Nerves or Something Else - how to best prepare for next time

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All,

So I took the GMAT two times within the last month and scored substantially lower than my practice scores. In the past Month, I've gotten a 620 (MGMAT), 620 (GMAT PREP) and 660 (GMAT Prep). With 37-39 (Quant) and 38-41 (Verbal). The very first time I took a practice manhattan lGMAT test (3 months ago) I scored a 560 and I took that cold. However, 16 days ago I scored an abysmal 540 27 (Quant) and 37 (verbal) and just yesterday I score a 460 27 (quant) and 33 (verbal). I've taken all practice tests under test-like conditions.

I think it was the nerves. The first time I took the exam I was extremely light headed. The second time I took the exam - two days before taking it I went to the emergency room because I was feeling so light headed and weak that I thought I was going to pass out.

I have to submit my score by October 9th so I'm taking it again on October 7th. The school I'm applying to will consider you if you have a 550 or higher and you're an automatic lock with a 650.

How do I be prepared the next two and a half weeks? I used manhtann for concepts, did about half of the OG, did all the questions in the GMAT prep question packs and exams, did a lf magoosh quant and most verbal. Nonetheless, I still felt like the questions I saw on the actual GMAT in the quant section looked different to me. Then again that could be the light headedness talking.

Thoughts? I was thinking about taking a GMAT exam every day to get my never under control.

What do I do?

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by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Sun Sep 20, 2015 6:20 am
I am a staunch advocate of mindfulness meditation for these kinds of predicaments, which, if it's any consolation, are quite common.

There's good research about the benefits of meditation on standardized tests: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archi ... on/275564/

(And note that the participants in the study achieved these benefits in only two weeks of practice.)
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by [email protected] » Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:05 am
Hi Joe22,

Since you've now had two similar experiences with the Official GMAT (including similar Overall Scores), we have to consider the possibility that this is a 'physical' issue and not necessarily a 'test-taking' one. Did the Doctors in the Emergency Room have anything to say about your light-headedness? Is this problem based on a dietary choice of some type that you're making?

Since your CAT scores were considerably higher than your Official GMAT Scores, I'd like to know more about how you took your CATs:
1) Did you take the ENTIRE CAT each time (including the Essay and IR sections)?
2) Did you take them at home?
3) Did you take them at the same time of day as your Official GMAT?
4) Did you ever do ANYTHING during your CATs that you couldn't do on Test Day (pause the CAT, skip sections, take longer breaks, etc.)?
5) Did you ever take a CAT more than once?

As an aside, taking a CAT every day is NOT a good idea - by doing so, you're far more likely to 'burn out' before Test Day than experience any benefit.

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by Joe22 » Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:11 am
The doctors said it was anxiety over the test and possibly dehydration, but I drank a lot of water before last exam.

I took the cat exams under test like conditions except for taking it at home since the library by me is loud.

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by [email protected] » Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:32 am
Hi Joe22,

While it's possible that your score drop on your Official GMATs can be blamed on dehydration, the reality is that it's probably a variety of factors, both physical (including low blood-sugar, lack of sleep, anxiety, etc.) and preparatory (how you went about your studies).

On the subject of physical 'issues', do you normally eat breakfast?

I'll be happy to advise, but I really need you to answer each of the questions that I've asked in my prior post.

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by Joe22 » Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:40 am
1) Did you take the ENTIRE CAT each time (including the Essay and IR sections)?

Yes
2) Did you take them at home?

Yes
3) Did you take them at the same time of day as your Official GMAT?

Yes
4) Did you ever do ANYTHING during your CATs that you couldn't do on Test Day (pause the CAT, skip sections, take longer breaks, etc.)?

No

5) Did you ever take a CAT more than once?

No

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by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Sun Sep 20, 2015 10:52 am
Your story is not that uncommon. If you're interested, we have a free video on the topic on overcoming test anxiety: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gener ... video/1252

As part of managing anxiety, it's crucial that you adopt the proper mindset/attitude on test day. To this end, you may be interested in reading the following articles:
- https://www.gmatprepnow.com/articles/min ... -destroyer
- https://www.gmatprepnow.com/articles/jun ... g-big-gmat

Cheers,
Brent
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by Joe22 » Sun Sep 20, 2015 4:41 pm
I don't know what to do. I feel that my confidence is shot. Not sure how to prepare over the next two weeks

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by Joe22 » Mon Sep 21, 2015 5:10 am
Do you think it was just my nerves or something else? How do I prepare over the next two weeks?

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by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Mon Sep 21, 2015 6:47 am
There's no way to know for sure, but given what you're saying: that there was a large gap between the scores on your practice tests and the score on your official exam, and that you were so nervous during the test that you had physical symptoms, it certainly seems logical to conclude that your anxiety would account for this discrepancy. There is mounting evidence that our mindset going into a test can have a profound impact on our performance. Why not give the meditation a try? If it works, great. If it doesn't - you're able to rein in the nerves but the gap persists - we can consider other options. (happy to pass along my favorite guided meditations if you have any interest.)
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by Joe22 » Mon Sep 21, 2015 12:40 pm
Sure - I'll try some of the meditations. How should I study over the next 2 weeks too?

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by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Mon Sep 21, 2015 7:46 pm
Here's a good guided meditation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daU-xneLA0g

I'd shoot for at least four times a week.

As for studying, try reviewing the old problems in the Official Guide or the Question Pack, but rather than redoing them, simply consider how you would approach each problem if you saw something similar on test day. ("Here, I'd pick easy numbers," "This one I could back-solve," "Here I'd take a prime factorization," etc.) The goal is to hone your pattern recognition. Take one or two more practice tests. Breakdown all of your old exams. Make some summary sheets of important formulas and identities and review those summary sheets nightly. Take the day before your test off. Go in loose and confident. Keep us posted...
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