GMAT Quant - Frame of mind

Question

I'd like to share my predicament here - i'm not sure how many others face the issue i do, so I reckon its worth getting some support and some ideas on what i can do. I've assumed all along i'm the stereotypical indian it male, but a few GMAT mock tests are leading me to believe otherwise. After performing a post-mortem (I cant think of any other word) on my quant performance, here is the pattern I f've found - I can solve every question on the test that i got wrong, perhaps not in 2 mins coz it takes me a good minute or so to get on the right path, but they are solvable for me. The frustration is that I cant say, yes i'm weak on combinations, lets practice that since I've managed to get just about every type of question wrong :shock:

I've been through the OG once (timed using the GMAT Club app, with ~92% accuracy - i started off about 85% and moved up) and am midway through the Quant review and i face no such time/ mental agility challenges there. I'm returning to studies and quant 8 years after i last used them while graduating, but I cant explain why i'm bombing the quant section on the mocks given the OG and QR dont seem too challenging. I've exactly 22 days to my test and my math scores are steady at 44-45 while i need them up near 50. My questions are 1. Is this a frame of mind issue or are the questions on the GMAT generally much tougher than the ones in the OG? (The mocks i've taken are Manhattan and Veritas. I fared reasonaby well in the GMATPrep1, scoring 49) 2. Whats the best way for me to get over this - Deep breaths? Go through the OG again? Practice harder questions and skip the rest of the quant review? Meditate and seek divine intervention?

I'm willing to do what it takes to get over this. Any inputs are welcome.. If experts can advise, that should give me (and hopefully others facing this) some tips to score some points on Quant

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

HI vinod332002,

It sounds like you've started to notice the differences between doing random 'blocks' of questions from a book and facing a fully-adaptive Quant section on a CAT.

You seem focused on 'locking in' a higher Quant Scaled Score, but I'd like to know a bit more about your broader goals (since scoring a Q50 on Test Day might not actually help you with your big-picture plans):

1) What is your goal score?
2) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
3) Do you know which Schools you plan to apply to?

And as far as your studies are concerned:
1) How long have you been studying?
2) What materials have you been using?
3) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
4) Have you taken the FULL CAT each time (including the Essay and IR sections)?

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

burgeoning · Answer

Hey Rich, thanks for your response..

Here are my answers - 
1) What is your goal score? I'm looking for a balanced score at or above 700. Currently my score in the Veritas and MGMAT mocks are slightly skewed towards Verbal
2) When are you planning to apply to Business School? For the US, it'd mainly be R2, but i'm not solely looking at the US. Reading another thread you were commenting on, I can't postpone the GMAT date mainly because I know I will have a really hectic 2 months at work starting October, with little or no time (or indeed energy) to study
3) Do you know which Schools you plan to apply to? Undecided, but i'm the pragmatic guy who isnt aiming top 10 or 15

And as far as your studies are concerned:
1) How long have you been studying? I started studies mid June, studying about an hour or 2 a day. Since the start of August, I've been studying about 2 hours on a weekday and 8 on weekends (Sat and Sun together)
2) What materials have you been using? I've been through the OG once, i'm working on the VR and QR. I used the Veritas prep course, and also have the MGMAT SC guide handy
3) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
730 7 41 49 GMAT Prep 1
650 5 35 44 Veritas
640 5 33 45 Veritas
730 2 46 44 MGMAT
650 5 35 44 Veritas
4) Have you taken the FULL CAT each time (including the Essay and IR sections)? Yes, and i've been quite thorough when writing the essays too..

PS: I'm on leave from work starting tomorrow till the day i take my GMAT so I have some time at my disposal for practice.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi vinod332002,

To start, I'd like to confirm the data from your CAT scores - are you listing the Verbal Scaled Score first and the Quant Scaled Score SECOND? If that's the case, then your Verbal Scores are varying significantly, so to better your chances at hitting your score goals, you'll want to spend some of your time over the next 3 weeks working on the Verbal section. Since you mentioned that your Quant Scores are right around 44-45, that means that you consistently 'see' (and respond to) the Quant section in the same general ways - you're likely doing certain things correctly every time, but you're also make the same general mistakes. You'll likely need to focus on your TACTICS during the next 3 weeks to raise that score.

