RE-TAKE GMAT. WHAT TO DO!

Question

Hi
i took the GMAT in august 2015 and ended up scoring very bad. I joined princeton review classes and my score specially verbal deteriorated. My final score was 570 Q42 and V23. I need to prepare again for the Gmat. I practiced a lot even the last time. I finished the entire OG twice and even the verbal review. I took 10 princeton review mocks, 2 gmat prep mocks and 4 manhattan mocks. I have a month to a month and a half to prepare again, but I Do not know how and where to start my preparation now. I am planning to signup for magoosh premium or empowergmat.
Please help! :cry:

OptimusPrepJanielle · Answer

Hi garimajaggi,

A score of 570 shows a clear lack of fundamentals. When you say that you finished the OG and the Verbal review twice, do you think you will be able to explain a particular problem to someone else? Or will you be able to explain each and every answer choice?
If your answer is no, then there was a problem in your preparation.

You need to understand the concepts and fundaments first before jumping into problem solving.
And for this, I feel that 1 - 1.5 months is not a long enough period

Since you have already given the GMAT, you can opt for a score guarantee course. A score guarantee course shows the confidence of a prep company in its course.
Most of the companies including ours offer a free trial of the course. You can opt for it and see it the course suits you.

1. What were your scores on the mock CAT?
2. When do you want to apply to the B-Schools?

KarishmaB · Answer

Start with a clean slate. You GMAT score was 570 - Q42 and V23. Quant - the basics are good. You have no trouble handling basic operations such as solving quadratics, working on fraction etc. Advanced applications might be a weak point. You might be facing trouble with topics such as inequalities, absolute values, tricky number properties etc. A thorough review of advanced concepts and practice of 650+ level questions will hep you bump your score. For higher level concept discussions, check our blog: https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#/categor ... er-wisdom/ Verbal - the fundamentals are not very strong. If I ask you the strategy you follow in a weaken question, you may not have a clear answer. You would need to go through the entire curriculum. I suggest you to check out our free SC video: https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#/ On this link, our DS book and a practice test are also freely available. You might have trouble in going through everything in a span of one month. Usually, people take about 2 - 2.5 months.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi garimajaggi,

To start, a 570 is just a little bit above-average (the average score on the Official GMAT hovers around 540-550 most years). While that score is probably below your goal score, it shows that you handled certain question types fairly well, but that you need to focus a bit more on learning/practicing the proper Tactics as you continue to study.

1) How long did you study for the GMAT?
2) What is your goal score?

3) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
4) Have you thought about which Schools you want to apply to?

Thankfully, the GMAT is a predictable, standardized Test, so you CAN train to score at a higher level.

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

garimajaggi · Answer

Hi,
Thanks a ton for the reply.
I studied for two months.
My goal score is 700.
I want to apply in April.
Yes, I have thought about which schools to apply to.

chetan2u · Answer

Hi Garima,
I would advise that since you have a month and a half, do decide on your further course at the earliest. 
You are your best judge.
You have to decide what suits you best. Can you do self study? If yes then you require good set of books. But the books have to be limited in number. More you clutter up with varieties of books, more you will get confused.
If you require to enroll with an institute, are you looking for classes- online or in person. 
I would say don't invest in anything blindly but take a decision at the earliest as month and a half is not a very long time..

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi garimajaggi,

Many Test Takers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores, so it's likely that you just have not put in enough time and effort yet to hit your goal.

Taking 16 CATs in 2 months was NOT a good idea. CAT's, when properly used, are essentially 'measuring devices' - they'll point out your strengths and weaknesses, but they don't make you a better Test Taker. As a general rule, you should take no more than 1 FULL CAT per week.

If you're planning to apply to Business School in April, then you won't have much time to study, take the GMAT and work on your applications (along with whatever else you might have going on - work, family, etc.). Given your score goal and limited timeframe, you would likely be better served by pushing back your application(s) until the Fall, 2016 so that you can focus solely on your GMAT right now.

1) What Schools are you planning to apply to?
2) What is the application deadline for each?

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

EducationAisle · Answer

Hi Garima, the improvement that you are looking for (from 570 to 700+), is definitely doable , though not easy. You might want to watch the video of Soumya, who had an incredible 200 point jump on GMAT (from 530 to 730!): https://youtu.be/t3SDkst_KPI. While the video itself does give tips to to score better, it will hopefully convince you that there are people who've done it. However, as is often the case, what we see are success stories, but what is not as apparent, is the phenomenal sweat behind that success. Soumya went about this in an almost maniacal way. She was frustrated with her low score(s) and knew that the score was not reflective of her abilities. Regular follow-ups, re-attending classes, and working on all assignments methodically, resulted in a steady increase in her scores (yes, steady , not overnight ) in the mock tests, ultimately paving way for a 730 on the final exam. However, not all stories of re-test takers end up in a fairy tale manner. We have seen that a lot of re-test takers are actually GMAT weary . While they may not admit it, mentally they have already given up on GMAT, but still re-prepare to give it one more try. Such people don't actually re-prepare for GMAT; they just go thru the motions of re-preparing. The kind of perseverance, the level of dedication, and the quest for learning is just not there! So, while they may complete the course and finish the assignments, the quantum of additional learning that should have accrued, is just totally missing. In this post, I have not stated any tips for improvement, because as I mentioned above, more than tips, it's your psychological make-up and sheer hunger for success that will matter whether you really make the second attempt count, or just end up going thru the motions ! Good luck!

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