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ILMRG
Joined: 01 Feb 2020
Last visit: 01 Feb 2022
Posts: 12
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 13
Location: United States (KY)
Schools: CBS '22 (A) Kellogg '22 (A$) Booth '22 (A$) Wharton '22 (A) Haas '22 (A) Yale '22 (A$) Stanford '22 (M)
GPA: 3.8
Schools: CBS '22 (A) Kellogg '22 (A$) Booth '22 (A$) Wharton '22 (A) Haas '22 (A) Yale '22 (A$) Stanford '22 (M)
Posts: 12
Kudos:
41
01 Feb 2020, 15:34
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Hi GMAT Club forum friends,
So I here I sit, one day after taking the GMAT, wondering where I go from here. Yesterday was my first go and I scored a 650 (Q41, V38). I am incredibly frustrated to say the very least.
I purchased the ESR and I am struggling to parse out the relevant details as I recraft my study plan.
By quick way of back story, I am in the military but after a serious injury, I will be unable to continue serving (separate sob story, but it stinks). This is relevant only because I found this out at the end of December and I am now scrambling to apply for a top MBA program (I have a strong professional record and graduated from a prestigious school with a 3.8 GPA). Unfortunately, as such, my GMAT preparation didn't begin until late December so I had about a month to try and relearn about a million-and-a-half Quant elements I had long since flushed away. I purchased a Magoosh subscription and hammered away at their videos and practice problems, going through absolutely everything. I took a few GMAT practice tests on Magoosh (I don't take much stock in those scores, done for repetition) and the official GMAT tests (1 + 2). Practice Test 1 resulted in a 640 (Q41, V35) and PT 2 (this was last Saturday) a 680 (Q44, V40).
The goal for me is going to be a 700. My next GMAT is scheduled for February 24th (went with a noon test time, have to travel further away for this one and want the morning to be a bit more relaxed). After that, I can take one in mid-March and then that's it (reference the R3 deadlines). I am trying to parse out what the end of the road is as far as when the last day is they'll accept tests...it varies by program but hasn't been totally clear.
A few additional notes:
I went Quant into Verbal yesterday. When I went back to the room after the break, I waited over four minutes in the hallway before the proctor returned to let me in. By the time I was back at my workstation, 2.5 minutes had already elapsed from my time. That was supremely frustrating and threw me totally out of rhythm. I felt like I was pressed for and racing for time (and I was). I think I probably could have performed more strongly on Verbal without that monkey on my back. I was really hitting my stride on Verbal questions, especially leading up to the test. I say that only to share that I have hope for my verbal abilities and think that yesterday may be a slight outlier from what I am actually capable of. Also, I am really irritated by that whole experience as I was not expecting that to be an issue.
As far as Quant however? No excuses. I took that first and it obviously left much to be desired. My initial plan moving forward is to try and do as many OG questions as possible in the next month and I purchased a few more of the GMAC online ones as well. I am willing to put the effort in, but I want to target it as much as possible. I think 50 points is something I can do, but it's a bit scary to perform so much lower than what I feel my capabilities are.
Would be super grateful for folks' thoughts as I digest this and prepare to roll forward. Happy to share the ESR too, just don't know the most appropriate way to do that. Was not looking to just toss PII out there. Thanks in advance for any insights the pros out there can provide!
So I here I sit, one day after taking the GMAT, wondering where I go from here. Yesterday was my first go and I scored a 650 (Q41, V38). I am incredibly frustrated to say the very least.
I purchased the ESR and I am struggling to parse out the relevant details as I recraft my study plan.
By quick way of back story, I am in the military but after a serious injury, I will be unable to continue serving (separate sob story, but it stinks). This is relevant only because I found this out at the end of December and I am now scrambling to apply for a top MBA program (I have a strong professional record and graduated from a prestigious school with a 3.8 GPA). Unfortunately, as such, my GMAT preparation didn't begin until late December so I had about a month to try and relearn about a million-and-a-half Quant elements I had long since flushed away. I purchased a Magoosh subscription and hammered away at their videos and practice problems, going through absolutely everything. I took a few GMAT practice tests on Magoosh (I don't take much stock in those scores, done for repetition) and the official GMAT tests (1 + 2). Practice Test 1 resulted in a 640 (Q41, V35) and PT 2 (this was last Saturday) a 680 (Q44, V40).
