My score depends on my mood

Question

I've noticed that if I have to do a bunch of timed problems, I may not be able to solve some of the harder ones because I cannot strategize. But if you randomly ask me the questions I couldn't strategize, I will be able to solve them. My score depends on my mood. I can solve the problems, I just can't solve them right now. What should I do?

mikemcgarry · Answer

Dear aces021 , I'm happy to respond. :-)

My friend, what you are struggling with is a common issue, and while there are concrete steps you can take to address it, the power of taking these steps is vastly underappreciated and neglected. First of all, a blog that discusses the habit of excellence: https://magoosh.com/gmat/2014/gmat-study ... 0-or-more/ Now, four blogs that discuss the skills need to address your issue: https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/overcome-g ... y-breathe/ https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/beating-gmat-stress/ https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/the-gmat-b ... g-picture/ https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/zen-boot-c ... -the-gmat/ If you can integrate all those recommendations into your studying, I think you will see tremendous progress. My friend, I wish you the very best of good fortune in your studies. Mike :-)

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi aces021,

It sounds like you're describing random sets of questions that you've worked on during your studies. There are a variety of factors that can impact your performance in these situations (some internal and some external), but the ultimate measure of your readiness to take the GMAT is how you're performing on your CATs...

1) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
2) Do you take the FULL CAT each time (including the Essay and IR sections)?

3) What is your goal score?
4) When are you planning to take the GMAT?

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

aces021 · Answer

My scores varies from 460 to 540 on CAT. They're most in the low 500's. I take the full exam. My goal is 550+.

When I take the actual GMAT exam my score always drops by 100 - 180 points every single time I take it. I took the Official exam 3 times and I got 430, 360, and 400. I would like to take the official exam again in October. Right now I'm focusing on perfecting manual calculations. One of my major weaknesses is that if I'm on the clock and I have to perform a somewhat complicated problem (ie: I have to do 2+ things) I cannot strategize. But if you randomly give me the problem to do, I can totally do it.

My time management is terrible - I'm either rushing or I'm slow and run out of time, I can't change speeds - I need to come up with something that works. Also, focusing makes me very tired. Not being able to get up and walk around whenever I want is very hard for me.

mikemcgarry · Answer

Dear aces021 I'm happy to respond. :-)

My friend, everything you are describing summaries the classic effects of stress on higher thinking. Under the stress of a clock, you lose you ability to do the complicated strategic thinking you can easily do at other times. You also lose the ability to regulate your pace in a mindful way, and you struggle to focus. One of the effects of high stress is to shut down higher thinking abilities. This has evolutionary reasons, which I discuss in this blog: https://magoosh.com/gmat/2014/lower-on-t ... ice-tests/ Why the brain is wired this way is less important than the concrete steps you take to manage and reduce stress. Getting up to walk around and take a breather is an enormous stress relief, very simple, but of course, during the GMAT, you can't do even that. What can you do during the test? Once again, I have outlined these steps, the steps you have to practice, in that set of four blogs to which I linked above. Those blogs tell you exactly what you need to practice just as assiduously as you practice any GMAT question type. Does all this make sense? Mike :-)

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi aces021,

What were the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores on each of your Official GMATs? On what date did you take each Test?

Since your score goal is reasonable, and an October Test Date gives you plenty of time to continue studying, we just have to make sure that you're approaching the overall Exam properly (and not doing anything 'silly' along the way).

1) What resources are you using right now?
2) Since this is your 4th attempt at the GMAT, which resources are you using AGAIN? Are you re-using any CATs that you've previously taken?

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

aces021 · Answer

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your response and for posting the links. The articles are great, very zen. I do think that having more control over my thoughts and emotions will help me stay focused during stressed periods. I do not practice mindfulness at all - I cannot recall the last time I left my house without listening to music. When I am home, I wear earplugs or listen to white noise. I think that I do not know how to deal with distractions. Accepting the noise doesn't make me hear it any less. All I know is that this person is vacuuming and it's drowning out my thoughts/concentration. I try to focus, but I can't. The only thing that makes me feel better is knowing that this won't be forever and this person will stop.

I do wonder though, how do you deal with mental fatigue? Taking 30 seconds in the middle of the exam to close your eyes and just breath deeply and clear your mind? Do you actually have the time to do this?

Aces

aces021 · Answer

Hi Rich,

I took the official exams...
4/8/14 Q29/V20
5/15/14 Q22/V18
7/15/15 Q30/V16

I had to take 6 months off in 2014. I started studying back again sometime in April of this year.

I have all of the Manhattan GMAT Guides, I have the OG 2013 and OG 2016, I also have the other 2 books (Quant and Verbal) I'm pretty sure they're OG too. I purchased all of the material from Manhattan GMAT and I have full access to their website. I am doing problems from OG 2016. Yes, I will be using the same CAT that I used from Manhattan GMAT.

I've spent all of my time focusing on the material, but I feel like I'm missing something important that isn't related to the actual material. As my initial post says, it's **** stupid that I can do all right when I practice but then I do soo horrible when I do the real thing. I bet if I didn't study I would get the same scores.

Aces

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi aces021,

Since you've taken the GMAT several times, and prepared with materials that you've used more than once, you're likely seeing a lot of 'inflated' results during your studies. In that same way, you probably don't end up properly training for Test Day - coasting through certain 'chunks' of material because you remember it (from before) is likely impacting your attention span, endurance, accuracy, etc. As such, you might need to invest in some new practice resources (so that you can work on 'fresh' material and tactics).

Since you're planning to retest in October, when are you planning to apply to Business School?

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

mikemcgarry · Answer

Dear Aces, I'm happy to respond. :-)

The brain is analogous to the muscles of the body. How do you prevent fatigue in a muscle? Well, it's a balance: you have to train the muscle, so that you are in shape, but you also have to rest the muscle so there is recuperation time, time for healing & growth. You don't train for a marathon by running a massive amount every single day. Instead, there is a cycle of running, then rest & nutrition & recuperation. Similarly with the brain. Some students get themselves on a furious, compulsive, "must study, must study" pace, and the brain cannot sustain that. The brain needs time of genuine relaxation to recover. Notice that video games & electronic entertainment will rest some parts of the brain, but will put stress on others. Non-electronic, non-plugged-in entertainment (reading a relaxing book, taking a walk in nature, exercising) truly relax the whole brain. In particular, in any of the Magoosh study schedules we have designed, such as this one: https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/3-month-gm ... beginners/ we recommend a full day of non-GMAT activity each week, and the day before and day of the GMAT, absolutely no last minute studying. This way, there's a lot of rest and relaxation, right before the test. If you can incorporate some mindfulness and practice getting comfortable with silence, this will also help you relax further, which will bring more power and focus to the times that you are "on." If you are well practiced in tapping into genuine whole-body whole-brain relaxation, then a few deep breaths during the test will be genuinely enough to refresh you. Those few deep breaths during the test, though, are going to do virtually nothing for you unless you are well practiced in these relaxation skills. Pick any GMAT question --- DS or SC or anything. Think of all the time and effort you put into mastering that question type, the hours of work and the mental energy. That is roughly how much time & energy & determination & focus you need to bring to mastering relaxation skills so that they are a true difference maker for your performance. Does all this make sense? Mike :-)

My score depends on my mood

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards