Failed GMAT 1st attempt

Question

Hello everyone,

I am an international student from Asia.

I took my first GMAT today and got 600 (Q49, V23, IR7).

I studied for about 5 weeks for the test (4 weeks with full time job + 1 week of leave). I only used the 3 online official books (OG+verbal review+quant review). I completed all the hard questions in quant and medium/hard questions in verbal. My accuracy for the medium/hard verbal questions is around 70%. My weakest sections are CR and SC.

I also took 6 GMAT official mocks. Breakdowns:

Mock 1 620 (Q48, V27) - Completed this mock before I began any preparation to check my baseline level
Mock 2 690 (Q48, V37)
Mock 3 610 (Q49, V25) - Poor time management in verbal section
Mock 4 720 (Q50, V38)
Mock 5 710 (Q49, V37)
Mock 6 690 (Q48, V37)
Actual Test 600 (Q49, V23, IR7)

Except for mock 3, I do not have time management issue during the actual test and other practice tests. During the actual test, I found that SC is particularly difficult.

After reflection, I think the most important thing to do is to improve my concept in verbal topics. OG is a good source of practice question, but it lacks guidance in terms of concepts.

I am planning to retake the exam in a month or two and I am aiming a high 600/low 700 score. This time, I plan to use Manhattan Verbal books to strengthen my concepts before I dive into practice. Does the above make sense? Any advice will be highly appreciated!

Thanks a lot!

EducationAisle · Answer

Absolutely! OG does not provide concepts in a structured fashion; it is a compilation of old retired GMAT questions.

adg1992 · Answer

I have not tried Manhattan but I highly recommend Veritas material for Verbal

They provide good explanations. Posted from my mobile device

unraveled · Answer

V23 is concerning since it is the lowest you have scored. 
Manhattan SC Guide should help - you may see healthy change if you have not gone through this guide. Get a hold on Powerscore CR Bible. Both should help you but do practice question one topic at a time.
Two month should be optimum for verbal as you have V35+ score already.

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi jeffreywinger24,

Since you scored V23 on your actual GMAT (well below your practice test scores) would you like some general advice on how to improve your GMAT verbal skills? In the meantime, you may find it helpful to read the following article:

How to Score a 700+ on the GMAT — A Mini Guide for Success

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi jeffreywinger24,

I'm sorry to hear that Test Day didn't go as well as planned. When these types of score drops occur, the two likely "causes" involve either something that was unrealistic during practice or something that was surprising (or not accounted for) on Test Day. In addition, many GMATers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores, so since you studied for just 5 weeks, it's possible that you simply did not put in enough study time to consistently score at that higher level yet.

Before we discuss any of those potential issues though, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

1) Did you take the At-home GMAT or did you take your GMAT at a Test Facility?
2) How many hours did you typically study each week?
3) On what dates did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks? Did you take any of those CATs more than once? 
4) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?

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

GMATWhizTeam · Answer

Hi Jeffrey,

It is sad to hear about how things went with your GMAT. Looking at the details you shared, let me tell you how should you plan your studies to improve your score.

As I see, the quant score is pretty decent, Verbal part seems to be the only concern. The mocks represent a consistent score but it is ironic that it didn’t reflect on the actual test. There might be a couple of reasons for it.
  One reason might be the nervousness on the test day. It is quite common to feel nervous on the test day and if that is the reason, then I guess you are good to for a retake if you are satisfied with Q49. This time make sure you take the test with a relaxed mind. 
 The other reason might be you are not likely following a specific approach for all the tests. If your approach is not consistent, then I think there is some work to do.  
I understand that you used official resources and solved medium-hard questions. These resources might provide you with great GMAT questions but to score well on GMAT, you need to have the right strategies. And to get to the harder level, you need make sure that you get easy-medium questions right.

The need for a change in approach: 
  If you are approaching the SC questions from a grammar stand-point, I suggest you to change your approach. The SC questions test your ability to convey the right meaning without ambiguity. On the actual GMAT, you are likely to come across a few answer choices which are grammatically correct and convey a logical meaning, but actually are incorrect. So, it is important to approach the SC questions from a meaning stand-point and then eliminate the answer choices which are grammatically incorrect and do not convey the intended meaning. You can understand the gist of it by watching the following video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SGA8bwFNJM  
 
 To solve CR questions, it is important to develop the ability to pre-think the assumption before jumping into the answer choices. To pre-think, you need to have a strong understanding of the underlying framework of the CR questions. You can refer to the following video for the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZG-oIl09Rk

The need to use the right resource: 
As you now understood the importance of using the right methodology, it is equally important to use the right resource to learn that. The resource you use has to teach you the concepts methodically and also the right strategies. It should help you solve GMAT like questions and also provide you with detailed solutions. The best way you can learn the right approach is by referring to the solutions and comparing your approach with the right one. It should help you identify your weaker areas and work on them.

So, make sure to choose the right resource this time and start studying from it. As you might want a few suggestions regarding the same, I would recommend you to check the Verbal course of GMATWhiz. GMATWhiz has a unique way of teaching the Verbal part. The unit 1 of every module starts with the focus on strategy. The next units deal with individual topics and teach you by following the 3 steps.
  Teaches you the concepts. 
 Teaches you the methodology required to solve GMAT like questions 
 Let’s you take practice quizzes and thereby analyse your weaknesses and work on them.

It also comes with real time improvement modules and provides you with a personalized study plan. The concept boosters and practice quizzes help you solve GMAT like questions and also provide you with detailed solutions. You can check the free trial of the course and then decide if it is suitable for you. 
As you’re planning for a retake, make sure you do the preparation properly this time. I wish you get it right this time and get your desired score. Make sure you take the right decision in choosing the course. If you wish to discuss more about the study strategy and how to improve your verbal score, you can schedule a free consultation call using the below link.

Click here to schedule a call

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