660 to 710 [92% (Q44, V42)] mixed feelings...mostly happy!

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by Stacey Koprince » Mon Nov 16, 2009 11:52 am
Good score but not elite.
Uh, I disagree. I'd call the 92nd percentile pretty elite. :)

I know you're probably not as thrilled about the quant side, but give yourself some credit for what you've accomplished - a 710 is a great score! (And, assuming you're getting good grades in the math classes you're taking right now, the schools will add that to the "plus" side on your app, too!)

I'm reading through your post and see that you mention some details of actual questions you saw. Please go back and delete all of that material immediately. You signed a legal document when you took the test that you would not disclose any of that info - you don't want them coming after you. I know you don't say all that much, but don't even take a chance.

One of the things that's jumping out on your quant description is your timing - you were up, then down, then up. That indicates that you were mismanaging your time a bit, and (if you take it again) the thing I really want to caution you about is that, when people mismanage time, they tend to spend too much time on questions they're not getting right anyway, and then they choose to make up that time on questions that they do know how to do and, as a result, they make more careless mistakes... and that's where it can really hurt your score. A harder question is NEVER worth getting an easier question wrong.

Case in point:
I think I spent 5 mins on one SC (my weakness) which I probably got wrong anyway.
Remember that for next time. :)

That RC thing is weird. Something experimental going on, I'd guess. Was the passage pretty short?

Love your "thoughts" section. Completely agree with what you wrote!
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by zuleron » Tue Nov 24, 2009 5:59 pm
Thank you Stacey!

I took your advice and deleted any references (no matter how oblique) to what I saw on the test... I tried to be discrete but you can't be too careful.

I think you are exactly right! time managment is my problem. Part of it has to do with not having internalized some concepts thoroughly enough to answer tougher questions in less than 2 mins, and part of it is strategy. Either way, when I do take it again, (Yes, I have decided to retake it some time next year... no rush... I am applying to top 10 schools with my 710 but I am learning so much more math that I know in a few months I will be able to hit 48/49 in quant) time management won't be an issue.

Thanks again for all your help! I will keep you posted on my apps and progress!

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by zuleron » Thu Nov 26, 2009 2:15 pm
Oh, I got a 5.5 in AWA with no prep. I know my Analysis of an argument was superior coz I went over it again and again. I think I lost points on the Analysis of an issue coz there was so much I had to say and I felt that I didn't organize it as well as the Analysis of an argument. But 5.5 is still pretty good.