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500 on the prep test

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mbacrazeddude666
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500 on the prep test [#permalink] New post   08 May 2011, 13:12
Ok so i have been preparing GMAT for about 2 weeks. I just finished up Manhattan and Powerscore SC and started on CR. I then gave my first GMAC Prep test 2 days ago to see where i stand. I am pretty good at math but do lack in Verbal (mainly CR and RC's) so i thought i would at least score a 600. To my horror i got a 500! Now i am extremely discouraged since my target score is 740+ and i wont accept anything below that. I was planning to apply for round 1 this year but considering the fact that i need to gain 250 pts my outlook isnt too bright.
What i learned from my practice tests,
1. I got my first SC question wrong :(((, that definitely would have hurt my score since i thought i was pretty good @ SC by now.
2. The math section was a bit hard but i attribute that to the fact that I have forgotten a lot of my basics but i am sure that just brushing over some of the common topics and formulae should get my score in 40-45 range.
3. My time management was extremely poor. On Math i spent way too much time on each question and Verbal RC's took a LOOONG time. As a result i was @ the 1 min remaining mark in both sections with at least 3-4 questions left (of course i guessed). I hope to increase my time management through more practice.

So i needed some tips to improve my score. I have been scouring the forums for the last 2-3 days and I ordered up the whole MGMAT collection. I spend 2-2.5 hrs each weekday/workday but weekends have been flaky and i end up spending not more than 2-3 on weekends. So how much should i study each week? Can i afford a break day?
Also, i am looking for a good grammar book that just clarifies the topics mentioned in SC. I have a good hold over the basics of speech but i get confused with gerunds, infinitives (i.e. verbals) etc.
Lastly, do you think i can achieve a 740+ score even with my 500 score right now? I am pretty dedicated and after my score on the first test i have started to pursue my prep with even more enthusiasm. Also, i am aiming for a 740 since i primarily have an IT background @ an insurance company (doesnt do a lot for me), have some extracurricular stuff (nothing too great), a 3.8 GPA in Computer Systems Engg. at ASU (GO DEVILS!) so a 740 is essential to get into a top 10-15 school. Anything else i can do in the meantime to make my resume attractive @ B schools?

I know these are a whole lot of questions but any help would be appreciated!

Material i have right now,
Manhattan SC
Powerscore SC
Powerscore CR
Entire Manhattan set (on the way)
Kaplan GMAT Verbal workbook
Kaplan GMAT Advanced
Kaplan GMAT Math workbook
Kaplan GMAT
OG
OG Verbal
OG Quant (on the way)
Princeton GMAT

That brings the sum total to about 18 books (not counting the Manhattan SC twice) which i think is more than enough for me. I will even buy the GMAT club tests at a later point when i am done with all my prep books.
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hopalong
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Re: 500 on the prep test [#permalink] New post   08 May 2011, 13:56
guessing and getting the last questions in a section incorrect in a row can really hurt your score according to Kaplan (apparently the test is smart enough to associate a string of incorrect questions at the end with guessing.) try again and pace yourself better on a practice CAT to get a more realistic view of what your score level is.

That being said, you have more than enough material, but are you disciplined enough to master it all?
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mbacrazeddude666
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Re: 500 on the prep test [#permalink] New post   08 May 2011, 14:03
greghopkins01 wrote:
guessing and getting the last questions in a section incorrect in a row can really hurt your score according to Kaplan (apparently the test is smart enough to associate a string of incorrect questions at the end with guessing.) try again and pace yourself better on a practice CAT to get a more realistic view of what your score level is.

That being said, you have more than enough material, but are you disciplined enough to master it all?


It remains to be seen whether i "master" it or not but i am definitely dedicated enough to finish it all :) I think i am going to start with the Manhattan SC section once again because i had the old version and couldnt practice the OG SC questions. Although, i am confused as to whether i should switch to Quant now since it seems from bb's post for Newbies that you should start with Quant first and follow it up with Verbal.
I hate it that GMAT's scoring guidelines (or any other Standardized test for that matter) aren't transparent enough. This is the only test where you dont know how your answers are scored apart from the fact that you need to get as many right as you can.
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mbacrazeddude666
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Re: 500 on the prep test [#permalink] New post   09 May 2011, 09:20
So any ideas on a good grammar book that can help me master the advanced topics. Also how do you prepare for the AWA section?
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jamifahad
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Re: 500 on the prep test [#permalink] New post   09 May 2011, 09:42
Welcome nmehta3.
I have a senior at my workplace named mehta. lol..i won't go into detail about it.

I am too planning for R1 this year. Started studying 15days ago. Not been satisfied with my score in practice test. Struggling with RC. Here on forum people recommend Aristotle 99 for RC. They say it has 99 most boring passages every written. Thinking of buying that and practicing.

For AWA, i take a sample essay and write it on my own words and then compare if i have identified conclusion and weakness in stem properly.

Let me know any updates.
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jaschen27
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Re: 500 on the prep test [#permalink] New post   11 May 2011, 10:31
Sentence correction is a lot about just matching off parts of speech. Try your best to simplify the sentence by removing all of the unnecessary components--interjections and such. As for the essay portion, I'd almost unequivocally take the negative, and focus on 3-4 considerations the prompt neglects to make. From my limited essay experience, a lot of the points seem valid, but make invalid assume on the framework of the situation.
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Re: 500 on the prep test [#permalink]
11 May 2011, 10:31

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