Help for verbal score improvement

Question

Hi bb,

I am writing this post today because I do not know how to proceed forward after this point and I need help.

I have been studying GMAT course from a test prep company for almost 7 months now. I gave my 1st attempt on 1st April 2023 and I got a 680 (Q51/V31) and my 2nd attempt on 13th May 2023 and ended up with a 700 (Q51/V34). 
GMAT mock-1: 690
GMAT mock-2: 690
GMAT mock-3: 730
GMAT mock-4: 770
I gave mock-1&2 before 1st attempt and mock-3&4 before 2nd attempt. My quant has always been in the range of Q50-51. It is my verbal which has been quite unpredictable varying from V31 to V44. In my 1st attempt my CR was really bad, although I was getting higher accuracy in CR before the exam and in my 2nd attempt my SC dropped and RC was average in both attempts.
Its quite demotivating at this point. 
Should I look for private tutors who can help me figure out exactly where I am going wrong, or should I keep on doing questions, reviewing them with error logs as I have been doing till now?

yipmewmew · Answer

If you have the ESR, then posting the same might elicit better responses from experts and others.

bb · Answer

Moving this to the correct forum.

Hi. 7 Months is a serious slug and a long time. I think it is good you are re-evaluating. 
I don't think the strategy you are using now is the right one however (not related to the prep company at all). What I mean is that doing questions and then going through error log, etc, you don't need to do endless questions. You can just look at what your weaknesses are already and confront them.

The whole ESR and accuracy can also be misleading since you may do terribly on the RC, get lower on the score scale, then get served with a super easy SC and the report will say you did awesome on the SC's. You have to dig past the numbers and look at your daily practice. It is not like a test would suddenly be all different.

Anyway, long way to tell you to address issues and weaknesses. This may mean creating notes, writing out material, focusing on a single type of CR (e.g. assumption) until you master it and not moving until you have and changing approaches if you are not able to master it. You have to see what works for you. I have enjoyed CR's because I treated them as puzzles, as a game where it wanted to trick me and I wanted to figure out all of the tricks it had. I would be tricked and get questions wrong but only once. Pretty soon, I was not getting tricked anymore. But it does not mean you have to solve thousands of questions. Ideally you would prep for 3-4 months max.

Finally, I would say that you need to make sure you do a lot of review in Q and V every day. Start your day with review of yesterday's and other material that you may have forgotten. This late in the process, that is also your enemy and probably a dangerous one as you may degrade.

About a tutor - not a bad idea to consult one. Most will not be able to move the needle with just a few weeks however. They will usually meet just once a week and give you lots of things to do on your own since it is not practical to spend a lot more time. Maybe twice if you are in a rush so it won't be terribly expensive (depends on which one you use) but you need to come with specific questions and issues. Coming in and saying "help me" is going to waste a lot of time locating what you need help with. Even saying help me with verbal is too vague and even saying help with SC is too vague. You have to drill down more specifically and the success will depend on your ability to identify actionable problems that you can focus on.

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

Consider getting the ESR. May give a sense what to work on. If you feel your fundamentals are solid, consider working on your solving approach. Perhaps work with a study buddy who has strong Verbal skills to see how they approach the questions/certain questions you struggle with. You could teach them Quant in return.

How to get a V40 or higher on the GMAT? What about a V51?

antoniocooper · Answer

I understand that you're feeling demotivated and unsure about the next steps in your GMAT preparation. It's commendable that you have been dedicated to studying for the exam for seven months and have made progress with your scores. Let's explore some options to help you move forward.

First, it's important to acknowledge that the GMAT verbal section can be challenging and sometimes unpredictable. Your experience with varying scores in verbal is not uncommon. However, it's crucial to identify the areas where you need improvement to enhance your overall performance.

Considering your situation, seeking assistance from a private tutor can be beneficial. A tutor can provide personalized guidance, assess your strengths and weaknesses, and help you identify the specific areas where you may be going wrong. Their expertise can make a significant difference in refining your verbal skills and boosting your confidence.

Additionally, you can continue with your current practice approach of doing questions and reviewing them with error logs. This method allows you to track your progress and identify recurring mistakes, helping you focus on areas that require improvement. However, complementing this practice with the guidance of a tutor can provide valuable insights and strategies to overcome the challenges you're facing.

