Please Help, Taken GMAT Twice and No Success

[alexnovstrok]

Hello,
I've read various forums throughout the site but never written, at this point, the frustration has been so much I feel compelled to start writing.

I've been studying the GMAT since about mid September last year all the way to recently. I've taken the GMAT twice, once about a month ago and the second time a few days ago. My breakdowns are as such:


GMAT Test #1: Quantitative: 37 Verbal: 26 Composite: 530
GMAT Test #2: Quantitative: 35 Verbal: 31 Composite: 550

I've used numerous resources, these including

Kaplan 800
Kaplan 2007 Premier
Princeton Review 2008
Official Guide 11 & 12th Edition.
MGMAT Verbal Guides
MGMAT Practice Tests & 8 Question Banks
Private Tutor

At this point I've decided that I probably need more time to prepare for the exam, although I feel as though 3 months should've been enough.

The first time I took the exam, I think it was burn out, I had practically no life and took one practice exam every day for the last 2 weeks leading up to the test.

The second time, I mainly worked with a tutor for a month and my scored didn't improve much, only 20 points.

In all Practice Tests, I score at a range of 600 to 670, but on the exam, I do about 100 points worse, it's really frustrating. I feel as though I know the material and have reviewed it thoroughly enough, but I cannot seem to break even the 600s(I'm shooting for 700). My weaknesses are mainly in CR and RC, but with the scores I'm getting, I could honestly improve in everything.

But my biggest weakness of all is timing. I end up randomly guessing the last 4 or 5 questions for Quantitative and the last 8 or 7 questions on Verbal. I practiced with setting a timer and do fine there, when I put the timer per question, but when it comes to the test, i just seem to get so focused on solving the problem, I lose track of time.

At this point, it's January, and I'm thinking I've drained myself so much to go through this again anytime soon, I need a small break. But I intend on starting again in a week or so and not take the exam till June or May timeframe. It's been a bit difficult for me as I was trying to apply for Grad School this year but due to my performance on this exam, I'll have to hold off until next year. I'd like to get on a top program and I'm realistic that anything below a 600 won't cut it, even if all other facets of the app are strong.

Any advice you have, study tips, general strategy as to how to space out my studying leading up to May, anything at all, I'd greatly appreciate it, at this point, I'm open to any and all advice.

Much Thanks,
Alex

[Osirus@VeritasPrep]

You probably made the same mistake I made when I first began studying for the gmat. I essentially wasted 3 months of prep. Initially I just started going through material, setting goals about how much material I wanted to get through by a certain date. This is the wrong way to approach it. My new study plan essentially is to go through material for understanding. Once you understand a topic move on to a new topic but drill the material that you just learned constantly. What you probably found happening to you is that you would forget material that you took the time to learn. This won't happen if you drill the material you learn after you learn it. Also, you're taking too many practice test. Take at most one a week. Taking one a day is really a waste of time. You would be much better served drilling than taking a practice CAT a day.

[TheRekz]

I am exactly in the same page as you.. same score and quite the same preparation, except I've only taken the test once. I think that the mistake that I have made is that I am not understanding the materials well enough and end up guessing too much in the test hoping that it would be correct. I plan to take a month or two break and then do some serious preparation to apply for 2011, while looking for a job as I am still an undergrad an graduating soon.

[alexnovstrok]

Thanks guys, good to know I'm not alone in this.

Osirus - How exact do you get on drilling a material in your head? Do you mean you drill each section like Problem Solving till you get it? Or are you more granular than that and drill each topic?(i.e. Geometry, then % Change, then Probability, etc)

TheRekz - So you also would score in the 600 in practice exams and so about 100 points worse on the actual test? I'm not sure what I can do to address this, I mean, I do get a bit nervous, but 100 points nervous? Best of luck on the job hunt.

[Osirus@VeritasPrep]

My study routine is as follows:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday I go do two problems from each chapter of each of my manhattan GMAT math guides.

Tuesday and Thursday I do a logical reasoning and reading comprehension section from past LSAT test, and 20 questions from SC 1000.

Saturday I take a Cat

Sunday I go over the results from the Cat.

Its pretty intense and it is not for the faint hearted.

[T11]

Hey Alex,

This is my first post on a GMAT forum. Hope it helps you, here goes...

I read through your post and feel that you can work on two aspects. First, get all the concepts in one place. While the OG, Kaplan et al are good resources, what you can do is put together your own notes. I am mainly speaking about the Quant and Sentence Correction sections. Everytime you come across a new concept, add it to your notes. Since the concepts, atleast the ones in Quant, are of High School level, the test makers have a limit beyond which they cannot go and hence have to rely on twisting these concepts. So, once you have the concepts in one place, the next battle would be to apply them to the Questions, a battle, which you can win through practice. Over a period of time you will realise that there are certain sections where you are strong and a few others where - you aren't! Mark all questions that you got wrong and also those where you exceeded the time limit. Revisit them after sometime.

But I guess, as you mentioned, your major problem seems to be pacing the test. Devise a strategy and stick to it in the practice tests. When you are attempting the practice tests make a conscious effort to keep track of time, it should become your second nature to look at the clock every time you hit a tough question. In other words, when you read a question and feel that it's a challenge, look at the clock and check where you stand in terms of time at hand - If you are 2 mins ahead of where you should be - it could be worth the try - But if you are say 2 mins behind, take a calculated guess (to the extent possible) and move ahead - save time for the questions you know how to attack.

Hope this works...
T

[TheRekz]

Thanks guys, good to know I'm not alone in this.

Osirus - How exact do you get on drilling a material in your head? Do you mean you drill each section like Problem Solving till you get it? Or are you more granular than that and drill each topic?(i.e. Geometry, then % Change, then Probability, etc)

TheRekz - So you also would score in the 600 in practice exams and so about 100 points worse on the actual test? I'm not sure what I can do to address this, I mean, I do get a bit nervous, but 100 points nervous? Best of luck on the job hunt.

Well, kind of.. I scored somewhere around 590 to 620 on my practice test... I think I just got nervous on the test and I realized I wasn't preparing well, as in understanding the concept really well. So what I'll do now is grasp a good concept on the verbal concept. I think that might be your problem as well, as not understanding the concept presented on the GMAT real well....