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GMAT Verbal stopping me from writing the test

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GMAT Verbal stopping me from writing the test

by abcd12340 » Wed May 09, 2012 4:33 am
Hi All,

I want some guidance on how to handle the Verbal properly. I know I can handle the thing when un-timed but each time I try to do it (should be Verbal as per GMAT standards) in time controlled conditions, I panic a little in the beginning by thinking only about time. Then i get my senses to relax and start with the questions (after first eight usually) at ease. The panic attack gets pulled on me again during the last ten-twelve minutes.
As a result of all the situations stated above, I bomb a series of questions in the beginning and in the last. This obviously hurts my score bad bad badly.....:(

I am sure it is just the timing issue because as I mentioned- barring the time, the score is acceptable.
Please help me instructors. My GMAT is two weeks from now. That's after my rescheduling it. :( (Hope that does not get counted anywhere by the colleges during the process of selection).

I need a path to tar the road of my major issue. (I guess GMAT is bringing out the philosopher in me :P ) And all the instructors and experience holders reading this, please chip in.


Help!! Help!! Please respond ASAP as this is urgent.

Regards,
GMAT Aspirant
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by arun@crackverbal » Wed May 16, 2012 11:09 pm
Hello,

Let me clarify - I assume that you are able to solve those questions in under 2 minutes when you are NOT taking the test. The rest of my advice is hinged on this :)

Try to cut your test into 5 shorter length tests of 15minutes and 8 questions (for Verbal) or 7 questions (for Quant). It helps to focus on each of these 5 mini-tests and make sure you complete these. That way even if you have to guess - you are able to guess early on rather than make random guesses towards the end. So say in the first set of 15 minutes you are at question 6 - then go ahead and guess the next 2. So each set of 15-minutes you have your goal cut out for you.

However once you are able to get over this anxiety problem then go back and see if you can spend maybe a few more minutes in the first block of 15-minutes without panicking since the adaptive algorithm would penalize you more for a mistake early on.

3 quick things you can try:

1) Apart from this try some breathing, meditation exercises it definitely helps. Just try to focus yourself about 5 minutes before the test and take deep breaths telling yourself this is not the end of the the world (actually it is not! :P).

2) You may even seen professional help and get some meds for this if you feel it is a bigger problem. I believe it is not affecting your GMAT practice tests alone. I would assume it would impact other parts of your life so better to get a solution for it.

3) You have not mentioned how many you have taken? Which tests have you taken? Are you taking these tests in a simulated condition? Are you taking it at work where you are uncomfortable? In any case another solution is to take more tests than usual - not so much to gauge yourself but to put yourself at ease.

Let us know if this works,

Arun
Founder of CrackVerbal - India's fastest growing GMAT Prepration and MBA Admissions Consulting Company. https://gmat.crackverbal.com

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