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19 Jul 2017, 17:41
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Sorry, this is gonna be a long post... my friends say I'm being neurotic haha....
I took my first full-length diagnostic CAT (from Manhattan Prep) this weekend and got a 680 (with a 7.25 on IR, but I got lucky on that one since I was pretty much guessing on the last three questions). Q45, V37. I'd really like to get at least a 720. I'm taking the GMAT on September 8, about 1.5 months away.
These are the things I seem to struggle with:
1) Recognizing patterns/shortcuts. I think I have a pretty good grasp on the math foundations (my weak spot seems to be probability and combinations, but I've been reading Kaplan's Math Foundations), but I suck at recognizing certain patterns and shortcuts. This means that I spend a lot more time on some quant problems than I should be spending!
2) Not letting myself get psyched out. By the end of the Quant section on the practice test, I felt like I had generally given up... had trouble concentrating because I felt so demoralized lmao.
3) Not knowing when to let a question go. This has always been a problem I've had. I think I'm doing better at this, considering I actually managed to finish both Quant and IR.
4) With Verbal, I have the opposite problem. I actually finished Verbal with around 25 minutes left to spare. Clearly those 25 minutes could have been better spent thinking about some of the questions more carefully! I have to find some way to make myself slow down, but I get so impatient and convinced that I know the right answer.
5) Making stupid/careless mistakes. Sigh...
ANYWAY, with all this in mind, I was thinking of taking on mcelroytutoring's study plan (I'd link, but I guess I don't have the minimum # of posts required to post URLs). Should this be sufficient to bring up my score? Prior to actually researching how to study, I was just flipping through your basic Kaplan and PR books, although I did also score Manhattan's AWA/IR guide.
I work full time so most of my studying takes place in the evenings after work and on the weekends.
You can skip these final paragraphs, but I thought I'd throw in my goals in case you want to see what I'm aiming for:
My goal: I'm planning on getting a master's in accounting, not business. The schools I'm considering all require the GMAT; I think one or two might let you choose between the GMAT and GRE, but since a few only allow the former, I'm not bothering with the GRE. Less studying that way, haha.
Obviously accounting school isn't anywhere near as competitive as business when it comes to average GMAT scores. My diagnostic score already surpasses the average GMAT scores for all of the schools I'm considering save one. But I would still like to bring up my CAT practice scores as much as possible because doing okay on the diagnostic doesn't mean I'll do well on the actual test, right? Especially since I've only taken the one test. Plus I think I got lucky on a few questions in the CAT and I don't want to depend on luck.
Thanks for reading!
I took my first full-length diagnostic CAT (from Manhattan Prep) this weekend and got a 680 (with a 7.25 on IR, but I got lucky on that one since I was pretty much guessing on the last three questions). Q45, V37. I'd really like to get at least a 720. I'm taking the GMAT on September 8, about 1.5 months away.
These are the things I seem to struggle with:
1) Recognizing patterns/shortcuts. I think I have a pretty good grasp on the math foundations (my weak spot seems to be probability and combinations, but I've been reading Kaplan's Math Foundations), but I suck at recognizing certain patterns and shortcuts. This means that I spend a lot more time on some quant problems than I should be spending!
2) Not letting myself get psyched out. By the end of the Quant section on the practice test, I felt like I had generally given up... had trouble concentrating because I felt so demoralized lmao.
3) Not knowing when to let a question go. This has always been a problem I've had. I think I'm doing better at this, considering I actually managed to finish both Quant and IR.
4) With Verbal, I have the opposite problem. I actually finished Verbal with around 25 minutes left to spare. Clearly those 25 minutes could have been better spent thinking about some of the questions more carefully! I have to find some way to make myself slow down, but I get so impatient and convinced that I know the right answer.
5) Making stupid/careless mistakes. Sigh...
ANYWAY, with all this in mind, I was thinking of taking on mcelroytutoring's study plan (I'd link, but I guess I don't have the minimum # of posts required to post URLs). Should this be sufficient to bring up my score? Prior to actually researching how to study, I was just flipping through your basic Kaplan and PR books, although I did also score Manhattan's AWA/IR guide.
