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Just done GMAT-610 V27,Q47_need to improve verbal

Critical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension
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Just done GMAT-610 V27,Q47_need to improve verbal

by gau123 » Tue Aug 18, 2015 8:16 am
Hello

I just did my first attempt and scored 610. I am planning to give gmat again and improve my verbal score.
In last few months I have studied Manhattan SC, OG- verbal, Aristotle SC, Aristotle CR and Aristotle RC. I guess I must have answered more than 100 questions for SC, CR and RC.
But seems I need to change my strategy.

Can anybody help me with the online course or some guidance on how I can improve my verbal score? I am planning to give GMAT again by Mid Oct, or Oct End, so that I can apply to schools in the II round at least.
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by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Tue Aug 18, 2015 8:36 am
Can you give us more details? How did your verbal score on the official test compare with your verbal scores from practice tests? Do you have a sense of which categories within verbal you struggle with the most? (And if not, it might be worthwhile to get the enhanced score report, so you have a clearer idea of how to allocate your future study time.)

Last, when you worked through the Official Guide, did you thoroughly dissect the questions you completed and understand why each incorrect answer choice was wrong, or did you work through the book relatively quickly?
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by [email protected] » Tue Aug 18, 2015 8:45 am
Hi gau123,

I'd like to know a bit more about your studies so far and your goals:

1) You mentioned the 'last few months", but how long have you actually studied?
2) How have you scored on each of your practice CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?

3) What is your goal score?
4) Do you know which Schools you're planning on applying to?

From what you've described, you've taken a 'book-heavy' study approach so far. Many Test Takers get 'stuck' at a particular scoring level using that type of approach and that may be a factor in why you scored 610. Thankfully, all of that can be improved/fixed, but you will likely need to invest in some new resources.

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by gau123 » Tue Aug 18, 2015 8:53 am
HI

I did revise sentence correction questions twice- once immediately after I completed the questions and one week before the exam.
I used to revise CR and RC immediately after I attempted them.
My weak area is nothing specific. I find all the sections tough.
My mock scores were worse than actual GMAT.
Though my verbal score was more or less similar. I used to score 25, 27, 28 in mock tests. But my overall score was very poor in mock tests, i scored 560, 580.

In my last mock I got SC-6 wrong, CR- 6 wrong and RC- 7 wrong. And am not able to finish all the questions. last few questions I attempted randomly.
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by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Tue Aug 18, 2015 10:50 am
So it sounds like the official test was more or less in line with what you'd been experiencing on practice exams. The next step then is to figure out a comprehensive plan to address all verbal areas. My advice: shop around using various free platforms/trials until you find something that works well with your learning style.

Here is our free Sentence Correction lesson:https://www.veritasprep.com/gmat/free-gmat-lesson/
And our free question bank for additional practice: https://www.veritasprep.com/gmat-question-bank/
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by [email protected] » Tue Aug 18, 2015 6:50 pm
Hi gau123,

Your practice scores and your Official Score are not as far apart as they might appear. GMAC has publicly stated that the Official Score that you earn on Test Day is within +-30 points of actual ability. Assuming a similar 'swing' in how practice CATs function, with a low of 560 and a high of 610, your scores all 'in range' of the high-500s. This is meant to say that your performances were fairly consistent with one another.

You did not technically answer any of the questions that I asked in my last post; I'd really like to have those answers so that I can give you the most appropriate advice possible.

Given your Verbal scores, it's clear that you're losing points in all 3 Verbal categories (SC, RC and CR).

1) What 'steps' do you go through when dealing with each of those question types?
2) What tactics are you using?
3) How often do you just 'narrow it down to 2 choices and then guess?'

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by gau123 » Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:56 am
Hello

Sorry I missed your questions.
My responses to your questions are

1) What 'steps' do you go through when dealing with each of those question types?

CR: 1. Read the argument, read the question
2. According to the type of question i eliminate one- one choice

SC: 1. Read the sentence
2. Try to analyze with the sc strategies and try to find the error in the sentence while reading the sentence.
3. Read the options one by one and then eliminate the wrong answer choice.

RC: 1. Read passage
2. Read questions, and most of the times i refer back to the passage



2) What tactics are you using?
'
Well, tactics differ question to question, sometimes in CR, I try to find assumption before going to options, in SC if the whole sentence is underlined, then instead of reading the question, i immediately go to answer choices
Everytime I am not able to finish the test, and hence out of 4 RC passages, I HAVE to skip one RC and i randomly click the answer choices.


3) How often do you just 'narrow it down to 2 choices and then guess?

For all the difficult questions and few medium level questions, I get stuck between 2 choices, and then I try to apply some logic and choose one of the options.
If I try to do low difficulty level questions, I think I will get them all correct, as I have revised SC strategies sooo many times. But when it goes beyond 700 level questions, I just get confused mostly between 2 choices and apparently end up choosing the wrong one.

So that's my story. I don't know how to improve this? Earlier I thought that solving more questions will help me, but I don't think that was the right strategy.
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by [email protected] » Wed Aug 19, 2015 10:47 pm
Hi gau123,

Unfortunately, most of what you've described is not particularly strategic. In most cases, it sounds like you're just reading the prompt, then trying to eliminate answer choices. You're not likely to score at a high level working in this way (and your Verbal scores seem to prove it). Enrolling in a more structured, guided GMAT Course of some type is probably warranted.

What is your score goal?

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