Inconsistent strengths and weaknesses across CATs

[KatharineT943]

Hi there,

I've done about 7 CATs now, and have run assessment reports on each one, batches of them in 2s and 3s, and all of them together. I've followed the assessment steps from the blog https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... ts-part-2/ and guidebooks, however, I'm having a hard time assessing my strengths and weaknesses in term of questions topics.

I've noticed there is a discrepancy between strengths and weaknesses from an assessment of all my CATs vs. strengths and weaknesses on individual CATs or assessments of batches of 2-3 CATs together.

For example, the assessment of my 7 CATs total says indicates that geometry is a weakness of mine, based on percentage correct and timing comparison. However, there are certain CATs in which I have high percentages correct for geometry problems, even ones that have over 7 geometry topic questions. The same applies for other topics as well.

Sometime it seems like I don't have discernible strength and weakness topics, rather, just an overall need to improve on everything. I know though, this is probably not the case, I just need to do further investigation. If so, how can I do this?

[StaceyKoprince]

What are the dates on which you took these exams?

Generally speaking, the most recent data is the most relevant. Sometimes, earlier tests reflect data for things you haven't studied much yet—eg, earlier tests might show lower Geo because you just hadn't relearned the formulas yet.

Alternatively, a later test might indicate that you've started to forget something that you first studied a while ago and haven't reviewed lately—if you were fine on Geo earlier but are now having problems, that could be what's going on.

Don't forget to factor difficulty level into that, though—maybe you were find on Geo on an earlier test because you mostly got 500 to 700 level questions. But maybe you've lifted your score and, now, you're getting 700+ Geo that you can't do. That kind of thing.

Generally speaking, I'd say to use the data from only your last 2 or 3 exams in a batch. The earlier stuff is long enough ago that it's less relevant. (Though do notice if you were good at something before but now you're missing things at those same difficulty levels. You might just need a review of that area.)

I'll also say one more thing: If you're at 7 CATs, you're at the point where your goal is not to say, "Oh, I need to review Algebra" and then just go re-read / re-do all of your algebra. You don't even necessarily want to say that for all of Exponents, for example.

Rather, you want to target your needs / priorities. I messed up this problem because I didn't know how to deal with this tricky negative exponent. Go investigate that specific thing. You might also uncover something strategy-related, such as: I really should have Worked Backwards on this problem. You might decide that you want to go practice Working Backwards on multiple problems across different quant areas, so that you feel comfortable with that strategy no matter how it pops up.

You can also feel free to post your analysis here and we will tell you what we think. We can't look up the data / do all of the analysis for you (that's a tutoring kind of service), but we'd be more than happy to tell you whether we think your analysis is on the right track (and to suggest other things to think about based on the analysis you give to us).

[KatharineT943]

Thanks! All that makes sense, will follow.

Basically, I attempted to study for the GMAT last year, did about 4 CATs, but for personal reasons had to take a pause, and I've restarted studying again now. I did a refresh of all the study books, moved on to practice tests, and took another CAT in mid March, another one in early April, and another one this past week. Scores were, 620, 570, and 620 respectively.

Basing off these three most recent tests, my detailed assessment is:
I know I have a timing issue, especially with PS and CR, which I tend to run over for difficult probles, so know these are the ones I should try and skip.
I have identified a number of topics for by batch 3 weaknesses (not even going to worry about these), but it seems like I have a very long list for batch 2 - is that pretty normal?
Right now am studying by working on time sense, doing the question banks for my weakness topics, reviewing my error log, reviewing my notecards, and making lists of key words to notice for things like CR, SC, and PS word problems. Also make a list of my careless errors, and ways to incorporate new behaviors to prevent these, and making a list of broader technique and content errors I often make, and ways to improve on those. All alongside doing practice sets with the OG17 and OG16 books. I was using the book directly, but now am just practicing using the online software so I can get used using a computer. Also doing timed sets on both the yellow pad and paper. Useful to do some sets on paper so I can make notes on my errors, and then other sets on the yellow pad to get that practice in.

