rsiddiqu wrote:
I've been studying the gmat for about 2-3 months because I am a bad standardized test taker. After taking my first practice test i got a 550 and i was like all right this is the average score. I did all right on the math but i did better in the verbal. So i thought i'd focus on the math for a week and do another practice a week and a half later. I figure that since i did better in the reading then i don't have to focus on that. However, that week was my first week of work and I didn't have time to study a lot of math. I could only focus on the weak points and when i took the test a week and a half later i got 9 more correct on the math section but i did worse on the reading. I was feeling tired on the reading section and i wasn't concentrating hard enough. I know I wasn't focusing so i believe that is the reason why i did worse on the reading. Is there a way to practice my stamina for my reading since it is the last section of the gmat. I believe that if i can have the stamina then i can get into the 600 which is my goal. I figure that if i read a boring article that I am not interested in everyday for a weak while practicing my math that I can do that. Is there something else that I can do?
My first suggestion would be that you should take out time for both Quant and Verbal everyday. Only if one is hitting a 51 consistently in one of them can one afford to be lax in that particular subject. Focus on the weak points of both.
Also a week or two is not enough time for most people to make a marked improvement in their score (until and unless they put in a lot of effort). Hence, retaking a practice test in a week's time will not add much value to your preparation. Instead try to use that time to work on your concepts right now.
Stamina and concentration are a part of things tested on GMAT. Most people face a lack of focus in the second half of the Verbal section. Therefore, weekly practice tests become important in the last month of your preparation. Also try to study continuously for long periods, say 75 minutes at a stretch. Then take a break and study some more. Increase the time duration till you can study for 3-4 hrs with just a few small breaks. On the test day, adrenaline will further boost your attention span.
For RC, reading everyday will help but just glossing over an article will not. You actually need to read it, ensure that you understand it and then summarize it in your head in your own words. So basically, you need to concentrate while reading the boring article because you know that at the end of it all, you will need to summarize it without looking at it. The actual test will have an added advantage of the article being right there in front of you, available for cross checking!