Forum Home > GMAT > Quantitative > Problem Solving (PS)
Events & Promotions
|
|
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Dec 1310:00 AM EST
-12:00 PM EST
Have you ever wondered how to score a PERFECT 805 on the GMAT? Meet Julia, a banking professional who used the Target Test Prep course to achieve this incredible feat. Julia's story is nothing short of an inspiration.
Dec 1410:00 AM EST
-12:00 PM EST
Think a 100% GMAT Verbal score is out of your reach? Target Test Prep will make you think again! Our course uses techniques such as topical study and spaced repetition to maximize knowledge retention and make studying simple and fun.
Dec 1411:00 AM IST
-01:00 PM IST
Attend this session to learn how to Deconstruct arguments, Pre-Think Author’s Assumptions, and apply Negation Test.- Dec 15
11:00 AM IST
-01:00 PM IST
Attend this free GMAT Algebra Webinar and learn how to master the most challenging Inequalities and Absolute Value problems with ease. 
Dec 1608:00 AM PST
-11:59 PM PST
GMAT Club 12 Days of Christmas is a 4th Annual GMAT Club Winter Competition based on solving questions. This is the Winter GMAT competition on GMAT Club with an amazing opportunity to win over $40,000 worth of prizes!
17 Feb 2020, 15:58
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hello fellow Gmat clubbers,
First of all, I aim for a 700+ score. GOAL : Msc in Management in a Top 5 European BS
I started my prep in Mid-January 2019, with my Bsc degree yet to be finished and an ongoing internship at a Big4 company.
I took the GMAT 3 times and scored:
1. 550 V34 Q33 on April 10th 2019
2. 640 V38 Q39 on May 24th 2019
(took a break in my preparations and started again in mid-November of 2019)
3.640 V38 Q40 on February 17th 2020
One major factor of my weak performance is my test day anxiety. GMAT has gotten into my head and it seems to be messing with me on a deeper psychological level. I came to think of it as a vicious opponent designed to make me fail. I had a serious breakdown while taking my second test- I started sobbing in the middle of my verbal section and did a good portion of the it with eyes full with tears. However, I was always good in Verbal and I consistently scored above 40 in Official CATs. My test day performance in V is not bad at all, V38 is a strong score, I am well aware of that. However, while doing the test I was under the impression I was doing terribly and that feeling followed me into quant section.
First time I took the test I barely practiced quant, went only threw OG 19. Second time, I focused on quant, covered the theoretical basis, did QR 19, practiced using GMAT club timer and question banks search.Did hundreds of questions. On the test day I was struggling with time on Q and guessed many questions (this was all after crying on verbal section). I later realized, I lacked a structured approach to quant and a deeper understanding of several key concepts. My knowledge was weak and my CAT performance based on a combination of luck and previous knowledge of certain questions. My anxiety only worsened my already weak knowledge and let to a disappointing Q39. I was so devastated with my result, because I haven't seen at that point my weak areas in full clarity. Hence, I decided to take a break from the GMAT and distance myself from the test.
THIRD ATTEMPT:
I took me quite a lot to get back on prep track. I was reluctant to start prepping again, because I was so afraid what might happen if I were to fail again. I procrastinated for so long, but I finally gathered my strength and started my preparations in mid-november of 2019. I would say I achieved full focus and truly got back on track in January. I was aware I must focus on quant and that quant is the area in which I must improve to attain my desired score. I hired a private tutor, did the entire 700-800 pdf book (challenging questions 2 or three times), used gmat club timer each time, and used practice question bank feature of the forum. One thing is certain- my knowledge has advanced and I was certain I would do better in Q this time; even though I did not expect Q 49 or up, I was certain I was in 45-47 range. I haven't done any CATs before the third attempt because I already did Official CATs 2,3,4 and my score was nowhere near my actual GMAT score. I took the GMAT for the third time and did terribly on Quant once again. I did reasonably well on verbal and scored 38, even though I barely practiced for it (refreshed SC rules and did GMAT Advanced).
At this point, I don't know what it is: is it my knowledge, my solving techniques, my anxiety or something else... I don't know how to proceed. I did not feel completely ready when I wrote my last exam, but it was my strategy to go out and do it without pressure and see where I stand. However I did not expect such a low Q score and no improvement at all from the last time I took it. This score threw me off completely and I don't know what to do...
I need help! How to proceed? Should I just accept the fact that I am not a 700 material and move on with my life or take yet another shot? Is there any room for improvement in Quant.
*I have the ESR for the first two tests and I plan to order one for the third one, as well. I can send those in PM.
