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05 Oct 2016, 12:25
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Bookmarks
Hi Guys,
Wrote my first GMAT test a few hours ago. I got 690 (Q48 V36, IR 8). I am aware that this is not a bad score, the unofficial report says that I am in the 86th percentile.
Here is the deal, I have around 3 months left for my application (applying to one school this year) and as an Indian IT Male a good GMAT score will definitely help your candidature.
I am confident that if I put effort in the right direction I can increase my score by 40-70 points. I had no well-defined strategy for my first attempt, most of my effort was concentrated in the last 15 days with no error logging and random studying. Simply put, I am not satisfied with the effort that I have put it in.
I would be very thankful if y'all help me put a sound study plan in place. I'll detail the things I went through during my first attempt.
Quant: Till date I have solved all problems of OG 2017 (A huge time gap between first 300 questions and last 100 questions). I have gone through the book which was put by Bunuel (this is a gem, wish I would have taken it seriously). My problem with quant is that I tend to get easy problems wrong, by this time I have figured out that getting 3-4 easy problems wrong = forget 51. I couldn't deduce any sectional patterns for my wrong answers, seems to be evenly spread out
My target Quant score is 51 (atleast 50), In my opinion this should be doable if I go back to the basics and understand the underlying concepts with clarity rather than blindly solving problems. Another reason why getting a 50/51 matters a lot is because Indians usually end up getting a Q50, Q51. Even though a Q48 is around 71 percentile, colleges around the world have started to compare your scores to the local maxima.
Verbal: I am extremely dissapointed with my efforts here because they were extremely haphazard and lacked any direction. I did solve all the CR and SC questions in OG2017. When it came to RC I put in zero effort. This reflected during the actual exam, 2 passages stuck me down hard. For RC I just solved around 30-40 OG questions. I went through the CR Bible once just for the heck of it. After a week, I couldn't recall any concepts. Same thing with the Manhattan SC book. Even after going through the book I still used to solve SC questions on the basis of 'Does it sound right to me'
Mocks: I wrote 5 Manhattan Mocks, these were written with no seriousness and lots of pauses. MGMAT CAT 3,4,5 were taken in two consecutive days along with the official test 2. I used to get around 650-680 in these mocks, blaming the score on 'difficult' questions. I kinda screwed up the OG Tests, because I used to reset Test 1 to get more questions. Little did I know that these tests share a common question. This ruined by OG Test 2 when I saw 50% repeat problems and ended up with a false 770.
So yes, I am just blabbering here. For my second attempt, I would like to destroy the GMAT with a structured and disciplined attempt and would appreciate all of your thoughts. Since I have exhausted all but one of my MGMAT mocks (resetting is an option, but it would be like practice questions), I would need advice on sources for a fresh set of mocks.
I wouldn't be studying more than 1.5 hours a day on weekdays and no more than 4 hours a day on weekends. I will start preparing after a 4-day break and would like to attempt GMAT 2 between Dec 15-25 ish.
P.S: I apologize in advance for any grammar mistakes, awkward and wordy constructions. Too sleepy after a 4-hour 5pm - 9pm test. I just had to get this off my chest
Wrote my first GMAT test a few hours ago. I got 690 (Q48 V36, IR 8). I am aware that this is not a bad score, the unofficial report says that I am in the 86th percentile.
Here is the deal, I have around 3 months left for my application (applying to one school this year) and as an Indian IT Male a good GMAT score will definitely help your candidature.
I am confident that if I put effort in the right direction I can increase my score by 40-70 points. I had no well-defined strategy for my first attempt, most of my effort was concentrated in the last 15 days with no error logging and random studying. Simply put, I am not satisfied with the effort that I have put it in.
I would be very thankful if y'all help me put a sound study plan in place. I'll detail the things I went through during my first attempt.
Quant: Till date I have solved all problems of OG 2017 (A huge time gap between first 300 questions and last 100 questions). I have gone through the book which was put by Bunuel (this is a gem, wish I would have taken it seriously). My problem with quant is that I tend to get easy problems wrong, by this time I have figured out that getting 3-4 easy problems wrong = forget 51. I couldn't deduce any sectional patterns for my wrong answers, seems to be evenly spread out
My target Quant score is 51 (atleast 50), In my opinion this should be doable if I go back to the basics and understand the underlying concepts with clarity rather than blindly solving problems. Another reason why getting a 50/51 matters a lot is because Indians usually end up getting a Q50, Q51. Even though a Q48 is around 71 percentile, colleges around the world have started to compare your scores to the local maxima.
