So I have a quick question about the quant section.
In every practice test I've taken, including the GMATPrep test 1 and 2, and the manhattan tests, I've scored over 41 verbal, and over 41 quant (usually 42-44). Yet on my last 2 GMAT attempts, my verbal kept up with that track record, while my quant dropped to 35-38. I think my main issue is timing, but not in a traditional sense. When I'm working at home, and even taking a simulated practice test, I seem to subconsciously tell myself "if I see a hard question that I think I can work out, I'm gonna go for it even if it costs me a couple minutes". And at home, I consistently get these questions right, but end up with 3-4 questions at the end that I have to rush through and make educated guesses on. The thing of it is, for some reason, my particular quant ability allows me to get harder questions right, make careless mistakes on easier questions, but also make very informed educated guesses on short time. I've tried everything I can to work through this deficiency, but it's just something I have to live with at this point. What I end up doing during the live GMAT is pressuring myself to move on from questions that require a good deal of work, for fear of losing time, yet then screw up easier questions down the line, killing my quant score. I also consistently try to do "easier" questions in my head. I honestly get the feeling this is what's happening to me. It's like the timer, regardless of what it says, is just looming over me during the real deal, and I can't seem to shake it.
So my question is this: Do I go into the GMAT with the same mentality as I do at home, and allow myself some leeway on time, even if I end up having to work overly quickly on the last few questions? I really feel like, even working quickly on the last few questions, this strategy produces better results for me, because instead of rushing myself early on in easier questions and lowering the difficulty level of the subsequent questions the test is throwing at me, I'm making sure to hammer out the more difficult questions that I do see. My guess is that the way I work on the real test, I'm getting to 36 in the same time that I get to question 33 or so at home, yet at home I'm seeing 650+ level questions instead of 550, with nearly the same likelihood that I'll get the remaining questions right or wrong.
Is there any way that anyone knows of to just.....settle the hell down during the test, and make sure I'm thorough in my work on the easier questions as well as the hard? I'm willing to try just about anything, because coming away with a 610 or 620 when I'm routinely scoring 700ish at home is quite annoying.
And yes, I do the AWA and verbal at home as well.
In every practice test I've taken, including the GMATPrep test 1 and 2, and the manhattan tests, I've scored over 41 verbal, and over 41 quant (usually 42-44). Yet on my last 2 GMAT attempts, my verbal kept up with that track record, while my quant dropped to 35-38. I think my main issue is timing, but not in a traditional sense. When I'm working at home, and even taking a simulated practice test, I seem to subconsciously tell myself "if I see a hard question that I think I can work out, I'm gonna go for it even if it costs me a couple minutes". And at home, I consistently get these questions right, but end up with 3-4 questions at the end that I have to rush through and make educated guesses on. The thing of it is, for some reason, my particular quant ability allows me to get harder questions right, make careless mistakes on easier questions, but also make very informed educated guesses on short time. I've tried everything I can to work through this deficiency, but it's just something I have to live with at this point. What I end up doing during the live GMAT is pressuring myself to move on from questions that require a good deal of work, for fear of losing time, yet then screw up easier questions down the line, killing my quant score. I also consistently try to do "easier" questions in my head. I honestly get the feeling this is what's happening to me. It's like the timer, regardless of what it says, is just looming over me during the real deal, and I can't seem to shake it.
So my question is this: Do I go into the GMAT with the same mentality as I do at home, and allow myself some leeway on time, even if I end up having to work overly quickly on the last few questions? I really feel like, even working quickly on the last few questions, this strategy produces better results for me, because instead of rushing myself early on in easier questions and lowering the difficulty level of the subsequent questions the test is throwing at me, I'm making sure to hammer out the more difficult questions that I do see. My guess is that the way I work on the real test, I'm getting to 36 in the same time that I get to question 33 or so at home, yet at home I'm seeing 650+ level questions instead of 550, with nearly the same likelihood that I'll get the remaining questions right or wrong.
Is there any way that anyone knows of to just.....settle the hell down during the test, and make sure I'm thorough in my work on the easier questions as well as the hard? I'm willing to try just about anything, because coming away with a 610 or 620 when I'm routinely scoring 700ish at home is quite annoying.
And yes, I do the AWA and verbal at home as well.
