Study and Strategy questions relating to the GMAT.
Binit
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Help needed in verbal

by Binit Thu Apr 09, 2015 2:38 pm

Hi instructors,

I have a general question related to my verbal prep:
Although I am a bit comfortable :D with Gmat Quants, Verbal section is where I need serious improvement in order to achieve my goals. When I practice any one of SC, CR or RC rigorously for a day or two I find myself much confident in solving even tough problems(within 1m 45s), whereas if I miss the practice of a section for as little as a couple of days, I find myself back to square one :cry:
My job takes a considerable portion of my daily life. So, I basically feel like running on a treadmill: working hard w/o reaching anywhere :?
I am determined to ace the verbal. Any suggestions :idea: will be highly appreciated :)

~Binit.
StaceyKoprince
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Re: Help needed in verbal

by StaceyKoprince Mon Apr 20, 2015 2:33 am

Interesting question. I'm going to suggest something - try it to see if it helps.

Take two days to study SC rigorously, in the way you describe that allows you to then answer lots of questions. Then take another couple of days to go over everything you just did again, only this time you're going to "abstract" out the lessons that can apply to different questions that test the same kind of rule, logic, or reasoning.

On SC, for example, you might ask yourself what the clues are that certain things are being tested. Not the obvious clues that you already know or are studying (have vs. has = singular vs. plural) but the harder ones too (a time marker moving around in the sentence = meaning and modifiers: what event happened when?).

Then, any time you see a sentence that does that same thing (even though the words are different), you'll know what to examine / ask yourself in order to try to answer.

Make sure to study traps, too: how did they get you to cross off a right answer and pick a wrong one? Or, if you narrowed down to two, even if you eventually picked the right one, how did they get you to doubt the right one at least a little bit and consider the wrong one at least a little bit? If you can start to diagnose the kinds of traps that you're falling for, then you'll be less likely to fall for them on different-but-similar problems in future.

Try that out and tell us what you think.
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Re: Help needed in verbal

by Binit Wed Apr 22, 2015 9:15 am

Hi Stacey,

Thanks a ton for suggesting a detailed strategy and thereby showing your concern to the individual challenges of fellow students.
You may like to hear that I am on a similar venture for last couple of days. I already practiced a lot of challenge Qs in SC last 2 days. Today, I am pointing out the errors I made [segregating them under columns: Conceptual (further classification under this head) and Careless) ]. Further, I am going to revise those quickly but thoroughly.
Same thing I would repeat with RC and CR and with tougher Qs(above 700), later.
I am planning to couple your strategy with this one. Pls suggest me if I am going wrong. I will inform you how it goes within a week maybe.

Thanks,
Binit.
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Re: Help needed in verbal

by StaceyKoprince Wed Apr 29, 2015 9:21 pm

I like it! Let me know how it's going. :)
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Re: Help needed in verbal

by Binit Mon May 04, 2015 12:15 pm

Hey Stacey,
It's been more than 10 days I am making log file of every wrong question I come across. Even though I feel better still I got a lot to do to feel really confident. But yeah, in the process, I am now able to see where I stand e.g. I marked my main drawback is comprehension (even in CR). Also my study time per day increased automatically. :)
Pls let me know ur view. Thanks a lot for ur kind support.

~Binit.
StaceyKoprince
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Re: Help needed in verbal

by StaceyKoprince Sun May 10, 2015 11:59 am

If you are able to articulate how you're improving / what you understand better now, then you are making progress. At some point, when you feel ready, you'll want to test that progress by taking another CAT - but it sounds like you might not be quite ready for that yet. You can also quiz yourself by putting together a set of maybe 15 questions (mix of CR, SC, RC) and doing the set under timed conditions.

https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... blem-sets/
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Re: Help needed in verbal

by Binit Tue May 19, 2015 12:08 pm

Hi Stacey,

Sorry for the late reply. I wasn't able to reply on this forum for long, I know that's weird, but that was happening.

Coming back to the point, you r right, I didn't write any CAT so far, but have written many short tests consisting of 2 to 15 Qs each. I always review my tests thoroughly, I mean it, I make notes out of it. Normally I spend around 30 min to review 5 Qs (bit too much, right?)

My plan is to start CATs one month prior to the test date, not fixed but definitely sometime before June end. Please suggest me on that.

Also, I am looking for a GOOD online testing resource if available. Pls tell me if there are any (bit cheaper ones).

Thanks a lot for your suggestions.

~Binit.
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Re: Help needed in verbal

by StaceyKoprince Sun May 24, 2015 11:26 pm

Normally I spend around 30 min to review 5 Qs (bit too much, right?)


No, not at all. I would easily spend that much time myself. :)

My plan is to start CATs one month prior to the test date


No, do not wait that long. These tests are very strange / not what you are used to. But wait - you said you want to take the real test by the end of June, so doesn't that mean that you are one month out right now? Until you've taken a CAT, you can't even have a good idea of when you will be ready to take the real test. Take a CAT ASAP. Make sure to take it under 100% official conditions, including essay and IR (and just the two 8-minute breaks).

