Cracking a V45+ score

[pikenz]

Hi,

I wonder if you have any advice for a topic that I don't see discussed very often - attaining a very high verbal score.

I sat the GMAT a few weeks ago and scored a V46. I finished verbal with about 20 minutes to spare, and I am a native English speaker.

However, based on the score I received and my GMATPrep practice scores, mid-40s seems to be my cap. I am going to resit the GMAT, and am keen to try to really nail verbal.

What should I be doing to raise my score to a v50/51? What separates a v45 from a v51?

[StaceyKoprince]

What separates a v45 from a v51?

Almost nothing. Literally. V45 is 99th percentile and V51 is 99th percentile. Unless you're hoping to work for a test prep company - or a company that makes the real standardized test - there's no concrete distinction. :)

The difference is a few questions here and there. V51 is perfect or almost perfect - zero or maybe only 1 question wrong. V46 is a few questions wrong. Toss in a vocab word you happen not to know, an obscure grammar rule, a really tricky trap answer or a careless mistake, a little fatigue getting to you... or get rid of all of those things and be In The Zone and maybe you'll get the 51 instead.

The reason you don't see articles about going from 45 to 51 is that this is rarefied air. People who work for test prep companies and literally study Qs for hours a day for a living - well, that's how they do that. Want to come sit by me 8 hours a day for the next 3 months and learn? Watch me pick apart one question for 15 minutes and then write another new one myself - one that looks completely different yet shares some fundamental reasoning or something like that? Come on over. (And if you really do want to, then hey, maybe you do have a standardized testing career in front of you. :)

Are you retaking the test just for this? Or are you retaking it for quant and just also want to set yourself a verbal challenge since you're retaking anyway?

[pikenz]

Thanks for your reply.

I do enjoy the GMAT, but no, I am not retaking the test just to try and hit V51. Unfortunately, I bombed quant on the day and scored Q44 - not really sure how it happened, but it did. I got home and started replaying questions over in my head and was just like "how did I miss that?! what was I up to!?". Verbal pulled my score past 700, but I do not feel Q44 is reflective of my ability, so I might as well have another go.

OK, well I guess I will just have to hope I am 'on form'!

[StaceyKoprince]

Okay, so your focus will obviously be on quant, but let's have some fun with the verbal, too, since you're already so good at it.

When you get burned out studying quant, go find a really hard verbal problem. Ask yourself:

- which is the most tempting wrong answer and why? Why would someone pick it? What (faulty) reasoning would they use to convince themselves?
- how would someone reason their way to eliminating the right answer?
- if I had to teach this problem to someone, how would I explain it? Explain not just WHAT to do but HOW YOU KNOW to do certain things. Deliver this explanation aloud (to your cat, to your roommate or significant other, to the emptry air). Even if you're talking to no one, you'll be able to hear when your explanation is good vs. when it's not so good. If it's not so good, figure out why - there's still something there that's giving you a little trouble.

Come onto the verbal formals here and try your hand at answering questions from your fellow students.

Have fun! :)

p.s. do you want to talk about your quant study strategy at all? or do you think you have that under control?

[pikenz]

Hi Stacey

Thanks for your suggestions. GMAT resit was today.

"Bad" news... Verbal was 46 again
Good news... Quant was 50!

770 overall so I am very happy!

[StaceyKoprince]

awesome! congratulations!
:)

[skiandstudy]

Hi Stacey,

I have this exact same question. I've scoured the internet for tips, and haven't found anything to help. Here's my situation:

I took my first practice CAT and got a high 30's Q and a 45V. I've studied for a little while now, using MGMAT strategy guides in conjunction with the OG's (OG Archer), and have improved my Q to the low-mid 40's, while my V hasn't budged. My V doesn't seem to have any weakness across subject or difficulty level (basically got 90-92% of CR, RC, and SC OG problems correct).

I do currently have a plan to increase my Q to the goal of 49, which I'll attempt to execute over the next two months, but I would also LOVE to get my V to 50 or 51. Do you have any specific advice for me? If that advice is similar to what's in your post above, is there any chance you could point me to a bunch of problems that fit that bill?

Thanks!

[StaceyKoprince]

Yes, my advice would be the same as above, and no, there isn't a particular list of problems that I'd point you to. I used what's out there - OG / past test questions. You really can learn from them - you just have to pick them apart at the level I described in my last post - almost like you're writing / editing them, not just doing them!

Actually, you know what? Read this:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... 0-seconds/

You also have to be able to do that kind of stuff. :)