Please advice - 480 to 540 need to take third time.

[IcanDoit2]

Hi everyone,

I took exam on April 10, I scored 540, This is improvement from my previous score of 480, I need to get 650, I am applying for a part-time MBA.

What I did this time -
a) Did OG11, Verbal review, Quant review.
b) CR powerscore bible.
c) Manhattan SC, word prob, num properties.

exams:

1)800score 4 exams - score around 550 - 600, focus was mainly on verbal, on one exam I got 38V- I was thrilled.
2) MGMAT1 , MGMAT2 - scores 570, 560
3) GMAT prep1 550, 570 (took two times)
4) GMAT prep2 560, 610 (took two times), I saw some repeats from OG second time.

I started preparation in Mid Jan, And had a very strict schedule, I worked 8hrs on weekend towards the end and 2 hrs during week day.
I work full time and sometimes it gets tough when I hit books. Verbal is my problem. I keep scoring consistently 44-47 in quant in practice exam. Well, their is scope for improvement in Math also, but Verbal is below par. I need to do something about that.

I am planning to take exam again - may be in a month. I need help to improve my verbal score. I have finished all OG material, and I know most of the answers so I don't think it is a good practice. Please recommend some strategy for me. What should I read now ? Is princeton a good book to start for the third time or Kaplan ?

To break it up

a) SC - I can still refer to OG 11 and verbal review - I donot remember every answer. But might need some fresh material.
b) CR - I remember most of the answers. I need some other material
c) RC - I need more material.

Well , besides above quantity, I need to formulate strategy. I need help on these:

a) Timing - How can I improve on timing. I normally run out of time around 28-30 question in verbal, I will have 4 mins remaining and 10 questions left.

b) How do I recognize my weakness - on some days I get all CR's correct, on some days I get 70% RC questions correct, they all vary based on the complexity of the question. Their is no doubt I need to improve on SC's.
Is their a way I can diagnose what could be my weak area. please advice.

c) How long do you think I may need to break 600 boundary ? I know this is a hard question, but any ball park will help.

d) What should be my practice tests for third time - I have taken gmat prep so many times, I keep seeing the repeat questions. Can you please suggest what should I do for third time ?
- I was thinking powerprep - any comments on that.
- I have 2 mgmat's left
- do you recommend taking kaplan and pr ?

e) I am really frustrated with my result. The amount of time I have put in is enormous, And I am not ready to give up.

f) My GPA in MS was 3.9 and back in engineering I was university topper. But I have been working in US for 13 years. So I am good at what I do. Just not in that gmat verbal mode. I speak and write good English, I have serious timing issues on exam, SC haunt me, RC I feel lost sometimes, I guess due to pressure of time.

Please help me formulate my third take. I am not going to give up, I am going to fight back till I get 650, I need your feedback and help.

Eagerly waiting for the response. This site has been enormous help, Great work from moderators and Stacy of Mgmat Kudos!! on your dedication to help.

Thanks
Icandoit2.

[codesnooker]

Dear Sir,

Since you have great experience in engineering. topper during college days and as you mentioned you were putting more stress on improving verbal only, then I consider that you must be good at Quants.

In verbal, getting random scores generally indicates the poor (I am sorry for using "poor" over here) knowledge of the subject. Anyone can hit random score just by guessing in the exams. Am I correct?

Now the question is how to increase score on verbal?

As for me, as English is not my first language, so this is the area of problem for me. But their is a solution to every problem and for this problem its very simple but requires lot of work.

SOLUTION
90% SC and CR contains some pre-defined patterns. The key is how quickly one can make himself able to identify those patterns. The power of identifying the patterns is different for everyone, some recognizes it early, some take more time. But it can be increased by working on the weak areas.

You devised engineering solutions, so making ways to identify patterns would be easier for you.

However, You may wonder with the thought that how some people without stressing on identifying the patterns, can still identify the errors. The fact is that they also look for the patterns but due to regular practice, it just seems that it just in their blood.

You can correlate this with yourself, as you may able to solve some engineering problems which other people do not. You have already studied a lot on SC and CR, now try to spare some time on identifying the patterns, it will definitely improve you a lot.

Regarding RC, finding patterns still very hard and I guess there is no solution apart from practicing the things.

Another thing that I find in your post that you have already given 2 GMAT test one after another and now planning of 3rd in next month. The thing continuous attempts for anything work into two opposite direction for different people. For some people, continuous attempts are very useful and they get strong with each attempt but for most of the people usually a break is required after few attempts. That is, after a pause some people take a great leap.

For example. for a hardcore gamer/programmers, when sometimes they struck into a level/problem, no wonder how many attempts they made but it would not solved. Taking a bit rest (like spending 5 or min on coffee and gossips), and trying again, will solve the problem in the same attempted. Strange but it happens with most of the people. So you may need to be despo about something but may be a break is required.

Since, I don't know much about you, so this you need to analyze yourself, that a pause will be more effective for you or the another continuous attempt.

I hope it will help you a bit.

Good Luck from my side.

PS: Experts comments are welcomed.

[IcanDoit2]

Thanks for the insight codesnooker.

I am not weak in verbal, its all the factors under timed conditions make me stressed. And Its not fluke or random guesses that is causing my low verbal, If I have enough time I can solve atleast 80% of questions correctly. At the same time I don't claim I am very strong in verbal.

BTW - I got my AWA today it's 5.0

a) I off the bat right now. I donot want to give a big break, My first exam was in Nov 2007. I am going to take exam sometime in May, I need 620+, I will be happy even if I break 600 boundary. Sounds pathetic doesn't it ? People think of breaking 780's and here I am thinking of breaking 600's, Oh well..I guess its just me.

b) Well, all I need right now is some fresh material and direction.

Thanks again.
- Wheels of the bus go round and round all thru the town....