Please give me some advice urgently!!

Question

Hi,

I have taken 3 out of 6 MGMAT test scoring around 650-670 I am aiming 720+
Kaplan free test - 660
And I am doing gmatclub tests for quant.

My main problem is low verbal score.. 31-33 I want to get to 40+. My verbal fundamentals are not bad, but I know my weakness that I am not able to manage time in verbal section when I give full CAT - Hence I am planning to give more gmat cats.

after doing MGMAT and gmatclub I have 2 options remaining knewton and princeton (as kaplan dont sell "only" gmat cats)

I have to give gmat in like 15-20 days and my aim is 720+

My question : Which is better for me between knewton and princeton CATS ?
and any other suggestions to improve my scores from ~670 to 720+ my weakness is verbal 31-33 around.

Thanks in advance

hoogly · Answer

Analyse any of your previous cat verbal score. Identify sections you are scoring low, say u have low scores in sc and rc. Next identify difficulty range where you got max numbers of problems wrong. Lets sat in SC you got all problems in 600-700 range wrong and in CR all 700-800. Next identify the topics. Revise the concepts, learn test taking strategies for those topics , say u r using 5-way method for 600-700 level SC problems. So learn using 2-3 split for them and achieve accuracy. Refer to ur OG logs for all those question types. Re do them with new strategy n keep an eye on accuracy.

Post the verbal section breakup of ur previous CAT, in detail and we can talk more on it.

Posted from GMAT ToolKit

Post the verbal section breakup of ur previous CAT, in detail and we can talk more on it.

https://gmatclub.com/static/posted_from.png     Posted from    GMAT ToolKit

yuvrajpratap · Answer

Thanks a lot for your reply:

Here are my details scores in last 2 Manhattan tests: 650 - 660

Combined report for difficulty level in verbal:

QUESTION FORMAT Total Right Wrong Blank % Right Average
Time
RIGHT 
Answers Average
Time
WRONG
Answers Average
Difficulty
RIGHT
Answers Average
Difficulty
WRONG
Answers

Critical Reasoning 28(total) 13(right) 15(wrong) 0 46% 1:52 2:23 620(right ans leve) 690(wrong ans level) 
300 - 500 1 1 0 100% 0:48 NA 
500 - 600 4 2 2 50% 1:30 2:43 
600 - 700 15 10 5 67% 2:03 2:02 
700 - 800 8 0 8 0% NA 2:31 
 
Reading Comprehension 24(total) 16(right) 8(wrong) 0 67% 2:09 1:39 630 710 
500 - 600 7 7 0 100% 0:58 NA 
600 - 700 9 6 3 67% 2:44 1:32 
700 - 800 8 3 5 38% 3:46 1:44 
 
Sentence Correction 30(total) 14(right) 16(wrong) 0 47% 1:18 1:29 640 720 
500 - 600 3 3 0 100% 1:22 NA 
600 - 700 15 10 5 67% 1:18 1:29 
700 - 800 12 1 11 8% 0:57 1:28

what is 2-3 method, is there a link where I can read more about verbal strategies?

yuvrajpratap · Answer

I analyse each test but I think I need to give more test:
I have done MGMAT and gmatclub tests

can you suggest which one is better, I have 2 options remaining knewton and princeton (as kaplan dont sell "only" gmat cats) or any other test suggestion?

Thanks

GMATPill · Answer

I wouldn't necessarily say take more tests. If you do, take the GMAT Prep software ones. You also have OG.

It's not about doing more and more tests. Redo the ones you got wrong and keep asking yourself what you could have done to answer the question in less time. Could you have approached the question in a way that would not lead you to the wrong answer you chose? Retake the same test and see if you can score significantly higher--given that you already saw the question before. Push yourself to your limits by revisiting your weaknesses and demonstrating that you've conquered them.

parker · Answer

I'm going to second gmatpill's advice above. Taking more tests is not the answer. I know that it can be comforting to take more tests because it feels like you're "doing something"--whereas strategy work can seem much more amorphous--but for where you are right now it is very important to analyze your performance and work on your process. Are you able to recognize a question type quickly? Do you have a concrete skill set to apply to each question type you're able to recognize? Are you comfortable executing strategies in the appropriate amount of time? And are you able to recognize when it's NOT worth your time to "invest" in a particular question at the expense of the rest of the test (and do you have backup methods to help you ballpark/eliminate answers/guess so you can move on)?

Burning through tons of tests may lead to a small improvement, but without detailed attention to technique you'll be reinforcing bad habits as well as good ones. Good training will combine detailed technique work AND timed practice/simulation. (An Olympic swimmer doesn't just do lots of laps--she also works with a coach to work on her stroke). The combination of these two sides is what will help you reach your fullest potential.

Burning through tons of tests may lead to a small improvement, but without detailed attention to technique you'll be reinforcing bad habits as well as good ones. Good training will combine detailed technique work AND timed practice/simulation. (An Olympic swimmer doesn't just do lots of laps--she also works with a coach to work on her stroke). The combination of these two sides is what will help you reach your fullest potential.

hoogly · Answer

Hi Yuvraj,

I back the advice of both gmat pill and parker,

A Quick Analysis :  ( I am not a master but still from whatever experience I have , I infer the following from your report. )

Doing more tests just wont help.
You have less than 50 % accuracy in SC and CR ! RC is perhaps better with around 67 % accuracy.
The need of the hour is focus on SC and CR. SC is easy to improve .
Low Accuracy in SC & CR indicates conceptual weakness . Yes acknowledge it.
One question what books did you use to Grab your concepts and did you solve OG 12 in thorough ?
If you have time postpone the test to somewhere between 3 weeks to a month .

