740/5.5

I gave GMAT for 2 purposes: 

1. I should be applying for HBS 2+2 and giving the GMAT was needed there given I was going to be away for the summer
2. Scores are valid for over 3 years. Without much knowledge about an MBA, I was sure I needed to get one a few years into my career. (It isn't something I still claim to know, but now atleast my reasons of eventually pursuing an MBA are clearer)

Before you start of for the GMAT, have your reasons clear!

Let me start of with GMAT funde without further ado..

The basics

GMAT is divided into 3 sections ( 90 min each for the first two and 30 min for the written): Verbal, Quantitative (from hence on referred to as quant) and Written. Verbal is the English section, unlike GRE no mugging of wordlists is required though a re-look into your high school grammar is a must. It is more about the correct english and you understanding it than fancy words. Quant is high school maths, logic and reasoning. written would have 2 essays to write, this is not included in your numerical score, you will get a separate score for that. (represented by 5.5 in my heading) 

Verbal as well as Quant have standard type of questions in which each of their questions can be categorized into. Like reading comprehension, sentence correction etc etc for verbal. This can be found in any standard GMAT prep software or text so not going into detail.

Getting started

Start with downloading the GMAT prep software from www.mba.com you can do so without registering though no harm registering honestly, u may get a few notification mails once in a while. (Explore the website while you are at it, it has alot of info on MBAs in general too.)

This software has 2 sample tests and simulates the GMAT very well..before you start your prep, give one test. Take 3 hours completely, sit with focus and see the score you get (its ok if you skip the written part for now). Quant is normally very easy*** and you will definitely score well. Verbal you normally would not, but you need to check what kind of questions do you need most practice with and which ones come naturally to you.

With an overall score of aroun 650/800 you could take a months prep at max and aroun 690 2-3 weeks should be enough. If you are 600 or lower prep for atleast 1.5-2 months dedicatedly.

Practice! Practice! Practice! (I'm going by the US spelling pls don't leave comments correcting it :P)

I read a little theory and expectations from the GMAT official guide as well as the Kaplan text fr GMAT..

and practiced the Verbal sessions I needed alot of practice with from both of these. 

Finally, rather throughout I had downloaded test softwares of Kaplan and 800 score from LAN

the Kaplan software has separate timed test fr each question type in verbal and quant as well as overall tests... gave all the verbal ones one each in quant and all the overall tests... they happen to be only 3

800 score has separate tests fr verbal and quant again comp adaptive like kaplan... used these fr practice too..

at an avg i think i gt aroun 680-690 in the kaplan tests...

with a 50-51 in quant and 35 above in verbal..

eventually gt a 740 in GMAT..

my focussed prep time was 3 weeks... was doin very little before tht..

and tht too it was more like 4-6 hours a day.. (maximum) one section test a day more like..

i gt a 650 in the initial test i had given.. but i had given it in lots of parts very unfocussed...

***So i had written this mail with IITians in mind, but the same holds true for anyone. Only difference is that the effort we'd have to put in into verbal, you wud have to put into both Verbal as well as quant. 

Giving tests, especially section wise gives a very good idea about which type of questions you need to practice more in and which ones you can feel confident about. Its the best way to structure your preparation

Feel free to leave queries or additional tips as comments!!