Cannot figure out what is Wrong with me!!!

[ashua1231]

Hello everyone

I want to share that i m getting scores of 660-700 in mock tests . When I analyse wrong questions, in most of the cases i knew which one is right without seeing the actual key. This scenario is true in verbal only( 33- 40). Does it mean that I am able to narrow down to two answer chances and then always pick the wrong one.(Nothing is in my favor) It is going to hurt me badly. I have my test on 08 of this Month. Please help!!
One more thing I have started taking tests one week back only. I knew i can improve I have put a lot into my efforts. Any help will be appreciated and its very urgent

[StaceyKoprince]

Does it mean that I am able to narrow down to two answer chances and then always pick the wrong one.

Not quite. Think about it. You're ONLY looking at the ones you got wrong. So, of course, these are the ones on which you did pick the wrong one. On others where you narrowed the answers down to two, you're not even noticing that you got it right because you're only going over the wrong answers. :)

Your test is in 4 days. Your current scoring range is 660 to 700. Is this the score range you hope to hit on test day? In general, you should expect to hit a similar scoring range***, so if you want something higher than that, you may need to consider postponing your test.

*** Note: you should expect to hit a similar scoring range IF you took your practice tests under 100% official conditions. If you deviated from official conditions in ways that might inflate your score (eg, skipping essays, pausing, taking longer breaks than allowed), then your practice test score range isn't as valid.

At this point, you can't improve weaknesses - you're supposed to move to more comprehensive review about 2 weeks before the test date and you're only 4 days before. You're going to have to decide whether to go with where you're at right now or whether you're going to postpone in the hopes of improving further.

If you decide to postpone and want advice about improving, then do the analysis described in the below article on your most recent MGMAT practice test (or the one before that, if the most recent one was taken under non-official conditions). Then come back here to let us know what you discovered and we'll help you figure out what to do.

http://www.manhattangmat.com/articles/e ... -part1.cfm

[ashua1231]

Thank you very much for your reply Stacy

I am targeting atleast 720 and certainly these are not the desired results I have taken my tests under official conditions
Second I cannot back out now, I have prepared myself for this day for two months. I have worked on my flaw in last two days and devised a strategy.If it works you will definetly hear from me:)
Hoping for the best
ashua1231

[ashua1231]

Stacy need your advice badly

I got only 680 ( 48Quant and 35 verbal) and I need to retake Gmat to get atleast 720+ till 20 of next month (my deadline) because last date of R2 application for ISB (India School of Business) is only 30 Nov and it takes atleast two weeks to reach official scores to reach ISB.
Please suggest way to improve my scores. Clearly my impuissance is in Verbal and in particular sentence correction( I took atleast 5 tests( Kaplan, Princetown and Gmat prep) and same results with verbal (30 -40).

I have done two things since Friday:-
I brought critical reasoning book 4th edition so as to get 6 MGMAT tests.
Start doing MGMAT sentence correction Guide and Kaplan 800.If you want any info from mine side for better analysis please let me know

Any assistance is highly appreciated.
Kind Regards
Ashish




.

[StaceyKoprince]

680 is a very good score - I know it's not what you want, but I do just want to congratulate you for achieving that. :)

Take a look at the end of my first post (upthread). If you'd like specific advice, then please do what the last paragraph describes. If you have not yet taken an MGMAT practice test, then take one ASAP under 100% official conditions (both essays, two 8-min breaks between sections, no getting up and walking around or eating / drinking during the test, no use of the pause button, etc).

Make your analysis thorough! The more analysis you can give me, the more I can help you. (Note: please do NOT just post the actual data - analyze the data yourself, with help from the article, and tell us the results of your analysis. That analysis is part of your learning process as well.)

[ashua1231]

thank you for reply infact, i was waiting for your reply

As far as manhattan tests are concerned, i 'll take one by the end of this week and publish entire analysis and score.

You and your comments are really helpful and encouraging!!!

[StaceyKoprince]

okay, we'll wait to hear from you - good luck!

[ashua1231]

Dear Stacey I hope you are fine and doing good.

I was trying to post since last week but wasn't able to do so.Finally got through.
I took my first manhattan test(under official conditions) on 5th nov and got 660(48Q and 33V) phew!!!.
I analysed mock test on basis of your article(how to review mock tests) and note down some silly mistakes of mine. I'll work on the same mistakes before taking second test( 11-12 Nov).
As far as quant is concerned,I can certainly ameliorate it but my pain area is verbal.
I need your inputs before attempting second one. My analysis for verbal part is as under:-
The sequence of attempts whether each is right wrong is as under

RR WWW RR WW R R R R R W R W W R R W R W R R
12 345 67 89 10111213141516 1718 19202122232425
W W W R W W W W R R R R W W W R.
26272829 30313233 34353637 38394041

1.Got two CR questions(Q3&Q4) each 700-800( Conclusion and Strengthen) range wrong followed by
a RC questionQ5 (Specific Detail) and timings are [1:32,1:24,3:31]respectively

2.TWo sentence correction Qs8&9 wrong in a row(Modifiers and verbs)[one is 700-800 and other is 600-700]and timings[0:58 and 1:42]

3. Got one SC questionQ15 wrong( Parallelism ) and timing[3:21]

4.Two RC Q17&Q18 wrong in a row one is inference[700-800 & 3.44]not satisfied with explanation and Q is javan inference.
and other is also inference(600-700 & 1:19)

5.One ScQ21 wrong(Idiom; 700-800 and 1:24) Q23SC wrong( Quantity and Expressions & 700-800 & 1:24)

6.Three Qwrong in a row :- RCQ26 wrong( 700-800, Specific detail and 2:04)& Q27 CR(700-800 & Explain Situation & 1:59) wrong( Careless)
Q28 WRONG SC Contaminated Food (700 - 800) & 0:52

7.Four Qwrong Q30Q31Q32Q33 in a row entire Rc is wrong. Got it Right in second attempt might be lack of concentration

8.Again to my red ink,I got three wrong in a row.
38 WRONG SC The Sparrow 600 - 700 1:50 Parallelism
39 WRONG CR Tennis Logic 700 - 800 4:03 Mimic the Argument
40 WRONG SC Car Accidents 600 - 700 0:47 Subject Verb Agreement

One thing I noticed that I did questions wrong in a cluster.Other is that in the end i just want to complete the test and lose some level of concentration. Any suggestions to eradicate this problem??

I request you to please analyse my test and suggest me your valuable opinion. I knew that I can do better than this.
I am taking Gmat on 29 Nov. Please tell me where i can improve and increase my scores when i'll take another mock test on 12Nov.I'll publish a detailed analysis of the same also.
If you need any other information from my side please let me know.
Thank you very much

Kind Regards
ashua1231

[ashua1231]

Stacey I knew you are superbusy:)
But I need your feedback desperately

[StaceyKoprince]

Don't reply to your own posts! You just caused yourself to have to wait an extra day or two. I answered most of the questions posted on 10 Nov yesterday and the day before - but yours was showing up as 15 Nov, so I'm only getting to it now. :(

Your analysis is a good start. Two wrong in a row is not a big deal, and even 3 wrong once or twice isn't terrible. 4 in a row is starting to be a problem. And, in particular, you had a stretch in the 20s on your test where you had 7 of 8 wrong (with one right answer in the middle). You also mentioned feeling some mental fatigue - that feeling of just wanting the test to be over.

Have you been taking practice tests under 100% official conditions, including the essays? If not, you need to do that - that's part of how you build that mental stamina. You also need to ensure that you are eating and drinking energy good on the breaks. I also recommend doing some light exercises - stretching and even jumping jacks if you're really feeling sluggish. Who cares if the other people in the waiting room look at you funny? :)

Having said all of that, the test IS 3.5 hours long, so you're going to get fatigued along the way. If you find yourself losing concentration (distracted thinking about anything other than the problem on the screen right now, having to read something several times because you keep forgetting what you just read, etc.), do one of a few things. If you're distracted, tell yourself that you CAN think about whatever is distracting you... just as soon as you finish this one problem. So, give yourself permission to think about it, but in a minute, not right now. If you're still thinking about it when you start the next problem, just do that all over again. If you find that you can't remember what you're reading, stop. Go back and read line by line or sentence by sentence and say to yourself "Okay, so what this is saying is..." and put it in your own words. Talk to yourself (silently!) as though you are having to explain it to someone else. If it's really bad, close your eyes or look at the ceiling for 30 seconds. Flex your arms and legs, roll your neck around, and try to clear your mind. Come back and just guess on that question, but try to start concentrating again on the next one.

Most of the timings you listed (for your wrong answers) were either okay or too high. Some of those times should be a lot lower - there should be some where you can actually recognize - oh, yeah, this is too hard. I'm going to do my best within the time limit; I'm certainly not going to spend extra time on this one.

For example, that CR Tennis Logic - mimic the argument. It wasn't too too terrible that you spent 4m on it simply because it was at the end and you presumably knew you had the time. But what if that had come earlier in the section? Would you have been able to be disciplined enough to just bail on it earlier? Mimic the argument is a NASTY type - and they're rare. Mostly, just let them go. :)

To my mind, the concerning part is that stretch from 26th thru 33, in particular because of what you said about the RC passage - I think stamina did play into that, so you need to work on that starting today!