Need an advice [GMAT Exam on 25.01]

Question

Hi dear experts,

I've been preparing for the test for a while with interruptions etc. After trying out much unofficial stuff (means, I've done all official Q's both in quant and verbal guides, and for practice did also Q's from other sources such as Kaplan, Princeton, 800Score etc) I observed a decline in verbal scores and particularly in the CR section (CAT scores are stated in my signature).
That's why for the last couple of days I've focussed on exclusively official questions from GMATsoftware (I've downloaded an extract of all questions Exam 1&Exam 2)

So, my strategy for the next two weeks includes solving every question from the question pool stated above and taking 2 extra gmat tests (Exams 3&4) on 14.01 and 18.01.
Do you think it's a viable strategy for the next two weeks ? (Target score 680+).

My problem zone ) is verbal part and particularly RC, I've been doing pretty good on SC and CR part, but as I've already said CR skills have become inept after doing so much unnecessary unofficial stuff.

I would appreciate your advice regarding preparation and test day.

Kind regards,
Mike

OptimusPrepJanielle · Answer

Hi Mike,

Going by your mock scores, you should be able to reach your target score.
Regarding the last two weeks, Solving the official questions is indeed the best way. In addition to the mock CATs, also make sure that you revisit your error log and ensure that you do not make the same mistakes again.

For the RC section, there are various methods to read the passage such as:

1. Making a passage map.
2. Reading the first and the last line thoroughly and skimming through the passage.
3. Paying attention to the transition words.

As for the CR questions, most of the problem types focus on the conclusion.
While solving the CR questions, read the question stem first and then read the premise in light of the question stem.
Make sure you identify the conclusion of the premise while reading it. This will help you arrive at the answer easily.

Also, make sure that you thoroughly analyse your mock CAT after finishing it. Taking lessons out of your mock CAT is of utmost importance.

1. Did you take the mock CATs including the AWA and the IR?

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Mike,

Before I can offer any specific advice about what you should be doing with these last 2 weeks of study, I'd like to know a bit more about how you've been taking 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.)? 
5) Did you ever take a CAT more than once?

If you're having difficulty with certain areas of the Verbal section, then simply doing (or re-doing) lots of practice questions is likely NOT going to provide much of a solution to your issues. Everything on the GMAT is predictable, but if you don't properly know the Tactics, patterns and little 'secrets' to the Test, then it will likely to be difficult to make any big improvements in such a short period of time.

1) Do you have the flexibility to push back your Test Date?

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

BrainLab · Answer

Hi Rich, Hi Janielle,

as for the CATs, I've always skipped IR and AWA. While I'll for sure start preparing for AWA 1 week prior the exam, I'll skip IR part, as it doesn't contribute the the score (I just have to many other issues with the core test, so I'll just skip IR-part).
 
1) Do you have the flexibility to push back your Test Date?   No, I've already postponed the test. 
 2) Did you take them at home?   Yes 
 3) Did you take them at the same time of day as your Official GMAT?   No 
 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.)?    I skipped IR and AWA sections each time. 
 5) Did you ever take a CAT more than once?   The results stated in my signature are all for the first attempt.

By the next two tests I won't skip any part of it. Actually I had 15 minutes more to go in the verbal part as I've just skipped RCs to have more time for CR and SC and my score was 35, so this time will be sufficient to answer at least to RCs on the real test. I've big problems with general questions (main point, summary of paragraphs etc) but I can answer almost any inference question.
As for quant part, I don't think I can score below 46-47 on the real test but my target score in this section is 50. This would help me to compensate my weak verbal part.

Most wrong answers in the quant part were DS. After the last CATs, I've enhanced my DS skill.

Kind regards,
Mike

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Mike,

Practice CAT scores are only as realistic as YOU make the process of taking the CAT. The more the 'CAT-taking event' deviates from what you'll face on Test Day, the more likely the score is to be inaccurate (and in most cases, that means "inflated"). Based on everything that you've described, you have not taken any of your CATs in a realistic fashion, so we cannot trust that these score results are completely accurate. As such, I highly recommend that you take a new FULL-LENGTH CAT and do so in as realistic a fashion as is possible (take it away from your home, at the same time of day as your Official GMAT, etc.). That score result is essential to defining what you should be focusing on during these last couple of weeks.

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

Need an advice [GMAT Exam on 25.01]

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards