GMAT Strategy

Hi:

Prior to yesterday, I had too much pride to post my difficulties with this exam. Now, I have no such pride.

I've been studying pretty regularly since mid end of March. ~1 hour a day + 3-4 hours on weekends and am taking a MGMAT class.

Here are my scores

3/21 - Princeton Review - 490 (32Q / 30V)
4/4 - GMAT Prep #1 - 620 (46Q / 30V) - employed more time on front end and rushed back end strategy and did Essays
4/20 - MGMAT #1 - 530 (34 Q / 30V) - employed more time on front end and rushed back end strategy and did Essays
5/23 - MGMAT #2 - 520 (35 Q /26V)
5/31 - MGMAT #3 - 520 (40 Q / 22V)
6/16 - Kaplan #4 - 620 (34Q / 42V) - Yes, weird
6/26 - Kaplan #5 - 590 (37Q / 34V)
6/29 - GMAT Prep #1 - 620 (42Q/34V)

I registered for my test days ages ago so I registered for Aug 3 2pm and Sept 11 11am.

I have no idea what the issue is. I went back to exam yesterday and I could do them when calm. Of the 13 Q I missed, in hindsight, I could do 7 of them with relative ease. As for the 10 V missed, I could do 4 of them with relative ease.

I'm clearly a very nervous test taker. I get jittery, shake my knee, start cussing and struggle. I don't know what to do. I don't drink coffee, have limited my caffeine and carbonated drink consumption.

With MGMAT exams, I struggle to finish. On Q, I will get to question 35 and on V I will get to question 40. GMAT Prep I was able to finish both times with like 10 seconds to spare. (got the last one right on each section)

With Kaplan #4 - it was the only test that I took where I felt calm. I didn't think that Q section was particularly difficult and didn't think the V section was either. I took this exam in my hotel room whereas the rest of the exams I have taken here in my non airconditioned room in a house.

I don't know if its that I haven't improved or that I'm too jittery or I don't know what the issue is.

I'm scared to take another MGMAT exam because if I see another score less than 600 I think that would shred the modicum of confidence that I have left.

In terms of issues, I think I'm a slow reader. English is my first language but somehow - even though I was a liberal arts major and did a lot of reading in school, I still think I need to read slowly in order to really grasp.

In GMAT class, I think I do pretty well. I've done all of OG Q and its not bad. I'm doing 11th edition now. I've done all of OG V SC and I didn't think they were bad either. of 100 SC, I think I only missed 10.

One issue I think is that I feel really comfortable with picking numbers and algebra I don't like to employ that much.

Here's an example:

Number of stamps that Kaye and Alberto had were in the ratio of 5:3. After K gave A 10 stamps, the ratio of the number K had to the number Alberto had was 7:5. As a result of this gift, K had how many more stamps than Alberto.

Initially, I thought - ok, I've seen this question type before.

5/3 = K/A.

K - 10 / A + 10 = 7/5.

Try and fumble over the Algebra and after about 1:30. I say - ok screw it, just guess and check. I look at the number choices and think to myself - what are good numbers to pick.

100 / 60. 100 - 10 ... no that won't work.

hmmm

150 / 90.

150 - 10 = 140. Check. 90 + 10 = 100. Check. HUZZAH!

K = 140
A =100.

40.

But that was after 2:45 ish.

I'm afraid that situations like this will occur on the test. I don't think I'm particularly bad at Algebra, I feel like I just get jittery and then resort to picking #'s / guess and check mechanics as opposed to algebra.

I feel like I can't take GMAT Prep #1 again - because in the Q, I probably will remember the answers and I want to save GMAT Prep 2 for a week before the exam.

My MGMAT class teacher said, "I've never scored higher on an MGMAT exam than on the real thing" - which I think would really shake my confidence if I take another MGMAT exam. The math is killer and verbal seems somehow harder than OG / GMAT Prep / Kaplan.

I don't know what the issue is. I would like to blame testing conditions because the only place that I had complete tranquility was with my Kaplan #4 exam in that I took it in a noise free suite hotel room whereas the rest of the seven were taken in a room with a fan blowing and roommates kid learning to talk but I'm guessing the real thing will probably be on the louder side as opposed to utter silence?

So that's my background. Any help or suggestions would be great. I've read many posts on this board and have employed the strategies that have been recommended (props to Stacy and the Mayo Managing Director guy who have made posts that I feel has helped me a lot)

My thought is that my first 620 was an outlier and that my current 620 is closer to where I'm actually at?

In my head - I'm thinking - well if I get my best V and best Q score together - I'm gravy - 46/42 = 720!. Even a 40 / 40. 2 months ago - I had 3 months to go from 620 - 700. Easy. Now I've got 35 days and I'm "still" at 620?

I dunno. Also, if someone can comment on how they employ attention to detail that would be great. I've been told this by my managers at work many times regarding nits / detail issues so I'd like to be more detail oriented when it comes to game day.

I'm not sure if this matters but my Myers Briggs personality type is ENFJ. Maybe that helps to diagnose something? I dunno - like I said, any ideas would be great - because I think I'm out.

Thanks so much. I really appreciate your help.

Very Warmly,

Doclkk