Hi everyone,
I have faithfully followed this board since starting my Manhattan GMAT course in November 2008. First of all, a huge thank-you to everyone for your virtual support and awesome advice. Pretty impressive collection of brains on here!
I am writing the GMAT for the first time on April 27, 2009 and I would love some advice for preparation in my final week.
First, some background. I have a BA in English and an Honours BA in Business. I'm 27 and I've been working for 4 years. Math is not, nor has it ever been, my strong suit. I didn't do well in Grade 12 math class and hardly paid attention to the subject until this past November. I thought my verbal would be pretty good, while my math would be horrible. This turned out to be the case. It has been a long, hard battle with the Manhattan courses, guidebooks, official guide books, and even a couple Kaplans and internet exercises thrown in. I've thrown more than 1 crumpled up word problem at the wall... but that is now happening less and less with each day of practice :)
I have completed 6 practice exams with the following results:
Nov 27/08 - MGMAT 520 Q30 V31
Jan 13/09 - MGMAT 620 Q39 V35 (lucked out on math... anomaly)
Feb 11/09 - MGMAT 580 Q33 V36
Mar 23/09 - MGMAT 570 Q35 V33
Apr 4/09 - MGMAT 640 Q40 V37
Apr 19/09 - Official GMAT Practice Exam 680 Q42 V41
I was originally scheduled to write in late February but since then have rescheduled twice. April 27 is D-Day!
Over 5 months, I have concentrated heavily on shoring up my weakest quantitative areas (exponents, roots, inequalities, geometry, combinatorics, consecutive #s, and some other minor areas). I have treated verbal as a 'continuous review' and I've revisited each verbal area on a regular basis over the past month.
Keeping verbal fresh has lifted my mark in that area and I think I've improved a lot on my weakest quant areas. Note than the Jan 13 exam is a total anomaly -- if you take that out, I think I show good progress in quant over 5 months.
My timing is pretty decent. I noticed on the official practice exam that I took today -- I guessed on the last 3 quant and the last 2 verbal since I ran out of time. They got locked in but I think they all turned out to be incorrect. Everything else thrown at me seemed pretty difficult.
I am AIMING for a 680 on the exam on April 27. I plan to continue 2 hours of prep per night on my worknights, and 5-7 hours of prep next weekend (plus another 3 hours today).
So my question is: What would you say are the most important things I can/should do in the next week to ensure that I can hit that 680? What are the most valuable things to do with my remaining 7 days?
Your thoughts and experiences are much appreciated.
GMAT Forum
15 postsPage 1 of 1
- ahay.hba2006
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:45 pm
- StaceyKoprince
- ManhattanGMAT Staff
- Posts: 9361
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
- Location: Montreal
Re: 8 Days To Exam. Lots of Progress. Need Recommendations.
Very nice progress.
Review that last test and try to figure out what you want to repeat on test day and what you want to do differently on test day. For instance, you probably don't want to have to guess on the last several questions in each section, right?
So what caused you to have to do that? You spent too much time on other questions earlier in the section.
Which ones? GMATPrep won't tell you this, unfortunately, so you'll have to look back at your previous MGMAT tests to see your trends here. But pretty much everybody has certain patterns that we repeat over and over. So figure out where you tend to spend too much time. Look for any questions on which you spend more than: 3+ min in quant, 2.5 on CR, 2 on SC, 6 on read-through + first question of RC, and 2.5 on non-first questions in RC. (Note that these times are already at least 30 sec higher than the average time you want to spend on questions of these types.)
Note along the way that, when you spend 30sec+ longer than you should have spent, the longer you spend, the worse you tend to do. Oh, and the more time you spend, the more likely you are to have to guess on other questions elsewhere, and of course you don't do well on those either. This is just to help convince yourself that spending that extra time is NOT a good use of your time.
In fact, the only time we should go over the average expected time is IF we know exactly how to do the problem but it just turns out that the problem is a bit harder / more convoluted than usual, so it takes a few extra steps / seconds to finish it off. We should NEVER go over on time with the mindset that "if I could just spend some more time, I know I could figure this out." We really won't. :)
So, to summarize: what do you want to repeat on test day? That is, what worked on that last practice test? And then review the general pacing plan and procedures / techniques necessary to repeat those successes. What do you want to do differently on test day? Figure out what that is and implement the necessary procedures, with one big caveat: you're not going to learn a whole lot in the last week. If you discover that you keep making some certain kind of careless mistake, then yes, try to implement a new habit or process to cut down on the chances of repeating that careless mistake.
