Improve Verbal score from V34 to V40+!!

Question

Hi all,

I gave my GMAT on 20th July 2016. I got a score of 700 (Q50, V34). I was a little disappointed as in my mocks I had scored 40-42 in Verbal. My mock scores:

1. GMAT Prep Exam 1: 720 (Q49, V38)
2. GMAT Prep Exam 2: 720 (Q49, V40)
3. GMAT Prep Exam 3 (EP1): 740 (Q50, Q40) 
4. GMAT Prep Exam 4 (EP1): 760 (Q50, Q42)

I have reschedule my GMAT after 3 weeks, and want to improve my Verbal score to atleast 40 and try for 40+ to reach a score of 740-750. Below is what all I had covered for Verbal. 
1. Manhattan - SC, CR and RC books
2. OG Main book (twice)
3. OG Verbal Review (twice)
4. Powerscore CR book
5. E-Gmat course for SC
6. GMAT Prep questions + Extra Question Pack
7. GMAT club tests

Have attached my ESR for reference. Request inputs from experts/or students who faced similar challenge and were able to improve: (I have 3 weeks)

1. Any other strategies/tips or quick material that I can do for Verbal to improve to V40+ - I have exhausted all the material I had (revised the same as well)

2. Timing strategies for Verbal: As once I finished Quant, I was confident about it but I had a slow start on Verbal, had to rush thru last few questions, I am guessing maybe that jeopardized it. Would be great to get some comments on that as well

Really appreciate your thoughts asap!!

Thanks & Regards
Saumya

HiLine · Answer

Would love to help, but you're missing quite a few pages of the ESR. Would you mind posting at least the rest of the report on Verbal? And while you're at it, would you mind sharing your ESR here as well? information-on-new-gmat-esr-report-beta-221111.html

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Saumya,

First off, a 700/Q50 is an outstanding score (it's just shy of the 90th percentile overall), so you can apply to any Business Schools that interest you. As such, a retest is probably not necessary.

The score drop in the Verbal section can potentially be explained by a couple of different causes. Before we can figure out exactly why that happened, I'd like to know a bit more about how 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 at the same time of day as your Official GMAT?
4) 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.)? 
5) 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

Sak2016 · Answer

Hi sure, PFA the balance Verbal report!

Regards

Sak2016 · Answer

Hi Rich,

Thanks. But i am still targeting a score of 740-750 just to be better off when applying for my applications.

Answers:

1) Did you take the ENTIRE CAT each time (including the Essay and IR sections)? - Yes all ENTIRE CATS
2) Did you take them at home? - Yes, at home
3) Did you take them at the same time of day as your Official GMAT? - Almost similar time
4) 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.)? - Nope
5) Did you ever take a CAT more than once? Had you seen any of the questions BEFORE? - No, never re-took the CAT

I am guessing I struggled a little with time management and not sure really, I put a lot of effort in SC and CR both, I knew they are not my strongest points.

Regards

TrevorKleeTutor · Answer

Hi,

So I noticed you scored really well on RC, and not so well on CR and SC. That's actually pretty good, because it means you're likely naturally strong in verbal.

With regards to improving your Sentence Correction and Critical Reasoning, I'd recommend you try taking a more naturalistic approach to it. The Manhattan Prep approach is very formulaic, which might work for some people. However, if you're already strong in reading, I would recommend you approach Critical Reasoning as if you were analyzing an argument, and approach Sentence Correction with an eye towards meaning. Basically, realize that they're not some foreign language: it's English, the same English that you've shown proficiency with in your Reading Comprehension.

If you want more detail, feel free to message me, or check out the GMAT guides in my signature. $5 each for the Critical Reasoning and Sentence Correction.

MBAPrepCoach · Answer

Hello Saumya, Sak2016 , if you are looking for free resources, I would encourage you to review a post I made on a tip for RC reflection-of-my-current-position-and-corrective-steps-sought-222351.html#p1712586 Realize that you did better on RC than CR & SC, however the same strategy applies to CR I also have a couple podcasts on my website re: inference questions https://mbaessaycoaching.com/blog However, I would ideally like to observe you so I can see what the obstacles might be, and guide you in applying my strategies. Reach out if you would like to speak! Farrell

HiLine · Answer

It is apparent that Reading Comprehension is your strong suit: your percentile ranking is the highest in this sub-section despite you spending the least time per question there. Critical Reasoning is almost the opposite.

