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Stuff to go thru for re-take...

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nehaashley
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Stuff to go thru for re-take... [#permalink] New post   25 Sep 2013, 22:48
Hi..I posted few days back - 'whether to apply at ISB with 640 score'. Thanks for the advice. I have thought a lot and have planned to re-take. I need suggestions regarding the stuff I should go through before re-take.

My score: AWA-6.0, IR- 7.0, Q- 50, V- 26

Pretty much visible from my score I was screwed in verbal. Since I am not a native english speaker,I find verbal section really challenging. By the time I reach verbal, I feel exhausted. In my last attempt, I was going great till 15th question but all of a sudden I started feeling I am taking too much of time to read and understand.

I already have gone through below stuff but yes need to brush-up the concepts again.

OG-13, Manhattan-SC & CR, Kaplan-800, GMAT Prep tests- 3 times each, Manhattan 6 tests- one time each.

Accuracy- RC- below 50%, SC- 60-70%, CR- 60-70%
My accuracy level varies in all the sections but the averages of all are given above. Since I am planning to retake in a month's time, I need suggestion in following areas keeping in mind I have only 1 month to study. Since I am working, I can give only 2-3 hours a day in weekdays and 5-6 hours a day on weekends.

My queries- 1) Which books should I refer to improve my verbal score?
2) How to improve accuracy and how to keep energy level till the last question of verbal section?
3) How to utilise the available mock tests?

Waiting for reply. Thanks in advance. :)
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blueseas
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Re: Stuff to go thru for re-take... [#permalink] New post   26 Sep 2013, 00:02
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nehaashley wrote:
My accuracy level varies in all the sections but the averages of all are given above. Since I am planning to retake in a month's time, I need suggestion in following areas keeping in mind I have only 1 month to study. Since I am working, I can give only 2-3 hours a day in weekdays and 5-6 hours a day on weekends.

My queries- 1) Which books should I refer to improve my verbal score?
2) How to improve accuracy and how to keep energy level till the last question of verbal section?
3) How to utilise the available mock tests?

Waiting for reply. Thanks in advance. :)


to boost your score up first of all you need to increase your accuracy in SC.
SECONDLY allmost everybody has a fear regarding RCs.so you need to improve RCs which needs patience to do good stuff of practice.
CR is all about understanding...

1) Which books should I refer to improve my verbal score?
there are good enough materials...but its always good to stick to 1 good material.
for improving SC i will suggest you can consider E-GMAT SC pack...they have done a beautiful job there.

RCs=>first figure out which type of questions are getting wrong...and what is messing up in RCs..(as i was always behind with speed).
THEN work on it.

CR: CR BIBLE is the best resource.

2) How to improve accuracy and how to keep energy level till the last question of verbal section?
IMPROVING ACCURACY is all making a note of all your error and then working on them once every week.
you can boost your energy level by giving full length mocks (including IR and AWA) and build up the strategy before giving the mocks and find out which is helping you best.

3) How to utilise the available mock tests?
DEPENDS on which all mocks you have.
GMAT PREP => 2 mocks =. best in the market available...moreover we 2 more paid mocks are also available by GMAC and i think they are worth to buy them.
MANHATTAN mocks are quite good for practice.
you can also consider 1 free mock by VERITAS==>SCORING is quite accurate.

for month this many mocks are quite sufficient.

hope that helps...
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KarishmaB
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Re: Stuff to go thru for re-take... [#permalink] New post   29 Sep 2013, 20:47
Expert Reply
nehaashley wrote:
Pretty much visible from my score I was screwed in verbal. Since I am not a native english speaker,I find verbal section really challenging. By the time I reach verbal, I feel exhausted. In my last attempt, I was going great till 15th question but all of a sudden I started feeling I am taking too much of time to read and understand.


That is lack of stamina. GMAT tests you in various ways. I honestly don't know any other test that lasts for 4 hrs continuously. Often we have 2 tests of 3 hrs each in a single day but that comes with a break of a couple of hrs in between to refresh yourself and eat well. Hence, after 3 or so hours, our mind starts shutting down and there is feeling of 'I just don't care anymore. I just have to get done with it.' So what you need to do is build stamina. Get into the habit of studying for long hrs at a stretch and fuel yourself with food and water during the 8 minute breaks.

nehaashley wrote:
I already have gone through below stuff but yes need to brush-up the concepts again.

OG-13, Manhattan-SC & CR, Kaplan-800, GMAT Prep tests- 3 times each, Manhattan 6 tests- one time each.

Accuracy- RC- below 50%, SC- 60-70%, CR- 60-70%
My accuracy level varies in all the sections but the averages of all are given above. Since I am planning to retake in a month's time, I need suggestion in following areas keeping in mind I have only 1 month to study. Since I am working, I can give only 2-3 hours a day in weekdays and 5-6 hours a day on weekends.

My queries- 1) Which books should I refer to improve my verbal score?
2) How to improve accuracy and how to keep energy level till the last question of verbal section?
3) How to utilise the available mock tests?

Waiting for reply. Thanks in advance. :)


First of all, you cannot set up hard boundaries for both score and time and effort you are willing to put in. One of them has to be flexible. I am assuming you are aiming for a score of 700+. To get that, you will need to put in whatever time and effort it requires. Though 2-3 hrs a day and a mock and some study over the weekend should do it.
I think the Veritas verbal books are amazing since they stick to the point, spell out everything in detail for you and tell you all that you need to do and even discuss how to think i.e. what is the first thing that should come to your mind when you see this etc. They also have tons of our own practice questions which are all very GMAT-like. But we sell the books as a complete package so individual books may not be available.
You should take one mock (most prep providers offer one free test so you don't need to retake a previously taken test. Veritas has one which gives quite an accurate score) every weekend (say, with a fresh mind on Saturday morning) and then analyze it fully over the rest of the weekend. Jot down your takeaways and work over your weaknesses over the week. Do not take any mock in the week leading up to your actual test. Save your strength for the G-Day.
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nehaashley
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Re: Stuff to go thru for re-take... [#permalink] New post   29 Sep 2013, 23:11
VeritasPrepKarishma wrote:
nehaashley wrote:
Pretty much visible from my score I was screwed in verbal. Since I am not a native english speaker,I find verbal section really challenging. By the time I reach verbal, I feel exhausted. In my last attempt, I was going great till 15th question but all of a sudden I started feeling I am taking too much of time to read and understand.


That is lack of stamina. GMAT tests you in various ways. I honestly don't know any other test that lasts for 4 hrs continuously. Often we have 2 tests of 3 hrs each in a single day but that comes with a break of a couple of hrs in between to refresh yourself and eat well. Hence, after 3 or so hours, our mind starts shutting down and there is feeling of 'I just don't care anymore. I just have to get done with it.' So what you need to do is build stamina. Get into the habit of studying for long hrs at a stretch and fuel yourself with food and water during the 8 minute breaks.

nehaashley wrote:
I already have gone through below stuff but yes need to brush-up the concepts again.

OG-13, Manhattan-SC & CR, Kaplan-800, GMAT Prep tests- 3 times each, Manhattan 6 tests- one time each.

Accuracy- RC- below 50%, SC- 60-70%, CR- 60-70%
My accuracy level varies in all the sections but the averages of all are given above. Since I am planning to retake in a month's time, I need suggestion in following areas keeping in mind I have only 1 month to study. Since I am working, I can give only 2-3 hours a day in weekdays and 5-6 hours a day on weekends.

My queries- 1) Which books should I refer to improve my verbal score?
2) How to improve accuracy and how to keep energy level till the last question of verbal section?
3) How to utilise the available mock tests?

Waiting for reply. Thanks in advance. :)


First of all, you cannot set up hard boundaries for both score and time and effort you are willing to put in. One of them has to be flexible. I am assuming you are aiming for a score of 700+. To get that, you will need to put in whatever time and effort it requires. Though 2-3 hrs a day and a mock and some study over the weekend should do it.
I think the Veritas verbal books are amazing since they stick to the point, spell out everything in detail for you and tell you all that you need to do and even discuss how to think i.e. what is the first thing that should come to your mind when you see this etc. They also have tons of our own practice questions which are all very GMAT-like. But we sell the books as a complete package so individual books may not be available.
You should take one mock (most prep providers offer one free test so you don't need to retake a previously taken test. Veritas has one which gives quite an accurate score) every weekend (say, with a fresh mind on Saturday morning) and then analyze it fully over the rest of the weekend. Jot down your takeaways and work over your weaknesses over the week. Do not take any mock in the week leading up to your actual test. Save your strength for the G-Day.


Hi, thanks Karishma for your advice. Even I feel so that I should study at stretch everyday atleast for 2-3 hrs. I will write this weekend 1 veritas exam since I have never written any of it. But, I have 1 doubt. You said I should not take any mock in the week leading up to the actual test. I feel that giving mock in last few days helps to maintain momentum. Advise me please. May be my assumption is wrong.
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nehaashley
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Re: Stuff to go thru for re-take... [#permalink] New post   29 Sep 2013, 23:14
to boost your score up first of all you need to increase your accuracy in SC.
SECONDLY allmost everybody has a fear regarding RCs.so you need to improve RCs which needs patience to do good stuff of practice.
CR is all about understanding...

1) Which books should I refer to improve my verbal score?
there are good enough materials...but its always good to stick to 1 good material.
for improving SC i will suggest you can consider E-GMAT SC pack...they have done a beautiful job there.