But if you see a problem on which you spent 3.5min and got it wrong because you didn't really know how to do it, now is not the time you are going to learn how to do it. Instead, your "solution" is: get it wrong faster. Get it wrong in 2 min so that it doesn't cost you another question elsewhere on the test. To do this, you have to be able to recognize when you just don't know how to do something - so figure out how to recognize that (you generally already know this... it's that sinking feeling we all get as we try to do the problem!) and let it go.
Next, your focus is on reviewing overall pacing strategies, techniques, that sort of thing. Don't try to learn new stuff now. Don't spend more than 2 hours per day reviewing - you either know it or you don't at this point. Don't take a practice test within 3 days of the real thing (and, if you're one of my students, don't take it within 5 days of the real thing - I'm more conservative on this point than the official MGMAT position). On the last day, don't do more than an hour or so of very high level review, and then get everything ready for the next day (your ID, whatever food and drink you want to bring, whatever you want to do to warm up, etc). Go to a movie you've really been wanting to see or do something else that will take your mind off of the test.
The day of the test, about 30min before (maybe after you arrive at the test center but before you go in to register), do some VERY easy practice problems in one of your strongest areas (quant or verbal, doesn't matter). Don't bring the solutions with you - just the problems. This is the equivalent of jogging around the track to warm up for the meet. You don't want to hurt yourself (by doing hard problems or checking a solution and realizing you got it wrong). You just want to warm your brain up, that's all.
Good luck - let us know how it goes!!
Review that last test and try to figure out what you want to repeat on test day and what you want to do differently on test day. For instance, you probably don't want to have to guess on the last several questions in each section, right?
So what caused you to have to do that? You spent too much time on other questions earlier in the section.
Which ones? GMATPrep won't tell you this, unfortunately, so you'll have to look back at your previous MGMAT tests to see your trends here. But pretty much everybody has certain patterns that we repeat over and over. So figure out where you tend to spend too much time. Look for any questions on which you spend more than: 3+ min in quant, 2.5 on CR, 2 on SC, 6 on read-through + first question of RC, and 2.5 on non-first questions in RC. (Note that these times are already at least 30 sec higher than the average time you want to spend on questions of these types.)
Note along the way that, when you spend 30sec+ longer than you should have spent, the longer you spend, the worse you tend to do. Oh, and the more time you spend, the more likely you are to have to guess on other questions elsewhere, and of course you don't do well on those either. This is just to help convince yourself that spending that extra time is NOT a good use of your time.
In fact, the only time we should go over the average expected time is IF we know exactly how to do the problem but it just turns out that the problem is a bit harder / more convoluted than usual, so it takes a few extra steps / seconds to finish it off. We should NEVER go over on time with the mindset that "if I could just spend some more time, I know I could figure this out." We really won't. :)
So, to summarize: what do you want to repeat on test day? That is, what worked on that last practice test? And then review the general pacing plan and procedures / techniques necessary to repeat those successes. What do you want to do differently on test day? Figure out what that is and implement the necessary procedures, with one big caveat: you're not going to learn a whole lot in the last week. If you discover that you keep making some certain kind of careless mistake, then yes, try to implement a new habit or process to cut down on the chances of repeating that careless mistake.
But if you see a problem on which you spent 3.5min and got it wrong because you didn't really know how to do it, now is not the time you are going to learn how to do it. Instead, your "solution" is: get it wrong faster. Get it wrong in 2 min so that it doesn't cost you another question elsewhere on the test. To do this, you have to be able to recognize when you just don't know how to do something - so figure out how to recognize that (you generally already know this... it's that sinking feeling we all get as we try to do the problem!) and let it go.
Next, your focus is on reviewing overall pacing strategies, techniques, that sort of thing. Don't try to learn new stuff now. Don't spend more than 2 hours per day reviewing - you either know it or you don't at this point. Don't take a practice test within 3 days of the real thing (and, if you're one of my students, don't take it within 5 days of the real thing - I'm more conservative on this point than the official MGMAT position). On the last day, don't do more than an hour or so of very high level review, and then get everything ready for the next day (your ID, whatever food and drink you want to bring, whatever you want to do to warm up, etc). Go to a movie you've really been wanting to see or do something else that will take your mind off of the test.
The day of the test, about 30min before (maybe after you arrive at the test center but before you go in to register), do some VERY easy practice problems in one of your strongest areas (quant or verbal, doesn't matter). Don't bring the solutions with you - just the problems. This is the equivalent of jogging around the track to warm up for the meet. You don't want to hurt yourself (by doing hard problems or checking a solution and realizing you got it wrong). You just want to warm your brain up, that's all.
Good luck - let us know how it goes!!
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
- ahay.hba2006
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:45 pm
Re: 8 Days To Exam. Lots of Progress. Need Recommendations.
Hi Stacey,
Thank you for the advice. I definitely used the review-of-weakness method you recommend for perhaps the last six weeks or so. In addition, I set a goal to specifically 'stop learning' anything new in the last week before the exam. Over the final week, I redid every PS and DS problem in the OG Quant supplement (Green) and about 50 PS questions from the OG Orange.
I found your night-before and day-of suggestions very helpful. I actually planned out my snacks for the best nutrition a few days ahead of time, and I even put out clothes for the morning so I would essentially use no brain power until I got to the exam centre!
So, I wrote the exam today. I am ecstatic with the results:
Q41 61%, V44 97%, overall 700 / 90%.
I could tell that I wasn't doing as quite as well on the Quant as I did on my practice exam; it actually surprised me that I could perceive a difference in difficulty with only a one point difference in my overall assessment (I had Q42 on my last practice exam, with V41 and overall mark of 680).
I could also tell that I was KILLING the verbal, based on the fact that the last 8 questions were EXTREMELY difficult, to the point where my timing was spot on up to this point -- then I guessed on the last two answers with 4 seconds left on the clock!!
I am surprised that such an 'average' quant mark with a good verbal would yield such a high score, but I am happy with the mix based on my own inconsistent math skills.
I set a goal of 680 and I cannot believe I surpassed it. I will recommend Manhattan to everyone, because I couldn't get to where I stand today without the full course.
In addition I want to say thank you to everyone on this forum. You have significantly enhanced my study skills, exam strategies and info on most common weakness areas.
DONE! Finally! And you'll ALL get there too -- if I can do it in 5 months, anyone can!
Thank you for the advice. I definitely used the review-of-weakness method you recommend for perhaps the last six weeks or so. In addition, I set a goal to specifically 'stop learning' anything new in the last week before the exam. Over the final week, I redid every PS and DS problem in the OG Quant supplement (Green) and about 50 PS questions from the OG Orange.
I found your night-before and day-of suggestions very helpful. I actually planned out my snacks for the best nutrition a few days ahead of time, and I even put out clothes for the morning so I would essentially use no brain power until I got to the exam centre!
So, I wrote the exam today. I am ecstatic with the results:
Q41 61%, V44 97%, overall 700 / 90%.
I could tell that I wasn't doing as quite as well on the Quant as I did on my practice exam; it actually surprised me that I could perceive a difference in difficulty with only a one point difference in my overall assessment (I had Q42 on my last practice exam, with V41 and overall mark of 680).
I could also tell that I was KILLING the verbal, based on the fact that the last 8 questions were EXTREMELY difficult, to the point where my timing was spot on up to this point -- then I guessed on the last two answers with 4 seconds left on the clock!!
I am surprised that such an 'average' quant mark with a good verbal would yield such a high score, but I am happy with the mix based on my own inconsistent math skills.
I set a goal of 680 and I cannot believe I surpassed it. I will recommend Manhattan to everyone, because I couldn't get to where I stand today without the full course.
In addition I want to say thank you to everyone on this forum. You have significantly enhanced my study skills, exam strategies and info on most common weakness areas.
DONE! Finally! And you'll ALL get there too -- if I can do it in 5 months, anyone can!
- mhbaranski03
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 1:54 pm
Re: 8 Days To Exam. Lots of Progress. Need Recommendations.
congratulations on your score!
a quick question if you don't mind - what was your strategy for verbal to improve so much? i'm stuck around the 38 mark and can't seem to bump my score. any best practices would be greatly appreciated.
a quick question if you don't mind - what was your strategy for verbal to improve so much? i'm stuck around the 38 mark and can't seem to bump my score. any best practices would be greatly appreciated.
- hi.varm
- Course Students
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 4:49 pm
Re: 8 Days To Exam. Lots of Progress. Need Recommendations.
