Best CAT exams for practice for my second GMAT in a month?

[shaifali.ag]

Hi:

I finished one of my GMAT - received Quant 48/Verbal 27/AWA 5/IR 5 - with a total score of 620. I am planning to give GMAT again in a month to improve my score. But unfortunately, I exhausted all my 5 - MGMAT/4 - 800 score/2-GMAT Prep exams before my first exam. And I know these tests are the best interpreters of my real score. I am left with only one 800 score exam. Now to do some practice, and to gauge my score improvement before my second GMAT test in a month, please let me know what new exams I could use. (I realized the hard way that it was a mistake to use Kaplan tests). So, I would like to use the tests which give the right score.

I will appreciate any help in this regard.

Thanks,
Shaifali

[shaifali.ag]

Hi:

I will really appreciate if someone could let me know about the different CAT exams that I mentioned in my original post.

Thanks again,

[StaceyKoprince]

Please remember to read the forum guidelines before posting. Please don't "bump" your own post. We respond to all posts in order, oldest first, and the date of your post is based on the date of the last post in the thread, not the first. If you bump your own post, you will wait longer for a response (and you did in this case - based on the original time stamp, you'd have gotten an answer yesterday if you hadn't bumped your post!).


Please also note that the forums are a free service, open to the public. Because of the volume of traffic we receive, it is not unusual to wait a week from the date of the last post (sometimes longer) for a response. If you see that older posts in the same folder have not yet been answered, then you know that we haven't missed you - we just haven't gotten to your question yet.

Now, on to your question.

Now to do some practice, and to gauge my score improvement before my second GMAT test in a month, please let me know what new exams I could use

Stop taking so many CATs. Seriously. :) That's not how you learn to get better. Read this:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... many-cats/

If you'd like to get advice about what to do, use the below to analyze your most recent MGMAT CAT(s):
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... ice-tests/

Then come back here and tell us the results of your analysis and what you think you should do based on that analysis. 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!)

Also, read this:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -the-gmat/

Pay particular attention to the How To Learn section.

You mention that you're planning to take the test again in a month. Is your goal to take the test in a month (maybe you have a deadline)? Or is your goal to earn a particular score? If your goal is more about the score, then don't base your study on choosing a test date now. Wait until your practice tests (taken under full official conditions, including essay and IR) are in the range that you want.

And finally:
You can still take both GMATPrep and MGMAT CATs with repeats as long as you follow a few guidelines to minimize the chance of artificially inflating your score via question repeats.

First, don't go back and study those questions. Forget about them. You're not going to take another test for 2 or 3 weeks.

Next, when you do take a test, anytime you see a problem that you remember (and this means: I know the answer or I'm pretty sure I remember the answer, not just "hmm, this looks vaguely familiar..."), immediately look at the timer and make yourself sit there for the full length of time for that question type. This way, you don't artificially give yourself more time than you should have.

Think about whether you got this problem right the last time. If you did, get it right again this time. If you didn't, get it wrong again. If you *completely honestly* think that you would get it right this time around if it were a new question (even though you got it wrong last time) because you've studied that area and improved, then get it right this time.

[shaifali.ag]

Hi Stacey:

Thank you so much for such a detailed reply. And I apologize for the inconvenience on bumping my post earlier.

Regarding your question about my goal for the test and if I have a deadline or I need to earn a particular score? I guess answer to that was a combination of two - I was initially thinking to apply in the first round of applications due in late September or early October since I was thinking of the best chances to get in, in the first round even though I haven't taken a second GMAT test date yet. Then lately, I realized that if I could bump up my score from 620 to anything above 680 (my goal score) then I would have much better chances to get the better college even if I apply in the second round of applications. So, at this time, I am thinking to raise my score from 620 to 680 in the next two months. Is this too far fetched?

I have posted my analysis below on Quant and Verbal as per listed in the article link you attached. Please let me know what you think about my analysis.

Here’s the complete analysis from the MGMAT test I gave on 5/28:

1) Score - 630 - Quant 47 (73%), Verbal 30 (56%)
2) Essay and IR not taken with the test. No use of Pause button and didn’t take extra time.

Quant Analysis:

1) No strings of 4 or more answers incorrect.
2) For Last 5 questions - time left 9min 50 sec
3) Way too slow category - 5 questions:
Breakdown:
Problem solving - 4 Qs -
Q1 - Geometry 3:16 minutes taken - incorrect
Q2 - Geometry 4:07 minutes taken - correct
Q3 - Rates and Work 4:20 minutes taken - correct
Q4 - Combinatorics 4:20 minutes taken - correct

Data Sufficiency - 1 Q
Q1 - Statistics 3:14 minutes taken - correct

4) Way too fast category - none

5) Assessment report analysis for Quant:

Assessment summary:
Problem solving 64% correct
(Average difficiulty Right answer - 710 level, Average difficulty Wrong Answer - 750 level
Average time right answer - 2:09
Average time wrong answer - 1:42)
Data sufficiency 60% correct
(Average difficulty Right answer - 690, Average difficulty wrong answer - 720
Average time right answer - 2:17
Average time wrong answer - 1:44)

Assessment as per sub-categories:
Algebra: 63% right (right answer 1:27min, wrong answer 1:58)
Geometry: 33% right (right answer 3:21, wrong answer 1:33)
Number properties: 71% right (right answer 2:52, wrong answer 2:07)
Word problems: 60% right (right answer 2:13, wrong answer 1:11)
FDPs: 83% right (right answer 1:49, wrong answer 3:00)

My Analysis of Quant:
1) Category 1 (Strengths): Algebra and Word problems are my strengths.
2) Category 2 (got it wrong within the expected time frame): Algebra, Geometry, and Word problems fall in this criteria. From this, I realize that since Geometry is not my strong area (considering I get only 33% problems right) but I feel during the test that it is my strong area and so, I am still giving it expected timeframe to do the question and I think I should realize that Geometry is not my strong area and shouldn’t give it more time (not more than 2 minutes) than is needed. If I need to improve, then I need to review the content area?
And if possible, I need to learn to make educated guesses in Geometry.
3) Category 3 (got it wrong "˜way too quickly’) - I am okay in this area since the only questions I got wrong way too quickly are the ones with 700-800 level.
4) Category 4 (got it right "˜way too slowly’) - Average time for Geometry questions to get them right is 3:21 minutes and the percentage I am getting right is only 33% so either I have to learn content in this area or get them right or wrong faster.
5) Category 5 (got it wrong "˜way too slowly’) - In this category, I am most likely okay. In FDPs, I took the longest time in one question (3minutes) to get it wrong but at the same time, I got 83% questions right.

Verbal Analysis:

1) 2 strings of 4 or more questions incorrect
i) String of 5 questions incorrect in the middle of the test - initial 4 questions of 700-800 level and 5th question 500-600 level but got last one wrong too. The third question in the same string is RC and so, took 7 minutes to read and answer the first question so I took way too long.
ii) String of last 5 questions incorrect - (3 minutes left in the end) - one question 500-600 level, three questions 600-700 and one 700-800 level.
2) Way too slow category - total 3 questions
RC first question of a passage - took 5:14 - Inference 600-700 level
RC first question of a passage - took 6.59 minutes - Specific detail 700-800 level
SC one question - 700-800 level - took 2:29 minutes (modifier problem)
3) Way too fast category -
CR - 2 questions - Strengthen the argument (600-700 level both, and 14 seconds and 22 seconds taken)

Assessment report analysis for Verbal:

Assessment summary:
SC 47% correct
(Average difficiulty Right answer - 710 level, Average difficulty Wrong Answer - 750 level
Average time right answer - 1:32
Average time wrong answer - 1:24)
RC 42% correct
(Average difficiulty Right answer - 670 level, Average difficulty Wrong Answer - 660 level
Average time right answer - 2:01
Average time wrong answer - 2:29)
CR 57% correct
(Average difficiulty Right answer - 730 level, Average difficulty Wrong Answer - 680 level
Average time right answer - 2:02
Average time wrong answer - 1:33)


Assessment as per sub-categories:

My Analysis of Verbal:

1) Category 1 (Strengths):
CR: Draw a Conclusion is the strength (3 out 3 correct in 1:58 min average time, with all 700-800 level)
SC: Subject Verb, Idioms - are the strengths
I don’t have any strengths in RC, so I need to work on timing and content for RC.
2) Category 2 (got it wrong within expected timeframe)
CR - weaken the argument - average time for wrong questions - 1:43min, level 600-700 and 700-800. I need to review the content for this category and work on timing to get the question wrong sooner.
RC - Specific detail - 2:38 minutes on average for wrong question
Three -700-800 level questions and one 500-600 level incorrect. The 500-600 level question got wrong because of timing issues.
SC - modifiers - 1min 27 sec average on wrong questions (both 700-800 incorrect)
3) Category 3 (got it wrong "˜way too quickly’) - I am okay in this area with verbal.
4) Category 4 (got it right "˜way too slowly’) - Average time for SC Modifier questions is 2:29min to get them right but it was 700-800 level. Everything else is good.
5) Category 5 (got it wrong "˜way too slowly’) - In this category, I took the longest time in RC Inference question - 3:02 min and got it wrong - these were 600-700 level. Most of these look like timing issues.

So, in a nutshell, for verbal, i) I need to work on timing issues to avoid getting too many questions incorrect in a sequence. ii) Review content for weaken question so that I can atleast do 600-700 level questions correct. Iii) I don’t have to review a lot of SC problems. Iv) I need to work on Specific Detail and Inference questions for RC and start getting the low level questions right.

Thank you soo much, again,
Shaifali

[StaceyKoprince]

I've gone through everything and have come back up to the top of my post to say: good analysis! See details below.

620 to 680 in 2 months is more reasonable, yes. :) Obviously there are never any guarantees.

Skipping essay and IR could mean an artificially inflated quant or verbal score. Most of the time, any artificial inflation will happen most during your weaker section (because when you are mentally fatigued, this affects you more during your weaker section). For some people, both Q and V will be artificially inflated.

Quant.
You had 3 right answers at 4+ minutes. I would actually rather you get those wrong in 2 minutes than right in 4+ minutes.

That sounds bizarre - why would I prefer that you get something wrong? Because you are guaranteeing yourself *at least* one question wrong somewhere else when you spend 2+ extra minutes on one other question. Usually, you are guaranteeing yourself more than one question wrong elsewhere, because most people will try to make up that 2 minutes by rushing on 3 or 4 other questions (saving ~30sec each) and then you're giving yourself the opportunity to make multiple careless mistakes.

Do look at those again to see whether you could learn to do those in closer to 2 minutes. But, in future, if the choice is to get something right in 4+ minutes or get in wrong in 2- minutes, get it wrong in 2- minutes!

*Note* You can ignore everything I just said IF you did not make *any* careless mistakes in that section. But if you did make any careless mistakes, then you've got to learn to cut yourself off faster on way-too-long questions.

I'm noticing that your average quant time on wrong answers is faster than your average time on right answers. If this is because you're very good at telling when you don't know how to do something, so you cut yourself off faster, then that's great. If this is because you're sometimes going faster on things that you do know how to do (in order to make up time on those 4+ minute problems) and you then make careless mistakes, then that's not good.

Hmm. I am confused. Your assessment per sub-categories says that you averaged 3m on wrong answer FDPs. On your breakdown of too-long math, though, you list only 1 incorrect problem over 3m and it's geometry. Why isn't the 3min FDP on the list?

Your analysis of geometry is correct - your choice is to get it wrong faster or spend time trying to get better. :)

For FDP, 83% is great. Just remember that they can still give you a too-hard problem even in your strongest area. You can give it 2m, since this is your strongest area, but if it's really too hard, let it go.

Verbal
Yep, timing issues. You ran out of time at the end of the section, and that cost you 5 questions in a row.

RC initial read-through is a problem, as you called it. See resources below.

CR is your strength in general. Your wrong answers are significantly faster than they should be. Did you make careless mistakes on some of these (especially CR weaken?) because you spent too much time on RC?

Reading RC:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... p-passage/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -passages/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -passages/

question types (specific)
http://www.manhattangmat.com/articles/a ... estion.cfm
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... e-details/
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/11/ ... il-problem

Sequence of three articles on the same passage (addressing all issues):
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... -passages/
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... m-passage/
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... m-passage/

CR:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... reasoning/

[shaifali.ag]

Hi Stacey,

Thank you for reviewing my lengthy analysis. I appreciate for all your time.

Regarding the one question that you listed below, I have listed the explanation:
"Hmm. I am confused. Your assessment per sub-categories says that you averaged 3m on wrong answer FDPs. On your breakdown of too-long math, though, you list only 1 incorrect problem over 3m and it's geometry. Why isn't the 3min FDP on the list?"

It seems in the 'way too slow' category, I listed all the questions in which I took 3+ minutes and didn't consider the ones in which I took exactly 3 minutes. So, one question of FDP falls in this category and hence, you could still see this question in my assessment of sub-category for FDP. Further, I double-checked my exam and noticed that there are no other questions in which I took exact 3 minutes, so my assessment still remains the same.

Next steps - I will make sure to work through the suggestions you mentioned below and will try to take one test in 3 weeks, to make sure that I am on the right track.
I will get back to you soon with the results once I give my test.

Thanks again,
Shaifali

[StaceyKoprince]

Ah, got it. Thanks. :)

good luck!