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620, 660 and Retaking - Seeking help :(

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620, 660 and Retaking - Seeking help :(

by rami26 » Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:52 am
My first attempt was a total disaster as I lost track of time during the test and did not perform to my best in both sections. (Q 44 V 35 and total 620). My preparation time was 3 months but I had not taken many mock tests and so I realized that cost me dearly.

I retook the test after a year. This time I had taken several mock tests and made sure I was comfortable handling time and mental fatigue during the actual test. However, my score was Q48 V33 660. I gave up on myself while I was attacking the verbal section. I still am not able to understand why I did that. At the end of the Quants section, I knew I did Quants section decently well and I made use of the breaks too, to refresh and prep myself up for the Verbal section. However, towards the end of the verbal section, I lost confidence and gave in to pressure which resulted in bad Verbal score. During my mock tests I scored consistently in the Verbal section - V37 or V38. I was really disappointed with my attitude during the exam - as in giving in to pressure / losing hope and focus. It is completely disheartening and I am not at peace with myself.

I am retaking the test in a month. But I really need advice on how to stay focussed and motivated when it really matters. I have been reading all the success stories and this forum has been a great help. All your preparation and hard work doesnt matter if you are not mentally strong. Has anyone faced these challenges? Can someone share their experiences and help me overcome this?

Aim: To tame the monster (Mind/GMAT - either-ways I win !!!)
Target: 700+
Quote: Even when you see no light or the end of the tunnel, it is better to move forward seeking light than to stay in the dark lamenting !
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by ChrisB » Fri Nov 30, 2012 3:59 pm
The GMAT is very stressful psychologically. The keys to withstanding the pressure come from both understanding the scoring system and having a consistent technique for each question type. As for the scoring, very roughly and simplistically, if one wishes to score 700, do not miss many questions below that level, attain 50% accuracy at that level, and worry not about questions harder than said level. If you have achieved your target score on accurate practice tests, you can have confidence that if you answer the questions that you know correctly, you will earn that score. In that scenario, the questions you can't answer don't matter because you have proven that the ones you know how to do were sufficient to meet your score goal. It's an attitude adjustment---it is the ones that you know how to solve that are important, not the ones that are too difficult. Thus, like in the stock market, invest in the winners.

It is also calming to have a consistent technique. That is, you know how you will attack each question type. It's like working on an auto assembly line, a question comes by every two minutes so you need to have a collection of efficient repeatable motions. As you would physically if you were playing a sport or a musical instrument. You want to be able to classify each question rather than constantly re-inventing the wheel.

Forget about questions once you've confirmed them as they are no longer relevant. Remember that the general feeling of hopelessness, etc. is normal human anxiety and often does not relate to performance. [In contrast and in reference to the first paragraph, when you read a specific question twice and hear a voice saying, "This is not going to end well," listen to that voice---that's not paranoia, that's the truth. Invest in winners.] Also remember that a 700 scorer will miss more than a third of the questions---do not apply school accuracy standards. Finally, anxiety requires both part of your mind and energy. Actors are told to fight stage fright---which is similar---by "putting that energy into the doing." Put your energy into executing your techniques.

I hope that you find this helpful
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by rami26 » Sat Dec 01, 2012 10:01 am
Chris, Thanks for the post! "Invest in the winners" sounds like a good approach especially during stress and time crunch !! One should never lose hope or evaluate his/her performance during the test! I have read it several times in several articles, but still find it hard to actually follow. I guess actively attacking the current question and not giving into pressure will help fix this. I really hope I get a good score this time on !
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