First of all many congratulations. Your experience and strategies and finally to be able to use them to do well on the test is a great example for everyone. It has renewed some confidence in me after some dismal performance in the practice tests.
Cheers
Amit
Cheers
Amit
- ahay.hba2006
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:45 pm
Re: 8 Days To Exam. Lots of Progress. Need Recommendations.
mhbaranski03: Good question. I am a bit of an odd case when it comes to verbal skills for the GMAT. Although I graduated with an Honours BA in business administration, it took me six years -- because I did four years of English studies first, intending to graduate with a BA in English. My interests changed at the end of third year, hence the major shift. Fortunately, this also prepared me for intensive writing/verbal tasks -- such as the GMAT.
With that said, I was scoring in the high 30s when I started. I found the most effective way to improve my verbal score was to simply mix in verbal questions in my practice -- so, typically, a 3 hour study session would be 2 hours 15 minutes of math and 45 minutes of random verbal practice -- say 8 SC, 5 CR and 2 RC. (Note that I did very little verbal practice until the six weeks before the exam -- the first 3 months or so was exclusively math study).
I felt with this approach that I was simply keeping my GMAT-specific verbal skills 'on slow boil' -- I never let them go cold. I found that my performance waned on practice exams if I had not practiced a range of verbal questions within a few days before.
In addition, I followed virtually all of the methods offered up by Manhattan. I found their diagramming techniques to be quite powerful, and I really think their overall strategies for SC, RC and CR are 'best of breed'. I did, however, find that T-diagramming was usually unnecessary. I'd draw a T, but then do everything under the left side and draw out ABCDE for eliminating answers on the right side.
I hope this helps.
With that said, I was scoring in the high 30s when I started. I found the most effective way to improve my verbal score was to simply mix in verbal questions in my practice -- so, typically, a 3 hour study session would be 2 hours 15 minutes of math and 45 minutes of random verbal practice -- say 8 SC, 5 CR and 2 RC. (Note that I did very little verbal practice until the six weeks before the exam -- the first 3 months or so was exclusively math study).
I felt with this approach that I was simply keeping my GMAT-specific verbal skills 'on slow boil' -- I never let them go cold. I found that my performance waned on practice exams if I had not practiced a range of verbal questions within a few days before.
In addition, I followed virtually all of the methods offered up by Manhattan. I found their diagramming techniques to be quite powerful, and I really think their overall strategies for SC, RC and CR are 'best of breed'. I did, however, find that T-diagramming was usually unnecessary. I'd draw a T, but then do everything under the left side and draw out ABCDE for eliminating answers on the right side.
I hope this helps.
- ahay.hba2006
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:45 pm
Re: 8 Days To Exam. Lots of Progress. Need Recommendations.
One other thing: In the last 2 months of study, I strictly followed Manhattan's problem review template on any problem I hadn't mastered, for quant. I did this for both PS and DS.
I would go like this on paper:
Question: (rewrite it)
(A+B): Write out the principles involved, the rephrasing necessary, the possible laws that apply to the equation, the caveats that are common. Generally 4-5 bullet points.
(C): Do the problem, writing out each step. Label each step with a number, eg 1, 2, 3, 4.
(D): Write out additional learning experienced during the problem-solve. Then mark the question as "MASTERY? YES/NO." and flag it with a giant star for further review if I still don't understand the question.
This sounds very time consuming -- and it is. However, without this, I would not have forced myself to really learn about my problem areas and weaknesses inside-out.
I would go like this on paper:
Question: (rewrite it)
(A+B): Write out the principles involved, the rephrasing necessary, the possible laws that apply to the equation, the caveats that are common. Generally 4-5 bullet points.
(C): Do the problem, writing out each step. Label each step with a number, eg 1, 2, 3, 4.
(D): Write out additional learning experienced during the problem-solve. Then mark the question as "MASTERY? YES/NO." and flag it with a giant star for further review if I still don't understand the question.
This sounds very time consuming -- and it is. However, without this, I would not have forced myself to really learn about my problem areas and weaknesses inside-out.
- mhbaranski03
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 1:54 pm
Re: 8 Days To Exam. Lots of Progress. Need Recommendations.
i really appreciate your response. i will implement your suggestions into my study plan.
- StaceyKoprince
- ManhattanGMAT Staff
- Posts: 9361
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
- Location: Montreal
Re: 8 Days To Exam. Lots of Progress. Need Recommendations.
