1 month to go & conflicting info - advice needed!

Question

Hello all,

I have exactly a month before I'm scheduled to take a test center GMAT, and I'm getting conflicting information seemingly from all sides. My last official practice test was a 710 (Q42 V45), but I was pretty lucky on quant (3 correct guesses) and a couple q's on verbal. Got a 600 on my last MGMAT CAT, which feels terrible. I'm really not sure where to go from here. Frankly, the testimonials that show up on here and other GMAT forums are skewing my view of test prep resources.

I've been mainly on Magoosh quant for 7 weeks, and it's having a lessened impact for me as I am having trouble retaining info from videos and the speaker is really grating on me (I know this is petty, but the strange/slow pacing and speaking errors in these videos after HOURS of viewing have an effect). I've got the newest MGMAT books, of which I've tried to read SC and number properties with diminishing returns, and the CATs are kicking my butt. I tried out TTP on a trial run to see if I could relate to its quant course, but it seems like an online, segmented form of the same info in MGMAT quant books.

I'm at a loss on where to go from here. I don't really know what study plan I should follow, and I'm getting in my own head, second guessing my study decisions, and feeling a lot of anxiety around the current test administration situation. If I'm able to take a test center GMAT before COVID closes the centers this fall, great. But, GMAC has still not allowed for retakes on GMAT Online. So I am in essence planning for 2 official GMAT scores total, one in person on 9/5 and a GMAT online sometime after that.

Any and all advice is welcomed and appreciated, either on resources to use or paths to take or anything else. Thanks a lot.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi tydsheets,

You still have plenty of time before your Official GMAT on September 5th. To make sure that you use that time efficiently, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying so far:

1) What type of study routine have you been following over the last 2 months? How many hours do you typically study each week?
2) On what dates did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks and how did you score on EACH (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for EACH)?
3) After taking each CAT, are you reviewing your work with an Error Log or Mistake Tracker?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

GeorgeA11 · Answer

Can you ace the GMAT in 1 month?…..YES..... You can....

I feel you need to get you concepts in place.. If your concepts are clear, then you will be confident. Revise the SC rules /CR logic for each question type/math rules..many many times.

This is a generic plan. I feel you need a customized plan.. My contact details are below...

Let me take you through my plan.

This 1- month plan has been tried and tested on our students.

The course books, 8 of them, are designed for GMAT aspirants with no prior preparatory experience. The books are designed by academicians with over 15+ years of GMAT teaching experience.

Does this plan work?

Yes…
Some of my students have jumped 250 points from 450 to 700. Others have jumped from 650 to 720. Others have hit 780.

I’m confident. You will score high, if you follow the plan.

We make a customized study plan for each student..as each learner is different

Lets take each section of the exam

Read more here https://gmatclub.com/forum/can-you-ace- ... 30824.html

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GMATWhizTeam · Answer

Hi,

I understand that lack of confidence can lead to anxiety when you have a deadline coming. It is really important to identify the reason behind your lack of confidence. There might be two reasons for it.

Problem in conceptual understanding 
 Not using the right methodology

Going through your post, I could see that you are having a problem understanding the concepts taught. Many students face this problem. It is really important to use the right resource which not only teaches you the concepts but teaches them effectively. As you’re having just a month to prepare, I recommend you to follow a proper study plan with clear deadlines.

What should be the plan now? 
  In the 1st week, dedicate your time to verbal. Work on one topic at a time and take sectional quizzes. Then move to the next. 
 2nd week you can dedicate to quant. 
 The next week you can start giving equal time to quant and verbal. You can take a mock in this week and analyze the performance. 
 The next week, you can start taking mocks for every 2 or 3 days and analyze the score pattern.

What should be the focus? 
Before you start your preparation, I suggest you to identify the areas you are struggling with. Identify those areas based on the previous mocks you gave. Once you identify them, identify the reason behind the struggle. There can be two reasons.
  Struggling with the concepts 
 Struggling with the application

As you said you got a little lucky in your official mock, I’m suggesting you based on the mock in which you scored 600. A score of 600 indicates that you might be having a few conceptual gaps. It is important to nullify those gaps and, in the process, it is suggested that you learn the right methodology to solve the questions.

Why do I emphasize so much on using the right methodology? 
GMAT is a one such test which focuses mainly on application of concepts rather than just concepts. So, to score well on GMAT, it is really important to use the right methodology to solve questions. If you have a misconception that GMAT just gives you questions which test your conceptual knowledge and remembering few formulae would help you solve them, then let me tell you the harsh truth. GMAT questions are very tricky and one would require a strong conceptual knowledge and right strategies to solve them. One has to perform a certain pre-analysis on the question stem to understand what is it that the question actually requires you to do. Only learning the right methodology to solve questions will help you do this process effectively. The same goes with Verbal. Each module on verbal (SC, CR and RC) has to be approached in a certain way.

