Need some serious help/advice

Question

Hi GMAT experts, I am taking my gmat in 16 days. I need to score in the 600's. I have been consistently studying for a 1.5 months now. Diagnostic test score before any prep was 470 (V31, Q25). Took another practice test after about 3 weeks and scored 450 (ran out of time on both secs)

. I was so bummed. Most recent practice test score was 540 (Q32, V 35). I recently started following the Magoosh 1- month study plan. Is there any hope that I might be able to score in the 600's on the real exam if I devote 10h/day? I tend to get extremely nervous on the practice test (even though I know its not real). If I am doing just a practice set of questions (e.g a set of 35 quant question (timed)) I tend to get 60 correct but on the practice it drops drastically. Moreover for the verbal section, in the OG I have gotten almost all SC questions correct every time! and for CR maybe about 80%. But it doesnt reflect on the practice exam. I feel like my mind just closes up and I cant think straight! Moreover, I have this feeling the whole time that I am getting every question wrong and I just want it to be over. For example, when I did the practice test today I thought I had gotten each of the first 3 quant questions wrong. In fact I had these all correct but I almost gave up halfway. Sorry for the long post but please provide some guidance. Rescheduling the test is currently not an option. My backup plan is to take the GRE if I dont do well on the gmat.

Thanks, Page

MBAIvy · Answer

Absolutely take the GRE if you end up unhappy with your GMAT scores. The GRE is known to be a stronger test for those who do better on verbal, and sometimes just the different format of the test works better for how your particular brain thinks. I would 100% recommend that you take the other test if you don't do well this time out!

CaPage · Answer

Thank you! It's good to hear affirmation for my backup plan.

vivek6199 · Answer

Q32 shows that you might not have good grasp of the concepts in quant now. You should completely focus on learning the concepts in quant for now. What is accuracy while solving questions in Magoosh? 
Make sure that you don't include "Very Hard" questions from Magoosh in your practice sicne they might blow your confidence. Please revise all its lessons again. Since your target score is 600, you might consider skipping certain questions on the test and try to devote more time to the rest number of questions for now. 
GRE is definitely an option but you should not be thinkinh about it unless you are done with your GMAT.

KungFuGmat · Answer

@Capage- don't give up and don't give GRE just yet. I am not an expert but I had a very similar experience.

I was in your shoes. I had studied for two months solid. I score 510 on my first timed GMAT prep test. And I feel you. You go like "Really?" In fact I got nervous missed the last few questions badly. I knew the 510 was not my score. So three days later, I took a Veritas prep test and scored 540. Another 3 days later I scored 570. Then I stopped taking tests. BIG MISTAKE. I was improving. I was learning the real thing in a timed environment. After 10 days I took GMAT prep test and scored 560. At this point, I stopped taking tests for a day and reviewed all the questions making notes where I went wrong, where was a timing issue etc. Last week I took three practice tests. I scored 570 on two and 590 the night before the exam. G-DAY score? 640 (q43, v35).

I am underscoring the importance of proper study. We all know that. But I am emphasizing the importance of practice exams. Try taking 7 of these and analyze all your mistakes. You should be in good shape. I speak from experience. Oh, on a side note, there a book by Brandon Wu. it is about scoring 780 in 30 days.
https://www.amazon.com/30-Day-GMAT-Succ ... B009ZNCOGQ
While this does not happen every day, nonetheless one of the key lessons is spending more time on practice exams then even content. Hundreds of people have used his book to succeed. Just food for thought for you.

Best of luck!

CaPage · Answer

kungfu  Manager - Thanks! I read your story and also sent you a PM.

vivek6199  - Thank you! I have been suing adaptive difficulty for Magoosh practice

Need some serious help/advice

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