Urgent advice needed - GMAT in 3 weeks

Question

Hi
I have my Gmat exam scheduled in 3 weeks time.
I appeared for the Gmatprep test 5 today and scored 640 (Q 39, V 38). My target score is 730.
I had timing issues in Quant as i took about 30 min to solve first 10 questions and as a result had to guess the last 10-12 questions. In my earlier Gmatprep tests I had scored 700 and 680 with Quant at around 48. Please advice.
I am attaching screenshot of performance.

abhimahna · Answer

You need to do alot of work on your Quant Man. Once you do so, you will be able to hit 730 with a little improvement in Verbal.

Focus on your weak areas. My past experience says Q39 means you are still not clear on basic strategies.

Learn the basics, get comfortable with below 600 level questions first and then take the right steps.

Considering the time you have, make sure you do right practice with right strategies on a daily basis.

Good Luck

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi souvonik2k,

Based on your prior CAT Scores, it's possible that you just had a 'bad day' when you took this CAT. That having been said, a Q39 means that you would have made a lot of little mistakes as you worked through the Quant section AND that you missed out on lots of 'strategy-based' points. Given the 'swing' in your Quant Scaled Scores, I have a few questions about how you have taken your CATs:

1) How did you score on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for each)?
2) Did you take the ENTIRE CAT each time (including the Essay and IR sections)?
3) Did you take them at home?
4) Did you take them at the same time of day as when you plan to take your Official GMAT?
5) Did you ever do ANYTHING during your CATs that you couldn't do on Test Day (pause the CAT, skip sections, take longer breaks, etc.)? 
6) Did you ever take a CAT more than once? Had you seen any of the questions BEFORE?

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

gannuswami · Answer

To improve you quant score you need two things - clear concepts and practice. So check whether you are making mistakes due to wrong concepts or less practice. Also, don't focus too much on first 10 questions. You can still score 50, even if you don't do well in first 10 questions. You need to maintain your pace in GMAT to score high. If you are good at concepts, then you need to practice..Practice and practice...

Sent from my CPH1715 using GMAT Club Forum mobile app

Sent from my CPH1715 using  GMAT Club Forum mobile app

souvonik2k · Answer

Hi
Please find the below answer to the queries, so that you can further assess.
1) How did you score on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for each)? =>  700 (Q48, V36); 680 (Q46, V35) 
2) Did you take the ENTIRE CAT each time (including the Essay and IR sections)? -  YES except the last test 
3) Did you take them at home?  YES 
4) Did you take them at the same time of day as when you plan to take your Official GMAT?  YES 
5) Did you ever do ANYTHING during your CATs that you couldn't do on Test Day (pause the CAT, skip sections, take longer breaks, etc.)?  In last test I skipped IR and AWA at the end as I got frustrated.
 
6) Did you ever take a CAT more than once? Had you seen any of the questions BEFORE?  During test 4 about 3-4 were repeated from test 3, as I think it is from same question bank.

arif24 · Answer

From my view you should look in the forum quant question directory based on hardness level by BB it will definitely improve your quant score as you have around a month of time in your hand go for it
For PS https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-ps-ques ... 27957.html
For DS https://gmatclub.com/forum/ds-question- ... 28728.html

Sent from my HTC Desire 816G dual sim using GMAT Club Forum mobile app

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi souvonik2k,

I have a few follow-up questions about your studies:

1) How long have you studied?
2) What study materials have you used?
3) Since this is CAT5, and you've referenced CATs 3 & 4, how did you score on CATs 1 and 2 (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
4) Is CAT4 the one that you scored 700 on?

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

souvonik2k · Answer

Hi
Please find the replies to your query for further assessment.
1) How long have you studied? -  8 months 
2) What study materials have you used? -  MGMAT guides, OG books 
3) Since this is CAT5, and you've referenced CATs 3 & 4, how did you score on CATs 1 and 2 (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
 - CAT 1 - 560 - Q43,V25 (taken about a year ago during start of preparation)
CAT 2 - 610 - Q44, V29  
4) Is CAT4 the one that you scored 700 on? -  YES

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi souvonik2k,

Test Day is a rather specific 'event' - the details are specific and they matter, so you have to train as best as you can for all of them. The more realistic you can make your CATs, the more likely the score results are to be accurate. The more you deviate, the more "inflated" your practice scores can become - and that's likely what happened here. By skipping sections, taking the CATs at home, seeing 'repeat' questions, etc., you weren't properly training for the FULL GMAT 'experience.' By extension, some of these practice CAT scores are likely not completely accurate.

Given these inconsistencies during your practice, it's tough to define what your actual 'ability level' is right now. GMAC has publicly stated that the Official Score that you earn on Test Day is within +/- 30 points of actual ability. Assuming a similar 'swing' in how your CATs function, your CAT score results show that you're probably around the '650 level', but the 'swings' could easily turn that into a 620 or a 680.

1) Do you have the flexibility to push back your Test Date? 
2) If you took the GMAT in 3 weeks and scored 680, would you retest?

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

souvonik2k · Answer

Hi
Thanks for such a diligent assessment.
Regarding the test date push back, I am not thinking about it right now. Maybe a week before the test I will take a call.
If I scored a 680, even though my target score is 730, i will apply to the schools as the application closing dates are very near.
I will be having experience of 10 years by next year and most B-schools have a limitation on the number of years of experience.
Taking that into account I think I will take a chance and apply this year.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi souvonik2k,

Since your current Test Date is about 3 weeks away, that doesn't give you a lot of time to make 'big changes' to how you approach the Exam. That having been said, you don't necessarily need to make any big changes - depending on WHY you're currently getting questions wrong. As such, you should do a full review of this recent CAT (and you need to be honest with your assessment and count of up the EXACT number of questions that fall into each category).

After reviewing each section, how many questions did you get wrong....
1) Because of a silly/little mistake?
2) Because there was some math/verbal that you just could not remember how to do?
3) Because the question was too hard?
4) Because you were low on time and had to guess?

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

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