Congratulations! That's really exciting - I hope you went out and celebrated after. :)
Thank you for the vote of confidence; we're happy to help in any way that we can.
Now... on to applications! Let us know how it goes!
Thank you for the vote of confidence; we're happy to help in any way that we can.
Now... on to applications! Let us know how it goes!
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
- primeer3
- Course Students
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:21 am
Re: 8 Days To Exam. Lots of Progress. Need Recommendations.
This is my first time posting something on here but I have followed this blog religiously. My exam is in two days (Friday) and I'm trying to figure out what I should be doing over the next two days.
ahay.hba2006: Your verbal advice will definitely be heeded my friend. I've been scoring in the high 30's myself and cannot break 40. I started mixing in verbal over the last couple of weeks and hopefully it pays off.
Seeing as how I'm not going to learn anything between now and Friday at 8:45AM Any advice as far as preparation between now and then?
Does it even make sense to go over my last practice exam? I did it last on Sunday.
ahay.hba2006: Your verbal advice will definitely be heeded my friend. I've been scoring in the high 30's myself and cannot break 40. I started mixing in verbal over the last couple of weeks and hopefully it pays off.
Seeing as how I'm not going to learn anything between now and Friday at 8:45AM Any advice as far as preparation between now and then?
Does it even make sense to go over my last practice exam? I did it last on Sunday.
- StaceyKoprince
- ManhattanGMAT Staff
- Posts: 9361
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
- Location: Montreal
Re: 8 Days To Exam. Lots of Progress. Need Recommendations.
Sorry I didn't get to this until after your exam! I hope things went well on Friday.
For others, the last two days should be spent mostly focusing on other things than the GMAT. :) Two days before, review your overall game plan: your pacing strategy, your strengths (where you're going to allow yourself to spend a little extra time when necessary), your weaknesses (where you're going to pull the plug when you get something too hard), etc.
The day before, get everything ready to go: ID, food, drink, directions to the test center, some VERY EASY practice questions to warm up. Then go see a movie with some friends (something you really want to see). Seriously.
For others, the last two days should be spent mostly focusing on other things than the GMAT. :) Two days before, review your overall game plan: your pacing strategy, your strengths (where you're going to allow yourself to spend a little extra time when necessary), your weaknesses (where you're going to pull the plug when you get something too hard), etc.
The day before, get everything ready to go: ID, food, drink, directions to the test center, some VERY EASY practice questions to warm up. Then go see a movie with some friends (something you really want to see). Seriously.
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
- jen.sagan
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 9:51 am
Re: 8 Days To Exam. Lots of Progress. Need Recommendations.
I have nine days to go before I take the test for a second time. I am scoring within my goal range on practice tests. My question is how many more practice tests do you think I should do? I know you (Stacey) say to not do any five days before the exam, but how many should I do in the next four days? I don't want to burn out but I also don't want to lose strength. Thanks for all your help!
- StaceyKoprince
- ManhattanGMAT Staff
- Posts: 9361
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
- Location: Montreal
Re: 8 Days To Exam. Lots of Progress. Need Recommendations.
I tell my students:
2nd to last test 2 weeks before
last test 1 week before
that's it
Taking tests more than once a week does almost nothing to help you improve, and it introduces a serious possible danger: you burn out / tire yourself out. Pretend you're training for a marathon. How many practice marathons would you run in the weeks before? This test is a mental marathon. :)
So you've now got 8 days to go. One more practice test, taken sometime in the next few days. Good luck - let us know how it goes!
2nd to last test 2 weeks before
last test 1 week before
that's it
Taking tests more than once a week does almost nothing to help you improve, and it introduces a serious possible danger: you burn out / tire yourself out. Pretend you're training for a marathon. How many practice marathons would you run in the weeks before? This test is a mental marathon. :)
So you've now got 8 days to go. One more practice test, taken sometime in the next few days. Good luck - let us know how it goes!
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
- jen.sagan
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 9:51 am
Re: 8 Days To Exam. Lots of Progress. Need Recommendations.
Thanks so much Stacey! I just took the exam this morning. 700! :) That's great for me. Thanks for the advice. I avoided burnout because of you.
- StaceyKoprince
- ManhattanGMAT Staff
- Posts: 9361
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
- Location: Montreal
Re: 8 Days To Exam. Lots of Progress. Need Recommendations.
Yay! That's fantastic! Go out and celebrate tonight. :)
And good luck with apps!
And good luck with apps!
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
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