Remember to stay motivated and positive throughout the process. The GMAT is a demanding exam, and it's normal to encounter setbacks along the way. Use these experiences as learning opportunities and fuel to propel yourself forward.

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi Sibani.

One thing we have to do when preparing for GMAT Verbal is to be careful not to overemphasize learning about past Verbal questions. If we overemphasize learning about what the GMAT did in the past, we'll tend to score higher on the practice test, which are from the past, than on today's GMAT. So, be sure that, as you prepare for Verbal, you're learning generally applicable concepts and strategies that you can use to answer new Verbal questions as well as past ones.

Regarding your Verbal score fluctuating, that fluctuation is a sign that there are still gaps in your Verbal knowledge and skillset. So, you need to fill those gaps to achieve more consistent Verbal performance. To do so, you need to know how to prepare for Verbal optimally. So, reading the following post could be helpful because it discusses how exactly to prepare for GMAT Verbal for best results.

How to Score High on GMAT Verbal

Also, I bet you can get some key insights from the following video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD0jVmMqGis

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Sibani0203,

First off, a 700/Q51 is an outstanding Score, so you can comfortably apply to any Business Schools that interest you. As such, a retest might not be necessary. Depending on the Programs that you plan to apply to, you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert about your overall profile and plans. Those Experts should be able to answer your Admissions questions and help define the specific areas of your profile that could use some improvement (and the more time that you have to act on that advice, the better). There's a Forum full of those Experts here:

https://gmatclub.com/forum/ask-admissio ... tants-124/

Before I can offer you the specific advice that you’re looking for, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

Studies:
1) Have you been studying consistently over the last 7 months? How many hours do you typically study each week?
2) What study materials have you used over the course of ALL of your studies? Have you taken any other CATs/mocks besides the 4 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)?

Goals:
4) What is your overall goal score?
5) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?

From what you describe, it sounds as though you have purchased at least one 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 have purchased the ESR, then I'll be happy to analyze it for you (and you can feel free to PM or email it directly to me if you would rather not post it publicly).

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

Contact Rich at: [email protected]

EducationAisle · Answer

Oh boy...you know Sibani, I understand every is different, but the hallowed 700 mark remains a dream for most students! Congratulations on touching it and congratulations for the outstanding Q51!

Anyway, since you mention SC as your specific area of concern, thought I would mention that our sentence correction book  Sentence Correction Nirvana  is perhaps the  only  book that offers a score improvement  guarantee , and is especially designed for  non-native  speakers.

After reading the book  twice  (yes! it's an  academic  book, and so must be read twice in all seriousness, to  reinforce  the concepts), you will start looking forward to solving SC questions!

The book is available on  Flipkart  and  Amazon.in . You might want to refer to these sites, to also read testimonials of how readers have benefited.

You can als go thru  this post  on how  Soubhik ,  who scored  V51  (overall score 780) , vouches for our book.

If you want to  sample  a chapter before deciding to go ahead with our book, please PM me your mail-id (along with the chapter that you would like to sample) and I will be happy to send that chapter to you by mail. In addition, the entire Grammar section of the book is also available for free preview at  pothi .

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi Sibani0203,

I do think working with a private tutor could be a good call. Have you decided to go down that path?

	Target Test Prep - Save up to $599 $400 Discount + $99 Bonus GMAT Club Tests
	e-GMAT: 60% Off on GMAT Focus Get to 735+ from any starting point
	Magoosh increases your score, guaranteed - 15% off ALL Magoosh GMAT plans with code GMATCLUB15 + Free GMAT Club Tests.
	Manhattan Prep: $99 Bonus Score Higher on Your GMAT Exam. Guaranteed.
	Experts' Global - ~~$1720~~ $960 End-to-End GMAT Prep + App Support: 150+ Videos, 2000+ Questions, 15 FLTs +
	GMATWhiz - $299 ~~$499~~ Experience the course through a free trial.
	GMAT Club Tests - Free Included with every course purchase of $149+ View all deals

Help for verbal score improvement

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards