Fluctuating Mock Exam Scores

Question

Hello all

I am aiming for 650 - Q46,V33 (at least 620) and have about 6 weeks left. I want to take one exam in about a month, so I still can retake it once within the two last weeks. I have been studying for about 4 weeks (5d/week - 4h/d). Exam 1: 580 - Q41, V28 Exam 2: 480 - Q45, V13 (I was extremely unfocused and finished the exam at 10pm, which was stupid - you can take that from my V10 lol). Exam 3: 620 - Q36, V40 (I paused the exam here a few times on verbal to be honest). Exam 4: 640 - Q47, V31 (the verbal passages were clear and I didn't make too many careless mistakes - still, a string of 5 wrong answers) Exam 5: 440 - Q41, V10 (I tried to go through every question, which led to this disaster. I didn't understand half of the RC and CR passages, but I was in a hurry so I spent a lot of time and wasn't even sure at the end, made endless careless mistakes in SC - overall terrible time management, low concentration and bad strategy). I still haven't found the right verbal strategy for me. I am not able to answer all verbal questions on time and I struggle the most with RC and CR. I am a non-native speaker and have trouble understanding passages with difficult vocabulary. I understand the strategies for RC and CR (manhatten prep) but I am struggeling to apply them when I am under time pressure. I often reread passages and still dont unterstand them completely. I have started an error log now and try to structure my approach. I will focus mainly on verbal from now on (75/25 ratio). I think what might be a good verbal strategy: I skip about 3-4 CR questions every now and then to have 6-8 more minutes for the other questions. What do you think? Do you have any suggestions how to improve my time per exercise? Do you have any suggestions or tips for me how to proceed? More effort in terms of std/d (I will do 6 days at 5 effective hours)? Should I take an online class in verbal? Should I read the economist articles, or is it too late for six weeks? Any suggestions are more then welcome people! Thank you so much for helping me out, really means a lot!

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi iamdt,

Many GMATers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores, so if you have been studying for just 4 weeks, then you should not expect to have mastered any of the content or Tactics of the GMAT just yet. That could also help to explain the 'swings' in your CAT/mock results (including the individual Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores). By extension, it's tough to say what your actual 'ability level' is right now, but you will have to hone some specific skills before you can consistently score 650+.

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) What specific study materials have you used so far? Which "brands" of CATs/mocks have you taken?
2) Are you planning to take the At-home GMAT or are you planning to take your GMAT at a Test Facility?
3) 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

ramlala · Answer

Please go through basics. 
Check the guesses made during your mock test...that is important for consistant performance.

prateekchugh · Answer

My first advice is do not waste GMAT official mock test. When you score was down in the first two, you shouldn't attempt the remaining test. But now you have attempted, next time remember this thing.

You verbal score is very less, this means you need to improve your basics a lot. Start with CR attempt, read Power score CR bible and attempt the OG question( Read nightblade354 CR guide- https://gmatclub.com/forum/mod-nightbla ... l#p2325769)

For RC--> Read this post https://gmatclub.com/forum/four-years-t ... 40262.html

For SC--> Watch GmatNinja Videos, they are awesome.

For Quant--> only one thing: GmatClub Test

GMATWhizTeam · Answer

Hi iamdt,

Your mock scores are inconsistent because your way of approaching questions is not consistent. If you keep giving mocks this way, your score can go either way on the test day. So, just don't give any mocks in the near future. Make sure you learn the right methods and strategies, give a few quizzes and only when you start getting a decent accuracy in those quizzes, start giving mocks.

The path ahead: 
I'm really not sure how you prepared till now. But it's high time that you make your prep more structured. If you are done with the concepts of all the topics, then  start focusing on the methodology to solve question types tested from each topic  (which most likely you didn't do previously). If you haven't used any standard resource till now, make sure you use one to learn the right methodology and the application. I suggest this because instead of wasting $250 on a retake, it's better to invest the money on a good resource, prepare well and then give the test confidently.

