alinomoto wrote:
So, I have been studying fairly hard for a few months and my test date is just over 2 weeks away. I have started doing the CAT tests, and have written 4
MGMAT tests so far. I am saving the GMAT Prep tests until next week along with the final 2
MGMAT CATs.
My score for the first one (this was the free one that I did before really studying or taking too seriously) was 570 (Q33,V35).
The second was quite a big jump to 660 (this time I paid much closer attention to timing - Q45 V35).
3rd: 700 (Q43 V42) and 4th: 690 (Q42 V41).
The thing is that my quant background is fairly good, and I usually don't struggle with concepts. My issue is that damn timing clock. It makes me palpitate, sweat, make silly errors and forget things that I can easily solve on any non-test circumstance.
In my years in university, I never had any exam stress/duress and used to breeze through. I cannot figure out why my temperament changes so much when doing these practice tests (What will happen on the actual GMAT, god alone knows).
For instance in reviewing my tests, I can easily solve the quant in less than 2 minutes that I struggled with for 3 minutes and guessed on (without checking for the right answer or solution). In the back of my mind, I KNOW that I can solve these: I have done it many many times. But during the test, the emotional overload chokes me.
I would take any offer of advice. I breezed though university with a perfect 4.3 GPA in my 4 years and I never felt this way. Perhaps in the back of my mind, somewhere, somehow, there is the voice telling me that I MUST get a good mark on the GMAT as failure is NOT an option. I just am lost.
My verbal section, on the other hand, is fairly under control, but which I feel also gets affected by my quant section earlier on.
Sigh
This is what I did when I was preparing for my GMAT.....every time I took practice test, I headed to the local library where they have these interview rooms (soundproofed walls, totally quiet and private). Basically, I tried to simulate the test environment as close as possible. I wore noise canceling earphones. Took same minutes of breaks as if I was really taking the real test and I took the test itself very seriously.
At first it was intimidating - hearing nothing but my heartbeats with noise canceling earphones as minutes go by really made me nervous. However, as I kept doing more of these mock sessions, my focus level really went up and I learned to manage my time perfectly. Also, I got used to sitting down for 4 hours in a pressured environment so my stamina improved as well.
The big day finally came - went in, had 10 mins left in essay sections, 10 mins left in Quant, 8 mins left in Verbal. Wasn't nervous at all - in fact I was really breezing through. Checked my score and boom - 190 score increase. Never scored this high before from those prep tests. I couldn't believe it.
I know how you feel - the pressure is enormous.....my first GMAT score was 500 and I was really depressed. Don't let those negative things get to you. if you do well on practice tests - great. If you do bad - whatever, they don't count. Just relax and think positive, and don't try to put too much work before the test day. I didn't study for 4 days before the test to clear up my mind. If you don't understand something by this point, you won't understand until the test day.
I hope this helps and feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Good luck!
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04 Nov 2011, 10:14