Verbal: I am extremely dissapointed with my efforts here because they were extremely haphazard and lacked any direction. I did solve all the CR and SC questions in OG2017. When it came to RC I put in zero effort. This reflected during the actual exam, 2 passages stuck me down hard. For RC I just solved around 30-40 OG questions. I went through the CR Bible once just for the heck of it. After a week, I couldn't recall any concepts. Same thing with the Manhattan SC book. Even after going through the book I still used to solve SC questions on the basis of 'Does it sound right to me'
Mocks: I wrote 5 Manhattan Mocks, these were written with no seriousness and lots of pauses. MGMAT CAT 3,4,5 were taken in two consecutive days along with the official test 2. I used to get around 650-680 in these mocks, blaming the score on 'difficult' questions. I kinda screwed up the OG Tests, because I used to reset Test 1 to get more questions. Little did I know that these tests share a common question. This ruined by OG Test 2 when I saw 50% repeat problems and ended up with a false 770.
So yes, I am just blabbering here. For my second attempt, I would like to destroy the GMAT with a structured and disciplined attempt and would appreciate all of your thoughts. Since I have exhausted all but one of my MGMAT mocks (resetting is an option, but it would be like practice questions), I would need advice on sources for a fresh set of mocks.
I wouldn't be studying more than 1.5 hours a day on weekdays and no more than 4 hours a day on weekends. I will start preparing after a 4-day break and would like to attempt GMAT 2 between Dec 15-25 ish.
P.S: I apologize in advance for any grammar mistakes, awkward and wordy constructions. Too sleepy after a 4-hour 5pm - 9pm test. I just had to get this off my chest
05 Oct 2016, 12:30
Kudos
Bookmarks
To achieve a 750+ GMAT score, you must:
Many students make the mistake of limiting their preparation to item #1 (and perhaps item #2). So, once they fully grasp a concept and successfully answer 1 or 2 related questions, they move on to the next topic.
The problem with this strategy is that the test-makers can take any concept, no matter how simple, and create dozens of wildly different questions , each requiring a different approach. So, to achieve a great score, you must answer a lot of practice questions specifically-related to each concept tested on the GMAT.
Given all of this, I recommend a systematic approach, in which you take the time to thoroughly address each topic/concept. So, for each topic/concept, you should:
Then, and only then , move on to the next topic.
Our free course is specifically designed with this approach in mind. For example, at the bottom of the lesson page on inequalities (https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat ... /video/979), you’ll find links to dozens of practice questions that test the specific concepts covered in that video.
Having said that, you can use the same approach with ANY prep course. To help you fully explore the ins and outs of each topic, you can use GMAT Club's question-tagging tool (search.php?view=search_tags). This will give you access to tons of topic-specific practice questions.
Finally, your study plan should include several more full-length practice tests. Keep in mind that the GMAT is a test of your math and verbal skills AND it's a test of your test-taking skills. So, 750-level math/verbal skills, combined with 650-level test-taking skills, will likely result in a score that's closer to 650 than to 750.
I hope that helps.
Cheers,
Brent
- 1) Learn the concepts and techniques tested on the GMAT (e.g., circle properties, divisibility rules, past perfect tense, equation-solving, etc.)
2) Master GMAT-specific strategies (e.g., testing the answer choices, rephrasing the target question, identifying subjects and verbs in sentences, etc.)
3) Understand the many different ways the test-makers can test your knowledge of each concept
4) Hone your test-taking skills (e.g., endurance, time management, guessing strategies, etc.)
Many students make the mistake of limiting their preparation to item #1 (and perhaps item #2). So, once they fully grasp a concept and successfully answer 1 or 2 related questions, they move on to the next topic.
The problem with this strategy is that the test-makers can take any concept, no matter how simple, and create dozens of wildly different questions , each requiring a different approach. So, to achieve a great score, you must answer a lot of practice questions specifically-related to each concept tested on the GMAT.
Given all of this, I recommend a systematic approach, in which you take the time to thoroughly address each topic/concept. So, for each topic/concept, you should:
- - Learn the underlying concepts (rules, attributes, notation, etc.)
- Learn the GMAT-specific strategies related to that topic
- Practice dozens of questions, all related to that one topic.
- Don't stop working on that topic until you have mastered it
Then, and only then , move on to the next topic.
Our free course is specifically designed with this approach in mind. For example, at the bottom of the lesson page on inequalities (https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat ... /video/979), you’ll find links to dozens of practice questions that test the specific concepts covered in that video.
Having said that, you can use the same approach with ANY prep course. To help you fully explore the ins and outs of each topic, you can use GMAT Club's question-tagging tool (search.php?view=search_tags). This will give you access to tons of topic-specific practice questions.
Finally, your study plan should include several more full-length practice tests. Keep in mind that the GMAT is a test of your math and verbal skills AND it's a test of your test-taking skills. So, 750-level math/verbal skills, combined with 650-level test-taking skills, will likely result in a score that's closer to 650 than to 750.
I hope that helps.
