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mbaover30
- Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:10 am
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
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- Followed by:18 members
- GMAT Score:700
So more than likely I will end up needing a GMAT retake based on some disappointing sub 700 practice tests. What seems to be happening is that while taking the test under timed conditions I sometimes crack under the timed pressure and loose my ability to reason through simple problems that include things like exponents, mean/median problems, inequalities, etc.
Interestingly, when I go over the same problems later without the pressure of time I tend to zip through them with relative ease, getting 80-90% of them correct.
Example: During one GMAT Prep exam (Q45) I missed that 9x^4 - 4y^2 is a perfect square and wasted precious minutes doing complex algebra when what you need to get the problem correct ultimately cancels out pretty cleanly, giving you a nice clear answer wrapped up in a bow. I discovered this during my postmortem review BEFORE I ever looked at the answer to confirm this.
Another Example: During another GMAT Prep exam (didn't finish out of frustration - was going to have to guess on 10 problems due to time). I tried to adjust my strategy and "calm" down, which only led to taking way too much time and me being rushed at the end anyway. On one problem I was asked to find x when 2^x - 2^x-2 = 3(2^13). I panicked and began writing down exponents of two, ultimately guessing that the answer was x=15 b/c 2^15 ~ 32k and 2^13 ~ 8k and 32k - 8k ~ 24k which is ~ 3(8k), with 8k ~ 2^13. I wasted 3+ minutes doing type of crude, gutter math.
After I quit the test in frustration I looked at this SAME problem and within about 45-60 seconds was able to recognize that 2^x-2 needed to be broken down into (2^x)(2^-2), reducing the phrase to the left of the equation to 2^x(1-2^-2), or (3/4)*2^x = 3(2^13), such that 2^x = (4)(2^13), or 2^x=(2^2)(2^13), meaning 2^x=2^15, concluding that x=15.
How can I access this type of clarity DURING the actual exam? At least this is one of the ones that I more than likely got correct. There are plenty more that I couldn't figure out in time and had to guess. It's very frustrating to perform poorly on something that you absolutely know you know how to do.
What should my strategy be over the next 30+ days should I end up doing a retake (which seems probable.)
Interestingly, when I go over the same problems later without the pressure of time I tend to zip through them with relative ease, getting 80-90% of them correct.
Example: During one GMAT Prep exam (Q45) I missed that 9x^4 - 4y^2 is a perfect square and wasted precious minutes doing complex algebra when what you need to get the problem correct ultimately cancels out pretty cleanly, giving you a nice clear answer wrapped up in a bow. I discovered this during my postmortem review BEFORE I ever looked at the answer to confirm this.
Another Example: During another GMAT Prep exam (didn't finish out of frustration - was going to have to guess on 10 problems due to time). I tried to adjust my strategy and "calm" down, which only led to taking way too much time and me being rushed at the end anyway. On one problem I was asked to find x when 2^x - 2^x-2 = 3(2^13). I panicked and began writing down exponents of two, ultimately guessing that the answer was x=15 b/c 2^15 ~ 32k and 2^13 ~ 8k and 32k - 8k ~ 24k which is ~ 3(8k), with 8k ~ 2^13. I wasted 3+ minutes doing type of crude, gutter math.
After I quit the test in frustration I looked at this SAME problem and within about 45-60 seconds was able to recognize that 2^x-2 needed to be broken down into (2^x)(2^-2), reducing the phrase to the left of the equation to 2^x(1-2^-2), or (3/4)*2^x = 3(2^13), such that 2^x = (4)(2^13), or 2^x=(2^2)(2^13), meaning 2^x=2^15, concluding that x=15.
How can I access this type of clarity DURING the actual exam? At least this is one of the ones that I more than likely got correct. There are plenty more that I couldn't figure out in time and had to guess. It's very frustrating to perform poorly on something that you absolutely know you know how to do.
What should my strategy be over the next 30+ days should I end up doing a retake (which seems probable.)
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