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blitz of wrong questions

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by pcmdotcom » Mon Dec 09, 2013 11:30 am
I have taken a few mock tests and there is a pattern to my mistakes especially in the Quantitative section. I realized that after getting a good streak of 5-6 questions right, I get the next 2-4 questions wrong and then another 4-5 right and another 2- 3 wrong averging my score to the 50% percentile. I know how GMAT and CAT works so I am guessing that this is because of an increase level of question difficulty. I also think that GMAT is trying to tell me that I am not good enough for the difficult questions and my actual aptitude is that of 500-600 level questions. When I practice my OG 13 and 12 questions, I actually do pretty well on the hard ones. Same is the case with the Manhattan GMAT question bank question.

Can I get any advise that might solve this problem or at least make it a bit better?
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by David@VeritasPrep » Mon Dec 09, 2013 2:39 pm
Is this happening on the GMATPrep test or on another test?

My guess is that this is based more on concentration lapses and less on difficulty. It is true that the test adapts to you but it does not necessarily adapt in such a way that you would get such a smooth transition of questions getting progressively harder and then you cannot do them any more and you miss a few and then they get easier and you can do them and you get several right again. It really does not work quite that way. In addition to different levels of difficulty there are subjects that must be covered like 4-6 geometry questions or a science reading passage so you may also be better at certain topics.

The one thing that the 3 or so questions in a row that you miss have in common is not likely to be difficulty, or subject matter (unless it is a RC passage) but just the fact that they came at the same time...so a lapse in concentration seems to be a good possible explanation.

Here is a great way for you to think about this for yourself...check those questions that you miss in bunches, are they indeed harder than the ones you get correct? Or do you make some avoidable errors (silly mistakes)?

Have you taken the new Veritas Prep Free Practice Test? If you have can you tell me if the same thing happened there? If you have not, then click the link in my signature line and try that test and then let me know if the same thing happened.
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by Mike@Magoosh » Mon Dec 09, 2013 2:43 pm
pcmdotcom wrote:I have taken a few mock tests and there is a pattern to my mistakes especially in the Quantitative section. I realized that after getting a good streak of 5-6 questions right, I get the next 2-4 questions wrong and then another 4-5 right and another 2- 3 wrong averging my score to the 50% percentile. I know how GMAT and CAT works so I am guessing that this is because of an increase level of question difficulty. I also think that GMAT is trying to tell me that I am not good enough for the difficult questions and my actual aptitude is that of 500-600 level questions. When I practice my OG 13 and 12 questions, I actually do pretty well on the hard ones. Same is the case with the Manhattan GMAT question bank question.

Can I get any advise that might solve this problem or at least make it a bit better?
Dear pcmdotcom,
I'm happy to help. :-)

First of all, a little English advice. You wrote: "Can I get any advise that might ..." What you want is for someone to give you advice (noun) --- in other word, you want them to advise (verb) you.

First of all, here's a blog I will recommend:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/how-to-do- ... th-faster/

What you are asking is a difficult question to answer because all of math takes place in the details. Really to know what is going one here, I would have to see the exact problems you are getting wrong. The pattern of batches of right & batches of wrong is not enough. I would recommend that you post each and every problem as a separate thread --- post the question and write about how you thought about it, why you got it wrong, and what you need to remember in the future, and then ask for feedback from the experts. You are more then welcome to send me a private message with a link to solicit my feedback. The point is to get detailed analysis for each question separately, because all of math is about the details.

The last thing I will say is: how is your attention span? how is your capacity for focus? Do you find your focus goes in and out? See these blogs:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/overcome-g ... y-breathe/
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/beating-gmat-stress/
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/the-gmat-b ... g-picture/
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/zen-boot-c ... -the-gmat/

Let me know if you have any further questions.
Mike :-)
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
https://gmat.magoosh.com/
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