Got a 620: Need help

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Got a 620: Need help

by Darshan.D » Mon Jul 14, 2008 6:36 am
Hi

I've given the GMAT in May and scored 620 (Verbal - 28 Quant - 47 AWA - 4.5) I've got 28-32 in verbal consistently before the test day. My main problem areas are RC followed by CR. I seem to narrow down to 2 options easily and pick the wrong one.

Also, I would be on track for a good score till Q no. 33 (around the last RC) in verbal and would get 4-6 Q wrong on a trot Consistently during the test. I don't get enough time for the last 8-10 Q's due to the last RC and have to guess on the same.

My target is 700+ and plan for a second attempt around 20th Sept. I had done the OG, Kaplan Premier, Manhattan SC and Princeton and now seem to have run out of resources. Although I've got the Kaplan Verbal book & OG Verbal book and plan to refer some LSAT books as well for CR & RC.

Kindly help me with Study plan:
1) How much time should be dedicated for Quant and Verbal sections?
2) How frequently to take the practice tests? and which ones? (i had already given Kaplan CD tests, GMAT PP and some GMAT practice paper tests)
3) How to improve timing?

Thanks
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by VP_Jim » Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:48 pm
Hi Darshan,

Obviously, your math is fine. I don't think you need to devote too much study time to that section - just make sure you don't lose your skills. I'd estimate that you should spend maybe 20% of your study time on quant.

As for improving pacing, the best way to do that is to continue to take computerized tests - paper tests don't help much. I'd recommend laying off the tests for a bit until you study more, then take about one per week for the last 4 or 5 weeks before your test.

Good luck!
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by Darshan.D » Fri Jul 18, 2008 11:23 pm
Thanks a Lot.. will revert back soon

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by Stacey Koprince » Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:49 am
Couple of other things.

First, whenever you're doing GMAT-format problems, time yourself. Hold yourself to the timing - pretend it's the test. Everybody should be doing this anyway, but you need to especially if you already know you're having timing problems.

Second, if you don't have the score you want yet, you aren't done with OG. Nothing else out there is as good. You only learn a marginal amount by doing problems in the first place. Most of what you learn comes in the analysis you do after you do the problems. (That's not to say you don't learn anything by doing the problems in the first place - you obviously do! But you can learn a TON more by analyzing the problems after you've done them.)

In verbal, make sure you're studying not just why the right answers are right but why the wrong answers are wrong. One game I like to play is to guess which wrong answer I think is the one that is most commonly chosen. That is - which wrong answer is the most tempting one? And then, why is it so tempting? Why is it wrong anyway, even though it's tempting? Basically, what is so tricky about this particular question?
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by Darshan.D » Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:21 pm
Hey Stacey
Thanks a lot. I had been rushing through the analyzing part till now but I think your game is interesting yet effective. Will work on the same :)