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MBAGirl88
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Joined: 05 Dec 2012
Last visit: 03 May 2015
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Concentration: Marketing, Entrepreneurship
Schools: Kellogg '16 (D) Duke '16 (M) Goizueta '16 (A) Kenan-Flagler '16 (A)
GMAT 1: 680 Q46 V38
GPA: 3.8
Schools: Kellogg '16 (D) Duke '16 (M) Goizueta '16 (A) Kenan-Flagler '16 (A)
GMAT 1: 680 Q46 V38
Posts: 8
Kudos: 1
Good at exercises, bad at exams 05 May 2013, 19:52
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Hi, I'm having a problem with my GMAT Tests scores because I don't seem to get real improvements, even though I have been studying for several months. Besides, what really pisses me off is that when doing exercises on GMAT Prep and the OG, I get the majority of the questions right and in correct timing but when I take the CATs I am always behind of time and I get several questions wrong. My current CAT scores are between 600 - 650, which is bad for me as I want to break the 700.
Please help me here I don't know how to improve and if I should keep doing exercises....specially in verbal which has experienced a huge drop (on my official score I got a 38 the first time, a 31 the second time, and in my CATs is currently in 30).

Thanks.
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mikemcgarry
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Good at exercises, bad at exams 06 May 2013, 13:57
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maripili87
Hi, I'm having a problem with my GMAT Tests scores because I don't seem to get real improvements, even though I have been studying for several months. Besides, what really pisses me off is that when doing exercises on GMAT Prep and the OG, I get the majority of the questions right and in correct timing but when I take the CATs I am always behind of time and I get several questions wrong. My current CAT scores are between 600 - 650, which is bad for me as I want to break the 700.
Please help me here I don't know how to improve and if I should keep doing exercises....specially in verbal which has experienced a huge drop (on my official score I got a 38 the first time, a 31 the second time, and in my CATs is currently in 30).

Thanks.
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Dear maripili87,

A few thoughts:
First of all, make sure all your practice is in mixed-topic form, so that each new question can be some completely out-of-the-blue topic. Along these lines, see this article about levels of understanding:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/understand ... rformance/

Also, all of your practice should be strictly timed. Untimed practice at any time is a luxury you can't afford.
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/pacing-and ... -the-gmat/

For math, sometimes a very formulaic, rule-based approach can take a long time --- many problems have a much shorter solution based on insight. Here's a GRE post in which I talk about this distinction:
https://magoosh.com/gre/2012/how-to-do-gre-math-faster/

Make sure that you keep the right "head space" when you take your CATs:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/overcome-g ... y-breathe/
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/beating-gmat-stress/
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/the-gmat-b ... g-picture/

On that same free blog, you will find dozens and dozens of posts on GMAT Verbal strategy. There's a lot there that can help you. Here, for free, is a practice RC question:
https://gmat.magoosh.com/questions/2721
a free CR question:
https://gmat.magoosh.com/questions/3128
and a free SC question:
https://gmat.magoosh.com/questions/3274
When you submit your answer to each one, the next page will have a full video explanation.

Finally, some general strategy posts:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/save-time- ... questions/
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/curiosity- ... n-success/
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/top-six-gm ... orrection/
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/mathematic ... -the-gmat/
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/when-to-guess-on-the-gmat/

I hope all this helps.
Mike :-)