Study and Strategy questions relating to the GMAT.
udvranto
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How Many Practice Tests Should I Plan To Take?

by udvranto Wed Nov 16, 2011 11:18 pm

My test is on Dec 10, 2011. Here are my practice test plans:

Nov 20, 2011 - CAT 3
Nov 26, 2011 - CAT 4
Dec 01, 2011 - Official Test 1
Dec 05, 2011 - CAT 5
Dec 08, 2011 - Official Test 2

Dec 10, 2011 - The Test Day

Am I shooting for more than I can should?
StaceyKoprince
ManhattanGMAT Staff
 
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Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
Location: Montreal
 

Re: How Many Practice Tests Should I Plan To Take?

by StaceyKoprince Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:59 pm

(1) Way too many
(2) Too close to actual test

:)

First, it's a waste of time to take a test more than once a week at the very minimum. CAT exams are really good for (a) figuring out where you're scoring right now, (b) practicing stamina, and (c) analyzing your strengths and weaknesses. The actual act of just taking the exam is NOT so useful for improving. It's what you do with the test results / between tests that helps you to improve.

Don't bother to take another one until you have made some kind of SIGNFICANT progress in some area such that you can actually expect to see some kind of difference on the test. Do NOT expect that the act of taking tests will make your score go up.

Also, do NOT take a practice test withn 5 days of the real test. Would you run a practice marathon two days before the real marathon? Of course not! You just risk tiring yourself out or injuring yourself and you don't have enough time to recover.

Good luck!
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
udvranto
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Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2011 4:06 am
 

Re: How Many Practice Tests Should I Plan To Take?

by udvranto Sun Nov 27, 2011 3:59 am

Thanks! I removed one test from my practice and spaced them a little bit more.
StaceyKoprince
ManhattanGMAT Staff
 
Posts: 9361
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
Location: Montreal
 

Re: How Many Practice Tests Should I Plan To Take?

by StaceyKoprince Mon Nov 28, 2011 12:40 pm

:) good luck!
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep