Got 550 in 1st attempt..Need help for 2nd attempt.

Question

Hi, I took my first attempt at GMAT today and scored 550. I need help from the folks on this forum. Just to give a background. I took coaching from Jamboree and prepared for roughly 3-4 months. I had taken 7 full length mocks of jamboree and 4 official gmat practice tests. The scores were quite varied across the different mocks. I got 540,580, 620,680,650,710,640,630. I was expecting to atleast cross the 600 mark today but unfortunately couldn't. I come from a commerce background. Quant is not my strong suit. Based on my Performance in mocks, I thought I'd do well on verbal compared to Quant, but again that took a hit. I found the questions on the actual exam much different and daunting than the ones I had practiced. I want to get a 650+ in the next attempt, not 700, to keep it realistic also. Can someone please help me how I should move ahead in my prep for the next attempt.

Posted from my mobile device

Posted from my mobile device

AjiteshArun · Answer

Hi aanchalgupta25,

What were your official practice test scores like (nonofficial tests can be useful, but their score estimates are not as reliable)?

Consider getting the ESR for this attempt. I'm not sure whether it'll be useful, but it will give you a slightly better idea about your test.

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi aanchalgupta25.

The fact that your practice test scores have been so varied indicates that there are gaps in your skillset. So, if a test lines up with your skills and what you do to answer questions works, you score relatively high. If you see things you aren't sure how to handle or the approaches you use don't work, you score lower. So, to get to a point such that you can reliably achieve your score goal, you need to methodically master one GMAT topic at a time to strengthen weaker areas and fill the gaps in your skillset.

You can master each GMAT topic in the following way:

- First, review the concepts and strategies a topic involves.
 
- Then, do practice questions involving that topic UNTIMED until you're achieving high accuracy.
 
- Finally, work on reducing the time per question until you're correctly answering questions involving that topic at test pace.

Then, move on to the next topic and do the same thing.

For some specifics on how to master GMAT Quant and Verbal, see these posts.

GMAT Quant Preparation: Top 10 Tips

How to Score High on GMAT Verbal

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi aanchalgupta25,

I have the perfect article for you to check out:

How to Improve Your GMAT Score

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

The ESR may provide some helpful insight. You could see how well you performed on SC and the average time you spent on those questions, for example.

If you haven't already, consider including/practicing with Official questions such as those from the Official-Guides.

5 Verbal tips

-contact: gmatknight site | gmatclub dm

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi aanchalgupta25,

I'm sorry to hear that Test Day didn't go as well as planned. When these types of score drops occur, the two likely "causes" involve either something that was unrealistic during practice or something that was surprising (or not accounted for) on Test Day. Before we discuss any of those potential issues though, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

1) How long have you studied? How many hours do you typically study each week?
2) Have you used any other study materials besides the course that you listed?
3) On what dates (or approximate dates) did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks and how did you score on EACH (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for EACH)?
4) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?

If you took your Official GMAT at a Test Center, then you might also choose to purchase the Enhanced Score Report. 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). If you purchase the ESR, then I'll be happy to analyze it for you.

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

Contact Rich at: Rich.C@empowergmat.com
www.empowergmat.com

NakulDiwakar10 · Answer

In the same boat. Scored 540 on my 2nd attempt last month. Preparing for my 3rd attempt now. Let me know if you want to team up for the GMAT exam for your next attempt

aanchalgupta25 · Answer

Thank you all for your responses. Really appreciate it. I got the below scores on the Unofficial Score Report:

IR-5
QR- 39
Verbal -27
Total- 550

I did practice all the questions from OG 2022 and was able to do roughly 70-80% of them on my own. For the others, I had to refer to the solutions. In Verbal, when I had just started my prep, I was doing really poor. But over time, I feel I was able to get to the right answers while practicing and testing. I was doing well on SCs and RCs compared to CRs.

Sorry for going in too much detail here. But 2 things happened with me on the actual exam:

1) Quant- I typically tried to divide the time in 2 sections. 30 mins for first 15 questions and then for the remaining. I did first 15 in 40 minutes, and then for the next 3-4 questions I was taking too much time and ultimately I had to really rush through the last 10 questions in panic mode. Since GMAT penalizes for leaving the questions unanswered, I figured I should just mark something and move ahead. So time management was poor but essentially my problem is if I find a question twisted in a different way, I take too much time analyzing and thinking about what approach I should take.

2) Verbal - Timing was somewhat better, but looking at the questions, I completely froze because I wasnt able to figure them out. neither the SCs nor the CRs, they just felt so different from what I had practiced during prep, mocks etc. I got 2 long science RCs which again was difficult. The problem I face with Science RCs is that they throw too much info and details at us, compared to other topics wherein you get the gist quickly and are able to go through the passage fairly quickly. With science RCs, there is too much information to digest.

Any suggestions as to how I can overcome these issues in a practical and targeted way. Practice is extremely important but I also dont want to get lost in various different strategies and tons of more questions and material. ( At one point, I actually thought that maybe I should do each and every question available on gmatclub, I know thats quite foolish and will probably not give me any positive results in the end.)

Not sure if it was the nerves, but all in all it was quite a disappointing day for me. Trying to move on and prepare again. Any suggestions and help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi aanchalgupta25, I've sent you a PM with some notes and additional questions. GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made, Rich Contact Rich at: Rich.C@empowergmat.com www.empowergmat.com

admitStreet · Answer

Hi aanchalgupta25 , Congratulations on completing your first attempt at the GMAT! Scoring 550 shows that you have the potential to improve further. It's not uncommon to experience variations in mock scores, but the key is to learn from your performance and use it as a guide to strengthen your weak areas. You need strong improvement in the QR section. Improving your Quantitative section requires a targeted approach and consistent practice. Here are some specific tips to help you enhance your Quant skills: 1. Topic Prioritization: Focus on the topics that carry more weight in the GMAT. For example, arithmetic questions are more common than advanced topics like permutations and combinations. Prioritize your study time accordingly. 2. Keep a Mistake Log: Maintain a log of the mistakes you make during practice. Review it regularly to remind yourself of the errors you should avoid. 3. Review Mistakes Thoroughly: Whenever you make a mistake, don't just move on. Take the time to understand why you made the error and how you can avoid it in the future. Review your solutions and identify patterns in your mistakes. 4. Learn Different Approaches: For each problem, try to find multiple approaches to solving it. Knowing alternative methods can save you time and help you tackle tricky questions effectively. 5. Improve Verbal Skills: While you expected to do better in Verbal, it's essential to assess why you might not have performed as expected. Review the types of questions that gave you the most trouble in the Verbal section and work on improving your understanding of grammar, critical reasoning, and reading comprehension. Feel free to reach out for a deeper chat. Regards, admitStreet Test Prep Team W: https://admitstreet.com | E: consultingteam@admitstreet.com

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