Choose a resource which can help you to work on your weak areas, which can provide you with study plan and which can provide you with good questions along with detailed solutions. I emphasize on detailed solutions because most of your learning happens when you analyze the solution. You can checkout the free trial of GMATWhiz to start with.

The test taking strategy: 
I would not suggest you to skip the CR questions so that you are left with a few minutes at the end. As GMAT is an adaptive test, getting a string of questions wrong can greatly affect your score. Instead, try to focus more on the initial questions, get them right and make sure you put yourself in a good position by the time you reach the last quarter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uURVseSlAVA

I hope it helped. If you wish to know a specific study advice, we can have a detailed discussion regarding your approach, weak areas and the study strategy over a zoom conference call. You can use the below link to get in touch with me.

Click here to schedule a call

reallygoing · Answer

Hi Rich,

thank you for responding! And I certainly agree with you.
1) I have used OGs 2019 and manhatten prep books. Mocks were 4 Official GMAT (retook two did after a while) and Princeton.
2) Im planning to do the exam at home since I think the silent and known environment will be beneficial
3) I have to apply until the 28th of February for the NOVA business school in portugal (score 600-650 should be enough with CV and grades from my bachelor program)

The way I have studied so far: I tried to understand each section of the test and go through the basics. I did a lot of exercises in the OGs - I went through almost all of the exercises in the OG. Then I went through manhatten prep books and learned the strategy for verbal and for some quant sections, where I felt I could use more depth. And after all I went on and did the exams.
My approach now: Focusing on verbal, working with error log, watching GMAT Ninja videos to really understand how to approach different types of problems.

Thanks for the help rich!

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi iamdt,

While the most realistic CATs available are the 6 from GMAC, retaking a CAT that you've already taken is NOT a realistic way to assess your skills - since you will likely see some 'repeat' questions that you have already faced. Unfortunately, seeing even a couple of repeats can 'throw off' the Scoring Algorithm and impact your pacing, energy levels, fatigue, etc. (meaning that they would likely all appear to be better than they actually are - if your two higher CAT/mock Scores were from 'retakes', then those results are likely NOT realistic). Thankfully, the CATs from Kaplan, MGMAT and Veritas are all 'close enough' to the real thing that they will provide you with a relatively realistic score assessment (assuming that you correctly take the CAT in a realistic fashion that matches the parameters that you will face when you take the Official GMAT) - so you can use any NEW CATs from any of those sources next.

From what you've described, your studies so far have been "book heavy"; unfortunately, many GMATers who study in that way end up getting 'stuck' at a particular score level. 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. As such, you would likely find it beneficial to invest in some new, non-book study materials for this next phase of your studies.

1) Is February 28th the latest application Round for the Program that you are interested in or are there any later options?
2) What is the minimum GMAT Score that you would apply with?

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

reallygoing · Answer

Hi GmatWhiz Sorry for the late reply, I was only allowed to post 5 things in the first 5 days

Thank you for your help. I do agree with you a 100% that my way of approaching is not consistent. I have watched the 2hr video of Piyush and I think it really helped me to understand timing strategies in depth. So regarding the methodology, I use manhatten prep strategies to approach the problems. So now, I understand the concepts of the questions and I have the approaches for each section. I need to apply these strategies even more in depth and just practice? And keep track in my error log to crystalize the real problems? And really get into them and analyze them. I think this is the way to go as I also have not been focusing on my weak areas and on the wrong answered questions. I have analyzed my weak scores which were caused by V10 and V13. I had 3 and 2 right questions in the first quarter which makes the score drop so heavily. Also, I ran short of time and skipped one or two questions in 2nd and 3rd quarter. I haven’t given the timing strategy enough attention to this point, as you can tell. Regarding my test day strategy: I have certainly changed my mind from guessing some RC questions. My approach is now, just as in the video stated, to focus on the first 27 questions and get as many high value points there. I will care less about the last quarter. Furthermore, when I take a test and check the clock for a time benchmark and I passed it, I start getting nervous, I rush, I reread etc.. basically all what GMAT Piyush mentions not to do..

