IanStewart wrote:
It sounds like you're already in the Q47+ range, from your diagnostic scores. Luck plays a small role in determining your score on test day (because sometimes you need to guess, and on some tests, those guesses don't work out very well), and it's likely that you were a bit unlucky on your recent attempt. If your GMATPrep results were not inflated (e.g. from seeing repeat questions), I'd expect your Quant to go up between 1-3 points on your next attempt even if you don't do much prep at all.
But if you know you have a specific area of weakness, you should be able to make genuine improvement in two weeks, and that will not only make it more likely you score in the 47+ range, but also could put a Q50 score within reach. I think knowledge of Number Theory is often the differentiator between ~Q40-Q45 level test takers and ~Q50 level test takers. It's an important topic on the test, but that's not the only reason it matters; questions on number theory are often conceptual, not computational, and if you really understand the subject, you'll often be able to answer questions within 30 seconds. And when you can do that on a few questions, time pressure is often no longer an issue.
Since you've identified a specific area you want to focus on, you might benefit from an online tutoring session or two. If you do seek out a tutor, be sure to find someone who can help a test taker at your level. So be sure to find someone who will teach you concepts, rather than someone who will emphasize gimmicky test-taking tricks - you'll very quickly discover the limitations of strategies like backsolving when you try using them to solve number theory questions. And since you don't have time to waste, be sure to work with someone who is expert specifically about the GMAT, so you can be sure what you're learning will be relevant on test day. Good luck!
Thanks for the feedback and words of encouragement. Both are much appreciated.
My GMAT Prep scores probably aren't that inflated (maybe the 49 is because I've done that exam a few times, albeit spaced over months rather than, say, weeks). A 47 and 48 are definitely not inflated because they came from the Exam Pack. You're definitely right about luck - I've been battling a cold over the past week, leading up to and including the exam, so it's not been an ideal situation. Still, the disappointment lingers.
I suppose it's a case of keeping the Verbal up (41V) and rejigging Quant but no need to restart from the basic. Correct me if that's a poor strategy.
Again, thanks - you've motivated me!
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26 Jun 2015, 22:12
