GMAT Confidence Issue

[StaceyKoprince]

Good - let me know how things go!

[aps_asks]

Hi Stacey ,

I took a MGMAT exam today.

However , there was an internet connection issue in the middle of my exam, due to which i got a very wierd result.

I do not think that the result reflects my ability.

I shall be taking my test again nxt week.

Will share the results with you.

Also , i wanted to ask you that GMAT has released a new GMAT Prep software ( i learned of it somewhere )...Shall i consider it for practicing or is it meant for the guys who take the exam from June 05 , 12 onwards...

Please let me know your comments.

[jnelson0612]

Hi aps_aks,
Good luck on your next test!

Here's a link to some info about the new software: http://www.mba.com/the-gmat/nex-gen/pre ... -exam.aspx

I haven't seen it yet, but I can't imagine that it would be a bad thing to have the updated version of the software. If you have worked through a lot of the material you may want to consider getting this new software.

Again, wishing you the best in your preparations!

[aps_asks]

Hi ,

I took the Manhattan GMAT test today ( strictly under official conditions ).

There is an improvement from the previous CAT.

I scored a 680 ( Quant 48 , Verbal 34 )

There is scope for improvement in both Quant and Verbal.

But i need to do it fast.I think if the Verbal score would have been 36 - 37 , then i might have crossed 700.

But the good things from the test are as folows :
1) Overall Score improved.
2) Quant score went to 48 from 47.
3) Verbal went to 34 from 31.

I will be posting my analysis soon.

One thing i should say , that there are changes in the MGMAT CAT. I got 4 long passages in RC.

Please let me know your comments.

Thanks

[aps_asks]

Also ,I am planning to take the GMAT one month from now and i am planning for a score of 700+.

I have already scored a 680 on the MGMAT. ( Analyzing the test results )

Want to know your comments .

[aps_asks]

MY Analysis for the Latest MGMAT :

Verbal Analysis:


Strings of 4 Incorrect: 0
Strings of 3 Incorrect: 2
Strings of 2 Incorrect: 4

I was lagging by more than 4 mins from the actual time ( Negative time position ) from
the 21st question.I had to rush due to that in the end.

Way too slow Questions
CR ( Time 3+ mins) - 3 Questions Total Time Spent - 10 mins
SC ( Time 2+ mins) - 2 Questions Total Time Spent - 5 mins 32 secs
RC ( First Ques - 5 + mins , Rest 2.5 mins ) - 0 Question

Way too fast Questions
CR( Less than 1 min) - 0 Questions
SC( Less than 45 seconds ) -2 .......Both Corrrect
RC ..... 2

As per the Assessment summary Report , Reading Comprehension is a problematic Area
% Correct = 42%
Average Difficulty level Right Answers - 590
Average Difficulty level Wrong Answers - 740
Average Time Right Answers: 0:58 mins
Average Time Wrong Answers: 2:57 mins

Is SC a Problematic area...Though it fits into the Criteria that you set for Problem Areas.
I do not feel so.
% Correct - 73%
Average Difficulty level Right Answers - 650
Average Difficulty level Wrong Answers - 680
Average Time Right Answers: 0:57 mins
Average Time Wrong Answers: 1:54 mins

Below is my Analysis:

Category No Description
1 Category 1: I got it right roughly within the expected timeframe (otherwise known as strengths)
2 Category 2: I got it wrong roughly within the expected timeframe
3 Category 3: I got it wrong way too quickly (more than 30 seconds faster than it should be)
4 Category 4: I got it right way too slowly (more than 30 seconds slower than it should be)
5 Category 5: I got it wrong way too slowly (more than 30 seconds slower than it should be)


Category 1 -- Strength
CR
Find the Assumption
Provide an Example
Draw a Conclusion
Analyze Arg Structure
SC
Verbs
Connecting Punctuation
Comparisons
Subject Verb Agreement
Pronouns
Idioms
Clarity of Meaning
Parallelism
RC
Main Idea
Inference




