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Stuck in the GMAT rut 520-540-540 after hundreds of hours and $$$

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mpcroaming
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Stuck in the GMAT rut 520-540-540 after hundreds of hours and $$$ [#permalink] New post   24 Dec 2015, 12:00
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First of all I noticed a similar post from August this year which I read in detail and have taken some good points away from it. I felt my circumstances were slightly different and could lend themselves to a different method of solving this problem so I went ahead and posted anyway...what do I have to lose?

Personal background:
30yo male, native English speaker with 6 years professional experience on 3 continents. Working in a commercial management role for a major shipping company (big ships not DHL or Fedex type shipping). I am targeting European 1yr FT MBA programs outside the global top 10. All the schools I have spoken to have said that with my experience and a good application 650 on the GMAT should be sufficient but obviously a 700 would be safer. Based on my historical GMAT scores I am hoping just to get 650.
International relocations and placements have resulted in large gaps between test times.

GMAT progress to date:
1st attempt June 2014: V32 Q 34 520 AWA 5.5 IR 4 (Submitted score)
Strategy: In retrospect it can only be described as ‘no strategy’ as I basically just went through the Princeton review, did the questions, did some OG questions and kept no error log.
Formal courses: Magoosh only
Textbooks: OG Guide, GMAC practice software and Princeton Review textbook.
Error log: NO
Exam time: 9am. Flying out on an important business trip directly after the exam and stayed in a strange hotel near the airport the night before. Very little sleep. Everything about the 24hrs prior to the exam was stressful.

2nd attempt May 2015: 540 AWA 6 IR 3.5 (submitted score)
Strategy:
This time I focused on content from MGMAT and just worked my way thought the books. I started to consistently score around 600 mark after a month which I was satisfied with since my last exam result was a 520. I would work through all the questions in MGMAT then supplement with questions in OG books. All practice questions were times
Error log: YES
Formal courses: Magoosh online lessons/classes
Textbooks: 5th Generation MGMAT books + OG 12 + OG 12 V review + OG 12 Q review
Practice CATS:
CAT 1: 590 Q39 V32 15th March 15
CAT 2 : 600 Q39 V34 29th March 15
CAT 3: 590 Q37 V34 26th April 15
Exam time: 9am. Night before the exam was dealing with some unpleasant personal news which was dwelling on my mind a lot. Looking at my CATS I was going into the exam thinking at least around 590 which would not have been ideal but at least it showed an improvement on my last attempt. Then of course I see an actual score of 540

3rd Attempt 22 Dec 2015: Q33 V31 540 (cancelled the score)
Strategy: Follow the 9 week MGMAT course and do all extra questions assigned. At end of course use MGMAT Navigator and CAT results to spend 2 weeks focusing on weak areas. I used flash cards which I tried to review every few days.
Hrs per week: 15 – 20
Formal courses: 9 week MGMAT online course
Error log: Yes
Practice CATs: All done under full exam conditions with AWA + IR and accurate break timing:
1st CAT 590 Q 40 V 32 4th October ** Before starting prep again for 3rd attempt**
2nd CAT 590 Q36 V34 25th October
This was the baseline test I took before I started studying for my 3rd attempt
3rd CAT 570 Q38 V 30 8th Nov
4th CAT 580 Q37 V32 29th NOV
5th CAT 650 Q44 V35 10th December (Final cat before exam) NOT MGMAT SOFTWARE USING OFFICIAL GMAT software
Comments on CATS:
Between CAT 1 and CAT 4 I was still working my way through the MGMAT course work. Between the 4th and 5th I focused just on weakness areas and OG questions. I also found I was starting to see the same questions again on MGMAT CATS so switched to official GMAC CAT and saw the big increase. All done under official conditions but at home.
Exam time: 1pm

In summary:
I feel like my baseline ability is somewhere between 590 and 620 on a normal day. I also sense that issue could be stress/anxiety related when it comes to game day which is explaining the huge drop in actual score Vs Practice. So the question is how do I address this? There are obvious improvements that can still made in terms of content and understanding concepts but I feel that without trying to understand and resolving the challenges I am facing on the day all the work will be for nothing. I am also considering whether may lack of understanding of the concepts is adding to my stress on the day because deep down I know my knowledge is not ‘complete’.

I was hoping to make a number of school deadlines on the 8th of January but this is obviously going to have to be pushed back by a month. My plan is now to re-sit at the end of January and spend the next week or two between now and NY trying to put together a detailed 1 month study plan.

Any advice welcome!

And finally thank you to anyone who takes the time to read this and provide feedback or advice. I hope the lessons I learn here can provide valuable insights for others in a similar situation.
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Manman2012
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Re: Stuck in the GMAT rut 520-540-540 after hundreds of hours and $$$ [#permalink] New post   27 Dec 2015, 05:03
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Hello, I recently scored 760 and experienced a plateau like you...

