Bombed Verbal, did well in Quant

Question

Hello Experts!

I appeared for my GMAT yesterday and completely bombed the Verbal section. My score breakdown is -
Q50 V28 IR8

This was my second attempt and in my first attempt, I scored V36. In fact, even in my official mock tests and Experts Global mock tests I continuously scored 38-41. Never for once did I score anything close to 28 in any of my mock tests. I think time management was one of the major contributors to this low verbal score. 
Moreover, I am able to solve advanced-level SC and CR with an accuracy of 80+ percentage. When I saw a V28 on my screen after the exam, my confidence was completely shattered.
My target is 750+ which means that I need to get at least V44. Could you please suggest me some ways to improve the score? I am planning to retake the exam in Feb/Mar 2023.

Thanks!

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi Kellogg2023.

To score V44+, you need to get at least close to 90 percent of the verbal questions you see on the test correct, and if you're scoring at that level, you'll see only medium and hard counted verbal questions. So, you need to be prepared to get at least around 90 percent of the medium and hard verbal questions you see correct.

So, one thing you need to do to achieve your score goal is achieve higher practice accuracy to better match the accuracy you'll need to achieve when you take the GMAT.

To do so, you need to take everything you're doing in verbal up a few notches. So, any time you miss a practice question, you should determine why (knowledge gap, flawed strategy, execution issue) and address whatever issue you have found so that, going forward, that issue doesn't cause you to miss questions.

For some resources you can use to better understand how to achieve a high verbal score, see the following posts and video, which will likely provide you with key insights.

How to Score High on GMAT Verbal

The Best GMAT Practice Methods

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyyPP9XQBxI

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Kellogg2023,

I'm sorry to hear that Test Day didn't go as well as planned. When these types of score drops occur, the two likely "causes" involve either something that was unrealistic during practice or something that was surprising (or not accounted for) on Test Day. Before we discuss any of those potential issues though, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

1) On what date was your 1st Official GMAT and how did you score (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
2) How long have you studied in total? How many hours do you typically study each week?
3) What study materials have you used so far? What “brands” of CATs/mocks have you used?
4) On what dates (or approximate dates) did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks and how did you score on EACH (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for EACH)?
5) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?

If you took your 2nd Official GMAT at a Test Center, then you might also choose to purchase the Enhanced Score Report. While the ESR doesn’t provide a lot of information, there are usually a few data points that we can use to define what went wrong on Test Day (and what you should work on to score higher). If you purchase the ESR, then I'll be happy to analyze it for you.

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

Contact Rich at: [email protected]

TargetKellogg2024 · Answer

Hi Marty,

Thank you for your response.
I have realized that my accuracy has consistently been more than 80%, especially in SC, in my mock tests and practice questions. I am struggling a lot to keep up with the questions in the stipulated time.
I in fact had enrolled at TTP. My quant score went up from 47 to 50, and even though I find the TTP verbal very helpful and was able to answer the questions with good accuracy, I tanked in verbal in my real GMAT

I am now planning to complete all official GMAT questions again and go through questions on GMAT Club before attempting GMAT again.

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

OK, that plan sounds good.

What I discuss in that video could help you speed up in verbal.

Also, you may get some useful ideas from this post.

How to Get Faster at GMAT Verbal

TargetKellogg2024 · Answer

Hi EMPOWERgmatRichC,

Thank you for your response.
When I started my exam, I completely phased out for some reason. I started off with Quant. The first question was fairly easy, but still, I took 2+ min to answer that. Later, I just took a deep breath and finished the section on time. I managed to score Q50.
However, in the Verbal section, when I phased out, I could not pull myself together and ended up with a horrifying V28 score!

To answer your questions-
1) On what date was your 1st Official GMAT and how did you score (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
 >> My first official GMAT was in Aug 1st week. I had prepared for 3 weeks and scored Q47 V36

2) How long have you studied in total? How many hours do you typically study each week?
 >> After my first attempt, I had to take some time off and started again in Nov beginning. After around 5 weeks of study, I reappeared for the exam yesterday. In 5 weeks, I studied for 6-8 hours a day

3) What study materials have you used so far? What “brands” of CATs/mocks have you used? 
 >> I relied on GMAT official prep, GMAT Ninja Youtube videos and TTP. I also used GMAT Club questions for practice

4) On what dates (or approximate dates) did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks and how did you score on EACH (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for EACH)?
 >> I took Official Mocks. Below are the scores-
OG 1 - 11/30/2022 - Q50 V34 - 690
OG 2 - 12/04/2022 - Q49 V34 - 680
OG 3 - 12/10/2022 - Q50 V40 - 740
OG 4 - 12/12/2022 - Q50 V38 - 720
OG 5 - 12/13/2022 - Q49 V32 - 690
OG 6 - 12/17/2022 - Q50 V36 - 720

5) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?
 >> I am planning to apply in September 2023 for the 2024 admission. I am targeting the top 15 colleges

In my current attempt, I was expecting no more than 700-720, but 650 was unexpectedly low. I am targeting V42-V44

Thanks!

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

Kellogg2023

Here's someone who got a similar score on their first attempt (680 Q50 V31).  They mention a variety of resources you can check out and some tips. They got a Q50 V40 (740) in about 30 days on a retake.

5 Verbal tips

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Kellogg2023, I've sent you a PM with some notes and additional questions. GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made, Rich Contact Rich at: Rich.C@empowergmat.com

GMATWhizTeam · Answer

Hi  Kellogg2023

Let me share my 2 cents from my experience of scoring 740 on GMAT and helping many students reach their target score. Taking extra time to solve questions is a symptom and not the disease itself. Let me elaborate.

There are 2 things that you do while solving questions - 1. You think about how to solve the question and 2. You solve the question. It's the first point that eats up unnecessary time. Now how do you tackle Point 1. Most people think the best solution is by solving additional questions. It does help but sadly is not the most effective solution because by just practising more questions you end repeating the same mistakes.

The better solution is to learn the right logical methods to solve questions and then master these methods with additional practice. Now before suggesting you the right methods, I would like to understand how you approach questions at present and then accordingly I can suggest you what's the way out. Also, if you have your ESR, it would be helpful for better analysis and understanding. Feel free to connect with me on a DM to discuss further.

selberenova · Answer

I'm sorry to hear that you had a difficult time on the verbal section of the GMAT. A score of V28 is lower than you were expecting and lower than your scores on practice tests, so it's understandable that you are feeling disappointed and unsure about how to improve.

Here are a few suggestions for how you can work on improving your verbal score:

1. Review the areas where you struggled on the GMAT. Make sure you understand the concepts and strategies being tested in these areas and practice applying them to different types of questions.

2. Practice pacing yourself on the verbal section. The GMAT has a time limit for each section, so it's important to manage your time effectively. Practice timing yourself on practice questions and try to complete each question within the allotted time.

3. Work on building your reading comprehension skills. The GMAT tests your ability to understand and analyze complex reading materials, so it's important to be able to read and comprehend texts quickly and accurately. Practice reading a variety of texts and try to identify the main ideas and supporting details.

4. Practice your grammar and language usage skills. The GMAT tests your ability to recognize and correct errors in grammar, usage, and structure. Make sure you understand the rules of standard written English and practice applying them to different types of questions.

5. Consider taking a GMAT course or working with a tutor. A course or tutor can provide additional structure and guidance to your studies and help you identify and address any areas of weakness.

I hope these suggestions are helpful. Remember to take breaks and take care of yourself as you prepare for your retake. Good luck!

Bombed Verbal, did well in Quant

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