Category 2 -- Possible Weakness
CR
Weaken Conclusion
Find the Assumption
Evaluate A Conclusion
Draw a Conclusion
SC
Modifiers
Quantity Expressions
Subject Verb Agreement





RC
Specific Detail
Inference







Category 3 ---Going Too Fast Problem ( Time Crunch)
RC
Inference
Specific Detail
CR
Weaken Conclusion



Category --4 : Weakness even though did correctly
SC
Comparison

RC
Inference

CR
Strengthen Conclusion





Category 5 -- Biggest Weakness
CR
Draw a Conclusion
Explain a situation

SC
Modifiers

I need to work on my Weakness links as indicated above.


Salient Points:
:>> There was an improvement in the Sentence Correction area. I worked on it before the test.
I need to work on the Modifiers and Meaning Area:
I also need to work on the Clarity of meaning.
Need to go through the links that Stacey gave me.( To be frank ..i did not study this area before the last test ... And I am expecting that my score will improve )

Need to check what I do not understand in the area - Comparisons - Parallelism.

:>> I worked on the CR --Analyze Argument Structure. It is now showing as one of my strength (And rightly so)
:.. I believe that Find the Assumption is now strength even though it is in Category 2.
(Possible Weakness)
:>> Facing issues with the below areas in CR
(Explaining a Situation) is a new area for me....Need to work on it
Also need to work on the below topics in CR as I performed badly in them.
Draw a Conclusion
Strengthen Conclusion
Weaken Conclusion
Evaluate a Conclusion
Strengthen, Weaken Conclusion used to be my strengths. I wonder why I am doing them wrong. Need to Brush up these areas.

Spent extra 3 mins in CR compared to my last MGMAT with not much improvement in accuracy.

I should not have spent more time in the Explain a Situation Question when I knew I am not getting it.

:>> With regard to RC,
Main Idea (My Weakness area) has become strength now

Need to work on
Inference
Specific Detail.
Will go through the Links (Once Again) that Stacey gave.
I also feel that I am trying to do RC quickly and that is perhaps leading to errors with respect to Inference, Specific Detail.

But it should be worth mentioning that I did not spend extra time on RC.

Will go through the Links that Stacey gave me for RC and CR also.


Quant Analysis

Strings of 2 Incorrect: 4
There was a timing issue. I rushed towards the end.
There was a timing issue from the 11th Question onwards

Questions taking too much time in Quant (3 + minutes)
---6 such Questions:
Total Time spent on the Too slow Questions: 21mins

Based on the Analysis as per the Link:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... ice-tests/


Below is my Analysis:

Category No Description
1 Category 1: I got it right roughly within the expected timeframe (otherwise known as strengths)
2 Category 2: I got it wrong roughly within the expected timeframe
3 Category 3: I got it wrong way too quickly (more than 30 seconds faster than it should be)
4 Category 4: I got it right way too slowly (more than 30 seconds slower than it should be)
5 Category 5: I got it wrong way too slowly (more than 30 seconds slower than it should be)


My Strengths are:
Category 1 -- Strengths
Fraction
Statistics
Geometry-- Triangles and Diagonals
Basic Equations
Divisibilty and Primes
Functions
Triangles and Diagonals
Divisiblity and Primes
Percents
Formulas
Digits
VIC
Coordinate Plane
FDP Connection
Exponential Equation
Odds and Evens


My Biggest Weaknesses are:
Category 5 --Biggest Weakness
Divisibilty and Primes
Population -- Rates
Exponents and Roots ...Odds and Evens
Inequalities
Quadratic Equations

Rates and Work
Combinatorics
Ratios


Category 2 -- Possible Weakness
Circles and Cylinders
Combinatorics
Consecutive integers
Odds and Evens , Basic Equations , Statistics
Polygons


Category-- 3 (Possible Errors due to Time Crunch) -Are these really weakness"”Check
Exponents and Roots
Percents
VIC

Category - 4 Getting Right but Too Slowly-These are Weakness
Inequalities
Percents
Overlapping sets


