How to improve my score from 680 to 730 with 3 weeks left?

[kumar.mohit85]

Hi,

My GMAT test is due in 3 weeks from today. I have given 6 mocks tests uptill now(5 MGMAT mocks and 1 GMAT prep).My score has always been in the range of 670 to 690.In quant I have been scoring 50 regularly while in verbal the range is 30 to 35.

While giving the mock tests I have followed strick exam schedule.Two essays and then the two sections with the break of maximum 10 mins between the sections.

How do I raise my verbal score?In RC generally 3-4 questions are wrong while in CR and SC the number is higher.

Kindly help as my target score is 730 and I have only 3 weeks left.

Thanks and regards,
Kumar

[StaceyKoprince]

It's good that you're taking your tests under official conditions - FYI, the break between sections is 8 minutes, not 10 minutes. That's not a huge difference, but use 8 minutes from now on.

You say that you are looking for a 40 to 60 point increase in 3 weeks (only about a week and a half now) - that's a substantial increase in that timeframe. Most people would need longer - you may need to make a choice between lowering your goal score and pushing out your test date, just FYI.

In order to help you improve on verbal, we need more data from you about your strengths and weaknesses. You can use the below article to analyze your performance on your most recent MGMAT test; then come back here and tell us what you found.

http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/02/ ... sts-part-1

[kumar.mohit85]

Hi,

First of all sorry for the late response. I gave GMAT on 6th June and scored 690{Q:50,V:32}.Essay score= 5/6.

I'm planning to retake the test in another 7 weeks.I sincerely need your guidance on how to prepare the Verbal section. My target score is 730+.

Kindly help.

With regards,
Mohit

[StaceyKoprince]

I know you're looking for a higher score, but nice job! 690's a great score.

I'm going to copy and paste something I said in my last post:

In order to help you improve on verbal, we need more data from you about your strengths and weaknesses. You can use the below article to analyze your performance on your most recent MGMAT test; then come back here and tell us what you found.

http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/02/ ... sts-part-1

If I were just to give you generic advice right now, either (a) it wouldn't help that much because it wouldn't be targeted towards your needs, or (b) it would take me 12 hours to type out ALL of the possible advice for all of the possible situations. :)

[kumar.mohit85]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Verbal is the main area of improvemnt for me.Even durng the mocks my score range was 30-35 ans in the GMAT I scored 32 in the verbal.

The main concern is time management in the verbal section.During the GMAT in last 10 mins I had to solve 8 questions and 1 RC {the fourth one} came up.

I personally fell that I can substantially improve both in CR and RC. I have been solving the CR separately and my performance there has been god.But, with time constraints I do silly mistakes in the CR.

Also while practising the RC as standalone, I used to jot down one line theme of each paragraph.But neither in the Mocks nor in the actual paper I get enough time to do so.So,kindly suggest the proper strategy to tackle the RC.

Please tell me which mock tests to follow now? i have already given al the MGMATs and GMAT prep mocks before the GMAT paper.Shall I repeat them? I plan to reappear for GMAT in August 1st week.

Thanks,
Mohit

[StaceyKoprince]

Okay, you mentioned that time management has been an issue, so this article can help:

http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... anagement/

Also while practising the RC as standalone, I used to jot down one line theme of each paragraph.But neither in the Mocks nor in the actual paper I get enough time to do so.So,kindly suggest the proper strategy to tackle the RC.

I'm going to repeat again what I've said in my last two posts: I need much more specific data from you in order to help you. Right now, all I know is that you want to get better at RC and you have some timing issues. From there, I can't tell what specifically you need to improve (reading speed? reading comprehension? organization? note-taking? understanding the question? dealing with tricky trap answers? and so on), so my only possible advice would be "here's everything that you could possibly study about RC." That's basically our several-hundred-page book... and obviously I can't paste that here. ;)

If you would like specific advice about how to improve based upon your very specific strengths and weaknesses, please use the article I linked to in my last two posts to analyze your performance in depth.

Please tell me which mock tests to follow now? i have already given al the MGMATs and GMAT prep mocks before the GMAT paper.Shall I repeat them?

Are you ready to take another practice test? Have you made significant improvement since your last one? Don't make the mistake that a lot of people make: don't just take a bunch of tests. That's a really inefficient way to improve.

How long has it been since you've taken the MGMAT and GMATPrep tests? If it was a while ago and you may have forgotten lots of the questions, then you may be able to repeat them. (You won't see all repeated questions - many will be new - but you are likely to see some repeated questions.)