Improving Verbal to be in 45+ Range

[MayankA139]

Hi Instructors,

I have been studying for GMAT now for about 3 months, and below are my last 3 CAT scores :

GMAC Practice Test 2 : 760 (Quant : 50, Verbal : 42)
Manhattan CAT 4 : 730 (Quant : 48, Verbal : 42)
GMAC Practice Test 3 : 750 (Quant : 50, Verbal : 41)

I need your help to increase the verbal score to above 45 too.

My analysis of the 3 CAT's thus far establishes RC to be the strongest section. On an average, I am able to do 32/41 questions correct, with accuracy in RC almost 100%. However I do seem to get 3-4 questions wrong in SC and CR. Although, when I review, I can easily find another 4-5 questions combined that I could have done correct.


Please suggest further strategy to improve the verbal score into high 40's.


Regards,
Mayank

[StaceyKoprince]

Do you know that, on verbal, 45 is the 99th percentile? That's like scoring a perfect 51 on the quant. No school on the planet requires you to have that high of a verbal score - it's not necessary to score 45+ on verbal (or 51 on quant). For the very top schools, typically about 45 to 47+ is good enough on quant (depending on your quant background) and typically about 35 to 37+ is good enough on verbal.

Your practice CAT scores are in the mid-700s, higher than the average scores for every school out there, including Harvard and Stanford. Why are you looking for a higher score? There are some legitimate reasons why - one might be that you want to teach for us. But if you are just trying to get a higher score because you think you need a higher score...you don't. You're good!* Go take the test!

*Note: this assumes that you took these practice CATs under 100% official conditions: essay, IR, 8m break, Quant, 8m break, Verbal. No unauthorized breaks, no pausing the test, etc.

At the stage that you're at, if you really are looking to go even higher, then your focus needs to be on two things:
(1) careless mistakes (not just on verbal - on quant, too)
(2) falling into traps on verbal

For #2, ask yourself:
1) why was the wrong answer so tempting? why did it look like it might be right? (be as explicit as possible; also, now you know this is not a good reason to pick an answer)
2) why was it actually wrong? what specific words indicate that it is wrong and how did I overlook those clues the first time?
3) why did the right answer seem wrong? what made it so tempting to cross off the right answer? why were those things actually okay; what was my error in thinking that they were wrong? (also, now you know that this is not a good reason to eliminate an answer)
4) why was it actually right?

Good luck!

[MayankA139]

Thank you so much Stacey. Reviewing all the practice CAT's, each time I found that there were at least 4-5 questions in Verbal that under normal practice conditions I would have done right. I had the same issue in Quant as well, but at least that has improved, so from a personal satisfaction perspective, was hoping that I could maximize Verbal too

I will book a date and go give the exam and in the lead time, I will practice a bit keeping what you explained in mind. Also, can you please guide me on the AWA, any specific formats that I should be following ? I have been giving the practice CAT's trying to simulate the conditions as much as I can, i.e, include AWA and IR, no unprecedented breaks etc, but, haven't paid much attention to AWA till now. IR is fine, I tend to score 7-8 on that.

Please suggest !!


Regards,
Mayank

[StaceyKoprince]

Here's something for the essay:
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... no-thanks/

If you have access to our Interact lessons, there's also an Essay lesson in that program.

under normal practice conditions I would have done right

What does that mean? Does that mean you made a careless mistake of some kind? If so, then there are things you can do to try to learn to minimize your careless errors:
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... -the-gmat/

But just remember that the test is 3.5 hours long and everyone is going to make a few careless mistakes over that length of time.

[MayankA139]

Thanks Stacey !! I went through the essay section, also have written a couple since for practicing the template I have finalized in mind. Also, I gave the final GMAC prep CAT today, the score reduced

I got 730 :

Quant : 49 (33/37)
Verbal : 40 (34/41)

Surprisingly though, the number of questions I got right both in Quant and Verbal were highest I have managed till date, so I am taking that as a positive. My exam is tomorrow, hopefully, all falls in place and all pieces come right collectively

Thank you so much for guiding throughout !!


Regards,
Mayank

[StaceyKoprince]

730 is still amazing!! Good luck - let us know how it goes!

(Note: the # correct doesn't directly impact the score - that's not how the GMAT scoring works. But hopefully you get the score you want and that won't matter any more!)

[MayankA139]

Thanks Stacey !!

It went bad
I got only 700, Q-48, V-38. I have no idea what went wrong, I certainly wasn't stressed, rather before the scores were displayed I was feeling that I am going to get the highest I have ever got till date !!

Anyway, I have decided to give it another shot. I have a month, what do you suggest how I should approach studying in this month ?


Regards,
Mayank

[StaceyKoprince]

No, it went very well. 700 is a fantastic score. Plus, your Q and V subscores are both very good! (Above 45-46 quant and 35-36 verbal is very good.) Please give yourself credit for achieving this!

Before you take the test again, talk to an admissions consultant. Depending on your profile and where you plan to apply, adding another 20-30 points (or more) to your GMAT score may not make any difference at all. Most schools use the GMAT as a "threshold" indicator: hit a certain threshold, and they "pass" you on that metric. They make the actual decision based on other factors.

My favorite admissions consulting firm is MBA Mission. Go take a look at their website and take advantage of whatever free offers you can - talk to them about this!

Also, if you do decide to re-take, are you planning to order the Enhanced Score Report? That may give us some idea of what weaknesses to target on a re-take.

[MayankA139]

Hi Stacey,

Apologies for the delayed response, I was completely held up with work. Yes I did request for the enhanced score report but it didn't help much as it seems on the exam day my performance suffered proportionately across all sections.

Anyway, I did manage to give the exam again this yesterday and got 730. Personally I still feel disappointed but 730 is above the average GMAT score of almost all business schools so from a GMAT score perspective I think I now have a fair shot. It will now depend on my application and profile. I will spend time there now

A 760 however would have been great !! I still feel that void


Regards,
Mayank

[StaceyKoprince]

A 730 is awesome!! Congratulations!!

Absolutely no school will look down on a 730 - you have "checked the box" for the GMAT. Now you just need to make the rest of your application as great as it can be.

Good luck - let us know how it goes!