Salient Points:
: >>I need to work on my biggest weakness areas indicated by Category 5.
:>> I am doing problems involving Overlapping sets correctly. But I am taking too much time. Hence I moved Overlapping sets to Category 4.
:>> I worked on the Quadratic Equations, Basic Equations before taking this test. Basic Equations are showing as my strengths now. But I need to check the Quadratic Equations area as it still showing as a weakness.
:>> I worked on the VIC, area. Got 2 out of 3 correctly. For one of the Vic’s I could not do because of lack of sufficient time.
:>> Rates and Work, Population Doubling. Maybe I did not work in this area properly. Need to find out what I do not understand in this area. In the Test , the problem on rates and Work was not a very difficult one ( 600-700 question) .
:>> Divisibilty and Primes are showing both as my strengths and Weakness. But I will assume it as my weakness since most of the problems are difficult in this area.
:>.Inequality is showing as my weakness and it indeed is. I did not work in this area before the test. Time to Work on the same. Stacey gave me some links . I will check that.
:>> Combinatorics ...I will take this area on a lower priority even tough I encountered two questions from this area in this test. The reason being problems in this area are generally hard.
:>> Ratios. Not many problems come in this area. But I will see what is troubling me in this area.
:>> Exponents and Roots - Hard Problems in this area are troubling me.I encountered a difficult problem for this area.
:>> Even though Percent is one of my strength area , I took 3 mins to solve a problem. Need to ensure that this is just a one of case.

So, the Order of My Study for Quant will be
1) Inequality
2) Divisiblity and Primes
3) Overlapping Sets ( Need to do the Problems quickly)
4) Quadratic Equations
5) Rates and Work"”Population
6) Ratios
7) Exponents and Roots

Please let me know your comments.

[StaceyKoprince]

Multiple posts - first one first. If you have tech problems, contact techsupport@manhattangmat.com or call 800.576.GMAT - they can figure out what happened and help you out.

GMATPrep 2.0 is for the new GMAT, so it includes the IR section. You could still download it though - it contains extra practice questions. Just know that the 2 practice tests themselves mostly share the same database of questions as the version of GMATPrep that you already have - so if you're thinking that you'll be able to get 2 new practice tests, that won't work. You'll mostly just see the same old questions.

What happened with the Internet connection? Did your connection stall out or something? Was it a one-time thing, or did it keep happening?

Let's see, next post. You can't get 4 long passages in RC - our algorithm doesn't allow it. :) It may look like longer passages because our screen size isn't quite the same, so you'll have more rows than you'll see on the official test (our window is narrower, so it makes the passage look longer).

In general, your reaction is the right one - you scored 680, that was under official conditions, you're close to your goal, so you should be getting ready to take the real test. Not quite yet - but a month is reasonable.

Okay, on to your test analysis.

Yes, RC is a problem area because the percentage correct is too low. Go look at the ones you got wrong. WHY did you get them wrong?

SC is a problem in terms of time. When you know what you're doing, you get them right fast. When you don't know what you're doing, you waste time - and you could be using that time someplace else. You need to learn to cut yourself off faster on those and find a better place to spend that time instead.

For Categories 1 through 5, a particular question type or content area should be in only one of the 5 categories. Look at the overall types, not question by question.

For instance, you have Draw a Concl in categories 1, 2, and 5. The overall category isn't both a strength and a weakness, and it's not both too fast and too slow - it's one or the other. What was the overall result there? Do you mostly get these right or wrong? Do you mostly spend normal time or mostly go too slowly?

So, the Order of My Study for Quant will be
1) Inequality
2) Divisiblity and Primes
3) Overlapping Sets ( Need to do the Problems quickly)
4) Quadratic Equations
5) Rates and Work"”Population
6) Ratios
7) Exponents and Roots

1, 2, 4, and 7 are very commonly tested on the test.
3, 5, and 6 are not as commonly tested. So you may want to factor that in when setting your priorities.

Did you put Exponents and Roots at the bottom because it's only the really hard questions that are messing you up? If so, that's okay. But if you're struggling with Exponent and Root questions that would normally be considered "in your range" (based on your scoring level), then you should move them up the list.

