Hi guys,
I am starting an MGMAT classroom prep course this month. I’ve heard really good things about it. I need a 600 score (550 bare minimum). I need to firm up on the basics. At the same time I really need to work on my exam taking technique.
I took the gmat prep exam last weekend and scored a dismal 450. I can’t say I went into the exam in peek condition. I was suffering from a bad cold and was burnt out from studying hard that morning and the days before. My major problem is timing and exam discipline. If I think I’ve answered a few questions incorrectly I often freak out and lose focus. Are there ways to refocusing oneself in this type of scenario?
My pattern of scoring in the exam reflects this. I score well in the first 10 questions, then I answer a few incorrectly, then a few correctly, then a load incorrectly as I realise I’m running out of time (stressing + guessing my way through a large section of questions), then several correctly as I refocus myself, then usually 8/9 out of the last 10 wrong as I make a dash for the finish.
Has anyone else had similar problems and managed to improve their discipline?
I’m thinking about using the 800score CATS to practice my timing. I was even thinking about using a stop watch initially. A bit like a kid with stabilizers, I would stop using it once my timing has improved. I want to keep the real MGMAT CATS to practice under proper exam conditions. Thoughts? Again has anyone done something similar?
I really feel that if I can improve my technique I can improve my score. As is mentioned on this forum so many times, if you answer consecutive questions incorrectly you will be heavily penalised. I really need to get away from this pattern. Outside of a full blown gmat mock I typically get 7 out of every 10 questions. 1 point north or south depending. So although my foundation knowledge isn't amazing. It isn't terrible either.
I’m hoping that with some hard study, good exam technique and the MGMAT prep course under my belt I will be able to reach my goal
Please share your thoughts.
Thank,
Aztec
GMAT Forum
2 postsPage 1 of 1
- galvinr
- Course Students
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Jul 23, 2009 11:11 pm
- StaceyKoprince
- ManhattanGMAT Staff
- Posts: 9361
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
- Location: Montreal
Re: Exam Technique Help and Direction
Don't start taking tons of practice tests. Practice tests are really good for (a) figuring out where you're scoring right now, (b) practicing stamina, and (c) analyzing your strengths and weaknesses. The actual act of just taking the exam is NOT so useful for improving. It's what you do with the test results / between tests that helps you to improve.
You're just starting the course, so you're scheduled to take a first practice test now (or soon). I know you want to save the MGMAT tests, but there are multiple VERY good reasons you should take the practice tests as assigned on the syllabus.
First, MGMAT exams give you extensive data on your strengths and weaknesses. GMATPrep and most other practice tests don't. For starters, you're obviously spending too much time on some problems. Which types tend to suck you in the most? How are you doing on the ones on which you spend the most time? You don't have any idea right now, because you haven't been able to see the data - but you'll see that data on your MGMAT test reports.
I'm going to make a bit of a prediction for you, because what you're describing is common - I see it all the time. :) When you look at that data, you're going to discover something surprising: when you spend a lot of extra time on a question, you aren't more likely to get it right. In fact, on the questions on which you're going way over time, your overall performance is probably a lot worse than is typical for you. What's going on?
Well, it's actually not that surprising. You're choosing to spend extra time when you're struggling, when the question is really too hard for you. So, naturally, your performance suffers. If it's too hard for you, it doesn't matter if you take extra time - it's still too hard for you, so you're probably going to get it wrong no matter how much time you spend.
Once you can actually show this to yourself with the data, it will be a whole lot easier for you to say to yourself, "Yeah, I don't know how to do this one. I need to make a guess and move on, so at least this one won't cause me to get another question wrong later in the test!"
The other VERY important reason you want to take the tests as assigned on the syllabus: if you do, you'll be eligible for a free test assessment at the end of the course. Your instructor will take a look at your tests and advise you about what to do between the end of the course and whenever you plan to take the real test. But you only get this advice if you take the three tests as assigned on the syllabus (otherwise, the teacher doesn't have adequate data to advise you).
Here's some good news: given what you described with your timing problems, your actually scoring level is a decent amount higher than what you scored on that GMATPrep test. Your timing issues are pulling your score down in a big way. You may already be at your minimum desired score (550) if you just fixed your timing!
Obviously, pay really close attention in class when the teacher is discussing timing issues, how to make guesses, how to know when to pull the plug on a problem, etc. Take good notes and ask lots of questions! You'll get it worked out.
Oh, and re: your question about how to stop yourself from freaking out during the test. Try this: you only have to get about 60% of the questions right to achieve your target score. (This is true for almost everybody, regardless of the scoring level.) That should help - who cares if you got a few wrong? You're going to get about 40% of the questions wrong overall! But you can still get your goal score, and that's all you care about. :)
You're just starting the course, so you're scheduled to take a first practice test now (or soon). I know you want to save the MGMAT tests, but there are multiple VERY good reasons you should take the practice tests as assigned on the syllabus.
First, MGMAT exams give you extensive data on your strengths and weaknesses. GMATPrep and most other practice tests don't. For starters, you're obviously spending too much time on some problems. Which types tend to suck you in the most? How are you doing on the ones on which you spend the most time? You don't have any idea right now, because you haven't been able to see the data - but you'll see that data on your MGMAT test reports.
I'm going to make a bit of a prediction for you, because what you're describing is common - I see it all the time. :) When you look at that data, you're going to discover something surprising: when you spend a lot of extra time on a question, you aren't more likely to get it right. In fact, on the questions on which you're going way over time, your overall performance is probably a lot worse than is typical for you. What's going on?
Well, it's actually not that surprising. You're choosing to spend extra time when you're struggling, when the question is really too hard for you. So, naturally, your performance suffers. If it's too hard for you, it doesn't matter if you take extra time - it's still too hard for you, so you're probably going to get it wrong no matter how much time you spend.
Once you can actually show this to yourself with the data, it will be a whole lot easier for you to say to yourself, "Yeah, I don't know how to do this one. I need to make a guess and move on, so at least this one won't cause me to get another question wrong later in the test!"
The other VERY important reason you want to take the tests as assigned on the syllabus: if you do, you'll be eligible for a free test assessment at the end of the course. Your instructor will take a look at your tests and advise you about what to do between the end of the course and whenever you plan to take the real test. But you only get this advice if you take the three tests as assigned on the syllabus (otherwise, the teacher doesn't have adequate data to advise you).
Here's some good news: given what you described with your timing problems, your actually scoring level is a decent amount higher than what you scored on that GMATPrep test. Your timing issues are pulling your score down in a big way. You may already be at your minimum desired score (550) if you just fixed your timing!
Obviously, pay really close attention in class when the teacher is discussing timing issues, how to make guesses, how to know when to pull the plug on a problem, etc. Take good notes and ask lots of questions! You'll get it worked out.
Oh, and re: your question about how to stop yourself from freaking out during the test. Try this: you only have to get about 60% of the questions right to achieve your target score. (This is true for almost everybody, regardless of the scoring level.) That should help - who cares if you got a few wrong? You're going to get about 40% of the questions wrong overall! But you can still get your goal score, and that's all you care about. :)
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
2 posts Page 1 of 1