The real test makers offer two free practice tests (www.mba.com), but I wouldn't do those first. They don't offer you data to analyze your results - you want to take a test prep company's tests at first so that you have data to help you figure out what you need to do to get better.

Every company offers one free test, so you could just keep taking one test from each company - but I really wouldn't recommend that. You want to have a consistent experience, so it's better to take tests from one company.

I will give you a little tip though: if you buy one of our books, you get access to the full set of practice tests. And one book is cheaper than buying access just to the practice tests themselves. :)
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Binit
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Re: Help needed in verbal

by Binit Mon May 25, 2015 3:05 am

Hi Stacey,

First of all, I decided to postpone the dates, maybe middle of July. The reason: A. My target school's application deadline (more relaxed than I thought) B. I stumbled upon some CRs recently and witnessed how helpless was I :o and now reason C. As you said, first Mock CAT, then date-fixing.

I will try to write one CAT asap and I ll reply only after analyzing the test results. For the first CAT I m going for a free one. For the next CAT I'll definitely do something that you suggested.

Thanks a ton again for ur patience.

~Binit.
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Re: Help needed in verbal

by Binit Tue May 26, 2015 7:56 am

Hi Stacey,

Completed my first Mock CAT (Kaplan free CAT). Now I know the difference between wartime and peacetime :mrgreen: In the Verbal Section there was a power cut here (it happens here :cry: ), so the internet connection gone and when it resumed back I lost 10 minutes :shock: There was no pause button. As verbal is my Achilles heel I felt totally lost and finally I can't help guessing 2 full RC's. So, Verbal was a shipwreck.

Quants I did in full confidence and not a single question got me really stuck. But I did several silly mistakes and due to overconfidence I did bad on time management and had to guess last 2 Qs. AWA was easy and IR I did too bad (2/8) because I did it first time today :!: I will practice IR.

Now the overall score I got is 720 :shock: Overall percentile 94. Quants 97, Verbal 47 :cry: Individual scores of Quants and Verbal was not provided. Stacey, I think they have just inflated the score, somehow. Is that possible?? Pls suggest. I am still reviewing the whole test Q by Q.

Thanks a ton for ur kind suggestions.

~Binit.
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Re: Help needed in verbal

by StaceyKoprince Sat May 30, 2015 5:08 pm

Hmm. Yes, something's not right with that scoring. A 47th percentile verbal would be a score of about 27. You can't hit 720 with a score of 27 on verbal. I'd email Kaplan to see what's going on there (or look again - maybe you mis-read something?). If you are planning to buy and continue taking Kaplan tests, you should definitely find out what's going on before you spend any money.

I don't know how to analyze the Kaplan tests since, of course, they're not our tests. :) Here are the instructions for analyzing our tests; you can try to apply as much of the analysis as you can to the test that you took:
http://tinyurl.com/analyzeyourcats

Let me know your analysis when you're done. Note: while you're doing the analysis, I'd also think about the concepts discussed in these two articles:
http://tinyurl.com/executivereasoning
http://tinyurl.com/2ndlevelofgmat

Do those fit how you studied / how you took the test? If not, what do you need to improve in those areas?
Stacey Koprince
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Binit
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Re: Help needed in verbal

by Binit Fri Jun 05, 2015 3:36 am

Hi, Stacey, there's a problem, I reported back too, that sometimes I am not able to post on this forum from my home PC.

Anyway, I did my full analysis and I took a LOT of time to do that (I tried to follow the steps u suggested in those links). I doubted my score of 720 and I am not planning with Kaplan but can u tell me how much that 94%-ile would be around?

I found a lot of data about myself: String of 4+ wrong answers: In Maths none; in verbal one (I had to guess 2 full RCs). The main problem I have is TIME MANAGEMENT. I had too many too fast Qs in both maths and verbal (many of them having ridiculous mistakes). In maths I had a string of 4 Q where I spent nearly 200 sec each (3 correct, but doesn't matter) and sporadic Qs which took 150 sec. Verbal was tough to analyse for time management issue because of that power cut (a single Q took 11 min :lol: ). But overall multiple way too slow Q in both sections.

Other than time mgmt I found myself too weak in CR under time pressure, so I am into Powerscore and am loving it! Stacey, pls comment on Powerscore LR for LSAT. I got that book from a 'fren' and I think a major part of the book is common to Powerscore CR Bible. Besides, I am practicing maths under time pressure to achieve faster execution of known facts.

I don't know when to plan next mock CAT but I ll take little time before I get ready. Pls suggest me more on that. Another thing, I think I have to write GMAT within in 2nd week of July, lest I miss the early application dates (for scholarships :? ) and I don't have any essays or recommendations ready. Pls suggest me something.

I am truly grateful to u for ur kind suggestions.

