35 days to GMAT Exam - Re-strategizing (Inputs/ Advice Reqd)

Question

Hi Guys

I'm writing GMAT exam on 7th Sept and I'm yet not complete with the syllabus once.

Therefore, I need your Suggestions and Help:

My story so far:

VERBAL:

SC: completed Manhattan SC and OG12 entire SC exercise. My accuracy is 80% and I'm confident to improve it further. Next, I'll be doing SC from Kaplan 800 in a day or two followed by Verbal Review and then again revision of OG12.

CR: It's bad, I'm midway in OG12 CR exercise and just getting accuracy rate of 60-70%. The problem is that I'm from an Engineering background and do not understand the Economic terms, Marketing Strategies, Insurance policies type of questions. Even after spending a lot of time I get these type of questions wrong!
Please suggest a way to fathom it.

RC: I've an innate talent of reading and my accuracy is 80% in this as well. So far I've just been able to complete 50% of OG12 RC.

For Verbal I intend to refer to Kaplan 800 and Verbal review apart from OG12. Any suggestions ????

QUANT:

Geometry: I've completed the entire geometry twice with questions from Quant Review, Manhattan GMAT archives.

Arithmetic: I've done it once and redoing it for better grasp. Right now, I'm on Number System & HCF/LCM.

Algebra: The above will be followed by revision of Algebra. I have planned to finish all this by Aug 06 after which I'll complete my OG12 in next 4 days. So by Aug 11 I should have completed with Quant topics once except for Probability which I'm yet to start : (

I also have to give 15-20 full length tests. Indeed, I've not given a diagnostic yet because I feel that If i'm not conversant with basic Maths questions and its types, how can I go ahead with Full Lengths test.
Do you think it's the right strategy?

Please give your inputs for me to improve or re-strategize, I'm targeting a score of at least 650.

Incase, this issue has been discussed in an other thread, please direct me to that post.

_________________
Best,
Vaibhav Mittal

"The test of a vocation is the love of the drudgery it involves" - L.P. Smith

vaibhavmittal · Answer

Huh! I've not received any reply for my post. V

kjumbala · Answer

I think you should try a CAT diagnostic test pretty soon enough so that you can feel how it's like that the question is getting harder and harder. For me, it's feel very different from doing the practices in OG. I think this way might help you know how well you can do each section under a timed-condition and might help you adjust your strategies accordingly.

This's just my opinion though. Anyway, Good luck in your Exam

bb · Answer

You should "complete" one of your outstanding areas - either verbal or math. Be done with it and then focus on the other. I would also recommend to immediately take a diagnostic test, such as GMATPrep or other and see where you stand - you may need more/less work than you think. DO IT!

If you need help with CR, get the PowerScore CR book - it has been recommended by many on this forum. It is fantastic that you are doing great with RC. This is usually the hardest area to improve. Put more emphasis on learning/reviewing basics in math than crunching questions in the OG - much more effective. You can try Kaplan Math Workbook if you have access to it or if you need a lot of help, you can try Kaplan Math Foundations. However, I think we need to see you GMATPrep performance before we can really give a quality recommendation.

vaibhavmittal · Answer

Hello

Thanks for the reply.

In fact, I gave a diagnostic and scored 510 with the following break up:

Quant (Scored-35, 23 Correct)
Verbal (Scored-25, 23 correct, only 38 attempted)

Quant:
I reviewed the quant section and found the areas where I'm lacking competence - Coordinate Geometry, Probability and Combitronics (P&C) and DS type questions of Applied Maths.

I've already completed PS questions of OG and currently mid way in DS.

I'm yet to study the P&C topic but will try to complete it in this week. I've reviewed Coordinate geometry once and now confident about it.

The problem I'm facing the most is in DS type Applied problems in which I tend to spend more than usual on coming to an conclusion required for answering the questions. I did try to learn and improve the nitty-gritty of such questions by studying Kaplan Math workbook and Kaplan Premier CD, it really helped but the speed required to answer the question is missing.

Verbal:

SC: I got most of SC questions correct.
CR:Though I tried my best to understand the stem and question but still couldn't get the correct answer. 
As suggested by you, I did try to study CR basics but I am just unable to apply the funda in most of the questions. Every time, it boiled down to using spontaneity and basic understanding of the passage.

The biggest problem I'm facing is in the Economy related questions of CR & RC. I'm from an Engineering background and do not understand the Economic terms, Marketing Strategies, Insurance policies type of questions. Even after spending a lot of time on figuring the correct answer, I mark wrong answer on these type of questions.

RC: During the GMATprep test, I found a RC passage (Out of 4) which dealt entirely with Economy and even after repetitive attempts I could not understand the passage. Hence, I got all the wrong answers.

Please suggest a way to improve now. I've rescheduled my GMAT appointment for September 29th.

vaibhavmittal · Answer

Hello

I have a complete month to my exam and I really need to make a good strategic plan to give the best shot of my life for it. 
These days I'm just focusing on my weakest areas - CR (by reading Powerscore) and Permutation & Combination/ Probability (by learning basics). I'm not studying anything else, not even revising anything right now.

I'm yet to complete Quant - DS section of OG. Although, I've already done SC, CR, RC & PS from it. I intend to revise OG followed by Verbal Review and Quant Review.

I'm not too sure of the strategy or plan to be followed. So, I need your inputs to best use the time available.

The target score for me is at least 650 and exam is on Sept 29th.

Thanks 
Vaibhav Mittal

mohater · Answer

Hello vaibhavmittal,

You should use your diagnostic test to determine where you need to spend the most time.

Based on your high level results above, it appears you need to spend more time on verbal.

There also appears to be a timing issue. Are you having trouble managing your time?

mrsmarthi · Answer

Vishalmittal,

I see that you are mentioning that you completed this book / that book / this topic / that topic. But I stongly oppose that. It is not how many books or how many topics that you have completed. Reading thru the topics does not take you to your targeted score. "How indepth did you understand the topics" is all what matters.

So rethink for your selves, for the topics that you have already covered, are you sure. If not then go back and reread them, understand every point that is mentioned. Until and unless the foundation is strong, there is no point in wondering why your score is not as expected.

See if this works out for you.

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35 days to GMAT Exam - Re-strategizing (Inputs/ Advice Reqd)

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