Main GMAT Score 660(Q48,V34), planning to retake

Question

I gave my GMAT exam today, Mock scores for 4 previous exams - GMAT prep 690, gmat prep 690, Gmat prep 690, MGMAT 680- My main gmat score however is on the lower side 660 (Q48,V34), I am planning to give my exam again in another 3 months now, can some one suggest the right approach to me?

and also according to the section scores the total score seems less can someone also put some light on that too please?

and also according to the section scores the total score seems less can someone also put some light on that too please?

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi rac632,

First off, a 660/Q48 is a strong score (it's right around the 80th percentile overall), so it could be enough to get you into your first-choice School. As such, a retest might not be necessary. Depending on the Schools that you plan to apply to, you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert about your overall profile. There's a Forum full of them here:

https://gmatclub.com/forum/ask-admission ... tants-124/

GMAC has publicly stated that the Official Score that you earn on Test Day is within +/- 30 points of actual ability. Assuming a similar 'swing' in how your CATs function, this Official Score is in the range of your practice CAT scores (+/- a few points). If you do choose to retest, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

1) How long have you studied?
2) What materials have you used?

Goals:
3) What is your goal score?
4) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
5) What Schools are you planning to apply to?

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

OptimusPrepJanielle · Answer

Hi rac632,

It is very difficult to say what the final score would be based on the break up. There are many cases in which people have the same split but different scores.

As for improving, try to drill down into each problem type to ace them.

SC: The questions test various concepts such as S-V agreement, modifiers, parallelism etc. Find out what troubles you. As a general guide line, you can start solving a question by taking the following things in consideration:

1. Find out the subject and the verb
2. See that the S&V agree in number
3. Look out for the modifiers
4. Look out for parallelism
5. Look out for usage of certain words - such as vs like, few vs less etc.

CR: There might be certain types of questions that are troubling you. May be Assumption, may be conclusion, inference etc.
You need to find that out and then practice them
RC: This again can be drilled down into different types of questions and also different topics. See what questions and topics trouble you the most and then practice accordingly.
Quants: Again try to break the questions in topics such as Algebra, Number system (very important), Geometry, PnC etc.

As an addition, start preparing an error log and keep a note of all the mistakes you made and the lessons you learnt from the problems. This will ensure you do not make the same mistake again.

rac632 · Answer

Hello Rich,

I studied GMAT for about 2 and half months, i majorly did OG and MGMAT guidebooks for verbal and MGMAT mock tests

Goals:
My goal score is anything above 730
I plan to apply for coming MBA admissions
The schools that i plan to apply to all fall at an average score of 700

Kindly advise
Rachit

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Rachit,

With a score goal of 730+, you're going to have to make some significant adjustments to how you handle BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections - and that work will likely take at least another 1-2 months of consistent, guided study. In addition, many Test Takers who end up using a 'book heavy' study plan end up getting 'stuck' at a particular score level. Since that may have happened to you, it's likely that you would need to invest in some new, non-book study materials to hit your score goal.

1) Going forward, how many hours do you think you can consistently study each week?

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

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hi

In which school(s) you are going to apply?

rohan2345 · Answer

Hi rac632, Do not be disheartened. GMAT does test your perseverance. 2 months should be good enough to achieve your dream score. It’s a good thing you have taken the GMAT once. You now know your weaknesses and can work on them. If you are willing to study dedicatedly for that period, you are sure to achieve your goal. I believe you may benefit from taking a GMATPREP course. If you are willing, there are some great GMAT prep companies that can help you with your preparation. In order to make an informed decision I would highly encourage you to go to their websites and try on their free trial and decide for yourself which one do you like better. You try out free access to EmpowerGMAT, Magoosh and Optimus Prep as they have great reviews on GMATCLUB. Also for verbal, I would highly encourage you to consider e-gmat verbal online or the e-gmat verbal live course. They are both amazing courses especially designed for non-natives. They offer almost 25% of their courses for free so you can try out their free trial to decide which one you want to go for. Plus the e-gmat Scholaranium which is included in both the courses is one of the best verbal practice tools in the market. I must add that if you are particularly looking to discover and improve on your weak areas in quant; a subscription to GMATCLUB tests is the best way to do that. They are indeed phenomenal and will not only pinpoint your weak areas but also help you improve on them. Further taking multiple mocks might help. Apart from the GMATPREP, Veritas Prep Tests in my experience have a good verbal and Quant section and will certainly help you point out and improve your weak areas. Further another advantage of taking many mocks is to build up your stamina. Apart from the GMATPREP tests, taking practise tests of any major GMATPREP company ought to do that. I would also encourage you to purchase the latest version of OG and the verbal review for some great additional practice. Here is a link that will help you with your decision. https://gmatclub.com/forum/best-gmat-ve ... 68383.html Hope this helps. All the best.

rac632 · Answer

Hello Rich,
I am ready to make those structural changes to my study pattern for the GMAT

and i can spend about 25 hours each week on average for coming three months for preparation of GMAT

Regards,
Rachit

rac632 · Answer

Hello,
Thank you so much, this was really helpful, i would look into the trial versions of all these courses and then only make the decision. However when compared to the online course is the personal tutoring better

What do you suggest?

Regards,
Rachit

rac632 · Answer

Hello,

I plan to apply in Schools like NYU Stern, Berkeley HAAS, Columbia University, Tuck, ISB(India), Rotmans Business School(Canada), University of Melbourne(Australia),HEC (France), INSEAD

Thanks

kishor1 · Answer

You may try taking the practice tests once again.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Rachit,

You've named some highly-competitive Schools, but I can assure you that your GMAT score IS in the 'acceptable range' for each of them (albeit at the lower end of the range). That having been said, there's no harm in retesting. Given everything that we've discussed, it's not clear whether you're looking at Round 1 or Round 2 application deadlines (but if you won't stop studying until you hit 730, then Round 2 makes more sense).

Based on everything that you’ve described, I think that you would find the EMPOWERgmat Total Score Booster to be quite helpful. Most of our clients complete that Study Plan in well under 2 months, so the time commitment wouldn't be that bad. We have a variety of free resources on our site (www.empowergmat.com), so you can 'test out' the Course before setting up an Account.

If you have any additional questions, then you can feel free to contact me directly.

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

Main GMAT Score 660(Q48,V34), planning to retake

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