I get Q45-Q50, but V19-30. How can I improve my V in 2 weeks

[priyesh.halai]

In my practise tests (2 GMATPrep and 1 Kaplan), I keep getting Q 45-50, but V 19-30 causing a mid 500 points score. I need to get 700+, so please assist how I can improve my V in 2 weeks. I have read blogs on this but so confused. My weakest is SC followed by RC and then CR. I really need to improve SC and RC.

Regards

[RonPurewal]

In my practise tests (2 GMATPrep and 1 Kaplan), I keep getting Q 45-50, but V 19-30 causing a mid 500 points score. I need to get 700+, so please assist how I can improve my V in 2 weeks. I have read blogs on this but so confused. My weakest is SC followed by RC and then CR. I really need to improve SC and RC.

Regards

i don't mean to be a heartbreaker, but it is completely unrealistic to expect an improvement of 150-200 points, all verbal, in two weeks' time. if you really "need" to score 700 or higher, then you've got at least a couple of months -- probably a few months -- of preparation ahead of you.

if any other test-prep firm tells you that such a huge gain in such a short time is feasible -- especially on sc and rc, which are generally the areas on which students make the slowest gains -- then that firm is simply being dishonest with you, and you should run in the other direction.

[tomslawsky]

^^^^^

Not 100% agree. I had a baseline of 36 on my verbal GMAT Powerprep and after reading the old, first edition sentence correction guide (MGMT), 3 times in just under a week, my next poewrprep spiked to a 42 in the verbal. Of course, I'm a native speaker and a lot of the sentence correction tested was straight from my middle school catholic school curricula, but I say improvement comes from your ersonal background.

If I had to advise, I would say, go and find a copy of the OLD sentence correction and read it, read it , read it over and over! I say the first edition because it has less material and still covers the basics. IF there is hope in making swift improvement, this is where it lies. However, don't expect miracles, but I think 2 weeks of intense studying of this book should be good for a solid score increase.

[StaceyKoprince]

You're not comparing apples to apples.

A V36 to V42 bump is about 17 percentile points.

The original poster needs a minimum V37 (if Q is 50) and possibly V42 (if Q is 45). The original poster reported current V between 19 and 30. Let's split the difference and call the poster's current level 25. To go from V25 to V37 (the low end of the desired improvement) is a 45 percentile point increase.

As Ron said, that is unfortunately very unlikely to occur in 2 weeks.

There's also a less tangible comparison problem, I think. From your wording, you seem to indicate that you hadn't studied prior to establishing your "baseline" of 36 - is that correct? The original poster sounds like s/he has been studying for a while already. If that is correct, then again, this is not an apples to apples comparison.

Priyesh, I know you don't want to hear what Ron and I are saying. It's not absolutely impossible, but most people would not be able to achieve that kind of improvement in that timeframe. Your best course of action right now is to decide whether you really do need to take the test at the currently scheduled time (in which case, it would be a good idea to reassess your goal score) or whether you would rather reschedule your test for a later time in order to give yourself a better chance at achieving your goal.

If you decide to do the latter, let us know and we would be happy to help you figure out what to do in order to get better. You'll need to give us some data, though, so that we can help you. Read the below article, do the analysis described, and post the results here:

http://www.beatthegmat.com/a/2009/09/23/evaluating-your-practice-tests

You may also want to read this article about how to analyze a problem:
http://www.beatthegmat.com/a/2009/10/09/how-to-analyze-a-practice-problem

and this one about developing a study plan:
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/02/09/developing-a-study-plan

[tomslawsky]

"A V36 to V42 bump is about 17 percentile points.

The original poster needs a minimum V37 (if Q is 50) and possibly V42 (if Q is 45). The original poster reported current V between 19 and 30. Let's split the difference and call the poster's current level 25. To go from V25 to V37 (the low end of the desired improvement) is a 45 percentile point increase."

Yes, but it is a LOT easier to improve from 20% to 60% than it is to go from 60% to 85%. Improvements come a LOT quicker at the left side of the curve. But, I don't want to imply that a 45% increase is probable, but in 2 weeks, I think a 25 to 30 is feasible. The sentence correction becomes REAL EASY once one learns the basic rules.

[priyesh.halai]

Hi All,

I really appreciate your feedback.

I did the first test on Monday from McGraw-Hill's GMAT book 2010 Ed. Got Q(+30, -7) and V(+26, -15) using same exam conditions, that is, not looking at next question and answering before moving to the next one. Dont know the scaled score as its from a book. I wonder if this book is any good because my V score is average (better than what I have got in the past). Would love to get less than 10 incorrect.

Also, I have signed up for Manhattan and 800score CAT practise tests. By mid next week, I should have done 5/7 of them and hence will be in a good position to assess my progress and decide whether to delay my actual test. Do let me know if these tests are any good. Don't want to waste time doing them if they are misleading.

Regards

[StaceyKoprince]

The # incorrect (or the # correct) is pretty much irrelevant - that's not how a CAT is scored. On the real test, you'll get about 60% of the questions correct, regardless of scoring level (unless you're below about 450 or above about 720).

The bigger issue is that it sounds like you took this test from a paper, physical book. That means the test was not an adaptive test. That means the practice test cannot be compared in a valid way to the real test. You need to take an adaptive practice test, ideally one that uses the same algorithmic theory as the real test. (Ours does; I don't know about 800score.)

Next, DO NOT take 5 tests in a week. There's really no good reason - ever - to take a practice test more frequently than once a week.

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. (And once you've taken one tests, you know what your results are - taking another test the next day isn't going to change that.)

So, take ONE MGMAT* practice test, under full official conditions (2 essays, 8 min break, quant, 8 min break, verbal). Do not use the pause button. Then use this article to analyze the test and figure out what you need to do to get better:
http://www.beatthegmat.com/a/2009/09/23/evaluating-your-practice-tests

*Note: I suggest taking an MGMAT test for several reasons. First, I know it's built using the same algorithmic theory used by the official test. Second, an MGMAT test will give you specific reports / analysis on your performance. Third, the article I linked above tells you how to analyze MGMAT tests in particular.

Your score on a practice test taken about 7-10 days before the real test is indicative of your performance on the real test. It's rare to see a major score change in the last week or so. I think we're approaching about the 10-day-before mark right now, so I would advise that you use your score on the MGMAT practice test to make your decision (as to whether you keep your test date or postpone).