Thank you in advance...
First of all, I aim for a 700+ score. GOAL : Msc in Management in a Top 5 European BS
I started my prep in Mid-January 2019, with my Bsc degree yet to be finished and an ongoing internship at a Big4 company.
I took the GMAT 3 times and scored:
1. 550 V34 Q33 on April 10th 2019
2. 640 V38 Q39 on May 24th 2019
(took a break in my preparations and started again in mid-November of 2019)
3.640 V38 Q40 on February 17th 2020
One major factor of my weak performance is my test day anxiety. GMAT has gotten into my head and it seems to be messing with me on a deeper psychological level. I came to think of it as a vicious opponent designed to make me fail. I had a serious breakdown while taking my second test- I started sobbing in the middle of my verbal section and did a good portion of the it with eyes full with tears. However, I was always good in Verbal and I consistently scored above 40 in Official CATs. My test day performance in V is not bad at all, V38 is a strong score, I am well aware of that. However, while doing the test I was under the impression I was doing terribly and that feeling followed me into quant section.
First time I took the test I barely practiced quant, went only threw OG 19. Second time, I focused on quant, covered the theoretical basis, did QR 19, practiced using GMAT club timer and question banks search.Did hundreds of questions. On the test day I was struggling with time on Q and guessed many questions (this was all after crying on verbal section). I later realized, I lacked a structured approach to quant and a deeper understanding of several key concepts. My knowledge was weak and my CAT performance based on a combination of luck and previous knowledge of certain questions. My anxiety only worsened my already weak knowledge and let to a disappointing Q39. I was so devastated with my result, because I haven't seen at that point my weak areas in full clarity. Hence, I decided to take a break from the GMAT and distance myself from the test.
THIRD ATTEMPT:
I took me quite a lot to get back on prep track. I was reluctant to start prepping again, because I was so afraid what might happen if I were to fail again. I procrastinated for so long, but I finally gathered my strength and started my preparations in mid-november of 2019. I would say I achieved full focus and truly got back on track in January. I was aware I must focus on quant and that quant is the area in which I must improve to attain my desired score. I hired a private tutor, did the entire 700-800 pdf book (challenging questions 2 or three times), used gmat club timer each time, and used practice question bank feature of the forum. One thing is certain- my knowledge has advanced and I was certain I would do better in Q this time; even though I did not expect Q 49 or up, I was certain I was in 45-47 range. I haven't done any CATs before the third attempt because I already did Official CATs 2,3,4 and my score was nowhere near my actual GMAT score. I took the GMAT for the third time and did terribly on Quant once again. I did reasonably well on verbal and scored 38, even though I barely practiced for it (refreshed SC rules and did GMAT Advanced).
At this point, I don't know what it is: is it my knowledge, my solving techniques, my anxiety or something else... I don't know how to proceed. I did not feel completely ready when I wrote my last exam, but it was my strategy to go out and do it without pressure and see where I stand. However I did not expect such a low Q score and no improvement at all from the last time I took it. This score threw me off completely and I don't know what to do...
I need help! How to proceed? Should I just accept the fact that I am not a 700 material and move on with my life or take yet another shot? Is there any room for improvement in Quant.
*I have the ESR for the first two tests and I plan to order one for the third one, as well. I can send those in PM.
Thank you in advance...
17 Feb 2020, 18:20
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi sole95! I'd be happy to give you a few of my thoughts on your situation!
First of all, some serious kudos to your dedication so far! Now, as far as whether or not to retake the test - I'd take some time to consider who you are as an applicant, and think about where your time is best invested. That said, it sounds like bridging the gap into the 700s is feasible given some adjustments to your outlook and study so far!
Here are a few things I'd suggest:
1) It certainly sounds like your mentality may have been working against you these past few go-arounds. Trying to create some structure you have control over can help you to more naturally transition your performance in practice tests into how you perform on test day. So, steps like creating a "reset process" question to question when the last question didn't quite go your way can be helpful - even steps as simple as taking a deep breath/stretching in your seat, and running through the first couple of steps you should be keeping in mind on the question at hand (Start broad and ask yourself: what question type are you looking at/what is it asking in simplest terms/what tools or resources might you apply/etc.) Basically, the more we can set processes in place for the test that we are in control of, the less swayed we'll be by the things we can't control - the questions themselves! So, check in on pacing at regularly-scheduled intervals, and develop processes to "reset" when momentum isn't quite going your way so you can clear your head for the next question at hand. The more you take control of the test - the less the test takes control of you!
