Studying Advice - 710 GMAT - Please Help!

Question

I took the GMAT last week and got a 710 (48Q, 39V). While I am glad I was able to break the 700 mark, I was hoping to get a higher score so I scheduled a second exam next month. I would like some advice on how I can increase my score in the next couple weeks.

So far I've used 

GMAT 800 - found the math section easy
OG 11
OG Quant
OG Verbal
PR Quant
PowerPrep

and I've done pretty much every problem in each of the books. What could I possibly do differently, without reviewing the same problems over again.

I know I need help in two areas:
1)Sentence Completion
2) Number Property DS questions - (x,y,z based questions)

I've heard really good things about Manhattan GMAT SC, so I picked that up from the bookstore. Are there any other resources anyone can recommend? (or any links to Forum posts with documents and study material) I know I need to practice more online tests, so I can get used to doing problems on the computer- Are there any other good computer adaptive practice tests that I can do?

Appreciate all your help

Amy

gauravgoyal_g · Answer

Amy, I think the SC portion of the Kaplan800 book is also really good. Just like you, I too think I'm a little weak on the SC. Another good strategy would be to do the SC1000 doc. You could try doing about 25 questions from that doc a day.

gmat4us · Answer

Thanks for the reply. What do you think is the best source for Number Properties? (Especially for DS Questions)

gauravgoyal_g · Answer

My personal strategy is to go through the quant prep material in the books that i have and those are Kaplan Comprehensive, Kaplan800 and Princeton. Apart from that I'm just going to do as many DS questions as I can lay my hands on and keeping a good log of the errors that I make.
Try doing a search on this site for "Number Properties", it throws up some useful links. One of them is https://www.gmatclub.com/phpbb/viewtopic ... properties

By the way, congrats on a good first attempt score...

walletless · Answer

For SC, also try Spidey's notes: https://www.sentencecorrection.com/forum ... =post&id=8 Personally, I only went over these notes, MGMAT SC, and OG11.

gmat4us · Answer

Thanks for your help! I'll definitely look through the links. I wasn't sure about taking the test again, but my GPA isn't as high as I probably would need, so I was hoping to really get a solid GMAT to compensate.

I am fairly new to the forum, and only started looking up topics after taking the GMAT the first time. One piece of advice I've found incredibly useful is to write the essays during the Practice GMAT tests. Without the essays you really don't realize how mentally exhusting the actual experience will be.... by the verbal section of my first attempt at the GMAT I stopped concentrating because I was so tired.

Honestly, I don't really know what more I can study for my second attempt. I know SC can definitely be improved, but every other section, I only need to improve on the margin. Any suggestions?

walletless · Answer

My score is lower - 700, and I did terrible on verbal (Q50, V34). The colleges I am applying to have average GMAT between 700 and 720, so I do feel the need to retake, but since I am applying for 07 pool, I think I am going to go through the essays and recommendation and application packet first, and them think of retaking, since 700 is a decent score IMHO.

I definitely think I could improve on SC and retake and score higher, atleast another 30 points or so (assuming I do just as well on quantitative). Having said that, I have a very good GPA from a very good undergrad college, and I have a "story" to remove doubts about my poor English, that I intend to portray in my essays.

Your descision whether to retake GMAT must depend on these factors:
1) What is the average GMAT for the colleges you are applying for? If you are lower than the average AND your GPA and other statistics stand lower than the average, consider retaking (otherwise 710 is good if you are at par on other stuff).
2) How much time do you have on hand? If you are applying for Fall'07, then you are very close to round-2 deadlines - work on your essays first.
3) Finally, if you feel fairly confident that retaking that GMAT will help you improve the scores and help you get higher than the averages for all or most colleges you intend to apply to, then consider retaking the gmat.

Hope this helps.

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