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690: 30 point increase to 720?

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by MartyMurray » Sat Dec 13, 2014 2:30 pm
hmgp22 wrote:How difficult would it be to improve 30 points from a 690 within a few weeks of studying?
I haven't touched the GMAT for 5 months though.
That obviously depends on, among other things, how much of a stretch the 690 was, how rusty you are from that five months and how busy your schedule is with other things.

Overall, does not sound so difficult to me.

Just find some areas you can improve in that have high returns on time invested in doing so and work on them.

Each improvement you make could translate to an about 5 - 10 point score increase.

Psychology is huge too. Even just a change in attitude or psychological approach could be worth tens of points. Even better timing could conceivably make a 30 point difference.

One thing you could do is find a good question bank like those from Veritas, Bellcurves Quant, or maybe Magoosh, and just do question after question until you are a pro.
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by [email protected] » Sat Dec 13, 2014 5:25 pm
Hi hmgp22,

Academically-speaking, a 690 and a 720 are almost the same performance (GMAC has publicly stated that the score you earn on the Official GMAT is within +-30 points of actual ability). So asking "is it possible" to improve that much in a few weeks...the answer is YES.

However, there are a number of factors that you have not defined, so before you schedule another GMAT, it would help if you answered a few questions:

1) What was your prior Official Score (including Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
2) A 690 is a great score (it's just shy of the 90th percentile), so why are you thinking about retesting?
3) How did your 690 compare to your practice CATs from that same time period? Was the 690 a "step up" or did you score in the high 600s on multiple practice CATs?

Since you haven't done any GMAT-related work in the last 5 months, it's important to get a sense of your current ability level. You should plan on taking a FULL-LENGTH practice CAT (don't skip any sections) and report back with your scores. From that data, we'll have a better sense of how much work you would need to do and whether retesting is even worth it.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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by hmgp22 » Mon Dec 15, 2014 12:54 am
Hi Rich,

Thanks for the reply. Answers to your questions below:

1) 690 (47Q 37V)
2) I have to retake because I was recently waitlisted at a top 10 program. I asked for feedback, and they mentioned to reconsider retaking.
3) I scored in the mid to high 600s and a few low 700s prior to taking the exam, so I would say is right around what I expected. I'm having trouble consistently above 700 in my practice CATs

I'm very worried that since I haven't touched the GMAT in 5 months, this would be a gargantuan task. I don't have much time left as I anticipate the school would like to hear something soon.

What do you think I should do?
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by manyaabroadtpr » Mon Dec 15, 2014 3:31 am
hmgp22 wrote:How difficult would it be to improve 30 points from a 690 within a few weeks of studying?
I haven't touched the GMAT for 5 months though.
Hi,

As you have mentioned that you haven't touched the GMAT for 5 months, we would advice you to follow the below steps and see if your scores are improving or not.

1. Start with a mock test. This will help you identify your strong and weak areas
2. If you plan to do self study, get your hands on the best preparatory material available in the market. You can speak to your seniors, get feedback on forums like pagalguy to seek out the best in the market
3. Joining a coaching institute is recommended because it gives a structure to your preparation. Remember cracking GMAT is not just about working hard but working smart as well
4. Make a study time table for yourself that suits you best. You can start with spending 2 hours every day and as you move closer to your test date, start increasing your study hours
5. Keep taking mock tests in real test taking situations. However, more important than taking a mock test is to analyse your performance in the same. If you spend 2 hours on a mock test, spend 6 hours in analysing the same. Figure out ways by which you can continuously keep improving your score
7. Make sure you stay consistent with your schedule. This is extremely important

A good overall profile is also important apart from a good GMAT score.Consult an expert and make sure you are simultaneously working on making your profile better if required

For any further query, please do let us know and we would be happy to help

www.manyagroup.com
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by [email protected] » Mon Dec 15, 2014 10:32 am
Hi hmgp22,

If you applied to just this one program, and a short-term deadline for retesting is implied, then you might have to retest. I say "might" because you were not rejected - you were just waitlisted. This means that you might get an invitation as is. If you've applied to several programs, then you might choose to wait and see how everything turns out. If you're still wait-listed after Round 2, then you could retest and still be in consideration for Round 3.

Assuming that you choose to retest, we still have the same unknowns as before. You haven't studied in 5 months, so we need a sense of your current abilities. To that end, you should take a FULL-length CAT (one that you have NOT taken before) and report back with your scores. From there, you'll probably be better able to define what areas you're "rusty" on and we can talk about what new resources you should look into.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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