Stuck at 580 in mock cat

Question

Hi,

I have been preparing for GMAT for close to 3 months now. I used Manhattan guides for all topics except CR. I have completed the general chapters of the guides and attempted around 350-400 questions from OG review guide 2016. I started with a diagnostic mock score of 540 and improved to 590 in second mock but in the third mock was still stuck at 580(though before the mock I was feeling tired). My quant fluctuates from 38-42 and verbal 30-31. My target is 700+. I haven't booked my GMAT date yet as I want to be in my desired score range. Kindly suggest how to improve my mock cat scores? Should I also do the advanced chapters of the Manhattan guides? Should I first complete all the OGs entirely before taking another mock CAT?

Posted from my mobile device

icefrog · Answer

Are you taking official mocks or Manhattan mocks? Manhattan mocks tend to be tougher.
Exhaust every official source there is. Nothing beats official mocks!

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi kreel11,

The problem you're describing actually happens to many Test Takers who use a "book heavy" study approach. Even the best books are limited in what they can teach you; they also can't force you to approach questions in a certain way and their explanations are often one-sided. "Your way" of approaching the Quant and Verbal sections has you stuck at this current scoring level. To make a big improvement, you'll have to change your tactics. This will likely mean investing in some new Computer-based resources and learning (and practicing) new tactics (right now, you shouldn't be working on 'advanced' material, since that's not where you're going to find the missing points that you're looking for).

After reviewing your last CAT, how many questions did you get wrong....
1) Because of a silly/little mistake?
2) Because there was some math/verbal that you just didn't know how to do?
3) Because the question was too hard?

Thankfully, the GMAT is a predictable, standardized Test, so you CAN train to score at a higher level.

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

kreel11 · Answer

Hi,

I have observed that once I attempt the questions again I find that a lot of them are solvable. There are some questions which are tough to solve within the time limit but otherwise I read the questions properly and avoid silly mistakes I can improve my performance. 
I also want to share another concern . I am not able to devote a lot of time in weekdays just about 1-1.5 hrs in morning mostly all 5 days and 4-5 hrs on weekends however I still have to complete the practice questions from official guides and take more mocks. However I feel it will take another month or so or even more to complete the practice though I have covered the basics from Manhattan guides. Is this pace a little slow and shall I devote more time on weekdays? I spend 13-14 hrs outside home which includes travelling and work hours. By the time I get home I am quite tired to study so I get up at 4:30-5 in the morning and devote 1-1.5 hrs. Kindly advise how to go ahead and study effectively to improve mock scores and complete practice.

Posted from my mobile device

SamirAbrahao · Answer

To score just above the 700 mark you'll need a superb score on quant (48+) combined with an acceptable verbal score (35+) I'd say. You'll need to practice from tougher material than OG. Try Manhattan books for improving on quant and GMAT Pill or Magoosh for verbal, that's what I'd recommend so far. Best thing would be to take a  few days  to review everything people has to say about 3rd party resources and draw your conclusions.

Do not use the mocks as a reliable way to predict your GMAT score . I know you'll be tempted to do otherwise. They are just useful for assessing your weaknesses and having an idea of where you stand in terms of skills. There are plenty of variables that could impact your actual test, for better or for worse.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi kreel11,

Your overall study 'routine' sounds fine, so trying to find a way to significantly increase the number of hours that you study is likely not going to provide the solution that you're looking for. Your CAT scores, going back 3 months, are all 'clustered' in the high-500s - this means that "your current way" of approaching Quant and Verbal questions will likely continue to end in scores in the high-500s. To significantly improve your scores, you're going to have to adjust how you 'see' (and respond to) this Test as a whole. At this point, you also don't need to be focusing on 'advanced' questions - since they do not represent the bulk of the missing points that you're looking for.

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

sarang1601 · Answer

if xy+z=x(y+z), which of the following must be true

1 x=0 & y=0

2 x=0 & y=1

3 y=1 & z=0

4 x=1 & y=0

5 x=1 & z=0

From GMAT prep mock

sarang1601 · Answer

if xy+z=x(y+z), which of the following must be true

1 x=0 & y=0

2 x=0 & y=1

3 y=1 & z=0

4 x=1 or y=0

5 x=1 or z=0

From GMAT prep mock 
ignore earlier qst

kreel11 · Answer

So as of now do you think it makes sense to take more mocks since I haven't completed the official material yet in fact far from it (1/5th of total questions in 3 guides) since I feel this will prepare me enough to attempt the mocks better. Kindly advise. 
Also another concern was that due to my schedule I am able to devote only 1 Hr or so which means that at times if I try to analyse and reattempt a mock and see my mistakes it takes me about a week's time to do so. Kindly advise me if I going slow and what could be done to finish the left over material (just practice from official guides since I am virtually done with the topics from other guides like Manhattan and power score).

Posted from my mobile device

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi kreel11,

If you've been studying for 3 months, how well would you say that you know the major concepts that are tested in the Quant and Verbal sections? If you don't think that you know the content very well, then learning that content has to come first. While working on practice questions is an important part of the study process, if you're going to approach those questions in the same ways as you have been for the last 3 months, then your CAT scores are likely to stay in the same general range (the high-500s). If you're think that you know the content well-enough, then you have to work on your Tactics and eliminating little mistakes from your work.

1) How long ago did you take your last CAT? If it's been more than 3 weeks, then you should plan to take another FULL-LENGTH CAT (with the Essay and IR sections) sometime soon (perhaps this weekend). While you don't have to take a FULL CAT every week, you should plan to take them at regular intervals during your studies.

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

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Stuck at 580 in mock cat

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