Please Help: 570 on 6th practice CAT and 3 Weeks Until Test.

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Hello All,

My test date is May 13, 2014 and I have just over 3 weeks until my exam. I am aiming for a Q44V37 score- a score which I feel is achievable given the questions I am getting during the practice tests. I would particularly like some advice from those who have successfully addressed the following issues: timing, skip questions and concept mastery. However, any help from those who have overcome similar score stagnation would be welcomed.

I began my studies with an MGMAT in-person course that ran Jan-March. My CAT practice exams have had the following breakdowns:

1/26/14 CAT1 (w/o IR or essay): Q37V28 540
3/1/14 CAT2: Q37V24 520
3/2/14 CAT3: Q36V30 550 <--- this is when I first ID'd my timing issue and tried to address it.
3/22/14 CAT4: Q29V31 510
4/6/14 CAT 5: Q36V29 550
4/19/14 CAT 6: Q37V31 570

Study Background: I've had an error log since February but recently started outlining source of error, applicable rules for incorrect answers and tips on how to avoid it in the future. Admittedly, I haven't spent too much time reviewing the error log once I have already thoroughly evaluated incorrect ?'s. I have begun to ID skip questions. I've created flash cards for all notes but not yet for troublesome incorrect questions.

General characteristics of CAT's 1-5: my timing was all over the place, I had a couple 4min+ questions, many 3 min, and I was usually off benchmark times from 3-8min. On both sections I had streaks of 4+ incorrect questions regularly.

Since CAT 5 I have focused on timing and performing all practice problems within general time benchmarks (2min for quant, 1:15 for SC, 2:15ish for CR and ~7-8min for RC sections). As a result, on my CAT6 the timing has become more normalized with only a few 3min+ questions in either of the two sections and shorter streaks of incorrect questions as before.

The timing strategy I have adopted for Verbal is to spend a little bit more time on the first 12 questions to increase difficulty level and attempt to maintain from then on. Quant is being approached as all questions being equally important.

My study strategy since CAT 5 has shifted from learning the content to performing 12-15 OG practice problems about 4-5/week. My time breakdown for quant:verbal has been about 80:20, respectively. I'm pretty diligent about getting at least 2hrs in/day 6days/week.

CAT6 Quant Stats:
#15 I was +2min/60th%
#23 I was +1.5min/54%
#30 I was +0/44%
#37 42%

CAT6 Verbal Stats:
#12 I was +6min/84%
#27 I was +10min/69%
#32 I was +8min/75%
#38 I was +2min/66%
#41 62%

What are some study techniques you think I should be embracing for the test and study time?
Should I focus on bringing up my verbal score to compensate for a flailing quant score?
Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks Everybody,
Jesse

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by [email protected] » Sat Apr 19, 2014 10:27 pm
Hi Jesse,

What materials have you been using to study besides the MGMAT Course?

Your scores during your practice CATs show that you're fairly consistent under pressure, but you're probably "locked in" to a particular mindset. To hit your goal, you'd have to make some big changes (with just 3 weeks to go to). Do you have the flexibility to push your Test Date back?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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by jarosales » Sun Apr 20, 2014 9:06 am
Hey Rich,

I've read/taken notes/made flash cards of all the MGMAT strategy guides. I have also been using the OG13. I have the GMAT Quant and Verbal reviews but I am not planning on using them until I exhaust the OG.

I would really prefer not to push my test date back as I have a month long mountain climbing trip that begins on May 28th. However, I may be able to push it back as much as 2 week. Additionally, the final round deadline for my grad school application is June 15- I would submit my app 2 days after my GMAT test date otherwise.

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by [email protected] » Sun Apr 20, 2014 11:56 am
Hi Jesse,

Any extra time that you can put into your studies should be beneficial. While I understand the deadlines that you've described, an application deadline doesn't mean much if your GMAT score isn't competitive. Your studies have been "book-heavy", which is likely a factor in why you haven't hit your score goals yet. You might consider investing in some online/computer-based resources that will show you some new tactics and help you to bump up your score.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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by jarosales » Mon Apr 21, 2014 12:56 pm
Thanks for the advice, Rich. What kind of additional resources are referring to?

Anybody else with any insights?

Thanks in advance.