Good morning everyone,
I write you because I'm looking for advices to make a jump from 650 (average mock tests) to 700.
In september I gave my first GMAT online an I scored 490 (Q25,V32) but for several reasons I think this score did not reflect at all my preparation.
Before that online session I've score a range of 600-680 (680 only once and it was the last before the exam) in mock tests and I think the following factors played a negative role in my performance:
- Anxiety for exam. I believe my low score in quant is really surprising
- I did not train properly to get used to the reverse timing of gmat and I did my exam losing often focus to ask myself whether I was respecting my cap of 2 min per question or not
- The fact that I gave the exam at 10 in the evening (which is the worst time since you are tired) and this probably had a negative implication on my focus
- The fact that I exausted myself the day before and the same day of the exam
After that unpleasant experience, I made several adjustments for my preparation such as:
- Investing time in sentence correction, since I did not have a proper training and I recognize I did not really have a solid knowledge in that matter. My mistake was to focus too much on quant, with the false perception I'm sort of more capable in the verbal. This lead me to gain 3 points more on average in my mock tests compared to my previous simulations.
- Going deeper in the arguments studying the theory (using the forum QUANT MEGATHREAD), which is something I did not do at all before the first exam. My strategy for that exam was to do tons of exercising and sort of learn by doing.
- Exercising more using the data bank of the forum to focus on the areas in which I felt I needed more practice
Currently I'm trying to improve my preparation doing this:
- Working more on DS questions because I feel in real GMAT and in simulations I perform poorly on DS, especially those involving modulus, geometry, sequences (max/min) and number property
- Working on quant arguments such as number property, remainders, combination and probability, in which I feel I do not perform well enought at 600-700 level
- Keep working on sentence correction to mantain the level I actually am and possibly improve to another 1-2 points.
- Working on CR section in specific sections such as bold face, inference, conclusion, evaluate and resolve the paradox in which I feel I'm weak and to optimize the timing, since I spend an average of 2 min per question.
- Working on Reading comprehension because I feel is not strong enough. My strategy here is reading the passage, keeping the critical thinking (what is this paragraph/why is here/what function does it cover/how does this relates to the previous paragraph) but I think I need to improve my overall strategy. Thus if you have any advice and any example of how you attack the RC.
MY STRENGHTS
I believe (but I'm not sure, feel free to warn me of the contrary) my strenghts are:
- CR section (80% correct ratio in gmat guide exercises)
- SC for the time I invested
- Verbal section in general but I feel I can still improve a little bit
MY
ERROR LOG FROM FORUM (sample size are significant only in verbal, quant sample size has 40-50 questions per section)
VERBAL
CR 54% correct (700 level)/ 71% (600-700)
SC 65% correct 41% (700 level)/ (600-700 level
RC not applicable
QUANTITATIVE
DS 40% (700 level) / 58% (600-700 level)
PS 28% (700 level) / 44% (600-700 level)
MY PERFORMANCES ON OFFICIAL MOCK TESTS (MBA.COM) AFTER THE FIRST GMAT
BEFORE INVESTING TIME IN SENTENCE CORRECTION
Test 1 46Q 33V NO IR 650 SCORE 60%Q 69%V 75% SCORE
Test 2 44Q 31V NO IR 620 SCORE 52% Q 62%V 62% SCORE
AFTER INVESTING TIME IN SENTENCE CORRECTION
Test 2 44Q 35V NO IR 650 SCORE 52%Q 76%V 75% SCORE
Test 3 45Q 36V 5IR 660 SCORE 57%Q 81%V 50%IR 78% SCORE
Test 4 47Q 35V 5IR 680 SCORE 63% Q 76% V 50%IR 83% SCORE
TEST 1 was on march 27 (2021)
TEST 2 was april 10 and 1st of may (after SC practice)
TEST 3 was april 14
TEST 4 was april 19
TEST 2 is for some reason the one that hits me badly.
I plan on purchasing TEST 5 and 6 2 weeks before the gmat.
MATERIALS I USED TO PREPARE
- For exercise
GMAT OFFICIAL GUIDE 2019, GMAT QUANT GUIDE 2019 AND GMAT VERBAL GUIDE 2019. Finished them all and revised errors.
- For theory MANHATTAN GUIDES for SC/CR
- DATA BANKS of this forum to pick questions in 600-700 range and 700+ and to pick them by section and argument
WHEN I WANT TO ATTEND THE GMAT
I want to attend my second ONLINE session on 22nd of may. I have one month. I can also consider to defer it on June based on my preparation.
MY PROFILE
My target is to reach the range 680-710.
I need it to apply for an MBA (Insead, Harvard (the dream pick, but really really difficult), HEC paris)
I work in Deloitte as Associate in M&A transaction service (8 months of experience) and I have 2 and half years of past experience in Deloitte as Auditor.
I'm preparing GMAT while working and I usually study by 20:00 up to 24 and after that I stop, I meditate for 10 minutes and I read some books before going to sleep at 01:30 (7 average hours of sleep thanks to smartworking).
WHAT I NEED
I need to know:
- How normally people jump from 650/660 to 700. Which strategy do they use to make their jump.
- How they practice their ordinary exercises. Do they train only on 700 lever questions or do they have a sort of ratio between 600-700 and 700 level
- Which textbooks could I use to make that jump
- Do you believe I need to focus more on quant or on verbal? Does an additional point gained on verbal increase the overall score more than an additional point in quant?
- Any precious insight you may have by examining my profile (study method, time management suggestion, study routine suggestion, an advice could help)
- I also welcome your experience in doing these jumps
- Advices to study while working and strategies to keep my mind fresh and how to manage timelines ensuring the necessary resting time
WHAT I DO NOT NEED
- Standard advices to advertise paid courses and stuff like that (I do not want to invest any more money that those necessary to buy mock tests)
Thank you in advance for your suggestions.
Scuven