Consistently scoring in the low 700s, how to break the 750 barrier?

Question

Hi Everyone!

I hope you all are doing well and staying safe!

I have my GMAT Online Exam scheduled for this Sunday (30th Jan). This would be my first (and hopefully last) attempt. I'm targeting >= 750.

This has been my performance on the mocks that I have given during the course of my preparation, the most recent one being today. Today for a change I attempted the test in the VQ order instead of the QV one which I have followed for all the others.
GMAC practice test 1-690(49/34)
GMAC practice test 2-730(50/38)
Kaplan Practice test 1-700(47/39)
Kaplan Practice Test 2-720(48/41)
Kaplan Practice Test 3-700(50/36)
Kaplan Practice Test 4-720(49/40)
Kaplan Practice Test 5-730 (47/43)
GMAC practice test 3-730 (50/39)
Kaplan Practice Test 6-720 (49/40)

I've been having a tough time trying to maximise my Quant and Verbal scores for the same test. On some days, I get a Q50, but see a drop in my verbal score and on others I get a low 40 in verbal, but the Quant score drops to 47-48.

Also, I haven't found any specific topics to be my weakness. However, I have observed that in most questions that I do get wrong, I am able to narrow down to 2 of the 5 options but end up selecting the wrong one.

I would be ever so grateful if someone who has been in a similar position could provide me some last minute tips on how I can prevent these small errors which could prove to be the differentiator between getting a 720/730 and that elusive 750+ score.

Russ19 · Answer

Hi  Jagmeister ,

If  MartyTargetTestPrep  shares some strategies for you, some clubbers here can be benefited.

Thanks!

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

"but see a drop in my verbal score and on others I get a low 40 in verbal"

tl;dr: If you are regularly able to hit V40+, you've likely got solid fundamentals. See if you can improve your efficiency and save mental energy when going through the section.

Last year, I got approached more often for Verbal tutoring. It's probably partly do with a specific package I offer for those targeting V40+. Here's one  example .

I don't offer anything specifically written for the V45+ range. Thing is to break into V45+, you're pretty much entering a ridiculous super elite range where there is VERY little room for error. A single counted question, for example, dropped me from a V51 to a V48. Basically, one single question dropped my Verbal score by 3 points!

But let's take an actual example. I had a student who got a V45 in the last quarter of 2021. Does that mean they learnt something extra from a fundamentals level on that re-take? Something profound about assumption questions or subject/verb agreement? It's possible... but I can tell you that a lot of what I do is actually teaching solving approach. As in how to actually approach Verbal questions in a more efficient manner. The GMAT is a test after all. This may sound strange, but even though that student who got a V45 actually solved his Verbal section with 10 minutes to spare even he would tell you replicating that sort of performance is not a done deal.

If you're aiming for a 760, you're probably wanting to take the edge of Quant since the Q50 V42 combo means you'll need to have a good day on Quant as well. I get it. One thing I'd suggest is trying to to find ways to make your solving more efficient on Verbal. This will help you stay "fresher" for longer. Of course, if you know there are some slippery spots you have (i.e. Main idea questions on RC), plug those in ASAP.

Archit3110 · Answer

given your mock score you seem to be well prepped for your exam ..
wish you the best.. do post a debrief ..

nislam · Answer

Hi  Jagmeister .
Sending PM to some expert such as EMPOWERgmatRichC Gmat is another great way to have good strategies.

Good Luck!

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi Jagmeister,

Regarding how to improve careless errors, here is a great article that you can check out:

Improving Your Accuracy on the GMAT

Feel free to reach out with any questions.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Jagmeister,

To start, your CAT/mock Scores shows that you likely have the knowledge to hit your Score Goal, but a 750+ Score requires a higher level of 'precision' in your work (including how you approach questions, your note-taking, etc.). It's natural to focus solely on the questions that you've been getting wrong under these circumstances, but the broader issue is how OFTEN you 'narrow the answers down to 2 choices before choosing your final answer.' If you're approaching GMAT questions in that way too often, then probability dictates that you're only going to get about half of those questions correct - and that could be a lot of potential points that are up for grabs (BOTH the ones you correctly answer and the ones that you don't). You might not need to make any big changes to your Test-taking routines, but you should be thinking in terms of which of those questions you COULD have gotten correct, but didn't - and what additional work you could have done to make sure that you earned the correct answer.

At this point, since you are so close to your Test Date, you have to be careful about trying to do too much studying. 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 should not take more than 1 CAT per week - and your last CAT should be taken about 1 week before Test Day. If you took your most recent CAT today, then you should NOT plan on taking any more before the 30th. In these last few days, you should limit your studies to general practice and light review (NO CATs and NO 'cramming') - you would be better served by getting some extra rest so that you can go into Test Day calm, clear-headed and ready to work.

I'm certainly interested in hearing about how your Official Test Date turns out, so you should post back here with your results (you can also feel free to PM me directly if you prefer).

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

Contact Rich at: [email protected]

CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

Hi Jagmeister Sometimes we take some moments to pause and respond to certain queries and you are clearly one of such good cases!

Its not everyday that someone scores a 720-730 in GMAT and is looking far at the horizon to score a 750+ ! At the outset, we congratulate you on your mock scores. It only reflects the amount of dilligence and the effort that you have put in the prep

Lets now look at your problem statement to pep up the score. GMAT algorithm isn't for us to break with absolute accuracy but here are a few pointers we would want to share. Use the RIGHT RESOURCES

We observed that most tests reported by you on your thread are not official. We disagree that its a good strategy to invest time and gauge your performance through non official tests. We would suggest to stick to ONLY OFFICIAL tests and Official practice questions. You can take a repeat Official Mock with a higher score as target. Your time is precious and if you are investing on non official material,you need to take a step back and think on this like a 750+ scorer. No test prep company has a sample size of students taking test that can match the GMAT's sample size. To believe that you get exactly the right kind of 31 test question thats tested on GMAT by any test prep company is not a practical thought. So,use OFFICIAL Questions for practice and Tests and invest time more wisely! Here we also hope that you have completed the OG and the Official Advanced Questions Doc(with 150 Verbal and 150 Quant) and have analyzed the errors made. Smash the EASY and the INTERMEDIATE

To have a great 750+ score, it is important that you not only get these questions correct in both Verbal and Quant but you also get them correct like a Marvel Superhero

- Meaning with absolute accuracy, jet speed and with complete confidence. You have to up your skills to smash them in under 60 seconds and there is NO scope of error that can add more time to your clock! So focus on accuracy and time on these questions.Your score reflects that your concepts are taken care of and hence this should not be a difficult feat to achieve.

Improve ACCURACY in the ADVANCED questions

Now since you have got the time on your side by implementing the previous pointer effectively, take the game one notch higher. Use the time that you saved in the easy and the intermediate to invest on the challengers! This will increase your chances of getting them right and will also not cost you any additional time that would otherwise put you under stress.The more you get correct in this section,the better your chances of having a 750+ !

Be CONFIDENT on your responses

Do not overthink once you have made the plunge and attempted the question. Correct or incorrect, that will only affect your psyche and prevent you from being the best version of YOU! We know, its easier said than done but these differentiators are what sets a 750+ scorer apart from the many and makes them part of an exclusive and elite club! Think about it this way,if you have an experimental question that doesnt seem very difficult to you,you may doubt your performance and your low confidence will affect the others and this time the investment of focus is really a nasty one because there are NO returns on this. You would lose focus and for literally no reason. You are psychogically tricked!

Indeed,our super powerful brain has an extra ordinary quality. It works best when it works against us!

Self doubts,overthinking,low confidence,...and the list would go on! So learn CONTROLLING your thoughts and make the powerful organ work in your favour.

NO ALTERNATE to a sharp focus

You have to be in it to WIN it

You have to stay in the moment,focus intensively on the question stub,on the data,on the options,on the rooms of all logical perspectives and remember, on the GMAT,most of the time its not about actually solving it but recognizing the RIGHT answer choice. Since you are a 700+ scorer already ,we know,you dont need to be elaborated on this part

Managing QUANT and VERBAL

Wohhh! Too many pointers already. Guess you are tired?? We hope not because you have lengthy RCs and stubborn Quant Questions to solve back to back in one single paper Maintaining mental stamina and an effective thought process as you solve the questions without succumbing to the burnout is our last pointer. Practicing full length tests without breaks will help you build up on it. We hope all this good "gyan" has given you some direction.

However, if you want to calm yourself,gain more test taking clarity and educate yourself more on some last minute tips and strategies, why don't you read some of our posts on our website(under resources segment)? Here are a few links- The first one discusses, " 23 tips to Maximize your GMAT Score" and the second one talks about what "Differentiates a 760 scorer from the rest". Just so you feel a little more confident, we are sending two more links here on "Scoring a Q50-51 in Quants" and "14 Powerful SC tips for GMAT". https://www.crackverbal.com/resources/g ... -day-tips/ https://www.crackverbal.com/resources/h ... mat-score/ https://www.crackverbal.com/resources/h ... ant-score/ https://www.crackverbal.com/resources/g ... tion-tips/ All the best for your paper on 30th Jan! See you on the other side of the green

Devmitra Sen GMAT Quant SME

RetaketheGMAT · Answer

Hi Jagmeister,

100% your problem is with how you're approaching questions (both quant and verbal). Elite scores require  elite conceptual knowledge  (which you likely have) and  elite Test Taking Skills .

The only way to assess your Test Taking Skills is with an expert GMAT performance coach watching you in action.

We offer a FREE 90 minute Diagnostic Testing Simulation (live with a GMAT Performance Coach) - it focused on how you're approaching Quant and Verbal question (step by step) and tells you exactly what you're missing for reaching your 750+ score.

I had a recent client who had your exact pattern. Low 700's on mocks, fluctuating Q and V splits and actual test score of 690. (it's normal to experience a bit of a drop from mocks to actual test day). Focusing on his Test Taking Skills we boosted his score from 690 to 760 in 4 weeks.

Let me know if you're interested in the FREE Diagnostic.

GMATWhizTeam · Answer

Hi Jagmeister,

Let me tell you that the improvement to 730+ is all about identifying the core pain points not only from a conceptual standpoint but also from a methodical standpoint and advanced strategies. Let me elaborate.

You're probably doing decently well on the easy and medium questions but when it comes to hard questions the issues start surfacing. What it means is that the methods that you might be using are not fully efficient. There is a need to improve the methodology and focus on logic. Using the right methodologies and strategies to approach the Verbal questions should ideally help you to avoid the traps set by the test makers. If you do so, it is possible to improve your sectional score and push your overall score as well.

Feel free to reach out in case of any more queries!

And yes, all the very best to you! Do write back your experience here.

Jagmeister · Answer

Hello Everyone!

Thank you for your replies, I didn't get a chance to reply but I did go through all of them before my attempt. I have written my debrief for anyone who wishes to read about my experience. Unfortunately, I don't have the permission to share urls yet. But you can search for it using the title "Official GMAT Experience (Mixed Feelings) Unofficial:720 (Q50|V37|IR7)"

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