Hi Experts,
My "judgment date" is coming in a few days and I have tried 3 GMATPrep exams so far with the results as below:
Exam Score Math Score verbal Score Verbal - CR Ave. time Verbal - RC Ave. time Verbal - SC Ave. time
650 47 33 39 2:48 24 1:41 35 1:19
700 45 40 42 2:12 35 2:34 41 1:02
700 48 37 37 2:29 32 1:42 41 1:31
Two major problems I found after reviewed those mock exams:
1, Bad timing on Verbal. I spent about 75-90 seconds on SC and 150 seconds on CR respectively on average, causing me sometimes have to skip on RC passage as a whole;
I really want to know where and how I can make SC within 60-70 seconds per question and make CR within 120-130 seconds per question? For SC, generally, I could figure out right answer immediately after I reviewed those wrong ones, so I think I don't have the problem on the "knowledge" base but I don't know how can I speed up a bit.
For CR, I do find 1-2 challenges questions I cant figure out the answer even when I spent quite a few minutes in my after-exam review session, but generally speaking I can pick up the right answer with given generous time, I did all the OG 13 and Verbal 2 CR twice but I have to spend about 3 minutes on each of the questions with correct rate on 90%, but again the real challenge to me is the time, I can not deeply comprehend the passage, build up the logic structure and split over those twisted answers within 120 seconds, I really appreciate it if there is any advice to me.
2, I made a lot careless mistakes over and over again on Math:
I made most of my mistakes on CR, always 6/10 and 4/10 on PS:
a) Overlooked the restriction on "different integers" on an question about median concept;
b) Ignored the possibilities of "multiple of integers" in a ratio problem;
c) mistakenly JUST chose a wrong answer after I figure out the right one;
d) Did not see that the graph already offers the value of the length of a square;
e) In DS, when evaluating (2), mistakenly add (1) into (2);
f) ......
Also, I always lack of time for 1 or 2 questions, I also need to improve my timing strategy on math.
There is nothing about concept, knowledge but purely on my mentality, how can I change that and make me more focus (I m even sitting in a very quiet environment), highly appreciate your advise!
Thank you so much! Michael
5-Day Free Trial
5-day free, full-access trial TTP
Available with Beat the GMAT members only code
MORE DETAILS
Help!!! verbal timing strategy and math careless mistakes!!!
This topic has expert replies
- Attachments
-
- Mock Exams results and timing.xlsx
- (11.56 KiB) Downloaded 60 times
GMAT/MBA Expert
-
ceilidh.erickson
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 2095
- Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 3:22 pm
- Thanked: 1443 times
- Followed by:247 members
Hi Michael,
Generally, my advice for you on timing would be to make sure that you consistently time yourself while practicing, and cut yourself off at 2:00 min on CR, for example. Since you're taking the exam in a few days, though, it will be harder to rewire your timing strategy. That doesn't mean that there's nothing you can do, though. So here's my advice...
Skip questions! If your accuracy is best when you're spending 2:30 on CR and 1:30 on SC, know that that extra time has to come from somewhere else, and decide to throw away certain questions. For example, if your accuracy is low on the CR boldface questions, when one of those comes up, just lock in a guess answer and skip it within 15 seconds. You've now earned almost 2 extra minutes to spend on other questions. Skipping 2-4 questions during the test won't hurt your score very much (if you're judiciously skipping the ones that you were more likely to get wrong anyway). You'll get that one wrong, but then probably the next one right.
If you let time run out, though, and don't get to the last 4 or 5 question, then your score drops down steeply from there. Getting strings of wrong answers in a row is much more harmful than a smattering of wrong answers throughout.
On the Quant, it sounds like a lot of your careless mistakes come from not reading the question carefully enough. You miss key pieces of the question, or solve for the wrong thing. So here is what you do: don't click and answer bubble until you've re-read the question! Yes, it will take slightly more time, but it will improve your accuracy dramatically. And just like on verbal, if you skip 1 or 2 questions to give you that extra time to improve your accuracy on others, you will be better off in the long run.
Good luck!
Generally, my advice for you on timing would be to make sure that you consistently time yourself while practicing, and cut yourself off at 2:00 min on CR, for example. Since you're taking the exam in a few days, though, it will be harder to rewire your timing strategy. That doesn't mean that there's nothing you can do, though. So here's my advice...
Skip questions! If your accuracy is best when you're spending 2:30 on CR and 1:30 on SC, know that that extra time has to come from somewhere else, and decide to throw away certain questions. For example, if your accuracy is low on the CR boldface questions, when one of those comes up, just lock in a guess answer and skip it within 15 seconds. You've now earned almost 2 extra minutes to spend on other questions. Skipping 2-4 questions during the test won't hurt your score very much (if you're judiciously skipping the ones that you were more likely to get wrong anyway). You'll get that one wrong, but then probably the next one right.
If you let time run out, though, and don't get to the last 4 or 5 question, then your score drops down steeply from there. Getting strings of wrong answers in a row is much more harmful than a smattering of wrong answers throughout.
On the Quant, it sounds like a lot of your careless mistakes come from not reading the question carefully enough. You miss key pieces of the question, or solve for the wrong thing. So here is what you do: don't click and answer bubble until you've re-read the question! Yes, it will take slightly more time, but it will improve your accuracy dramatically. And just like on verbal, if you skip 1 or 2 questions to give you that extra time to improve your accuracy on others, you will be better off in the long run.
Good luck!
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
GMAT/MBA Expert
-
[email protected]
- Elite Legendary Member
- Posts: 10392
- Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pm
- Location: Palo Alto, CA
- Thanked: 2867 times
- Followed by:511 members
- GMAT Score:800
Hi MICHAELLIU,
With just a few days before your Official GMAT, there is probably not too much that you can do to change your tactics (you've been practicing a certain way for so long that HOW you approach the GMAT is likely "hard-wired" into your brain at this point).
That having been said, there are some minor changes that you might be able to implement (and the problems that you describe are not that big - they're mostly "mechanical").
1) In the Quant, silly mistakes happen BECAUSE you don't take enough notes. For example, when the question stated that a group had to be comprised of "DIFFERENT integers", did you actually write those 2 words on your pad? My guess is that you probably did not. As an experiment, try doing it right now. How long does it take? 3 seconds? Now you can proceed with solving the question and that necessary information will be staring back at you from the pad, right next to where you're doing the work.
2) Most pacing problems in the Verbal are actually due to reading and re-reading parts of the prompt/answers. With SCs, are you reading each answer all the way through? Doing that means that you're not looking for (and taking advantage of) the grammar/pattern "splits" that appear in most SCs. With CR prompts, how many times do you read the paragraph? If you're reading actively and taking notes, then you can get through many paragraphs in 1 try (although re-reading certain parts of the prompt might be necessary to catch all the details that matter).
Remember that you have to work hard on Test Day to score at a high level and "working hard" does NOT mean doing work in your head.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
With just a few days before your Official GMAT, there is probably not too much that you can do to change your tactics (you've been practicing a certain way for so long that HOW you approach the GMAT is likely "hard-wired" into your brain at this point).
That having been said, there are some minor changes that you might be able to implement (and the problems that you describe are not that big - they're mostly "mechanical").
1) In the Quant, silly mistakes happen BECAUSE you don't take enough notes. For example, when the question stated that a group had to be comprised of "DIFFERENT integers", did you actually write those 2 words on your pad? My guess is that you probably did not. As an experiment, try doing it right now. How long does it take? 3 seconds? Now you can proceed with solving the question and that necessary information will be staring back at you from the pad, right next to where you're doing the work.
2) Most pacing problems in the Verbal are actually due to reading and re-reading parts of the prompt/answers. With SCs, are you reading each answer all the way through? Doing that means that you're not looking for (and taking advantage of) the grammar/pattern "splits" that appear in most SCs. With CR prompts, how many times do you read the paragraph? If you're reading actively and taking notes, then you can get through many paragraphs in 1 try (although re-reading certain parts of the prompt might be necessary to catch all the details that matter).
Remember that you have to work hard on Test Day to score at a high level and "working hard" does NOT mean doing work in your head.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
