from 700 to 600 : Need some advice

[loveusonu]

Hi all,

I am looking for expert comment here.

I have been preparing for GMAT from past few months. During my final few days, I was scored 710 in GMAT Prep1, 700 in GMAT Prep2 and 710 again in MGMAT test. All the test were given in proper testing condition with AWA. However in actual GMAT I just got 600 [Q47, V25, AWA 5]

I know some aspects that went wrong during final GMAT such as not able to control anxiety and continuously thinking about score and difficulty level after every question, not able to sleep properly few days before because of scoring thoughts going on continuously. I have also exhausted most of the good material such as Kaplan, MGMAT 6 CAT's, OG 10/12 and 1000 series of CR\RC

Despite this setback, I am back after 15 days to prepare myself mentally for another shot at GMAT in somewhere next month. I need an expert advice, how should i go about this next month? New material that can be studied because I have thoroughly studied the previous materials with proper set of ErrorLog?

[nikhilkatira]

Hi all,

I am looking for expert comment here.

I have been preparing for GMAT from past few months. During my final few days, I was scored 710 in GMAT Prep1, 700 in GMAT Prep2 and 710 again in MGMAT test. All the test were given in proper testing condition with AWA. However in actual GMAT I just got 600 [Q47, V25, AWA 5]

I know some aspects that went wrong during final GMAT such as not able to control anxiety and continuously thinking about score and difficulty level after every question, not able to sleep properly few days before because of scoring thoughts going on continuously. I have also exhausted most of the good material such as Kaplan, MGMAT 6 CAT's, OG 10/12 and 1000 series of CR\RC

Despite this setback, I am back after 15 days to prepare myself mentally for another shot at GMAT in somewhere next month. I need an expert advice, how should i go about this next month? New material that can be studied because I have thoroughly studied the previous materials with proper set of ErrorLog?

First of all..your situation has brought back memories.
https://www.beatthegmat.com/shocked-need ... tml#208546


how many times did you solve og ?
what problems did you face in verbal ?

[loveusonu]

Hi all,

I am looking for expert comment here.

I have been preparing for GMAT from past few months. During my final few days, I was scored 710 in GMAT Prep1, 700 in GMAT Prep2 and 710 again in MGMAT test. All the test were given in proper testing condition with AWA. However in actual GMAT I just got 600 [Q47, V25, AWA 5]

I know some aspects that went wrong during final GMAT such as not able to control anxiety and continuously thinking about score and difficulty level after every question, not able to sleep properly few days before because of scoring thoughts going on continuously. I have also exhausted most of the good material such as Kaplan, MGMAT 6 CAT's, OG 10/12 and 1000 series of CR\RC

Despite this setback, I am back after 15 days to prepare myself mentally for another shot at GMAT in somewhere next month. I need an expert advice, how should i go about this next month? New material that can be studied because I have thoroughly studied the previous materials with proper set of ErrorLog?

First of all..your situation has brought back memories.
how many times did you solve og ?
what problems did you face in verbal ?

I did Og twice and specifially questions, which I marked for review or Incorrect ones.

for my 7th question, I got 5 questions for 1 scrollable passage. The options were lengthy too . i thought to taking an educated guess for 3rd question and thought of leaving to luck that I will not get an 4th question as I already had spent lot of time on it. but when I got 4th I will little nervous, somehow moved ahead. But when I got the 5th question, I was paniced as I had not done the whole 5 questions. And I think that was the end...

[loveusonu]

Now my biggest worry is which material to choose for??

[secondinnings]

It's possible that you got a number of questions wrong in a row as you mentioned which is why your score plummeted. Apart from RC you perhaps didn't do as well as you thought on the SC and CR too.

For RC, I'd suggest you look at passages in OG and identify some of the common traits in them such as line of thought markers (changes in line of thought: However, Although, On the Contrary, Nevertheless, Yet etc; continuing a line of thought: In addition, furthermore, for example etc.). This will help you to find out about the structure of the passage. A number of common passages contrast a conventional viewpoint with a new viewpoint (e.g - from OG 12... It was once believed that the brain was independent.../ Two works published in 1984 demonstrate contrasting approaches.../...For some time this theory was considered untestable...Contrary to the general impression, this quest for import relief...etc.)

for CR, it's the Powerscore CR bible. Need I say more

For SC, get yourself a copy of the Manhattan SC guide if you haven't already done so. Sooner or later depending on the time you spend with the book you'll start picking holes in incorrectly formed sentences. You'll begin to ask yourself whether it's right to say 'I thought to take' or 'I thought of taking' (just used your sentence as an example)....what does the it at the end of the sentence stand for etc.

