Sat the GMAT today with a disappointing result. I expected to get at least in the high 600's.
The test:
The essays were not too hard to write stuff about. Just focused on a simple intro, examples and conclusion structure.
Quant - Started ok, and got a probability question on my third question, so I thought I might be doing ok. I read that the peak of difficulty levels of at q12, but I kept on getting probability, venn diagram questions that were really hard after q12. Forced myself with great difficulty to move on if I couldnt solve it in 2 mins and guessed. Kept strict protocol with the 50/12 25/25 rule.
Verbal - I was always confident at verbal, but I now realise that I was lulled into a false sense of security. I enjoy reading most of the passages from RC. SC answers just usually "sound wrong" to me. The CR was more difficult that I'd ever encountered with several bold sentence style questions that I'd never seen. RC passage were also really short (2 paragraphs) and questions were really trying.
Why were the question so much harder than what I'd seen so far in the
OG ?
My practise tests were always in the high 500's, but I though that I'd always do better on test day when I was more focused. How wrong I was !
My preparation:
I did about half the
OG with an approximate 80% hit rate through the questions, although I didnt time myself, and some question took over 10 minutes for me to do.
Whilst doing the
OG, i got some easy questions wrong, and some difficult questiond weren't that difficult to me at all.
I went through the complete Kaplan 2005 book and the Higher Score CD.
I didnt spend much time in the Maths and Verbal forums, although I went to the "Share your experience" forum every day.
I was hoping to apply to Cambridge or Oxford, but their class average is 690.
How can I raise my score into the mid 700's ?
I plan to take it again and prepare by (in order of priority)
1. Go through the
OG(10th) again, and confirm my weak areas ( Inequalities, probabilities, word problems)
2. Contribute to all the verbal and maths challenges at the GMAT Club.
3. Do
OG completely again.
Is there anything else that anybody thinks I should do ?
If I want to be in the 700's should I be getting 100% on all
OG questions ?