I Need Help Bad! 430 First Official Attempt

[Mike21]

I am so disappointed with this performance. I took a practice test got in the 500 range before the test. I thought that I would be able to do better on the test. I was definitely wrong. My goal is to get to the 600+ range. I plan to retake the test in mid November. Please help me with a plan and what I need to do. I will do what is necessary please just help me. My Verbal is slightly better than my Math. I tried to browse the Manhattan GMAT kit and I studied the GMAT Study Cards from here. I also have the Official Gmat Book and the other two books with it.

[wharton750]

What was your GMAT Breakdown? Did you finish OG 12 questions?...List everything you used to study and how far you got with each.

[Mike21]

My breakdown was 200 math 230 verbal. I didn't actually finish the OG. I have the complete Manhattan GMAT Kit I only got the 3rd book out of 12. I know this sounds bad but please help me I am going to turn this around.

[langston7]

It sounds like you didn't do enough to prepare Mike. The GMAT is such a unique tests that, in my honest opinion, you may need to take a prep course to help get you over the hump. I, myself, studied for about 8 months prior to taking the real tests and did not do too well. I studied from the 8 Manhattan GMAT study guides and the OG and math and verbal supplements. After bombing the test, I decided to sign up for the prep course to get some formal coaching. I have seen my score increase about 140-200 points on recent practice tests. Im aiming for a 600+. Look into taking a Manhattan Gmat course and good luck to you.

[wharton750]

If you have the kit then you don't need to enroll in the course IMO. Go through the guides once or twice, then begin doing questions--do NOT do mgmat questions--from OG 12. MGMAT guides are great but Manhattan's questions are often too difficult and aren't very representative of the GMAT.

Also, if you have a lot of time, go on esnips/docstoc or even Google a few of the previous LSAT tests with explanations (Don't spend more than a day doing LSAT stuff though).

Also, practice computerized tests are absolutely crucial. I've said this elsewhere on BTG, but you need to take plenty of practice tests under test-day conditions (public-library, no cell phone, same food in-take before test...)

[Night reader]

Dear Mike, please do not rush the job. I am non-native speaker MBA holder aiming to score in the high 600s and hoping to cross 700 even. First time I went through GMAT I was in your shoes. I did little preparation with GMAT prep software and went through basics of Math and relied on my verbal abilities. Despite the fact that I have extensive experience in English speaking environment and sat for multiple computerized tests for professional designations I was able to score only 22 scaled points in verbal part. My scaled points in quants equaled to 25. I did my best at that time, this would be what I thought after the test. One year left and I turned to GMAT again. I need this test score's submission for my PhD application. So, I started over and sat for reading and solving section end problems from MGMAT - all Math guides. Then I quickly scanned MGMAT verbal part. I sat for practice test and WOW - Q28, V20. I tell you what -
YOUR GMAT SCORE IS 30-40% THE RESULT OF YOUR THEORETICAL BACKGROUND. THE OTHER 50-70% COMES AFTER PRACTICE!

Having said that I urge you to read Princeton Review - Cracking Gmat. You must memorize one rule and do not read Facts from OG11 about myths, etc. ... First questions on every GMAT test count more, I would even say MORE. It is the matter of CAT algorithm, the program works this way. Further the truth in GMAT words is if you answer the first 5-6 questions (these place you in score ranges of 600+, 500+, 400+, 400-) and relax for the remaining questions, again you fail the plan. You must read Princeton first to understand how the test program works and then sit for CAT. e.g. - one can be good in general sports but fall a victim of weak physical exercise.

After you go through MGMAT and read Princeton, please do all OG11 or OG12. If you start OG11 and find the questions easy, think further - all OG questions become more difficult as you cross the PS questions after 120 and DS questions after 100. OG questions are placed in order of increasing difficulty.

Realistically you are now where I started one month ago. You need at least two and half months to score 600+. First month goes to working through MGMAT and drilling OG11. The second month will suit your needs for CAT practicing and catching your weakest areas. Most probably you will start your verbal preparation seriously in the second month. You may need CR bible from Power Score then. Learn 100% material contained in Beat the GMAT flashcards for SC. Read OG11 or 12 for RC and find the most suitable strategy for your reading comprehension.

The third month or a half of it goes to sharpening you test taking abilities. You must be prepared for GMAC challenges during G-day.

good luck.

P.S. Believe me after 1 month you will score at least 70% in quant if you leave behind MGMAT and read Cracking GMAT of Princeton Review (CAT techniques).

[fitzgerald23]

Mike I would try to focus on math first and then on verbal second. I think when it comes to the math portion of the exam people tend to know alot of the material its just a question of unlocking it from your head. Start with the first Manhattan guide and Id actually recommend to do the problems in there even if they are not representative of the GMAT question types. Its good practice. Make sure to get down your basics before the test, such as prime numbers and properties of evenly spaced sets. Because you are running on limited time I would skip or simply glance at some of the material that they cover that isnt as important. For example I would not go nuts learning probability or combo problems. Its more important to focus on rate questions, exponents, etc...Know your basic geometry but dont dwell on some of the more advanced concepts. After you finish all the guides then go back to OG 12 and see how you do on the questions. Dont worry too much about time. Just see if you can solve them. If you can solve most of them you will be fine and can work on time later.

After you get the math down then head to verbal. Because there is limited time to study I would focus more on RC or CR questions than SC. The CR and RC kind of go hand in hand in terms of solving them. If you can do one type you probably have a good chance at doing well in the other. the SC book is huge. I would not recommend any of the problems in it. Get down your basics on sentence structure and parallelism. There are a number of ways to decipher the SC problems and often just knowing the basics can help you eliminate some of the SC problem solution. Again try to work on the OG 12 when you get through the books and come up with a system for test day to quickly eliminate answers and make it easier when solving. I simply made columns down my sheet for ABCDE choices and as soon as I knew it was wrong crossed it out and never went back. You would be surprised how much time you lose by re-reading answer choices you know are already wrong.

Before you start everything you may want to take the diagnostic test in the front of the OG and then take it again after you study. I think you will note the improvements. Finally when you are all done, ideally a week before your test date, download the GMAT Prep software and take a practice exam. Id take it under as real conditions as possible. Go to a library or your school and take the exam there. Dont pause it or anything like that. Just go through like you would the regular test. If you nail a 600 on it you should be good for test day.

[Mike21]

Thank all very much for the advise. I will work hard to prove myself and your help right. If you have more suggestions I am open and would appreciate it. Thank you.

[mcbrown84]

mike i was (or maybe am) in your shoes, i scored in the 70% percentile on verbal on the real test, but scored a dismal 8% in quant, when i hadnt been doing all that bad on the mgmat practice tests (560-590).
practice from several resources. use the powerprep and the free gmat tests at other sites, but dont take too many!
my advisor from MGMAT is having me do OG only for a whole month, nothing else (no practice tests). then after that take a practice and see where your weak points are.
you, like me, did not do enough OG practice to be prepared. you'll start to understand the problems quickly instead of trying to congure up number properties..it will come more naturally.
also, my advisor made me do an outline of all 8 MGMAT books. this way, when you are presented with a question on the real test, you can picture the book its in and hopefully the chapter and you will build your confidence in going with a particular strategy. this has really worked for me in the past month.
furthermore, i have postponed my application until next fall. you want to do as well as you can on this 2nd time, as after a 3rd or 4th time it may not look too good.
best of luck!