GMAT Strategy

Hi, i'm new here but been ghosting and reading, reading the forum and experiences has been almost been like reward time after day's study.

so, with my first mock on GMATPREP i got 680 (85%). what's troubling is that I had just finished reviewing MGMAT quant guides and was starting out on SC guide 8. i decided to see where i stood on my prep. after all, having just finished quant, that would give a decent idea of an actual test day score, at least for quant. but boom. i got 44 (63%) on that (MISSED 6 each on PS and DS). and 44 (90%) on verbal. finished with 10 minutes left. (missed SC 4, RC 1, CR 3).

my only background on verbal prep is first 8 chapters of MGMAT SC guide, and i had been reviewing idioms on an android flashcard app. well, besides a minor encounter with LSAT books last summer. i'm not a native speaker but have been living in english-speaking world for the last 8 years, and actually having learned english as a second language, i have a student's view of the language rather than an ill-informed ear, maybe that helped. still, sort of ironic that the only verbal section i had prep for, i missed the most. that could be down to my unnecessary haste on SC though. MGMAT suggests taking 60-75 seconds on SC so that you have more time on other questions.

being my first test, this was obviously an eye opener for many reasons, even though i read stuff about test strategies, didn't apply them. i didn't realize i was behind until after 20 questions on quant, after that it was a goose chase trying to see which question i could gueskip. it felt like on each i was hesitant because i thought i could solve it, then either trying to guess for 30-40 seconds, or just trying to finish solving. last 5 questions i just randomly clicked. couldn't even click an answer for the very last question being out of time.

outside of that, i don't know what happened. maybe getting the first q wrong, or missing in succession in several places? i hadn't reviewed on math or done any problems since i went through MGMAT guides, and i was feeling good after reviewing each chapter and doing OG and QReview questions. maybe i was a little out of practice since i had been doing only SC for the last 2-3 weeks?

obviously i'll try to get the pacing better with next mock, but what should my study strategy until then be? they say focus on your weaknesses, hmm wonder what it is lol. should i even bother with the rest of verbal books, and powerscore CR Bible? should just go through OG questions that i got wrong, or find entirely new quant problems to work with, and reinforce the concepts learned on MGMAT? i'm taking the test on april 10th so not much time really.

i should also add that my original goal was to get 95% on verbal and 85% on quant, knowing my weaknesses. overall, shooting for 730, still possible in two weeks?

also, how many more mocks should i do? considering buying the GMAT prep pack 1 for extra questions, any reviews on that?

Hi Mate

I am using the Gmat prep now software and training for the past 2 weeks. When I started the Gmat preparation I have little time and I didn't have much money either to spend. So i looked at Gmat prep now. When I initially gave my Gmat exam without any preparation I was getting 520 in the first 2 exams. Then I prepared myself for a week and now for the past 2 weeks using their software.

I am upto 640 right now their program is cheap but so effective. the content and techniques are so simple and easy to solve even a complicated looking question this is what gave me confidence. Mate I got lot of new tips and still learning but most of all is the confidence that I got.

I hope that helps.

Thanks

that's great to, 120 points in 2 weeks is mighty impressive. can i ask how much your subscores improved? is math your strong point or verbal? thanks

You should check your scores - a 44 on the verbal is a 97th percentile. a 40 would be the 90th percentile.

Assuming that you got a 40 on the practice test (if you got a 44 you are already above the 95th!)

Well - you can perhaps get your verbal to 95%, you have some time to play with and could potentially take closer to 1:30 on SC instead of a minute. That might make a difference. Truly you are very close on the verbal section and you could get there with a little practice!

On the Quant side - It is better if you apply your timing strategies on Quant from the start so that from the start you are guessing at questions that you cannot get correct.

Here are some articles that might help you. Diagnosis and Surgery in particular has some exercises for you to try.

https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2012/04/ ... at-success

https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/01/ ... n-the-gmat

https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2012/12/ ... n-the-gmat


Hope it helps!

thanks for your in depth reply Dave. you're right, typo by me, it was 40 90%. 44 would be a dream, although i think shooting for 42-43 is still realistic. i'm hoping the quant score was a fluke because i would have to break 80% to make it look balanced and give a respectable overall score. also, with the background in quant heavy classes, time and resources spent it would be a reasonable as well as a stretch goal to shoot for.

i'm thinking about doing GMAT prep 2 this weekend, should i review all my notes in quant review materials or maybe the problems i missed? i didn't review for quant at all in first try, in fact hadn't done any math for 2-3 weeks.

Yes, you really should study Quant before the GMATPrep 2. If you have been away from Quant for 2 - 3 weeks this may show in your score.

You should be able to get to that 80% + mark.

It seems like a good idea to take that the GMATPrep 2 this weekend and see where you are! Pretend it is the real thing, all the excitement and nerves of test day. Promise yourself something special if you get your score - or maybe your friends and family will do something special if you get that score on your practice test.

finally got around to taking GMATPrep 2. 720 (Q47-73%, V42-96%), more satisfied this time, got pacing a little better but not by much. for quant, numbered the time left by 2 mins for each question. for verbal i just rolled with it because thought it would just save time rather than looking up to see the time - keeping in mind to spend a bit more time on SC and same ole for rest. with quant did well for most part, i think it until halfway still was on time, then hit a tough streak. all i remember is couldn't decide which questions should guess and which i should finish up. ended up guessing last 10 or so, only spending under a minute to try and solve a few. with verbal, did fine until last 7, had 8 mins for them. ended up guessing or quickly doing easier ones of the last 7.

as for prep, had a tough schedule at work last week, barely enough time to finish up SC guide. didn't get to do quant review at all except for geometry flashcards on android app. planning a CAT again this weekend (if that's wise). i think i need to be serious on freshening up math topics, my pacing is down to being a bit slow on formulas, as well as DS (9 out of 13 missed). depends on dividing prep work for rest of time, but i also have an optino to reschedule. april 10th, so have 7 day window, i might do 20th or 25th. should i split each day into quant and verbal work? i.e. revising my quant notes and problems in the am, then verbal after noon. for quant, do 1 guide a day until friday, or divide into 3 weeks? still have RC guide and powerscore to go through, but i should just skim chapters for what i didn't know, with focus on OG problems.


also, i have the old version of GMATprep (downloaded old one on 6/24/2012. version 2.3.601.409) does new GMATPrep have new questions over that version? or maybe try old GMAT prep 1 again? hopefully shooting for improvement on the quant part (i got 44 last time). would that give me mostly new (tougher) questions? (provided my level is at least 47, and after revision). i haven't went thru my incorrect answers from first for that reason.

on the topic of CATs,i have 3 day weekend off work, so perhaps two mocks each weekend, thursdays and sundays? i was thinking of doing as many CATs i could find, free versions as well as MGMAT. i don't know how wise that is though.


hope all these questions make sense, thanks for your replies again guys.