On your last Quant section:
1) How many questions did you get wrong because of a silly/little mistake?
2) How many questions did you get wrong because the question was too hard?
3) Do you have trouble finishing the Quant section on time (and do you have to guess on a bunch of questions just to finish?)?

On your last Verbal section:
1) How often did you 'narrow it down to 2 choices' but still get the question wrong?
2) Do you have trouble finishing the Verbal section on time (and do you have to guess on a bunch of questions just to finish?)?

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

AjiteshArun · Answer

The GMATPrep practice tests are the most reliable tests out there and you have a few of them left. When do you plan to take one of those tests again? To put this in perspective, a 49 is 78%, and a 44 is 57%. So a drop from 49 (on your  first  test) to 44 is a 21% drop. It's very rare for performance to vary  that  much. It's just much more likely that you are getting less reliable data.

burgeoning · Answer

Rich, thanks for your questions, they are actually making me think of my performances on these tests rather than just throw my hands in the air saying i'm getting too many wrong when I shouldnt.

Based on what you've read so far - especially for quant - do you think its a case of me lacking some fundamental concepts or is it just more practice that I need?

I know i'm going on about Quants while I have verbal scores that have fluctuated a lot - but I feel the 2 scores of 41 and 46 are good indicators and I do practice verbal quite a lot.

burgeoning · Answer

Thanks for this Ajitesh. I however, found the GMATPrep test too simple. In fact, the 49 i scored in Quant was after i missed the last question totally (left it unanswered) for lack of time. I have a copy of the QR - 2 book and i'm finding it quite easy.. 95% accuracy so far with most questions taking less than 1.5 minutes. Have you had a chnace to review this book? Is it worth investing my time on this book or should I scourge forums for tougher math problems?

AjiteshArun · Answer

Putting a few points down for you to consider: 1. Q49 is 78% (Q50 is 87% and Q51 is 97%). If you say that you found the GMATPrep easy at a 49 "level", I'd rather have you target 50 than see you question the validity of your 49 . Again, try to take another GMATPrep. 2. I'd request one of our quant faculty members (or one of the other quant experts here) to give you an opinion on The Official Guide for GMAT Quantitative Review, 2nd Edition (that's the one you mean, right? I did just the normal OG for quant). But keep in mind that the GMAT is an adaptive exam. Any OG (including the quant review) will contain a lot of questions that won't match your ability level. Don't hold that against the book, because the GMAC never said that they're giving us the The Official Guide for GMAT Quantitative Review for scores above 49, 2nd Edition

3. Doing the official material is always a good idea. Doing more material could also be a good idea, as long as the questions are good. However, doing great questions that are not very representative of what the GMAT tests might not be a very efficient way to study.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

HI vinod332002,

Based on what you've described, I think that part of the 'issue' that you're dealing with in the Quant section is that you're treating it like it was a 'math test', when it really is NOT that. You're scoring at a level that shows that you're likely really strong at the 'math-centric' prompts that you face, but you're likely missing out on LOTS of strategy-based points (including a bunch of DS questions). This is meant to say that you would likely benefit a great deal from focusing on Quant TACTICS moreso than just doing more practice questions in the same ways that you have been doing them so far.

The inconsistencies you've described in the Verbal section mirror some of what you're facing in the Quant - there doesn't seem to be a consistent use of tactics (which is why you have to narrow down the answers and then 'guess' so often).

Thankfully, the entire GMAT is predictable and standardized, so you CAN learn all of the necessary tactics and improve. However, it's not likely that you can learn them all (and practice them enough to be comfortable using them in a consistent fashion) in less than 3 weeks. With a bit more study time, your chances at scoring at the 700+ level would greatly improve.

You've mentioned how you really can't extend your studies (which is fine), but I have a hypothetical question for you: If 3 weeks from now you score 650/Q45 on the Official GMAT, will you plan to retake it this year?

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

burgeoning · Answer

Hi Rich, Thanks for your insights. I'll look at applying tactics more regularly when i practice and hopefully that will correct some of the issues with my score. As for retaking the GMAT, no I probably wouldnt. I believe there are factors in my profile now other than a GMAT that could help build an overall strong case for me. Having said that, i'd like to nail the GMAT since I took the GMAT 5.5 years back, fairly fresh out of college and overconfident and scored a disappointing 650. Back then, there was little 650 could do for me (it did ensure i never go into any exam overconfident

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