GMAT Strategy

My scheduled date for GMAT exam is in mid December 2015. Now I have less than 30 days in hand before the exam. Prior to my registration, I did study Manhattan verbal & quant both and solved most of the problems (not entirely) from Official guide (13th edition) for about 4/5 months. But clearly it was not enough. I took my first mock two weeks ago and it was a disaster with less than 500 score. I am absolutely disappointed and least motivated to study further to improve my score and appear for the next mock. I am thinking of rescheduling the exam for February 2016. I need your advice! Thanks in advance!

Gh SwarnZ wrote:My scheduled date for GMAT exam is in mid December 2015. Now I have less than 30 days in hand before the exam. Prior to my registration, I did study Manhattan verbal & quant both and solved most of the problems (not entirely) from Official guide (13th edition) for about 4/5 months. But clearly it was not enough. I took my first mock two weeks ago and it was a disaster with less than 500 score. I am absolutely disappointed and least motivated to study further to improve my score and appear for the next mock. I am thinking of rescheduling the exam for February 2016. I need your advice! Thanks in advance!

Most test-takers struggle on their first exam, no matter how much prep they've done before it. Think of it this way: there are two domains in which you want to become proficient before taking the GMAT: one is the test's content, and the other is test-taking strategy. It sounds like you've been focusing almost exclusively on content so far. If you're able to solve every question in the Official Guide, for example, but it takes you an average of 3-4 minutes per question to do it, well, then you know that your approach isn't suitable for the GMAT. So breakdown the test you just took. Categorize your mistakes: (did you really not understand the math being tested? were there opportunities to use a simple strategy that you missed? did you spend too much time on some questions and then have to rush through others that you knew how to do? etc.) Make notes, and boil those notes down to 4-5 strategic adjustments to make before the next test. Do a little drilling. Then take another test.

As for whether to push back the test, I feel like there's no reason to agonize over this decision. If you don't feel ready, sure, push it back. But because you can cancel your score, there's no real cost beyond the fee/time if you sit for the exam and don't get the score you want.

Dear Rich,

Many thanks for your response. Below are my answers:

1. 660-690
2. Within March preferably. Since my application deadlines follow 20th March, 30th March and 20th April.
3. Yes.4 business schools in Canada.

I would look forward to your advice. Regards.

Dear Rich,

Thank you for your feedback. I have pushed the exam date to 2nd week of February 2016.

I have been following Manhattan guides for verbal and maths materials. First, I review the chapters from Manhattan and then solve the official guide (13th edition) problems as marked at the end of each chapter in Manhattan.

Now coming to the real problems I face while I am preparing for GMAT:

First of all, I work in a corporate section of a multi national company which demands me per day >8 hours for 5 days/week along with loads of stress and tension throughout office hours. Therefore, all my energy drains out after office to push myself to study/solve problems (specially maths). I find it really difficult to concentrate on math problems during office days. During weekly holidays, somehow I feel scared and hopeless; hence, cannot motivate myself enough to study. This surely is a pretty lame excuse. I should work on that. Sometimes I have to work in weekly holidays as well.

Secondly, I have already completed almost 90% of the the chapters from Manhattan and accordingly solved many of the problems from Official guide (13 edition). However, certain math problems are very difficult to me and I have to re-work on them. Besides, I have time management issue for almost all math problems, even the ones I actually can solve without much effort. This time issue applies to verbal problems as well.

and Finally this fear of failure has somehow gripped me. Every time I encounter difficulties in solving problems from GMAT, I have a feeling I cannot make any decent score in GMAT. I dont know how to get rid of this tension.


My Study plan for next 2 months:

-I am currently doing Veritas. After finishing Veritas, I will go back to official guide problems which I marked as Super difficult and will re-work on them.

-My second step will be completing the Veritas.

-My third step wil be practicing further from Verbal & Quantitative review books.

I would really appreciate your view, opinion and advice over my study plan and any suggestion you may have to improve my study procedures.

Many thanks.