I was beaten by the GMAT

[alyahya]

I don't know where to start of what to say.

I started preparing for the GMAT in June with some off times. Then i started again in October. My studying material were mainly Kaplan and MGMAT. In December I scored 520 although my Kaplan CATS have been around the 580-620 range.

Then i changed my studying strategy, i utilized the official material heavily. I have done every single question on the official guide and the last have of the verbal review. My score have improved on the CATs and scored 620, 610, and 650 on the GMATprep.

Today i took the test and i surprisingly again scored 530 (44 Q, 20 V). Although it is a big disappointment. I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE UP. Yet, i'm not sure why that happens to me.

[Brent@GMATPrepNow]

Given that your practice test scores are much higher than your official scores, I can't help but think that you're having difficulties with the formal testing environment. You certainly wouldn't be the first. How did you feel during the test?

I suggest that you look into some techniques for dealing with test anxiety (visualization, breathing, etc.) Find the technique(s) that works best for you. It sounds like you have a good grasp of the content. Now you need to work on preparing for the stress of test day.

Cheers,
Brent

[tisrar02]

I found that in my verbal, RC was the key factor really bringing me down so I could not get to my 600+ level. I started working religiously on the verbal part of my prep and to my surprise I scored a 610. Not where I want to be but its improvement from the 530 I scored months before. Maybe you want to invest some time towards verbal with a course of your choosing. I heard both Knewton and E-GMAT are both good. I went towards E-GMAT because it came with a Grockit subscription. Grockit is a program that has hundreds of questions on every topic and most with video solutions. I like to do 10 quant questions and 10 verbal questions every morning before work. Its pretty fun.

If you want more info on the program you can PM me.

Goodluck with your prep!

[basso25@]

hang in there! i commend you for not giving up - that takes a lot of guts. good for you.

[alyahya]

Thank you all for your help and support.

I wish you the best of luck and i look froward to update you with a 650+

[gauravjuneja208]

Video 'Managing your time on the GMAT' shared by the experts is not getting played completely. The same gets hang in between after a minute almost.

[Brent@GMATPrepNow]

Video 'Managing your time on the GMAT' shared by the experts is not getting played completely. The same gets hang in between after a minute almost.

If you're referring to our free GMAT time management video at https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gener ... es?id=1244, I just played the video from start to end without issues.

Our videos are hosted on Vimeo, so playback issues are very rare. However, it's possible that a slow Internet connection or a slow computer is causing the video to hang.

Cheers,
Brent

[alyahya]

Brent,

I thank you again for your posts.

To improve my score i think i should focus on the Verbal section and the time management. I'm trying to develop a studying plan. Since i did all the questions on the OG and Verbal Review, i'm wondering what i should do next? What practice material would you recommend that i should use to boost my verbal score?

Thanks

[charu_mahajan]

In Case, RC is your main issue - Don't just read, read and read. RC is not just about reading. It's also about 'Comprehension'. BTG has one of the best resources and tips available on RC. Try to read a lot and look at the structure of the passage. Try to form a mental map and find the main point. I think I read an article yesterday - the one on BTG from Vertitas Prep.

The article draws the analogy between skill required for each section on GMAT and Business Strategy -
https://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/08 ... -the-gmat/

More importantly, it tells about some STOP Method for RC - Structure, Tone, Organization and Main Point. Try to find these when reading the passage.

You must also try Manhattan tests before you hit the real GMAT. In case you think the practice is not enough, try to buy GMAT paper tests and question pack1. Hope this helps. All the best !!