the best simulator: 800score/ kaplan/ Manhattan ?

Question

hi,
I have 14 days left for my exam, I would like to ask some suggestions about some representative  mocks to take before my exam .
I took 5 of  800score  ( as part of E-Gmat verbal online) and I had a score that range from 580 ( V25, Q 45) to 690 ( V31 Q51), then a took 1 gmatprep : 680 (Q49, V33)

Now I would like to know which are the more similar to the real gmat (especially the verbal part that creates me more troubles) ( Manhattan, Kaplan, -…..)
Thanks for any advice

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi ALINA93,

The 'accuracy' of a CAT score is also based on how realistic YOU choose to make the CAT. To that end, 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?

With 14 days remaining before your Official GMAT, you shouldn't plan to take too many new CATs (but 2-3 FULL CATs would be fine). Any of the CATs from Kaplan, MGMAT or Veritas, when used correctly, will provide you with a reasonably accurate score assessment.

1) What is your goal score?

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

AjiteshArun · Answer

Have you taken all the GMATPrep tests?

ALINA93 · Answer

Hi Rich,
thanks for the answer (I also have to thank for my score in quantitative since I followed the course of empowergmat and now I’m almost always above the Q47)
I always try to do the CAT in a realistic way, (although I do bad the IR because I’m not prepared and I don’t want to get tired.)
Since I have some problems with the time and with the fact the I became more nervous, (usually towards the end of the verbal I go into panic) I would like to try this week every morning a Cat ( and then in the afternoon I will analyze the solutions, I think I can dedicate at least 6-8 hours per day to GMAT); so at least a minimum of 4/5 cat I would like to take, and the last week I will cover the exercises and some idoms
what mock do you suggest me?
yesterday I made a CAT of Manhattan ( the free trial). the result was strange; in the morning I was a little tired therefore I expect that quant will not be high, while the score in verbal was higher than my expectation. I took V 36( usually my max was V33). Consequently I do not know if it was a coincidence result, or the 800score is so different from the Manhattan mocks. I usually go well in math and poorly in verbal, while yesterday I was average in both
I would take a mock that is of a medium level, and it uses words similar to real GMAT, I am not native speakers therefore I would like to do in the last days mock that use word and logic similar to real ; I heard that Kaplan is more difficult, therefore 14 days before the exam it does not make sense to do complicated things, then I realized that quant in 800score is written differently than Manhattan (I think those of Manhattan are more similar to real GMAT)
since I do not know how are the other mocks, today I would like to try a different one and then tomorrow I will decide which to buy 
finally, my ideal score would be 700 that I could get with Q50 V36 (I was able to take both but in different examinations), or Q 49 V37 (I never took V37)
However, I think I will be enough for me to be a little more than 600, I'm finishing my bachelor and I would like to enroll this month to master, so I do not need a very high score, at least I hope.
thanks for any advice

ALINA93 · Answer

Hi, I take only one Gmatprep, I will take the last one next week

AjiteshArun · Answer

You should consider getting the  Exam Pack 1  extension for the GMATPrep. Exam Pack 2 will also become an option soon.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi ALINA93,

Taking a CAT every day is NOT a good idea - you likely won't benefit at all from doing so AND you will increase the chance of 'burn out' before Test Day (which is something that you want to avoid). In that same way, spending 6-8 hours per day on your studies might also be too much, but you can ultimately decide how much studying you can reasonably do on any given day. With 14 days, you have enough time to take 2-3 CATs, but the rest of your time should be spent on regular study and light review.

If you're not sure what GMAT score you would need to be a competitive applicant, then you should research the Schools/Programs that you're interested in. Most will have some type of available 'class data' (re: Average GMAT score, "middle 80" percent, etc.) on their respective websites.

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

ALINA93 · Answer

Hello,
 thank you for your suggestion 
I know Exam Pack 1 is the most valid but it has only 2 exams and I do not know it will be  enough for me , but I  can try to make them again  (although I get similar questions) just to get used with time; thanks for the advice

ALINA93 · Answer

I know it's not a good idea, but it would serve to help me to control the stress for 4 hours, in fact I'll do it only this week and next week I will do other things. I must, however, assess whether to make(and buy) 4/5 of Mangattan or, as was suggested, buy Exam Pack 1 (extension for the GMATPrep).
Spend 6/8 hours is not heavy for me, at least if I need only to review and do exercises , however if I do four 4H of mock, after I can at most only to analyze the error   and some revision to the notes

for the final vote, I think that over 650 I have some possibilities. I live in Italy and I would like to do some European universitate (including Bocconi). obviously for some universities is not enough (as hec, or the UK universities) but I point to get above the 650; in the future, for a possible mba, I will try to prepare myself more, taking more time
I thank you for the answer

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi ALINA93,

There's another reason for not taking all of those CATs in such a short period of time. Beyond the obvious reasons (taking that many CATs so quickly won't help you to improve AND you run the risk of burnout before Test Day), you will essentially "waste" all of those CATs (and you might end up needing them later if you end up choosing to retake the GMAT). There are plenty of 'study tasks' that you can complete if you are looking for "work" to do - taking all of those CATs is NOT a beneficial use of that time.

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

samusa · Answer

free gmatprep , exampack 1 and 2...that is all in all 6 realistic test from gmac. also you can reset and try these again.

besides the above, go for mgmat cats if you still need more practice.

Posted from my mobile device

ALINA93 · Answer

Yes, right.
at the end I decided to take Exam Pack 1, fewer mocks but better quality

ALINA93 · Answer

It is true, thanks for the suggestions, In fact, at the end, I decided to take Exam Pack 1 (extension for the GMATPrep), it's better to do a few tests, but do it well

I'll just ri-do the quant / verbal review, review the theory/idioms and I'll do a bit of exercises that there are on Gmatclub. I hope it will be enough (Would you have other tips to suggest me about what to do the last few days :wink:

) Anyway I hope to pass immediately, otherwise I do not think I'll try again

Alina

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi ALINA93,

Using your last GMAC CAT as a gauge, you have a much greater opportunity to pick up points in the Verbal section than in the Quant section, so some extra reps in all 3 Verbal categories would likely be beneficial. You might also find it useful to go back and redo some of the earlier Verbal questions that you worked on, so that you can hone your Verbal Tactics.

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

ALINA93 · Answer

Ok, I will try to redo my eralier verbal questions. (maybe even if i'm not good in CR, it is not a good idea to not repeat and to not try for the last time to understand something; in fact yesterday I did some CR and I needed more than 3 min for each ) it's a bit difficult ( I supposed that will be more easy at the end to review all) to repeat all the verbal and in the meantime to do quant (i don't want that by not doing a lot of exercisi in this days, i will decrease my score/accuracy in quant) :roll:

I'll try to give the best of me, and then we'll see

thanks for all the suggestions :-D

the best simulator: 800score/ kaplan/ Manhattan ?

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