For example, there is a misconception that SC questions test your knowledge of grammatical rules. But what GMAT actually tests is the ability to convey the right meaning without any ambiguity. So, it is really important to approach them from a meaning stand-point. Grammatical rules are helpful but only to some extent. You can find a few answer choices which are grammatically correct and also convey a logical meaning. But there is only one answer choice, which conveys the intended meaning. So, it is important to understand the meaning the sentence is trying to convey and identify the errors and then eliminate the answer choices which do not convey the intended meaning.

Having said that, how do you go about learning the right methodology? Is there any effective way of doing that? 
Yes! The best way to learn the right methodology is to learn the concepts along with the methodology. And to understand where you are going wrong while solving questions, it is really important to refer to the detailed solutions and compare your approach with the right one. This will help you nullify the gap gradually, making sure that you master the skill of using the right methodology.

The need to use the right resource: 
As you now understood the importance of using the right methodology, it is equally important to use the right resource to learn that. The resource you use has to teach you the concepts methodically and also the right strategies. It should help you solve GMAT like questions and also provide you with detailed solutions. The best way you can learn the right approach is by referring to the solutions and comparing your approach with the right one. It should help you identify your weaker areas and work on them. So, make sure to choose the right resource this time and start studying from it.

If you are open to suggestions, I would like you to take a check at the course of GMATWhiz. 
  It is one unique course which offers you the best quality content and employs an artificial intelligence driven learning. 
 It offers you a personalized study plan which is integrated with the course. The concept booster and practice quizzes after every concept video help you solve GMAT like questions using the right methodology.  
 It offers you real time improvement modules so that you can work on your weaker areas right away.

There are many more exciting features offered by the course. I would recommend you to check the free trial of GMATWhiz before taking the decision.

But to suggest you a better plan, I would need you to answer a few questions.
  How many hours can you dedicate in a week? 
 Is there any chance to postpone the test?

Answers to these questions will help me guide you better. You can write back to me here or a better way would be to discuss this over a call quickly.Hope it helped! If you have any more concerns regarding the GMAT preparation or wish to know more about study strategy, you can always write back or a better way would be to discuss over a call. You can schedule a free consultation call using the below link.

Click here to schedule a call

tydsheets · Answer

Hi Rich, I have been following the Magoosh 3-month math heavy study plan, and I would say that I've followed that plan about 85% faithfully. Lately, I have been trying to integrate reading MGMAT into my routine, as I said above the quant videos with Magoosh are having diminishing returns by now. I have consistently studied between 15-20 hours per week, which is broken up into roughly 2 hour sessions on weeknights and longer sessions on weekends.

I took the following CATs: 
6/5/20 - GMAT Official Practice Exam 1 - 620 (Q35 V40)
7/19/20 - GMAT Official Practice Exam 2 - 710 (Q42 V45)
7/26/20 - MGMAT CAT Exam #1 - 600 (Q37 V35) - I ran out of time in both during this exam, and it felt much more difficult than either of the official practice exams.

Yes, I am reviewing each answer, looking up those I wasn't sure about. My error log has been more scattered and difficult to follow throughout the other aspects of my study (practice questions mostly).

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi tydsheets,

The MGMAT CATs are generally regarded as being a little tougher than the Official GMAT, so that third CAT Score isn't necessarily worth getting too upset about. Since it's been over a week since you took that last CAT, I suggest that you take a NEW CAT this weekend (from a different source from MGMAT) - and make sure to take it under the same parameters that you will take the Official GMAT (take the FULL CAT - including the Essay and IR sections, take it at the same time of day, away from your home - if possible, etc.). You might consider a Kaplan or Veritas CAT. Once you have that Score, you should post back here and we can discuss the results and how you might adjust your studies going forward.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi tydsheets.

I think that at, this point, the key to your success isn't going to be finding the next great thing. You have tried three major companies' resources. You have spent so much time using them that you are getting sick of at least one of them.

I think the key to your success is going to be you.

You have to take whatever resources are out there and use them to figure out GMAT quant and master answering the questions.

You have to do so by organizing you work, identifying your weaker topics, becoming aware of where gaps in your knowledge of and skills related to those topics lie and do what you have to do in order to fill those gaps.

At this point, it doesn't matter whether a video or a lesson "has an impact." You need to figure out what information you need and get it, piece it together even, from the videos, lessons, or whatever else, so that you get to the point of completely understanding topics that you are weak in now.

Then, once you completely, from the ground up, understand a topic. because you will accept nothing else, you can do dozens of quant questions involving that topic until you basically can't get such questions incorrect. At that point, you'll move on to the next topic and do the same thing, until you have learned enough and developed strong enough skills to hit your score goal.

Right?

At a certain point all that matters is that you know whether you are ready to answer an area question, or a combinations question, or a sets question, and if you can tell you aren't ready to answer a question involving a particular topic, you have to explore that topic until you get it and practice answering questions involving that topic until you basically cannot miss them.

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1 month to go & conflicting info - advice needed!

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