How to improve from a low GMAT score of 640 to get 700

Question

Hi Experts, I gave GMAT a day back. Score-640 IR-6 Quant-46 Verbal-31 :cry:

About the test , i really found it was so ok. At no point during the exam i felt stressed or sweating .I really felt good and calm through out the test. So i can say that low score is not due to stress and i seriously lacked on some part of my preparation. The score i got is really less for my target business schools. Specially the verbal score is too less. Another thing is that i am not applying this year to business schools. I will be applying next year just want to get done with GMAT and concentrate on my work and profile for a year. So i guess that gives me time to give GMAT again. So two important question here is : 1.When should i re-take GMAT ?? Should i take a break, give after a long time or start preparing again right now and give it in like 2-3 months. 2.How to improve massively on Verbal and even Quant ?? Please advice . Thanks- Pranav

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Pranav,

First off, a 640 is a pretty good score (it's just shy of the 80th percentile overall), so calling it a 'low' score makes you sound silly. As it stands, it might be enough of a score to get you into your first choice Business School. It's important to remember that Business Schools look at your OVERALL profile, so if you are a strong applicant, this GMAT score will not 'hold you back.'

All of that having been said, I'd like to know more about your studies so far:

1) How long have you studied?
2) What materials have you used?
3) How did you scored on each of your practice CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?

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

prnvprem · Answer

Hi Rich,

Thanks for the response. Thanks for telling its a decent score.. All i have heard till now is that its too low ,specially for top colleges in our country.
Regarding the studies :
1.I prepared for around 3-4 months (I prepared for 2 months and then due to some family emergencies wasn't able to study for about a month. Again prepared for a month before my test).
2.I had classes at a test prep company for 1st two month. I had solved their practice book and then OG 2015.
3.Please find the practice CATs scores below:

GMAT1 :610
Quant : 40
Verbal : 33

GMAT1(re-take) 650
Quant: 42
Verbal: 32

Manhattan Test: 600
Quant : 40
Verbal : 33

GMAT2: 690
Quant :48
Verbal: 37

GMAT2(re-take) : 720
Quant : 48
Verbal : 42

The re-take scores are inflated as there were question i have already seen on earlier tests.
One more thing,i had target score of 680-700,that was in my head all the time that i should get 680+, also with my stop start preparation i thought maximum i can score
is 680 and landed on even less.

Thanks-
Pranav

samusa · Answer

I advise you to buy Enhanced Score Report of your last GMAT exam from mba.com. It costs about $ 25 but you will find it useful.It will help you a lot in locating your weaknesses,though it is not very specific but is specific enough to make use of : )

https://www.mba.com/india/store/store-ca ... eport.aspx

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Pranav,

Unfortunately, we have to ignore your 'retake' scores - but you already seem to understand why those scores are likely inflated. I have some additional questions about how you took your CATs.

When you took your CATs:
1) Did you take the ENTIRE CAT (including the Essay and IR sections)?
2) Did you take them at home?
3) Did you take them at the same time of day as your Official GMAT?
4) Did you ever do ANYTHING during your CATs that you couldn't do on Test Day (pause the CAT, skip sections, take longer breaks, etc.)?

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

prnvprem · Answer

Thanks for the advice.

prnvprem · Answer

Hi Rich,

1)Yeah i took entire CAT including Esaay and IR
2)1st CAT i took at home but after that all were in a study center.
3)Yeah i took them at the same time as official GMAT.
4)Nope.

I got my AWA score- 4.5. Just wanted to ask whats a good AWA score and whats the significance of AWA score?

Regarding timing of CATs- on the day of my official GMAT i reached to the center an hour earlier than the official time.
The center manager asked that the system is free if you want u can start the test and i took it. So actually i started one hour 
earlier on official GMAT than the time i was taking the practice CATs.

Thanks-
Pranav

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Pranav,

GMAC has publicly stated that a Test Taker's score is within +-30 points of actual ability. Assuming a similar 'swing' in your CATs, your Official Score is 'in range' of those practice scores (and I don't see any 'red flags' in how you took your practice CATs), so it looks like you were practicing in a realistic fashion.

As far as the AWA is concerned, most Schools expect applicants to have a minimum of a 4.0 on the AWA - but most Schools do not put too much emphasis on it. With a 4.5, you have that part of the application 'handled.'

You mentioned something interesting about Test Day - that you arrived 1 HOUR before your Exam. That's not too common, so I have a few questions about Test Day:

1) How did you sleep the night before your GMAT?
2) How long was the ride to the Test Center from your home?
3) Were there any distractions at the facility or during the Test?
4) What did you do during the two 8-minute breaks?
5) Did you finish any sections early?
6) Did you have to rush to finish any sections (and guess on questions just to finish on time)?

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

prnvprem · Answer

Hi Rich,

1)I slept well.
2) Ride was 30 mins
3)No distractions
4)During breaks i had water n just walked around the waiting area at the center.
5)I finished verbal early.(happened on each of practice CATs even).
6)Quant i had 10 questions and 8 mins left ,so i had to rush through .

Thanks-
Pranav

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