Help!!! I am stuck half way to achieve my GOAL (680-700)

[amt88]

Hello GMAT Takers,
I am writing this post because I need YOUR HELP.
I have taken the GMAT exam twice, but I have not aced my GOAL (680-700), although I was very close to it on the practice CAT's I did.
I am going to introduce some background information, so you know better how I am, and my experience with GMAT

Background:
Girl, 26 years old, Engineer, top 20% of my promotion. Consultant. I love maths and I really enjoy with the Quantitative part, however, the Verbal part is getting on my way to reach my goal

1st experience attempting the GMAT:
I studied for 1.5 months on my own. I did not take any courses or study plan, I kind of improvise a Little bit from what people I knew did, and from what I learnt from different blogs. During this period I took a break from work, so I was full-time focus on GMAT
Material used:
- Official Guide edition 13th- I used it before reviewing anything to have an idea of which type of questions I could fine on the Gmat Exam
- Gmat club Math Book - I went through it after doing all the OG, it helped me to have a more profound knowledge of the quantitative contents
- Academy notes on Verbal Section– General view of how to tackle the verbal section, and most important Sentence Correction errors.
- Gmat Club Tests and Quizzes – I started using them before tackling and entire CAT exam, it helped to improve a lot on the Quantitative Section.
- CAT Exams – I did 5 CATs exam, with an average of 650, high scores on the Quant section, but low ones on the verbal
CAT 1: 660 (Q50, V 25)- kaplan
CAT 2: 680 (Q50, V31)- kaplan
CAT 3: 630 (Q48, V31)- kaplan
CAT 4: 630 (Q48, V29)- kaplan
CAT 5: 680 (don’t have the details) – GMAT Prep
I went through a 1 and a half-month period of very intense study, especially towards the end. I studied for more than 8 hours per day, with very short or no breaks during the weekend, producing me very intense headaches and anxiety. The week before the exam, I started taking vitamins ‘cos I was feeling very tired and with intense headache.
EXAM 1
On the exam day, I was nervous, but I was feeling better than the previous days, so I thought I still have a chance of doing it well.
I started with the AWA and IR, and my sensations were great. I took the 8-minute break, and I went in to face the Quantitative Section. I had problems with the timing; I had to guess a few questions toward the end. I went for the 2nd break knowing that I had done worst than in the practice CATs, but I felt I still have a chance. The verbal section was a complete disaster, terrific… I started quite tired, and guessing a lot. I did not understand most of the CR questions, I did not see the mistakes on the SC questions, it was all very confusing…. I felt very saturated, my head was hurting…..
The exam was over, I knew beforehand, that that exam was the worst one I have ever done… and I was no wrong, final results: 560 (Q47, V22), IR(7)

2nd experience attempting the GMAT:
After my first experience I felt very demotivated and with no energy to face it again, so I took a break for almost a month
My 2nd studying period was also for a month and half. This time, I signed up on an online course that the academy on my city town recommended (gmatonline.es), which had videos dealing with the main topics of both sections. Moreover, it had more than a 1,000 questions to practice and to make my own tests. I felt it really helped me improve with the verbal section. Once I went through all the lessons, I felt ready to tackle a CAT exam, this time I did 4 before the real one (1 Kaplan, 3 Manhattan Gmat), and I also got an average result of 650, improving a lot on the verbal and maintaining or decreasing a little bit the score on the quantitative, however, I read that in Manhattan Gmat CAT’s, the quantitative section is harder than the real exam.
CAT 1: 660 (Q49, V31)- Kaplan
CAT 2: 640 (Q43, V35)- MMG
CAT 3: 650 (Q40, V39) - MMG
CAT 4: 670 (Q46, V35) –MMG
EXAM 2
This time I dealt much better with the timings and hours dedicated to study. I did not study more than 6-7 hours per day, I practice sport, and I had a break during the weekend. The week of the exam, I barely did anything… just review and relax.
The day of the exam, I felt rested and not too much nervous. Once again, I start with the AWA and IR and I felt well… I had a clear mind. After the 8-min break, I went for the Quantitative Section… and this time, I handle much better the time… I had to guess only 2 or 3 questions, (one of probability, my stigma on quant. Section). It felt better than the previous exam, however, I knew that my score was not more than 48.
Verbal Section, I started motivated, and dealing with the questions on time… however, many doubts came to my with the SC questions, I think, I analyzed too much each sentence. On the other hand, CR questions, which I normally see the correct answer straightforward, I found them harder….and in RC, I understood very well the main idea of the passage, but the questions were more kind of CR questions… which I found more difficult….
Final result 620 (Q47, V28), IR( 8)

So, this is my story… I want to give one more chance to the exam… ‘cos I really want to get into a TOP Ivy league MBA, however, this time I’ll be working, so I could only study on the evening and during the weekend. I was thinking on signing up for examination after Easter, so I could have a 10-days period focused on the Gmat, previous to the exam

I am not sure:
- How to tackle it,
- What material to use
- How to strength my verbal skills and reflect it into the exam
- How to ace the 680-700 on the real exam

What do you think? Can someone give me some advice? Has anyone undergone a similar situation? What made you achieve your goal?

Thank you guys! ☺

[StaceyKoprince]

First, congratulations on lifting your score 60 points from your first test to your second. I know that you are not at your goal yet, but do give yourself credit for that achievement. :)

Next, you've been compressing your study into 6 week periods and you mention wanting to take the test again in about 4 weeks. It's much better to give yourself more time (and not to study as intensively as you have been doing). Very few people can study effectively for 6-7 hours a day; our brains have limits as to how much new material we can assimilate in a 24-hour period.

In addition, it sounds like you were still experiencing some mental fatigue, and possibly some anxiety, on the second test.

Start by reading this article:
http://tinyurl.com/executivereasoning

Was this your mindset when you were taking the real test? Was it your mindset when you were studying for the test? If not, how did your mindset differ? What do you think you need to change / do differently in order to have the "business" mindset described in the article above?

Official Guide edition 13th- I used it before reviewing anything to have an idea of which type of questions I could fine on the Gmat Exam

Does this mean that you have not gone back to those questions after studying? If not, then you need to do so. The vast majority of your learning comes from analyzing those problems after you do them, but you would not have been able to do a thorough job of this if you did them before you actually learned how to take the test. Read this:
http://tinyurl.com/2ndlevelofgmat

Academy notes on Verbal Section– General view of how to tackle the verbal section, and most important Sentence Correction errors.

I'm not familiar with this resource, but from your description, it sounds like it was not necessarily a comprehensive set of verbal study materials. If so, then your first task is to identify comprehensive verbal study materials to help you study for the test. I won't comment on that (because of course my recommendation would always be to use our study materials!), but just know that you need to find some materials that fully teach you how to tackle all of the CR and RC question types as well as the full set of topics tested on SC (including meaning, not just grammar).

If you would like, you can analyze your most recent MGMAT CATs using the article below (this should take you a minimum of 1 hour):
http://tinyurl.com/analyzeyourcats

Figure out your strengths and weaknesses as well as any ideas you have for what you think you should do (make sure to read the other articles above; they will help you to figure this out). 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. 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!)