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Advice for taking the GMAT for the next time. (Need advice )

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Advice for taking the GMAT for the next time. (Need advice )

by rereal » Sun Feb 15, 2015 1:58 am
Here is my experience and story with the GMAT. Briefly, I took the GMAT several months ago, I use to study long hours, more than 8 hours a day. I USED THE MANHATTAN set book guides to help me with my basics and the GMAT 15 edition guide for solving problems and practicing. I graduated with a design bachelor degree so I haven't practiced math in ages, also I wasn't a big fan of math in high school. However, I prepared for 2 months and worked really hard, day and night and got a 330 score. When I use to practice at home, I use to get a score in the 400s which is not that good too but I kind of expected that I might get between 400 and 500 score. My main problem is that a couple of days ago before the GMAT TEST I took another long exam, so on the GMAT test date I was torn out and very nervess, and all I wanted to do was to get it over with. When I saw the score, I got shocked, I felt it was so unfair because I worked really hard. I REMEMBER ALSO having thoughts about how hard will the next question be and all those bad thoughts during the exam. Anyway, now I have 2 months to take the exam again and I have planned to change my study strategy and follow a beat the GMAT schedule for 60 days. What do you advice me to do more? I live in a country where I can never find a GMAT tutor, I was wondering where can I find one online?
The thing is that I know what I did wrong but I don't know how to solve it, I know I needed a tutor but I didn't find one, a I know I focused more on theory instead of practicing,  but that was because I was weak in basics, but then when I polished my basics, I needed more time to practice, also a I know I was so nervess and I don't know how to be calm!! Please advice me.
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by MartyMurray » Sun Feb 15, 2015 5:43 am
For starters, it sounds as if you have answered some of your own questions.

Clearly the fact that you just wanted to get the test over with affected your score, having that negative mindset when doing questions was not helping, and taking the test so soon after another test was a factor too. So even if you just took the test more rested and with a more positive attitude, your score would likely be significantly higher.

Beyond that, practice is usually a key part of increasing one's GMAT score, and that practice is probably best when it includes full length official practice CATs, from GMAT Prep and PowerPrep, and shorter sets of questions, done on both timed and untimed bases. Given that you are using the Beat The GMAT 60 day outline, you have some guidance regarding the use of practice. For quant practice, one resource that might be good for you is the BellCurves question bank. There are plenty of others out there too. Just be sure to really analyze your performance as you practice so that you get insight into what you need to do to increase the number of questions you get right.

As far as being calmer and more positive goes, by doing online searches on phrases like "how to be more calm and positive" you will find an abundance of useful material with all kinds of ideas on how to achieve what you want to achieve.

If you want help with this, yes, there are many tutors who work remotely via Skype and telephone. Just start looking around online and do a careful job finding someone to coach you. With the right chemistry you and a coach or tutor can achieve much. Just be careful to do a good job finding someone so that in three months you aren't back on this forum saying something about how coaching didn't help.
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by rereal » Sun Feb 15, 2015 10:25 pm
Thank you so much for your advice, its really helpful. I have another concern, how can I avoid the tricks on the GMAT and not be fooled by the answers that seem right. Are there method where I can figure out the tricks and not be fooled by them? Also do you suggest names of good online tutors?
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by MartyMurray » Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:24 am
One way to avoid being tricked on the GMAT is knowing what kinds of tricks they use.

For instance, data sufficiency questions are often created in such a way as to trick the test taker into thinking both statements are needed in order to answer the question, when actually only one is. Because this results in the test taker incorrectly choosing choice C, this trap is often called a C trap.

Another thing they do, in verbal, is put in the middle of sentences words or phrases that separate key parts of the sentence. Because of this setup, the test taker may not realize that the separated parts do not work together.

By learning that these things go on and by practicing, one becomes better prepared to handle them.

These things are discussed in most of the better strategy guides and course materials, and are often mentioned in these forums as well.
Marty Murray
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