Things to DO :

If you have previously studied Mgmat SC , do it again . Take 3 days or so to complete it in thorough - 3 days.
Grab Aristotle grail SC . Its concise and helps you to summarize your SC concepts - 1 day.
It comes with a question bank , solve as many as you can - 2 days.
Do the last 60 OG 12 SC problems again. Keep an error log. Start with a set of 10 problems. Time it. 
Mark your answers in an error log. review your answers with solutions using " Ultimate One Minute Explanations to OG12 SC " from Aristotle prep.
Re do all those you got wrong. Also make sure you review the one's you got correct. Start with another set of 10 problems and repeat the process - 3 days.
Go through Power score CR - 3 days
Use OG 12 to solve first 20 and last 40 CR problems again using error log as explained above - 3 days
Next 5 days do the remaining problems from SC and CR in OG 12 using error log - 5 days
Take a Mgmat test again and analyse your score and find your weak areas topic wise in SC and CR. 
Review the concepts of your weak areas again.
Take a Gmat Prep Software and gauge your score.

Note :

2-3 split method is explained in Mgmat SC.
Aristotle and e-gmat explain a 5-way method. Using Aristotle solution guide to OG 12 Sc problems makes you learn this method.

yuvrajpratap · Answer

Thanks a lot...

I am following your advice completely.. .... I have around 2 weeks ... I if I dont get 700+ before the exam I will postpone it

hoogly · Answer

hey just curious, Did you give Gmat or any Mock CAT's ? whats were your scores like ?

yuvrajpratap · Answer

I have give 1 gmat prep 680 v 35 q 48

yuvrajpratap · Answer

But I dont know why am I not able to cross this 700 mark ...

I know the basics and I have done OG, I know the approaches to different type of questions - I have read and tried to apply a lot

1 think I feel completely exhausted when I reach verbal and then I start doing mistake which I might not do otherwise..

I dont know what to do .. I have postponed my exams for next month but I am still not sure if I can make 720+

hoogly · Answer

Now you have more than a month for your Exam . Cool

1. Try Aristotle SC Grail and its new question bank with 100 questions based on meaning.
2. Review your Mgmat SC Notes.
3. Go through Power score CR book and consolidate your CR concepts again
4. Take out your OG 12 error log , do all the problems you got wrong in CR and SC again
5. Check the forum ( for my post ) . There is a post explaining non overlapping problems between SC and CR of OG12 and OG 11. There should be around 100 problems ( SC & CR ) in OG 11 that do not overlap with OG 12. Maintain an error Log.
6. After completion of OG 11 , open the error log which has all problems you got wrong. You should have reviewed them before. So do them again and try to get as many as possible right.

Trust me , You do not need anything for verbal apart from this ! You can sign up some mock tests since you have exhausted Mgmat or say grab Kaplan 2012 premier gmat edition for its CD. It has good sectional practice and 5-6 CATS online i guess. Use them to do only the verbal part and assess your verbal improvement. Use it during OG Phase.

Finally, 48 on Quant is not too high. Try to get it up to 50.

rsaraiya · Answer

How did things work out for you?... what was your strategy?... Did it work??

fxsunny · Answer

OK, the intent of my post is neither to be nitpicky nor rude, but I urge you to consider this thought: Your post above has at least a dozen (if not more!) grammatical errors; I've highlighted just a few. If you are serious about bringing home a 720+ score, then why not start by working on your daily use of the language? Read books / newspapers/ journals that will help you distinguish right grammatical construct from wrong. Use constructs you learn there in your daily transactions. Write essays, get them scrutinized / corrected by a grammar coach at a local school. Given that you say "your verbal fundamentals are not bad", I think you're in denial. Let's start by correcting that. I recall seeing a post on this forum that listed a bunch of fiction/non-fiction books to read - that's not a bad course of action for you. And, yes, if possible shove your test date out by a couple months - at the least. PS: please forgive grammatical errors in my post, if any

yuvrajpratap · Answer

You are so right, wish I had accepted this fact earlier.

I gave gmat and got 640 q49 v28 -- I am actually bad at verbal, I never accepted this fact. For all those who are giving gmat and getting my kind of scores in verbal trust me you need to put in lot of effort

After taking a break of few months now I am again in the race I am going to start perparing from next week. This time I will do it differently.. My aim 750+ and I will do it this time

jazzman · Answer

I'd agree with the advice on focusing on your OG Error log, taking extra time on the problems you got wrong/struggled with. After doing that for a week or so, get back to a few CATs before test day. Best of luck!

KarishmaB · Answer

Let me quote you first: "My verbal fundamentals are not bad."
- I agree with you. You don't get V30 with 'bad' Verbal fundamentals. Mind you, Verbal fundamentals  
eq  Grammar fundamentals.
If you understand whatever you read, (2/3)rd of the Verbal section is already won. Open a good English daily and find out whether you understand most of the articles well. If you do, please don't crib about your English. CR and RC are based on understanding the written word, not on Grammar rules. It would be extremely unfair on the part of GMAC if Verbal was all about 'writing perfect English' since English is a second language for many people taking the test. That said, SC tests your grammar skills since it is important to write a 'decent passage' which others can understand, even if it is not perfect. So you do need to work on your Grammar skills but focus more on the big picture rather than individual Grammar constructs. Try to develop a feel for what is correct in a particular situation by reading extensively. Meanwhile, work on specific SC strategies e.g. focusing on the most common error types.

Please give me some advice urgently!!

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