IM REALLY CONFUSED I DONT KNOW WHERE I STAND!

Question

Hello guys im preparing for gmat for about one month and half, and i dont really know where i stand, my aim is 670.

This friday i got my first mock exam for mba.com and that surely will give a hint..

However im doing in verbal every day 20 crs 20 scs and 2 rcs. The problem is that when i get into hard level questions, it is like a complex and i make many mistakes whiile my elimination drives me through 50/50.. on 25-45 qeustions i managed to make 10/10 in both crs and scs but when difficult come i dont know, i feel lost!

should i train only hard questions?? maybe to get the point?

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi nick32,

Unfortunately, it's tough to define your current 'ability level' based on how well you handle random question sets or quizzes. The only practical way to assess your overall GMAT skills over time is to take FULL-LENGTH CATs at regular intervals and under realistic conditions (re: taking the FULL CAT - with the Essay and IR sections, at the same time of day as when you'll take the Official GMAT, etc.). In addition, there are certain aspects to taking a FULL CAT that you can only learn by actually taking a FULL CAT - and if you have to make some adjustments to your test-taking routine, then it's better to have MORE time to define those issues and fix them (than waiting to take your CATs at the 'end' of your studies, when you might not have enough time to properly improve).

Once you take that first CAT this Friday, you should post back here and we can discuss the results and how you might best continue with your studies.

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

nick32 · Answer

of course i will post my results, but i maybe can you explain to me, why when i enter in hard question i screw the things up?? i cant explain it,

GMATWhizTeam · Answer

Hi nick32,

To be honest, practicing 'N' number of questions won't get you ideal results. It is the methodology you have to focus on. Once you learn the methodology, no matter how difficult the question is, you are likely to get it right. Let me share my insights here.

CR: 
To solve CR questions, it is really important to develop the ability to pre-think. This can be done only when you understand the underlying framework. There are mainly 4 frameworks and every CR question is based on one of those frameworks. The right process is to
  Read the argument 
 Identify the premises and conclusion 
 Read the question stem 
 Identify the missing link 
 Eliminate answer choices which are not in-line with the pre-thought assumption

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZG-oIl09Rk

SC: 
If you are in a misconception that knowing grammar rules will help you solve SC questions, then let me tell you the harsh truth. SC questions are meaning based and to solve them, it is really important to approach them from meaning stand-point. You will often come across answer choices which are grammatically correct and convey a logical meaning but are indeed incorrect. So, it is important to understand the intended meaning and then eliminate answer choices which are grammatically incorrect or which do not convey the intended meaning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SGA8bwFNJM

RC: 
The best way to read an RC passage is to read with an open mind, removing all the baggage. No matter, what the topic is, the strategy has to be the same. GMAT gives you ample amount of information in the passage. And it is not recommended to stuff yourself with details while reading the passage. Instead, read in an inferential manner so that you draw the right inferences and understand the intent of the passage. A strategy called "Involved and Evolved Reading" helps you read the passage effectively.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjZUplucYeM

Hope it helped! Finally, I would suggest you to focus on learning the methodology rather than just practicing questions. If you have any more queries or wish to discuss more about the study strategy, you can  schedule a free consultation call  using the below link.

Click here to schedule a call

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi nick32,

You ask some important questions; however, I think we won’t know too much until you take that practice test on Friday. So, once you take the practice exam, feel free to report back with your score breakdown, and I’d be happy to provide some more specific advice. In the meantime, here are some helpful articles:

The Phases of Preparing for the GMAT

How to Learn More, Learn Faster, and Retain More Knowledge While Preparing for the GMAT

Hovkial · Answer

It is hard to give general advice without knowing your full background preparation. From what you have described, you may be doing too many questions of different types.

"20 crs 20 scs and 2 rcs": That is a lot of different kinds of questions to cram in one day. To get better at verbal (or quant to some extent), you should think about doing untimed solving of a few questions of different types. Understand each question and all the answer choices. Look at how you approach each question. Can you improve your thought processes? There are always ways to improve.

Only after you have achieved some level of understanding, should you think about doing timed practice sessions.

nick32 · Answer

ok guys im just a bit disappointed, my first gmat score was 580. Im not so shocked from the the score but i couldn't manage time, i had 12 mins for 12questions in quant and i didn't answer the last 7 questions and i managed to get 42/42 while in verbal i was 27.... i know that if you dont answer question the penalty is heavy and my quant even if i had to guess the last 7 would be kinda better. However thats not the point. i have 1 month for my exam, and the bigger problem is time management and verbal...

1 difficulty that i experienced was how annoying was the interface on verbal, i mean here in gmat club i can easily spot the mistakes on medium questions while the interface is very friendly but in gmat is very harsh

So guys 1 month to get that 580 to 670, next mock test in 5-6 days and i will be more prepared. Target score next mock 620-630.. 
Im waiting for your responses!

Toffelfabriken · Answer

Running out of time probably penalized you more than anything else. For time management, you mainly need to have prepared strategies for 2 things: quickly and effortlessly gauging whether you're low on time (so you're not surprised at the end); and catching up by skipping questions efficiently. Depending on what you're struggling with, you can also improve your speed through efficient use of your scratch paper. Maybe something in  this thread  can be of use.

For verbal, it sounds like you may need to slow down when you're trying to learn how to solve the questions. To paraphrase  MartyTargetTestPrep , some students end up learning methods that don't actually work on the exam. Among other things, you'll need to do untimed practice and take your time to carefully analyze where you're falling into traps and where the GMAT tries to trick you.

nick32 · Answer

so guys, what i really get is that.. for an non native person (greek) only tutoring will get you the desired results..

Toffelfabriken · Answer

Not at all. Many non-native students (myself included) manage to improve significantly without professional assistance. For some, it can definitely be a great help, but not everyone needs it.

nick32 · Answer

what sources would you suggest for verbal? i havent touched og , would you recommend?

Hovkial · Answer

You should be more hopeful. You have only been preparing for one month and that is simply not sufficient time to be able to handle the more challenging questons. In the beginning, you will learn to recognize some patterns and ways of solving questions. As you get better with these simpler patterns, you will be able to handle the higher level questions. Focus on learning concepts, doing untimed problem solving and then analyzing your preparations.

The GMAT and the GRE are tests that reward practice. There is no reason why non-native speakers cannot do well on the verbal sections.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi nick32,

From your prior posts, you've only taken one other full-length test (and that was the Official GMAT that you took months ago - and in which you scored 470), meaning that this 580 is a solid performance given what you have described. Statistically-speaking, raising a 580 to the point that you can consistently score 670+ will likely require at least another 2 months of consistent, guided study - and you'll have to make significant improvements to how you handle BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections. You don't necessarily need a tutor - but going forward, you will need to be focused on learning and practicing the proper Quant and Verbal Tactics. Thankfully, the GMAT is a consistent, predictable Exam, so you CAN train to score at a higher level.

1) What are the specific application deadlines that you are considering (and what are the Round 2 application deadlines for those Schools?))?

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

nick32 · Answer

i have booked for 7 octomber, so 1 month to prepare! i cant hold it anymore i cant be in that stress for more than 2.5 months, this month i dont have anything to do so studying is all i have to do, 10 hours /day i got this for sure!

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IM REALLY CONFUSED I DONT KNOW WHERE I STAND!

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