Actual GMAT score 560 (Q43 V24) after three attempts

[youngrae]

Hello

I have given GMAT three times since 2009. Before the last attempt, I prepared for about three months. This time, I mainly studied OG 12th ( I was having 70-80% accuracy) and many gmat prep questions discussed in this forum. Studying MGMAT staff's stretagy on Quant problem was a big help for me.

Mach 2009 Q31 V23 460
Oct 2009 Q37 V21 490
Oct 2010 Q43 V24 560

As you can see my verbal score has not improved at all after studying almost for a year(although there was on and off time) based on the recommendation of MGMAT staff in this forum.

My practice GMAT score tends to be higher than the actual score as I was getting a lot of repeating questions. I was getting around 700 on my practice test. (Q highest 49 and lowest 40, V highest 41 and lowest 29) I knew the score was inflated about 100 pts, but I am still disappointed on my verbal score.

I need the advice:
1. I am debating whether I should try for one last attempt as I am not sure about taking the test more than three times. My target score is 650 to be safe for the schools that I want to get in.
2. Also, I am completely lost on how to improve my verbal score if i decide to take the test again.
During the test, one of the RC passage was really hard to follow and I had to spend more time on the passage. I had to solve 11 questions including a long RC passage in 17 minutes. At the same time, I felt CR questions were tricky than the problmes that I studied.
3. I don't feel that I have a good source to test my true score anymore. In last GMAT prep test, most of the verbal questions were repeated questions and I was familiar with all the RC passage. I socred 40 for verbal..highly inflated score compare to my real score.
Please help!

[StaceyKoprince]

I'm sorry that you're not yet at your goal score, but I do want to note that you have made some very good improvement so far. Just remember that - you are making some progress!

You mention a pretty serious timing issue on the verbal - having to answer the last 11 questions (including a long RC) in 17 min. A long RC takes about 3m to read for the first time. If you were given 3 questions (1 general, 2 specific), you'd be expected to spend around 4 to 5 min; if you were given 4 (1 general, 3 specific), you'd be expected to spend around 5.5 to 6.5 min. So, total, we're looking at 7 to 9.5 min for the passage and questions, leaving you with 7.5 to 10 minutes for the other 7 to 8 questions. And it sounds like you had even less time than that, because it sounds like you spent extra time on the passage.

That means some serious rushing, careless mistakes, random guesses, strings of wrong answers... and a lowered score, possibly significantly lowered.

I'm guessing that the timing issue didn't suddenly arise because of this one RC passage. I think it's likely that you were struggling with timing all along.

When you took your practice tests, what did you do when you saw repeated questions? Did you answer them right away, or more quickly than you would have if they'd been new questions? I'm also guessing that you did this - which means that you were giving yourself a timing advantage that you will never get on the real test. That also means that you weren't prepared for the true timing pressures on the real test.

If you decide to take the test again, you have to fix this timing problem. I will make yet another guess: when you take the test, do you approach it with the mindset that you have to get everything (or almost everything) right, the way we had to on school tests? On the GMAT, that kind of an approach will just get you into trouble. :)

Start by reading The GMAT Uncovered, the free e-book in your student center. Pay particular attention to the sections about timing and scoring.

Also work on changing your mindset: Think of this as a tennis match, not a test. You're going to win some points and the other guy is going to win some points; you're not going to win them all, right? Your goal is to put yourself into position to win the LAST point. Translated, that means you have to put yourself in position to answer the last question - you have to have time to address it. Otherwise, you've lost the last point, and by extension the match. When the other guy hits a winner, don't go running after it so fast that you hit the fence and injure yourself, thereby hurting your chances on the later points. (Translation: don't go way over when the problem is too hard.)

Read this article on timing and try the techniques described:
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2009/12/ ... management

For verbal, use a "two-pass" approach when evaluating answers.
First pass. Put answers into one of two categories: "definitely wrong" or "maybe" - DO NOT try to decide whether something is RIGHT on your first pass. (You can't decide what's right till you've seen all of the answers!)
Second pass. Compare the "maybe" answers. Narrow down. When you're down to two, look at each answer ONCE more; then pick and move on.

Here are some other articles on CR:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/articles/CR-assumption.cfm

and RC:
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/04/ ... mp-passage
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/07/ ... rc-passage
http://www.manhattangmat.com/articles/a ... estion.cfm

In terms of whether to take it again, you should talk to an admissions consultant (you can post in our Ask An Admissions Consultant folder). In general, given that your current high score is significantly below what you think you'll need, I think they'll probably say you should take it again when you're really prepared - but ask them, not me. :)

For right now, don't worry about the practice tests. We know your current level - we've got an official test score. Work on the various things discussed above and make significant progress, then come back here and tell us how things are going and ask questions. At that point (several weeks at least), we'll discuss what you can do to take another practice test / get another data point.