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GMAT Inequalities is a high-frequency topic in GMAT Quant, but many students struggle because the concepts behave differently from standard algebra. Understanding the right rules, patterns, and edge cases can significantly improve both speed and accuracy.- May 06
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30 Aug 2014, 17:51
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I'm not sure how to feel right now (other than frustrated and depressed). I have studied non-stop for this test for the past 3.5 months. I couldn't possibly put a number on my total hours but it is certainly upwards of 150 (while working 50+ hours a week, sometimes a lot more). That doesn't even include the almost 2 years I've been battling this test that would shoot that number up to 300+ hours (likely much more). I was shooting for anything over 700, but after taking the test a couple hours ago I came home with a 560. This was the lowest I have EVER scored on the exam. Lower than any of my practice tests, including the first one I ever took before I started studying. My last practice test was a 660 so I was hoping a miracle would happen and I'd shoot over the 700 benchmark - that obviously didn't happen. I'm not sure what to do at this point. I have to either retake or consider taking the GRE. I have tried a private tutor, online sessions, and books and I still didn't get anywhere near my goal score. I know I was nervous because I was sweating profusely and I felt extremely hot in the test center, but can that really have such a devastating effect on one's score? Particularly if my body temperature stabilized after getting through the AWA and I got an acceptable 5 on IR.
I am just at a loss right now as to what to do. I struggle in the quant section (my highest is 43), tend to do really well in verbal (highest was 45) but both of my scores dropped precipitously in these all important sections to a Q36 (on par with most of my quant scores) and V31 (lowest ever by 6 points). I have only used MGMAT and the GMATPrep software for CATs. I have worked ridiculously hard for this exam. I took days off from work and studied until I was tired - then studied some more. I loathe this exam and just about everything it stands for, but I understand there's nothing I can do about that and it's a necessary evil.
Does anyone have any advice for me? How can I ever hope to break the 700 barrier? Should I just give up and try my hand at the GRE?
Thank you in advance for your help.
I am just at a loss right now as to what to do. I struggle in the quant section (my highest is 43), tend to do really well in verbal (highest was 45) but both of my scores dropped precipitously in these all important sections to a Q36 (on par with most of my quant scores) and V31 (lowest ever by 6 points). I have only used MGMAT and the GMATPrep software for CATs. I have worked ridiculously hard for this exam. I took days off from work and studied until I was tired - then studied some more. I loathe this exam and just about everything it stands for, but I understand there's nothing I can do about that and it's a necessary evil.
Does anyone have any advice for me? How can I ever hope to break the 700 barrier? Should I just give up and try my hand at the GRE?
Thank you in advance for your help.
30 Aug 2014, 21:51
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Bookmarks
Hi Davis925,
Very sorry to hear about your GMAT experience. Reading through your post, I can think of 2 main reasons why you performed so badly in your real GMAT as compared to your mocks:
1) Over studying leading to the exam - If I'm not wrong, you were pushing yourself to study beyond your comfort level in the last 1-2 weeks leading to the exam? That would be the main reason why you got really anxious and just wanted the exam to get over with - NOT a good emotion to go into the exam with.
2) Pressure during the exam resulting from the aforementioned anxiety - Considering that you were uncomfortable during the exam and also nervous, it is ighly likely that your score dropped so much from your mock levels. Clearly, you have the basics in place but could not execute during the real GMAT.
NEXT STEPS:
Now this is the main part. Nothing can be done about what happened, but you can prepare for your next attempt. Here's what you need to do (and in that order):
1) Mindset - You need to stop hating the exam and stop getting anxious over it. No amount of preparation can help you if you burden yourself with hatred, discomfort, and anxiety. So I would suggest that you take a break for couple of days, travel if you can, or just go have fun and let out some steam. And make sure that you come back with a positive mindset.
2) Quants - As you mentioned, you struggle with quants and would need to work on it.
(a) Strengthen your basics - Start with the basics, and go through every concept tested in the GMAT - use the Manhattan guides or the GMAT club math book for that. Then, start solving OG questions under timed conditions and keep an error log. Check every question you go wrong and solve again later. Keep reviewing the concepts that you mostly get wrong.
(b) Practice different ways of solving problems - like using dummy numbers, backsolving, etc. You can go through this forum and find articles that explain these smart ways to solve questions quickly. This will support the strong basics that you build and help you solve questions quickly, thereby improving your timing on the quants.
3) Verbal - This section appears to be your strong area. I think you should just keep solving few questions every alternate day to keep your skills fresh, and spend most of your time in strengthening your quants abilities. HOWEVER, just to make sure that you don't anxious during the exam and are able to perform well on verbal under any situation - develop a strategy for each of its sub-sections and question types. This should be the strategy that you would apply on every question of that type, every single time. This should become second nature to you. This would help you in keeping calm during the exam and going with the flow as and when different question types appear.
4) Mocks - Write mocks every weekend and review it thoroughly to understand your weak areas. Then you can spend the following weak days to practicing and strengthening those weak areas. But as I mentioned before, develop a strategy and follow it during mocks without fail.
5) Simulate exam day environment and contingency plans - Finally, you should prepare your body and mind for the exam day. You know the pitfalls that you faced in your first exam, and can prepare for them for your next attempt. Follow the same routine, eating habits, and sleeping routine for your mocks as you would have on your real GMAT. If it's in the morning, go to sleep early and wake up early and then study. This will help you in getting accustomed to the early morning grind. Also, give mocks in uncomfortable situations so that you're prepared for any type of situation on exam day - like you were thrown off your game because you were feeling hot at the center. So give a few mocks in a hot uncomfortable environment so that you're prepared for it in case it happens again.
MOTIVATION - Go through the following debriefs for motivation and tips. It is possible to overcome the situation that you're in:
retake-experience-from-590-to-770-in-one-month-159957.html
ten-essentials-for-gmat-660-to-740-its-all-about-strategy-168560.html
All the best!
Very sorry to hear about your GMAT experience. Reading through your post, I can think of 2 main reasons why you performed so badly in your real GMAT as compared to your mocks:
1) Over studying leading to the exam - If I'm not wrong, you were pushing yourself to study beyond your comfort level in the last 1-2 weeks leading to the exam? That would be the main reason why you got really anxious and just wanted the exam to get over with - NOT a good emotion to go into the exam with.
2) Pressure during the exam resulting from the aforementioned anxiety - Considering that you were uncomfortable during the exam and also nervous, it is ighly likely that your score dropped so much from your mock levels. Clearly, you have the basics in place but could not execute during the real GMAT.
NEXT STEPS:
Now this is the main part. Nothing can be done about what happened, but you can prepare for your next attempt. Here's what you need to do (and in that order):
1) Mindset - You need to stop hating the exam and stop getting anxious over it. No amount of preparation can help you if you burden yourself with hatred, discomfort, and anxiety. So I would suggest that you take a break for couple of days, travel if you can, or just go have fun and let out some steam. And make sure that you come back with a positive mindset.
2) Quants - As you mentioned, you struggle with quants and would need to work on it.
(a) Strengthen your basics - Start with the basics, and go through every concept tested in the GMAT - use the Manhattan guides or the GMAT club math book for that. Then, start solving OG questions under timed conditions and keep an error log. Check every question you go wrong and solve again later. Keep reviewing the concepts that you mostly get wrong.
(b) Practice different ways of solving problems - like using dummy numbers, backsolving, etc. You can go through this forum and find articles that explain these smart ways to solve questions quickly. This will support the strong basics that you build and help you solve questions quickly, thereby improving your timing on the quants.
3) Verbal - This section appears to be your strong area. I think you should just keep solving few questions every alternate day to keep your skills fresh, and spend most of your time in strengthening your quants abilities. HOWEVER, just to make sure that you don't anxious during the exam and are able to perform well on verbal under any situation - develop a strategy for each of its sub-sections and question types. This should be the strategy that you would apply on every question of that type, every single time. This should become second nature to you. This would help you in keeping calm during the exam and going with the flow as and when different question types appear.
4) Mocks - Write mocks every weekend and review it thoroughly to understand your weak areas. Then you can spend the following weak days to practicing and strengthening those weak areas. But as I mentioned before, develop a strategy and follow it during mocks without fail.
5) Simulate exam day environment and contingency plans - Finally, you should prepare your body and mind for the exam day. You know the pitfalls that you faced in your first exam, and can prepare for them for your next attempt. Follow the same routine, eating habits, and sleeping routine for your mocks as you would have on your real GMAT. If it's in the morning, go to sleep early and wake up early and then study. This will help you in getting accustomed to the early morning grind. Also, give mocks in uncomfortable situations so that you're prepared for any type of situation on exam day - like you were thrown off your game because you were feeling hot at the center. So give a few mocks in a hot uncomfortable environment so that you're prepared for it in case it happens again.
MOTIVATION - Go through the following debriefs for motivation and tips. It is possible to overcome the situation that you're in:
retake-experience-from-590-to-770-in-one-month-159957.html
ten-essentials-for-gmat-660-to-740-its-all-about-strategy-168560.html
All the best!
02 Sep 2014, 10:38
Kudos
Bookmarks
Thanks Getsunny. I really appreciate your input. I'm going to decompress for awhile then try to get back on track once my mind is in a better place.
Good luck to you on your MBA journey and thanks again!
Good luck to you on your MBA journey and thanks again!
