HELP! Scored 50 points lower on actual GMAT

[isean120]

I've been studying since July for the GMAT using MGMAT's self-study program. On my practice tests, I've consistently received about a 44 on quant and 38 on verbal, with about a 670 average score. Today I took the real GMAT and scored a 34 on quant and a 38 on verbal, dropping my score to a 620. I could tell my timing was off on the quant section and it seemed really easy. In fact, I finished about 4 minutes early. I feel that I understand the material well enough, but my test taking skills are just off... two questions regarding this:

1-When should I take my next GMAT? And how much studying should I plan to do a week to reach a goal of 700?

2-Are my chances of getting into a top 10 MBA school destroyed now that I have that low score on my record?

Thanks!

[StaceyKoprince]

I'm sorry you had a disappointing text experience. I'll answer your 2nd question first: no, your chances are not hurt (assuming you do eventually get a score that's more in line with what top-10 schools want). The schools use your highest score, so as long as you do get the score eventually, you're fine.

I'm not going to answer your first question because it's not the right question to ask. :) There are no guidelines that say "everyone should do ABC to reach 700, and it will take everyone X amount of time." The only real answer is "you should do what you need to do based on your specific issues, it will take the time and effort that it takes, and that's when you'll take the test again."

So, your verbal score matched your practice but your quant score dropped. You also mentioned timing issues.

First, read this (right now):
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... lly-tests/

Are you actually taking the test that way? Or are you still using the old school mindset, trying to get everything right? The vast majority of people who study and study but don't improve are still using the old school mindset.

Next, read this (right now):
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -the-gmat/

Are you studying in this way? If not, time to start!

I'll give you some resources on time management below, but you'll also need to diagnose your strengths and weaknesses in general in order to come up with a study plan. Use the below to analyze your most recent MGMAT CAT(s):
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... ice-tests/

** Note whether you took those tests under 100% official conditions, including the essay and IR sections. If you skipped either or both of those sections, took longer breaks than allowed, used the pause button, or in any way took the test under non-official conditions, then your practice scores may have been artificially inflated. Take that into account in our analysis.

Figure out what you think you should do based on that analysis. 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!)

Take a look at these two articles on time management:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -to-do-it/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... nt-part-1/

And start doing what they say!

[isean120]

Stacey,

THANK YOU for this incredible post. It has taken a little while to get back to you because I wanted to analyze and really do some "GMAT soul searching" before I got back to you.

I read all the articles and here's my response:

Article 1 (what the gmat really tests):
-I don't think I was thinking of the GMAT REALLY in this way. I've read stuff like this before, but didn't internalize it. This time, now that I've made the mistake, I'll be sure to look at the test with a new paradigm. I definitely had the old school mindset. I'm still in college so I can see how it happened.

Article 2 (the second level of learning):
-THIS WAS MY PROBLEM. I think I valued quantity over quantity - that short paragraph screamed at me about how "it's not about doing 1000 problems". Seriously, I think I've done about every medium and hard problem in the OG's, and I just didn't take the time to really understand the code and analyze the question thoroughly. Since then, I've purchased the GMAT software with all the extra questions and am really taking a lot of time understanding and decoding, and not just going through the motions.

CAT Analysis:
I typed up a 3 page word document that took me 2 hours to do a thorough job of analyzing my performance. I wanted to follow every step! I'll give a summary below, but I'd love to send you the full analyzation if you're interested.

From the problem list view:
**TAKEAWAYS: Quant definitely has a timing problem. Because of this timing problem I get too many wrong in a row and run out of time at the end. I need to recognize when I can’t do a problem quickly enough and just take a strategic guess. Verbal is a little better, I think that’s low just because I need to know the content better and keep concentrated while taking the test.

From the assessment reports:
-The only real problem here is problem solving - big discrepancy in timing between right and wrong
-CR also has a big timing discrepancy between right and wrong (sometimes I think I lose track of what I’m doing and get messed up)

**TAKEAWAYS: While there are not many blaring weaknesses, there are many little spots that I can improve on. I’m not sure how to best go about doing that right now besides taking my time on those types of problems in practice and really understanding the GMAT "code" for when these types of questions come up again.

I've also read your two time management articles and l loved them.

Thanks again, Stacey, I can't wait to hear back from you. I feel like I'm finally getting somewhere with this new mindset!

[StaceyKoprince]

Glad to hear you feel re-energized!

Okay, don't go do those new official problems yet. You did the OG questions before but you didn't really learn from them - not everything that you could've learned. So, first, learn how to learn! Use the old problems to do this. Then, test yourself on the new problems in GMATPrep.

For quant, start with section 4 of the time management article (1 minute time sense). It will take you 2-3 weeks to train yourself on this. As you're doing that, practice your decision making on the old OG questions: where should you be around the 1-minute mark in order to know that you should keep going on that problem? At what point should you realize "Nope, this is too hard" or "Nope, this is going to take too long" and move on? How do you guess - can you narrow down the answers at all?

What "checkpoints" can you set for yourself so that you don't lose track of time / what you're doing? How do you stop yourself from suddenly realizing, much too late, that you're not even sure how long you've been working on this CR question?

For the "little weaknesses," you have the right idea. Go study those areas, learn whatever codes are applicable and work for you, and practice.

If those weaknesses include careless mistakes:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -the-gmat/

If you want to give me some more granular data on weaknesses (eg, are you struggling with story math problems? Weaken CR? What are the actual areas / question types? In particular, on which kinds of question sub-types do you tend to spend too much time - what are the patterns?), then please do so and I'll point you toward more specific resources.

(Note: I'm asking you that, instead of saying "send me your entire analysis," because I want you to pick out what you think is most important. That's how you'll learn to read the data and continue to figure out how best to spend your time in future!)