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8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal.

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michael127
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8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   19 Aug 2008, 22:44
Hi everyone - this is a log of my study progress - my hopes are by posting daily (or close to it) I'll be more motivated to improve my scores. The intent to take the GMAT on Saturday 9/20 with a min score of 700.

I took a Princeton practice quant a week ago and scored Q48, 31/37. The 6 mistakes were 4 careless, 1 ran out of time, 1 error. Verbal is what, by far, needs the most work. Finished 10 mins early, scored a V30. Nice to know where I stand early on but I really rushed this one and wasn't focused.

I took a GMATprep test tonight after work and scored a 650. I was tired from work but went to the library anyway, because I wanted a better indicator of where I stand and have read some mixed reviews on Princeton. Q46, despite getting 23/37? Is that normal? I had to guess on the last 2, and overall this test was much harder than Princeton. Verbal was a slight improvement. Since I finished 10 minutes early last time, I thought I would try a little harder and really focus this time. I wasted about 5 mins on one CR - yikes. Had some passages that were just brutal to read, but that's part of the test. Ended up having to guess on the LAST 5 for a V34.

650 to 700 in a month is definitely doable...particularly if I go a little a faster and can answer 7 more questions instead of guessing!
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   19 Aug 2008, 22:51
michael, thanks for posting your progress.

I definitely think your goal is achievable. Regarding quant, you can get five wrong and still achieve a Q51, so your Q46 is not unreasonable. It's adaptive, so there's no way to tell your score simply on number of correct answers.

For verbal, identify your weaker parts and practice. I think SC is the easiest to fix and CR can be practiced for improvement. Reading comprehension is the hardest and there are many orthogonal strategies. Some say skim the passage and come back after reading the question, some say read the entire passage the first go.

Practice hard and you can get definitely improve, perhaps even beyond the 700 goal.
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michael127
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   20 Aug 2008, 17:50
Thanks Rigger.

I reviewed my mistakes this morning from the exam before work. Not counting guesses, I only missed 1 CR (and it was one I had narrowed to 2 choices). RC and SC have some work to do. Most math mistakes were careless. Minimum instead of maximum, for example. That can't happen.

Here's what I'm using and progress so far.

MGMAT:
SC - read through it once quickly
CR - 1/3 read through
RC - 2/3 read through
Geometry - complete - strongest subject
Equations/Inequalities/VICs - complete - comfortable
Fractions/Decimals/%s - complete - very comfortable
Number Props - complete - need to review sequences, prime factorization
Word Translations - 0%

Princeton Review:
skimmed through book. problems look easy (math at least)

OG11:
Not started.

Lastly, I downloaded some Reading Comp 3000 word doc I found on this site a few weeks ago. I'll try and get through as much as that I can, but no way I'm reading the 1000+ pages in a month.
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   20 Aug 2008, 19:19
Hi Michael,

I'm in the same boat as you. Looking to break 700 in early Sept.

Doing the online MGMAT program -the books and the OGs. Gonna get GMAT Club challenges in the next few days as well. I really want to get through as much material as possible. Volume and repetition/practice is best for me.

RC is my biggest weakness on Verbal. Read the MGMAT guide but not much improvement. Just need practice i guess. Maybe even a second read.

One thing that I've seen consistently on this forum is: stay away from non-offical questions (GMATChallenges excluded)

Good luck man!
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   21 Aug 2008, 15:26
A coworker gave me a weird look today when I reviewed his report and made a comment that he started his sentence "I next analyzed" when I thought it should have been "Next, I analyzed..." Good to know I'm thinking about these things when before I would not have even noticed.

Read a passage during breakfast and got 5/5. Wish I could study more today but I've got an alumni event tonight I helped coordinate and plan on drinking a bit.

Friday & Saturday I'm going to go through the official guide (verbal) and do as many practice problems as I can. Sunday I'm going to take GMATprep #2 at the Depaul Library.

Ryan thanks for the note. I think it does come down to practice, just like any sport, or any event really.

I'm training for the chicago marathon. If I get 670+, I'll run 5 miles after the test. If I don't I'll run 13 (7 in 1st hour, 6 in 2nd). How's that for self-motivation? I hate running.
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   23 Aug 2008, 17:13
Zero studying Friday due to a work party in the afternoon, and then going out late Friday. Saturday morning was spent cleaning the house (a first, more or less) and getting a 2nd fridge with my housemates ($50, by means of a radio flyer wagon hauling a standard fridge 6 blocks.)
I put in 4 hours in the afternoon at the library today. Mostly reading and reviewing the OG Verbal and doing some practice problems and understanding why I made certain mistakes.

