Guidance on Study Plan

[rgg25]

Hi,

I took the MGMAT class in Jan 2012 and prepped on/off until a month agao. I was supposed to take the GMAT June 1,2012 But I have postponed my test due to my scores. My goal is to get a 700. I know I can get into a top Ten school ( i have the requisite job, extra circular credentials for a successful application) but my GMAT is holding me back. I am stuck and I need some help in moving forward.

MGMAT CAT 1: 490 V: 31 Q:27 before I started the course (November)

MGMAT CAT 2: 580 V: 32 Q: 38 I did not finish verbal (5 questions) and did not finish quant (1 question). (april ending)

here I looked over my weaknesses. Yes, there were many.

Quant:
Statistics, Rates & Work, Probability, Polygons, percents, overlapping sets, linear equations, inequalities, formulas, FDPS, exponents, coordinate plane, number properties

Verbal:
SC: parallelism, meaning, modifiers, pronouns, sub-verb
RC: inference, main idea, specific detail
CR: Weaken, Strengthen, draw a conclusion

I practiced the above topics with targeted OG questions.

MGMAT CAT 3: 530 V: 31 and Q: 27. (may ending)

FML Moment.

Same weaknesses as before. Not sure what I am doing wrong. I keep on having trouble with the same SC questions, I did worse on RC. I continue to have weaknesses in the same areas.

I need some guidance on how to rethink my practice. I know I can beat this test.

[StaceyKoprince]

We're happy to help! Use the below article to analyze your most recent CAT:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... ice-tests/

You'll see when you read that article that it's important to distinguish your strengths and weaknesses in terms of both accuracy and timing, so you'll need to give me a new list once you do the analysis described in the article. :)

We already know that you have at least some timing problems because you ran out of time on both sections, so read these two articles and start doing what they say:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... to-win-it/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... anagement/

Your verbal stayed about the same but your quant dropped significantly on that last test. While you're doing the above analysis, etc, think about why and tell us what you think when you post again.

Next, take a look at this:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -the-gmat/

Pay particular attention to the section on How To Study. Have you been doing these things? Do you think part of your problem might be that you haven't been doing these things? Etc.

[rgg25]

HI Stacy,

I apologize for the overly long post.
Thanks for the feedback. So I have read the articles that you have suggested. And have begun to analyze my CAT exams. This is what I have found from verbal.

Timing - Too Slow: 5 (correct 2 vs incorrect 3)
Timing - Too Fast: 8 (5 correct vs incorrect 3)

General: rushing in the beginning of the test with plenty of time left in the end of the test.

Assessment Summary

Below 50%
o CR 600-700 33% right

Average timing that is 30 seconds or more than it should be on average
o CR 300-500 right
o SC 600-700 wrong
Discrepancy of more than 20-30 seconds in average time for correct vs incorrect answers.
o No

Showing all Categories divided into Sub-categories
1. 50%+ correct plus timing within the expected timeframe [strengths]
Weaken the Argument [67%, 1:16]
o 500-600 (#3) timing 1:12 correct, I knew what I was doing
o 600-700 (#23) timing 3:18
- under stood question, technique needs to improve -didn’t understand assumptions; need to improve technique for mapping for longer passages
o 500-600 (#27) timing 1:20 correct, I knew what I was doing
Describe the Role [100% correct, 2:09]
Main Idea [67% correct, 0:25]
o 700-800 (#21) went to fast through the question, care less mistake
Passage Structure [100% correct, 1:18]
Modifiers [100% correct, 1:00, 600-700]
Idioms [100%, 1:05, 600-700]

2. Less than 50% correct plus timing in the expected timeframe
Draw a conclusion [0% correct, 1:52]
o technique needs to improve
Evaluate the Argument [50%, 2:10, 500-600]
o technique needs to improve
Parallelism [50%, 1:31, 600-800]
o Having difficulty with the 700-800 level questions