Overall, I see that you spent more time on each question that you got wrong than on each question that you got right, on average. Moreover, the questions that you got wrong were more difficult than those that you got right. These 2 facts tell me that you struggled with difficult questions on the exam and consequently could not break into the 40's in Verbal.

You spent a lot of time on the first quarter of the section, presumably because it had several CR questions that you considered tricky. You did pretty well on Medium-difficulty questions, except for the last quarter when you were running out of time.

So basically, you have a decent, though not great, foundation in Verbal. You can answer questions that are easy or moderately difficult questions, but struggle with the more difficult questions, except for perhaps RC questions.

In order to get into the 40's range, you'll need to make significant improvement in Verbal, especially in Critical Reasoning. You'll need to learn how to answer any type of CR question presented to you, and do so efficiently. You'll need to do the same thing for Sentence Correction, but focusing more on accuracy first. At the same time, don't let loose on Reading Comprehension - you want to be able to replicate your performance on Reading Comprehension for sure!

Once you are at the near-40 level, keep in mind that you'll likely face question types that appear unfamiliar, and in order to answer these "strange" questions, you'll need to gain more experience with applying grammar rules as well as build a fundamental understanding of critical reasoning.

At this point, you probably won't find much use in new study materials; the resources that you have utilized are all great. Instead, I would recommend that you get a good tutor that can help you with these specific issues.

Hope this helps. Best of luck!

MBAPrepCoach · Answer

Dang HiLine , you are like a GMAT test-taking psychic or something. No one is safe from your powers

I agree re: new study materials. IMO, doing a lot of questions is limited. None of them, not one of them, will be on the test. They are only helpful in building a model that you can apply on test day. The goal is to have an effective strategy, applied effectively.

sura700 · Answer

Hi,

I had a similar issue and the actual score (690-Q50, v34) was less than the lowest of my gmatprep scores. i had an issue with time management in the last half of the verbal section (had completed only 18-19 questions in the first half; the ESR reflects the same)

1. average gmat prep score for all gmat prep tests in 1st attempt (taken in the last 1-3 weeks before actual exam): 730 (highest 750, lowest 710)

All CATS were under near similar circumstances, in terms of timing, etc. although i did not do the AWA anytime and maybe skipped IR in one of the last 2 mock tests

Didnot expect a 40 point decrease from average gmatprep score. I am planning to retake the exam in a month, but a little lost for direction now, since i believed my preparation was sound. I have also attached the verbal ESR

Any help will be appreciated

Cheers!

dchhill · Answer

Hey ,
If anyone of you did break into 40+ in your actual GMAT , please share how you did so. I am in the exact same boat as you were ab year ago. I feel a little lost as I had been doing very well on all GMAT prep tests while I scored a V33 on the final day. I need to improve on SC and CR (in that order of priority) 
TIA

Posted from my mobile device

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi dchhill

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

Studies:
1) How long have you studied?
2) What study materials have you used?
3) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
4) How did you score on the Official GMAT (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?

Goals:
5) What is your goal score?
6) When are you planning to retake the GMAT?
7) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
8) What Schools are you planning to apply to?

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

dchhill · Answer

Hi Rich,
 Thanks for helping out. Here are my answers :

Studies:
1) How long have you studied? ~ About a month starting from first week of May and I wrote my exam on 31st of May.
2) What study materials have you used? ~ OG 2013, Manhattan Guides for Verbal , Kaplan Premier (only for SC and IR)
3) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?

Prep Exam 1 - 680 (Q49,V33)
Prep Exam 2 - 740 (Q50,V40)
Prep Exam 3 - 710 (Q 50, V37)
Prep Exam 4 - 740 (Q50, V40)

4) How did you score on the Official GMAT (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)? ~ My GMAT final exam score was dismal. Overall 680 (Q49, V33) . I have a feeling that SC and CR were tough as I often had a hard time choosing one. Also, I rushed towards the end in Verbal. My IR tanked big time - I received a glaring One! Though I always scored between 3 to 7 in each of my CATs.

Goals:
5) What is your goal score? ~ My goal is 740+
6) When are you planning to retake the GMAT? ~ I have to take it before 15th of July as I will be TAing for a hectic course from 15th July to end of August. I will have no time before applications then.
7) When are you planning to apply to Business School? ~ This year in September.
8) What Schools are you planning to apply to? ~ Only to the top ten schools

I am on the lookout for an accelerated one month course focusing on Verbal.

Warmly

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi dchhill

Rather than continue this conversation in someone else's thread, I've sent you a PM with some suggestions and additional questions.

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

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