GMAT Strategy

Dear everyone,

First, I would like to apologize in advance since this post is long. However, I seriously and urgently need help to score a 700+ or a 750. Please bear with me.

I am in the middle of my GMAT preparation. I am an undergrad college junior and I initially have a goal of scoring a 750 or a 700+ in the GMAT. However, after taking my first GMATprep just now, I received a devastating score of a 480. My confidence was shattered. My hopes were undermined. My 480 score even initially prompted me to stop my MBA endeavor. Then, I remembered what most people in this blog say which is to never give up. I was also inspired by Eric’s quote that “people don’t fail, they just give up.” Given this, I am really not going to give up and I will still aim for a 750 or a 700+ but to do that I will need some advice from you guys. I know many people will consider my 750 or 700+ goal as unrealistic given I just scored a 480 but if I accept that, it would be tantamount to giving up. Therefore, I kindly urge you guys to please give me an encouraging solution and not a discouraging one.

Here is the backdrop of my preparation. I initially started preparing for the GMAT last February 21. Actually, I started studying around November and December but I only allocated 30 min. per day and I actually do not know what GMAT is all about in the first place. Then come January, I created a study plan based on Kaplan’s syllabus. Due to papers, exams, reports and the like, I was always sidetracked from my preparations. After all the requirements, I started to seriously prepare for the GMAT last Feb 21. I made a new study plan that combines Kaplan and Manhattan resources. Again, the same scenario happened. My school requirements interfered in my preparations. I was very inconsistent in my preparation. I did my best to still study despite the inconsistency and the overflowing requirements that I was receiving back then. I was unsuccessful. I thought to myself that I would come back studying very seriously (and this time consistently) during my summer vacation last March (I live in the Philippines so our summer vacation starts every end of March). Same thing happened. Instead of school requirements interfering, it is now family activities and other vacation activities that interfered in my progress. I was very frustrated at my inconsistency. I knew inconsistency was my problem. Because of my inconsistency, I ended up revising my study table for five times !!! I was really really disappointed and frustrated. Then, everything changed from April 3 to April 12. In that span of time, I was able to consistently study the OG. I studied and understood the last 30 to 50 questions (i.e. the “hard” questions) of each section of the GMAT and the OG. This raised the level of my confidence. But again, the inevitable came. I started my summer classes last April 13. Once again, I suffered 6 days of unproductivity. I was again frustrated and disappointed. By this time, I really wanted to know where I stand. So I thought I want to take a GMAT Prep to know where I stand so I can make a solid and consistent. Before taking the GMAT Prep, I know I was at a bad shape. I had 6 days of unproductivity. I had forgotten the things which I have studied because of my inconsistency. Even still, I knew that I was able to study a lot already. It’s just that I was inconsistent which is why I have forgotten what I have already studied. I was hoping that I would score at least 500+ because of the times of my unproductivity. However, I was very shocked to get a 480 in the end.

My self-assessment on the test is that I always had problems managing the time. I would always ran out of time and would end up guessing undeducatedly without elimination due to time constraints.

Here is my score:
Quant --> 29 (17 / 37)
Verbal --> 27 (19/41)

Here are my materials:
• Kaplan Premiere Program 2009
• OG (orange one)
• Manhattan turbocharge your GMAT
- Math study guide
- Math solution guide
• OG companion
- Haven’t studied yet
- Just ordered this yesterday
- Received great comments about this from Tedcornell’s posts

Here are the things that I have done so far:
• Finished the Manhattan math book study guide lessons and exercises
• Studied thoroughly and answered the last 30 – 50 items per section of the GMAT in OG (except DS)
• Studied verbal concepts (RC, CR, and SC) in Kaplan Premiere program 2009
• Did a practice in CR in Kaplan

I believe that if I were consistent enough and had the right material from the start, I would have scored a 600+ in my initial GMAT Prep. I think consistency is really my problem before.

My problem now is that I only have 39 days left before my actual GMAT exam (May 29, 2009). I bought the OG companion because I think it can significantly raise my quant scores with the many strategies and guessing techniques it has provided for each of the quant items in the OG. I also plan to “practice a lot with great quality” all my verbal skills (SC, CR and RC) using Kaplan’s CD ROM exercises and OG’s questions.

I plan to use the strategy of the guy who scored 790. This strategy employs one to study a section (preferably a math weakness like PS or DS) for 2 weeks. Then, the next week, study the next section (preferably a verbal weakness like CR, etc) while doing same problems of last week. I plan to this until May 29, 2009.

My question now are the following:
• I know it may sound unrealistic to jump from a 480 to a 750. Since most people tell that one can only increase his or her score of about 100 points and it can be lower if one is self-studying. I am self-studying. However, as mentioned, I am not quitting on my goal to score a 700+ or a 750. Do you have any advices as to how I can do that in 39 days?
• What strategy should I do?
• Do you recommend any additional materials which I should study?
• How can I solve my inconsistency which is deem is the culprit of my 480 massacre score?
• Should I reschedule my test date? I can only reschedule it up to June 9 since my regular semester (which is more stressful and more work loaded) will resume on June 10. I don’t know if this is advisable. I might end up in my usual inconsistency if I reschedule more than June 9.

I am willing to give myself 4 to 6 hours every day to study for the GMAT so I can get around 150 hours of study before my May 29 test day (which is almost the same as preparing for two months). I am even willing to just submit my application materials to IESE YTP next April instead of this May (since deadline is before May of graduating year). I am willing to spend a lot of time to study just for me to cross the 700+ margin. What should I do? I know I can do this. My inconsistency is really the problem. Please do not discourage me. I already was. I just gained some of my morale back after reflecting.

Thank you very much and God Bless,

480 to 750 is very unlikely as you've pointed out. Please let us know if you find GMATFix OG Companion as useful as I did. Even with the best materials and dedication, it's such a big jump to cross in 39 days. I really really hope you can reach 700+

Why are you not considering getting a tutor? If it's a good tutor who knows not just the materials but how to teach them, maybe he/she could help you reach a higher score faster?

TedCornell wrote:480 to 750 is very unlikely as you've pointed out. Please let us know if you find GMATFix OG Companion as useful as I did. Even with the best materials and dedication, it's such a big jump to cross in 39 days. I really really hope you can reach 700+

Why are you not considering getting a tutor? If it's a good tutor who knows not just the materials but how to teach them, maybe he/she could help you reach a higher score faster?

Pls stop promoting your gmatfix in this forum.Folks need help to ace GMAT not through your almighty gmatfix you are implictly advertising here all the time.
Folks should beware of this guy.

Thanks for replying guys.

Regarding getting a tutor, the truth is I don't know if there is any tutor who can work closely with me here in the Philippines. In fact, as far as I know, there is even only one industry selling services and materials for reviewing the GMAT and that is Kaplan. Their tuition is very expensive. I don't know how expensive it may be to hire a tutor. Furthermore, if I do get to find a tutor, I don't know whether his or her capability is enough to help me cross the 700+ boundary in 39 days. For me, it's a matter of lack of information and cost-saving that is preventing me from hiring a tutor.

I would appreciate more helpful comments from people who have the same circumstances.

Thank you

Gabriel Ignacio wrote: I plan to use the strategy of the guy who scored 790. This strategy employs one to study a section (preferably a math weakness like PS or DS) for 2 weeks. Then, the next week, study the next section (preferably a verbal weakness like CR, etc) while doing same problems of last week. I plan to this until May 29, 2009.

It's an uphill battle. But don't give up because WINNER never quits! It's good that you're following a study plan, but focus more on what's best for you in terms of spending more time either in QUANT or VERBAL or equally. Focus on weaknesses. What are you doing to improve and make sure the same mistakes does not occur again?

The following thread should help improve timing and consistency by constantly timing yourself and critically examining the weaker portions from the GMATPrep 1 exam. This is exactly what I am going through right now and I firmly believe this should indeed help in breaking the barrier.

https://www.beatthegmat.com/gmat-720-95- ... t7227.html

Gabriel Ignacio wrote: My question now are the following:
• I know it may sound unrealistic to jump from a 480 to a 750. Since most people tell that one can only increase his or her score of about 100 points and it can be lower if one is self-studying. I am self-studying. However, as mentioned, I am not quitting on my goal to score a 700+ or a 750. Do you have any advices as to how I can do that in 39 days?

As cliched as it may sound "Where there is a Will there is a way"! It is doable and achieveable, you'll just have to work doubly HARD. You should be willing to solve 40 Quant + 40 Verbal timed questions everyday, come may what. In addition, you should channelize your energies in minutely identifying and spending more time on the weaker parts of VERBAL and QUANT. If you're getting consistenly wrong in RC's, focus on reading passages from www.economist.com or www.sciencedaily.com, but you should be able to extract the CENTRAL idea within the time frame of 3 mins for short passages and 4 mins for long passages.

Gabriel Ignacio wrote: • What strategy should I do?

Identify what works best for you and accordingly schedule your studies, attack the GMAT stuff even while you simply just sudying. Each session should be like learning something new. Focus on "take-aways": What new tricks did I learn today? If this type of twisted question asks, will I be able to peel away all the layers and focus on the core problem that is being asked in the question?

Gabriel Ignacio wrote: • Do you recommend any additional materials which I should study?

I certainly believe that you have got all the BEST materials that one needs to conquer GMAT. So focus hard, harder than anything that you have focused up until now!

Gabriel Ignacio wrote: • How can I solve my inconsistency which is deem is the culprit of my 480 massacre score?

As someone has said it takes 99% HARDWORK + 1% Luck to achieve SUCCESS. There is only 1 KEY TO SUCCESS: PRACTICE + HARDWORK. Be patient, but willing to extract the MAX out from the available options that you have. Be Bold when you answer questions, don't be skeptical about your thoughts. Revisit the mistakes that you made over again and again to ensure they don't occur on any other GMAT Prep exams that you take. The mistakes that may occur should be new mistakes not old ones'

Gabriel Ignacio wrote: • Should I reschedule my test date? I can only reschedule it up to June 9 since my regular semester (which is more stressful and more work loaded) will resume on June 10. I don’t know if this is advisable. I might end up in my usual inconsistency if I reschedule more than June 9.

If breaking the barrier 700+ is your ultimate GOAL, then do what it takes to achieve that GOAL. Evaluate your priorities and FOCUS on what's practical + achieveable in the time frame that you have.

Gabriel Ignacio wrote: I am willing to give myself 4 to 6 hours every day to study for the GMAT so I can get around 150 hours of study before my May 29 test day (which is almost the same as preparing for two months). I am even willing to just submit my application materials to IESE YTP next April instead of this May (since deadline is before May of graduating year). I am willing to spend a lot of time to study just for me to cross the 700+ margin. What should I do? I know I can do this. My inconsistency is really the problem. Please do not discourage me. I already was. I just gained some of my morale back after reflecting.

Yes indeed you can do this and you should be able to achieve this feat, God willing, you will achieve this feat, BUT keep timing yourself on all the problems that you solve even if it's just 2 problems. Identify if there are quicker alternate ways to answer the same question. If so, try to analyze which approach sounds better- yours or alternate one? Which one you will be able to remember during exam frenzy?- yours or alternate one? Concentrate on "take-aways" for each question that you anwer- VERBAL or QUANT. What did you learn after solving 40 questions daily from VERBAL + QUANT? Be HONEST. Like TUTORS who has advised on this forum who have said "Be HONEST to yourself. If you come across the same problem, do you just pick the answer from choices or do you usualluy go through the sweet pain and labor to identify the correct answer to the question?"

Choice is yours! No one said it's going to be easy, but No one neither said that it's Impossible because IMPOSSIBLE is nothing!

Gabriel Ignacio wrote: Thank you very much and God Bless,

Blessing counts a LOT, but HARDWORK adds to the Blessing making it more sweeter God Helps those who help themselves and we all wanna help ourselves and others to achieve the task at hand! So, Let's do this!

Cheers

I have been struggling as well with this exam but I have found a few great, patient tutors that are very willing to help me. I'm not trying to promote or advertise a site, I just want to make sure you are getting the best help available. Check out some of the classes on this site; I recommend Jordan Hart's classes.

www.edufire.com

I would mention others but I see you have used them already as you have listed them above. Let me know if this helps...it's helping me hope it helps you.

Hill

Whoah! Very sweet, nice and most of all, inspiring words. Thank you very much Kanha81. NGUFO's story and your advices, i think, are all I need to get back on track.

Thank you also Hillary Jane for the resource of a tutor. I always prefer self-study ever since though. If worse comes to worst, I may seek outside help.

its not over until the fat lady sings!

personally i don't believe that it will be impossible.. anything is possible if you put your heart into it.

i don't think you'll need to study 4-6 hours a day to achieve this.. its all about consistency and the will to want to achieve.

As hillary mentioned, a tutor would help you a lot in my opinion.. maybe there are certain parts of the English language that you might not realize you are struggling with, a 2nd prospective would be able to solve that.

good luck!

Thank you very much for the advice Siownschu for your advice. I might look into that option if everything fails.