Wasting time and energy - no improvement

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Wasting time and energy - no improvement

by aces021 » Wed Jul 16, 2014 8:53 pm
I studied for about 5 months, racking in about 350 study hours (excluding 27 hours of classes, + exams, + 6 hours of a private tutor.). My scores have stayed the same - if not worse. 1st GMAT score 460 (taken 4/8), 2nd GMAT score 360 (taken 5/15 - I did so bad because I put a lot of pressure on myself - studied the night and day of the exam trying to learn new material... lesson learned), CAT scores taken between 12/20 and 6/7) CAT 1 score 450, CAT 2 570, CAT 3 510, CAT 4 460, CAT 5 460, CAT 6 520. My verbal has always fluctuated the most - from 19 to 31 (SC is very new to me - I have started concentrating on it), quant - (excluding the fuck up on 2nd attempt GMAT) from 31 - 37. All of my study material is from ManhattanGMAT.

From reading previous posts on here, I have come to the conclusion that my score has not improved because I do not understand the basic material. With that said I have read and answered questions to the problem sets of 95% of the quant books and am finishing up reading verbal books with problem sets. I also write notes and keep flashcards. I also review my notes.

I'm finding that often times I do OG questions but I cannot relate them to the material written in the book - ie: I look at the question and try to find the topic in the book. I read the topic in the book and look back at the question, and I have no idea how the question was derived. For me the questions and reading material are two very separate unrelated things. Questions either ask you something in a weird way that I don't understand or the question is super duper complicated and it is not discussed in detail in the books. I review all questions that I answer, but to me they all seem unrelated. They may share the same topic, but the procedures are different, therefore they are not related.

How should I go about solving these problem? After a month break I want to stop wasting my time and start studying smarter not harder.

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by [email protected] » Wed Jul 16, 2014 9:34 pm
Hi aces021,

There's no "perfect approach" to GMAT training that works for everyone. The approach that you took didn't help you to achieve your goals; while it might feel like a big waste, you've still learned a lot about the GMAT - now you just need a new approach that will help you to achieve your goals.

I'd like to know a bit more about your CATs and your Official GMATs:
1) What were you Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores on each of your CATs?
2) Did you take the entire CAT each time, including the Essay and IR sections?
3) Did you take any of the CATs from www.mba.com or just the ones from MGMAT?

The GMAT is a predictable, standardized Test, so you can can train to beat it. Also, Business Schools don't care if you take the GMAT more than once, so that's not a big deal. Are you on any deadlines? What is your goal score?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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by VivianKerr » Wed Jul 16, 2014 10:31 pm
You have SO hit it on the head.

It sounds like you've emphasized QUANTITY of study over QUALITY of study. You took SO MANY CATs -- how did you review them? Did you log each incorrect question, asking yourself, what is this problem testing? Or did you just read through the provided explanations and move on? It's pretty common on the GMAT for people to equate doing a LOT of work with improvement, but really, we need to work smarter, not harder.

My question to you: how well can you recognize in an incorrect question what type of question it is, what the primary concept tested is, what the secondary concepts tested are, and how well is your step-by-step strategy allowing you to effectively eliminate incorrect answer choices based on process of elimination?

My guess is your strategy is just all over the place. For SC, here's the strategy I recommend:

Step 1 - Read Choice (A) and Identify One Grammar or Meaning Error

Since we know that a sentence with a grammatical error or an illogical meaning can NEVER be correct on the GMAT, try to identify and name ONE specific error you see. It may seem like there are several things "wrong" with the sentence, so choose the error you feel the most confident about, and write it down on your scratch paper. For example, maybe you think the meaning might be illogical, the sentence overall is awkwardly constructed, and there is an incorrect comparison. You might choose to go with the comparison error first.