Cheers,
Brent
06 Oct 2016, 11:00
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi bharathitman,
Given that you only put in about 15 days of serious prep, a 690 is a fantastic start! However, moving forward, you may consider a more organized study routine. When devising a new plan, you must remember that GMAT is such a challenging exam because there are relatively few questions asked in a given exam, yet those questions come from a huge topic pool. Thus, the best way to get a great GMAT score is to have a thorough understanding of all the topics that may be tested on the exam. To develop such mastery, you want to strive for linear, targeted learning and follow that with focused practice. In other words, you want to master one topic before you move to the next.
For example, when studying verbal, focus on learning one section at a time: reading comprehension, sentence correction, or critical reasoning. When learning about critical reasoning, for example, you want to be able to learn about all aspects of critical reasoning: strengthen and weaken the conclusion, resolve the paradox, find the conclusion, must be true, etc. Follow up your learning with focused critical reasoning practice, so you can determine your specific weaknesses within that topic. You should do the same for sentence correction and reading comprehension.
For quant, since you already scored a 48, you might consider following a similar but slightly altered approach that consists of more targeted practice. For example, if you are reviewing number properties, be sure that you can practice 50 or more questions just from Number Properties: LCM, GCF, units digit patterns, divisibility, remainders, etc. The results of that practice will help you determine your weak areas within that topic. Once you find and fix your weak areas, then move on to the next quant topic. To help diagnose your GMAT quant strengths and weaknesses, I welcome you to take my free 37-question quant diagnostic. After completing the diagnostic, you will be provided with a detailed analysis of your proficiency level in all GMAT quant topics, as well as an opportunity to discuss your diagnostic results with me or another TTP instructor/coach.
Also, I see that for your initial GMAT you studied a lot with the Official Guide. While the Official Guide is a great book because it has official questions from past GMATs, it has limited instruction and does not provide full exposure to all GMAT topics. Thus, for your retake, you may consider seeking out a more robust prep resource, such as an online self-study course that provides sufficient targeted practice for you to discover and fix your weak areas.
Finally, once you feel you have improved your quant and verbal weaknesses, resume taking practice exams. After each practice exam, analyze your wrong answers to determine remaining weaknesses, and spend some time fixing those issues. Unless you have already exhausted them, take practice exams from MBA.com. When taking those exams, be sure to emulate the test-day experience as much as possible: take the test in a quiet environment, only take the allotted breaks, complete all the sections.
Feel free to reach out to me directly if you have any further questions.
Good luck!
Given that you only put in about 15 days of serious prep, a 690 is a fantastic start! However, moving forward, you may consider a more organized study routine. When devising a new plan, you must remember that GMAT is such a challenging exam because there are relatively few questions asked in a given exam, yet those questions come from a huge topic pool. Thus, the best way to get a great GMAT score is to have a thorough understanding of all the topics that may be tested on the exam. To develop such mastery, you want to strive for linear, targeted learning and follow that with focused practice. In other words, you want to master one topic before you move to the next.
For example, when studying verbal, focus on learning one section at a time: reading comprehension, sentence correction, or critical reasoning. When learning about critical reasoning, for example, you want to be able to learn about all aspects of critical reasoning: strengthen and weaken the conclusion, resolve the paradox, find the conclusion, must be true, etc. Follow up your learning with focused critical reasoning practice, so you can determine your specific weaknesses within that topic. You should do the same for sentence correction and reading comprehension.
For quant, since you already scored a 48, you might consider following a similar but slightly altered approach that consists of more targeted practice. For example, if you are reviewing number properties, be sure that you can practice 50 or more questions just from Number Properties: LCM, GCF, units digit patterns, divisibility, remainders, etc. The results of that practice will help you determine your weak areas within that topic. Once you find and fix your weak areas, then move on to the next quant topic. To help diagnose your GMAT quant strengths and weaknesses, I welcome you to take my free 37-question quant diagnostic. After completing the diagnostic, you will be provided with a detailed analysis of your proficiency level in all GMAT quant topics, as well as an opportunity to discuss your diagnostic results with me or another TTP instructor/coach.
Also, I see that for your initial GMAT you studied a lot with the Official Guide. While the Official Guide is a great book because it has official questions from past GMATs, it has limited instruction and does not provide full exposure to all GMAT topics. Thus, for your retake, you may consider seeking out a more robust prep resource, such as an online self-study course that provides sufficient targeted practice for you to discover and fix your weak areas.
Finally, once you feel you have improved your quant and verbal weaknesses, resume taking practice exams. After each practice exam, analyze your wrong answers to determine remaining weaknesses, and spend some time fixing those issues. Unless you have already exhausted them, take practice exams from MBA.com. When taking those exams, be sure to emulate the test-day experience as much as possible: take the test in a quiet environment, only take the allotted breaks, complete all the sections.
Feel free to reach out to me directly if you have any further questions.
Good luck!