--4 RC passages at about 2:00/Q.
4/4
5/8
5/6
8/8
--2 CR sets at about 1:40/Q
8/10
9/10
--16/24 SC at about 1:00/Q

Here's one I thought was kind of tricky, and didnt catch the problem at all. Everyone knows between is for 2 parts, among is for 3+.

......A kind of civil war raged in the Vichy gov't between those who wanted to collaborate with the Nazis with those who opposed them

I instantly thought >3 people, use among. But it's between 2 groups... Sounds obvious now huh? The last "with" should be "and", of course.

GMATPrep #2 tomorrow at noon. 670+ 5 miles run, 660 or less, 13 miles.
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   24 Aug 2008, 12:51
How far are you running today?

wrote MGMAT CAT2 - 670 q45 v36 But in all honesty, ran out of time in Q, at around #30 and just pressed 'pause' to get through each of the last questions.

.... Dont do that!! you are only hurting yourself...lol
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   24 Aug 2008, 21:51
Q48 V38 for a 710. Couldn't have asked for more. If I get a score like that I will have to rethink which schools I want to apply at. Currently Wash U in STL is my top choice. I ran 3 miles in 23 mins and then walked 2 more because I hurt my knee somehow during the run.

I knew I was in better shape on verbal compared to prior tests because the questions were definitely tougher than before. I guessed on the last 3 in both math and verbal and got 2/6 correct. Overall 26/37 math, 28/41 verbal. Not counting guesses, I only missed one PS math problem, all other mistakes were data sufficiency. I wish there more geometry questions because that is my strongest subject, and I only got 2 Q's. Lots of number sets and algebra for the data sufficiency.
One question I got wrong on math DS was a misread - "There is an even number of integers in the list" I mistook to read "One of the integers in the list is an even number"

On Verbal, for the 13 errors I made: 3 guesses, 7 SC, 3 RC, 0 CR
So my 3 verbal tests have been 30,34,38. I'm going to try and finish up all the manhattan books this week, starting with SC tomorrow.
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   25 Aug 2008, 14:26
Hi! Michael,

U did a great job. I am preparing my Gmat, too.

I am stuck at 610 and need to be at least 680 for my dream school.

My test date is on OCT/21. I hope that I can make it.

After I have read yr post, I realized that how lazy I am. No pain No gain. I gotta stay concentrated.

My biggest weakness is SC........partly because I am not native but I shoulldn't give myself any excuse.

Cheers,

ahfei
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   26 Aug 2008, 08:03
Good luck ahfei! My biggest weakness is SC as well. In fact, I am going to try and cover all OG SC problems this week, on top of the MGMAT books, in prep for another practice test this weekend.

I had a business meeting during dinner and only had time for about 30 mins of SC review yesterday. After that, I did 10 problems and got only 6 right. The good news is that I now know why I got the 4 wrong. So, 30 minutes or so...I learned 4 things...I'll take it.

The biggest takeaway: "which" has to refer to the word nearest to it. If the nearest word doesn't make sense in context...you can probably cross off 2 or 3 answer choices right there.
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   29 Aug 2008, 12:35
It's been 3 days since my last post and sadly I have NOTHING to show for in regards to GMAT prep. This is partly due to my first illness in several years and partly because coming home around 9ish makes it difficult to study. However, I put in a few hours researching schools, and will be attending the MBA Tour event in Chicago on Tuesday.

Here is the weekend plan.
Friday 8/29
1 hour verbal review

Sat 8/30
Long morning run. ~10 miles.
Depaul library 12-6. Complete & review all Manhattan books both math/verbal. (i'm > 3/4 done)

Sun 8/31
10am-ish
1 gmatclub math challenge
1 gmatclub verbal challenge
review mistakes
5pm-ish
1 hour OG Math
1 hour OG Verbal

Mon 9/1
10am-ish
1 gmatclub math challenge
1 gmatclub verbal challenge
review mistakes
Research schools for MBA tour

I will report back shortly. This is an aggressive GMAT weekend I have planned....particularly since there are some good theme parties I want to attend. Wish me luck!
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   31 Aug 2008, 01:09
Hey... Michael,

I bought the Manhattan SC review... it's pretty useful..
let's work hard together..
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   02 Sep 2008, 06:46
michael127 wrote:
Here is the weekend plan.
Friday 8/29
1 hour verbal review yes

Sat 8/30
Long morning run. ~10 miles. about 9
Depaul library 12-6. Complete & review all Manhattan books both math/verbal. (i'm > 3/4 done)
was there for about 3.5 hours, reviewed basics + 3 of the 8 books

Sun 8/31
10am-ish
1 gmatclub math challenge horrible score of about 50% on the challenge, decided to rework math problems and study
1 gmatclub verbal challenge did not do
review mistakes yes, in a very detailed manner
5pm-ish
1 hour OG Mathyes, approx.
1 hour OG Verbalno

Mon 9/1
10am-ish
1 gmatclub math challengeno
1 gmatclub verbal challengeno
review mistakesn/a
Research schools for MBA touryes, extensively
manhattan gmat math is 95% done, scoring very well at the end of this "math weekend"

I will report back shortly. This is an aggressive GMAT weekend I have planned....particularly since there are some good theme parties I want to attend. Wish me luck!