2) Try as much as you can to mirror the test environment in your practice. So, try to take practice tests around the same time of day as the real thing, mimic the morning of with a hearty breakfast, the same level of caffeine you normally take in in the morning, and the same routine. There's a lot of science to back the idea that a bit of exercise before you sit for a 3.5 hour test can be a really good thing - so consider a brisk walk/jog to clear your head and relax - but definitely don't overdo it! Take a look at 3-5 "batting practice" questions on the section you plan to start with. In terms of the test environment itself - try to take a practice test or two in a less "comfortable" environment (for instance, in a public library with harsh overhead lights and a different computer screen than your home computer) and - if you're going to wear noise-cancelling headphones on test day - mirror that in your practice tests! A lack of ambient noise can be jarring at times too! Overall, the more you can know what to expect and have experienced what to expect, the more natural the transition into the real thing will be!
3) It sounds like your pacing was pretty focused on a question by question benchmark. This could be causing you some undue stress, and may actually have been a bit counterproductive to your goal. Keep in mind, not all questions are designed to take precisely the same amount of time, and your goal is to treat the time you have in each section as a resource. So, if you can shift the mentality away from "giving up" on questions and toward "applying as much time as possible on questions that have the potential to be value-add," it should help build your confidence and allow you to better invest your time across the section. I talk a bit more about pacing/benchmarking strategies in this post in case you'd like to check it out!
4) This one's going to sound super cheesy, but make sure you're focusing on quality over quantity at this point, and looking to find any and all qualitative feedback you can from your practice at this point. There's a good chance with your dedication and practice so far that your mistakes are often due to strategy driven errors rather than exclusively content-driven qualms. There's a big difference between missing a Quant Geometry question because you weren't comfortable with properties of right triangles vs. being perfectly comfortable with right triangles, but not recognizing to draw *that* particular right triangle on a question. So, I'd definitely suggest picking up error logging if you aren't already, and focusing on identifying patterns, not just on commonly missed content areas, but also on qualitative takeaways. Did you miss the question because you made a calculative mistake? Did you pursue an overly-algebraic path when there was a better-suited alternate path to take? You can even go so far as to "bucket" errors into types in an effort to find patterns. You'd be surprised to find how often students have common themes/weaknesses driving their missed questions, even when those questions are missed across different content areas/question types! With that in mind, I'd also suggest making sure you aren't overlooking those potential opportunities for improvement in Verbal as well - even with the comparatively higher percentile score. Too often, students will shift all or most of their attention to Quant improvement because they become alarmed by the lower percentile score, and will leave points on the table in Verbal that could be quicker or more consistent fixes. Just be sure to attribute time to seeking opportunities for improvement in both areas as you jump back into preparations!
5) If you tend to find you perform consistently well in untimed conditions, but struggle with the pressure of test day, you may want to consider "stepping" into timed conditions in your practice. Basically, taking time to firm up your foundations in untimed (but time-conscious) practice, then seeing if you can translate that confidence and approach into timed practice wherein you apply pacing strategies/benchmarks/etc., then into a full-fledged practice test. This approach should allow you to carry what you do well in untimed practice into test conditions, while allowing you to prepare for the structure and pressure of the real thing.
Overall, I think an adjustment to your practice approach should put you in a position to stop seeing the GMAT as "the enemy" and, dare I say it, even enjoy the process! (Even if you don't find the content to be the most interesting thing in the world!)
Let me know if you have any questions! I hope this helps you kick-start your final steps toward achieving your 700+ goal!
Happy studying! You've got this!
First of all, some serious kudos to your dedication so far! Now, as far as whether or not to retake the test - I'd take some time to consider who you are as an applicant, and think about where your time is best invested. That said, it sounds like bridging the gap into the 700s is feasible given some adjustments to your outlook and study so far!
Here are a few things I'd suggest:
1) It certainly sounds like your mentality may have been working against you these past few go-arounds. Trying to create some structure you have control over can help you to more naturally transition your performance in practice tests into how you perform on test day. So, steps like creating a "reset process" question to question when the last question didn't quite go your way can be helpful - even steps as simple as taking a deep breath/stretching in your seat, and running through the first couple of steps you should be keeping in mind on the question at hand (Start broad and ask yourself: what question type are you looking at/what is it asking in simplest terms/what tools or resources might you apply/etc.) Basically, the more we can set processes in place for the test that we are in control of, the less swayed we'll be by the things we can't control - the questions themselves! So, check in on pacing at regularly-scheduled intervals, and develop processes to "reset" when momentum isn't quite going your way so you can clear your head for the next question at hand. The more you take control of the test - the less the test takes control of you!
