ESR Review

Question

Hi Experts -  KarishmaB   AjiteshArun   GMATNinja   Bunuel  
 chetan2u

Can someone review my ESR and tell me where should I focus more?

My mock - official plus non-official scores have ranged between 710 - 740 but I scored poorly on the test. I could not remain focused during the first 30 min of the test. Went blank and kept on reading the same lines of the RC again and again.

I am very disappointed with the results but can one of you please guide me on what to do next?

Regards,
Blimcy

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

Consider using question/time markers if you think time management is an issue. You spent 0:28 on average per question during Q4 Verbal, for example. Might also be helpful to include info about your Official Mocks in case you feel what happened here "during the first 30 min of the test" was an outlier. Perhaps doing a few easy questions beforehand could be useful to warm up (i.e. don't let the first questions you see on test day be those of the actual exam).

5 Verbal tips

5 Verbal tips

KarishmaB · Answer

First, think about this - It is a computer adaptive test which means it is going to keep at it till it drives you up the wall. This means that it cannot be an ego battle between the test and you. When the test throws a curve ball, let it go. I think you are spending an inordinate amount of time on hard questions and still getting them wrong. Look, there is no point in that strategy. You get a hard questions correct, you get another hard one or harder. You need to put even more time. You don't have time left for the upcoming questions. You get a hard question wrong, you wasted all that time for no return. That is the reason we suggest to not spend more than 3 mins on any question until and unless the answer is right there in the next step. When you practice consistently in a timed environment, you get a sense of time and know when it is time to move on.

RC is a pain point for you. You took maximum time for RC questions and still scored low on it. As you mentioned, you couldn't pay attention in RC in the beginning. Think about this - you can take GMAT multiple times. You can cancel your score if it isn't good enough. Your life doesn't depend on that attempt. You need to go with that mindset to not get overly anxious. If unable to pay attention, close your eyes for a minute and take a deep breath. Slow down your racing heart mindfully. A minute or two spent here will help you save many minutes going forward. Review your error log or formulae sheet in the morning before going for the test. Get that mind moving.

If you feel that you are prepared and your anxiety got the better of you this time, take another shot at classic GMAT in a month. Practice and fix the gaps - Verbal and Geometry. In SC, since you faced problems in Grammar, so go through the grammar modules of a test prep. Then try some official questions. 
In stated detail questions of RC, ensure that you go back to the passage to confirm your answer before marking it and moving forward. Practice some questions of CR every day. 
If you feel that you need more time, switch to GMAT Focus. That will help you get rid of Geometry once and for all. Your IR is decent enough. A bit more practice and you should score well in it.

blimyc5 · Answer

You are right  KarishmaB  - I actually practiced one RC in the morning and was unable to read properly. And I started feeling that I should have practiced more. Even in timed environment, I was getting 80% accuracy. But somehow that day, I could not focus at all.

Also, Quants could have been better but I spent 5 minutes on the first question on geometry. Given it was the first question, I wanted to get it right but I could not solve it and had to just guess and move on. Also, the questions even in the first half were difficult. I had a 690 (Q48 and V35) last time but the initial questions were easy as compared to this attempt. Not sure how algo works. I take your advice to not spend too much time on one question and calm myself down next time if I go through a similar situation.

Thank you

blimyc5 · Answer

Attaching the summary of the last mock (Kaplan) that I gave 3 days before the exam.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Blimcy,

I'm sorry to hear that Test Day didn't go as well as planned - although a 640/Q49 is still a solid Score. 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 do you typically study each week?
2) What study materials have you used so far? What “brands” of CATs/mocks have you used?
3) On what dates (or approximate dates) did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks and how did you score on EACH (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for EACH)?

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

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi blimyc5,

Based on what you have just described, it seems as though anxiety was the real issue for you. With that in mind, here is a great article you can check out:

How to Eliminate GMAT Test-Day Anxiety

blimyc5 · Answer

This is an amazing article. I really feel that I need to get rid of my anxiety. I think removing this anxiety will only help me in B-school.

Thank you

blimyc5 · Answer

ScottTargetTestPrep   KarishmaB   EMPOWERgmatRichC  Can I practice CR and RC from LSAT Question Bank? I have exhausted the GMAT official material

Score-Quest · Answer

Your ESR shows that verbal was a bit tricky for you. Why not kick off with quant if that's your strong suit? It looks like you spent a lot of time on the first half of the verbal section, leaving you rushed in the second half. A bit of timed practice on verbal should do the trick. With that and your solid quant skills, you'll be all set for your next shot at the GMAT. I'm confident you can hit that 700+ score!

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