Any other recommendations for how to better study? I am aiming for at least a 650, or above! I am scheduled to take the GMAT early June. Aiming to take at least three more CATs before then during the month of May.

[StaceyKoprince]

Yes, people do sometimes have a long-ish list for bucket 2. But here's the deal: you may not actually need to study all of those things to get to your goal score. You just don't know yet—it might be that you get through 2/3 of your bucket 2 and, bam, you have your goal score.

So do this in stages. Break bucket 2 down further. Which ones are the ones that have the best opportunities? (Things like careless mistakes, I can do this but it takes me a little too long, I can't do this now but I was good at it in high school, etc.)

Put together a plan that's reasonable for about 2-3 weeks of studying (based on how much you're studying / how much progress you're
making). And again, this plan is focused in on the bucket 2 items that you think have the best ROI. Go forth, study for your 2-ish weeks, then take another CAT.

Analyze all over again. Ideally, here's what will happen. Your score will go up. Some of the bucket 2 items that you studied will move to 1. Then you'll be able to tackle the next-best set of bucket 2 opportunities. At some point, hopefully you'll get to your goal score—and that may happen with some stuff still left in bucket 2... which you can then push to bucket 3 because you've got what you want so they don't matter any longer.

In other words, think of this as a 2-ish week cycle and pick your battles / best opportunities in that 2 weeks. See how far that gets you, then do another 2-ish week chunk, etc.

Re: your yellow pad, agree you want to practice with it. When you're done, take a picture before you erase—so you can save those notes for review later.

[KatharineT943]

Thanks for the feedback!

I just took another CAT and didn't improve much on my score. I've been looking to move my quant score up by 8 points, and have identified weakness topics, and have done practice sets for the these topics, identified tricks and common mistakes I make for these topics, and studied notecards that outline these.

What I've found is that I need to change my thought process when setting up a plan to solve, and that I need to integrate this thought process better. However, when crunched for time on the CAT and feeling rushed, I have a tendency to jump into my old way of thinking, and it's not until the end of the two minutes that I realize - hey wait, I should've thought about this first! - and then run out of time, select a wrong answer, and move on to the next question.

Somehow, even on my timed practice sets, I fail to do this. I've thought about doing this without a time restriction, so I can get into the habit by building this up slowly and not feeling rushed, but when I tried this way it didn't help much in the end.

Do you have any advice on how to better integrate new thought processes for solving quant problems under a time crunch?

[StaceyKoprince]

Great question! You can learn to do this but it's going to take some effort.

Here's what's happening: Under stress, we always revert to whatever we feel most comfortable with. It's the classic flight-or-fight response for modern times.

Right now, you are still most comfortable with your "old" or "school" way of thinking, so you revert to that. And that's not a huge surprise—you've spent most of your life thinking about math in a certain way...so it's really hard to change those habits.

And that's what you explicitly have to do: Literally change those habits / defaults to the "new" ways of thinking. Think of it this way. There are certain cues / clues that make you go down certain math paths, right? You're going to redirect those cues—instead of doing it the "old" way, you're going to specifically redirect into whatever new way you've decided that cue should represent.

You're going to do that by making yourself Know The Code flash cards. When I see (some certain clue that before would have made me do a certain kind of math), I'll think / do (whatever the new thing is that I want to think of at the beginning, not when I'm 2 minutes in).

See the Know the Code discussion in this article:
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... -the-gmat/

That's what you're going to do in the abstract. Next, search our blog for these words (Know the Code). I have tons of articles that go through a specific problem and then offer a coule of Know the Code flash cards at the end. Your goal here is not to gather my KtC flash cards. It's to see the thought process that goes into creating them so that you can start to do the same for yourself—because everyone has different needs here, depending upon what you default to when you see a certain clue.

Try that out and let me know what you think!