[loveusonu]

It's possible that you got a number of questions wrong in a row as you mentioned which is why your score plummeted. Apart from RC you perhaps didn't do as well as you thought on the SC and CR too.

For RC, I'd suggest you look at passages in OG and identify some of the common traits in them such as line of thought markers (changes in line of thought: However, Although, On the Contrary, Nevertheless, Yet etc; continuing a line of thought: In addition, furthermore, for example etc.). This will help you to find out about the structure of the passage. A number of common passages contrast a conventional viewpoint with a new viewpoint (e.g - from OG 12... It was once believed that the brain was independent.../ Two works published in 1984 demonstrate contrasting approaches.../...For some time this theory was considered untestable...Contrary to the general impression, this quest for import relief...etc.)

for CR, it's the Powerscore CR bible. Need I say more

For SC, get yourself a copy of the Manhattan SC guide if you haven't already done so. Sooner or later depending on the time you spend with the book you'll start picking holes in incorrectly formed sentences. You'll begin to ask yourself whether it's right to say 'I thought to take' or 'I thought of taking' (just used your sentence as an example)....what does the it at the end of the sentence stand for etc.

Hi secondinnings,

Thanks for your valuable comments .

I had complted powerscore and manhattan SC earlier too for Cr and SC resp.
After analysis, I feel the problem was with execution rather than concepts. So some source of material that is not yet done by me and closely resembles the GMAT question would be something I should be looking for?

[madhukumar_v]

Try these

CR: LSAT (Just skip the parallel reasoning ones) , here you could apply all the concepts you learned in powerscore [cause effect, necessary sufficient, study, numbers-percentages etc.,]

RC: LSAT (Long passages with 5-7 questions) [Start with no time and slowly get to the time limit of 9-10 mins per passage]

SC: GMATPREP + OG 12 + VERBAL REVIEW (learn from each question, then try to do the same question in less than 45 sec)

I think those probably would help you; also try writing more exams around 10-12 exams and learn from your mistakes.

Good luck.

Madhu

[Dan@VinciaPrep]

Try these

CR: LSAT (Just skip the parallel reasoning ones) , here you could apply all the concepts you learned in powerscore [cause effect, necessary sufficient, study, numbers-percentages etc.,]

RC: LSAT (Long passages with 5-7 questions) [Start with no time and slowly get to the time limit of 9-10 mins per passage]

SC: GMATPREP + OG 12 + VERBAL REVIEW (learn from each question, then try to do the same question in less than 45 sec)

I think those probably would help you; also try writing more exams around 10-12 exams and learn from your mistakes.

Good luck.

Madhu

I agree, it sounds like you just need to do more practice problems, more tests, and to review the material you've already read. For example, I read the Manhattan SC book three times and took detailed notes. You can also use the PowerPrep tests, and the paper tests that GMAC sells on it's website (even though the paper tests tend to have inflated scores they are still good practice). Also, you need to do something about your stress- learn strong breathing exercises, do stretches during the break, and learn to keep a positive attitude (tougher than it sounds I know).

[loveusonu]

GMAC Paper tests seems to be good option. I haven't tried earlier.

I have made notes for OG, 1000 series. But during the actual GMAT, i felt many things different and hence was not able to apply myself(i believe).

Any other material to go for?

[Dan@VinciaPrep]

GMAC Paper tests seems to be good option. I haven't tried earlier.

I have made notes for OG, 1000 series. But during the actual GMAT, i felt many things different and hence was not able to apply myself(i believe).

Any other material to go for?

Also, you can try the LSAT RC and the Kaplan explanations. In general the passages are longer than on the actual test, and the questions aren't all quite the same, but the passages are good reading practice- Many of the top GMAT scorers used these as practice.