Retaking the GMAT, but I'm not sure what to do differently.

[Bmford]

Hello! and thanks in advance for reading and your willingness to give advice.

Background


I started this long treacherous journey about a year ago. I decided that business school was for me and I decided that I should aim to go to one of the very best schools.
When I first started my GMAT prep I read through some post on this site and sites like this one, but I haven't been led to post until now because I could really use some help.
I took the official GMAT the first time January 26, 2013 and I scored a 490 after averaging about a 550 and scoring even a 590 on practice exams. Last Saturday, June 1, 2013 I took the GMAT again and I scored a 520 after averaging about a 580 and scoring even a 640 and 630 on practice exams. I'm thankful that I scored above a 500 because I needed to earn above a 500 to participate in a MBA prep program this coming fall. However, I need a higher score. I want to earn at least a 650 and at this point I want to go for earning a 700+ since I've put so much time, effort, and money into this ordeal already.

In preparation for my last test I re-enrolled in an in person Veritas Prep course. (I really should have waited to retake this course, at the time I had way too much going on in my personal life and I didn't dedicate enough time to completing homework) Then for about a month and a half I reviewed all of the books. Typically I spent a day reading through the lesson plan then another day doing practice problems with two of my classmates. I also completed practice exams every Saturday up until the week before my test. I decided not to take a practice exam the week before the test because I sometimes experienced test anxiety (but perhaps I should have, because I seriously tanked in terms of timing during my retake)

Also I did take a crack at utilizing an error log, but I didn't gain much from this because it just seemed like I needed improvement in every area lol.

So here I am a few days after retaking the GMAT in need of some advice. I know earning my target score of 650 or higher (hoping for 700+) is going to take hard work, and it's going to be uncomfortable, and it's not going to be an easy task. However, after a year or so on this journey I have to admit that I'm apprehensive about the amount of time I continue to dedicate. In preparation for my last test I pretty much only focused on GMAT, but after not coming close to hitting my score I question if I "over studied". This time around I want to earn my target score, but I also want to have some sense of balance in life (i.e. rejoin Toastmasters, volunteer, exercise 4-6 days a week, maybe enjoy summer somewhere in there lol). Can someone help?? How should I proceed?

[Dan@VinciaPrep]

Hello!
Before I try to help I'm going to have to ask you some questions.

So, exactly what are all of the materials that you have used thus far? Veritas prep stuff, and anything else?

Also, how many times do you go through the questions that you worked on? Did you just do them once, review your work right after, and never look at them again?

How many practice tests did you end up doing? Did you you ever take the GMATPrep tests? Did you ever review your wrong answers a second time? On your practice tests did you do the whole tests or did you skip the writing section and IR section?

Cheers!

[Bmford]

Hi Daniel!

I only used Veritas Prep materials ( 12 lesson books and recorded lessons). I also have the official math review and verbal review books, but I didn't spend much time reviewing these books.

Typically I just answered questions once. Unless I really had an issue with a question then in that case I reviewed the question again.

In preparation for my last test I completed 5 test. All of these test were from Veritas, I didn't take a GMATPrep Tests before retaking the test on June 1. I went through some of the questions I answered, but I didn't try answering them the again. I completed the writing section and IR section each time I took a practice exam.

Thanks for your help!

[Dan@VinciaPrep]

Hello again!
So first off, you need to go back through all of the questions that you had trouble with, or took too long on (both on your practice tests and practice questions). It's easy to go through questions once, but it's really the second (or the third time) that things really start to stick. Keep doing the questions over and over until you get them right and have really learned from you mistakes.

Generally, the GMATPrep tests have the most accurate questions. You would do well to take these tests at least twice each (for a total of four exams).
I also like the Manhattan GMAT practice tests.

The Official guide questions have really good questions but not so good answer explanations. Do these questions and use the GMAT Archer program from Manhattan or the explanations from gmatquantum.com. Then after your done with all of the questions, make sure that you learned from your mistakes by going back over them again.

Cheers!

[Bmford]

Thanks Daniel!