3. Less than 50% correct plus timing way too fast (an average more than 30 seconds faster than it should be)
Find the assumption [0% correct, 1:10, 500 and up]
- This is a major weakness, I do not recognize how to systematically attack this problem types
Provide an Example [0%, 2:22, 500-600]
- I did not recognize this problem type
Pronouns [0%, 0:45, 600-700]
o Review concepts
Meaning [50%, 0:29, 500-700]
o Having difficulty with the 700-800 level questions
Quantity [50%, 0:19, 500-700]
o Having difficulty with the 700-800 level questions

4. 50%+ correct plus timing way too slow (an average more than 30 seconds slower than it should be)
Resolve a problem [100% correct, 3:16, 500-600]
Specific detail [75% correct, 1:27-4:04]
Subject Verb Agreement [50%, 2:29, 600-700]
o Refine technique, review concepts
Verbs [50%, 2:04, 600-700]
o Refine technique, review concepts

5. Less than 50% correct plus timing way too slow (an average more than 30 seconds slower than it should be); these are the biggest weaknesses, obviously. Get them wrong faster.
- Inference [25% correct, 2:34, 600-700]
o Huge weakness. I do not understand the question or the best techniques needed to solve the problem.
- Comparisons [50%, 2:26, 600-800]
o Having difficulty with the 700-800 level questions

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now that I have done the above analysis. How do I move forward with creating a study plan?
SC:
In SC for the following types: Parallelism, Subj-Verb, Verbs, Quantity in questions above the 700 level I keep getting them wrong. I am planning on reading the advanced material and doing drills and doing the advanced questions.

I need to review material on Pronouns. Do timed problem sets.

RC:
For Reading comprehension I need to practice reading passages with in the allotted timing. I will review the article, "how to read a Reading comp passage". I am planning on doing timed practice drills. I will also review Inference type questions/main idea/.

CR:

A major weakness of mine is Assumptions. I was planning on reviewing material on Assumptions, reading the article " how to tackle any CR problem", creating flash cards on how to recognize different types of CR questions focusing on major types. And doing timed drills. Do you have any good sources on how to better take notes on a CR problem?

I plan on using an Error log for every type of practice problem I do from now on. And do a systematic analysis of a problem:
1) timing +/- target
2) Did I understand what was being asked?
3) Did I use the best approach?

What do you think?

[StaceyKoprince]

Good analysis. I like it.

For RC (some of these are linked in the articles I gave you last time):

http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... p-passage/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -passages/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... c-passage/

http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/09/ ... prehension
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/11/ ... il-problem
http://www.manhattangmat.com/articles/a ... estion.cfm

Here's the CR stuff (major articles):
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... g-problem/

4 main types:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... e-Problem/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -problems/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... n-problem/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... n-problem/

Don't worry about the minor CR types for now. Also make sure you study how to recognize what we call "Fill in the Blank" format CR questions. These can appear as any question type - FitB is not a question type by itself - but you need to learn how to recognize when one is a strengthen, for example, vs. something weaken, etc. (If you have the 5th edition version of our CR guide, there's a chapter on this called Complete the Argument.)

Re: taking notes, you can try looking at how I took notes in my various CR articles, but I'll also say that the notes are pretty individual. Keep this goal in mind: you're trying to understand the *role* played by the different pieces of info. What's the conclusion? Premises? Background? Counter-premises (if any)? Etc. There's a good discussion of this in the 5th edition CR guide, if you have that one.

The error log is a great idea. Also add:
4) If I made a mistake, why, and what can I do to minimize the chances of repeating that mistake?
5) What is my major takeaway from this problem? What did I learn here that I want to apply to all questions of the same type in future? ("Of the same type" might mean overall CR in general or just the find the assumption CRs or something like that - depends on what the takeaway is.)

You've got a plan! Go for it! :)

I like your plan for SC. Also, you may want to check these out:
standard SC process (for more straightforward questions):
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/06/ ... on-problem

alternate process for more convoluted questions (but takes longer, so don't use on every SC):

http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/03/ ... sc-problem
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/03/ ... -problem-2

Meaning, modifiers, parallelism:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... orrection/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... on-part-2/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... h-meaning/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... problem-2/

I'm giving you some stuff for SC that you didn't ask for but that is still important because they've been increasing the emphasis on these kinds of structures / issues and a lot of people are finding themselves underprepared in these areas when the real test rolls around.