Decreasing Practice Scores

Question

Hello all,

I have been studying for about 5 months now I originally took a practice exam through Kaplan when starting out and got a 560. After further research found out that that’s not the best indicator so after about 2 months of studying I took one of the 5 official practice exams and have taken those since other than one MGMAT. Dates and scores as follows

Dec 1 - 620 39 quant 36 verbal
Jan 6 - 610 41 quant 32 verbal
Feb 4 - 700 48 quant 38 verbal
Feb 8 - 640 43 quant 34 verbal (MGMAT)
Mar 4 - 620 42 quant 34 verbal
Mar 17 - 600 41 quant 31 verbal

I have gone through the entire OG, and MGMAT series books. I have been using Magoosh keeping a strict error log and studying just about every day. I am currently working my way through the OG quant/verbal review specific books as well as rewatching the Magoosh videos and redoing problems.

Recently I started watching all the Veritas prep videos on YouTube.

I desperately want to get into a top program and I take the GMAT April 22nd.

I have military/SOF experience but I know that’s not enough to carry a bad GMAT score.

Posted from my mobile device

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi UsedBlackberry5,

From what you've described, your studies so far have been "book heavy"; unfortunately, many GMATers who study in that way end up getting 'stuck' at a particular score level. Even the best books are limited in what they can teach you; they also can't force you to approach questions in a certain way and their explanations are often one-sided. As such, you would likely find it beneficial to invest in some new, non-book study materials for this next phase of your studies.

In addition, 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, most of your CAT/mock score results show that you essentially performed the same each time (about 620 +/- a few points). The 700 is an interesting 'outlier' (as you performed notably higher on both the Quant and Verbal sections of that one CAT than you did on any of your other Exams), but since you haven't scored that high again, we have to be careful about assuming that that result was an accurate assessment of your actual 'ability level.' You handle certain aspects of the GMAT consistently well, but you also make certain consistent mistakes. Since these Scores go back over 3 months, it's possible that you've developed some 'bad habits' that are keeping you from scoring higher.

Before I can offer you the specific advice that you’re looking for, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

1) What type of study routine have you followed? How many hours do you typically study each week?
2) What is your overall goal score?
3) Are you planning to take the At-home GMAT or are you planning to take your GMAT at a Test Facility?
4) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to? If you're planning to apply sometime soon, then what specific application deadlines are you facing?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
 
 760+: What GMAT Assassins Do to Score at the Highest Levels

UsedBlackberry5 · Answer

1) I am using the Magoosh 6 month study plan. I study for about 10-13 hours/wk
2) 700+
3) Currently registered for April 22nd at a testing center but may reschedule and take at home.
4) I am looking to apply to top 10 schools. I am looking to start my MBA in fall of 2022 and want to apply for early decision at Columbia in October.

GMATWhizTeam · Answer

Hi UsedBlackberry5,

Lack of a proper structure can be the reason for the score being inconsistent. The key to scoring well on GMAT is doing the prep in the right way. And how to do your prep in the right way? Make sure to tick all the below boxes.

Learn the concepts of the topic 
 Learn the methodology to solve questions of that topic (Most important) 
 Practice questions of that topic to get used to the methodology (No need to time yourself at this stage) 
 Move to the next topic only if you get a decent accuracy while practicing. If not, revisit the concepts and the methodology and make sure to understand them perfectly this time

This is the right sequence to deal with the topics. Repeat the same process for every topic. And once you are done with all the topic, you can start taking timed quizzes.

The reason for score being inconsistent: 
Now, ask yourself whether you have done your prep in the right way. You are probably good with the concepts but are still struggling with the application part. So, make sure to work on the application and learn the right methodology. One way to do that is to analyze the solutions in depth. Go through each step of the solution, identify at which step you have made the mistake, think what made you take that decision at that point of time and make sure to learn the right approach.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sD35ZuGgD4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvMTiv8GCbs

The path ahead: 
Do not rely on too many resources. As you are using an online course, stick to that. But make sure that the resource you are using helps you with the methodology and helps you to work on your weak areas. If that's not the case, then switch to a good standard resource which can help you with them. But never rely on too many resources. It only makes things worse.

