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An SOS call - 45 days to go!!!

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QuaCzar
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An SOS call - 45 days to go!!! [#permalink] New post   25 Mar 2012, 04:13
Hello everyone,

I need urgent advice!!! :beat

I started my GMAT prep around a month ago. Following are the scores of the 4 tests I have given till date:

1] GMATPrep 1: 620 (Q47, V27)
2] Princeton Review 1: 610 (Q48, V27)
3] Princeton Review 2: 630 (Q48, V29)
and, the shocker...
4] Princeton Review 3: 590 (Q43, V29) :wall

In the last test (PR3), I was determined to cross 650, but I wrongly attempted some of the initial questions in the both the sections. Ultimately, I saw a considerable drop in my quant score with no improvement in my verbal score.
This has really lowered my morale!

I am using Manhattan for SC, Powerscore for CR. For RC, I am solving RCs from OG12. I have not yet concentrated on Maths prep. (Guess, it's high time to concentrate on Maths, too!). I have recently started reading Powerscore.
I am maintaining Varbal and Quant Error Logs and I refer to both regularly. I have planned to attempt PR4 test and then switch to Manhattan Tests.

Experts, please advise on my future course of action. Am I going in the right direction or should I change my plan? What may be the flaws in my preparation? Where I may be going wrong? What should I do to escalate my score?

My target is 750. Is this achievable looking at my dismal scores? I have only 45 days in my hand. :moped
An SOS call!!! :help2
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piyatiwari
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Re: An SOS call - 45 days to go!!! [#permalink] New post   25 Mar 2012, 19:33
I'm in the same boat.
My observation, quants score looks good, verbal needs to improve.
My advice : You see to use all the best books in the market. Analyze your mistakes well and try to find pattern. SC and CR is quiet easy to improve. My RC score depends on topic of the passage, so I make sure I dont do much mistakes in SC and CR. Find out your weak and safe zone.

Also do not ignore quants. You seem to have potential of crossing 50 since you are scoring 47-48 without much prep. So sharpen your weapons and learn new tactics.

Good luck!
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KarishmaB
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Re: An SOS call - 45 days to go!!! [#permalink] New post   25 Mar 2012, 22:10
Expert Reply
QuaCzar wrote:
Hello everyone,

I need urgent advice!!! :beat

I started my GMAT prep around a month ago. Following are the scores of the 4 tests I have given till date:

1] GMATPrep 1: 620 (Q47, V27)
2] Princeton Review 1: 610 (Q48, V27)
3] Princeton Review 2: 630 (Q48, V29)
and, the shocker...
4] Princeton Review 3: 590 (Q43, V29) :wall

In the last test (PR3), I was determined to cross 650, but I wrongly attempted some of the initial questions in the both the sections. Ultimately, I saw a considerable drop in my quant score with no improvement in my verbal score.
This has really lowered my morale!

I am using Manhattan for SC, Powerscore for CR. For RC, I am solving RCs from OG12. I have not yet concentrated on Maths prep. (Guess, it's high time to concentrate on Maths, too!). I have recently started reading Powerscore.
I am maintaining Varbal and Quant Error Logs and I refer to both regularly. I have planned to attempt PR4 test and then switch to Manhattan Tests.

Experts, please advise on my future course of action. Am I going in the right direction or should I change my plan? What may be the flaws in my preparation? Where I may be going wrong? What should I do to escalate my score?

My target is 750. Is this achievable looking at my dismal scores? I have only 45 days in my hand. :moped
An SOS call!!! :help2


I wouldn't worry about one lower than normal score. Sometimes, it's just not your day, you are too exhausted, mentally somewhere else or some other reason. In actual GMAT you will take precautions to ensure that none of this happens. Nothing to worry about.

For 750, you would need Q50 and V41.
V29 to V41 in 45 days is achievable but very very difficult. You are probably trying to avoid the IR section. With a strong Quant (and Data interpretation, I am assuming), you might actually prefer the IR section over the essay. Also, I doubt the schools will weight your score of the IR much in the first 2-3 yrs of its introduction. They will probably wait and watch whether IR is a good predictor of success at b-school.

