Verbal Test Taking Strategy Works?

Question

Hi All,

I wanted to know if the test taking strategies mentioned in  https://gmatclub.com/forum/new-format-gmat-prep-software-analysis-and-what-if-scenarios-269682.html  work on the real GMAT?

Is it safe to say that I can concentrate on the first 27-30 questions and guess that last 6-9 questions for Verbal?

PS: Took a mock on the official website and scored 700(V39,Q47)
Followed the strategy, paid complete attention to the first 27 questions and finished the last 9 in hurry with guessing most of them.

bb   Bunuel

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi yaygmat, I've sent you a PM with some additional notes. GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made, Rich Contact Rich at: Rich.C@empowergmat.com

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

The Official-Guide has a bit of info in its myths vs. facts sections you might find helpful regarding the scoring of the exam.

For Verbal, if you're at a consistent V39, consider working on your solving approach. May boost your score a bit. Had a 6-hour student who retook a V41 to a V45 in about 10 days. Perhaps find a study buddy who has strong Verbal skills to work with.

vv65 · Answer

This strategy -- concentrate on the first 27-30 questions -- assumes that you will get almost all those questions right.

Will the strategy work in the real exam? Not as well as in a mock test. 
The official mocks use the same scoring algorithm as the real exam. But there is a major difference between the two: the mocks do not have Experimental questions, every question counts. In a real exam, only 30 of 36 questions count.

The mocks are scored out of 36 questions, the real exams out of 30. In an exam with fewer questions, each question has a greater effect on the score. Incorrect answers in the last guesses will pull down your score more than in an official mock test.

In a real exam, it's possible that you receive 6 experimental questions in the first half of the exam and that the last 6 questions are all counted questions and that your guesses on those all go wrong.

Posted from my mobile device

bb · Answer

The main reason the strategy is likely to fail is that it will be very challenging even with extra time to be able to answer the first 30 questions correctly.

The challenges that you’re only gaining about 10 minutes from the last six questions. So you will be able to have an extra 20 seconds per question on the first 30. Those 20 seconds are not going to help you solve a really hard question. Sometimes any amount of time would not help you solve a question, so the result is that usually if you cannot solve a question in two minutes, having two minutes and 20 seconds is not going to be that helpful. The only exception may be the reading comprehension where everyone is lacking time. I think one answer I’d like to have is what if you skip the last reading, comprehension passage and guess all the questions or instead guess the last four questions .

Also, I’d like to point out that in our experiments, we actually answered all of the questions correctly, and those were very hard questions.

Posted from my mobile device

yaygmat · Answer

Thanks for your response! Could you please explain what do you mean by--    the mocks do not have Experimental questions, every question counts. In a real exam, only 30 of 36 questions count.

The mocks are scored out of 36 questions, the real exams out of 30.

yaygmat · Answer

Thanks a lot for your response bb

TBH my problem is that I still struggle to answer hard questions within 2 mins. Hence, although I do answer them correctly(most of the times) with more time given, I am never able to completely finish the 36 questions of Verbal within the given 65 mins. Hence, I wanted to know what would be best Verbal test taking strategy to score at least a 710-720(given Q49-50)?

PS: I have been preparing for almost 1.5-2months now. GMAT on NOV 15!

IanStewart · Answer

No, as I've explained in those scenario analysis threads, the conclusions people have drawn are based on incorrect assumptions. If you'll be guessing at the last seven Verbal questions on the test, your Verbal score will essentially be capped around a V39. That said, if the only way you can finish the test is by guessing at seven questions, guessing at the last seven isn't all that bad, but you'd do better if you could save time earlier on very hard questions, so you had a chance to answer more questions that you can do late in the test. I wouldn't be surprised if you can get to a V42 that way, considering you're using a suboptimal strategy now and are still scoring very well. Good luck!

vv65 · Answer

In the real exam, the GMAC adds some questions that are not counted at all. People use various names for these questions: experimental questions, unscored questions, pre-test questions,.... When we take the exam, we do not know which questions are real counted questions and which are experimental. Real questions start as experimental questions. Before any question is used as a real question, the GMAC needs to pre-test the question and collect information about it. For example, if 90% of test takers get the question right, then GMAC will know this is a relatively easy question. If only 2% of test-takers get it right, then GMAC will know this is a hard question. Or perhaps, suppose high scorers get the question wrong and low scorers get it right, then the GMAC may think there is something wrong with the question and may decide not to use it at all. (BTW, some of this is guesswork. I don't know for sure.) After pre-testing is done and the GMAC has collected the necessary information, the experimental question can become a real question in later exams. This article has more information about experimental questions: https://blog.targettestprep.com/gmat-ex ... questions/

vv65 · Answer

You have more than a month still. It is possible that your speed will improve by then, with regular practice and review and by reading the advice on gmatclub. There are many posts with tips on how to improve speed.

Still, you MUST make a habit of bailing out (abandoning, guessing) on really hard questions. That is the single most essential and most useful time-management advice for the GMAT. Bail out sooner rather than later.

yaygmat · Answer

So you mean to say that I should skip VERY HARD QUESTIONS in order to manage time? Does that not bring down the score if we keep making guesses/keep skipping on the hard questions?

vv65 · Answer

You don't currently work fast enough to answer all questions properly, so you have to guess on some questions, and every guess is likely to bring down your score.

Why guess only at the end? As Ian Stewart said, "you'd do better if you could save time earlier on very hard questions, so you had a chance to answer more questions that you can do late in the test".

The way the GMAT scoring algorithm works, an incorrect answer to a hard question will reduce the score less. An incorrect answer on an easier question will reduce the score more. So it's better to guess on the hardest questions.

Add to that the fact that the hardest questions are likely to take the most time. And there is a greater likelihood of fixing on a wrong answer anyway, despite taking time. It just makes more sense to guess on the hardest questions.

Of course, if you don't receive any questions that seem especially hard, if you are wading through the test at a regular pace, then the guesses will have to be bunched up towards the end.

Posted from my mobile device

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi yaygmat,

Here is an article that provides some more information:

Should You Spend Extra Time on the First 10 GMAT Questions?

	Target Test Prep - Save up to $599 $400 Discount + $99 Bonus GMAT Club Tests
	e-GMAT: 60% Off on GMAT Focus Get to 735+ from any starting point
	Magoosh increases your score, guaranteed - 15% off ALL Magoosh GMAT plans with code GMATCLUB15 + Free GMAT Club Tests.
	Manhattan Prep: $99 Bonus Score Higher on Your GMAT Exam. Guaranteed.
	Experts' Global - ~~$1720~~ $960 End-to-End GMAT Prep + App Support: 150+ Videos, 2000+ Questions, 15 FLTs +
	GMATWhiz - $299 ~~$499~~ Experience the course through a free trial.
	GMAT Club Tests - Free Included with every course purchase of $149+ View all deals

Verbal Test Taking Strategy Works?

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards