Retaking the test in 5 weeks

Question

Hi Folks, Need quick help from all the GMAT club members. I am taking my GMAT and I have 34days & 20hours left for that. I am targetting somewhere around 750. Just for the background info i have already taken GMAT once and could not touch my target score (during my last prep i was scoring on an average 660+ on Kaplan & other tests but fell flat on my face on the d-day :evil:

), so decided to retake it

My weak areas are: Verbal - RC>CR>SC (Plz read like: Weakest in RC fllowed by CR etc.) Quant - DS is the only weak area i can think of.... On my last GMAT i scored (scaled) 49 on Quant wish to pull it up to 51-52 & Verbal was horrible in (scaled) mid 30s :roll:

, wish to touch 40+ The plan i have in place: To take up around 18 tests in next 34days & 20hours 4 CAT Princeton 6 CAT Kaplan 4 CAT Crack GMAT 2 CAT Powerprep 2 CAT Pearson Vue And will repeat the Powerprep & Pearson Vue tests couple of times.......just took couple of diagnostic by Kaplan & Crack GMAT score ranging from 590 to 620 :?:

...so starting pretty low!!! :evil:

People please help me with your inputs over here. I am open to any criticism / feedback / thoughts you guys wanna share, please do that! I will really appreciate for the help in this tough time!!! Also, FYI i work so also have to cope up with the hectic work schedule too! Will be taking off for 12 to 15 days in last couple of weeks. So, please HELP!!! Thanks in anticipation of HELP

shmegs · Answer

For verbal I'm using MGMAT SC, OG, PR, and Kaplan. The MGMAT SC book is great, I've managed to go from 50-60% to 80-90% in SC. For CR Kaplan & PR have been helpful, I read through the strategies and applied them to the practice Qs in the OG. Also, the 1000SC/CR/RC have been great. Especially the explanations found in the verbal section (just search using Q text) and you'll find multiple posts discussing each question. Lastly, I've found that keeping a running list of missed questions, along with their explanations has been very helpful. Hope that helps, good luck!

singh_amit19 · Answer

Thanks a lot fo this..... :-D

Will keep the members updated during my prep & also the "CLIMAX" i.e. real score! I intend to give GMAT Club memebrs a feel of a LIVE telecast of a below average guy taking GMAT with a target of hitting an above average score :-D

pelihu · Answer

Just for reference, the current maximum score on either Q or V is 51 so trying to pull your Quant up to 52 is not going to happen. Still 51/40 should get you 750 or so.

financeguy · Answer

Hahaha .. On a serious note, my advice is that instead of taking last two weeks off and then studying hard for two weeks - you should aim to split your preparation time across 4 weeks. While the GMAT preparation is supposed to be a long term activity, and you need to spend in serious hours to improve your score substantially. If I were in your place with just 1 month in my hand - I will only use OG11 with Powerprep and don't let myself get confused with other material. But that's just my advice. Good luck. P.S. A good attitude is essential for GMAT but overoptimism almost always kills in GMAT. Just be careful

singh_amit19 · Answer

Hi Folks,

I took up few tests the scores are:

Diagnostic 1 Kaplan - 750
Diagnostic 2 - 620
Diagnostic 3 - 580

Post my scores in diagnostics did a little analysis:
------------------------------------------------------------
My weak areas:

-Reading comprehension – RC
-Critical reasoning – CR

Proposed solution to RC (current accuracy rate @50% - pull it 80%+):
-Approach to a Reading comprehension:
a.Figure out TOPIC & SCOPE
i.TOPIC is broad based area passage is about
ii.SCOPE is about the specifics of TOPIC author wants to talk about
b.Read the whole passage i.e. all paragraphs like one BLOCK i.e. they are connected
c.Try to figure out how paragraphs are connected
-Complete all the learnings & text on RC
-Practice RC from different sources

Proposed solution to Critical Reasoning (current accuracy rate @60% - pull it 90%+):
-Approach to CR
-Just practice and practice
-One way to CR is good command on RC
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Took

PR CAT 1 - 610 (Q-40 & V-34)
I can't be so low in quant & and don't know about the standard of verbal seemed too easy to me :shock:

So, long way to go :evil:

Will be back!

Any thoughts????

Cheers

So, long way to go :evil:

Will be back! Any thoughts???? Cheers

kryzak · Answer

Give the Manhattan GMAT CATs a try. Their verbal is somewhat similar to the GMAT, and their math is uber-hard, which is good for practice only. Their scores are somewhat close to GMATPrep scores too.

Kaplan is notorious for low scores, and PR is really shady... the math is too easy and the verbal is just wrong sometimes...

I think you can do it, if you spend time EVERY NIGHT and WEEKEND doing some problems from Manhattan, OG, Verbal/Quant Review, GMAT Club Challenges, RC/CR1000, and things like that.

Keep us updated!

financeguy · Answer

Amit,

Almost everyone from non-english background starts the same way so don't feel discouraged.

I felt really bad about my RC until I spent a full day practicing RC-1000 questions and now my accuracy is around 80-85%. RC is more to do with your confidence and your attitude and the best way is that take a print out of atleast half of RC-1000 material, and start practicing and soon you will discover that your accuracy is improving. In my case, it took me 5 hours to do around 200 questions of RC and now I know for sure that it's above 80% which gives me a lot of confidence.

Do the same with CR, spend another 4-5 hours and CR-1000 and after a few hours, you will start seeing the improvement.

Wish you good luck.

singh_amit19 · Answer

Thanks financeguy & kryzak ...............buying MGMAT CATs right away Really appreciate your inputs bro! :-D

singh_amit19 · Answer

Hi Folks, 

Just bought Manhattan GMAT 6 online test ($39), this is the same what 
everbody is talking about at GMAT club, right?

Will be back with updates!

Cheers

snow wolf · Answer

For CR.I seriously recommend the powerscore logical reasoning bible.It is the most by far comprehensive coverage of arguments and critical reasoning.On the cautious side it is seriously lengthy(about 500 pages) and will kick you in the *ss most of the time so be warned.Get it as soon as possible.R1 are around the corner.

shmegs · Answer

Yes those are the same tests everyone is talking about. Also for CR practice IDing the conclusion and evidence...it really helps for assumption/strengthen/weaken Qs....

CookieMonster · Answer

singh,

I recommend the following:
1) keep an error log. This is extremely important
2) Order some LSAT tests and practice your RC with those.
 The GMAT RC will seem like a joke once you are used to those.
3) I agree with Snow Wolf. buy the powerscore CR bible. 

good luck

singh_amit19 · Answer

Thanks guys ! Really appreciate it :-D

kryzak · Answer

oh btw... if you get a Manhattan book (RC/CR/SC), the 6 tests come with the book free ($26 on Amazon)... dunno if you can "return" the 6 tests and just get some books?

singh_amit19 · Answer

Thanks kryzak

I tried doing so but there was a shipping time involve (to my place/country) and at this crucial time i cant afford to miss a single minute.

So, i bought the online tests, i suppose the TIME i saved on shipping worth more than $12 :-D

Cheers[/b]

Cheers

kryzak · Answer

ahh I see! That's definitely a wise decision then! =)

RycherX · Answer

I'd stick with one system of approaching problems rather using too many different sources. 

Kaplan is awesome when it comes to Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning.
PowerScore's critical reason has some value, but I disagree with reading the stimulus before the stem.

financeguy · Answer

Amit,

If you are in India, Manhattan books are widely available there. Actually, I asked a friend in India to get mine from India and send them to me in Australia. They have re-prints which cost $2-3 a book but you don't get the free tests then so I bought one origional to get access to tests.

Remember, books are more important than just test access. 

Thanks

singh_amit19 · Answer

I agree with RycherX it's better to follow selective study material...and the kind of timeline i am trying to follow for GMAT :!:

I dont have time to wander around! I am planning to take all the tests from one source then move on to another source (kind of playing on X-BOX 360), i have decided the following pattern basis my understanding on diffculty level of CATs from different sources: LEVEL 1:-Princeton CATs - 4CATs (take all tests to qualify to next level) LEVEL 2:- CRACK GMAT CATs - 5CATs (take all tests to qualify to next level) MARATHON 1:- POWERPREP CAT1 LEVEL 3:- KAPLAN CATs - 5 CATs (take all tests to qualify to next level) MARATHON 2:- POWERPREP CAT2 & Pearson Vue CAT1 LEVEL 4:- MGMAT CATs - 6CATs (take all tests to qualify to next level) MARATHON 3: Pearson Vue CAT2 Also, will keep taking GMAT club challenges in between the tests! How's that sounds??? Any thoughts??? Cheers!!!

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