Strategy HELP please !!!

[study_gmat]

Hi,

So I have been studying for the GMAT for about four months (pretty full time) and am having A LOT of trouble seeing any significant increase in my score and feel very stuck at this point. I have taken the complete in person 9 week Manhattan Course. Completed all the homework and extra questions

After each practice test I do a complete analysis of the test and work on top few areas I am having trouble with (I have mostly only been working on quant). I have been using the Manhattan guides and method to study. The only extra purchase I made was getting buying the 5 extra exams from 800Score (test scores listed below as well. And I have completed both the test on the GMATPrep software.

My seven test scores are listed below:

Cat 1 540 (Q37 V28)
Cat 2 510 (Q31 V29)
Cat 3 590 (Q38 V33) ** this was not timed
Cat 4 600 (Q42 V32)
Cat 5 550 (Q37 V29)
CAT 6 570 (Q37 V31)
Cat 1a 630 (Q41 V35) ** there were a lot of repeat questions

800Score.com
Math 1 600 (Q34 V37)* the quant and verbal were not taken at the same time.
Math 2 (Q37) ** did not take verbal
Math 3 (Q37) **
Math 4 640 (Q38 V39)*
Math 5 660 (Q40 V40)*

GMATPrep
PrepTest1 510 (Q35 V33)
PrepTest2 590 (Q44 V28)

I am a native English speaker and have a MS in engineering, so I have been able to learn challenging concepts before (I wouldn't necessarily call the GMAT content challenging ... even though it is kicking my butt).

ANY suggestions ... tips... anything ???

[StaceyKoprince]

You've already finished the course? Did you sign up for the Post-Course Assessment (PCA)?

This unlocks after your third practice test and is available until 1 month after the last session of your course. You sign up in the Office Hours section of your Student Center - if you haven't yet, go sign up for it!

Next, let's figure out what's going on with your scores. Probably the most common culprit of the stagnating score is timing.

I'm going to have you analyze your last couple of MGMAT tests (don't use the one with the repeated questions - use tests 5 and 6) and then come back here to tell me what's going on.

First, read these two articles:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... lly-tests/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -the-gmat/

Think about whether you've approached the test (and your studies) with the mindset described. If not, what do you need to change and how are you going to do that?

Then, use the below to analyze those 2 CATs (this should take you a minimum of 1 hour):
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... ts-part-1/

Figure out your strengths and weaknesses as well as what you think you should do based on all of that analysis. Then come back here and tell us; we'll tell you whether we agree and advise you further. (Note: do share an analysis with us, not just the raw data. Part of getting better is developing your ability to analyze your results - figure out what they mean and what you think you should do about them!)

If you do discover timing issues (most people do), read these and start doing what they say:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -to-do-it/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... nt-part-1/

And also start to incorporate the "mindset" and "how to study" stuff from the two articles posted earlier in this post.

[study_gmat]

Thanks for the detailed reply! It was very helpful in getting me started on the analysis and I have also set up a time for my PCA.
So this is what I have pulled from my M-CAT 5 and 6:

CAT 5:
Quant
Too Fast (<1m15s):17
Warning (2m30s - 3m): 4
Too Slow ( > 3min): 10

Verbal
CR
Too Fast (<1m15s): 6
Too Slow ( > 3min): 0
SC
Too Fast (<30s):0
Too Slow ( > 2min):0
RC * 1st
Too Fast (<2m):0
Too Slow ( > 5m30s):0
RC * general
Too Fast (<30sec): 3
Too Slow( > 2m): 0
RC * specific
Too Fast (<1m):3
Too Slow ( > 2m30s):0
IR - skip 2
Too Fast (<1.5m): 3
Too Slow ( > 4): 3

CAT 6
Quant
Too Fast (<1m15s): 8
Warning (2m30s - 3m): 5
Too Slow ( > 3min): 6

Verbal
CR
Too Fast (<1m15s) 7
Too Slow ( > 3min) 0
SC
Too Fast (<30s) 2
Too Slow ( > 2min) 0
RC * 1st
Too Fast (<2m) 1
Too Slow ( > 5m30s) 0
RC * general
Too Fast (<30sec) 3
RC * specific
Too Fast (<1m) 4
Too Slow ( > 2m30s) 0

From the analysis above it seems that I have a large timing issue in the Quant section. I have read your article on managing time, but will read it again to get more tips.

As far as verbal, there does not seem to be a timing issue. Maybe it is a content issue?

I have not gone over the second blog on analysis (using the generated reports) but can do that as well if you think it will be helpful?

Thanks again!

[StaceyKoprince]

Great - let me know what you hear during your PCA, too.

