GMAT Strategy

Hi All,

I am taking the GMAT on 9th December (next Tuesday) afternoon (the center is 2 hours away, so morning is ruled out)

The last time I took the GMAT, I was scoring upto 680 in my GMAT prep mocks (Q47 constant, and V fluctuating). However in the real thing I felt the last 10 to 15 Q questions in Q to be very easy (could be a hype due to test anxiety) and this feeling disturbed me during the verbal session unnecessarily. When the results came I got the same old 47 in Q and V dropped to 31. I got 640.

Quant strategy mistake last time: I ignored quant (since I was satisfied with a 47) and so this time I am working on quant as well and my score has touched 48 consistently now. Thanks to Bunuel and the GC tests. I want to get 49 at least on Dec 9th.

Verbal strategy mistakeS last time: Not practicing questions of the same sub type together (solving all types of SC questions together) and practicing only SC or only CR for days together towards the end! Now I am consistently hitting 35 in verbal (MGMAT cat 35 and 36 and 38 in GMAT prep repeat). I want to get 37 at least on Dec 9th.

So a 49 and a 37 would translate to a 700. I'd be *slightly* happy with a 700 on Dec 9th. Anything above 700 would be awesome!

Since I am applying to schools (3 schools with average GMAT 716, 706 and 670) by Jan 1st week, my strategy is this:

a) to work very well on my applications, giving the applications 20 days time instead of focusing way too much on the GMAT and post poning the test beyond Dec 9th hoping for a significant increase. I want to give 20 days for applications (Dec 10th to Jan 1st week) especially because it would be tough to get responses from students and alumni in the last 2 weeks of December. I've been severely warned that US would be in a total holiday mood.

b) If my score on the 9th is not a 700 or 700+, I'll submit my applications to the schools only two or three or may be five hours before the deadline so that I can give the schools an improved score by say a 15th or 30th of Jan, hoping that the school would not have read and rejected my application by then. (My target schools read the application in the order they receive them and so submitting the application late, I believe, would help.)

Now I already exhausted GMAT prep's 4 tests the last time and am retaking them now. I took the free MGMAT CAT (I was not in the best of health when I took it and so my quant score dropped to a 40. I always get a 48 now in GMAT Club or prep tests retake) and got 35 in V.

Considering my strategy mentioned above, I think I should not exhaust all MGMAT CAT's as I might need them for January. Further many test takers advise not to take MGMAT CATS in the last week but some suggest to take 1 test each day before the GMAT. I need to work to get a 700+ with which I might be decently pleased. So question is this "what should be my plan be for the next 8 days?"

I have thought of the following:

a) taking the GMAT Prep CATS each afternoon repeatedly as suggested by most of you
b) practicing GMAT Club Test questions in the quiz style. I am attempting to complete all the 500 and 600 level questions correctly before Dec 9th
c) practicing OG 13 verbal questions topic and sub topic wise
d) buying MGMAT CATs and taking 2 more on say 4th and 7th morning (while taking GMAT prep mocks in the afternoon on those days as well)
e) Practice skipping and choosing good questions to solve in the last 5 to 10 verbal questions other than RC (RC is my strength. I never get more than 2 wrong - for the level of difficult RCs I've seen )
f) Practice solving not more than 8 IR questions and save energy for the meaty sections. Try to get more breathing space in the end of the quant session as well by pacing
g) Practicing some heavy breathing and relaxing during the verbal section specifically
h) Reviewing my revised and live error logs and flash cards as much as possible every day and to revise them fully on the 6th and 8th

What are your views? What would you do differently?

PS: Sorry for a long mail, especially one which is not a debrief!

Joseph_Alexander wrote:Hi All,

I am taking the GMAT on 9th December (next Tuesday) afternoon (the center is 2 hours away, so morning is ruled out)

The last time I took the GMAT, I was scoring upto 680 in my GMAT prep mocks (Q47 constant, and V fluctuating). However in the real thing I felt the last 10 to 15 Q questions in Q to be very easy (could be a hype due to test anxiety) and this feeling disturbed me during the verbal session unnecessarily. When the results came I got the same old 47 in Q and V dropped to 31. I got 640.

Quant strategy mistake last time: I ignored quant (since I was satisfied with a 47) and so this time I am working on quant as well and my score has touched 48 consistently now. Thanks to Bunuel and the GC tests. I want to get 49 at least on Dec 9th.

Verbal strategy mistakeS last time: Not practicing questions of the same sub type together (solving all types of SC questions together) and practicing only SC or only CR for days together towards the end! Now I am consistently hitting 35 in verbal (MGMAT cat 35 and 36 and 38 in GMAT prep repeat). I want to get 37 at least on Dec 9th.

