Staying Focused on Verbal

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pscher31: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 40; Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2012 12:07 am; Location: Kabale, Uganda; Thanked: 1 times

by pscher31 » Sat Jun 29, 2013 8:47 am

I'm looking for any tips or strategies that people may use or may have used in the past to stay focused on the GMAT, in particular the verbal section. On all of my CATs I'm "in the zone" until I get about a quarter to mid way into the Verbal section and then I'm suddenly hit with fatigue. I find myself caring less and less about each question and CR questions starting running in circles in my head and just want to hurry up and finish the exam and end. I'm scoring an avg of 37 in verbal across MGMAT and GMATprep exams, but I feel like I can go higher if I can just get past this fatigue that sets in and remain focused.

I appreciate your help!

Last edited by pscher31 on Sat Jun 29, 2013 9:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Source: Beat The GMAT — GMAT Strategy | Sat Jun 29, 2013 8:47 am

vomhorizon: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 194; Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 6:05 pmFollowed by: 8 members; Location: India; Thanked: 26 times; GMAT Score:730

by vomhorizon » Sat Jun 29, 2013 8:15 pm

Proper practice and conditioning would take care of some of the fatigue, However you may wish to look at the way you are tackling the Verbal section. How do you go about attacking RC questions? or CR? Do you take a lot of notes? etc etc. Having a fixed and almost regimental approach to CR and RC has helped me at times when i just want to get up and walk away from the test. In RC and CR for example, i try to personalize the passage and read out the RC passages as if i am having a conversation...

"When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you'll be successful." - Eric Thomas

David@VeritasPrep: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 2193; Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 6:30 pmFollowed by: 512 members; Location: Vermont and Boston, MA; Thanked: 1186 times; GMAT Score:770

by David@VeritasPrep » Sun Jun 30, 2013 7:54 am

I was to expand on what vomhorizon has said.

You need to have a set strategy that relies more on knowing what you will do in each situation and less on really pushing your brain. This is why you get tired. You look at critical reasoning differently from, say, problem solving. If you recognize how to do a problem solving question then it is mostly a matter of just doing it. You create the equations you combine them to solve for the variable, and so forth. You recognize that there can only be one right answer.

Critical reasoning and reading comp should be no different. There is usually only one answer that is even close to being right on CR and RC. The difference between the verbal and the quant is that on the verbal the test gives you answers that you are able to talk yourself into. That is perhaps what you mean by the statement that you "start running around in circles."

First, acknowledge that there is only one correct answer and that the other choices are simply wrong. Next, develop the procedures necessary to clearly identify that answer with the least amount of mental strain on your part. Then, practice and perfect your procedures.

Here are some articles to help you get started. Remember that the verbal is much more straight-forward than people think it is. Do not over-complicate things!

https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2012/10/ ... ntire-gmat

https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2013/02/ ... ng-ability

https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/02/ ... duncan-way

https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2012/08/ ... prehension

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pscher31: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 40; Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2012 12:07 am; Location: Kabale, Uganda; Thanked: 1 times

by pscher31 » Sun Jun 30, 2013 8:09 pm

Thank you so much David. You're a gentleman and a scholar.

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