ESR Analysis PLEASE [700+ all mocks - 660 OFFICIAL]

Question

Hi everyone, basically the title explains it.

ESR here  https://www.docdroid.net/We4bElp/esr-pdf 
 January raw mock 1: 620
 
So I started studying:

Did 1 month of TTP only math (about 5-7 hours per day)
 
 GMAT ninja verbal videos
 
 Manhattan for extra support- didn't go through the entire manhattan books
 
 Bought the official GMAT question banks too (has around ~800 official questions I think). Did all of the math and as many verbal as possible.

I had taken all the other five practice tests:

May Mock 2:  720  | V 39 Q 49

June Mock 3:  730  | V 41 Q 49

July Mock 4:  710  | V 40 Q 47

July Mock 5:  710  | V 41 Q 46

July Mock 6:  720  | V 41 Q 48

Then, official test day at end of July: 
660 V 35 Q 47
V percentile: 74
Q percentile: 54

I guess my question is where did I go wrong. I see my verbal score is much lower than my mocks, but still a higher percentile than my quantitative score at the 54th percentile.

Feel like I did everything I read on reddit as well: do TTP, do Manhattan, do GMAT ninja. I didn't feel overly nervous either. The reading passages were definitely longer but I felt like I understood everything. As for quant, I honestly thought it was quite hard- hence why I'm confused how I got a higher quant score than verbal.

Any advice on how to go forward would be helpful. I'm willing to look into private tutoring via Manhattan or whatever is needed.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi pepethefrog,

I'm sorry to hear that Test Day didn't go as well as planned - although a 660/Q47 is still a solid Score and it could be enough to get you into your first-choice School. When these types of score drops occur, the two likely "causes" involve either something that was unrealistic during practice or something that was surprising (or not accounted for) on Test Day. Before we discuss any of those potential issues though - along with the data in your ESR - it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

Studies:
1) How long have you studied? How many hours did you typically study each week?
2) Have you used any other study materials besides the ones you listed? Did you take any other CATs/mocks?
3) On what dates (or approximate dates) did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks?

Goals:
4) What is your overall goal score?
5) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?

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

Contact Rich at: [email protected]
www.empowergmat.com

pepethefrog · Answer

Thank you  EMPOWERgmatRichC , as to answer your questions:
 Studies:
 1) How long have you studied? How many hours did you typically study each week?
- Since February. At first it was ~3 months of going through TTP and GMAT ninja videos + some manhattan. Then I started doing the official question banks and just kept a little error log for ~2 months. I think I studied around 2-3 hours a day during the error log months. Just did about 20-30 questions and went through the topics to see what I did wrong.

2) Have you used any other study materials besides the ones you listed? Did you take any other CATs/mocks?
 Only materials were TTP Math, Manhattan 3 book set (verbal, math, ir), GMAT ninja videos. I took all official 6 mocks and nothing else.

3) On what dates (or approximate dates) did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks?
 
January 17 Raw Mock 1: 620 | V 36 Q 39

May 8 Mock 2: 720 | V 39 Q 49

June 23 Mock 3: 730 | V 41 Q 49

July 19 Mock 4: 710 | V 40 Q 47

July 24 Mock 5: 710 | V 41 Q 46

July 26 Mock 6: 720 | V 41 Q 48

July 28 Official Exam : 660

Goals:
 4) What is your overall goal score?
 My overall goal score is 720+

5) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?
 
Not sure if I'm applying to business school yet but just want to have the score down for the future. For reference I just graduated college and am starting at an MBB soon. Given the economic environment I just want to have a score down so I can feel like I have a backup plan.

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi pepethefrog,

Did you end up completing all of TTP quant?

pepethefrog · Answer

Hi  ScottTargetTestPrep , yes I did end up completing all of it in terms of the lessons/questions per lesson + 80% of the practice tests I believe.
But it was all done under a month so a little rushed / a lot of content to get through.

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

For Verbal, working on time management may be helpful if, for example, you felt you were rushing during Q4. The average time spent during the first 3 quarters was roughly 2 minutes but during Q4 it was 1:34. If you feel your fundamentals are solid, consider working on your solving approach. May boost your score a bit. Had a 6-hour student who went from a v31 to a v40 in about 30 days. Perhaps work with a study buddy who is really strong on Verbal.

5 Verbal tips

5 Verbal tips

KarishmaB · Answer

In both Quant and Verbal, there were a few questions in which you took less time; they were easy; but you got them wrong anyway. Perhaps you overlooked something simple? This happened in the first quarter in Verbal and you never recovered after that, getting the hard questions incorrect while easier ones correct. You did spend equal time on both correct as well as incorrect questions so that is ok. To improve your Verbal score, you should practice more 650+ level questions.

In Quant, your performance in DS is far worse than that in PS and you have taken less time in DS. Is it because you feel more comfortable with PS format and try to rush through the DS? Try an only DS questions practice exercise and give yourself enough time (avg 2 mins) and see if your performance improves. Focus on Algebra and Number Properties to improve your score and try to allocate same time to each quarter. You did take some extra time in quarters 1 and 2 which left less time for quarters 3 and 4 (though it didn't have much impact on your overall score). In quarters 3 and 4, you spent more time on harder questions and got them wrong anyway. Since they were harder, the penalty was not high. When a question seems hard and doesn't seem to be working out, let it go in a timely manner.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi pepethefrog,

Focusing on the GMAT now - far in advance of when you will actually "need" your Score - is a smart choice. In that same way, assuming that you plan to apply to some highly-competitive Schools in the future, you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert about your overall profile and plans. Those Experts should be able to answer your Admissions questions and help define the specific areas of your profile that could use some improvement (and the more time that you have to act on that advice, the better). There's a Forum full of those Experts here:

https://gmatclub.com/forum/ask-admissio ... tants-124/

I've sent you a PM with an analysis of your ESR and some additional questions.

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

Contact Rich at: [email protected]
www.empowergmat.com

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Yes, that was very quick! I mean at this point, it may make sense to take another pass at TTP quant. I think there is probably a lot of material that did not quite sink in.

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