A Diagnostic score of 455 on the GMAT FE (Official)- how to proceed?

Question

Ive given a official mock test as a diagnostic test to see where I currently stand. With no preperation at all, ive scored 455.

I am starting prep using Magoosh as my primary resource. It would be of great help to understand where I lack the most using my diagnostic score. I want to use my time in the best way possible.

1 - Can I gain valuable insights on what I should be focusing on? Quant? Verbal? DI?
2 - What would be the best way to go about practicing Quant questions?
3 - What score/percentile should I be looking to acheive sectionally and in total to get into a top 50 B school?

PFA images.

Thanks,
Abdullah Husain

AjiteshArun · Answer

Hi abdullah_husain,

Your verbal score is pretty good, so I think it may be a good idea to focus (more) on quant and DI. You could also tag quant experts like IanStewart, KarishmaB, avigutman, chetan2u, and Bunuel.

abdullah_husain · Answer

Hi  AjiteshArun ,

Thanks for giving me an idea of where I should be (mostly) directing my efforts. If I were to push my verbal score from "pretty good" to "extremely good", what extra steps can I take?

Also tagging the experts as suggested -  IanStewart ,  KarishmaB ,  avigutman ,  chetan2u ,  Bunuel

Thanks

satyam.ss219 · Answer

Your verbal score is already good I would suggest some prep material for math practice Ogs are good for practise and by studying quant you would also inprove your Di

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satyam.ss219 · Answer

Magoosh is good for quant as you have already started with

AjiteshArun · Answer

You have a no-prep V80, so maybe all you need to do is prep a bit. Find a reliable source to learn the concepts from, and try to use official questions for practice (nonofficial questions only from high-quality sources). If you haven't already started using a course for verbal, you could use my CR course, available  here .

KarishmaB · Answer

For Quant and DI, you need to go through an entire test prep curriculum. Many concepts of Quant will help you with DI too so complete Ratios, percentages, weighted averages and number properties before starting DI practice. Since you are starting with Magoosh, go ahead and complete it. You will see an increase in your score since the current scores do not reflect any prep. Once you have been through the entire course, then you can take a practice test again to gauge your improvement. Your Verbal is already good which means that once you understand the various CR question types etc, it will only get better. After that, continue to practice verbal questions every day along with focus on Quant/DI.

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi abdullah_husain,

I see you have a number of questions, but I'm happy to provide some general advice on how to prepare for your GMAT.

Moving forward,  adopt a prep strategy consisting of topical learning and practice. In other words, focus on just one topic at a time and practice that topic until you achieve mastery. =11pt For instance, let's consider your study of Number Properties. First, immerse yourself in all aspects of this topic, and then, focus solely on Number Property questions. After each problem set, take the time to delve into your incorrect answers. This self-reflection is a powerful tool that allows you to understand your learning process and make significant improvements. For instance, if you made a mistake in a remainder question, ask yourself why. Was it a careless error? Did you not apply the remainder formula correctly? Was there a concept in the question that you didn't grasp?

By meticulously analyzing your mistakes, you will efficiently address your weaknesses and, consequently, enhance your GMAT quant skills. This process has been unequivocally proven to be effective. Number Properties is just one example; follow this process for all Quant, Verbal, and DI topics. This article outlines the different phases of this part of your prep:

The Phases of Preparing for the GMAT

Once you have mastered all of the content, you can begin taking official practice tests. With each test, carefully review your results to identify remaining gaps in your content knowledge and work on strengthening those areas until you fully understand them. Then (and only then) take another practice test. Repeat this process until you reach (or exceed!) your goal score.

Here’s an article on how to structure your prep:

GMAT Preparation Strategy

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