, you name it. As a child I took a lot of satisfaction in reading the first draft of the questions; my sisters and I often made cameos in the word problems. One time I owned a pizza shop, another time I was driving from my home to a friend’s house (I was well under driving age at the time). I got to take lots of little adventures within the pages of these standardized tests—the same tests that others spent hours studying for and from which their futures would be determined.

I'll admit it. Last summer, with my future resting in the balance, I still saw the GMAT as a kind of adventure. During my career as a musician, I complained about the lack of intellectual challenge and for the first time I felt challenged again. Walking into my first Veritas Prep class, I felt a rush of blood to my brain. All the synapses started firing again.

I was lucky in that I was able to take off the summer to focus on my test prep. Besides spending some time training our new puppy, the main thing on my To-Do list was "Study." The day after each lesson I would do the first half of the homework, then check my answers. I'd comb through the questions I answered correctly to make sure that I got my solutions through good technique rather than "gut" luck. When I got a question wrong, I kept track of the book and page number on a separate sheet of paper where I began my list of Personal Challenge Problems. Flash cards were a big help as well and those grew as the weeks went on.

The studying was only half of my real preparation. As I've alluded to, I'm a wee bit new-agey, and I believe there is more to one's success than test prep techniques. During my most intense study times, I treated myself well. I started doing hot yoga every day to start off my morning, and taking my dogs to the dog beach every afternoon. I often did my homework in my favorite coffeeshop drinking one of the best cappuccinos. I baked a few times a week, relishing a moment of productivity that wasn't word- or number-focused. These activities were the foundation of my mental health and helped keep me motivated and alert during my study sessions.

The other really important technique I utilized (and preach vehemently to my students) is taking the time for positive visualization. Now, I may be losing you here, but think of it this way: The GMAT is created to intimidate the test-taker. You take the test in a sterile room, unfamiliar, weird noises, on a computer that makes the questions seem to be coming from another world. The design is meant to make you want to give up, to doubt yourself. I often felt this doubt creeping in when I would take a practice test, even though I was at home and using my own computer! Let's face it -- Reading comprehension alone could bring me to my knees. I felt the pressure of the test weighing down on me and worried that the outcome was, perhaps, out of my control. This is when I started a new homework and practice test routine.

Whenever I would sit down to do my GMAT work, I would first take out a blank piece of paper. On this sheet I would do some kind of exercise. One day I might write a list of all my positive attributes—some days it verged on "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and gosh darn it..." while other days I might spend a few minutes writing out my demons, the ones that held the weights on my shoulders every time I approached a difficult problem. I'd write them out in their most vicious form until I could see how silly they were. Then I'd write another positive list.

My favorite exercise though, was taking that piece of paper and drawing a picture of myself on my first day of business school. At the time, my top choice was Kellogg, so I drew what I imagined the building might look like and the backpack I might bring to my first day; I even drew a big banner welcoming the class of '11. When I was satisfied with the sketch, I started shading it in with my dream score: 720. I wrote it over and over and over again. With tiny numbers I shaded in the trees, the windows, the words "Welcome Kellogg Class of 2011!" This number became such a natural reflex that I started believing I’d already achieved my goal. Once I believed this, the weights were gone.

So, keep that in mind. If you're feeling like the study techniques are wearing you down, try building yourself up a little. Go ahead! Draw a picture (no one's looking).

NEXT UP: The days before the test, the outcome, and the teaching.