Hi there!
First of all thanks for taking the time to read this post. This is a post which has 2 main purposes:
1- Reaching for some additional help
2- Keep motivation up for myself and for all test takers who struggle out there.
Before going any further, I first want to thank the guys from
Target Test Prep. This improvement is solely due to their tool, which help me raised from a 17 to a 41 on Quant this time. If you're serious about scoring in Quant, then
TTP is your thing.
So here it is, another post on my GMAT journey. After the catastrophic 540 in mid September (which you can read about here:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/exam-yesterd ... l#p2130708) I took the exam yesterday again hitting a 640.
Let's be honest, it's less than I expected, especially if we consider my CAT practice tests:
1 - 710 (Quant 47; Verbal 39) - December 23d
2 - 700 (Quant 49; Vebral 35) - December 27th
3 - 680 (Quant 42; Verbal 41) - January 2nd
4 - 690 (Quant 47; Verbal 38) - January 6th
5 - 680 (Quant 47; Verbal 38) - January 13th
Having said that, there is 2 positive sides of this:
1- I have improved by 100 points
2- I have hit my target score, so it's not a matter of capacity. I can do it; and if I can, considering my starting point of 540, anyone can.
But in order to do it, I would need some additional advice from the community and from your experience.
First, here is a little reflexion I did about what has improved on my latest preparation and what still needs improvement:
Study plan:What has improved:Reaching assistance from
Target Test PrepTaking notes of all the lessons
"Actively" reviewing my notes, by explaining them to myself and scratching them on paper about once a week
Getting back to concepts when I struggled to answer a question or I did not understand the concept tested
Keeping record of my weak areas
Redoing sets of questions when targeted accuracy was not met
What still needs improvement:Relying too much on
Target Test Prep; should I do more
OG?
Not keeping a carefull
error log and getting back to it
Stop "actively" reviewing 2 weeks before the exam and rushing into doing a max questions
Not mastering the essential concepts (Properties of integer; Exponents); without this, it is unlikely I will get a 700 question on Geometry
Low motivation 2 weeks prior to the exam; probably becaus of too much craming (3-4 hours of study a day + 6-7 on weekends)
LifweiseWhat has improved:Getting back to my normal life: going to the gym, going out with friends without being 24 hours a day 7 days a week on day job and GMAT; brain needed to escape
Taking a day off per week
Having a more positive attitude towards the test and believing i can actually suceed
What still needs some improvement:Letting stress of the exam impact my behavior at home
Stop taking days off 2 weeks prior to the exam; although the exam is coming, the brain still needs to rest
Doing to many things at the same time: while I was working on the GMAT, i was interviewing in house for a job position and at a Big 4 for an M&A position; maybe it took too much energy and concentration away
Practice testWhat has improved: When I did not have any expectation about my score and I was just focusing on the question, this is when I hit my highest scores (710 - 690)
What still needs some improvement:Worrying about my score during some exams
Doubting about my ability to hit 700 when I hit 680 on the 3d test
Not taking all of the exam in real test conditions (at the library uni, where the environment is pretty much like a test center one)
Test DayWhat has improved:This time I was fully relaxed and actually went without any fear to the exam
I read on my weak areas prior to it to keep them fresh in my mind and make sure I was not going to make any mistake on them
What still needs some improvement:Eating before the exam was probably not a good idea.. digesting during the exam
Doing a 2 hours train trip to the exam center on the moring; next time i'll consider sleeping at the exam center's town the night before and avoid the fatigue
Not doing some easy questions prior to it to "get my mind started"
So here it is. This is my analysis. Do not hesitate to share your thoughts on this and on additional points I could work on to improve and get this 700 I am aiming for!
Also, I think I'll dedicate about a month and a half more to the test before retaking it, what do you think? Is it manageable to improve by 50 points in that time?
All the best and keep up the good work!