Very Low GMAT score and I need help

Question

Hello Everyone,

I just made this account after realizing that I am in need of desperate help.

Took the Online GMAT a few days ago and my score was a 450 (30 Quant & 22 Verbal), obviously I was very disappointed but I did expect a score like that after only studying for about 20 hours total. I basically just read through the Official Guide once over a span of two weeks. Then a week before the test I had some personal things come up and didn't do any studying that whole week until the day of the test.

Right now I am a senior graduating in a week with a degree in accounting I would like to get into my universities graduate accounting program. I've directly spoken to one of the admissions officers and she tells students to aim for a 550+ and they WILL get in to the program. However, after talking to her more she told me that getting in the range of 500-540 isn't the end of the world either.

The Fall admissions deadline is July first and I have re-registered for the in person GMAT on June 5th and I will be working part time (25hrs) from now till then.

My Question is how much do I need to study and what should I study to get the score I want in a month?

Any help is appreciated!

KalElOzy · Answer

Given the low info available in terms of what your strengths/ weaknesses are - suggest you follow a more formal and systematic plan and gauge your ability to perform.
There is no easy boost outside of getting a personal tutor who will assess and guide you step by step.

1. Follow a plan - I'm following the 3 month Plan on Magoosh - but the 1 month plan seems doable as well (without going through the Paid videos on the Premium plan). 
 - For places where you are unable to understand the deeper concepts of the problems you got wrong - google it -and check the detailed and varied answers here on GMAT Club

2. Measure what you're doing
a. Download an error log for the OG you are referring to and capture your answer choices and the time you took for them as you run through the plan above
b. Try to get answers to Q within 90 sec for Easy to Medium rated questions and within 2 to 3 min for Hard to Very Hard rated ones respectively

3. With both of these, you should see a 500-550+ score improvement.

ramlala · Answer

Hi  MrClutch18

Your target is low and easily achievable. Need to go through basic concepts and practice of probems topicwise.

All the best.

Russ19 · Answer

Hi, To set your target in quant and verbal, you can use the GMAT Score Calculator from the link: https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/gmat ... alculator/ Good luck!

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi MrClutch18,

First off, since you studied for only 20 hours you really should not be disappointed in your score. Yes, I understand that you are shooting for 500 (as opposed to 700+); however, it will still take some time and effort to achieve your score goal. Also, I see you plan to take the test on June 5th but since your deadline is not until July 1st, I would take the GMAT as close to the deadline as you possibly can. Regarding how to move forward with your prep, here are two helpful articles. If you need any further advice, feel free to reach out.

How to Start Studying for the GMAT: 5 Steps for Success

The Phases of Preparing for the GMAT

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi MrClutch18,

To start, many GMATers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores, so since your studies were so limited, it's likely that you just have not put in enough time and effort to have scored higher yet. The average score on the Official GMAT hovers around 550 most years, so your Goal Score is potentially achievable in the timeframe that you have described, but you will have to focus on learning and practicing some specific skills if you want to consistently perform at that level. Thankfully, the GMAT is a consistent, predictable Exam, so you CAN train to score at a higher level - and with a Score Goal of 550+, you do NOT need to correctly answer ANY of the questions on Test Day that you think are too hard or too weird.

Before I can offer you the specific advice that you’re looking for, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

1) Are you planning to apply to any other Programs besides just the one that you mentioned?
2) What is the application deadline for this Program?
3) For your next attempt, are you planning to take the At-home GMAT or are you planning to take your GMAT at a Test Facility?
4) Going forward, how many hours do you think you can consistently study each week?

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

MathRevolution · Answer

Hello MrClutch18,

GMAT club is one of the great platforms to get information about the GMAT official test, Study plan, Section wise instructions, and many more.

You are recommended to visit various posts and utilize this forum in the best efficient way.

A score of 450 is a bit shaky but your target score of 550 is achievable. You can surely do better.

You can schedule a Comprehensive counseling(https://calendly.com/mathrevolution/1-on-1-session) session for 30 mins with one of our experts to have detailed advice on your current study plans.

We would like to recommend specific vital points which will be helpful. Both the sections have to be taken care of simultaneously. To improve, you will require consistent learning and practice. Also, keep motivation high to learn.

A couple of things that can be a noticeable barrier to your scores would be some or all of the below.

• Lack of basic math skills
• Not detailed knowledge of GMAT Math pattern and Question types
• Inefficiency by using time-consuming Conventional method to tackle DS and PS questions still
• No expert support (maybe) who can tutor, analyze, and guide you during your learning
• Lack of many updated questions and practice in the recent exam trend
• Not well aligned with time to solve questions.

Since we are a math expert, we will recommend you go through our post on the GMAT club, which gives a complete Breakdown of GMAT math questions and types: https://gmatclub.com/forum/overview-of- ... l#p1641411

Also, make a note of various possible combinations to achieve your target score. The possible scores will help you track your performance after taking the mock or practice test. It will also help you maintain balance in both the sections, and you will always be in a great position to allot the study hours to a specific area accordingly.

After visiting the post, now is the time to start with the basics. To strengthen the basic concept on various topics like arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and word problems, you may refer to many free materials available in GMAT Club. Our website also helps strengthen the necessary skills of math”.

Solve as many questions as you can relate to different topics, and it is recommended that you try to connect with many proven experts. You can visit Math Revolution and get access to our 7-day full on-demand course (27 topics, 490 subtopics, and 1,500 questions) for free trial lessons and free videos.

While concept learning, try solving 600 level questions by topic and be habitual of creating the error log. Prepare the list of all the doubts you face during solving and practicing questions. This practice will help you assess the topics in which you need more time to prepare. After solving as many questions as possible, take the 1st mock test and assess your performance. You may try our free diagnostic test once. Let some experts evaluate it to make you understand it better.

To prepare for Verbal, you can access many study materials from Crack Verbal, e-GMAT, and other test-prep experts. You may also refer to Aristotle Grail for sentence correction and GMAT power bank for CR question types. There are also many free materials available in GMAT Club.

Regular tests will reflect the positive change in the score, and hence, your confidence will boost up. Gradually, with the help of mock tests, you will be able to compete with time and hence will be able to learn time management.

We appreciate your time and patience in reading this reply.
If you need any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

You can reach us at [email protected].

Success is within your reach.

Good luck!
Math Revolution Team

GMATWhizTeam · Answer

Hi MrClutch18,

Sorry about how things went with your GMAT. Honestly speaking, 20 hours of studies is not enough. Even though your target score is 550+, you need to make sure that you learn all the concepts perfectly.

You have a month's time to prepare for GMAT, which is decent enough. If you follow a proper study plan and focus on learning the concepts, then scoring 550-600 should not be a major hurdle.

How to effectively plan your studies for GMAT

How to start preparing for GMAT

To suggest you in a better way, I need a little more information such as the number of hours you can study in a day, the resources you have/use etc. Please schedule a call with me using the link below so that we can have a detailed discussion on the study strategy and that we can come up with a plan of action.

Click here to schedule a call

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