1st Official GMAT Attempt - How do I improve

Question

I recently took my first attempt Official GMAT exam, and I want to ask this thread for some advice on how I can improve my score/how should I focus my studies.

Brief background: I plan on applying in the 2024 application cycle, however, will like to be completely done with the GMAT by this summer, so I can focus on other aspects of my application. My target is 700+. On my first attempt, I received a 660, with the following breakdown:

39Q - 41V - 5AWA - 3IR LOLOLOLOL

My first GMAT study program consisted of strictly a Magoosh subscription and me studying after work for an hour and a half each day. I honestly would slack on the weekends, and not make up for the 1-2 hours I will put in during the week. Also, there were a couple of weeks that I got sick and did not study at all. My study plan consisted of me strictly doing Easy Questions (85% right), then Medium Questions (70% Right), and then hard questions (around 45% right). I will then watch videos for the questions I got wrong. I put in absolutely no study time towards IR or AWA, aside from the 1 GMAT practice exam I did the night before the actual test and the one AWA video I watched from Magoosh on how to construct an AWA essay. This partly explains my terrible IR score. I studied for 2 months following this process.

I plan on taking the exam, however, would like advice on how I should tailor my studies going forward. As you can see, my quant score is a really weak area (surprisingly I studied engineering as an undergrad). But, I do think I can improve my verbal even more to make up for any shortcomings in quant as I do find some of these questions to be on the easier side. I would like some advice on how to create a more structured plan, and also if I should pursue an instructor-led study program as well. Happy to any feedback.

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi nperez4157.

Your move to achieve a high GMAT Quant score is to master, and I mean MASTER, one Quant topic at a time by doing the following for each topic:

- First, review the concepts and strategies that topic involves.
 
- Then, do practice questions involving that topic UNTIMED until you're achieving high accuracy, and by "high accuracy" I mean AT LEAST 90 percent of easy, 80 percent of medium, and 70 percent of hard questions correct.
 
- Finally, AFTER you have achieve high accuracy, work on reducing the time per question until you're correctly answering questions involving that topic at test pace.

Then, move on to the next topic and do the same thing.

For more detail on how to increase your GMAT Quant score, see this post.

How to Increase Your GMAT Quant Score: Top 25 Tips

To learn how to practice for best results, see this one.

The Best GMAT Practice Methods

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

Fair to say you want to focus on Quant right now.

It may be possible for you to improve Verbal. Had a student for example who went from a V41 to a V45 in less than 2 weeks. But your MBA app may be better off with a significantly improved Quant score. Not an overwhelmingly powerful Verbal that technically "combos" you above 700. In a sense, if you applied with a 710, you may rather have 4 more points on Quant than on Verbal. The scoring on Verbal in the V40+ range also becomes pretty steep.

5 Quant tips.

nik256 · Answer

Hey,

your verbal score is really good. Just work on your quants and you will get to the desired score

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi nperez4157,

To start, a 660 is a solid overall Score - especially considering the inconsistent study routine that you described - and you are closer to a 700+ than you probably realize. If your Verbal performance is consistently this strong, then you could potentially score well into the 700s. Since a Q39 could be seen as a 'red flag' at certain Programs, your emphasis should be on picking up the additional points you're looking for in the Quant section.

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) How long have you studied in total?
2) Did you take any other practice CATs/mocks besides the one you took the night before your Official GMAT? 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)?
3) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?

If you took your 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]

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi nperez4157,

In addition to the advice provided by Marty, here is a helpful article you can check out:

How to Improve Your GMAT Score

nperez4157 · Answer

Hello, thank you for your response!!

1) How long have you studied in total?  2+Months overall  
2) Did you take any other practice CATs/mocks besides the one you took the night before your Official GMAT? 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 only took one CAT, which is scored a 640 (38Q 39V 3IR)
3) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to? I am not sure of the schools yet, going to use my GMAT to help me in my decision making. Not applying until 2024. I do have an ESR, let me know how I can share with you.

KarishmaB · Answer

Go through the complete Quant curriculum of a test prep. With your engineering background, you should easily be able to reach Q45+. 
You will get a balanced 700 then. 
Continue practicing Verbal regularly (say around 10 questions every day)

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi nperez4157,

Before you can include attachments with your posts/PMs, you need to have at least 5 posts in the forums (right now, you have just 2 posts). If you would rather not go through those extra posting steps at this point, then you can feel free to email me directly (at [email protected]). I've also sent you a PM with some additional notes and questions.

