Boosting my GMAT score!

Question

Dear Experts,

I have already given my GMAT exam once and got a 640(Q-44 V-36) last september and I am looking for a 700+ score. I have been giving GMAT Mocks regularly but I cant get to that 700+ score consistently. I have been giving MGMAT and Veritas Prep mocks and getting a variable score pattern from 670 to 700(more on the MGMAT mocks than Veritas) and also not a balanced score(Q-47 and above while V is still in the mid-thirties).
I've been doing too badly on SC and also on RC. 
Can you please suggest me some strategies or some important things which I should take note of. I want that elusive high score and getting very tensed with this inconsitent results.

Thanks in advance

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi koolarijeet,

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 did you study before taking the Official GMAT (in September)? Have you been studying consistently since then (or have you taken 'time off' in between?)?
2) What study materials have you used?
3) On your CATs, have you taken the FULL CAT each time (with the Essay and IR sections)?

Goals:
4) When are you planning to retake the GMAT?
5) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
6) What Schools are you planning to apply to?

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

jinxd123 · Answer

Thanks for the reply,

Well I had taken some time off after September and started my prep again from January. I had bought all the MGMAT guides and followed them when I gave the GMAT last time. After that I have also used the Magoosh prep videos. The prep time last time was for 4months. I generally do not give the full CAT exams and exclude the IR and AWA sections. But sometimes I practice with them too.

As far as my goals are concerned, I am planning to take my GMAT anytime soon before May-June so that I can get enough time to prepare for the application as I know its not only the elusive high GMAT score the colleges want. I wish to join a Business School in Fall-2018 so I am planning to have my applications ready when the first round of Applications open in August-September. I want to get admitted in a Ivy league college like Wharton, Yale etc. I know how much tough it is to get admitted in programs offered by those schools and that's why I want to boost my score higher. I am also considering other options in Europe and Asia like INSEAD, HEC. Paris, NUS

I am already working in a firm and have 5 years of work experience if that helps.

Thanks again.

Rohit6 · Answer

GMAT is a very structured exam and is supposed to be accurate by design.
Remember this, whenever you see inconsistency in your score it is because you are not following the process. Whichever test prep. company you are following, they will have there own approach and process towards every type of question. If you follow the approach as taught by your test prep. company you should not see inconsistency in scores rather a linear curve.

Inconsistency happens because you are taking "chances" on too many questions which sometimes work, sometime don't and in official exam definitely won't (this is what your thought process should be).

For SC I can't recommend e-gmat more. I went from 30-40 %ile to 90-100 %ile just by e-gmat SC. It took me time but eventually I got there.

broall · Answer

Hi, since your target is Ivy league schools, you need to get a really high GMAT score, at least 750+, to have a better chance. However, going from 640 to 700+ is quite hard, and this requires you much attempt. When I read the list of materials you had, the missing piece is OG books, especially Verbal OG books. Have you studied from OG books? I think that the fact that your verbal score is inconsistent means you still dont have a right way to approach verbal questions, especially in SC part. Practicing with OG books is the best way to learn the way questions are made and learn how to approach these questions.

jinxd123 · Answer

Thanks all for your replies.

I will keep trying hard. I don't know whether I can get into that 750+ mark but I really wanna break the 700 barrier. Lets see what happens.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi koolarijeet,

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 practice scores can become - and that's what happened here. By skipping sections, you've been taking shorter, easier Exams that require less effort, so those practice scores are likely not completely accurate. Thus, when you take your future CATs, you MUST make sure to do so in a more realistic fashion (take the FULL CAT - with the Essay and IR sections, take it away from your home, at the same time of day as when you'll take the Official GMAT, etc.). I suggest that you take a new CAT (as prescribed) this weekend. We can use that data to define exactly what you need to work on going forward.

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

rohan2345 · Answer

Hi koolarijeet ,

Manhattan GMAT tests and Veritas prep practice tests are a notch tougher than the actual GMAT. Manhattan prep tests Quant section is one of the toughest so please do not get disheartened by your score in them. Similarly for Veritas prep test, the scoring algorithm is a bit harsh, so take these scores with a grain of salt. In your GMAT exam you have a good verbal score but a weak quant. If you are particularly looking to discover and improve on your weak areas in quant; a subscription to GMATCLUB tests is the best way to do that. They are indeed phenomenal and will not only pinpoint your weak areas but also help you improve on them.

Further to improve your performance in SC and RC, I would encourage you to consider e-gmat verbal online or the e-gmat verbal live course. They are both amazing courses especially designed for non-natives. They offer almost 25% of their courses for free so you can try out their free trial to decide which one you want to go for. Plus the e-gmat Scholaranium which is included in both the courses is one of the best verbal practice tools in the market.

Hope this helps. All the best.

Boosting my GMAT score!

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards