conorpope93 wrote:Bombed my first GMAT 580 (38Q 32V). I have been studying since the beginning of the year, took the MPrep in person class, and have been using the OG, MPrep Materials, and Kaplan Question bank as practice. I just started using a problem tracker. I have been scoring 630-680 on my MPrep CATs (43-45Q and 35-38V) and I got 650 on my Official Practice Test. I have already signed up for another test in July, but I was thinking I need to take a better approach. I really didn't feel that badly about my test and was really surprised. Looking for any advice or alternative ways to study, as I am in full panic mode right now. Any help/advice is appreciated.
Thanks!
Whenever I see students score much lower on the real test than on practice exams (and if, per Rich's questions, they were taking all exams in test-like conditions), it's likely test-taking anxiety might be the big issue. Your mental state can have a HUGE impact on your performance! Try to tell yourself the following:
1. There's no need to stress on any given test, because there's no penalty for taking it multiple times (except the cost of the test itself, which is minimal in comparison to the cost of graduate school). Just tell yourself "if this doesn't go well, I can always take it again."
2. Stress is a good thing! (A little bit of stress, anyway). It means that your body is preparing for a fight - you're in "game-time" mode. Try to tell yourself, "ok, it's good that I'm feeling excitement. That will focus my concentration!"
3. Remember to BREATHE! Your brain needs oxygen. Taking a DEEP BREATH before every question can help reduce the buildup of cortisol & make it easier for you to think clearly.
4. The GMAT is very forgiving. It's ok to guess & move on from any individual problem - even the experts get lots of questions wrong / have to skip on the real thing!
Here are some more resources about managing anxiety:
https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgoniga ... anguage=en
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... aking-out/
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... mat-score/
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... at-stress/
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... anagement/
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... t-wrong-2/
Another thing that students often don't think about, but which can have a huge impact: decision fatigue. When you've made dozens of decisions in a row (as on a GMAT exam), it depletes your ability to make new decisions. One way to combat that - eat something! Increasing blood glucose has been proven to counteract decision fatigue.
"Even the wisest people won't make good choices when they're not rested and their glucose is low,"
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/magaz ... .html?_r=0
It might help to invest in a few sessions with an expert tutor. They can help you to strategize and instill confidence in your approach. I certainly don't believe that everyone needs to spend $$ on tutoring, but an expert can often give you perspective that's harder to get on your own.
Good luck!
