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Is the Battle lost?

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Is the Battle lost?

by viv09 » Tue Jun 05, 2012 7:17 pm
Hello everyone,

I am writing this post in the hope that I get some really good advice on how to proceed further with my battle with the GMAT.

I seriously started preparing for my GMAT in July/Aug 2011.
I joined a Kaplan course in October 2011 & gave my first GMAT in Dec 2011 and got a miserable 580.
A verbal score of 27 against the quant score of 43 pulled me down.

Identifying that Verbal is my weak area, I purchased Powerscore CR and I already had the Manhattan SC book. I practiced a lot for RC as well. As I prepared I gave a lot of practice exams and the highest I got was a 700 in Gmat prep 2.

Finally I gave my exam on June 2nd and got a 600. V28 Q44. I really do not know if this score will get me to any good school. I know that quality work experience can get me into a good school, But I am not satisfied with my score and I want to do well.

I do not know how to work forward from here. The additional IR section is a new hurdle. I have heard and read a lot of good things on this site and I am sure that someone can guide me though this tough time and can help me achieve my goal.
I really want to apply this fall so that I can start my school next year. Can someone please advise on my situation and help me get a move on from here?

Thanks!
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by meanjonathan » Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:29 am
You just need to get your verbal up, so I wouldn't admit defeat just yet.

I took the GMAT the first time last year and scored 700, Q43/V42. This is the strategy I used to score well in verbal:

From what I remember, I focused primarily on the Sentence Correction section. I developed a strategy to quickly weed out incorrect answer choices by scanning for splits.

You'll notice that all the answer choices have commonalities. A grouping of like choices is called a split. Search for the following splits in this order:

1. Pronouns: its it they their them those
2. Subject/verb
3. Promouns who whose which that

Seek these out. These splits contain the most easily identifiable errors.

More difficult splits include:

4. Comparisons (apples to apples, parallelism, as [clause] vs like [noun], etc)
5. Idioms you're sure about -- makes lists of ones you get wrong and learn them!!

Also, learn and understand the subjunctive tense ("If I WERE a rich man" NOT "If I WAS a rich man")

Here's how to implement practice--

Sentence Correction problem #40-69 in the OG--
Go through each problem looking for the above splits, at first one split at at time. Eventually when you get good at this, you'll look for any split you can find, but I found it extremely helpful to start out slowly.

So for instance, go through 40-69, and using a piece of scrap like you'll have on the test, write:

A B C D E

And underneath write each pronoun split in a way you can understand. Cross out splits that are obviously wrong. If you find some that you can solve entirely using just pronoun splits, fabulous! Most though, you won't be able to solve using just one split and some you won't find any pronoun splits. That's okay.

When you're finished, do the same thing starting from scratch but using Sub/Verb splits. Continue with 40-69 for all the different splits.

When you've finished this, then using all splits together, go through the next 30 problems.

Then finish all the Sentance Correction problems you can find.

CRITICAL REASONING

I highly suggest you get the Manhattan GMAT book for this one. Learn the differences between the types of questions, particularly

Conclusions (stay close to the premise--the answer must be entirely true),

Assumptions (look for the GAP... there's a logic gap here, so find an answer that plugs the logic gap end to end; think of a bridge... it has to touch both river banks to work, right?),

Strengthen (look for some new bit of information that doesn't necessarily span the entire logic gap--doesn't have to be a bridge...a new raft in the middle of the river will work for these as long as the new info is possible),

Weaken (simply look for an answer that points to the logic gap)

Types of wrong answers--
1) out of scope
2) backwards
3) too extreme -- especially on conclusion questions

Make sure you read answer fully understand the problem stem first... I recommend diagramming as explained in the MGMAT book.

READING COMP

Read for structure. Read the first sentences of each paragraph and in passages that are just one long dense paragraph look for structural transitions (places where they could have broken the paragraph into two). Pay very close attention to these sentences, taking shorthand notes for quick memory.

Remember, it's all about structure.

There will be two different types of questions: general and specific.

General questions can be answered from your notes and your general impression--you won't have to match answer choices to a particular phrase.

However!

Specific questions you will have to find an exactly phrase with which to match the correct answer.

TIME

I can't stress this enough. Work on your time keeping skills. Check you time at intervals, keep in mind that there are more problems in the verbal section, and remember--If you're not 2 minutes ahead of schedule, you're behind. Skip and move on. This really is so valuable on the GMAT. I really believe they're testing you to see if you're willing to cut your loses.

PRACTICE!!!

Work on as many problems as you can get your hands on. At first just work on accuracy but when you start to build confidence, work on speed. Practice practice practice!!!

Good luck!!!
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by dimochka » Wed Jun 06, 2012 12:01 pm
Have you taken a practice GMAT test on a computer, simulating real testing conditions? That can definitely make a difference. Furthermore, make sure that when you are reviewing your practice exams, go carefully through every question. You need to understand (1) what is the question testing, (2) why was your answer wrong, (3) why is the right answer correct, and (4) why you did not pick that answer. Knowing the answer to these four questions should help guide your responses to similar questions in the future.

You can definitely do better, just make sure you get yourself to the point at which, if you took a test a month ago and you decide to retake it, you are able to do considerably better than last time on it.
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by meanjonathan » Thu Jun 07, 2012 1:09 pm
Yes, I completely concur with dimochka. Practicing taking the Computer Adaptive Exams is just as important as learning the priniciples tested. It's all about balance.

And when you get stuck, remember to breathe. That helps big time! :)
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by viv09 » Thu Jun 07, 2012 2:45 pm
Thank you all for your motivational words. I am planning to take the E-gmat course for Verbal and keep working on my Math side by side..
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by dimochka » Fri Jun 08, 2012 1:12 pm
Great. Feel free to shoot me a message if you need any help / advice.
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