Struggling with improving Quant Score

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Struggling with improving Quant Score

by drewbear24 » Sun Nov 29, 2015 10:42 pm
Hey guys,

I could really use some advice on my GMAT studying tactics for Quant... and probably in general.

A little background of my situation:

1.Completed a Veritas class in mid October of this year. While I did learn about the test and some tips to guessing and etc, I felt like the majority of my time during those class weeks was spent on trying to prepare for each class lesson as opposed to practicing enough questions from the strategies I learned in class.

2.After the class, I took my first practice test and received a 510 (35Q/25V). I only took the Quant and Verbal portions ( I know I need to take the full tests to get the endurance). I felt like the poor results were because I didn't practice enough problems, my pacing was horrible, and I didn't review enough of the core math concepts.

3. I continued to study only Quant based on a plan I developed which entailed reviewing Veritas' books for a couple days and practicing the problems for each section. I then took another test 13 days later and got the exact same overall score, 510 (33Q/27V). Since I was only studying Quant during those 13 days, I expected my Verbal score to stay around the same while my Quant improved. After reviewing my test results, I had a couple takeaways: 1)I made careless mistakes, 2) I still needed to review core concepts, 3) My pacing improved (I was timing myself when doing practice problems throughout the 13 days), and 4) I studied too much on the same day I took the 2nd test (i.e. 3+ hours earlier in the morning).

4. I realized I needed a more structured plan, so I pushed back my test date to January 8th and stumbled upon BEATtheGMAT platform and enrolled in the 60-day study plan. While I have enjoyed this plan, I have found it difficult to complete all the videos and practice problems each day with a full-time job. I find myself taking 3+ hours to finish the videos alone (I like to take a lot of notes to help learn the concepts). Currently, I'm supposed to be on day 27, but I just finished day 22 which is the 2nd attempt of the GMATPrep Practice Exam #1. Just an FYI, my social life is on pause and all I do is work and study.

5. On day 22 of the study plan, you are supposed to reattempt the 1st practice exam. The focus is to see if there has been improvement in your Quant score. After taking ONLY the Quant section of the second attempt for Test 1, I scored a sad 35Q.

6. While reviewing the results for Quant section of the test, I noticed several things: 1) I have difficulty understanding what the questions are asking me and I think this is largely because of the timed aspect of the test. I find myself rereading the question multiple times. When I reviewed the questions after the test, I was able to answer almost all of them correctly. It seems like it takes me around 1-2 minutes to understand what the questions are asking me to do and then I can solve them. There are still concepts that I need to practice and master.

I feel like I need to move forward with the verbal portion of my study plan, however, I am no way satisfied with my Quant score. I'm putting in 3+ hours of studying a day, but I just can't seem to get over this huge challenge of understanding what the questions are asking me in the timed setting.

Help and advice from anyone would greatly be appreciated as I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to see a 700+ score (I'm shooting for a 730). Would my situation call for a 1-on-1 tutor?

-Thanks
Andrew

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by GMATinsight » Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:47 am
drewbear24 wrote:Hey guys,

I could really use some advice on my GMAT studying tactics for Quant... and probably in general.

A little background of my situation:

1.Completed a Veritas class in mid October of this year. While I did learn about the test and some tips to guessing and etc, I felt like the majority of my time during those class weeks was spent on trying to prepare for each class lesson as opposed to practicing enough questions from the strategies I learned in class.

2.After the class, I took my first practice test and received a 510 (35Q/25V). I only took the Quant and Verbal portions ( I know I need to take the full tests to get the endurance). I felt like the poor results were because I didn't practice enough problems, my pacing was horrible, and I didn't review enough of the core math concepts.

3. I continued to study only Quant based on a plan I developed which entailed reviewing Veritas' books for a couple days and practicing the problems for each section. I then took another test 13 days later and got the exact same overall score, 510 (33Q/27V). Since I was only studying Quant during those 13 days, I expected my Verbal score to stay around the same while my Quant improved. After reviewing my test results, I had a couple takeaways: 1)I made careless mistakes, 2) I still needed to review core concepts, 3) My pacing improved (I was timing myself when doing practice problems throughout the 13 days), and 4) I studied too much on the same day I took the 2nd test (i.e. 3+ hours earlier in the morning).

4. I realized I needed a more structured plan, so I pushed back my test date to January 8th and stumbled upon BEATtheGMAT platform and enrolled in the 60-day study plan. While I have enjoyed this plan, I have found it difficult to complete all the videos and practice problems each day with a full-time job. I find myself taking 3+ hours to finish the videos alone (I like to take a lot of notes to help learn the concepts). Currently, I'm supposed to be on day 27, but I just finished day 22 which is the 2nd attempt of the GMATPrep Practice Exam #1. Just an FYI, my social life is on pause and all I do is work and study.

