Last visit was: 20 May 2024, 09:37 It is currently 20 May 2024, 09:37
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
SORT BY:
Date
Tags:
Show Tags
Hide Tags
avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 15 Jan 2014
Posts: 88
Own Kudos [?]: 12 [1]
Given Kudos: 10
Concentration: Healthcare, Strategy
Send PM
avatar
Intern
Intern
Joined: 11 Dec 2013
Posts: 4
Own Kudos [?]: [0]
Given Kudos: 1
Send PM
avatar
Intern
Intern
Joined: 09 Mar 2014
Posts: 2
Own Kudos [?]: 1 [1]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 15 Jan 2014
Posts: 88
Own Kudos [?]: 12 [0]
Given Kudos: 10
Concentration: Healthcare, Strategy
Send PM
Re: Strategies to improve V32 to V42 in 1.5 Months? [#permalink]
Thanks for the tips! I just reviewed the test and it looks like my areas of weakness are pretty consistent. I missed 8 SC, 4 CR, and 5 RC (mostly because I missed the entire last RC because I was out of time). What's the best way to overcome the timing battle?
User avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 07 Nov 2012
Posts: 222
Own Kudos [?]: 912 [1]
Given Kudos: 4
Schools: LBS '14 (A$)
GMAT 1: 770 Q48 V48
Send PM
Re: Strategies to improve V32 to V42 in 1.5 Months? [#permalink]
1
Bookmarks
Hi Lmarie,

Taking aside everything else, i thought the most pertinent thing to deal with is timing. If you are guessing 5 questions you'll never get close to V40, so unless you solve that everything else is pointless...

To sort GMAT timing, it is all about tactics. You can not simple read every word of every question in detail and get it sorted, so simple practice won't work. You need to suss out how to play the game that is GMAT.

The game needs to be split in 2:

1) SC. Here you do need to read every word carefully (that is the point!). But the key thing you should work out early (from reading the different options), is 'what are they asking here. Then you can quickly focus on the key differences (e.g. which tense should this verb be in) and ignore the fluff. To do this you need an iron clad knowledge of the 7-10 different question types

2) RC/CR. Here you can't read it all. You need to work out a way of getting key info. this is largely a personal thing, but for me on RC, it was simply reading first sentence of every paragraph and skimming the rest. For CR it was reading the question statement first (i.e. which of the following....) and then the passage quickly.

I can recommend GMAT Pill for someone like you, it's at a great level for you and really helps nail those final few points. It is definitely what got me from 700-770

James
avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 15 Jan 2014
Posts: 88
Own Kudos [?]: 12 [0]
Given Kudos: 10
Concentration: Healthcare, Strategy
Send PM
Re: Strategies to improve V32 to V42 in 1.5 Months? [#permalink]
Thanks plumber250 and milly. I am a little curious about GMAT Pill and am thinking about getting the SC if my "guess and move on strategy" doesn't improve my score on my next practice test. I'm nervous to switch gears to focus on re-learning strategies that I've already gone through using MGMAT. Does anyone have experiences similar to mine where they just focused on 1-2 of the Verbal "pills?" I've only seen great reviews about GMAT Pill but does anyone have any qualms about it?
User avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 07 Nov 2012
Posts: 222
Own Kudos [?]: 912 [0]
Given Kudos: 4
Schools: LBS '14 (A$)
GMAT 1: 770 Q48 V48
Send PM
Re: Strategies to improve V32 to V42 in 1.5 Months? [#permalink]
Hi -

This will be a short email. If you are relying on 'guess and move on' you won't hit V42.

It's a really good score V42, and your competition is going to be very very good. They won't be guessing.

I understand the issue with re-learning, so maybe first look at what you don't get from MGMAT, but if you've exhausted that and can't improve - then you've got to look elsewhere...

James
avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 15 Jan 2014
Posts: 88
Own Kudos [?]: 12 [0]
Given Kudos: 10
Concentration: Healthcare, Strategy
Send PM
Re: Strategies to improve V32 to V42 in 1.5 Months? [#permalink]
Thanks James - you're definitely right. I'm interested in GMAT Pill. The website says I need OG13 - I have OG12. Will that suffice?
User avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 07 Nov 2012
Posts: 222
Own Kudos [?]: 912 [0]
Given Kudos: 4
Schools: LBS '14 (A$)
GMAT 1: 770 Q48 V48
Send PM
Re: Strategies to improve V32 to V42 in 1.5 Months? [#permalink]
Hi - Given the overall expenditure in the process - I'd spend the extra $20.

There is a way of comparing OG12 and OG13 questions - it's on the forum, but it's a waste of time.

Spend the money..
avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 15 Jan 2014
Posts: 88
Own Kudos [?]: 12 [0]
Given Kudos: 10
Concentration: Healthcare, Strategy
Send PM
Re: Strategies to improve V32 to V42 in 1.5 Months? [#permalink]
After studying verbal ALL week (mainly just practicing problems and working through what I missed) I took the GMAT Free Verbal test and scored a 39.

dansa - I know you said you thought this one was way easier than the real GMAT. Does anyone else have this feeling?

I'm planning on taking my second practice test tomorrow (MGMAT) and am REALLY hoping my score goes up through my focus of verbal this week :)
avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 15 Jan 2014
Posts: 88
Own Kudos [?]: 12 [0]
Given Kudos: 10
Concentration: Healthcare, Strategy
Send PM
Re: Strategies to improve V32 to V42 in 1.5 Months? [#permalink]
Just wanted to post a quick update to this thread. I just did a re-take of the GMATPrep 1 and got a 710! Q47 V40. I didn't get too many repeats on the verbal (maybe 1-2) but missed mostly SC as I was focused on CR and RC the past 2 weeks. I definitely recommend GMAT pill for SC and RC strategy! Hopefully I can get up to V42 and really solidify a better score 3 weeks from now :)
avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 15 Jan 2014
Posts: 88
Own Kudos [?]: 12 [0]
Given Kudos: 10
Concentration: Healthcare, Strategy
Send PM
Re: Strategies to improve V32 to V42 in 1.5 Months? [#permalink]
Update: I took the real test yesterday and am pretty devastated at my result: 600 Q37 and V35. The quant drop was a big surprise however verbal also dropped from the 38-40 I was getting on my practice tests. SC was much tougher than expected.

In terms of verbal, are there any recs for practice materials (SC and CR) after I've exhausted OG and GMAT Pill? Thanks!
avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 06 Jul 2013
Posts: 77
Own Kudos [?]: 32 [0]
Given Kudos: 25
Concentration: Strategy
Schools: CBS '16 (M)
Send PM
Re: Strategies to improve V32 to V42 in 1.5 Months? [#permalink]
A tip from my experience. For SCs, I found it really helpful to follow the MGMAT(i think it was them) strategy of creating splits among the answers. You basically group similar answers together and that allows you to eliminate more than one at a time.

When I followed this method, I usually got down to 2 answers(one of which was almost always the correct one) and then was able to chose accordingly. You won't remember all the SC rules, but for those that you do, and the ones that you spot easily, the splits can help with.
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Posts: 17335
Own Kudos [?]: 851 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Strategies to improve V32 to V42 in 1.5 Months? [#permalink]
Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
GMAT Club Bot
Re: Strategies to improve V32 to V42 in 1.5 Months? [#permalink]
Moderators:
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
6929 posts
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
238 posts
GRE Forum Moderator
14034 posts