Hi all,
Just wish to share a few tips that helped me with my preparation (while they are still afresh in my mind). Its nothing new and am sure these points have been already been talked about but nonetheless, here it goes:
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Plan - I maintained a tracker (simple spreadsheet) just to know where I stood in terms of my progress at anytime. I felt while preparing for an exam like this, one must always know how deep under water he/she is. It helped me later on to make an effective allocation of available time towards areas that needed more attention.
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Time off from studies - This is basically an extension of the first point.
Be realistic in setting your plans. Account for the time that you need to commit to family and more importantly work. Chances are that you would always find yourself chasing your plan and never really getting ahead of it, but trust me, its always better to have a plan in place.
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Know your strengths - You are likely to perform well in certain areas and poorly at others, given your background. Its important not to get overconfident on areas you know. Treat every question to its merit.
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To each his own - Strategize for the exam in a way you know best and whatever works for you.
A week before the exam, I had around 15% of the readings still left (primarily Quant and Economics). At that time, I had to make a choice between strengthening the 85% I knew or covering the 15% I had not covered till then. I chose the former. Even in leaving out some topics, I made sure that I was not leaving out areas that were heavily tested.
As I expected, I got a 50-70 score in Quant and Eco but managed to do well in other sections.
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Exam specific info - Please read the testing policies a week before the exam. Its imperative to know important details about the how the exam is conducted (identification policy and stuff).
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Calculators - I carried two calculators. Better be safe than sorry policy!
With this, I wish all the candidates all the very best!