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28 Aug 2017, 11:43
Kudos
Bookmarks
I just took the GMAT for my second time and got a 660 (Q47/V34), which was only a 10 point improvement over my first (Q47/V33). I am EXTREMELY frustrated with this.. I have been getting 690+ on my practice tests (EP1 and EP2) - usually I get anywhere from Q47-49 and V38-44. I am happy with my quant score - that's where I usually test out (I got Q49 once.. good day I guess). But the verbal part is absolutely killing me.
I have read through all the MGMAT Verbal books, the Powerscore CR book, and all of the OG questions. I'm at a loss as to what to do... I KNOW I can do better, but for some reason I just perform poorly on the test day.
Any suggestions or ideas?
I have read through all the MGMAT Verbal books, the Powerscore CR book, and all of the OG questions. I'm at a loss as to what to do... I KNOW I can do better, but for some reason I just perform poorly on the test day.
Any suggestions or ideas?
28 Aug 2017, 16:22
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi jra558,
First off, a 660/Q47 is a strong score (it's right around the 80th percentile overall), so it could be enough to get you into your first-choice School. As such, a retest might not be necessary. Depending on the Schools that you plan to apply to, you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert about your overall profile. There's a Forum full of them here:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/ask-admission ... tants-124/
When these types of score drops occur (in this case in the Verbal section), the two likely "causes" involve either something that was unrealistic during practice or something that was surprising (or not accounted for) on Test Day. If you can answer a few questions, then we should be able to figure this out:
When you took your CATs:
1) Did you take the ENTIRE CAT each time (including the Essay and IR sections)?
2) Did you take them at home?
3) Did you take them in the same order as you took the sections on Test Day?
4) Did you take them at the same time of day as when you took your Official GMAT?
5) Did you ever do ANYTHING during your CATs that you couldn't do on Test Day (pause the CAT, skip sections, take longer breaks, etc.)?
6) Did you ever take a CAT more than once? Had you seen any of the questions BEFORE?
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
First off, a 660/Q47 is a strong score (it's right around the 80th percentile overall), so it could be enough to get you into your first-choice School. As such, a retest might not be necessary. Depending on the Schools that you plan to apply to, you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert about your overall profile. There's a Forum full of them here:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/ask-admission ... tants-124/
When these types of score drops occur (in this case in the Verbal section), the two likely "causes" involve either something that was unrealistic during practice or something that was surprising (or not accounted for) on Test Day. If you can answer a few questions, then we should be able to figure this out:
When you took your CATs:
1) Did you take the ENTIRE CAT each time (including the Essay and IR sections)?
2) Did you take them at home?
3) Did you take them in the same order as you took the sections on Test Day?
4) Did you take them at the same time of day as when you took your Official GMAT?
5) Did you ever do ANYTHING during your CATs that you couldn't do on Test Day (pause the CAT, skip sections, take longer breaks, etc.)?
6) Did you ever take a CAT more than once? Had you seen any of the questions BEFORE?
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
28 Aug 2017, 16:57
Kudos
Bookmarks
Rich - thanks for the response! See m answers below and let me know wha you think.
When you took your CATs:
1) Did you take the ENTIRE CAT each time (including the Essay and IR sections)?
For the most part, yes. There may have been one or two that I only did the V and Q sections. However I always made sure to do at least the V and Q sections in that order because that's how I wanted to test.
At first I tried Q then V, but seeing as how I have been consistently hitting Q47+, I found that changing it up seemed to help me more on the verbal side without risking any degradation to quant.
My results are as follows (all first time at taking it):
6/11/17 Default Pack Test 1: 660 Q43/V38
6/18/17 Default Pack Test 2: 640 W43/V33
7/2/17 EP1 Test 1: 660 Q47/V34
7/15/17 REAL TEST: 650 Q47/V33
7/30/17 EP Test 2: 690 Q49/V35
8/6/17 EP2 Test 1: 730 Q47/V44
8/11/17 EP2 Test 2: 690 Q47/V38
8/28/17 REAL TEST 2: 660 Q47/V34
2) Did you take them at home?
Yes - it is where i have done al of my studying. I know this can be a factor, but I have been very diligent to make it as "test like" as possible - strict break times, no phone, no interruptions, etc.
3) Did you take them in the same order as you took the sections on Test Day?
The last four, yes.
4) Did you take them at the same time of day as when you took your Official GMAT?
Yes - always in the morning
5) Did you ever do ANYTHING during your CATs that you couldn't do on Test Day (pause the CAT, skip sections, take longer breaks, etc.)?
Not that I can remember..
6) Did you ever take a CAT more than once? Had you seen any of the questions BEFORE?
Between the last practice test and my second real test, I retook the old Exam Packs as practice for timing and refresh. I know my scores would be inflated here, but I was consistently getting V40+ on the retakes.
Looking back - I think the gaps between the last practice tests and the real test may have something to do with it... I was feeling really good after I took the EP2 tests (as my scores indicated) but the lag between those and the real test could have affected me? That lag was due to some scheduling conflicts/earliest possible available dates.
Like I said, I KNOW I can hit a V38+, but I just keep falling short on test day. I feel like I'm falling in and out of "peak performance" and I don't know how to stay there, if that makes sense? I have worked so hard on this, and I feel very confident on the quant side. I just feel like I'm so close to being able to break the 700 mark if I could just round out verbal.
When you took your CATs:
1) Did you take the ENTIRE CAT each time (including the Essay and IR sections)?
For the most part, yes. There may have been one or two that I only did the V and Q sections. However I always made sure to do at least the V and Q sections in that order because that's how I wanted to test.
At first I tried Q then V, but seeing as how I have been consistently hitting Q47+, I found that changing it up seemed to help me more on the verbal side without risking any degradation to quant.
My results are as follows (all first time at taking it):
6/11/17 Default Pack Test 1: 660 Q43/V38
6/18/17 Default Pack Test 2: 640 W43/V33
7/2/17 EP1 Test 1: 660 Q47/V34
7/15/17 REAL TEST: 650 Q47/V33
7/30/17 EP Test 2: 690 Q49/V35
8/6/17 EP2 Test 1: 730 Q47/V44
8/11/17 EP2 Test 2: 690 Q47/V38
8/28/17 REAL TEST 2: 660 Q47/V34
2) Did you take them at home?
Yes - it is where i have done al of my studying. I know this can be a factor, but I have been very diligent to make it as "test like" as possible - strict break times, no phone, no interruptions, etc.
3) Did you take them in the same order as you took the sections on Test Day?
The last four, yes.
4) Did you take them at the same time of day as when you took your Official GMAT?
Yes - always in the morning
5) Did you ever do ANYTHING during your CATs that you couldn't do on Test Day (pause the CAT, skip sections, take longer breaks, etc.)?
Not that I can remember..
6) Did you ever take a CAT more than once? Had you seen any of the questions BEFORE?
Between the last practice test and my second real test, I retook the old Exam Packs as practice for timing and refresh. I know my scores would be inflated here, but I was consistently getting V40+ on the retakes.
Looking back - I think the gaps between the last practice tests and the real test may have something to do with it... I was feeling really good after I took the EP2 tests (as my scores indicated) but the lag between those and the real test could have affected me? That lag was due to some scheduling conflicts/earliest possible available dates.
Like I said, I KNOW I can hit a V38+, but I just keep falling short on test day. I feel like I'm falling in and out of "peak performance" and I don't know how to stay there, if that makes sense? I have worked so hard on this, and I feel very confident on the quant side. I just feel like I'm so close to being able to break the 700 mark if I could just round out verbal.
