560 mock to +600 pls help

Question

I need to improve my score to more than 600 , I have been studying since November , this are my CATS :
Kaplan
CAT 1 550 (Q:44 V:21)
CAT 2 560 (Q:41 V:25)
CAT 3 560 (Q:41 V:25)
CAT 4 520 (Q:38 V:23)
CAT 5 550 (Q:42: V:23)

Manhattan
CAT 1 560 (Q:41 V:26)

I'm getting kind of the same score frequently ,I have a log error that I watch once a week and I am doing The official guide Quantitative and Verbal, I finished the Official Guide .Now I'm getting worried, I need more than 600, but do not see how to improve my score. The verbal parth is the worst, I read CR and SC Manhattan books , I'm not a native speaker. Please some help

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi arielo,

GMAC has publicly stated that the Official Score that you earn on Test Day is within +/- 30 points of actual ability. Assuming a similar 'swing' in how your CATs function, your 6 CAT score results show that you essentially performed the same each time (+/- a few points) - right around a 540. While it won't take much for you to raise this to a 600+, the fact that you continue to score at this level means that "your way" of approaching the GMAT has likely gotten you 'stuck' at this particular score level. Before I can offer you the specific advice that you’re looking for, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

Studies:
1) How long have you studied?
2) What materials have you used?
3) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?

Goals:
4) What is your goal score?
5) When are you planning to take the GMAT?
6) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
7) What Schools are you planning to apply to?

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

arielo · Answer

Hi  EMPOWERgmatRichC  , thanks for the message , hope this info could help :
Studies:
1) How long have you studied? Since November 2016 
2) What materials have you used? I read Kaplan 2017 , did Official GMAT Review , and CR and SC Manhattan Prep guides
3) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
4)
Kaplan
CAT 1 550 (Q:44 V:21)
CAT 2 560 (Q:41 V:25)
CAT 3 560 (Q:41 V:25)
CAT 4 520 (Q:38 V:23)
CAT 5 550 (Q:42: V:23)

Manhattan
CAT 1 560 (Q:41 V:26)

Goals:
4) What is your goal score?600 will be enough but great with a little more of 600
5) When are you planning to take the GMAT? February 15
6) When are you planning to apply to Business School? I will apply tho a German School next days and others later I take the GMAT
7) What Schools are you planning to apply to?now just Leipzeig HHL

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi arielo,

Many Test Takers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores. Based on your answer, it's unclear how long you've actually been studying (it's in the range of 1.5 to 2.5 months) and how consistently you've studied during that time. If you've been studying for less than 2 months, then you might naturally improve over time. If it's closer to 2.5 months though, then "your way" of studying might not lead to any significant improvement.

With your current Test Date, you have about 4 weeks of study time remaining - and you could certainly pick up the necessary points in that time to hit your score goal. However, you'll have to make some significant changes to how you 'see' (and respond to) this Test, which will mean that you'll need to focus on learning and practicing some new Tactics.

I have a few questions about how you took these CATs:

1) Did you take the ENTIRE CAT each time (including the Essay and IR sections)?
2) Did you take them at home?
3) Did you take them at the same time of day as your Official GMAT?
4) Did you ever do ANYTHING during your CATs that you couldn't do on Test Day (pause the CAT, skip sections, take longer breaks, etc.)? 
5) Did you ever take a CAT more than once? Had you seen any of the questions BEFORE?

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

arielo · Answer

Thanks again  EMPOWERgmatRichC  , these are the answers for the questions:

1) Did you take the ENTIRE CAT each time (including the Essay and IR sections)? I'm not making Essays in the CAT
2) Did you take them at home? yes at home
3) Did you take them at the same time of day as your Official GMAT? same hour ,one CAT every 10 days
4) Did you ever do ANYTHING during your CATs that you couldn't do on Test Day (pause the CAT, skip sections, take longer breaks, etc.)? I take the normal breaks that the CAT indicates
5) Did you ever take a CAT more than once? Had you seen any of the questions BEFORE? all the CATS are new for me no repetition

hope this could work!!!

thanks

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi arielo,

Test Day is a rather specific 'event' - the details are specific and they matter, so you have to train as best as you can for all of them. The more realistic you can make your CATs, the more likely the score results are to be accurate. The more you deviate, the more "inflated" your scores can become - and that's likely what happened here. By skipping sections and taking the CATs at home, you're making the Exam shorter and easier than it will be on Test Day. By extension, you have not been properly training for the FULL GMAT 'experience' and these scores are likely not completely accurate. If your actual ability level is closer to a 500, then you will likely need another 2 months of consistent, guided study to hit your score goal.

1) Do you have the flexibility to push back your Test Date?

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

arielo · Answer

Good to know that I have to take all the CAT test .Also do you mean I should need to present the CAT in other place different than home?
And regarding the real test ,I do not think I could push back the test , I have to talk with the university whether I can send the test score later.

thanks again

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi arielo,

There are a variety of aspects to Test Day that you have to consider - and the more of them that you can incorporate into your practice, the better trained you should be to handle Test Day. For example, you will have to get dressed, leave your home and travel (for a certain length of time) to the Test Center - where you will take the Exam in a strange room surrounded by people who will be making a certain amount of noise. If you take your CATs at your home, then you will NOT be preparing to face ANY of these aspects of Test Day. This is meant to say that performing at your best on the Official GMAT will require that you try to 'mirror' as many aspects of Test Day as possible during your practice.

Training for the GMAT is probably unlike any type of studying that you've done before - and all of that work takes time (it cannot be 'rushed' through). If your score goal is an 'absolute' (meaning that you cannot accept anything less than that score), then an application deadline isn't relevant. If you cannot apply without that score, then doing the necessary work to earn that score IS the priority (even if that means that you have to apply to School at a later time).

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

arielo · Answer

Well thanks for the advice  EMPOWERgmatRichC  , I'll try to change re-schedule test and change how I'm presenting the test.

Let's see what happen. I'll let you know

560 mock to +600 pls help

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