GMAT Strategy

Hi,

I started my GMAT prep exactly one month back with a 620 (Q39, V35) on my first GMATPrep. I gave myself 3 months to prepare. For the first month I decided to take up an online prep course to get my basics straight. I decided to go with knewton (the reviews and the guarantee played their part in the decision). I have just finished my knewton course in the one month that I gave myself to do so. My scores with knewton are as follows:

Knewton Diag: 600 (q35; v40); Incorrect: q:13; v: 11(4SC; 5CR; 2RC) (ONE MONTH BACK)

Knewton CAT1: 650 (q47; v31); Incorrect: q:8; v: 17 (6SC; 6CR; 5RC) - Got over confident with V and paid the price.

Knewton CAT2: 690 (q45; v40); Incorrect: q:8; v: 6 (4SC; 1CR; 1RC) - Think should have scored more in verbal with just 6 incorrect.

Knewton CAT3: 660 (q46; v35); Incorrect: q:9; v: 7 (4SC; 1CR; 2RC) - Again 35 with 7 incorrect in V!!

Knewton CAT4: 660 (q44; v37); Incorrect: q:8; v:11 (5SC; 3CR; 3RC) - Did not time properly in Verbal, had to rush through the second half of the section.

I am left with 1 knewton CAT, which I am saving for later. I also see that I have stagnated on my Quant performance and get around 45 with 8 incorrect(have always been a little weak in quant). In verbal I do think I have made some progress and reduced the number of errors (from around 12 to 7, apart from the last test where I was really pressed for time)but my scores haven't really shown much improvement.

I am done with knewton and have 2 months in front of me right now. How do I go from here. I understand that SC is a clear thing to focus on and I have ordered the MGMAT SC. I have not touched the OG and would also start with that. I understand that SC can be studied but what about CR and RC, are these all about practice, how exactly should I approach these. I want to make my CR and RC flawless for the GMAT, as my SC is the real concern.

I was hoping if experts could tell me how to get my quant score moving and also improve verbal further. I want to get the maximum out of me in the next two months. I want to target something around 730+.

So, what will be the best way forward from here to help me achieve my target. Thanks for your comments.

Cheers!!

Plz guys.. take some time out and help me out. I really need to know where to go from here!!

Thanks in advance!!

Hi,
I am also using knewton prep. I have already used all other preps in this world (PS bible / MGMAT SC etc); and I am about to end my GMAT journey soon. I basically took knewton for an SC course(and some additional practice) and it has'nt disappointed me.

My opinion is you would just need to go through MGMAT SC guide once and then start the OG--- knewton SC already covers most concepts, but whatever you missed on it, you are likely to encounter on the MGMAT books. For CR must read powerscore (at least 2 times- i could not apply its concepts after one read). For RC there is only OG and more OG(ur RC already looks good).

Also use MGMAT cats or GMAT prep for Quant baseline and preparation. Knewton quant is good(twisted/rephrased official questions with better solutions), but its cat scoring in quant can be inaccurate. {however, I have read in various debriefs that its verbal scoring is pretty accurate }

Hey,

Thanks for you reply.

If you don't mind my asking, can you share with me your scores with knewton and how they compare with the real GMAT/ GMAT prep/ MGMAT.

I am just being a little curious. I am starting with MGMAT SC and working on the OG simultaneously, lets hope it takes me in the right direction.

Thanks again!!

He he,
I don't have the conventional prep going. So my scores might confuse you.(they have certainly confused me )

Anyways, GMAT coming up in about a couple weeks, so you might wanna check later for my real score that matters, and only then do any comparisons.

For the sake of it, my UNDILUTED GMAT prep scores are 750 and 720.(repeated gmat preps 2-2 times with same score of 760- these repeat scores are irrelevant)

If you wanna compare this to knewton, my 3 knewton scores are pretty much between the above 2 scores. Manhattan scores are in range of 700-720{took them last month- took only till cat-4}


Jist of all : Study hard and "wise" and take a date once u start scoring 700+ consistently.
As my good friend Frankenstein says - Outcome is immaterial as long as an honest effort is there.

akhilsuhag wrote:Hi,

I started my GMAT prep exactly one month back with a 620 (Q39, V35) on my first GMATPrep. I gave myself 3 months to prepare. For the first month I decided to take up an online prep course to get my basics straight. I decided to go with knewton (the reviews and the guarantee played their part in the decision). I have just finished my knewton course in the one month that I gave myself to do so. My scores with knewton are as follows:

Knewton Diag: 600 (q35; v40); Incorrect: q:13; v: 11(4SC; 5CR; 2RC) (ONE MONTH BACK)

Knewton CAT1: 650 (q47; v31); Incorrect: q:8; v: 17 (6SC; 6CR; 5RC) - Got over confident with V and paid the price.