5. On day 22 of the study plan, you are supposed to reattempt the 1st practice exam. The focus is to see if there has been improvement in your Quant score. After taking ONLY the Quant section of the second attempt for Test 1, I scored a sad 35Q.

6. While reviewing the results for Quant section of the test, I noticed several things: 1) I have difficulty understanding what the questions are asking me and I think this is largely because of the timed aspect of the test. I find myself rereading the question multiple times. When I reviewed the questions after the test, I was able to answer almost all of them correctly. It seems like it takes me around 1-2 minutes to understand what the questions are asking me to do and then I can solve them. There are still concepts that I need to practice and master.

I feel like I need to move forward with the verbal portion of my study plan, however, I am no way satisfied with my Quant score. I'm putting in 3+ hours of studying a day, but I just can't seem to get over this huge challenge of understanding what the questions are asking me in the timed setting.

Help and advice from anyone would greatly be appreciated as I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to see a 700+ score (I'm shooting for a 730). Would my situation call for a 1-on-1 tutor?

-Thanks
Andrew
Hi Andrew,

You seem to have put great efforts to improve your Quant score but still your score is stuck at a point which clearly shows the lack of clarity on Fundamentals of Quantitative Topics.

I am sure that Veritas classes must have helped you understand concepts however the score of 35 in Quant suggests that you have not been able to use your concepts as well as expected of students. It's not just the concepts which, if learnt, can help us solve every quetion but it's the methodology with which you need to understand the right application of right concept.

I would suggest you take a FREE LIVE DEMO SESSION with me so that I can identify the major hurdle that you are facing. Just to make sure that you won't regret taking this session, I want to tell you that I have been teaching students for GMAT for past 12 years and NONE of my students has ever got a score less than 45 in Quant till date. I am not guaranteeing but I am making sure that It's impossible for anyone to get the score that you are getting without something going greatly wrong.

You can mail me on the e-mail ID mentioned in my signature at your convenience and we can conduct this live session through SKYPE to enlighten your weak area and work on Strategy to improve your score.
"GMATinsight"Bhoopendra Singh & Sushma Jha
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by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:21 am
Early in your prep, there's a danger in focusing too much on your timing. In my view, this focus has the potential to actually hinder your preparation. I feel so strongly about the whole timing issue that I wrote two articles about it:
- Making Friends with Time on the GMAT - Part I (https://www.gmatprepnow.com/articles/mak ... %93-part-i)
- Making Friends with Time on the GMAT - Part II (https://www.gmatprepnow.com/articles/mak ... 93-part-ii)

Executive Summary: Use a timer, but only to get an idea of what 2 minutes feels like. Later on (once you've covered all of the content), you can start working on your speed.

Executive Summary of the Executive Summary: Content First - Speed Second

A few more words of advice about answering GMAT math questions in the allotted time: one of the great things about almost all GMAT math questions is that they can be solved using at least 2 different approaches. Typically, one approach is much faster than the other(s). So, the key to speed improvement is recognizing the fast approach for each question.

To get better at recognizing the fastest approach, I suggest that you spend a lot of time reviewing the responses from the Experts on this site. Here you will find a variety of approaches for every question. You'll also see the steps and thought processes involved in tackling math problems.

Also, if you're interested, we have a free GMAT time management video at https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gener ... es?id=1244

I hope that helps.

Cheers,
Brent
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by [email protected] » Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:15 pm
Hi Andrew,

I'd like to know more about your studies so far and your timeline/goals:

1) What is your goal score?
2) How long have you been studying?

3) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
4) Do you know which Schools you plan to apply to?

Thankfully, the GMAT is a predictable, standardized Test, so you CAN train to score at a higher level.

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by drewbear24 » Tue Dec 01, 2015 2:17 pm
Thank you all for your input.

@Rich-
1. My goal is to get a 730-740.
2. I started my GMAT studies this September (with the Veritas class) and I'm currently following the 60-day BeatTheGMAT study program for the past 28 days. So I'll try to watch all the assigned video lessons for the day and then finish with the 20-30 problems it assigns. However, based on my work schedule it's difficult to get all the required practice in.

3. My original goal was to apply in the 2nd round (deadline at January 12th), however, if I do not see improvement in my scores, I'm considering applying to round 1 next September. I don't want my GMAT score to be a factor of not getting in.

