Couldn't Sleep Night before GMAT - Help w/ Next Steps Please

[clare.lambert]

Hi Stacey -

I was registered to take the GMAT today, March 21st at 8am. I've been studying for 6 months now, have completed the MGMAT course, took all 6 CATS from MGMAT as well as both from GMAT Prep. I was feeling pretty ready, as my last 2 CATS from GMAT Prep were 720 and 760, and I'm aiming for around a 720+.
Anyway, this week I went to bed pretty early to prepare for having to wake up early to take the test - but last night, I got into bed at 10pm and then was WIDE AWAKE all night. I took a sleeping pill (one I normally take when I can't sleep) and was still wide awake until 6am, which was the time I was supposed to get up to get ready for the test. At that point, I just decided to cut my losses and cancel my appointment since I knew there was no way I'd do well, and I would rather take the GMAT sooner rather than have to wait 31 days.

So this brings me to my questions....I am leaving tomorrow for a vacation for 5 days, which I had planned as a sort of "celebration" as being done with the test (sadly, I was wrong about this). I want to take the exam when I get back, but wanted to get your feedback on when the best timing would be. I feel ready, but I'm scared I'm going to lose some of that momentum from being away. There is a Saturday test date on the 31st of March available (I get back the 27th of March) but do you think that's too soon? I would rather take it on a Saturday than have to take off more days from work, but another option is a 12pm test on the 12th. I kind of like the idea of the later test time in case something that happened last night happens again (i.e. I can't sleep). Any feedback on when you think would be best to reschedule would be v helpful.

Also, what should my plan of attack re studying be at this point? Just continue to review? Take more time to work on my weaknesses & push the test date out further? I've taken all the MGMAT CATS & GMAT Prep so I'm not sure what else I can do in terms of prac tests, but i definitely don't want to lose anything I've been studying in terms of timing & pacing strategy (something I struggled with a lot).

Anyway, any advice would really be appreciated. I'm feeling so frustrated with this all and am so mad at myself for having to cancel this morning, although I realize it's not my fault :/ but still it's very disappointing to have to pick up and do it all over again when I was mentally prepared.

[pranabiitkgp]

The reason i am answering is not that i know all the answers but rather i have gone through almost the same track . My test was on 13th March but due to test centre network issue i could not give the test and had to give the test on 23rd March . Now after the test was cencelled due to some stupid reason my tension was multiplied by n - some unknown fluctuating integer .
So i went to sleep early and slept untill 4 am , my test was from 10 am . I could not sleep after 4 , was anscious because of that and because of the stupid reason happend at test centre at last schedule date and my back was already started aching after 3 months continious preperation . So while i was giving Verbal section at around 1 pm ...i was having less concentration and less energy to concentrate . I scored a dismisal 600 after scroing around 700 in all the MGMAT test .

My kind of advice :
1. You did the right thing by cancelling your test after the sleepless night . There was no way you would have achived higher score in that mental situation.
2. Please dont read anything serious at all related to GMAT in your last 3-4 days . Dont give any practice test in last 3-4 days .
3. By reading less and thinking less about GMAT will allow your brain to come down from the highper active stage and sothen your mind enough not to lose your sleep .
4. Dont change your sleep cycle . If you are going bed 12pm everynight ,dont change that to 10 pm just the previous night of the GMAT . Then you will have to be awake for 2 hours - what happened to me .

5. Just be relax , by not doing anything at all related to GMAT in last 5 days - I think is the best way to score high in the gmat . But this will increase your tension . So dont leave entirely rather just do some casual studying ,and you will perform well .

All the best .

[StaceyKoprince]

Ugh, that sucks (not being able to sleep all night). I think you were right to cancel. You also, though, need to think about what you're going to do in order to be able to sleep next time - if you just do the same things, you might find yourself in the same situation.

Sorry I'm just getting to this now. We've had a lot of traffic recently and also your post got pushed later in the queue because another student responded. I would've told you that a few days after your vacation was a bad idea anyway (unless you wanted to spend your entire vacation studying!).

I also agree with your idea that a later test time might be beneficial in case you can't sleep again. You may want to talk to your doctor about what happened, including the fact that the sleeping pill didn't work at all - that's unusual. You don't want to just try taking two next time, because then maybe you'll be all groggy the next day - ask your doctor for advice about what to do.

I assume you've probably booked your test date at this point, and I'll assume you're going for the 12th. At this point, you just want to review (and take 1 more CAT for practice). Take a look at these two articles:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... game-plan/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... to-review/

(You can compress the above into 10 days easily.)

Oh, just saw your question about whether to push the test date out - did you take those GMATPreps under 100% official conditions, including essays? And were they "clean" - that is, you didn't see questions you'd seen before? If so, then you were scoring above your desired range, so you look like you're ready to take the real test. If you gave yourself artificial advantages on those tests, though, then you need to take a "clean" test and see where you're at before you decide.

Also, don't be mad at yourself. You weren't totally mentally prepared or you wouldn't have been up all night - there was still some anxiety going on. So you've given yourself a little breather, and now you have time to do a thorough review to make sure you really are ready. And then you're going to go in there and do it!

You may also want to read these two articles to see whether there might be anything of use for you:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/stress-tips.cfm
http://www.manhattangmat.com/strategy-series-stress.cfm

[Everything OR Nothing]

Hey guys, I am also going through exactly the same thing.
My brain gets over conscious just night before the GMAT exam( although I follow diet, routine etc mentioned in the above posts from 1 month before.)
My brain somehow knows how important this test is for me and how important sleeping properly the night before the exam. So I always take 4PM slot. Still,my brain wants to fight against my success. My brain keeps saying.. dude the only way you can lose this exam before going to exam hall is by not being able to sleep whole night.And this phobia creates ripple effect somehow. As a result, I can not sleep .Last time I took ZOLFRESH( a sedative used by commerical pilots to get sleep even while changing timezones frequently).My sister is doctor, She said this tablet has least sedative effect after 8 hours. Ok , I could get some sleep but it was hypnotic dreams and very bad sleep . Next day my head was heavy and got bit headache during last section. I knew I lost the game before entering the exam hall. I know it might be psychological problem. But I am not insomniac. I get sound sleep in all other night except the night before GMAT (as my brain keeps my mind in phobia mode,phobia that if I can not sleep I am doomed) And trust me if that enters inside you, You will feel irritating and you will stay whole night wie awake. No doctor can do anything.I wish there was a medical solution for this .I consoled myself saying,dude you are not ready to cope up with the top B school level tension and pressure. You are not eligible to be in a B school of your dream if you can nt sleep. But what is teh solution. God knows.

[StaceyKoprince]

Yep, worrying about something can really disrupt your sleep. I have the same problem whenever I have an early-morning flight for a business trip. I'm worried that I'll oversleep and miss my flight, so then I can barely sleep at all - and then the next day, I'm a zombie at work. Happens every time.

There are some sleep medications that can help, but firozahmed, it sounds as though you took this medication for the first time the night before the real test?

Never do that! If you think you may need medication to help you, make sure that you test it out several weeks before the real test. You need to make sure that you don't have bad side effects - and you also need to test out the normal effects for you, because any given medication will stay in some peoples' bodies longer than others'. You can't know how your body will react (without testing it out).

[Everything OR Nothing]

Stacy is correct as always.It is all in mind.
I have tried for GMAT. Took it as Life and death event.
Now.I have become kool.Lets see. This is not end of the world.My normal life continues. Neither do I prepare or devote tooo much time after GMAT. I go on dates, I go play soccer,I eat and I just pray.In my religion praying is kind of meditation and it is helping me to burn down extra randomness and restlessness of mind.

I do not care whether I can sleep before examination or not.Go to bed with this attitude.Another way.You can ride bike day before exam. or some similar physical activities can make you sleep.
Try Italian food night before exam :) it has sedative effect on me :)

Most importantly try taking late afternoon slot. It will make you confident that you have whole night and morning to sleep.You will fall sleepy then :)

It is actually a mental effect ::::

Imagine you are standing on the 85th floor of empire state buildings where the netted walls on the edges are removed. You will be frightened and can not stand there for long.On the same edge millions of people stand everyday for photos without any fear because they know the walls are there to save them from falling down :).

I have lived 30 years of my life.. only 30 more years left.. when life is so temporary then why to take so much tension after a GMAT exam. Having said that keep your preparation on and take it like a glass of drinks.If you dnt like you can always opt for one more glass of it :P

[StaceyKoprince]

You've hit on an important thing: what tires YOU out? It's different for everyone. I really like the physical exercise idea - that tires most people out.

Play around with different things - foods, physical exercise - and maybe things that you want to avoid. For many people, staring at a screen wakes them up - so maybe no computer and no TV after 6p or 8p the night before!