I agree - definitely a timing issue on quant and maybe on CR as well. How are you doing on those very-fast CR questions? If you get them all right, then no problem. But if your performance there could improve, then part of the problem might be the speed.

I'm sure there are also content issues - you'll have to do the rest of the analysis for us to see what content issues exist. (And your PCA instructor should also give you some good ideas.)

It typically takes people a good 4-6 weeks to develop the skills that are discussed in the time management articles, so just start working / practicing and you'll get better.

[study_gmat]

Hi Stacy,

Thanks again for your reply. I have been reading a lot of your blog articles and they are great. I especially like the one on second level of studying. That is something I had not even consider before.

So in the time since we last chatted, I have actually taken the official GMAT (I had already scheduled it far in advance). My sore, which is no where close to what I would like it to be, is very much in line with my MGMAT practice test scores.

Essay: 5
IR: 8
Quant: 36
Verbal: 31

The official GMAT score also showed me that timing/stress is a large factor of my score. Since I was not worried about the IR at all, I did really well. My mind set during the IR was "this doesn't really matter and I don't care if I finish all of the questions". But I completely freaked out during the Quant. I had multiple moments of ... OMG I am too far behind and then OMG I am too far ahead. I was so focused on timing I can't even seem to remember the actual questions :( !!! I "was using" the benchmark method Method #2 from the " Everything You Need To Know About Time Management (Part 2)". As far as verbal, I am a little surprised I did so poorly. I was actually doing very well in the verbal section on the practice test, so I actually did not study the verbal material very much at all. I don't think I reviewed any verbal material since two weeks before the test. So I assume this might have been part of the problem.

Yes, I did have a my PCA meeting which was pretty insightful and very much in line with your blogs. My key takeaways from the meeting were to work on problems with the approach to reviewing them as listed in your Second Level of Studying blog. Since I have used up so many problems/ test already, I am going to start by going over some of OG questions I have already completed and then use the companion guides to get some new questions.

As far as timing, I am working on getting a better "one minute sense" by using the time "lap" method you talked about in your article. Also learning to let go of problems that are taking too long - over the time limit. Is there anything else I missed from your article as far as improving timing?

Also, you mentioned:

I'm sure there are also content issues - you'll have to do the rest of the analysis for us to see what content issues exist,

What other analysis are you referring to here?

After I have completed my analysis, what is the best next step for reviewing the practice test? I read in your blog the test should be able to give me 2 to 3 weeks worth of study material, but I'm not exactly sure how. I understand how I can use the OG questions for studying and analysis, but how do I best utilize the test questions? My main concern with the MGMAT test questions is that I don't want to end up memorizing the MGMAT test questions. Since I have used up all the test I want retake the test a few more times (knowing there will be lots of repeats). Is this a good reason to not re-do/analyze the questions or do you suggest further work on the test questions as well?

Thanks for your input.

[StaceyKoprince]

Yes, it's probably the case that your verbal score suffered from a lack of attention for the last few weeks before the test. Also, though, that stress from quant would have used up a significant chunk of your mental energy - and verbal comes after quant.

Also learning to let go of problems that are taking too long - over the time limit.

Here's your ideal goal: you get to the point where you can tell, at the 1 minute mark, that this question is going to take too long (or be too hard). You then make a conscious decision as to whether you can find / cross off some wrong answers in another 30-45 seconds, or whether you should just guess and move on right now.

Then, you've not only saved yourself some time but you've also saved valuable (and finite) mental energy. When you keep going on some crazy quant problem, that's going to come back to hurt you later in quant AND in verbal.

In other words, you need a global approach to this time management and mental energy stuff. :)

The analysis I'm referring to is this:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... ts-part-1/

You've done the timing analysis but not the content analysis (the second half of the article, linked at the bottom of the first half).

Did you maybe miss that link? That will start to give you a better idea of how you can get 2-3 weeks' worth of work out of an exam. :)

Plus, that analysis still just looks at overall categories. After that, you'll want to review each individual problem, using the 2nd level of studying stuff.

Oh, I see - you've used all the tests and don't want to memorize the questions. Hmm. Until you've analyzed the questions once, you haven't actually gotten everything out of that exam, so if you don't do that analysis, the exam is half-wasted.