4. I'm only applying to Stanford. I work in tech and I have my heart/mind/life set on Stanford.

I came across the Empower Gmat program a week ago, and it seems like a great tool to use if I had more time... What are your thoughts?

@Brent, thank you for the additional videos. I have them bookmarked and will check them out asap!

@GMATinsight, I'll make sure to check out your website and connect with you on your skype to learn more.

-Andrew

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by [email protected] » Tue Dec 01, 2015 4:20 pm
Hi drewbear24,

Stanford is an exceptionally competitive School, so a high GMAT Score, a strong OVERALL profile AND a well-constructed profile will all be a MUST (and even then, Stanford accepts only about 6-7% of applicants). This is all meant to say that you will probably find it difficult to properly put everything together by the January 12th deadline.

1) You mentioned your last GMAT score, but what was your last FULL-LENGTH CAT Score (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?

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by drewbear24 » Tue Dec 01, 2015 4:44 pm
Hi Rich,

Yes, I totally agree that an overall application is a must for Stanford. I'm finishing my essays and my letters of Rec are almost complete. The test is the biggest challenge right for me.

I have not taken a full length CAT with the AWA and IR section included. That being said, I'm aware people say that my score may be inflated to a certain degree if I've only taken the Quant and Verbal section.

-Andrew

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by [email protected] » Wed Dec 02, 2015 5:33 pm
Hi Andrew,

That next FULL-LENGTH CAT Score is essential to assessing your whole plan, so you really have to take it soon (this weekend, if possible). Without it, we have no way to properly gauge your readiness for Test Day. Once you have that score, you should report back here.

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by drewbear24 » Sun Dec 06, 2015 3:45 pm
Hey Rich,

Per your recommendation, I just finished taking a full-length CAT.

My overall score was a 510; 5-IR, 38-Quant, 23-Verb. This score seems to be inline with my scores when I was only taking the Quant and Verbal sections from previous CATs.

As you can tell from my Verbal score, my mind was drained from the other portions of the test. I felt like I was just looking at words individually rather than understanding them as complete sentences.

Time/pacing did play a big factor in both Quant and Verbal as I had to guess on the last 4-5 questions in Quant and the last 5-8 in Verbal. I started to lose pacing in Quant with 25-30 minutes left. For Verbal, my pacing was just bad in general due to burnout.

Because of this, I think I should postpone my test date and by another 2-3 months to allow myself to completely understand all the concepts. As it stands now, my current study pace feels like I'm cramming.

What are your thoughts?

Best,
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by [email protected] » Sun Dec 06, 2015 6:12 pm
Hi Andrew,

If you apply with an application that 'looks' like it's been rushed, then the Stanford reps will know (and so would reps from any other School, for that matter). You get one shot at a first impression, so since Stanford is the dream/goal, you really have to think about what will put you in the best position to make that great first impression.

With this recent CAT result, you'd need to improve 200+ points in a little over a month. Unfortunately, that is not likely to happen. You could still continue to study and take a shot at it, but the reality is that you'll have much better chance at your score goal if you have another 2-3 months of study and not just 1 month.

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by drewbear24 » Sun Dec 06, 2015 7:10 pm
Hey Rich,

I agree with you. Could you please provide me with a 30,000 ft view of the 3-month study plan from Empowergmat? For someone like me that works full-time, would you say the daily lessons are broken into chunks that can be accomplished in 2-3 hours a day? I think my challenge is having enough time to practice the fundamental concepts and know them backwards and forwards, but I also don't think I know all the tricks that the test-makers use to trap me.

Best,
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by [email protected] » Sun Dec 06, 2015 11:26 pm
Hi Andrew,

You can download the various study plans (including the 3-month study plan) for free from our website (www.empowergmat.com) so that you can get a sense of the schedule, assignments, time commitments, etc. You might find it easier to ask specific questions about that plan once you've had a chance to look it over.

Every Test Taker has their own strengths and weaknesses, so the Course isn't broken down by strict daily assignments (you will likely move faster through certain concepts and need more time for others) - you'll work through Modules that have expected time commitments, so you can plan YOUR days around the next assignment in the syllabus and adjust as your abilities (and schedule) allow.

If you have any additional questions, you can feel free to contact me directly.

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by chaaarliship » Wed Dec 16, 2015 1:29 am
hello
Struggling with improving Quant Score this process is very easy.

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by [email protected] » Wed Dec 16, 2015 9:50 am
Hi chaaarliship,

Can you go into more detail about what you meant in your post? Are you also looking to improve in Quant?

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