Guidance/ Suggestions sought: GMAT in a month

Hi Neha,

Based on how you have been scoring on your official practice exams, I do think that you have a shot of scoring 700 in about a month. With that in mind do you want some specific advice on how to improve your GMAT quant and verbal skills? Also, here are a few helpful articles for you to check out in the meantime:

How to Score a 700+ on the GMAT — A Mini-Guide for Success

GMAT Sentence Correctoion - 8 Essential Tips

Hi Scott,
Thanks for the reply.

As you ask for specific advice, I am unsure if a month of good preparation can help someone move from let's say a Q45-46 level (based on my practice scores) to a Q49, or dare I dream, Q50?

I feel good about Algebra in general except probability and statistics. Have not started any Geometry practice yet. Have been missing out almost all geometry questions in the earlier practice tests. Linear equations are a bit of a hassle. Still it's Math, I have scope to believe that I can improve with practice.

Coming to verbal - I am most unsure about whether I can progress from V35s to V40s. Isn't my language ability an outcome of all the reading and writing I have done for the past 30 years? Can you/ some experts here
tell me with experience and confidence that it is possible to move from V35s to 40s in a month?

For reference, I had the perfect score in PTE in Jan-2018. 90/90. PTE is a language/comprehension exam, so is the Verbal. I could be as good as higher 40s if I can get the perfect score in PTE. Am I missing something?

I am getting the SCs wrong in verbal. I check the explanations and I don't have a clue why one option was better than the other and how am I going to see it better than the other in a month.

Thanks in anticipation,

Hi neha988,

I've sent you a PM with some additional questions.

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

Hi Neha,

Looking at your scores, I feel that there is no proper methodology you are following to solve questions. Your quant and verbal scores are not consistent, which means the score can go either way on the actual test day. So, I suggest you to work on your methodology in this month and then take the test confidently. Let me elaborate it to you.

The path forward:

As you have just a month to your test, I'm sure you must have gone through all the concepts. The only thing you need to work on is your methodology. If you learn the right methodology to solve questions, your scores in mocks will not be as inconsistent as they are now because you will solve the questions using the right technique. What happened in your mocks was you somehow got the right answer without using the proper method. This is highly unlikely to happen in the actual test.

As you are looking for help in solving SC questions, I'll explain you the methodology using SC itself. There is a common misconception that knowing grammatical rules will help you solve SC questions. But SC questions on GMAT test your ability to convey the intended meaning without any ambiguity. So, it is important to approach SC questions from a meaning stand-point. Because you will often come across answer choices which are grammatically correct and convey a logical meaning but are indeed incorrect. So, it is important to understand the intended meaning the original sentence is trying to convey and then eliminate choices which do not convey the intended meaning or which are grammatically incorrect.



I recommend you to make a proper study plan for this month and have clear weekly deadlines. This will help you focus on the right areas and help you stay motivated right till the end. The study plan should focus on:

• Identifying the weaker areas
• Organizing concepts for every week
• Learning the right methodology for each topic
• Solidifying the methodology by practicing a few questions
• Taking timed quizzes

If you need any help in making a study plan, you can get in touch with me over a call or just sign up for the free trial on GMATWhiz and get your personalized study plan for free. All the best

Click here to schedule a call

Hi neha988, I am hoping you are aware that for the rather modest target of 700 that you have, you don't necessarily need to progress to V40s.

In fact, a V38 (which you already have in 2 official mocks), along with Q48 (which you definitely seem to be capable of even in your current capacity, since you've not even started on Geometry), would comfortably push you to a 700+.

So, in the coming one month, I would suggest that you focus on consolidating and reinforcing the concepts and focus on your strengths, rather than spending too much time on completely unfamiliar concepts that might perhaps not yield a proportional RoI.

p.s. From your post, it looks like you've not gone through any structured coaching/material as yet.

Thank you for the response. I am trying to make the most out of 4 weeks available now.

Hello Ashish,

Thank you for the response. The target is a minimum 700, more than that enhances my chances of securing an admission. I took another Manhattan prep, scores below. I am really not sure why the scores differ so much. I am staying optimistic, and believing in the official prep scores. Will take another test after a week.

Official 1- 660 (V33, Q48) (test taken casually. First exposure to GMAT in life.
Official 2- 680 (V38, Q45)
Manhattan 1- 630 (V32, Q44)
Official 3 - 690 (V38, Q47)
Manhattan 2- 640 (V34, Q44)

I have neither taken any structured course nor can claim familiarity with all concepts. That is my plan for next 2 weeks. For next 2 weeks, I will complete the official syllabus and OG questions - Quant plus Verbal. This leaves me 2 more weeks for more study. I am getting inclined towards Manhattan for verbal and GMAT club tests for Quant for these 2 weeks.

Hopefully this solidifies a Q48, V38, which I have already secured in 2 Official preps without any dedicated preparation. Any suggestions / advice is welcome. I would appreciate more if any experts here would really help me get my best possible score.

I see some doubt is starting to creep in. By chance would you be able to study longer and take your GMAT at a later date?

Hello Scott,

Thanks for responding. The application deadline is after 6 weeks from now. I have only this available date - 3.5 weeks from now. A very low score would force me to move my application to next rounds - for which the deadlines are in March.

Understood. Well work your butt off and let's see how things go, right?

Thank you everyone who took the time to respond.

I scored 660 in my first GMAT. Q47,V34. I was planning my second attempt, but someone recommended to have a look at GRE, if that suits my strengths. I would need a 324-325 GRE to equate to GMAT 700.

I attempted GRE and scored 325. Unfortunately it was V-161, Q-164 which equates to 690 as per the online calculators available. Took a second attempt at GRE and scored 330. V-163, Q-167 (equates to GMAT 720). That should be good enough for Melbourne business school I believe.

Congratulations neha988!! All the best

Great work!! Thank you for sharing.