Help needed with strategy

Hi Daniel,

Based on this one CAT score, you're going to need to make some significant improvements to how you handle BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections. Many Test Takers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores, so it's likely that you just have not put in enough time and effort yet. This is meant to say that you will likely improve as you continue to study. However, I still think that you're going to need at least another 2-3 months of consistent, guided study to hit your score goal.

1) When did you take this CAT?
2) Did you take the FULL CAT (with the Essay and IR sections)?
3) Did you have to 'rush' to finish any of the sections?

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

I took that test about 2 weeks ago...
I jumped only the essay, I completed all the other three parts, and had problems with the time only in the IR section, which I couldn't finish, the other two I completed right on time, with couple minutes left.

I am afraid of taking that extra time and running out of seats at the University, the R1 for international students is January 15th and I would like to submit my application by there.

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Hi Daniel,

Test Day is a rather specific 'event' - the details are specific and they matter, so you have to train as best as you can for all of them. The more realistic you can make your CATs, the more likely the score results are to be accurate. The more you deviate, the more "inflated" your scores can become. Unfortunately, since you skipped the Essay section, you took a shorter Exam that required less effort from you, so this score is likely not completely accurate.

Since it's been 2 weeks since you took this CAT, you should plan to take a new, FULL-LENGTH CAT (with the Essay and IR sections) sometime soon - perhaps this weekend. You should make it 'match up' with Test Day in as many ways as is possible (so take the FULL CAT, take it away from your home, at the same time of day as your Official GMAT, etc.). Once you have that score, you should report back here and we can discuss your studies going forward.

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

Hi Rich, I took another CAT last Tuesday. This time I went through all the four sections. I ran out of time on IR, where 2 questions were not answered, also on Quant, where I left 2 questions without answer as well. This time I scored 530 (Scaled Q31/V33).
I had more difficulty on quant questions; I feel that I have to practice much more to remember all the concepts. After a review of the questions I missed my impression was that I did a lot of silly mistakes. I missed things that I already studied I was supposed to remember.
However, overall I am feeling more confident. What is your opinion?

Hi Daniel,

You've clearly made some nice improvements to how you handle the Verbal section - and the fact that you performed well at the end of the FULL GMAT is also a good sign. You still have a lot of work to do though, and I still think that you'll need at least 2 months of consistent, guided study to hit your score goal.

As you continue to study, you MUST make sure to answer EVERY question that you face (even if you're just taking a 'blind guess'). On Test Day, any questions that you don't answer are penalized (and that penalty is worse than if you had simply gotten the questions wrong).

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