My suggestion would be this - Consider moving your GMAT date to end of June or beginning July. Work hard on your Verbal and keep working on Quant. Raising Quant score from 40 to 44 is easy but from 48 to 50 will be tough, mind you! With consistent hard work in Verbal, you should see improvement in your score. If the improvement is not satisfactory, you can consider taking a classroom/online course or a weekend Verbal batch etc. In my opinion, you would need at least 3 months to reach the 750 level (provided you work diligently).
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QuaCzar
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GMAT Date: 05-09-2012
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Re: An SOS call - 45 days to go!!! [#permalink] New post   26 Mar 2012, 05:51
piyatiwari wrote:
I'm in the same boat.
My observation, quants score looks good, verbal needs to improve.
My advice : You see to use all the best books in the market. Analyze your mistakes well and try to find pattern. SC and CR is quiet easy to improve. My RC score depends on topic of the passage, so I make sure I dont do much mistakes in SC and CR. Find out your weak and safe zone.

Also do not ignore quants. You seem to have potential of crossing 50 since you are scoring 47-48 without much prep. So sharpen your weapons and learn new tactics.

Good luck!


Hi piyatiwari, thanx for your comments.

Good, we are in the same boat. But, i guess, we will be required to burn the midnight oil to get into a ship. :bouncer2 Atleast I will require it. Your scores look quite balanced.

In verbal, I am observing that most of the mistakes are happening in RCs and that too in the intial 15-20 questions. How much time do you devote to the initial questions?

In RC, what is recommended: solving many RCs or solving a few and analyzing them in detail? Solving RCs from the OG, is that enough?

For quant, what other material (apart from OG) should I use?

Thanks in advance!

Good luck for your prep!
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QuaCzar
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Joined: 05 Sep 2011
Status:On fire!!!
Posts: 13
Own Kudos [?]: 5 [0]
Given Kudos: 6
Concentration: Marketing, Entrepreneurship
Schools: Wharton '15 HBS '15 Kellogg 1YR '14 Tuck '15 ISB '14 NUS '15 LBS '14
GMAT Date: 05-09-2012
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Re: An SOS call - 45 days to go!!! [#permalink] New post   26 Mar 2012, 05:58
VeritasPrepKarishma wrote:
QuaCzar wrote:
Hello everyone,

I need urgent advice!!! :beat

I started my GMAT prep around a month ago. Following are the scores of the 4 tests I have given till date:

1] GMATPrep 1: 620 (Q47, V27)
2] Princeton Review 1: 610 (Q48, V27)
3] Princeton Review 2: 630 (Q48, V29)
and, the shocker...
4] Princeton Review 3: 590 (Q43, V29) :wall

In the last test (PR3), I was determined to cross 650, but I wrongly attempted some of the initial questions in the both the sections. Ultimately, I saw a considerable drop in my quant score with no improvement in my verbal score.
This has really lowered my morale!

I am using Manhattan for SC, Powerscore for CR. For RC, I am solving RCs from OG12. I have not yet concentrated on Maths prep. (Guess, it's high time to concentrate on Maths, too!). I have recently started reading Powerscore.
I am maintaining Varbal and Quant Error Logs and I refer to both regularly. I have planned to attempt PR4 test and then switch to Manhattan Tests.

Experts, please advise on my future course of action. Am I going in the right direction or should I change my plan? What may be the flaws in my preparation? Where I may be going wrong? What should I do to escalate my score?

My target is 750. Is this achievable looking at my dismal scores? I have only 45 days in my hand. :moped
An SOS call!!! :help2


I wouldn't worry about one lower than normal score. Sometimes, it's just not your day, you are too exhausted, mentally somewhere else or some other reason. In actual GMAT you will take precautions to ensure that none of this happens. Nothing to worry about.

