GMAT Strategy

Hi,

I started working on the GMAT in early September and have achieved the following scores in practice CATS prior to taking my first test centre exam on 15th Oct:

- 590 (Q: 36, V: 35) - GMATPrep (5th Sept) - this was a 'cold take'
- 680 (Q: 38, V: 44) - GMATPrep (20th Sept)
- 640 (Q: 41, V: 36) - Manhattan (4th Oct)

I then took my first test centre exam on 15th Oct, and scored 710 (Q: 41, V: 44). I was pleased with the overall score, but wanted to push up my quant by 3-4 points, so decided to book in another exam for 26th Nov.

I've since taken two practice CATS using Veritas Prep and had a real set-back, with a set of awful scores:

- 590 (Q: 34; V: 36)
- 580 (Q: 37; V: 32)

My test centre exam is booked for 26th Nov and I was aiming for 720 based on my first take of 710, but now I am having serious doubts. Are the Veritas Prep CAT exams much harder than others or have I just seriously declined?

Thoughts appreciated!

Thanks.

national01 wrote:Hi,

I started working on the GMAT in early September and have achieved the following scores in practice CATS prior to taking my first test centre exam on 15th Oct:

- 590 (Q: 36, V: 35) - GMATPrep (5th Sept) - this was a 'cold take'
- 680 (Q: 38, V: 44) - GMATPrep (20th Sept)
- 640 (Q: 41, V: 36) - Manhattan (4th Oct)

I then took my first test centre exam on 15th Oct, and scored 710 (Q: 41, V: 44). I was pleased with the overall score, but wanted to push up my quant by 3-4 points, so decided to book in another exam for 26th Nov.

I've since taken two practice CATS using Veritas Prep and had a real set-back, with a set of awful scores:

- 590 (Q: 34; V: 36)
- 580 (Q: 37; V: 32)

My test centre exam is booked for 26th Nov and I was aiming for 720 based on my first take of 710, but now I am having serious doubts. Are the Veritas Prep CAT exams much harder than others or have I just seriously declined?

Thoughts appreciated!

Thanks.

Anecdotally, I can tell you that my students have, on average, performed better on the official test than they had on the Veritas practice exams. The value of the practice exams isn't the confidence boost that we get from seeing higher scores - it's the strategic adjustments we can incorporate before we take our next one. So go over those tests thoroughly. If there are areas you need to review, make note of them. If there were questions you spent too much time on, be aware of that. If there were opportunities to employ strategies that you missed, make note of that as well. Take another Veritas test with your adjustments in mind. Repeat the process again. Then, take another official practice test or two: https://www.mba.com/us/store/store-catal ... ack-1.aspx

There's every reason to believe that you'll be able to hit Q45+ and 720+, but it's important to pinpoint where you need to make your adjustments.

Keep us posted...

national01 wrote:Hi,

I started working on the GMAT in early September and have achieved the following scores in practice CATS prior to taking my first test centre exam on 15th Oct:

- 590 (Q: 36, V: 35) - GMATPrep (5th Sept) - this was a 'cold take'
- 680 (Q: 38, V: 44) - GMATPrep (20th Sept)
- 640 (Q: 41, V: 36) - Manhattan (4th Oct)

I then took my first test centre exam on 15th Oct, and scored 710 (Q: 41, V: 44). I was pleased with the overall score, but wanted to push up my quant by 3-4 points, so decided to book in another exam for 26th Nov.

I've since taken two practice CATS using Veritas Prep and had a real set-back, with a set of awful scores:

- 590 (Q: 34; V: 36)
- 580 (Q: 37; V: 32)

My test centre exam is booked for 26th Nov and I was aiming for 720 based on my first take of 710, but now I am having serious doubts. Are the Veritas Prep CAT exams much harder than others or have I just seriously declined?

Thoughts appreciated!

Thanks.

What was your final score?