I work full time so most of my studying takes place in the evenings after work and on the weekends.
You can skip these final paragraphs, but I thought I'd throw in my goals in case you want to see what I'm aiming for:
My goal: I'm planning on getting a master's in accounting, not business. The schools I'm considering all require the GMAT; I think one or two might let you choose between the GMAT and GRE, but since a few only allow the former, I'm not bothering with the GRE. Less studying that way, haha.
Obviously accounting school isn't anywhere near as competitive as business when it comes to average GMAT scores. My diagnostic score already surpasses the average GMAT scores for all of the schools I'm considering save one. But I would still like to bring up my CAT practice scores as much as possible because doing okay on the diagnostic doesn't mean I'll do well on the actual test, right? Especially since I've only taken the one test. Plus I think I got lucky on a few questions in the CAT and I don't want to depend on luck.
Thanks for reading!
19 Jul 2017, 23:13
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Please find my answers inline
These are the things I seem to struggle with:
1) Recognizing patterns/shortcuts. I think I have a pretty good grasp on the math foundations (my weak spot seems to be probability and combinations, but I've been reading Kaplan's Math Foundations), but I suck at recognizing certain patterns and shortcuts. This means that I spend a lot more time on some quant problems than I should be spending!
As long as you are able to finish the test on time, this should be on your priority list.
The only way to start seeing these patterns is doing extensive practice, which will enable you to see patterns and shortcuts to solve problems.
However, you could work on memorizing a few things like squares,cubes of numbers up to 30/primes till 100/common fraction-percentage conversations and so on.
2) Not letting myself get psyched out. By the end of the Quant section on the practice test, I felt like I had generally given up... had trouble concentrating because I felt so demoralized lmao.
From the several debriefs I have read of people scoring in excess of 700, i have seen a common advice that they have given. Eat some high energy food to keep you from feeling demoralized and maybe that would take care of the concentration problem as well. With the order change, you could attempt Verbal/Quant at the beginning of the test to minimize the risk
3) Not knowing when to let a question go. This has always been a problem I've had. I think I'm doing better at this, considering I actually managed to finish both Quant and IR.
I have faced a similar problem in the past, and used to make it an ego issue and refused to move on. Try and limit yourself to 2 minutes a question and spend the extra minute if and only if you feel that you can definitely answer it. Else make an educated guess and move on. You don't have to answer each question correctly to score Q51.
4) With Verbal, I have the opposite problem. I actually finished Verbal with around 25 minutes left to spare. Clearly those 25 minutes could have been better spent thinking about some of the questions more carefully! I have to find some way to make myself slow down, but I get so impatient and convinced that I know the right answer.
IMO, you need to understand which section you are making more mistakes in and if hurrying up is causing these mistakes. If not, try and spend some more time in questions you are not cent percent sure. For SC you could replace the fragmented segment in the original sentence and see if it makes sense.
5) Making stupid/careless mistakes. Sigh...
On the easier questions, where you are making stupid/careless mistakes you could double check the solution(by substituting the answers back in the question) and checking if your solution is right or not. I wouldn't recommend you to do that with every question but specifically for the question types in which you make mistakes most often.
Btw, you are blessed that you are able to score 37 in Verbal with 25 minutes to spare. Maybe you should offer some advice on how you go about the Verbal section.
Hope that helps you in some way and waiting for your approach on the Verbal Section!
These are the things I seem to struggle with:
1) Recognizing patterns/shortcuts. I think I have a pretty good grasp on the math foundations (my weak spot seems to be probability and combinations, but I've been reading Kaplan's Math Foundations), but I suck at recognizing certain patterns and shortcuts. This means that I spend a lot more time on some quant problems than I should be spending!
As long as you are able to finish the test on time, this should be on your priority list.
The only way to start seeing these patterns is doing extensive practice, which will enable you to see patterns and shortcuts to solve problems.
However, you could work on memorizing a few things like squares,cubes of numbers up to 30/primes till 100/common fraction-percentage conversations and so on.
2) Not letting myself get psyched out. By the end of the Quant section on the practice test, I felt like I had generally given up... had trouble concentrating because I felt so demoralized lmao.
From the several debriefs I have read of people scoring in excess of 700, i have seen a common advice that they have given. Eat some high energy food to keep you from feeling demoralized and maybe that would take care of the concentration problem as well. With the order change, you could attempt Verbal/Quant at the beginning of the test to minimize the risk
3) Not knowing when to let a question go. This has always been a problem I've had. I think I'm doing better at this, considering I actually managed to finish both Quant and IR.
I have faced a similar problem in the past, and used to make it an ego issue and refused to move on. Try and limit yourself to 2 minutes a question and spend the extra minute if and only if you feel that you can definitely answer it. Else make an educated guess and move on. You don't have to answer each question correctly to score Q51.
4) With Verbal, I have the opposite problem. I actually finished Verbal with around 25 minutes left to spare. Clearly those 25 minutes could have been better spent thinking about some of the questions more carefully! I have to find some way to make myself slow down, but I get so impatient and convinced that I know the right answer.
IMO, you need to understand which section you are making more mistakes in and if hurrying up is causing these mistakes. If not, try and spend some more time in questions you are not cent percent sure. For SC you could replace the fragmented segment in the original sentence and see if it makes sense.
5) Making stupid/careless mistakes. Sigh...
On the easier questions, where you are making stupid/careless mistakes you could double check the solution(by substituting the answers back in the question) and checking if your solution is right or not. I wouldn't recommend you to do that with every question but specifically for the question types in which you make mistakes most often.
Btw, you are blessed that you are able to score 37 in Verbal with 25 minutes to spare. Maybe you should offer some advice on how you go about the Verbal section.
Hope that helps you in some way and waiting for your approach on the Verbal Section!
20 Jul 2017, 06:19
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Bookmarks
Thank you for your advice! I think I'm going to try to make flashcards to memorize the relevant Quant information that you recommend.
I'm not really sure what to say about my approach to Verbal. My biggest problem used to be that I'd go outside the scope of the argument/question/passage, so now I remind myself to "keep it simple, stupid." LOL.
Other than that, I don't know... I read a LOT. I've always been a huge reader and I think I read more than anyone I personally know. Not only that, but I very rarely read one book at a time. For example, I might read a chapter from one book, then a paragraph from another book, then maybe two pages from a third book, etc. At any one time there are at least 5+ books I'm actively juggling. I have no idea if this reading habit (i.e. reading multiple things at once) has helped me or not on Verbal, though! I also reread a lot. I'm a compulsive rereader.
And if I'm not reading books, I'm looking up longform articles or otherwise interesting journalism.
I should note that I'm not reading great works from the literary canon or anything. Maybe 90% of what I read is utter trash. But I think my reading habits helped me zip through RC passages much more quickly than the average test taker might have? Also, when I read a passage for the first time, I don't concern myself with getting every little detail. I give it a surface reading to make sure I understand the gist of the passage before I move on to the questions.
I don't think I have any special approach to CR. Not that it matters because I got 50% of the CR questions wrong on the CAT anyway. D:
I'm not really sure what to say about my approach to Verbal. My biggest problem used to be that I'd go outside the scope of the argument/question/passage, so now I remind myself to "keep it simple, stupid." LOL.
Other than that, I don't know... I read a LOT. I've always been a huge reader and I think I read more than anyone I personally know. Not only that, but I very rarely read one book at a time. For example, I might read a chapter from one book, then a paragraph from another book, then maybe two pages from a third book, etc. At any one time there are at least 5+ books I'm actively juggling. I have no idea if this reading habit (i.e. reading multiple things at once) has helped me or not on Verbal, though! I also reread a lot. I'm a compulsive rereader.
And if I'm not reading books, I'm looking up longform articles or otherwise interesting journalism.
I should note that I'm not reading great works from the literary canon or anything. Maybe 90% of what I read is utter trash. But I think my reading habits helped me zip through RC passages much more quickly than the average test taker might have? Also, when I read a passage for the first time, I don't concern myself with getting every little detail. I give it a surface reading to make sure I understand the gist of the passage before I move on to the questions.
I don't think I have any special approach to CR. Not that it matters because I got 50% of the CR questions wrong on the CAT anyway. D:
