GMAT Practice Score not Increasing

[surekaharsh]

Hi,

I have been preparing for the GMAT since 2 months. Before I started my preparation, I gave GMAT Prep1 and scored 660. The practice test indicated that I need to work on Verbal. more than Quant. So I have been focusing all my time and energy on the verbal section. I have completed the OG & OG Supplement for SC & CR. I have also timed all questions while solving questions.

I have given 3 Manhattan GMAT mocks till date and have been getting the exact same score on the verbal as well as the quant section. For quant I understand that since I have not been preparing, the score would tend to remain the same. However in the verbal section I expected my score to increase but it is stuck at 34 and I am at a loss of ideas as to how to improve.

I have spaced out my mocks between 2 weeks. 7th July, 21st July and 4th August. Have prepared extensively for the verbal section only during the 2 week break.

I am really demotivated. Please help.

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Hi surekaharsh,

What have your scores been on the CATs? If they've all been 660s (give or take), then what were the Scaled Scores?

Many self-studiers do well on practice sets, quizzes, etc. but don't see huge improvement on CATs. The reason tends to be because they tend to perform differently "psychologically" under "timed" conditions - meaning that you might "forget your training" and revert back to the way you've always done things.

With a Verbal 34, you're picking up most of the points that you're supposed to be getting and you likely don't have a "weak spot" per se. At this level, most of the questions that you get wrong will be because of rarer versions of standard grammar rules, some idiom/usage issues and some Out Of Focus answers in CR and RC.

You're not that far from 700+, but you might have to invest in some new study materials. Have you been studying primarily with books?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

[surekaharsh]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

To answer your first question- I have scored 650 in each of my CATs. The scaled scores have also been the same : Q-45 & V-34.

I tend to agree with you when you say I perform differently under timed conditions because when I analyze my CATs and re-solve the questions, I am successful in answering a significant number of them correctly.

Regarding my prep material, I have been studying from E-Books mostly and hard copy of OG-12th Edition :

1. I have solved the OG and the Verbal Review under timed conditions for SC & CR.
2. I have used the Manhattan GMAT books on SC & CR.
3. I sometimes refer to videos by Ron Purewal for sections I feel I am really weak in.

I have performed a comparitive analysis of the CATs that I have answered and tagged each question as L,M,H depending upon the level of difficulty. Also marked Green or Red for questions that I have got right or wrong respectively. I have attached the sheet with this post.

When you say I need to refer to new material, please throw some more light on that. What new material should I refer to ?