[aps_asks]

HI Stacey ,

Thanks for replying.

I did not encounter any Internet Connection issues in the test in which i scored 680.It went perfectly.

I did encounter during the one one prior to this 680 test.The problem was from my side ( Internet connection was very slow that day)
and not from the MGMAT side.As far as i can remember it happened once during that test. The Internet got totally disconnected.
And then i had to resume the same test. Moreover , i want to add that the Manhattan GMAT has a warning before the test that if
the internet connection gets disconnected , then the test taker may get wierd results.

I was really thinking that with GMAT 2.0 , i will get new tests.I will be using the old version of the GMAT Prep then.

Maybe what you are telling regarding the long passages in Manhattan GMAT TEST is Corrrect.I got that doubt because of the screen size.
But i must add that MGMAT passages are tough.

But i do think that before my final GMAT exam , i need to take GMAT Prep 1 and 2 once again.Please let me know your comments on this.Becoz they
are the closest to the actual test. ( even though if i have seen some of its questions before )



Analysis ( 680 score test ) related :


RC


RC is a problematic Area....



Problem was with specific Questions such as Inference and Specific Detail

For Inference questions , i need to Cross Check that whatever answer choose must be supported by the passage
If any choice is not supported in the passage then that choice is out

For Specific Detail question , the answer choice should be explicitly in the passage.I need to remember this.


Moreover , for the Specific Detail Question types , i was not able to recognize the Question types such as the ones below :
1) The author mentions " " probably in order to
2) the author uses the phrase "" in the third para in order to

Maybe , i was trying to go to fast in RC and ignored all these critical details.

SC

I will try not to waste time on SC questions ( when i know i am not getting it ).

The ones on which i spend more time are usually Modifiers or Meaning ones.
I am working on these as per the links that you gave me.Though i was not able to devote much time ( my fault ) to this
area in the last test.

CR

Draw a conclusion is a weakness. Becoz i am getting most of them as wrong.
And this is affecting the Inference Questions ON RC.

Not paying much attention to the area --Explain a situation in CR as it is not so frequent. Even though i will take a look at it.

Tee reworked 5 categories for Verbal are as follows :

===========================================
Category 1 -- Strength
CR
Find the Assumption
Provide an Example
Analyze Arg Structure

SC
Verbs
Connecting Punctuation
Comparisons
Subject Verb Agreement
Pronouns
Idioms
Clarity of Meaning
Parallelism

RC
Main Idea





Category 2 -- Possible Weakness
CR
Weaken Conclusion
Find the Assumption
Evaluate A Conclusion

SC
Modifiers
Quantity Expressions
Subject Verb Agreement





RC
Specific Detail
Inference









Category 3 ---Going Too Fast Problem ( Time Crunch)
RC
Inference
Specific Detail

CR
Weaken Conclusion



Category --4 : Weakness even though did correctly
SC
Comparison

RC
Inference

CR
Strengthen Conclusion





Category 5 -- Biggest Weakness
CR
Draw a Conclusion
Explain a situation

SC
Modifiers

===================================================================================================================

Analysis ( 680 Test) Quant :

I will keep in my that the below areas i.e
Overlapping Sets
Rates and Work"”Population
Ratios

are not commonly tested.

I will try to focus more on the other areas.

Yes , i did put Exponents and Roots at the bottom because it's only the really hard questions that are messing with.

Other than tests , i will try to improve my pacing by doing more problems , RC Passages , CR , SC Questions, maybe doing previous practise tests.

Also , i have scheduled my exam in the last week of May at the end.

Planning to take the MGMAT GMAT on 6th May.
GMAT Prep 1-- 13th May
GMAT Prep 2 --22nd May

I am following your below post regarding last 14 days of study.
http://www.beatthegmat.com/last-14-days ... t5680.html

Please let me know your comments.

