weak verbal

Question

hey guys...

i'm new to gmat... english is not my first language... using gmat to start a new life and go to school...

took a practice test... scored 490... very weak in verbal...

no target school/ score in mind... but ideally 600+

any tips to improve verbal...?

thx

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi robertomendoza016,

First off, a 490 is not a terrible 'baseline' score (the average score on the Official GMAT hovers around 540-550 most years).

Since it sounds like you're just starting out, it's important to try and define your goals a bit more. You say that you don't know which specific Schools you're interested in (and that's fine for now), but how do you know what GMAT score will make you a competitive applicant? 600+ is a big range and it will likely take you considerable more effort to score 700+ than it will to score 600+. With a little research into some programs that might interest you, you'll be able to better plan for the long term.

As it all stands, you can begin your studies now, and change your goals later.

1) On this first CAT, what were your Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores?
2) Have you thought about when you want to take the GMAT?
3) Have you thought about when you might want to apply to Business School?

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

GMATPILLBILL · Answer

Hey robertomendoza016, The SC section is the easiest verbal section to make improvements on. Once you understand how to think and approach this question type, there are only so many ways you can be tested. Here at GMAT Pill we developed the 10 core frameworks which detail the 10 ways to approach GMAT sentence corrections. Here is a sample video detailing one of the core frameworks: https://www.gmatpill.com/gmat-practice-t ... stion/2184 For CR, we recommend a visual framework approach to help you understand the complex short passages and how each item relates to each other. Here is a video describing the visual framework approach: https://www.gmatpill.com/criticalreasoni ... Estate.mp4 To improve RC - you really need visual guidance. Don't read articles about how to improve reading. You improve by actually doing or watching someone else do. That's why you might find these video walkthroughs helpful: https://www.gmatpill.com/practicequestio ... tions.html Best of luck on your studies!

robertomendoza016 · Answer

thxs..  EMPOWERgmatRichC 
practice test was Q36/ V22...
heard 600 range was solid.. not perfect tho...
was thinking of state school mbas... very affordable...
thinking of taking test this year... apply for school next year....

robertomendoza016 · Answer

thnx  GMATPILLBILL  ... will look into it

GMATPILLBILL · Answer

No problem! Best of luck on your studies!

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi robertomendoza016,

With these Scaled Scores, you're going to have make some big improvements to BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections, but it sounds like you have given yourself plenty of time to study, which is good.

What practice materials are you currently working with?

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

mrinal0308 · Answer

EMPOWERgmatRichC I have also the same issue in verbal. I gave my first gmat and got 530

Q48/V17, AWA 5.5 Dont know what really went wrong in verbal..

I am trying for a retake but verbal is not giving me that confidence to reschedule the test.. Please suggest some conxrete plans for verbal that may make me confident and I can prepare in that line.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi mrinal0308,

I'll be happy to offer some suggestions, but I'd like to know a bit more about how you've studied so far and your goals:

1) What is your goal score?
2) How long have you studied?
3) What materials have you used during your studies?

4) On Test Day, did you have trouble finishing the Verbal Section on time (did you have to guess on a bunch of questions just to finish on time?)?

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

mrinal0308 · Answer

EMPOWERgmatRichC  ,
1) What is your goal score? -- close to 700
2) How long have you studied? -- about 4 months 
3) What materials have you used during your studies? -- used IMSIndia classroom coaching + kaplan premier +kaplan 800+ OG13 + gmatprep tests

4) On Test Day, did you have trouble finishing the Verbal Section on time (did you have to guess on a bunch of questions just to finish on time?)? -- no i finished well within time.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi mrinal0308,

When you say that you finished the Verbal section "well within time", I assume that means that you finished EARLY. How early though? And did you end up slowing down on the last few questions?

When dealing with the Verbal section, what 'steps' do you go through when dealing with a typical SC, RC or CR?

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

mrinal0308 · Answer

EMPOWERgmatRichC , yeeah that can be one of the things. I generally take RC out of my interest and try to pass that asap...

For CR and SC, I m not sure which could have been more strong for me bcz with a score of 17 i think i did bad in all of them

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi mrinal0308,

You did not actually answer any of the questions that I asked. Before I can offer you the pointed advice that you're looking for, I really need more information. With a V17, you're missing LOTS of points in all 3 Verbal categories (SC, RC and CR), so you'll have to make some big adjustments to how you handle the entire Verbal section (to get close to a 700+ score).