What if there is no error in (A)? If (A) seems correct to you, or you cannot spot a grammar or meaning error, feel free to search for a style error. If you feel there is one, such as redundancy or passive voice, make a note of it next to letter "A" on your scratch pad, but DO NOT CROSS IT OFF YET. Remember, a style error doesn't make an option automatically incorrect. It only makes it less likely to be correct. Once you've done this, move on to (B) and look for an identifiable grammar or meaning error. If (A) is correct, then (B) must contain an error.

Step 2 - Scan the Other Choices; Eliminate Error #1

Do any of the other 4 choices contain that same error? If so, quickly cross out

Step 3 - Move to the Next Available Choice; Look for Error #2

If you have more than one choice left, repeat the process. Move to the next choice remaining and look for an identifiable grammar or meaning error. If none exists, feel free to look for a style error and make a note of it next to the letter on your scratch pad. Once you've identified a grammar or meaning error, cross off the letter of that answer choice, and the letters of any other answer choices that contain the same error. Repeat as needed.

Step 4 - Stuck Between Two? Eliminate Based on Style

On a difficult Sentence Correction, you may find yourself narrowed down to two answer choices that both seem grammatically correct and both have logical meanings. Which one does the GMAT prefer? The answer: the clearest, most concise option. If one choice appears to have awkwardness or wordiness or passive voice, select the other option. All grammar being equal, the GMAT rewards clarity.

Feel free to email me at [email protected] if you require additional clarification. If you really start holding yourself accountable and reviewing in MUCH more detail, I think you'll see improvement.
Vivian Kerr
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by aces021 » Wed Jul 16, 2014 10:32 pm
[email protected] wrote:Hi aces021,

There's no "perfect approach" to GMAT training that works for everyone. The approach that you took didn't help you to achieve your goals; while it might feel like a big waste, you've still learned a lot about the GMAT - now you just need a new approach that will help you to achieve your goals.

I'd like to know a bit more about your CATs and your Official GMATs:
1) What were you Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores on each of your CATs?
2) Did you take the entire CAT each time, including the Essay and IR sections?
3) Did you take any of the CATs from www.mba.com or just the ones from MGMAT?

The GMAT is a predictable, standardized Test, so you can can train to beat it. Also, Business Schools don't care if you take the GMAT more than once, so that's not a big deal. Are you on any deadlines? What is your goal score?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Thanks for replying

https://imgur.com/BBpp5zu

Here is a picture of probably more statistics than you want to know - including the answers to all of your questions.

e: I want to get somewhere in the upper 500's, low 600's. I wanted to apply to school for this fall semester, but that clearly didn't work out. I want to apply for either this spring or next fall.

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by aces021 » Thu Jul 17, 2014 3:54 am
VivianKerr wrote:You have SO hit it on the head.

It sounds like you've emphasized QUANTITY of study over QUALITY of study. You took SO MANY CATs -- how did you review them? Did you log each incorrect question, asking yourself, what is this problem testing? Or did you just read through the provided explanations and move on? It's pretty common on the GMAT for people to equate doing a LOT of work with improvement, but really, we need to work smarter, not harder.

My question to you: how well can you recognize in an incorrect question what type of question it is, what the primary concept tested is, what the secondary concepts tested are, and how well is your step-by-step strategy allowing you to effectively eliminate incorrect answer choices based on process of elimination?

My guess is your strategy is just all over the place. For SC, here's the strategy I recommend:

Step 1 - Read Choice (A) and Identify One Grammar or Meaning Error

Since we know that a sentence with a grammatical error or an illogical meaning can NEVER be correct on the GMAT, try to identify and name ONE specific error you see. It may seem like there are several things "wrong" with the sentence, so choose the error you feel the most confident about, and write it down on your scratch paper. For example, maybe you think the meaning might be illogical, the sentence overall is awkwardly constructed, and there is an incorrect comparison. You might choose to go with the comparison error first.

What if there is no error in (A)? If (A) seems correct to you, or you cannot spot a grammar or meaning error, feel free to search for a style error. If you feel there is one, such as redundancy or passive voice, make a note of it next to letter "A" on your scratch pad, but DO NOT CROSS IT OFF YET. Remember, a style error doesn't make an option automatically incorrect. It only makes it less likely to be correct. Once you've done this, move on to (B) and look for an identifiable grammar or meaning error. If (A) is correct, then (B) must contain an error.

Step 2 - Scan the Other Choices; Eliminate Error #1

Do any of the other 4 choices contain that same error? If so, quickly cross out

Step 3 - Move to the Next Available Choice; Look for Error #2

If you have more than one choice left, repeat the process. Move to the next choice remaining and look for an identifiable grammar or meaning error. If none exists, feel free to look for a style error and make a note of it next to the letter on your scratch pad. Once you've identified a grammar or meaning error, cross off the letter of that answer choice, and the letters of any other answer choices that contain the same error. Repeat as needed.

Step 4 - Stuck Between Two? Eliminate Based on Style

On a difficult Sentence Correction, you may find yourself narrowed down to two answer choices that both seem grammatically correct and both have logical meanings. Which one does the GMAT prefer? The answer: the clearest, most concise option. If one choice appears to have awkwardness or wordiness or passive voice, select the other option. All grammar being equal, the GMAT rewards clarity.

Feel free to email me at [email protected] if you require additional clarification. If you really start holding yourself accountable and reviewing in MUCH more detail, I think you'll see improvement.


Thanks for your reply.

Unless the question bluntly says it's testing for primes or odds and evens or etc. I can't tell. In ambiguously written questions I have looked at the answer key and saw that they are testing for x, but a lot of times I'm not really sure how or why the words stated in the problem key that it's testing that topic. I have looked for help online, but it doesn't help. When I reread the topic in the chapter, I still can't tell how the question conveys that topic. Even if I notice the key words, I only learn those key words I cannot apply it to the next question because to me, the questions are not related.

I don't have a step by step strategy - I've been trying to find them online - especially for math. But I can't really find anything thats useful to me. I feel like verbal strategy is much easier explained in the books than math. But with SC I have a long way to go - ie: I had no idea that every sentence had a subject and a verb. I'm still struggling to find the subject and verbs.

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by [email protected] » Thu Jul 17, 2014 10:38 am
Hi aces021,

Based on the information that you've provided, there's clearly something different about Test Day (compared to the days that you take your CATs). The score drops that you've seen are not random events, so you have to put some serious thought into the details. Beyond the obvious "mental" aspect of the GMAT, there are physical and psychological "variables" that you need to account for. High-scoring Test Takers plan for as many of these details as they can.

Here are some things to consider:
1) What time of day and day of the week were your Tests?
2) Did you eat breakfast on Test Day?
3) What did you do in the final 48 hours before your Tests?
4) How did you sleep the night before your Test?
5) Did you have to travel a significant distance to the Test Center?
Etc.

There is also the possibility that aspects of your practice were unrealistic. For example, I have to ignore your first 2 CAT scores because you didn't take the Essay and IR sections - thus, those 2 scores are unrealistic since those Tests didn't truly test your endurance.

Part of your training going forward has to include pattern-matching and memory/recall. GMAT questions are not "stand-alone" concepts. Every question that you face on the GMAT should remind you of something that you did during practice - it could be a formula, pattern, grammar rule, tactic, etc., but it WILL be something. That ability to pattern-match will help you to build up all of your GMAT skills and will make answering questions easier/faster. By your own admission, you're not making those "connections" just yet, so you'll have to put some emphasis on building up that skill.

You might also need to invest in some new GMAT resources.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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by aces021 » Thu Jul 17, 2014 2:46 pm
[email protected] wrote:Hi aces021,

Based on the information that you've provided, there's clearly something different about Test Day (compared to the days that you take your CATs). The score drops that you've seen are not random events, so you have to put some serious thought into the details. Beyond the obvious "mental" aspect of the GMAT, there are physical and psychological "variables" that you need to account for. High-scoring Test Takers plan for as many of these details as they can.