The goal for me is going to be a 700. My next GMAT is scheduled for February 24th (went with a noon test time, have to travel further away for this one and want the morning to be a bit more relaxed). After that, I can take one in mid-March and then that's it (reference the R3 deadlines). I am trying to parse out what the end of the road is as far as when the last day is they'll accept tests...it varies by program but hasn't been totally clear.
A few additional notes:
I went Quant into Verbal yesterday. When I went back to the room after the break, I waited over four minutes in the hallway before the proctor returned to let me in. By the time I was back at my workstation, 2.5 minutes had already elapsed from my time. That was supremely frustrating and threw me totally out of rhythm. I felt like I was pressed for and racing for time (and I was). I think I probably could have performed more strongly on Verbal without that monkey on my back. I was really hitting my stride on Verbal questions, especially leading up to the test. I say that only to share that I have hope for my verbal abilities and think that yesterday may be a slight outlier from what I am actually capable of. Also, I am really irritated by that whole experience as I was not expecting that to be an issue.
As far as Quant however? No excuses. I took that first and it obviously left much to be desired. My initial plan moving forward is to try and do as many OG questions as possible in the next month and I purchased a few more of the GMAC online ones as well. I am willing to put the effort in, but I want to target it as much as possible. I think 50 points is something I can do, but it's a bit scary to perform so much lower than what I feel my capabilities are.
Would be super grateful for folks' thoughts as I digest this and prepare to roll forward. Happy to share the ESR too, just don't know the most appropriate way to do that. Was not looking to just toss PII out there. Thanks in advance for any insights the pros out there can provide!
01 Feb 2020, 16:13
Kudos
Bookmarks
Thank you for sharing, ILMRG, especially when things did not turn out as you had hoped. Your Verbal performance looks to be in pretty good shape, especially under the circumstances. I think losing a few minutes in the beginning would throw off just about anyone, myself included. Your Quant performance is decent, but it leaves a lot to be desired, at least against top-tier standards. Since you broached the topic, your background might help your candidacy somewhat, but a substandard Quant score in particular will do you no favors. Thus, I am making a recommendation based on the aim of getting you to hit the peak of your performance in Quant in about a month. (I think as long as you could maintain your test-sharpness in Verbal by practicing sets of questions now and then, you would probably turn out a similar performance.) I have written two posts recently to other newcomers on the topic of scoring high in Quant. Here is what I had to say, in part, to the last one:
Now I understand, ILMRG, that you might not be targeting a 51 within the month, but I do think from your post that getting your score in the section as high as possible in a quick turnaround time is the goal, and in my experience as a tutor, it is typically those students who have undertaken online, module-based learning who have made the largest gains in the shortest amount of time. You can usually get one-month access to such programs for about $100. You have already tried Magoosh, but maybe something else would work better for you at this time. Or you could be that outlier who simply needs to practice more questions, and maybe some GMAT Club questions or a new book would do. I always look to save money myself, and I often advise others to do the same.
Good luck, however you decide to go about your studies.
- Andrew
MentorTutoring
There was just a GMAT Club live stream on YouTube that addressed this very topic. I will say this, based on what I have read among tutors and students who have reached such a height in Quant--they tend to go about it in whichever way suits them best, but they all put in a lot of hard work on high-quality questions. To be specific, some people seek out printed material, such as the Manhattan Prep GMAT Advanced Quant book; some like online module learning (programs include those by Math Revolution, EMPOWERgmat, or Target Test Prep); some work on harder-than-the-real-thing questions from GMAT Club quizzes and tests; and some combine approaches. What is important is that, however you go about it, you get better and better at increasing your conceptual knowledge while reducing your errors on practice questions and mocks. The GMAT™ is designed to expose weaknesses over those 31 questions, so you cannot simply hope to duck and dodge to get lucky and walk away with a perfect score. You have to earn it, and consistency is key. If you take a mock and hit a 51, great, but until you can do that two or three times, the reliability of that score would be lower, not to mention that there are test-day factors to consider, such as the testing center experience, wanting to be careful to avoid making mistakes, keeping an eye on the clock...