Knewton CAT2: 690 (q45; v40); Incorrect: q:8; v: 6 (4SC; 1CR; 1RC) - Think should have scored more in verbal with just 6 incorrect.

Knewton CAT3: 660 (q46; v35); Incorrect: q:9; v: 7 (4SC; 1CR; 2RC) - Again 35 with 7 incorrect in V!!

Knewton CAT4: 660 (q44; v37); Incorrect: q:8; v:11 (5SC; 3CR; 3RC) - Did not time properly in Verbal, had to rush through the second half of the section.

I am left with 1 knewton CAT, which I am saving for later. I also see that I have stagnated on my Quant performance and get around 45 with 8 incorrect(have always been a little weak in quant). In verbal I do think I have made some progress and reduced the number of errors (from around 12 to 7, apart from the last test where I was really pressed for time)but my scores haven't really shown much improvement.

I am done with knewton and have 2 months in front of me right now. How do I go from here. I understand that SC is a clear thing to focus on and I have ordered the MGMAT SC. I have not touched the OG and would also start with that. I understand that SC can be studied but what about CR and RC, are these all about practice, how exactly should I approach these. I want to make my CR and RC flawless for the GMAT, as my SC is the real concern.

I was hoping if experts could tell me how to get my quant score moving and also improve verbal further. I want to get the maximum out of me in the next two months. I want to target something around 730+.

So, what will be the best way forward from here to help me achieve my target. Thanks for your comments.

Cheers!!

Hi akhilsuhag

You are on your way to score big, I can see improvement in all your scores. As you mention about Quant Your basics are fine Practicing from og would really help you to get confidence on the real gmat challenges .

In terms of verbal its all about strategies , Since you already know how to improve SC, CR and RC can also be improved in a similar way....

CR got few techniques too You must get into the question and think beyond what given to you.
With RC You must concentrate on reading, Few books say that you must skip it and come back to it later..i dont buy that...Unless and untill you know in and out of the passage you cant attempt any question.

BDW knewton CAT's are well known...I would urge you to stick to the basics and get on with the OG practice.

Chaw

Thanks Prateek,

It is always nice to hear from you. I was thinkin o writing to you and asking how shud I go about my prep from here and just then you replied!!

Yeah, I have started with my OG finally. I hope it helps me better my score still. I just got a little depressed because my CAT's have shown no real improvement from CAT1 to CAT 4 (I have scored in the 650 - 690 range).

I hope I can better that. I heard that SC is the most improvable Verbal skill so I have started with MGMAT SC. So basically now I am going through OG and MGMAT SC. I hope things move in the right direction and your prediction of me scoring big comes true.

How has your prep been goin.. I cud see you had some issues with books and CAT's and online material. I hope things are goin well. Do keep me informed, it is nice to follow someone else's journey.

Take Care!!

Cheers!

akhilsuhag wrote:Thanks Prateek,

It is always nice to hear from you. I was thinkin o writing to you and asking how shud I go about my prep from here and just then you replied!!

Yeah, I have started with my OG finally. I hope it helps me better my score still. I just got a little depressed because my CAT's have shown no real improvement from CAT1 to CAT 4 (I have scored in the 650 - 690 range).

I hope I can better that. I heard that SC is the most improvable Verbal skill so I have started with MGMAT SC. So basically now I am going through OG and MGMAT SC. I hope things move in the right direction and your prediction of me scoring big comes true.

How has your prep been goin.. I cud see you had some issues with books and CAT's and online material. I hope things are goin well. Do keep me informed, it is nice to follow someone else's journey.

Take Care!!

Cheers!

Hi akhilsuhag

I can understand what you are facing now.......but on the positive side your verbal scores reflects that you are good on your basic...which means you just need to practice few hard questions and understand few other strategies.

You are on a right path , using right resources, presently even i am reading manhattan SC.....And this is also true that it is very easy to improve SC because they are finite techniques once you master them you can answer each and every ques.. not only right but also fast which will allow to save time for RC's.

Ya i had this problem with bot manhattan and kaplan online tests but now its all fine....My prep is going fine but little slow may be because i have taken a lot of time.....have rush through few books and got to complete 20 mock tests..So lot of task to cover.

Will definatly post you my latest scores and improvements if any...lol

Chaw