need guidance

Question

Hi all, after months of prep, I am still at the same ability. Its honestly disheartening, as I left my job to get this done. but nothing has changed, at the same 585 level. Please suggest something that can help me reach 675+. I panic in tests, especially va...I am able to get a good level of accuracy in untimed envt, but in tests its just pathetic, score fluctuates a lot as well. It honestly feels like a dead end. Please help.

pintukr · Answer

Would advise to use Forum Quiz to practice questions of various difficulty levels, and thereafter consolidate through mocks.

All the Best.

Ayeka · Answer

Firstly try to find your weak areas and work on them.

In verbal, go for chunking instead of reading the whole long passage. You can also find some GMAT Ninja videos on YT on this topic.

For improving quant, you need to see why was the answer wrong, was it a calculation error, careless mistake, conceptual gap, or whatever reason. Write the reasons why you have done a question wrong (and how you can avoid making that same mistake again next time) on a piece of a piece of paper and try to avoid making that mistake again. Keep revising all wrong points every 3-4 days. Also, don’t forget to revise those points a day before exam.

Also, until you take exam try to make your study sessions longer (2.5 to 3 hrs), so that you will get used to keeping focus for a longer time.
Try to give mocks every 10 days in your first stage of prep. And every 3-4 days during the last weeks before your exam.

You can also try to switch the order to solve mocks. Sometimes the order to solve sections matters a lot. For me, i solve DI first (for me DI is tiring & tough) then 10 min break, then Verbal and Quant (which are easier for me and i can maintain focus while doing these sections)

To cope with negative thoughts, try to meditate and do some physical exercises everyday.

Hope it helps

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Hoehenheim · Answer

As you mentioned it is verbal that takes up a good chunk of your time, I'd first advice reading The Economist and the like to get used to the language you will face in both RC, DI and CR. After you feel comfortable with your reading and grasping speed, it'll bode you well to practice the type of questions in which you struggle the most. Notice how I say 'struggle' and not 'weak'.

Since you mentioned that it is the time aspect of the test that is especially daunting, and failing to comply with it results in a state of panic, it'd be best to double down on questions you do end up getting correct but take a lot of time to solve. These are the questions you 'struggle' with, regardless of accuracy. These can be a silent killer of sorts.

For example: There is an easy level quant question with fractions and algebra that you use core mathematics to solve in 4 minutes, however using smart numbers, it can be solved in 1.5 mins. The additional time given to an easy question will mostly make it difficult to maintain a good level of accuracy for medium and hard questions.

So, my advice to you would be to first complete 10 OG Qs per topic on the forum. Check how you fare as compared to the average time taken by other members. Note down all the topics that either take 3+mins, are incorrect or both. Keep practicing those questions untimed for a while. Then move on to sectional tests and finally full tests.

Also, take a break for a week or so to clear your head before restarting if you're not on a tight schedule. It would work wonders.

Hope this helps!

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi Nipunh,

You're not alone. Many students have no trouble successfully answering practice questions, and completing practice tests at home, but on test day, their test anxiety significantly reduces their performance.

Some possible strategies to reduce test anxiety include exposure therapy (visualizing exam day situations that trigger your fear response), positive visualization, reducing negative self-talk, and turning anxiety into excitement.

This article has several suggestions to reduce your anxiety:  How to Eliminate GMAT Test-Day Anxiety

It's also worth mentioning that overcoming obstacles such as test anxiety is all part of the test. What's important is to develop the mindset necessary to gain insights from your weaknesses.

Here’s an article that explains this in greater detail:  How GMAT Students With a Growth Mindset See Their Mistakes

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