GMAT Preparation

This has been pending for long time now -posting the GMAT preparation sources that I used including a study schedule. If not to the exact hours and minutes, I followed preparation schedule to keep a check on my preparation progress. Eventually, I spent about 60% of the time I scheduled. So, planning does help. Control and Monitoring is essential along with the planning. First things first, it is important to decide the mode of preparation - paid classroom courses, paid online resources or free online resources. Secondly, it is important to place an expectation on the scores based on diagnostic tests. I found free resources adequate.

I did buy Princeton review, GMAT Review (mba.com), GMAT Verbal review, GMAT Quant review and Pearson GMAT preparation to practice offline. Free tests are available from mba.com also. I used the older version of the free official GMAT test preparation test too.

I hope this helps with a direction during initial days after having decided to go to a business school through GMAT.

Free Tests

http://www.crack-gmat.com/php/DownloadTest4.php
http://www.800score.com/free-gmat.html
http://www.kaptest.com/MCAT/Home/index.html
http://www.filestube.com/1cbb8292c617dff903ea/details.html - PPGMAT30.exe
http://gmatclub.com/tests/
http://www.4tests.com/exams/examdetail.asp?eid=31
http://www.platinumgmat.com/practice_gmat_questions/sentence_correction_questions
http://www.princetonreview.com/login3.aspx?RDN=1
http://www.veritasprep.com/free-gmat-practice-test/

GMAT Study Schedule
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Ajpex7XCZ8tQdFFSWTJraXMzUmF2X0UtRUR4MWdZRkE&hl=en&authkey=CLLA5K4C


GMAT Idioms (Collected from many webpages that have not implied any copyright)https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Ajpex7XCZ8tQdEtpMUtCX2RCd0dqaHFuMmxnWWVJcmc&hl=en&authkey=CJ6fs0I

Quant fundas

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f63utT1ErLyqEsYzEcaOBPtbwuglA0LV5j0cG2N9EG0/edit?hl=en&authkey=CLqggtcE

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0Bzpex7XCZ8tQYTY0YmY0NDUtZmRkYy00Mjk3LWIxZTUtOTc4NGFlZmYxNzll&hl=en&authkey=CM2V48EF

Verbal fundas

http://www.drgrammar.org/faqs/#33

http://gmat-grammar.blogspot.com/search/label/Participles

http://www.platinumgmat.com/practice_gmat_questions/sentence_correction_questions

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas_big.htm

http://www.polseguera.org/advanced_english_grammar/word_order.php

http://www.800score.com/guidec4view1g.html

Protection Relay settings

Setting protection relays in an electrical power system is like managing the system itself - it invloves understanding and coordinating the system so that it operates in cooperation, recognises risks and mitigates accidents to the extent possible. It is almost like running one's life - complex, yet if managed well, will serve well.

Over the years, I have found the following sources of guidance helpful. The Alstom NPAG (earlier PRAG) is truly an excellent guide and so is the one from GE by Russell Mason who has aptly called this Art and Science of Protective Relaying. Russell's book was the prescribed book for Switchgear and Protective devices at my under-graduation and needless to say, it was a pleasure to read from his book.

http://www.alstom.com/grid/NPAG/


http://www.gedigitalenergy.com/multilin/notes/artsci/index.htm

http://www.scribd.com/doc/8935228/ABB-PROTECTION-APPLICATION-HANDBOOKpdf

http://www.free-books.us/Others/139793/ABB-Protection-Application-Handbook

http://www.pearlabs.com/

http://webstore.ansi.org/RecordDetail.aspx?sku=IEEE+242-2001&source=google&adgroup=ieee&keyword=ieee%20242-2001&gclid=CM_0mruyuaYCFcZ56wodnHPtHw

Going with PGPX

I am going with PGPX. Have confirmed acceptance. The PGPX admits of 2011-2012 are busy connecting with each other and other PGPXs towards getting to know each other and the course better. The feeling is buoyant in the group. Lots of discussions on accommodation, travel dates, loans for the course fee are ongoing.
I have been busy working funds for the course, including loan application and also connecting up with groups of interest through http://in.linkedin.com/pub/gopalakrishnan-lakshminarayanan/7/448/7bb
And yes, I am now also a Chartered Engineer (CEng - Engineering Council, UK).
The CEng application process happened in the same month (Oct. 2010) as the IIMA and ISB interviews. One clear thing these exercises of application forms, essays and interviews helped was for ourselves to understand what we had done through all these years of schooling, college and profession.