I am kind of pissed about my math performance on the challenge which is why I didn't partake in any verbal review this weekend. I am going to take another challenge tomorrow (Wed) and hope to do better. MBA Tour is tonight. If I get another bad score, I'll set my alarm for 5am. Obviously, I do better when I'm motivated.
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   03 Sep 2008, 08:20
MBA Tour was OK but nothing special. A little schmoozing and resume dropping never hurt but I didn't learn as much as I thought I would. Right now it looks as though I am going to apply to these 5 schools - in order of preference. The theme is finance/entrepreneurship, as well as school location. Please let me know if you think there's a good finance school in the midwest/NE you think I should be considering.

Cornell (Johnson)
Wash U (Olin)
IU (Kelley)
BC (Carroll)
Vanderbilt (Owen)

Possibles but unlikely: Michigan, Boston U, Chicago, Kellogg, NYU, Purdue, Texas, Darden

GMAT challenge math & verbal tonight. Wish me luck!
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   03 Sep 2008, 19:54
did very well on m07 challenge today, total opposite of m06. concepts I missed in m06 I got right in m07. ran out of time but got a high % correct. mistakes were typical such as giving the value rather than the percent, or mistaking the diameter of an inscribed circle (in a square) for a diagonal. but the concepts were all there.

maybe I am making a stupid mistake but dare I say I think gmatclub might be wrong on this question? let me know what you think.
https://gmatclub.com/forum/59-t69737

I got home late (again) and therefore will have to get up super early to take the verbal challenge tomorrow morning. I am in the middle of a crisis at work as all of our top people are quitting. From the 13 or so that were on our team when I joined a year ago, 10 have left, a few more will soon, and a few have joined.
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   05 Sep 2008, 09:24
Registered for the test on 9/20. Also registered for an acctg/fin course at U of C that starts on 9/17. I am traveling this weekend and will have absolutely no time for studying. On my return, 9/8, I will have 12 days before the test... so I am going to start waking up 6am, and doing a challenge...math or verbal.

can anyone think of some kind of motivation/penalty that I have to do if I don't wake up at 6 and do a challenge? running worked well before.

I think the key to successful gmat prep is 1) consistency and 2) understanding why you make mistakes (or why answers are right).

You're not going to be a good swimmer if you swim alone. (I was actually on a team in college but was still not a great swimmer...) Get on a team, get people to push you, swim consistently, and improve in areas where you're weak. This should apply anywhere.
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   05 Sep 2008, 09:46
michael127 wrote:
Registered for the test on 9/20. Also registered for an acctg/fin course at U of C that starts on 9/17. I am traveling this weekend and will have absolutely no time for studying. On my return, 9/8, I will have 12 days before the test... so I am going to start waking up 6am, and doing a challenge...math or verbal.

can anyone think of some kind of motivation/penalty that I have to do if I don't wake up at 6 and do a challenge? running worked well before.

I think the key to successful gmat prep is 1) consistency and 2) understanding why you make mistakes (or why answers are right).

If you can do those 2 things, the rest will take care of itself. Are those the 2 hardest things to do?


Interesting posts :)
Watch a movie like "shawshank Redemption" or "Rudy" when you get a chance during a break....My all time favorites!!!!!!!
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   05 Sep 2008, 10:37
michael127 wrote:
can anyone think of some kind of motivation/penalty that I have to do if I don't wake up at 6 and do a challenge? running worked well before.


Accountability always works best for me. I really can't stand telling someone i will do something and then not comming through.... with that said.....

I challenge you to do M08 on Monday morning and have your results posted no later then 8.30am - If you accept, i'm commited to do the same.
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   06 Sep 2008, 08:35
great idea, you're on! accountability is huge (if you care about your reputation). i will have to work a little faster in m08 as I had a few problems unanswered in m06 and m07.

yes, shawshank and rudy are 2 of my favs as well. add in rounders, apollo 13, searching for bobby fischer, the sandlot, and breaking away...and you've got what i will now call my "elite" 7 movies. ;)
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink] New post   06 Sep 2008, 12:04
Deal!

I'm kinda with you on the timing thing though. Perhaps we should alter the rules to a strict 85 mins? I'm still game either way, but going to leave that decision up to you.
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Re: 8/20 to 9/20...700 Goal. [#permalink]
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