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DEVASTATED------Scored 330!!!!

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DEVASTATED------Scored 330!!!!

by kanchank » Sat Aug 22, 2015 9:54 am
I just took my second Diagnostic MGCAT test yesterday, and got a Low score of 330... :|
Q11/V21....

I figured time was my biggest enemy in Quant, as I ran out of time on 29th Question and missed the rest of 7 to 8 question, due to which I was heavily penalized.
I just feel lost and do not know how to move forward from here. I have done around a month of intense studying ( 5 to 6 hours daily) using Manhattan books, plus went through some basics as well using my sister's SATS books.
Honestly, SC is not my thing at all, as even after learning Grammar from Manhattan Sentence correction ,I feel lost when I see the question and can hardly Identify mistakes.
My Strength is CR questions, I love to tackle such question. However, I guess due to stress or anxiety I got those questions wrong as well in the diagnostic.
Further to all this, I have been practicing Maths OG question with a Tutor, but still that just doesn't seem to help.

I just don't know what I am doing wrong. I was never a really bad student, plus I graduated with First Class HONS in Business with Finance. In addition to this, I have around 2 years experience of Insurance and Banking Sector, but had to leave my job to start working on my own Business plan.

However all said ,GMAT has just been a pain. I just don't know how to jump my score from 330 to 700+, in around 2 months maybe, as I am planning to apply to some of the Top universities for MBA , by at least round 2 or round 3.

PS- nope can't wait till next year, as I have work commitments.

Kindly suggest me what to do at this stage and time. as currently I feel low and lost. :( :( :(
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by [email protected] » Sat Aug 22, 2015 1:47 pm
Hi kanchank,

Since this is just a practice CAT, you shouldn't get too upset by the result. Instead, you have to use it as a learning experience, determine what you need to work on, then get back to work. Thankfully, the GMAT is a predictable, standardized Exam, so you CAN train to score at a higher level. Based on what you've described though, there are a number of 'issues' with your study plan and timeline, so some adjustments will have to be made.

1) Two months is NOT enough time for you to increase a 330 to a 700+. That is just too big of a challenge and that timeline is unrealistic. Starting from this 330, I would expect that you would need at least 3 more months of consistent, guided study time.

2) You mentioned how this was your SECOND CAT. How did you score on your first?

3) Since you're studying for the GMAT, you should be using GMAT materials (NOT SAT books/materials). If you're interested in free math help, then I recommend that you set up an account at Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org). The site is completely free and makes the learning a bit more fun and 'game-like' (as opposed to the dry academic approach taken by most books). While the site is vast, you should limit your studies to basic Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry.

4) You're likely going to need to invest in a GMAT Course of some type (either Guided Self-Study or instructor-led) to learn the proper tactics and work within a structured Study Plan.

How much time can you commit to your studies in a typical week?

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Rich
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by kanchank » Sat Aug 22, 2015 10:56 pm
Hello,

Thanks for the reply.

I took my first diagnostic before I started preparing, just to get an idea of GMAT, that was around a month ago and I got the same score of 330, as I mostly just guessed through all the questions.
As my study material, I am using Manhattan Guides with OG's. I only referred through SATs book just to get the hang of basic maths. However, Khan academy, is a much better idea, will get on with it.
I can invest around 5 to 6 hours on week days and 8 hours on weekend (I just get one day off).

Could you give me some study tips in general to improve my timing on the test?.

Regards.
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by [email protected] » Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:27 am
Hi kanchank,

The pacing problem that you've described doesn't exist on it's own - it's the result of OTHER problems. By making adjustments to how you deal with Quant and Verbal questions, your scores (and pacing) should improve. Right now, your focus should be on building up your content knowledge, tactical ability and organization (your note-taking, work-flow, etc.).

As far as other things that might be impacting your performance, here are some things to consider:

1) Do you read the entire question before you start taking notes and working on it? If so, then that means that you're reading each question at least twice (and you DON'T have enough time for that).

2) Do you choose to do work "in your head" (as opposed to writing everything down)? Doing work in your head almost always takes longer than doing the same work on the pad. If you repeatedly choose to work in this way, then you'll be wasting LOTS of time.

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by Matt@VeritasPrep » Sun Aug 23, 2015 12:46 pm
I'd also consider spending less time on official GMAT material and more time on some math refreshers, such as Khan Academy or Purple Math. I've found that students scoring below the 30th or 40th percentile often are scoring low because they haven't had a good review of their fundamentals, but once they do, they tend to improve dramatically. The issue is that GMAT problems won't help you with your fundamentals; these problems assume that you already have those fundamentals mastered inside out.

Remember, if you keep doing the same thing, you'll keep getting the same result. If math is still hazy, take a step back and make sure you get the basics. They're easy to learn, and once you get them everything else will make so much more sense.
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by Rich@EconomistGMAT » Mon Aug 24, 2015 8:25 am
Hi kanchank,

Just want to 3rd what everyone here has said - before you can focus on GMAT-specific strategies, it sounds like you'd benefit from focusing on some of the fundamentals for a while. Khan Academy is a great place to start, but it'll be good to know what your original timeline was as well. 330 to 700 is a large jump, so you'll need to invest quite a bit of time and effort to boost your score.

Best,
Rich
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