So regardless of the scores so far, I think my skillset might be sufficient for the score I need. However, I will focus on my weak areas, maintain the approaches, and stick to the timing strategy and take more time for the first three quarters.

reallygoing · Answer

Hi Rich,

I understand. How many mock exam should I take before my real exam? Veritas offers 7 exam for 50$.

Regarding your questions: this will be the end of the first application round which I am aiming to apply for. The admission office mentioned that it is crucial to apply asap. If I get a 600 (which is the minimum) I will have a call with the admissions office to see what my chances are. A 600 and applying in the first round could be sufficient. So I am in a hurry a bit as it is better to apply in the first half of the first round than in the second half. So 600-650 is the requirement and 650 the aim for as soon as possible.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi iamdt,

Many GMATers face pacing issues in the Quant section, the Verbal section or both - but it's important to remember that pacing problems do NOT exist on their own - they're the results of OTHER problems. Most GMAT questions can be approached in more than one way, so it's possible that "your way" of approaching questions is the 'long way' (and/or there are other inefficiencies in how you work through prompts - for example, how often do you have to read a question twice before you start taking notes?).

A CAT/mock is really a 'measuring device' - when used correctly, it will give you a realistic score and help define your strengths and weaknesses, but it will NOT help you to fix any of those weaknesses. To raise your scores, you have to learn the necessary Tactics and put in the proper practice and repetitions. The CAT will show you whether your studies are helping you to improve or not. In addition, the process of taking (and reviewing) a CAT requires a significant amount of energy and effort - and takes time to 'recover' from. This is one of the reasons why you typically shouldn't take more than 1 CAT per week - and your last CAT should be taken about 1 week before Test Day. Going forward, you really should not take more than 1 FULL CAT per week.

The At-home GMAT is a bit more 'palatable' of an option at this point because you are now allowed to use a physical notepad. However, many GMATers have reported technical issues with their Exams and the 'format' of the Test is "fixed" (Quant, then Verbal - with no break in-between, then an optional 5-minute break, then IR). Having to take Quant and Verbal in one sitting is challenging for most GMATers (especially if you've been taking your CATs with an 8-minute break between sections). If you want to take the At-home GMAT, then you will have to be really rigorous about how you take your CATs going forward (and take them in the exact same fashion in which you will have to take the At-home GMAT).

Based on the information that you have provided about how you took your CATs, it's not clear how accurate any of those Practice Test results really is - and we need to define your current 'ability level' so that we can make sure that you have the proper Study Plan going forward. As such, I suggest that you study as you like for the rest of this week, then take a NEW CAT this weekend in the same fashion in which you will take the Official GMAT (re: follow the At-home format, take the Test at the same time of day that you'll take the GMAT, don't pause the Exam, etc.). Once you have that Score, you should post back here and we can discuss the results and how you might best proceed with your studies.

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

reallygoing · Answer

Hi Rich,

again thanks for your adivce. The timing problems really originate from not understanding the passages and rereading them. I have a hard time engaging with topics which are not of my interest. This is aggravagated by the fact that I simply dont understand some words and hence some senteneces and I need to take time to estimate more or less what this sentences means. 
I am exercising to contextualize more and engage more. E.g. after the first sentence, I briefly imagine what the passage could look like. And I try to be enthusiastic about the topic.

Regarding the 'at-home issue': I think this will benefit me overall. I have done a similar test (TOEFL) and had a really hard time concentrating on the text reading passages due to new surroundings. Since I am better at quant, my choice would be doing quant first anyway. Not having the 8 min break is, however, indeed the downside.

I will do the test on the weekend and will let you know.
Dominik

GMATWhizTeam · Answer

Hi iamdt,

Let me answer your questions.

How to prepare from now? 
If you are confident that you are good with the concepts and strategies, then I suggest you to take practice quizzes for each topic without timing yourself. For example, in quant, take a practice quiz of 5 questions from the topic Prime numbers. Do not put any time limit for the quiz. Just focus on using the right methodology and on getting the answer right.

Same goes with verbal as well. For example, in CR module, take a practice quiz for assumption topic. Try to solve the questions using the right methodology. And once you finish the quiz, make sure you go through the solution of each question. And once you start getting a decent accuracy in these quizzes, you can start taking timed quizzes.

How to analyze the solution? 
Go through each step of the solution. Identify the step at which step you faltered. Compare your approach with the right one and nullify the gaps if any. Understand why you had to select the incorrect option when you first solved the question because getting a question wrong involves two things: 
  Eliminating the right answer 
 And choosing an incorrect choice

So, understand why you had to take that decision at that point of time and make sure you don't repeat the same. Try making an error log if possible. If you solve the incorrect question after a couple of days, you should be able to do get the answer right using the right method.

I hope I answered your questions. If you have your ESR with you and need any help in analyzing them, do get in touch with me over a call.

Click here to schedule a call

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi iamdt,

The Verbal section of the GMAT is as consistent and predictable as the Quant section is, but Verbal questions have no 'safety net' - meaning that if you make a little mistake or miss a vital piece of information, then you will convince yourself that one of the wrong answers is correct (and not realize it). While you do NOT need to be a 'fast' reader and you do NOT need to understand every word that you read, you do have to be an efficient, active reader - and proper note-taking is essential for all RC and CR prompts. Your ability to predict what the correct answer will state before you look at the 5 choices can greatly increase your Scores, so you have to train to do the proper work on every Verbal question that you face. We can discuss all of this in more detail once you have your next CAT result.

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

reallygoing · Answer

Hello,

summary of todays mock exam (kaplan):

610 - Q44, V29

Algebra 67% (6 of 9)
Arithmetic 50% (1 of 2)
Geometry 60% (3 of 5)
Number Properties 40% (2 of 5)
Proportions 20% (1 of 5)
Statistics 50% (2 of 4)
->  1-10: 6 correct, 11-20: 5 correct, 21-31: 5 correct

CR 44% (4 of 9)
RC 50% (7 of 14)
SC 46% (6 of 13)
->  1-12: 7 correct, 13-24: 3 correct, 25-35: 7 correct

I tried to pretend like it was a normal exam, so I have used the whiteboard, didnt pause the exam, no break etc.
I have made some silly mistakes on quant, but also guessed a few right. On verbal, SC was not as good as expected and I could have avoided three of the mistakes easily.

How do you think I need to proceed now to get the score to a 650? Obviously, I will focus on properties and the mistakes I have made on this test first and foremost.

reallygoing · Answer

Hello all

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi iamdt,

I'm sorry to hear that Test Day did not turn out better - although it's interesting that this Official Score is essentially in the "middle" of your various CAT/mock Scores (meaning that your higher and lower results might be what happens when you get 'lucky' or 'unlucky' during a Test). The immediate issue is your timeframe; 2 weeks isn't a lot of time to pick up the additional points that you're after - and if you can't think of specific issues that you faced during the Exam, then we're left having to take a few 'stabs' at some big-point categories and hope that you can hone the necessarily skills needed to pick up those points in such a short timeframe.

Statistically-speaking, raising a 550 to the point that you can consistently score 600+ will likely require that you commit to at least another 1 month of consistent, guided study (and if you ultimately wanted a 650, then you would likely need at least another 2 months - and you would have to make improvements to how you handle BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections). From what you've described, you've made your scheduling decisions based on an application deadline - when the priority actually needs to be on the Score result. If you ultimately "need" a 600+ to apply, then THAT Score Goal has to come first and you need to give yourself enough time to achieve it.

This Official Score is fairly similar to the Score from your first CAT/mock, so it might be worthwhile to review that first CAT - with the goal of defining exactly WHY you were getting questions wrong on that Test (as it stands to reason that you are still making those same types of general mistakes).

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

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