I would recommend maybe the following :
1. Do gmatclub tests. Like do 10-15 tests. I did 15 within 3 weeks (sometimes one every day) and it boosted my Quant score from 33% percentile to 5% percentile. A test lasts 1h15, then 1H30 to review (and get more comfortable with concept clarity). That is 3 hours. High score in Quant is not about difficulty, it's about repetition of standard exercises. GMAT tests is really like real gmat (you get a mix of questions in terms of level and nature). You just need a lot of practice, practice, practice, solving problem must become a habit. Don't worry too much about reviewing flashcards, just practice. Every 2 weeks you review flash cards. After 30x10 = 300 exercices in quant, you'll feel much stronger. Don't worry about the score for the 5-6 GMATCLUB cat, it will gradually increase.
I kept an error log on paper (easier for me than on excel). You can spend one session every 2 weeks to re-read it.
You can also have a 'time log' : paper where you write answers for which you took 4-5 minutes and note how you could do it faster.

After 10 gmatclub tests, you can do a quick analysis in case you have specific weakenesses but actual test is generally 3-4 questions of each type (number prop, geometry, algebra, word problem...) so ensure you master the basics for each category. If you need to revise a specific concept (ex : number properties, I struggled with that, you can do Jeff Sackman challenge - 100 questions on a specific topic, it helps)

2. Retake Gmatprep CAT. Of course, you will encounter questions you already answered, but that will build stamina and trust in your ability. It helped me a lot to retake GMAT prep as I scored much higher and realize how it feels to land a good score (in terms of timing...). On test day, you just have to repeat what you already achieved several times on software. A friend also only prepared retaking multiple times gmatprep software and went from 600 to 700. Retaking Cat is advised by many high scorers.

3. Depending on your weakness in Verbal, consider taking e-gmat. I also did that. It boosts confidence in SC or CR. But it is long. SC is 60 hours video + 10 hours scholaranium. CR is 30 hours video + 10 hours scholoaranium. Even if you do only 50% of SC course (so 30 hours) it can really help you build confidence.

4. Maybe postpone a bit your Gmat appointment ? Or book one slot 2nd week of february. And if you don't have the score you need, you can still retake 10th of March. I took a slot in the afternoon to be sure I had enough sleep (sometimes it's difficult to get asleep the day before).

Your program could look like that (QUANT 2 WEEKS, VERBAL 2 WEEKS + keep quant fresh, CAT : 1,5 WEEK)
Week 1 : ~6 GMATCLUB TESTS (the more the better)
Week 2 : 5 GMATCLUB TESTS, gradually begin E-GMAT SC
Week 3 : E-GMAT SC (+ 2 GMATCLUB TESTS)
Week 4 : E-GMAT SC (+ 1/2 GMAT CLUB TESTS or REVIEW OF ERROR LOG)
Week 5 : GMAT PREP CAT 1 & 2 (6 hours each)
Week 6 : redo exercices from error log + 1/2 GMAT PREP CAT
=> Then actual test

12-16 hours a week is good. Do sport, eat well, continue to go out, see friends and take breaks (ex. one full day or afternoon with no gmat). Health is as important as study. Hope it helps
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mpcroaming
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Re: Stuck in the GMAT rut 520-540-540 after hundreds of hours and $$$ [#permalink] New post   27 Dec 2015, 21:37
Manman2012 wrote:
Hello, I recently scored 760 and experienced a plateau like you...

I would recommend maybe the following :
1. Do gmatclub tests. Like do 10-15 tests. I did 15 within 3 weeks (sometimes one every day) and it boosted my Quant score from 33% percentile to 5% percentile. A test lasts 1h15, then 1H30 to review (and get more comfortable with concept clarity). That is 3 hours. High score in Quant is not about difficulty, it's about repetition of standard exercises. GMAT tests is really like real gmat (you get a mix of questions in terms of level and nature). You just need a lot of practice, practice, practice, solving problem must become a habit. Don't worry too much about reviewing flashcards, just practice. Every 2 weeks you review flash cards. After 30x10 = 300 exercices in quant, you'll feel much stronger. Don't worry about the score for the 5-6 GMATCLUB cat, it will gradually increase.
I kept an error log on paper (easier for me than on excel). You can spend one session every 2 weeks to re-read it.
You can also have a 'time log' : paper where you write answers for which you took 4-5 minutes and note how you could do it faster.

After 10 gmatclub tests, you can do a quick analysis in case you have specific weakenesses but actual test is generally 3-4 questions of each type (number prop, geometry, algebra, word problem...) so ensure you master the basics for each category. If you need to revise a specific concept (ex : number properties, I struggled with that, you can do Jeff Sackman challenge - 100 questions on a specific topic, it helps)

2. Retake Gmatprep CAT. Of course, you will encounter questions you already answered, but that will build stamina and trust in your ability. It helped me a lot to retake GMAT prep as I scored much higher and realize how it feels to land a good score (in terms of timing...). On test day, you just have to repeat what you already achieved several times on software. A friend also only prepared retaking multiple times gmatprep software and went from 600 to 700. Retaking Cat is advised by many high scorers.

3. Depending on your weakness in Verbal, consider taking e-gmat. I also did that. It boosts confidence in SC or CR. But it is long. SC is 60 hours video + 10 hours scholaranium. CR is 30 hours video + 10 hours scholoaranium. Even if you do only 50% of SC course (so 30 hours) it can really help you build confidence.

4. Maybe postpone a bit your Gmat appointment ? Or book one slot 2nd week of february. And if you don't have the score you need, you can still retake 10th of March. I took a slot in the afternoon to be sure I had enough sleep (sometimes it's difficult to get asleep the day before).

Your program could look like that (QUANT 2 WEEKS, VERBAL 2 WEEKS + keep quant fresh, CAT : 1,5 WEEK)
Week 1 : ~6 GMATCLUB TESTS (the more the better)
Week 2 : 5 GMATCLUB TESTS, gradually begin E-GMAT SC
Week 3 : E-GMAT SC (+ 2 GMATCLUB TESTS)
Week 4 : E-GMAT SC (+ 1/2 GMAT CLUB TESTS or REVIEW OF ERROR LOG)
Week 5 : GMAT PREP CAT 1 & 2 (6 hours each)
Week 6 : redo exercices from error log + 1/2 GMAT PREP CAT
=> Then actual test

12-16 hours a week is good. Do sport, eat well, continue to go out, see friends and take breaks (ex. one full day or afternoon with no gmat). Health is as important as study. Hope it helps



Hey thanks for the detailed reply! Your approach is quite different from what you generally hear recommended for people in my position. In saying that it obviously worked for you so I will certainly take a closer look at E-GMAT and the GMAT club tests. thanks again!
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GMATPILLBILL
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Re: Stuck in the GMAT rut 520-540-540 after hundreds of hours and $$$ [#permalink] New post   27 Dec 2015, 22:50
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Hey mpcroaming

When it comes to psychological aspects of the test and stress management - make sure you think extreme positivity and pay attention to this critical element of the test. We highly recommend that you read through the psychological tips that we put together for you on this blog post:

https://www.gmatpill.com/about/studying- ... trategies/

Also, with a test date in January, here is a customized one month study plan that can help boost your score: https://www.gmatpill.com/gmat-practice-t ... study-plan

Use this as a guideline. You don’t have to follow it exactly but the structure of the study plan should be the same structure that you take in your approach. This helps to optimize your retention and learning.

As you study, we recommend that you focus on one particular subsection for multiple consecutive days before moving onto the next. You can see this in our study plan where we recommend 5 days on nothing but SC -- before moving onto CR and then RC.

Here is a sample SC video to help you start your journey: https://www.gmatpill.com/sentencecorrect ... ythons.mp4

Best of luck- we are here to help.
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Re: Stuck in the GMAT rut 520-540-540 after hundreds of hours and $$$ [#permalink] New post   28 Dec 2015, 12:57
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Hi All,

For anyone who might be interested in a bit more of the 'backstory', it can be found here:

520-540-540-gmat-rut-after-months-and-lots-of-210677.html#p1621828

Since the end of that conversation might be helpful to other Users/Readers, I've pasted my response from there:

Hi mpcroaming,

Your Official Scores are all based around Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores in the low 30s, so you have the potential to pick up BIG points in BOTH sections of the Test. That having been said, if your goal is 650, you could conceivably find most (if not all) of the missing points that you're looking for in just one section. With a goal score of 700 though, you would have to make some significant improvements to both the Quant and Verbal sections.

With all of that having been said, I think that you probably need the better part of 2 months (or more) of consistent, guided study to hit your goals. You'll have to also adjust your mindset towards this Test (how you 'see' it and the work that you do in response to it). I think that you would find the EMPOWERgmat Total Score Booster to be quite helpful. Most of our clients complete that Study Plan in well under 2 months, so the time commitment wouldn't be that bad. We have a variety of free resources on our site (https://www.empowergmat.com), so you can 'test out' the Course before setting up an account.

If you have any additional questions, then you can feel free to contact me directly.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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Re: Stuck in the GMAT rut 520-540-540 after hundreds of hours and $$$ [#permalink]
28 Dec 2015, 12:57
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