Here are some things to consider:
1) What time of day and day of the week were your Tests?
2) Did you eat breakfast on Test Day?
3) What did you do in the final 48 hours before your Tests?
4) How did you sleep the night before your Test?
5) Did you have to travel a significant distance to the Test Center?
Etc.

There is also the possibility that aspects of your practice were unrealistic. For example, I have to ignore your first 2 CAT scores because you didn't take the Essay and IR sections - thus, those 2 scores are unrealistic since those Tests didn't truly test your endurance.

Part of your training going forward has to include pattern-matching and memory/recall. GMAT questions are not "stand-alone" concepts. Every question that you face on the GMAT should remind you of something that you did during practice - it could be a formula, pattern, grammar rule, tactic, etc., but it WILL be something. That ability to pattern-match will help you to build up all of your GMAT skills and will make answering questions easier/faster. By your own admission, you're not making those "connections" just yet, so you'll have to put some emphasis on building up that skill.

You might also need to invest in some new GMAT resources.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
How does one actually do "Part of your training going forward has to include pattern-matching and memory/recall."? Do you mind giving an example with inequalities?

My problem (which is also true in my life too) is that I think too much. I over analyze and I think and think and think. I try to think what they're asking me, instead of answering the question.

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by [email protected] » Thu Jul 17, 2014 7:04 pm
Hi aces021,

I agree that an expansive example would probably help to show you what I'm talking about.

You can actually use a number of the EMPOWERgmat Course resources for free. The following is a link to try it out. I suggest that you work through all of the free Modules and start thinking about how each of the training questions teaches you something that you can use during the quizzes.

https://www.empowergmat.com/free-workshop/

Once you adjust the way you "see" this Test, you'll find it far easier to pick up the points that you're missing.

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by VivianKerr » Mon Jul 21, 2014 11:57 pm
You HAVE to "assign" the concept to the question, otherwise you'll never get the questions correct. You should have this list of concepts in front of you at ALL TIME. Go down the list and ask yourself WHICH of these the problem is testing. If you can't tell, then you aren't familiar enough with the GMAT content. Google these concepts and look at 20 problems that test these concepts. Get familiar with them ONE AT A TIME, and you'll learn to identify the concepts underlying the question.

Here is a 4 step process to help you with Problem Solving questions on the GMAT:

1. What is the question really asking?

Write down what the question is asking you to find. It may sound obvious, but the GMAT often requires an extra step. You may need to find 1/y, instead of y. Or you may be asked about the "ratio of girls in a class to boys in a class," but have to solve for the two parts of the ratio first. If you don't write it down, you will not see the end goal as clearly.

2. What is the important information?

Pull out any key numbers, variables, or phrases from the question and write them down on your scratch pad. This is the step most students skip. Don't just scan the screen and start solving. Forcing yourself to slow down and consider each piece of information will give your brain time to sort through it. This is especially important for word problems which can contain unnecessary extra information. This step may lead you to find a faster way to solve the problem!

3. What are the answer choices?

Are the answer choices numbers or variables? Keep in mind that if they are numbers, you can Backsolve or plug in, working backwards to find the correct answer. For variables, or questions with unknown quantities in the question stem, you can Pick Numbers, substituting abstracts like "x" for easy-to-worth-with integers like "2" and "3."

4. Choose your approach and solve.

Now that you've evaluated the question from ALL angles, you're in a terrific position to solve it. You should decide whether it seems easier for you to do the math traditionally or to use a strategy. When you are practicing Problem Solving, try solving the same question in more than one way to see which was faster and more effective. There is no one "right" way to solve GMAT Problem Solving questions!

There are good strategic approaches online for how to approach "Value" versus "Yes or No" Data Sufficiency questions. I'd be happy to review them with you if you'd prefer to review with a live tutor. Otherwise, don't give up! There's a shockingly good amount of info online both here on BTG and GMAT Club!

https://gmatrockstar.com/
Vivian Kerr
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Thank you for all the "thanks" and "follows"! :-)