So, yes, go analyze the problems from that last exam (or two). Then stop taking so many exams so frequently and practice stamina in the ways I described above. :)

[study_gmat]

Hi Stacey,

So I have taken some time to go over the report and complete the analysis per your blog. I tried to capture all of the points, but I have some difficulty analyzing the verbal because a few of the questions did not seem to fall into any of the categories (maybe I misunderstood something). The * indicates there were only one or two questions on that topic:

Quant
Bucket 1(>50% right and neither way too slow nor way too fast):
Linear Equations
Quadratic Equations
Divisibility & Primes
Overlapping Sets
Percents

Bucket 2 (<50% right and neither way too slow nor way too fast - weakness in content) Checked - all content issue
Exponents & Roots
Ineqality
Coordinate Planes
Decimals& Digits

Bucket 3 (wrong too quickly - more than 30 seconds faster than expected) Checked - most of these were lower level questions but (I think) I made carless mistakes because I rushed (time spent on them was very low)
Linear Equations
Tri & Diag
Lines and Angles*
Positive Negative*
Extra Problem Type*
Fractions

Bucket 4 (right too quickly; less than 30 seconds than than expected) Checked - consistently going long on these
Formulas
Ploygons*
Circles & Cylinders
Probablity
Rate&Work
Fractions

Bucket 5 (wrong too slowly; biggest weakness) Checked - a few, but not all, of these were 700- 800
Cicles & Cylindes
Divisablity
Probablity
Algebrac Trans
Rate&Work

Verbal
Bucket 1(>50% right and neither way too slow nor way too fast):
Evaluate the Argu*
Draw a conclusion
Meaning
Verbs

Bucket 2 (<50% right and neither way too slow nor way too fast - weakness in content)
Describe the Role
Stregnthen
Weaken
Modifiers
Parallisim
Sub-Verb
Pronouns
Inference

Bucket 3 (wrong too quickly - more than 30 seconds faster than expected)
Modifiers
Verbs

Bucket 4 (right too quickly; less than 30 seconds than than expected)

Bucket 5 (wrong too slowly; biggest weakness)

REPORT 1
Percentages correct below approximately 50%, especially when coupled with lower average difficulty levels and higher average times
Geometry
Algebra
FDP

A big discrepancy (more than 30 seconds) in average time for correct vs. incorrect questions of the same type
RC
Number Properties
Word Problems "

REPORT 2
Aaverage timing that is 30 seconds (or more) higher or lower than the expected average, and whether that is happening on correct or incorrect questions (or both)
(V) 300- 500 CR - Too Fast - Right
(Q) 600- 700 - PS - Too slow - right
(Q) 700 - 800 - PS - too flow right
(Q) 500-600 - DS - too fast - wrong
(Q) 700- 800 - too slow - wrong

lower percentages correct on lower-level questions than on higher-level questions: No

I am planning (hoping) to take the test in one month and my goal is to raise my score by 100 points. I am working on topics in Bucket 2 and being more aware of topics in Bucket 5. I am also spending more time on the verbal topics and going over labs and questions drills along with watching videos. For quant I have just being doing an assorted type of questions every other day just so I don't forget stuff (although I feel like I am being getting a little weaker on quant already). While studying I try to do the 1 minute drills and reviewing questions using the more advanced topic (as much as possible, it is challenging to make myself go into so much detail on each question). I have not taken any test since my last official test.

I would love to get your feedback on the analysis and study plan.

Thanks!

[StaceyKoprince]

FYI - I just republished a portion of that CAT analysis article and I now group things into just 3 buckets. It was getting too complicated to do 5. :) I'm just telling you so that, next time, you use the new version (you can go back to the same article on the blog from January of this year - I updated that article).

Next, you don't have to categorize every last type / topic area. We're looking for the biggest opportunities to improve. Then, you'll go improve those areas, take another test, and see what pops up next time.

Quant:
Bucket 2: most important is exponents and roots - super common. Next inequalities.

Bucket 3: You were rushing because you spent too much time elsewhere. Have to fix the timing problems - HUGE priority. See below for more on careless mistakes.

Bucket 4: (Note: these are right but too slow - you wrote "too quickly") For any that are really hard (for you) or really long, most to bucket 5 and just get wrong quickly in future. The most common topic on your list is Fractions, so start there.

Bucket 5: get these wrong faster in future and spend that time on the stuff from bucket 3!

Verbal:
Bucket 2: most important: CR strengthen / weaken. SC modifiers, parallelism, subject verb. RC inference.

Bucket 3: Why? Did you not know them? Did you know but made mistakes?

In quant, algebra and FDP topics are far more common than geo, so start with those two. Dig into the specific lessons for the topics that were giving you the most trouble and learn / drill! Don't forget that this is how you're trying to study:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -the-gmat/

For CR, look here for help on Strengthen and Weaken:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... reasoning/

For RC:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... rehension/

And for SC:
http://tinyurl.com/scprocess
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... orrection/

For careless mistakes*:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -the-gmat/

*This is hugely important. You already know how to get these right! Figure out how to minimize these errors.

Keep working on the quant timing - that's also hugely important for you!