I urgently need help on verbal

[don2007]

Hi MGMAT,

I write this mail with great depression. I have done GMAT twice and my scores are first attempt-550 (Q 37,V28) and second attempt-590 (Q47,V25). Honestly speaking, I don't know what went wrong with my verbal for the second attempt . I have started preparation for the third attempt . I have used all the prep materials(OG,MGMAT,princeton and KAPLAN). Going through the prep materials again is not encouraging because I have seen their questions.

How can I surmount this obstacle called verbal. I have two months to prepare as well as to do my application packages. Please I need help and advice


Thanks,

Don

[StaceyKoprince]

If you have tried twice on your own and haven't been able to "crack" the verbal, you may need outside assistance. This could come in the form of a tutor, a class, or a supportive study group of fellow students. Your quant score is good, so maybe you can find someone who needs quant help but who is good at verbal and you guys can help each other.

Obviously, working with a tutor or taking a class will cost money (potentially a lot of money, especially in the case of a tutor), so I don't make the suggestion lightly. But, generally speaking, if you have tried on your own (and you feel you really have given it your best), then you probably need some new ideas and some outside help to get to your goal.

It actually doesn't matter so much that you have used / seen a lot of materials already. You haven't learned what you want / need to learn from those materials, so you need to go back through some of them again - but with a new (and more effective) approach.

Just in terms of pure effectiveness, the most useful thing will be to work with a private tutor. S/he can examine your tests and help you figure out where, specifically, your problem areas are and what to do about them. A private tutor, though, will be the most expensive of your options, and I don't know whether that's feasible for you. You could do something where you arrange to work with a tutor periodically and then also work with one or a few fellow students who are good in verbal and need your help in math - then you can sort of maximize your investment in the tutor. Or, if you know other students who are also struggling with verbal, you might be able to do semi-private tutoring, where you work with a tutor at the same time (though ONLY do this with someone who's having some of the same kinds of problems you are - otherwise, it doesn't actually save you money).

Alternatively, you could take a course if you look into it right away - most of them run for about 8 to 10 weeks, and you said you've got about 2 months to go.

Whatever way you go, be selective about the teacher. If you want to take a class, try to attend a free event so you can hear the teacher teach and see whether you think his/her teaching style works for you. If you want to work with a tutor, ask to speak by phone a little bit first (before you commit to tutoring). Explain your situation and see what ideas the tutor has to offer. Don't work with someone who will only work with you if you commit to a bunch of hours of tutoring before you even meet for the first time. You should have the flexibility to decline additional tutoring sessions if you don't think they're productive.

Good luck - let us know how it goes.

[Guest]

Hi Stacy,

Thanks for your feedback. I know that I can do it on my own. Private tutoring will be difficult for me to engage because I work long hours and not based in the US. Please, is there any strategy you can give me to conquer the verbal GMAT??

Thanks.

[StaceyKoprince]

It's tough for me to advise you. I would normally say "use our materials" but you have used our materials (and lots of other materials) and things aren't working for you. I don't know why none of these things have worked for you and, since I don't know why things aren't working, it's hard for me to say what would work for you.

Can you give some additional detail about your strengths and weaknesses in verbal? Rank the three question types in order from strongest to weakest (for you). Within each question type, tell me which grammar areas give you trouble and which question sub-types in CR and RC give you the most trouble. Also let me know why things are giving you trouble - do you not know the grammar rules well enough? Do you struggle to find the conclusion (for CR) or understand the overall message (for RC)? Do you struggle to identify the question sub-type in CR and RC? Are you tempted by the tricky wrong answers - do you often narrow down to two (one right, one wrong) and then pick the wrong one? Etc.

Also, how are: your timing, your stamina (for a 4-hour test), and your nerves?