~Binit.
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Re: Help needed in verbal

by Binit Thu Jun 11, 2015 10:20 am

Hi Stacey,

I thought to write u another query while waiting for your reply. Kindly help. I am nearly one month away from the gmat (date not booked yet) and I have ample quality material that I really want to finish. Pls have a look:
* Powerscore Gmat CR Bible 75% done (I'll finish it in couple of days)
* OG 15 - Verbal 75% done Quants just started some time back but found it easy.
* GMAT Prep - maybe 20% done - will do it any way.
* Aristotle SC grail - just started
* Aristotle RC grail - just started
* Revision of all Error Logs and important Qs I bookmarked
* 2 GMAT Prep Tests
* Going to buy 6 Manhattan tests (supplement with the books)

That's a load of material and I am not sure whether I should delay the test or cut on my prep. Pls suggest your views. If you thnk any addition / deletion to list is necessary, pls suggest.

One more query, I didn't do much for IR and AWA. What would be the shortest way to practice and excel these sections? Would Manhattan IR and Essay guide suffice?

Thanks a ton in advance.

~Binit.
StaceyKoprince
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Re: Help needed in verbal

by StaceyKoprince Fri Jun 12, 2015 5:19 pm

Okay, reading your earlier post first.

For percentiles of 97th in quant and 47th in verbal, your raw scores would be about Q51 and V27. Best guess that would be about a 640.

So, time management problems are really mindset problems. Your focus is on getting stuff right, when it should be on, "I'm running a business here and have to figure out the best uses of my limited time." Those ones that you got right in 200 seconds - think how much mental energy you used up, let alone time! And think how many of those careless mistakes you could have avoied or caught if you hadn't been so mentally fatigued and rushing to make up time!

I am practicing maths under time pressure to achieve faster execution of known facts.

No! Don't risk the ones that you know how to do by continuing to do them fast! That's like neglecting your really good customers in favor of the ones that are constantly causing trouble and are late paying their bills. Stop making your life so hard! Learn to bail on questions that are just not worth the time and effort, even if you can get them right. :)

I wouldn't take another CAT until you actually start to internalize that business mindset better. But if you have to take the real test by the 2nd week in July (4 weeks from now), then you've got to convince yourself fast! You don't have much time left. You should also start working on your essays and recommendations right away. Putting that stuff off until the last week will hurt the quality of your output.

I have heard good things about PowerScore CR for GMAT. I'm not sure that I would use LSAT questions to study for the GMAT, though. They are harder, yes, but they also require you to learn techniques and think in a way that just doesn't show up on the GMAT.

Second post. Okay, you list lots of study material...but doing a million questions won't help if the mindset still isn't right. So I'm going to go back to that. Read these again:
http://tinyurl.com/executivereasoning
http://tinyurl.com/2ndlevelofgmat

You should be able to tell me the kinds of questions that ALWAYS drive you crazy (so you'll guess quickly) as well as the kinds of characteristics that you find annoying enough that, if there are too many in a single problem, then you'd bail on that problem too. And you should be able to recognize those things within 20 seconds of reading the problem. Can you?

You should also be able to cut yourself off at about the 1 to 1.5 min mark when you either still don't understand what the question is asking OR you understand but you really don't have a good plan to solve. Can you?

Finally, you should be able to cut yourself off by 2 to 2.5 min when you're thinking, "Argh, I should know how to do this! If I just take a little more time, I'm sure I can figure it out..." Can you / do you?

Re: IR, I *think* our IR Interact lessons are still available for free. Check out our website to see. If so, then do those!
For essay, practice doing this:
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... no-thanks/
Stacey Koprince
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Binit
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Re: Help needed in verbal

by Binit Sun Jun 14, 2015 6:31 am

Hi Stacey,

I think I finally started understanding your point. I have to use my resources (mental stamina, time) very effectively and my pattern recognition techniques will help me achieving that.

You should be able to tell me the kinds of questions that ALWAYS drive you crazy (so you'll guess quickly) as well as the kinds of characteristics that you find annoying enough that, if there are too many in a single problem, then you'd bail on that problem too. And you should be able to recognize those things within 20 seconds of reading the problem. Can you?


Yes, I found that, main turn offs are TOUGH LANGUAGE problems (CR and RC). If a super tough CR Qn is easily worded I feel happier inside than say a easy but articulated one. In a tough RC, inference Qs drive me crazy :x For example, "The objection implied above to the productivity measure described is based on doubts about the truth of which of the following statements?" - this kind of CR Question stem kills a lot of valuable time and I noted when I spend longer than normal to understand a stimulus I end up wrong.

Now, can I afford to identify my weakness and thus bail out a question in 20 sec? I'm little confused, lest I end up bailing on many Qs and end up very low score. After all some easy Qns come in a disguise of tough outer look. I totally agree with u that my focus, now, is just on getting a Q right, and that's what is my time management issue.

My plan is to work on concentration and keep 'the manager inside' awake all the time and become ruthless in cutting off after 1 or 1.5 min in case my manager says, "I still need time to understand". Yes, I can.

I am planning to note down time for RC and CR, as there will be no timer in GMAT like one we have in GMAT PREP. Is that a good practice? Pls comment on that.

I think I will tell you soon how I am doing with my practice and I have already ordered Manhattan IR and Essay Guide before reading your post.

Thanks a lot for your kind suggestions,

~Binit.