[StaceyKoprince]

Nice work on your last test! I agree that GMATPrep is closest to the real thing, but if you've already seen too many questions, that's not as useful. How much have you been studying from GMATPrep? If you think you'd only see a couple of repeated questions, that's fine. But if you think you'd recognize 5+ questions in each section... then taking that test again is not as useful.

RC:
Ah, the phrase "in order to" is really code for "WHY does the author" do something (include a certain word or example or whatever).

It looks like you've got a good plan set up and I'm particularly pleased to see your thinking about why you're struggling with certain things. If you know why, then you can figure out what steps to take to get better (and I like what you had to say about all of that).

Have I given you these articles on RC Inference and CR Inference? (We've changed the name from Draw a Conclusion to Inference on CR.)

http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... e-Problem/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/articles/a ... estion.cfm

I can't remember, so I included them again just in case. :)

Anyway, your analysis looks good, your plan looks good... keep going and let me know how it goes!

[aps_asks]

Hi Stacey ,

Thanks for the reply !

Lately i have not been studying from the GMAT Prep. In fact the last time i took the GMAT Prep was in the first week of Febuary
when i was planning to take the GMAT but cancelled it. Since then i have not gone through it. ( Except Sentence Correction )

I do not exactly remember how many repeated questions i saw. But one thing is sure that for most of the Questions in Quant ( except 1 or 2 ) , i had
to solve the question and get the answer ( i did not knew the answer beforehand)

For the ones for which i knew the answer were of the following type in Quant :

>>When N is divided by T , the quotient is S and the remiander is V. Which of the following expressions is equal to N ? ( We know this now )

For RC , it is very difficult to remember the ans.

For SC , yes , you remember the ans sometimes.


Moreove a strange thing happened in Quant during GMAT Prep Test ( when i took the test in Feb on GMAT Prep)

I used to do 13-14 ques correctly from the starting and then suddenly 2-3 wrong
and used to get a score of 47.


Even if i know some of its questions , then also i was not getting a good score.I was getting a 670.If i have improved then i should
score higher , right ?


==========================================================================

The link for the GMAT Prep 2.0 says

Key Features include:

More than 300 new Quant and Verbal items

Does it mean that these new questions are included in the practice GMAT ??

Link referred -- http://www.mba.com/the-gmat/nex-gen/pre ... -exam.aspx


=========================================================================


Regarding the links , you did gave me links on RC Inference but not on CR Inference .


RC Link , i shall go through it again.Maybe i missed something.

I shall check out the CR Inference Link as well.

Please let me know your comments.

[StaceyKoprince]

You may not actually get a higher score even after you've improved. You could have timing problems, for example, that might erase any gains from improvements that you've made. Alternatively, if you are having trouble with mental stamina / focus, then you could be making mistakes and that would pull your score down. Etc.

That's why it's so important to do that analysis when you take a practice test - so that you can figure out not just WHAT happened but WHY it happened (and what you need to do to fix any problems).

The reference to "more than 300 new items" is listed under OG13, not under GMATPrep - take a look at the page again. OG13 contains more than 300 new items.

[aps_asks]

Hi Stacey ,

I took the GMAT in May End .But I was beaten by the GMAT.

I scored a 690 ( Q - 48 , V- 36 )

Though i was not able to cross 700 , but still i was able to reach upto this mark only because of the MGMAT study material and because of the Manhattan GMAT instructors.

A special thanks to you ( for helping me analyze my tests ) and Ron Purewal ( for answering my questions in SC and Quant ).

Thanks a lot.
APS

[StaceyKoprince]

A 690 - that's awesome! Congratulations! I know you wanted to hit 700, but a 690 is only 10 points away. That's not even a statistically significant difference - it just feels that way psychologically because it starts with a 6 instead of a 7. (I've seen Ron advise students who want a 700 to tell themselves their goal is a 690 instead. It's statistically the same score, and this way, you're excited if you get a 700 rather than disappointed if you get a 690.)

Really great work over all these many months. Good luck with apps - let us know how it goes!

[aps_asks]

Thanks Stacey !

Manhattan GMAT is the Best !

[StaceyKoprince]

you're welcome! good luck!