GMAT Test date decision.

[PrashantS186]

Hi,

I have taken MGMAT CAT 1 and i scored 650(Q 46, V 31). I will be appearing on my other MGMAT CATs. I have been reading the GMAT books. I really struggle with RCs and Critical Reasoning. Please suggest me how can I improve upon that and also let me know when shall I appear for my final GMAT. I want to apply before R1 deadlines.

[StaceyKoprince]

What is your goal score? Also, round 1 deadlines vary from school to school. What is the earliest deadline for the schools to which you're planning to apply? You mentioned books - are they our GMAT books?

I need some more information from you about your strengths and weaknesses, as well as how you have been studying, in order to advise you further.

First, read these two articles:
http://tinyurl.com/executivereasoning
http://tinyurl.com/2ndlevelofgmat

Think about how what you've been doing does and doesn't match up with that and how you may need to change your approach accordingly.

Then, use the below to analyze your most recent MGMAT CATs (this should take you a minimum of 1 hour):
http://tinyurl.com/analyzeyourcats

Based on all of that, figure out your strengths and weaknesses as well as any ideas you have for what you think you should do. Then come back here and tell us; we'll tell you whether we agree and advise you further. (Note: do share an analysis with us, not just the raw data. Your analysis should include a discussion of your buckets - you'll understand what that means when you read the last article. 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!)

Are you struggling with RC and CR due to reading speed and comprehension of text overall? If so, commit to reading GMAT-level material every day; this will help in b-school too. Here are some sources:

http://magazine.uchicago.edu/
http://harvardmagazine.com/
http://sciam.com/
Scientific American can get a bit too casual for the GMAT, but if you don't like science topics, then it's worth including.

Or if there are other ways in which you're struggling with RC and CR, please describe that to us.

[PrashantS186]

Thanks for your reply Stacy. I took my final GMAT and scored miserably 640 (Q49 and V28). I am pretty disappointed as I was aiming 730+. My last MGMAT score was 720. I had studied Manhattan's SC . I practised mostly from OGs. I want to retake GMAT to reach my target score. Please guide me in my quest to improve upon my English and IR. My dream schools include ISB, NUS, HBS,Wharton and Tuck. Please guide me as I am completely clueless. Sorry that I was not quite active in the forum this while.

[StaceyKoprince]

I'm sorry that you had a disappointing test experience.

I do still need all of that stuff I asked you for last time in order to advise you. In addition to that, also read this:
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... t-wrong-2/

That will help you to diagnose why your practice test score was so much higher than your real test score. Let me know what you uncover.

[PrashantS186]

Thanks for your concern. My target score is 740-750. the deadlines of b schools i intend to apply are february -march 2016. I studied from manhattan SC and various OG guides. My strength is quant though i need more practice in DS questions. My weak areas include verbal and IR. I need to really work hard on them. My test score was little inflated as I took some unnecessary breaks in them.

I am struggling with my reading speed and my ability to comprehend the passage as a whole. In SC i finished off the manhattan book but its difficult for me to apply those concepts during test times when I am in hurry. Please suggest me how shall I approach and tame GMAT with 740+ score this time.

I got my official score and i obtained 5.5 in my AWA.

[StaceyKoprince]

I'm going to repeat what I said last time:

I do still need all of that stuff I asked you for last time in order to advise you.

Here is what I asked you for in the post before that:

First, read these two articles:
http://tinyurl.com/executivereasoning
http://tinyurl.com/2ndlevelofgmat

Think about how what you've been doing does and doesn't match up with that and how you may need to change your approach accordingly.

Then, use the below to analyze your most recent MGMAT CATs (this should take you a minimum of 1 hour):
http://tinyurl.com/analyzeyourcats

Based on all of that, figure out your strengths and weaknesses as well as any ideas you have for what you think you should do. Then come back here and tell us; we'll tell you whether we agree and advise you further. (Note: do share an analysis with us, not just the raw data. Your analysis should include a discussion of your buckets - you'll understand what that means when you read the last article. 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!)

Add to that analysis another thing I said in my last post:

In addition to that, also read this:
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... t-wrong-2/

All of this work will take you well over an hour. But I can't give you good advice without this information. (And anyone who wants to get to 740-750 has to learn how to do this kind of self-analysis. You can't get to that kind of stratospheric score without a strong and detailed understanding of your strengths and weaknesses. By definition, most people never get to that kind of score.)

[PrashantS186]

Thanks for your reply. I had gone through the links provided by you. In my workplace I do take decisions based on the time and resource constraints.
While studying I dont really contemplate much on my mistakes. I look at the correct answer and move on. I dont really make flash cards . I make some notes based on the questions I did wrong. I dont spend much time on each question as I feel it will inhibit my speed. Those links stress upon learning from each and every question whether right or wrong. For my MGMAT I followed the same strategy.

[StaceyKoprince]

While studying I dont really contemplate much on my mistakes. I look at the correct answer and move on. I dont really make flash cards . I make some notes based on the questions I did wrong. I dont spend much time on each question as I feel it will inhibit my speed. Those links stress upon learning from each and every question whether right or wrong. For my MGMAT I followed the same strategy.

I'm a little confused about your last sentence. You followed your strategy (not spending much time on your mistakes)? Or you followed what the articles were saying?

If you followed your strategy, what do you need to do differently in future? Be as explicit as possible: how is this going to change what you do when you sit down to study?

I'm pushing you on this because your answers tend to be short and too high-level - which sounds like your description of your study, too. You haven't been digging deeply enough. If you can learn how to deeply analyze your own performance and thought processes, you can also learn how to deeply analyze these problems and get a lot better at this test.

You didn't share an analysis of your test review, so I'll assume that you're still working on it. Please share when you're done and we can talk about where to go from there!