GMAT Strategy

Hi All,
I took GMAT on 20th Nov and scored a disappointing 590 (Q:48, V:23). I was scoring in the range of 33-38 in Verbal in my practice tests. I am planning to retake the GMAT again around (8-15) February 2011. I have 2 months which I think is ample time to improve my verbal (Please correct me if I am wrong here.)
I am trying to gather my broken dreams and have put together study materials which will get me to at least 700. If you can please review the list and let me know your comments/suggestions as it will improve my confidence a bit....

Quant: I bought GMAT club tests before first attempt. I think I will solve them again along with OG12 PS/DS questions (repeat). I dont think I have anything new to learn there. Just need PRACTICE....

Verbal:
RC: I have RC-99 which I will solve over the next two months.

SC: I have read Manhattan SC but I am still making mistakes in SC. I did maintain an error log. I think I will read SC Grail book and then go over the Manhattan SC again. Then I will solve 1000 SC, OG12(repeat) and OG Verbal (repeat).

CR: I thought my accuracy was higher for CR but my disappointing Verbal score doesnt reflect it. I have read PowerScore CR but it was too dry for me. The strategies were too long and sometimes inapplicable. Do you guys think I should try Manhattan CR for my second attempt? I will also solve 1000 CR (LSAT).

Practice:
What do you guys think about Grockit? Is it worth to spend $80? I will be mostly practicing Verbal questions.

Practice tests:
I have exhausted my practice tests collection by giving Manhattan CATs (1 to 6), Princeton 1, GMAT Prep 1 and 2. I can give Kaplan this time and if I buy Grockit, it comes with 5 CATs. I can also take 800Score.com tests.

Guys, Please advise me. I will really appreciate it. Thanks a lot!!

If you scored 33-38 in practice tests, you already know what things you should do. Practice more. Do the OG.

No idea about Grockit. The free services were very good though.

Hi Karanrulz4ever,
I have finished OG twice already. For more verbal practice, do you think 1000SC, 1000CR and RC99 will be helpful? Thanks...

- Prateek

Prateek,

I see you are falling into the classic "trap" of trying to see what MORE you need to do to get a higher score. MORE books, MORE tests, MORE resources..........A line which summarizes this attitude is "I have read Manhattan SC but I am still making mistakes in SC". Believing that mugging up a bunch of rules in grammar can help you solve all SC questions, is same as believing that mugging up all formulae in math will help you crack any quant question. It does not. You know that.

What you should do instead is focus on doing LESS of all this and just MORE of introspection. Go back and just try to internalize where you are making the mistakes, why you are making those mistakes and how you can avoid them in future. When you deliberated between 2 answer choices and ended up marking the wrong one ask yourself - what about the right answer choice did you think was wrong, and what about the wrong answer choice did you think was right.

If I did not underline it enough - Introspect! Do not fall in the trap of believing that solving more questions, and reading more books will help you improve your scores. GMAT, at the end of the day, is a test of your intelligence. If you respect that and start applying yourself - your scores will go north. Trust me on this.

All the best!

Arun