Failed first practice exam w/ 6 months preparation

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I'll start by giving a little bit of a background on myself. I've worked at a big four accounting firm for the past 2 years and would like to go back to grad school to change careers. I started studying for the GMAT in January while trying to balance work(50+ hour work weeks +travel). I was aiming to take the test in July.

I've purchased all of the Manhattan and Kaplan materials and have been studying on and off since then(1 hour per week night,4-6 hours on the weekend). I didn't want to take the diagnostic test right away because I had to brush up on the material. My first plan was to go through all of the manhattan and kaplan books to review the material. I dedicated 1-3 weeks for each Manhattan book while reviewing a couple of the kaplan books on the same material.

I started in the 2nd week of May to go through the Manhattan Verbal and Math review books and have been keeping an error log of the type of problems I am missing. I have not completed all of the books but I have about 30+ problems completed for each type of question and have scored about a 75% of DS, 90% of PS, 93% SC, 78% of CR correct,and 80% on RC.

I started to take actual practice exams on 6/1. I scored a 410 on my first practice exam(GMATPrep Exam 1). I ran out of time with about 10 problems left on the Quant section. The verbal section I barely finished on time. I got a total of 15/37 correct on Quant and 26/41 correct on the verbal section. Needless to say, I am completely crushed by this first practice exam score since most people score considerably higher than this without any preparation. Does anyone have any suggestions or strategies they recommend me taking? I almost feel like giving up.
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by digvijayk » Fri Jun 01, 2012 12:27 pm
Hi SteelersWVU09,

Firstly, thanks for sharing your story. But, there's no such thing as a failure on the GMAT only attempts! That is why, you shouldn't be bogged down. Please search for stories where people have gone from 470 to 700 (actual GMAT), all you have to do is google it.

Secondly,you had about 10 quant questions left at the end and you barely finished verbal, so there alone you were beat. You lost about 150-200 points right there. Try to do the same questions on your own time and you will get most correct!
Why ? Because you are lacking effective test-taking practice, due to lack of time.

Lastly, all's not lost! :) I see you haven't used the one tool that is essential in a test-taker's arsenal: The Official Guide to the GMAT! And you have just taken one test, which obviously doesn't reflect your best score!

So what could you do ? So how do we turn your next attempt into triumph. Here's how:

1. Buy the OG13 or 12. Official is still official! Then, practice the official questions because the GMAT isn't just about concepts. It is about tricks and traps which the test-makers use, which can't be learned, unless you grab a hold of real retired GMAT questions contained within the bowels of the OG! Finish the OG, one section at a time. No hurry in doing questions, first understand the way the test asks questions, then learn as many approaches to solve a problem, so you have as many ways as possible.
2. You have done well by buying the MGMAT and Kaplan's. So now use them wisely. Once you are done with OG, then move on to any study guides which may cover your weak areas. I would focus on number systems and related topics first. Then move on to other guides.
3. Take the test again, this time with a simple timing strategy in mind. Like fixing times for yourself - "When 60 minutes are left, I should have completed x number of questions" and so on. This kind of strategy will help you stay on track.
4. Take GMATPREP 1 again on some weekend(yes that's right, reset and retake). Solve with a cool mind. Consider this practice for being able to sit for the length of the test. Nothing more. Take theonline MGMAT tests too.
5. Tell us about your progress. So we can improvise the strategy.

It's that simple. You're a QUANT and I bet you'll do great on quant. The GMAT is not just about concepts, it is also about timing strategy and understanding of the traps. Please let us know about your progress.

**This is my personal opinion based upon my personal experiences of dealing with the GMAT.