I scored 100 points less in the actual GMAT than the mocks !

Question

I had practiced GMATPrep, Kaplan, Veritas, MGMAT diagnostic tests and was in the range of 550-590. I was expecting the same or as they say 30-40 points higher in the actual test.. but to my disbelief and extreme shockk I ended up 100 points less than my practice test score !! :evil:

Needless to mention, I have to take the test again but have hardy a month and half in hand (in mid May '2011). So I am thinking of buying either the 800score package of video lectures ans 5 CATs or the GMAT Club tests package . Any suggestions ? Pleeease help me !!! :oops:

marijose · Answer

800score wont help you that much on the real gmat... 800score helps you on timming strategies etc...

what will help you on the actual gmat are MGAMT cat test and MGMAT material... the number properties and word translations are amazing. 
 
I would recommend you make a study plant for 30 days or 40 days in you case... see what you got on quant and verbal... I would spend a bit more time on the section you did the worst.. take into consideration that a month and a half is not that much time... you need to be very disciplined in your study time.

Make a study plan, remember to focus on quality and not on quantity,,, any fool and do 100 problems a day from the og12 , but it is much wiser to do 20-25 problems a day and really understand them.. look at the answer,, see if you can answer it another way etc.... that kind of studying has mucho more ROI on your actual score then just doing a bunch of problems. Take it from me, I had to learn it the hard way and wasted time doing a lot of problem when it actually wasn’t helping me to advance. Buy the MGMAT books. they are the best.

Good luck

“people don’t fail they just give up”—GMATCLUB Member

regards

NehaJoshi · Answer

Thanks for the reply and encouragement !
I already have the OG, Kaplan Prepmier and Kaplan 800.
Wondering how much of the entire MGMAT material will I be able to use in roughly 30 days ?
Do you think I should rather focus on the only the MGMAT CATs ??

marijose · Answer

No... MGMAT are tough.. you should read their books before their cats... I would stick with kaplan premier and 800... Kaplan is great to start with... ( at least it was for me) finish the kaplan premier..all of it... im sure you have the cd that came along with it.. do the cats there and then do the gmatprep which you can download from mba.com. The gmatprep are the most accurate cats out there...but be sure to only do them once you have studied a lot ... you dont want to waste them... there are only two gmat prep cats... but you can do a lot more ( the bad part is that you will get repeated questions)

stick to kaplan then gmat prep that will get you to the score you want... but if you are interested in 600+ you will have to do more.. let me know.

regards

humphy · Answer

I have yet to explore the other CATs, but have been very pleased with MGMAT CATs, as well as their analytic offerings (breaks down errors into question types and generates statistics, has full explanations of both quant and verbal). You can get access to 6 with the purchase of one book. When you are done with the 6, you can refresh and redo them, although they draw from the same question pool and are likely to have duplicates, but hey, it is what it is.

NehaJoshi · Answer

So MGMAT CATs over GMAT Club CATs it is ??

humphy · Answer

well from what I have seen, MGMAT CATs mimic the whole gmat experience closer because it is truly adaptive. GMAT Club tests are not, meaning their problem sets are the same (fixed) and do not vary based on previous answers (correct or not). I have also heard that GC tests are geared towards 650-700+ set, so the problems are quite difficult. This is not to say that they are not a great resource, but they may not be an accurate of a "dry run CAT" as you would have hoped for. I plan to use GMAT club for myself, but a bit down the line when I have practiced more OG and lower level problems.

As I have not physically gone through all the GC tests, I can't say if this is true across the board. It is what I found from reading posts on the forum and the free one they had given out.

As I have not physically gone through all the GC tests, I can't say if this is true across the board. It is what I found from reading posts on the forum and the free one they had given out.

KarishmaB · Answer

A score of 450-500 in GMAT means there are gaps in conceptual understanding. My suggestion would be to focus on the theory and get your concepts right in whatever time you have. Needless to say, practice as much as you can but just doing questions will not help much. Just reading 'how' a question is solved will be of minimum help since GMAT tests you with new questions every time.. GMAT is a test of 'how you think', not 'what you know'. Also figure out your weak areas (say, algebra or critical reasoning or whatever else) and put extra effort in them to get a reasonable hold. That will help you improve a lot in minimum time and will improve your overall efficiency.

NehaJoshi · Answer

@humphy, Thanks a lot for pointing out the important difference in the the GC and and MGMAT regarding the adaptability ! I din't know that earlier..
@Karishma, Thanks for your insight !
@marijose, After Kaplan (most of which I had already practiced earlier) my rough plan goes as under considering the limited time I have:

I've decided to pick  MGMAT Word Translations , 4th Edition (GMAT Strategy Guide, No. 4) so that I can get help with the most difficult area of Probability and Combination and Overlapping sets; and also the 6 CATs.

For Verbal, I realised I needed very badly to increase my Reading speed.. so I'm reading 'Rapid Reading' by Paul R. Scheele (just found in a public library) along with few other non fiction books like Rich dad poor dad and Akio Morita's 'Made in japan'.
Besides, I plan to practice CR from OG and SC from the MGMAT SC pdf I found in one of the posts here.

What's your opinion guys ?? Is this plan good enough to improve by at least 100 points..? 
I have to take it in mid May.

humphy · Answer

Well you picked the right MGMAT book to get, Word Translations was the most helpful one for me. Also, keep in mind that even if you read slow, you may not want to focus on improving your reading speed. You want to focus on increasing your RC score. RC is not really dependent on reading speed. In fact, some people don't even read the passage in it's entirety before answering the question (so called hunters). Others read the whole thing before looking at the first question (so called combers). Explore what works for you, but keep in mind this is the GMAT, not literature 101 or speech and debate.

I am sure you can get another 100 just from mastering that MGMAT book alone.

NehaJoshi · Answer

Hmm.. Single book can lead to that much increase in score huh.. nice !
Also I see u suggest some RC practice rather than just random reading.. will keep in mind.
Thanks again for your suggestions !

And of course the post is open for more comments on the above plan.

AmrithS · Answer

@Neha I would advice you to reconsider the time frame within which you plan to retake the test

You plan to apply for the first round of intake for Fall 2012 program right?

marijose · Answer

Word translations is great.. I am in the middle of it..

MGMAT SC is amazing... I am currently re reading it. 
Number prop is a must also in my opinion.

Remember ( and this could be my most valuable advice to you) that his exam ( GMAT) WILL MESS WITH YOUR MIND. DO NOT LET IT, there will be times and very tireing moments that you will doubt yourself.. moments in which you will say to yourself that you are just not cut out for grad school. It is just material and all you have to do is study, dont let the gmat get under your skin....... remember the gmat is linear... you study = you get a better score, study less and the oppoiste happends it is as logical as that. Break the exam down to little battles , attack each one of them.

NehaJoshi · Answer

@Entwistle- I need to apply for fall 2011

.. maybe I can extend just 1-2 weeks more !

NehaJoshi · Answer

@marijose- Yes, u are perfectly right ! I too learnt the same from my 1st time GMAT experience.. its not a math-english test.. its a 'stress test' I say !! So lots n lotsa practice seems to be the only way out.. will keep in mind to 'break it up in battles' and attack !
Thanks !

naushad · Answer

I agree that it tests your stress more than the material

NehaJoshi · Answer

Any good material recommended for SC practice ??
Manhattan GMAT reviews are good.. but they specically warn you of less practice questions.. so I' don't think I should get that.

Suggestions please !

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I scored 100 points less in the actual GMAT than the mocks !

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