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need guidance urgently

by sharikasanjay » Tue Oct 25, 2016 4:53 am
Hi, I am a ece engineer graduated in may 2016. In my journey through under graduation i analysed my strengths and skills and decided to apply for an mba in the future, when i was given the guidance to start gmat prep immediately. my first attempt (jun 2015) resulted in a poor score of 550 where i had no preparation time and just knew the pattern due to lack of time in the university curriculum. I gave another attempt after some self study and series of mock test practise and little material. I scored 680 and similar in those mock tests but in the actual test i scored 510 (sept 2015). i had given up on my dream and continued my under graduation and applied for jobs. after bagging 6 jobs my parents kicked some sense and asked me to follow my dream and prepare for gmat. As soon as i returned home i took the gmat course from princeton review in july 2016 and had attended the whole course until august 2016. due to some personal engagement i haven't been able to do any prep practice ever since.
I have gmat official guide 2017, princeton quant and verbal reviews. Please can you guide me how to prepare with these sources to score a 750 by jan next year?? the following are my scores in the mock tests i gave during august this year, 1) 430 v:14 q:36 2) 490 v:21 q:37 3)490 v:19 q:39 (all these are just taken for 3 hrs without awa and ir)
These have been worse than my attempt without any preparation. i seriously need guidance because i understand the strategies and apply them in the short practice tests but in the full length tests i am finding it difficult to score. I recently joined this community and understand how it works. Some of the stories have inspired me to prepare again and not give up. However i am unable to access the blogs authors are mentioning. can someone help me with that as well.
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by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Tue Oct 25, 2016 8:06 am
To achieve a high GMAT score (750 in your case), you must:
  • 1) Learn the concepts and techniques tested on the GMAT (e.g., circle properties, divisibility rules, past perfect tense, equation-solving, etc.)
    2) Master GMAT-specific strategies (e.g., testing the answer choices, rephrasing the target question, identifying subjects and verbs in sentences, etc.)
    3) Understand the many different ways the test-makers can test your knowledge of each concept
    4) Hone your test-taking skills (e.g., endurance, time management, guessing strategies, etc.)
Many students make the mistake of limiting their preparation to item #1 (and perhaps item #2). So, once they fully grasp a concept and successfully answer 1 or 2 related questions, they move on to the next topic. The problem with this strategy is that the test-makers can take any concept, no matter how simple, and create dozens of wildly different questions , each requiring a different approach. So, to achieve a great score, you must answer a lot of practice questions specifically-related to each concept tested on the GMAT.

Given all of this, I recommend a systematic approach, in which you take the time to thoroughly address each topic/concept. So, for each topic/concept, you should:
  • - Learn the underlying concepts (rules, attributes, notation, etc.)
    - Learn GMAT-specific strategies related to that topic
    - Practice dozens of questions all related to that one topic.
    - Don't stop working on that topic until you have mastered it
Then, and only then , move on to the next topic.

Our free course is specifically designed with this approach in mind. For example, at the bottom of the lesson page on inequalities (https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat ... /video/979), you'll find links to dozens of practice questions that test the specific concepts covered in that one video.

Having said that, you can use the same approach with ANY prep course. To help you fully explore the ins and outs of each topic, you can use Beat the GMAT's question-tagging tool (https://www.beatthegmat.com/forums/tags/gmat-math). This will give you access to tons of topic-specific practice questions.

Finally, your study plan should include several full-length practice tests. Keep in mind that the GMAT is a test of your math and verbal skills AND it's a test of your test-taking skills. So, 700-level math/verbal skills, combined with 600-level test-taking skills, will likely result in a score that's closer to 600 than to 700.

I hope that helps.

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
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by [email protected] » Tue Oct 25, 2016 2:09 pm
Hi sharikasanjay,

To start, a 750+ score goal is right around the 99th percentile, so it's one that most Test Takers are never able to achieve. Thankfully, no Business School will actually require that you score that high to be granted admission. So the score that you 'want' and the score that you 'need' are probably not the same thing. That having been said, it's certainly beneficial to score at a high level, so you can (and should) still aim high.

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 your CATs function, your various score results show that you essentially performed the same each time (and your general ability level is right around the low-500s). Raising this score to a 700+ will take some serious time and effort - you will likely need at least another 3 months of consistent, guided study to get to this level. Since your prior studies have not led to a meaningful improvement, you will likely need to invest in some new GMAT materials with an emphasis on learning and practicing some new Tactics.

1) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
2) What Schools are you planning to apply to?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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by sharikasanjay » Tue Oct 25, 2016 8:41 pm
Thank you for the guidance brent and rich. I have no issues on the time frame and more than ready to put more efforts. I completely understand that the score i aim n what i need is totally different so when i research on more schools i ll have a clearer idea. At present i decided this score as i have no work experience n with that high percentile in gmat and all the other acadmeic cut offs,i can have an edge over the many applicants. But i shall work on the school search more intensively now. I was planning to apply 2-3 years after my gmat because i plan to gain some experience in The fields of pr or marketing. So say i give my gmat in 2017 then i would want to join a b school by 2019/20. However i seek guidance for what schools to apply to. I obviously dream for the ivy leagues but i want to major in pr or marketing. Hence i am searching on which schools have special rankings for the courses. I was guided to follow stacy blackman to understand better about how to look for courses as well as how to apply. However i m unable to access her blog like ursala's or any other blogger because the page says i need to be invited. Please can you guide me on how i good get its access? What material should i use? Which study plan i should follow? Where can i get more prep material immediately??
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by Scott@TargetTestPrep » Thu Oct 27, 2016 5:40 am
Hi sharikasanjay,

I'm sorry to hear about your GMAT struggles. Success on the GMAT takes not only grit and determination, but also a well thought out study plan. Since you have been studying since 2015, you surely have the determination you need to succeed; however, your study plan seems to be lacking consistency and focus. If you can get on a path that allows you to fully learn the content and reasoning tested on the GMAT, you will have a great shot at GMAT success.

Since your quant and verbal skills seem to need a significant amount of improvement, you may find it beneficial to take a slow and steady approach to your prep, so that you can ensure you're learning each GMAT quant or verbal topic prior to moving on to the next topic. If you find that you are still struggling with some basic concepts, you may consider reviewing those concepts first, before moving on to more advanced topics. For example, you might start with basic fraction operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division), manipulation of basic algebraic equations, solving quadratic equations, basics of data sufficiency, etc. Once you master those basic concepts, you will find it much easier to learn more advanced GMAT quant topics.

Once your fundamentals have improved, you can continue with more advanced topics. Remember, since there is so much to learn within each GMAT topic, you may find it helpful to focus on one topic at a time and follow up your learning in each topic with specific practice. You want to master one topic before you move to the next.

For example, if you are reviewing percents, cover as much as possible about percents: percent less than, percent greater than, variable percents, and percent change. Then it will help to do numerous practice problems on percents (50 or more). The results of that practice will allow you to determine how well you have mastered that topic. Such a process will be helpful for all topics tested on the GMAT.

I see that you plan to use the official guide for your prep. The Official Guide is a great book because it has official questions from past GMATs, but it has limited instruction and does not provide full exposure to all GMAT topics. Thus, since you plan to self-study, you may also consider using an online self-study course.

As opposed to GMAT prep books, self-study courses typically provide detailed study plans and have granular analytics, so you can easily track your progress as you move through a course. By being able to track your progress, you will remain more engaged, and you'll be able to more accurately forecast when you are ready to take your real GMAT.

If you do not know which GMAT study resource to use, you might find it helpful to check out the course reviews here on Beat the GMAT.

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to reach out to me directly. I'm always happy to help. Let's do this!

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder and CEO
[email protected]

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by [email protected] » Thu Oct 27, 2016 10:50 am
Hi sharikasanjay,

Since you're not planning to apply to Business School for several years, you can focus on your GMAT studies, 'lock in' a competitive score, then have the freedom to work on the other parts of your application later on. As such, you can set your own pace and you have the freedom to approach this process as you see fit (and make adjustments as needed).

When it comes to studying for the GMAT, there are a variety of different options. Most GMAT Companies offer some type of free materials (practice problems, Trial Accounts, videos, etc.) that you can use to 'test out' a product before you buy it. We have a variety of those resources at our website (www.empowergmat.com). I suggest that you take advantage of all of them then choose the one that best matches your personality, timeline and budget.

If you have any additional questions, then just let me know.

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by Scott@TargetTestPrep » Tue Nov 01, 2016 7:53 am
Sharika -

It was very nice speaking with you. After our call, I thought about some articles that may help you further:

https://blog.targettestprep.com/how-long ... -the-gmat/

https://blog.targettestprep.com/improvin ... -the-gmat/

https://blog.targettestprep.com/how-to-s ... -the-gmat/

https://blog.targettestprep.com/get-exci ... her-score/

https://blog.targettestprep.com/how-to-g ... questions/

https://blog.targettestprep.com/3-critic ... mat-score/

Very Best,

Scott
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by Bara » Fri Nov 04, 2016 2:12 pm
My colleagues here have all offered great solutions to your test-prep focus. I recommend the additional three things to consider.

1) Time management is not to be taken lightly. Gain some time, on one aspect of test-taking, you get more time on other what we call, 'value-rich' opportunities (answering questions). Where can you find this extra time? Your reading speed. Increase your reading speed without compromising comprehension, and your whole test score has the opportunity to improve.

2) Mindset. Who are you going in to take your test. Are you sleepy? Nervous? Feel defeated? Obviously, none of these emotional states are ideal for your test-taking prowess, so take inventory and then take the steps to feel confident, focused, energized (but relaxed) to perform you very best.

3) Admissions Consultants! There are some wonderful folks online here and elsewhere, who can help you determine which schools to apply to and what you need to do for your candidacy to get there. Don't assume you need to be in the 99th percentile. There might be other aspects of your candidacy that you need to bolster which will have a greater impact. That said: Yes. It appears you need to improve your score, but take stock in all you need to do, then plan your time line accordingly.
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