If you are strong at Quant but need that extra boost, then why not explore one or more of the options I have outlined above? It is a tough task, but evidently one that 4 out of every 100 test-takers can achieve on average.
If you are strong at Quant but need that extra boost, then why not explore one or more of the options I have outlined above? It is a tough task, but evidently one that 4 out of every 100 test-takers can achieve on average.
Now I understand, ILMRG, that you might not be targeting a 51 within the month, but I do think from your post that getting your score in the section as high as possible in a quick turnaround time is the goal, and in my experience as a tutor, it is typically those students who have undertaken online, module-based learning who have made the largest gains in the shortest amount of time. You can usually get one-month access to such programs for about $100. You have already tried Magoosh, but maybe something else would work better for you at this time. Or you could be that outlier who simply needs to practice more questions, and maybe some GMAT Club questions or a new book would do. I always look to save money myself, and I often advise others to do the same.
Good luck, however you decide to go about your studies.
- Andrew
01 Feb 2020, 19:42
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Bookmarks
Hi ILMRG,
Many Test Takers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores, so if you've studied for just 1 month, then you might naturally improve as you continue to study. GMAC has publicly stated that the Official Score that you earn on Test Day is within +/- 30 points of actual ability. Assuming a similar 'swing' in how your CATs function, your 2 recent CAT score results - along with your Official Score - show that you essentially performed the same each time (about 660 +/- a few points). You handle certain aspects of the GMAT consistently well, but you also make certain consistent mistakes. With just a little over 3 weeks of study time before your next Official GMAT, you will have to be really efficient with your time - and focus on learning and practicing the proper Quant Tactics during this next phase of your studies.
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:
1) How many hours do you typically study each week?
2) What School are you planning to apply to and what are the exact application deadlines that you are facing?
3) Going forward, how many hours do you think you can consistently study each week?
While the ESR doesn’t provide a lot of information, there are usually a few data points that we can use to define what went wrong on Test Day (and what you should work on to score higher). Since you purchased the ESR, then I'll be happy to analyze it for you. Before you can add attachments to your posts/PMs, you need to have at least 5 posts in the forums (and right now, you have just 2). If you would rather not go through those extra steps at this point, then you can feel free to email me your ESR directly (at Rich.C@empowergmat.com).
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Many Test Takers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores, so if you've studied for just 1 month, then you might naturally improve as you continue to study. GMAC has publicly stated that the Official Score that you earn on Test Day is within +/- 30 points of actual ability. Assuming a similar 'swing' in how your CATs function, your 2 recent CAT score results - along with your Official Score - show that you essentially performed the same each time (about 660 +/- a few points). You handle certain aspects of the GMAT consistently well, but you also make certain consistent mistakes. With just a little over 3 weeks of study time before your next Official GMAT, you will have to be really efficient with your time - and focus on learning and practicing the proper Quant Tactics during this next phase of your studies.
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:
1) How many hours do you typically study each week?
2) What School are you planning to apply to and what are the exact application deadlines that you are facing?
3) Going forward, how many hours do you think you can consistently study each week?
While the ESR doesn’t provide a lot of information, there are usually a few data points that we can use to define what went wrong on Test Day (and what you should work on to score higher). Since you purchased the ESR, then I'll be happy to analyze it for you. Before you can add attachments to your posts/PMs, you need to have at least 5 posts in the forums (and right now, you have just 2). If you would rather not go through those extra steps at this point, then you can feel free to email me your ESR directly (at Rich.C@empowergmat.com).
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
