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sirduke
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Verbal Strategy : Need your suggestion before my Fifth GMAT 14 Oct 2009, 11:47
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Hello every high scorers here.. :-D

I'm an amatuer in the forum....btw, I'm a big fan of GMAT club...
Let me introduce myself... I'm non-native Eng speaker, graduating from Engineering field with 3 yrs woking exp... I'm seeking for MBA in US...

I've taken and retaken GMAT for 4 times already during the past 2 yrs... all of them have been very close in score ranging around 510 (Q48 V14)... I wish for 620 though!

I don't think it was my English understanding that wasn't workable (my Toefl ibt= 98)
Should they be gaps that I have to plug.. not only an appropriate time the test scheduled for less competition in %PR, but the Verbal strategy....

My studies :
-Math : OG11th, OG12th and some other sources (avg spend 1 min 35 sec each question, and get overall Math study record of 96% correct)
-SC : OG11th + SC1000 + GMATClub Forums(avg spend 1 min 44 sec each question, and get overall SC study record of 75% correct)
-CR : OG11th + OG12th (avg spend 3 min 38 sec each question, and get overall CR study record of 67% correct)
-RC : OG11th (avg spend 16 min 20sec each sets of 4 questions, and get overall RC study record of 68% correct)
GMAT Prep : Priorly, I've got 540-570... and then 610-620 after I've got more familiar

** Apparently, on this basis, I can't do the real test on time, unless I skip the last two reading passages.

I've been using the following strategy to achieve V35 :
- first 6 questions : done with my full skills and timing (around 4-5 mins/question)
- Focus on only SC and some comprehensible CR
- Do only the first 2 reading passages, and I quickly cross the other 2 passages without any consideration...
- In turn, I short of time with 8 remaining questions in a few minutes... so I cross them just to have them all on time...

My constraints : I will retake it again next month.. I gotta rush for the next application before the end of this yr, the admission may be waiting for my above 600 score.

Do you think I've perceived wrong track toward 620 (Q48 V35) ???

I open to any of your suggestions :o

Thank you...
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esledge
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Verbal Strategy : Need your suggestion before my Fifth GMAT 14 Oct 2009, 12:23
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Hi sirduke, welcome to the forum!

I think your timing strategy is a little risky, for the following reasons:
--Focusing on the first few questions is fine, but not at the expense of later questions. The damage to your score from rushing at the end exceeds the marginal benefit you get from correct answers (even assuming they are correct...) at the beginning.
--To score above x percentile, you need to be pretty consistently correct on the problems below x percentile difficulty. Those problems occur throughout the test, so planning to skip the last two RC passages just because they come last is likely to backfire.
--That said, questions that seem to be taking you longer than average are probably harder than x percentile, and you don't need to worry about them as much. If you miss a question (or a bunch of questions) that are above x percentile difficulty, you can still score x percentile. Give all problems a try, but strategically guess whenever you pass some time threshhold without reaching a definite answer decision.

People who are really good at one area (as you are in math) are often loathe to strategically guess ever, just because they don't have much experience with doing so. Practice that skill, and you may find that your timing improves with not much of a decrease in your % right.

I'll be interested to see what others suggest...
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sirduke
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Verbal Strategy : Need your suggestion before my Fifth GMAT 14 Oct 2009, 12:33
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Thank you esledge !! I'm really appreciated in your response, as it is so clearly examined...

I've figured out some stated that don't even think to skip the last RC passage.. the second passage would rather be fine... but I didn't trust him, since I've experienced satisfied result with the strategy described in my tentative CAT, "GMATPrep" or "800Scores"

I'd rather try your recommendation from now on... :-D
you gave me lots of courage!
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mrsmarthi
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Verbal Strategy : Need your suggestion before my Fifth GMAT 14 Oct 2009, 13:16
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Yep....nothing more that one add to what esledge has already mentioned. Guessing on the last two RC passages is the biggest drawback one can make. Rather focus on managing the time equally - who knows probably RC passages that you skipped were infact the easy ones that might have knowcked them down if didn't pass on.
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mikeCoolBoy
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Verbal Strategy : Need your suggestion before my Fifth GMAT 16 Oct 2009, 23:40
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Hi sirduke

Reading your post, it's clear that your main problem is timing, specially in RC and CR.
What strategy are you using? Do you take notes? how long does it take you to read the passages?
What materials do you have to prepare RC and CR?

IMO,For CR the best resources to start with are

Power Score Critical Reasoning Bible
https://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-GMAT-C ... 805&sr=1-1

or

Critical Reasoning MGMAT

https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Reasonin ... y_b_text_c

Both are really good books, since your objective is 620. I think, you´ll have enough with that and the OGs.


If you don't have it MGMAT reading comprehension book is a good start to tackle the RC part
https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Comprehen ... y_b_text_c

If your reading pace is slow, I recommend you read the following book

https://www.amazon.com/Breakthrough-Rapi ... 628&sr=8-1

Do the exercises and practice for a month or two. If you practice everyday, for at least half an hour, you'll be able to double your reading rate with almost the same comprehension.

Read magazines everyday as if they were GMAT passages. In other words, take notes, write down the main idea of the article, and the tone of the author. Try to come up with possible GMAT questions, for instance if you see a quoted word in the article try to see what the author wants to convey. Then compare what you got from the passage to the title or the highlights of the article.

Some magazines I read as much as I can

https://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/home.aspx
https://www.economist.com/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/

Good luck
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