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

Contact Rich at: [email protected]

egmat · Answer

Hey nperez4157 , Good job on scoring a 660 on the GMAT with a massive V41(93rd percentile) ! Most certainly your overall score dipped because of your Quant score Q39 (28th percentile) . Moving forward your primary focus should be on maintaining this high score in Verbal consistently while trying to push your Quant score to Q45+ to collectively score 700+. Improving your Quant score should not be that difficult for you, given your engineering background. Just ensure you use the right resources and follow the right approach. To improve your unusually low score, you should focus on learning the concepts rather than practicing a lot of questions. Remember, GMAT is a test of skills and in order to succeed in GMAT, you need to build and hone those skills. Unlike other traditional exams, merely practicing a bunch of questions without using defined methods and approaches will not help. You will need a structured study plan that will chalk out the shortest path for you to reach your target score. Step-by-Step Plan to Score Q45+ in Your Next Attempt STEP 1: Understand Your Current Skill Level Since you mentioned you already have your ESR, you can have a very precise understanding of your current skill level from the same. Your ESR will show you separate scores for both sub-sections in Quant that end up contributing to the overall score. These two subsections can be further subdivided into 5 topics – Number Properties, Word Problems, Advanced Topics, Algebra, and Geometry. So, you should consider mastering Quant to mean excelling in both the subsections or each of the 5 major topics I've listed above. STEP 2: Understand Your Optimal Path Since your current score is Q38, it is highly likely that you need to focus on all 5 topics. However, the GOOD NEWS for you here is – you DO NOT have to get to the 90th percentile for every subsection! Depending on your individual strengths and weakness, you need to set sub-sectional targets that will collectively help you get to your target score of a Q45+. Your Study Plan should chalk out the shortest path for you to achieve your target score. Click here to watch a video that will help you understand how a Personalized Study Plan increases your chance of getting to your target score by 4 times and also helps you save more than 60 hours of prep time! Click here to read a blog that will teach you how you can create your own personalized study plan. STEP 3: Master One Topic at a Time Once you have your study plan in hand, your preparation for every individual subsection should be broken down into three stages, proceeding one subsection at a time. Theses stages are: Stage 1: Learning Concepts and Methodologies This is the phase wherein we learn all the concepts in a sub-section and learn the process of solving the questions in that sub-section. Stage 2: Cementing In this phase, we cement our learnings by first solving medium-difficulty questions and then hard questions. We start with relaxed timing and then progress to standard timing. Standard timing is the speed at which you will be expected to take the actual GMAT. Stage 3: Test Readiness This is the final phase of your prep. This is where you write full-length mocks to determine whether you’re ready for the GMAT or need to work on cementing your individual skills further. Mastering one sub-section at a time entails completing the first two stages for a particular sub-section before moving to the next. STEP 4: Last Mile Plan Before your test, make sure you spend enough time on revising your notes and error logs. Make sure you review all your quizzes and mocks in detail to make sure that you got questions correct for the right reasons. For the incorrect questions or questions where you took excessive time, try to figure the gaps and bridge the gaps. I hope this gives you some clarity on what is it that you need to do to improve your Quant score and hence, your overall score. Your Immediate Next Steps I’d like to invite you to reach out to us at support@e-gmat.com and share your ESR with us so that one our experts could schedule a one-on-one Strategy Session with you to give you a detailed ESR analysis and to get very specific and personalized study plan to understand how you could achieve your target score within your planned timeline. An instructor-led program might not be the best for you at this stage because you need a more personalized approach to help you focus on your specific weaknesses and help you make this last 40-60 point improvement that you’re aiming for. Here’s a list of things that your prep course should provide you with: A strong, adaptive architecture that is able to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses at a granular level. Extensive lessons and exercises to cover concepts and methodologies to help you develop the right Core Skills. A robust and adaptive testing platform with advanced Data Analytics to help you Cement your core skills in each subsection. A reliable and integrated Mock Test Series that provides you with Enhanced Score Reports. And, finally, dedicated support of Subject Matter and Strategy Experts to monitor your progress and guide you every step of the way. Since you’re assessing courses to help you get to your target score, feel free to explore e-GMAT free trial. Some Motivation for You I’m also sharing a couple of success stories of students who’ve had a similar journey as you: Coming from a non-Quant background , Rida improved from a Q32 to a Q49 in less than 2 months (improved from 540 to 730 in just 50 days). She leveraged the adaptive architecture of our Quant course to work on the relevant concepts and skills to improve at such a fast pace. Click here to watch here debrief. Starting from a Q31 , Siddharth improved to a Q49 by leveraging the GMAT Online course (Quant 2.0 modules). He improved from 510 to 730 (220 points) in just about 4 months. Click here to watch his debrief. I hope you find this insightful and motivating! Looking forward to hearing back from you. Best Regards, Mansi

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

Your verbal score is already strong. So, with some effective Quant preparation, you should be able to score well above 700 on the GMAT.

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