For 750, you would need Q50 and V41.
V29 to V41 in 45 days is achievable but very very difficult. You are probably trying to avoid the IR section. With a strong Quant (and Data interpretation, I am assuming), you might actually prefer the IR section over the essay. Also, I doubt the schools will weight your score of the IR much in the first 2-3 yrs of its introduction. They will probably wait and watch whether IR is a good predictor of success at b-school.

My suggestion would be this - Consider moving your GMAT date to end of June or beginning July. Work hard on your Verbal and keep working on Quant. Raising Quant score from 40 to 44 is easy but from 48 to 50 will be tough, mind you! With consistent hard work in Verbal, you should see improvement in your score. If the improvement is not satisfactory, you can consider taking a classroom/online course or a weekend Verbal batch etc. In my opinion, you would need at least 3 months to reach the 750 level (provided you work diligently).


Thanx for your advice Karishma.

I know it's a daunting task. :2gunfire:
With some more prep, in case, I am not finding a score rise then definitely I will be required to push the date forward.

By the way, could you throw some light on the new GMAT format, especially the IR.
The new GMAT won't include AWA?

Many thanks!!!
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wallstreetbarbie
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Joined: 06 Oct 2011
Posts: 157
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GMAT Date: 06-30-2012
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Re: An SOS call - 45 days to go!!! [#permalink] New post   26 Mar 2012, 06:35
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As everyone else I think you MUST raise your verbal score. Use the first 20 days to do just that... Start with SC... this should be the easy part :) read read read the SC guides and memorize the rules. Know them inside and out! Go through all SC OG questions... read the explanations for all of them. You should start noticing a pattern with what the GMAT is looking for.

Move on to CR... what works for me? Read the question first, read the statement, before reading the answer choices state what could be a correct answer, then look for it in the answer choices.

RC? Im terrible at it still and have not figured out a good strategy yet. What I will be doing is going through 2 passages per day and hope something sinks in.
User avatar
QuaCzar
Intern
Intern
Joined: 05 Sep 2011
Status:On fire!!!
Posts: 13
Own Kudos [?]: 5 [0]
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Concentration: Marketing, Entrepreneurship
Schools: Wharton '15 HBS '15 Kellogg 1YR '14 Tuck '15 ISB '14 NUS '15 LBS '14
GMAT Date: 05-09-2012
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Re: An SOS call - 45 days to go!!! [#permalink] New post   26 Mar 2012, 07:22
wallstreetbarbie wrote:
As everyone else I think you MUST raise your verbal score. Use the first 20 days to do just that... Start with SC... this should be the easy part :) read read read the SC guides and memorize the rules. Know them inside and out! Go through all SC OG questions... read the explanations for all of them. You should start noticing a pattern with what the GMAT is looking for.

Move on to CR... what works for me? Read the question first, read the statement, before reading the answer choices state what could be a correct answer, then look for it in the answer choices.

RC? Im terrible at it still and have not figured out a good strategy yet. What I will be doing is going through 2 passages per day and hope something sinks in.


I will try to stick to this plan. :rocket

Many thanks for your advice!!!
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KarishmaB
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Re: An SOS call - 45 days to go!!! [#permalink] New post   26 Mar 2012, 22:45
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QuaCzar wrote:
Thanx for your advice Karishma.

I know it's a daunting task. :2gunfire:
With some more prep, in case, I am not finding a score rise then definitely I will be required to push the date forward.

By the way, could you throw some light on the new GMAT format, especially the IR.
The new GMAT won't include AWA?

Many thanks!!!


Check out these posts for tips on the IR section. It will replace one essay (Analysis of an Issue - which personally I dislike - Analysis of an argument is much more reasonable!). For Quant jocks, I think the change is great.

https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#/2012/03 ... reasoning/
https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#/2012/02 ... -relative/

Btw, a good RC strategy is to do 3 passages everyday in 20 minutes and then critically analyze them for the next 40-60 minutes.
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gmatclubot
Re: An SOS call - 45 days to go!!! [#permalink]
26 Mar 2012, 22:45

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