RCs=>first figure out which type of questions are getting wrong...and what is messing up in RCs..(as i was always behind with speed).
THEN work on it.

CR: CR BIBLE is the best resource.

2) How to improve accuracy and how to keep energy level till the last question of verbal section?
IMPROVING ACCURACY is all making a note of all your error and then working on them once every week.
you can boost your energy level by giving full length mocks (including IR and AWA) and build up the strategy before giving the mocks and find out which is helping you best.

3) How to utilise the available mock tests?
DEPENDS on which all mocks you have.
GMAT PREP => 2 mocks =. best in the market available...moreover we 2 more paid mocks are also available by GMAC and i think they are worth to buy them.
MANHATTAN mocks are quite good for practice.
you can also consider 1 free mock by VERITAS==>SCORING is quite accurate.

for month this many mocks are quite sufficient.

hope that helps...[/quote]

Hi, thanks for your suggestions. I have started reading CR Bible...lets see how will it help me. Can you suggest me something to build concentration?
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KarishmaB
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Re: Stuff to go thru for re-take... [#permalink] New post   30 Sep 2013, 00:23
Expert Reply
nehaashley wrote:
VeritasPrepKarishma wrote:
nehaashley wrote:
Pretty much visible from my score I was screwed in verbal. Since I am not a native english speaker,I find verbal section really challenging. By the time I reach verbal, I feel exhausted. In my last attempt, I was going great till 15th question but all of a sudden I started feeling I am taking too much of time to read and understand.


That is lack of stamina. GMAT tests you in various ways. I honestly don't know any other test that lasts for 4 hrs continuously. Often we have 2 tests of 3 hrs each in a single day but that comes with a break of a couple of hrs in between to refresh yourself and eat well. Hence, after 3 or so hours, our mind starts shutting down and there is feeling of 'I just don't care anymore. I just have to get done with it.' So what you need to do is build stamina. Get into the habit of studying for long hrs at a stretch and fuel yourself with food and water during the 8 minute breaks.

nehaashley wrote:
I already have gone through below stuff but yes need to brush-up the concepts again.

OG-13, Manhattan-SC & CR, Kaplan-800, GMAT Prep tests- 3 times each, Manhattan 6 tests- one time each.

Accuracy- RC- below 50%, SC- 60-70%, CR- 60-70%
My accuracy level varies in all the sections but the averages of all are given above. Since I am planning to retake in a month's time, I need suggestion in following areas keeping in mind I have only 1 month to study. Since I am working, I can give only 2-3 hours a day in weekdays and 5-6 hours a day on weekends.

My queries- 1) Which books should I refer to improve my verbal score?
2) How to improve accuracy and how to keep energy level till the last question of verbal section?
3) How to utilise the available mock tests?

Waiting for reply. Thanks in advance. :)


First of all, you cannot set up hard boundaries for both score and time and effort you are willing to put in. One of them has to be flexible. I am assuming you are aiming for a score of 700+. To get that, you will need to put in whatever time and effort it requires. Though 2-3 hrs a day and a mock and some study over the weekend should do it.
I think the Veritas verbal books are amazing since they stick to the point, spell out everything in detail for you and tell you all that you need to do and even discuss how to think i.e. what is the first thing that should come to your mind when you see this etc. They also have tons of our own practice questions which are all very GMAT-like. But we sell the books as a complete package so individual books may not be available.
You should take one mock (most prep providers offer one free test so you don't need to retake a previously taken test. Veritas has one which gives quite an accurate score) every weekend (say, with a fresh mind on Saturday morning) and then analyze it fully over the rest of the weekend. Jot down your takeaways and work over your weaknesses over the week. Do not take any mock in the week leading up to your actual test. Save your strength for the G-Day.


Hi, thanks Karishma for your advice. Even I feel so that I should study at stretch everyday atleast for 2-3 hrs. I will write this weekend 1 veritas exam since I have never written any of it. But, I have 1 doubt. You said I should not take any mock in the week leading up to the actual test. I feel that giving mock in last few days helps to maintain momentum. Advise me please. May be my assumption is wrong.


Mocks consume a lot of time and energy. My suggestion is to take your last mock a week before the actual exam. Also, you should have enough time leftover to analyze the mocks properly. 3 days before the exam, you don't have much time leftover to analyze and gain from the mock.

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't do practice questions to maintain momentum but 2 days prior to the exam, you should start relaxing your mind. If you go in the test with a fresh mind, you will perform better. So focus on revising your error log and formulas etc in the last 2 days.
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nehaashley
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Re: Stuff to go thru for re-take... [#permalink] New post   30 Sep 2013, 00:56
Thanks Karishma..your advice should help me.. :)
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Re: Stuff to go thru for re-take... [#permalink]
30 Sep 2013, 00:56

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