So a 49 and a 37 would translate to a 700. I'd be *slightly* happy with a 700 on Dec 9th. Anything above 700 would be awesome!

Since I am applying to schools (3 schools with average GMAT 716, 706 and 670) by Jan 1st week, my strategy is this:

a) to work very well on my applications, giving the applications 20 days time instead of focusing way too much on the GMAT and post poning the test beyond Dec 9th hoping for a significant increase. I want to give 20 days for applications (Dec 10th to Jan 1st week) especially because it would be tough to get responses from students and alumni in the last 2 weeks of December. I've been severely warned that US would be in a total holiday mood.

b) If my score on the 9th is not a 700 or 700+, I'll submit my applications to the schools only two or three or may be five hours before the deadline so that I can give the schools an improved score by say a 15th or 30th of Jan, hoping that the school would not have read and rejected my application by then. (My target schools read the application in the order they receive them and so submitting the application late, I believe, would help.)

Now I already exhausted GMAT prep's 4 tests the last time and am retaking them now. I took the free MGMAT CAT (I was not in the best of health when I took it and so my quant score dropped to a 40. I always get a 48 now in GMAT Club or prep tests retake) and got 35 in V.

Considering my strategy mentioned above, I think I should not exhaust all MGMAT CAT's as I might need them for January. Further many test takers advise not to take MGMAT CATS in the last week but some suggest to take 1 test each day before the GMAT. I need to work to get a 700+ with which I might be decently pleased. So question is this "what should be my plan be for the next 8 days?"

I have thought of the following:

a) taking the GMAT Prep CATS each afternoon repeatedly as suggested by most of you
b) practicing GMAT Club Test questions in the quiz style. I am attempting to complete all the 500 and 600 level questions correctly before Dec 9th
c) practicing OG 13 verbal questions topic and sub topic wise
d) buying MGMAT CATs and taking 2 more on say 4th and 7th morning (while taking GMAT prep mocks in the afternoon on those days as well)
e) Practice skipping and choosing good questions to solve in the last 5 to 10 verbal questions other than RC (RC is my strength. I never get more than 2 wrong - for the level of difficult RCs I've seen )
f) Practice solving not more than 8 IR questions and save energy for the meaty sections. Try to get more breathing space in the end of the quant session as well by pacing
g) Practicing some heavy breathing and relaxing during the verbal section specifically
h) Reviewing my revised and live error logs and flash cards as much as possible every day and to revise them fully on the 6th and 8th

What are your views? What would you do differently?

PS: Sorry for a long mail, especially one which is not a debrief!

Just one point. Learn to use values as well because bunual doesn't solve questions with values instead he prefers the algebraic explanation for every question which might be a bit time consuming and making some questions un-necessarily difficult at various times.

You are good otherwise.

Just keep revising the basics, Mistakes you did in past Mocks and take some tests as well,

All the best!!!

Hi,

You already seems well sorted and ready to take on GMAT.

For these last few days, just give a few mock tests. It doesn't matter whether they are new or older ones. While you give a mock test, make sure you spend double the amount of time in analysing your performance in the test. Just go through each and every question and make a note of how you could have attempted a particular question in a better, smarter and a faster way.

Rest all looks good.

Keep your eyes on the goal, stay focussed and do your best. Also, remember that it is never over until it is over.

Wish you the best and do write back to us how did it go.

Thank you experts for your views.

manyaabroadtpr wrote:For these last few days, just give a few mock tests. It doesn't matter whether they are new or older ones. While you give a mock test, make sure you spend double the amount of time in analysing your performance in the test. Just go through each and every question and make a note of how you could have attempted a particular question in a better, smarter and a faster way.

GMATinsight wrote: Just keep revising the basics, Mistakes you did in past Mocks and take some tests as well,

I agree with both of you. Writing too many tests seems to be a bad idea. I will stick on to GMAT Prep tests and perhaps take them once in 2 days.

manyaabroadtpr wrote: Wish you the best and do write back to us how did it go.

I sure will!

Manya team wishes you all the best for your GMAT exam.We Hope to hear from you soon.In the meanwhile, if you have any queries don't hesitate to reach out.

Hi Experts,

The week before the test I was sick and on the eve of the test I'd to be rushed to the hospital. Nevertheless, I took the test and I'd a bad test day. I ended up scoring 640 (AWA6, IR6, Q44, V44) as I did in my previous attempt.

Surprisingly my quant score dropped by 3 points and my verbal score increased by 3 points. I was getting over 47 in Q this time consistently and 3~5 in verbal. I hope the drop was purely because of the fatigue and look forward to ace the test after waiting for 30 days.