2) Try as much as you can to mirror the test environment in your practice. So, try to take practice tests around the same time of day as the real thing, mimic the morning of with a hearty breakfast, the same level of caffeine you normally take in in the morning, and the same routine. There's a lot of science to back the idea that a bit of exercise before you sit for a 3.5 hour test can be a really good thing - so consider a brisk walk/jog to clear your head and relax - but definitely don't overdo it! Take a look at 3-5 "batting practice" questions on the section you plan to start with. In terms of the test environment itself - try to take a practice test or two in a less "comfortable" environment (for instance, in a public library with harsh overhead lights and a different computer screen than your home computer) and - if you're going to wear noise-cancelling headphones on test day - mirror that in your practice tests! A lack of ambient noise can be jarring at times too! Overall, the more you can know what to expect and have experienced what to expect, the more natural the transition into the real thing will be!
3) It sounds like your pacing was pretty focused on a question by question benchmark. This could be causing you some undue stress, and may actually have been a bit counterproductive to your goal. Keep in mind, not all questions are designed to take precisely the same amount of time, and your goal is to treat the time you have in each section as a resource. So, if you can shift the mentality away from "giving up" on questions and toward "applying as much time as possible on questions that have the potential to be value-add," it should help build your confidence and allow you to better invest your time across the section. I talk a bit more about pacing/benchmarking strategies in this post in case you'd like to check it out!
4) This one's going to sound super cheesy, but make sure you're focusing on quality over quantity at this point, and looking to find any and all qualitative feedback you can from your practice at this point. There's a good chance with your dedication and practice so far that your mistakes are often due to strategy driven errors rather than exclusively content-driven qualms. There's a big difference between missing a Quant Geometry question because you weren't comfortable with properties of right triangles vs. being perfectly comfortable with right triangles, but not recognizing to draw *that* particular right triangle on a question. So, I'd definitely suggest picking up error logging if you aren't already, and focusing on identifying patterns, not just on commonly missed content areas, but also on qualitative takeaways. Did you miss the question because you made a calculative mistake? Did you pursue an overly-algebraic path when there was a better-suited alternate path to take? You can even go so far as to "bucket" errors into types in an effort to find patterns. You'd be surprised to find how often students have common themes/weaknesses driving their missed questions, even when those questions are missed across different content areas/question types! With that in mind, I'd also suggest making sure you aren't overlooking those potential opportunities for improvement in Verbal as well - even with the comparatively higher percentile score. Too often, students will shift all or most of their attention to Quant improvement because they become alarmed by the lower percentile score, and will leave points on the table in Verbal that could be quicker or more consistent fixes. Just be sure to attribute time to seeking opportunities for improvement in both areas as you jump back into preparations!
5) If you tend to find you perform consistently well in untimed conditions, but struggle with the pressure of test day, you may want to consider "stepping" into timed conditions in your practice. Basically, taking time to firm up your foundations in untimed (but time-conscious) practice, then seeing if you can translate that confidence and approach into timed practice wherein you apply pacing strategies/benchmarks/etc., then into a full-fledged practice test. This approach should allow you to carry what you do well in untimed practice into test conditions, while allowing you to prepare for the structure and pressure of the real thing.
Overall, I think an adjustment to your practice approach should put you in a position to stop seeing the GMAT as "the enemy" and, dare I say it, even enjoy the process! (Even if you don't find the content to be the most interesting thing in the world!)
Let me know if you have any questions! I hope this helps you kick-start your final steps toward achieving your 700+ goal!
Happy studying! You've got this!
mykrasovski
Joined: 17 Aug 2018
Last visit: 17 Apr 2022
Posts: 346
Given Kudos: 254
Location: United States
Schools: Tuck '22 (M) Kellogg '22 (D)
WE:General Management (Other)
17 Feb 2020, 19:00
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi sole95, sorry to hear that you did not elevate your test score in the 3rd attempt. The good news is that you are scoring consistently in high 30s in Verbal, so you "only" need to practice Quant (but please do not disregard Verbal).
There are plenty of resources out there, including the Target Test Prep course. Many people say that the course is great. Personally, I would ping IanStewart - who is a quant pundit. He helped me to get from low Q40s into high Q40s in about a month.
Good luck and let me know if you have questions.
There are plenty of resources out there, including the Target Test Prep course. Many people say that the course is great. Personally, I would ping IanStewart - who is a quant pundit. He helped me to get from low Q40s into high Q40s in about a month.
Good luck and let me know if you have questions.