Make a proper study plan. Dedicate equal time to both Quant and Verbal. Deal with one topic at a time and move to the next topic only after you get at least 80% accuracy in the previous topic. You don't have to time yourself while learning the right methodology. During the initial stages of learning, the focus should be on getting the process right.

I can guide you in a better way if you can provide me a little background about your GMAT preparation, how you prepared till now and your weak areas. You can write back to me here or a better way would be to discuss the same over a call. You can get in touch with me using the below link.

Click here to schedule a call

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi UsedBlackberry5,

Studying for the GMAT now - far in advance of when you will actually "need" your Score - is a smart choice. In that same way, since you are interested in some highly-competitive Schools, you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert about your overall profile and plans (and the earlier you reach out to those Experts, the more time you will have to incorporate their suggestions). Those Experts should be able to answer your Admissions questions and help define the specific areas of your profile that could use some improvement. There's a Forum full of those Experts here:

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

Statistically-speaking, raising a 620 to the point that you can consistently score 700+ will likely require that you commit to at least another 1.5 - 2 months of consistent, guided study - and you'll have to make improvements to how you handle BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections. Thankfully, the GMAT is a consistent, predictable Exam, so you CAN train to score at a higher level. While there's no harm in taking the GMAT on April 22nd, that would only give you about 5 more weeks of study time. If you ultimately "need" a 700+ to apply, then THAT Score Goal has to come first - and you might want to consider pushing back your Test Date (which would likely same you some time, money and frustration in the process).

"Review" is an exceptionally important part of the GMAT training process; your ability to define WHY you're getting questions wrong is essential to defining the areas that you need to work on (and the specific things that you need to 'fix'). As such, I'd like to know a bit more about your last CAT. While a full Mistake Tracker would provide a lot more information, there are some basic questions that you should be able to answer (and the more EXACT you can be with your answers, the better):

After reviewing each section of this recent CAT, how many questions did you get wrong....
1) Because of a silly/little mistake?
2) Because there was some math/verbal that you just could not remember how to do?
3) Because the question was too hard?
4) Because you were low on time and had to guess?
5) How many Verbal questions did you 'narrow down to 2 choices' but still get wrong?

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

760+: What GMAT Assassins Do to Score at the Highest Levels

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi UsedBlackberry5,

I’m sorry to hear about what has been going on with your GMAT. Before providing specific advice, I do have one important question. Given that you have plenty of time before you need to submit your applications, would you be willing to push back your GMAT, studying longer, and take it once you are truly ready to do so? In the meantime, here is a helpful article for you to check out:

How to Score a 700+ on the GMAT — A Mini Guide for Success

UsedBlackberry5 · Answer

I looked into canceling/rescheduling it to push it back but would get charged to do so and since I get two of my GMATs paid for through my current employer. I am thinking about just taking it anyways but continuing to study using it almost as a “practice exam” if that makes sense.

Posted from my mobile device

egmat · Answer

Hi UsedBlackberry5 , From your various mock scores it is clear to me that the 700 score is an outlier and your current prep puts you around ~41 in Quant and ~32 in Verbal. Have you reviewed your error log? What kind of errors do you normally make in the questions that you get wrong and in which sub-sections? Your scores indicate conceptual and application gaps which need to be fixed to get to a score of 700+. To do so optimally, you need to have a sub-sectional level understanding of your strengths and weaknesses and create a plan that fits your specific requirements. Do you know your ability at a sub-sectional level? If no, then Also, I would like to invite you to try a SIGma-X mock test. These tests are designed to give you not only an accurate assessment of your current GMAT score but also a very detailed report of your performance. You will be able to pin-point your strengths and weaknesses at sub-sectional level and make a precise plan for the remaining of your preparation. Follow the steps mentioned below to take SIGma-X mock test: 1. Register for free trial on e-GMAT portal 2. After registering, click here to navigate to mock page Once you take the test, you can write to our team at support@e-gmat.com for a detailed analysis of your performance and a plan to reach your target GMAT score. Regards, Aditee

egmat · Answer

Hi  Koonus ,

What kind of information are you looking for? In which stage of prep are you at the moment?

Regards,
Aditee

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Understood. If you need any additional advice, feel free to reach out.

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