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

OptimusPrepJanielle · Answer

Hi robertomendoza016, You should probably begin with a general review of the quantitative and verbal content, and learn the question types and strategies for those question types. Look back on the results of your first practice test to identify any areas of weakness. Do practice questions and try to improve and later on take another practice test to monitor your progress. You may need to work with supplementary materials to improve your verbal score. Just be sure to keep your studies balanced (don't only study verbal and let your quantitative score decline). If you struggle occasionally with English you may find some helpful tips here: https://gmat.economist.com/blog/verbal/ ... h-speakers. I hope that helps!

mrinal0308 · Answer

Yes I finished it early and you're right, I slowed down at the end for last few questions. I guess RC was the thing where I took most time in the middle and then hurried up after then, but then paced at the end to cover the time.

While dealing with SC: I focused more on pronoun errors, as/like, idioms, modifiers and tense consistency. 
with RC: (I guess this is my weakest point) I could not concentrate on the passage as a whole and have broken links while reading the passage. while answering the questions, i needed to peep into the passage again. 
with CR: I was more focussed on flaws, inference questions are my weak part...

I would really appreciate your help on this. I am planning to give GMAT this september so that I could apply to schools, but still not confident on english.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi mrinal0308,

From everything that you've described, it does not sound like you have a consistent approach to any of the major question types in the Verbal section (it sounds like you're just picking answers that you think "sound good"). To hit your score goals, you're going to have to make some BIG adjustments to how you handle the Verbal section. To start, you'll need to focus on proper Verbal tactics. Since you've used some study resources already that have not appeared to help you improve, you will likely need to invest in some new resources.

Have you scheduled your next GMAT yet?

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

mrinal0308 · Answer

I haven't yet scheduled for my next GMAT.
Could you please advise the best path to take my studies forward for english ? I really want to smash GMAT ...

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi mrinal0308,

To raise your Verbal Scaled Score to a high enough level to score 700+ overall, you're going to need to spend some serious study time on that section of the GMAT (while continuing to put in a little time to keep your Quant skills 'sharp'). Based on everything that you've described, I think that another 2 months of consistent study time would probably be required (although you might be able to do the work in less time). As such, I can recommend the EMPOWERgmat Verbal Score Booster. Most of our clients finish that Study Plan in under a month, but I think that you should spend extra time on it (and do some of the extra assignments). During that time, you'll also be able to access any of the Quant resources that interest you.

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

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

mrinal0308 · Answer

I checked out your website and the free slides present out there. It looks good but relatively veryyy easy though. I was checking the Verbal score booster guideline pdf. In that mentioned in the prerequisites that buy additional CAT. Do i have to buy them additionallly, apart from paying the monthly fees in your website ? Doesnt your website will provide me CATs access ? Sorry but i am a little confused after going through that one.... If looks like you aren't really offering any material from your end.. Also , for the booster, does the cost remains same - 99 dollars per month ? Please bear with me .. :p and clarify if I am wrong anywhere ... How will your website ensure that my score gets boosted ? many thanks for everything till now....

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi mrinal0308,

During your studies, it might be tempting to be dismissive of material that you haven't completely used yet. With a V17, you're missing points across all subjects and all difficulty levels though - as such, there really isn't any material that's 'too easy' for you. At that scoring level, you're not completely comfortable with all the knowledge and tactics that you'll need for Test Day, so you should focus your studies on building your skills on easier material, then continue using those same skills on tougher and tougher prompts.

Since there are so many different CATs on the market (and they're all reasonably priced), and developing CATs is an expensive process, we opted to keep our Course price low and pass the overall savings onto our clients. As such, you can use whichever CATs you choose (the free ones and 'blocks' of CATs that you can purchase from GMAC, MGMAT, Veritas, Kaplan, etc.). Your EMPOWERgmat Account gives you access to ALL of the material in the Course, for as long as you want to use it - the lessons, practice problems, quizzes, tactical modules, podcasts, mistake tracker, OG quizzes, etc. are a substantial amount of practice material. The Course functions much the same as a gym membership does (and the monthly subscription allows you to work as quickly as you like; once you're finished, you can cancel your account at any time) - you can follow one of our Study Plans or focus on just focus on the material that interests you. The standard monthly fee is $99; we offer a special discount to GMATClub Users though:

https://gmatclub.com/blog/courses/empowe ... t/?fl=menu

The Score Booster Guarantee is for Test Takers who have already taken the GMAT at least once. You can read about it here:

https://www.empowergmat.com/score-booster/

If you have any additional questions, you can post them here or you can feel free to PM me directly.

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

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