Dear GMATClub Community!
I figured it is time to write something here, since I have been benefiting from the amazing discussions and resources on this site for the past 7 months or so. Thanks Bunuel and Friends! You are like gods to me!
I started studying for the GMAT in March of this year, used books and took a course with one of the most popular and highly rated GMAT test prep companies known. My score did not change much, if at all, from before and after taking the course. I took GMAT for the first time early August, after I saw my first 710 on the GMAT prep software. Sadly, I landed a 640 (v33 q46 7-IR 5.5-AWA)
Since I was extremely panicked on the test, I thought, if I am relaxed and comfortable the second time around, the score will just improve as a result of that. To my dismay, it didn't! I confess, I didn't study much between the two exams, but I felt that I really overdid it the first time around, studying 4 hours a night and not having a life of any form, no gym, not enough sleep, just work and GMAT. I scored a 630 (v35 q42 5IR) on my second try. I was super relaxed, joked with the proctor at the center, etc. At this point I thought, I have no idea what I am doing wrong, and what I need to do to get to 700 on the actual test! The quality of the questions in both the quant section and the verbal seemed harder than the first time I took the test, so all through the test I thought I am doing well, but apparently they weren't!
I have a masters in engineering and an undergraduate degree in mathematics. It has been a while, but I know I don't lack too much content knowledge. However, I am yet to see anything over a Q48 on any test (I have taken 4 of
MGMAT's tests and the 4 GMAT Prep tests). I see people who can't even speak English correctly who have scored a 720+ (kudos to them if they can do that) and it has inevitably made me think that this should be easier for me, so what am I doing wrong to not be able to do sentence correction or reading comprehension better than them?! Or people from humanities backgrounds who have a hard time doing algebra getting Q50! I know people who have done it in 30 days and that just blows my mind!
I need to crack 700 (hopefully by mid November) to have a shot at my target schools for R2. Not 780, not 750, not even 720. I will be happy and doing back flips with a 700! You are probably thinking, wow, she can't even do a 700!!! I KNOW, I am thinking the same thing! How can I do this? Where should I start? To all of you who have done it (gone from <650 score to 700+), please share your wisdom!
I have been told, "see where your problem areas are and start building from those." It seems I have not done it right, so how do you do this? Say, I know "absolute values" with DS is a problem area for me, what do I do from there? Keep finding and attacking problems with DS and absolute value? But being able to get one or a bunch of problems correctly doesn't mean I will get them all. I can always get a problem on the test that I can not do!
I know for a fact that I can improve on Data Sufficiency. That area is the bane of my existence, or my score rather. The strategy that requires choosing numbers is very difficult for me. I am not sure how to come up with numbers to pick, so I generally pick a positive, negative, zero and a fraction and end up spending too much time. What are the strategies for number picking for DS and generally the best ways to improve on this topic?
Also in the verbal section, CR is definitely an opportunity area. I have the
MGMAT books and PowerScore for this, but I feel that it is not about being able to do problems, but being able to do 600-800 level problems. What is the best plan of attack to get that 700+?