Mock Tests (MGMAT) not going as well as I thought they would

[Loosing-My-Mind]

Hi,

I've been studying for the GMAT for the last 6 months.
I've been through all the MGMAT books (5th Ed), the GMAC guides (12th Ed., Verbal, & Quant).
I've done the online question banks and done all the questions in the GMAC books and the practice tests at the end of each chapter on the MGMAT books.
I've even revised all the questions in the GMAC books once over before beginning with my MGMAT mock tests.

...to be quite honest, I feel like I'm losing my mind!
My first MGMAT mock test wasn't grand at all.
I scored 530 (Q36; V28).
I've just completed my second MGMAT mock test and scored 520 (Q33, V28).
I'm ABSOLUTELY disheartened.
I thought that the first mock test was a first and then I would improve my scores as I went along doing more mock tests.

Mock test 1: (I scored 530 (Q36; V28))
As suggested by MGMAT the first one was done without IR.
I decided to skip the AWA too and focus only on the Quant and Verbal (it being the first test).
I entered the time as per GMAT setting and worked those 2 sections through with official GMAT timing.
I found the first 10 questions of Quant impossible to understand and tried to make educated guesses.
My Quant timing seemed alright and my review exhibited that I managed to guess a couple of the first 10 right.
My timing for the Verbal section was off and I ended up guessing and skipping through about 7-8 questions towards the end of the test.
I was determined to not let this happen on my second mock test.

Mock test 2 (today): (I scored 520 (Q33, V28).)
As suggested by MGMAT, the second test onwards are be done front to back with all the sections and all the settings of a regular GMAT exam so I set the timing accordingly.
My IR score was terrible but that's the least of my problems so let's push that aside for now.
I had the same issue with the first 10 questions of Quant.
I was not in a position to understand them too well and ended up guessing (again, ending up with some guessed correctly).
My timing was OK and I finished the section.
I then began my Verbal, determined to improve the time I dedicated to SC & CR as I probably spent too much on them on the first test.
Going in with that mindset enabled to work through the RC quicker too and I managed to willfully guess on the second last question in the hope of getting an SC for the last question (SC being my strong point).
Right enough, I got an SC as the last one and got that one right.
This however, hasn't changed my overall verbal score and I'm desperate to change it.

My goal score is 600, or more.
I want to improve my Verbal to at least 35. (My current score is disappointing because my first language is English).
If I can improve my Quant too that would be great! (I'm not ecstatic with the current score but I'm not complaining).

Can anyone, especially MGMAT instructors, please comment.
Any tips to help nudge the boundaries would be greatly appreciated!
Please help!
The real deal is 2 weeks down the line for me.

A last question: Is there any way of getting a score on the AWA questions attempted in an MGMAT mock test?

Thanks in advance,
Losing My Mind (LMM).

[Brent@GMATPrepNow]

You shouldn't make so many conclusions based on one practice test. Perhaps you just had a bad day.
I suggest that you take another practice test right way . . . today even.
I also suggest that you take an official practice test from https://www.mba.com/the-gmat/download-fr ... tware.aspx
This will provide the best approximation of your current skill level.

I typically suggest that students achieve their target score on at least 2 practices tests before they take the official test. I know your test is scheduled in 2 weeks. So, if you don't achieve your 600+ target score in the next week, you might consider rescheduling.

Cheers,
Brent

[Loosing-My-Mind]

Hi Brent,

Thanks for your reply
My thoughts were to complete all 6 mock tests provided by MGMAT before attempting the MBA.com practice tests.
My thoughts were also to continue to do MGMAT mock tests every alternate day till I complete all 6 before doing the MBA.com preactice test but after my score today I changed my mind and decided that I should do the MGMAT tests daily and then attempt the MBA.com practice test.

Perhaps I should just attempt the MBA.com practice test like you said.
I haven't much time left to do another test today but my test for tomorrow will be the MBA.com practice test.
I most certainly hope it shows some significant difference in my scores and reflects my heavy schedule of studies that I undertook through the last 6 months.

I'll update my posts when I'm done with it.

Thanks again Brent

[Loosing-My-Mind]

Hi again Brent,

I tried my hand at GMAT practice test 1 today.
I scored 490 and I'm not pleased at all.

As mentioned, I've been studying for 6 months now due to which I really don't want reschedule.
It's important to me to finish it this summer (in 2 weeks).

My Quant and Verbal scores seem somewhat consistent but overall they reflect a low score on the GMAT prep test.
Do you have any suggestions for progress?

I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks.

[Brent@GMATPrepNow]

Hi LMM,

That's too bad about the practice test.
Unfortunately, I don't have any super-effective advice that would help you achieve a 110-point increase in two weeks.

So, given that you need to take the test in 2 weeks, I suggest that you focus on the concepts that have the greatest return on investment (ROI). These are concepts that are tested frequently and require the least amount of time to learn. In my opinion, these concepts are:
- Sentence Correction
- Data Sufficiency strategies
- Percent
- Integer Properties
- Powers/roots
- Algebra
- Geometry

I say all of this because I see many students spending a lot of time agonizing over concepts like Probability and Counting, when these concepts are seldom tested.

CR and RC questions probably have the lowest ROI. I'm not saying that you shouldn't prepare for them; I'm just saying that improvements will take a while. For CR, be sure you understand the various question types.

Finally, be sure to take several official practice tests in order to perfect your time management skills and build your endurance.

I hope that helps.

Cheers,
Brent

[Loosing-My-Mind]

Hi Brent,

Thanks for your reply.

I'll definitely put in more focus on the concepts you've mentioned.

I'll be sure to take several official practice tests and work on my timing which I'm led to believe is another problem with my exams.

I'd like to know if the questions in the official practice exams will change every time I do an exam (considering that there are just 2).


Thanks again Brent.

Best regards,
LMM.