Need Guidance!!

[mjr0410]

First of All, thank you for a great forum and guides.


Today,I took GMAT Prep 2 and scored 690(Q50 V34). It is the first time my quant score has dropped to 50.
My Mock Test Scores are as:

MGMAT2 730 Q51 V38
MGMAT3 700 Q51 V35
MGMAT4 690 Q51 V34
GMAT PREP-1 720 Q51 V36
MGMAT5 720 Q51 V37
MGMAT6 750 Q51 V41
GMAT PREP-2 690 Q50 V34

I got the same number of questions wrong in the verbal section as I had got in GMAT Prep 1, but majority of the wrong ques were in the last 12 questions of the section. I got 7 of 12 (30-41) questions wrong due to time pressure.

My plan was if I get 720 or more in today's test, I will take the test date in next 3-4 days. But now I've got confused if the same thing happens in the exam. Its my second attempt and I plan to apply this fall only.

Please guide!! Should I just get a good sleep and try to get what I can or prepare more for one or two weeks?

[StaceyKoprince]

Your quant has been pretty consistent, so I think we can assume that you'd likely get a 50 or 51 if you took the real test right now.

Verbal, though, has fluctuated a lot more. Here, you have to assume that you're likely to score at the lower end of the range - because until you know why your score is fluctuating, you can't take steps to try to minimize the fluctuation and keep your score at the top end of the range.

So why do you think your score is fluctuating so much? I can think of two reasons why you'd have a lot of questions wrong at the end of the section:
(1) timing problems (rushing, having to guess, therefore making careless mistakes or just having to guess blindly)
(2) mental stamina problems (getting mentally fatigued and missing questions that you can ordinarily answer correctly)

Of course, both could be happening. It sounds like you definitely did have timing problems (you mentioned time pressure). Do you think you were also suffering from some mental fatigue?

(Here's how to tell what it feels like: http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... you-crazy/)

On the questions where you were rushing: were you forced to (because you were running out of time)? Then you have timing problems. Did you rush even though you weren't forced to? Then it's more likely a mental stamina problem - sometimes we start rushing when we're tired, even though we don't have to. Depending on what the culprit is, there are different ways to address the issue.

Next, why specifically did you miss those questions? Did you just get very unlucky and happen to get a string of questions that were too hard for you, no matter how much time you would have spent? Or did you make some careless mistakes? How many were careless mistakes? What were the actual mistakes themselves?

Finally, when deciding whether to go in and take the test in general, ask yourself this: if you scored what you just scored on the last practice test, would you be happy with that? Or would you be significantly disappointed and definitely take the test again? If the latter, then you probably shouldn't take the test right now.

[mjr0410]

Hi Stacey

You are right about why my score fluctuates so much. It is because of both timing and mental fatigue. I scored high when I was not under time pressure and when I was not suffering from mental fatigue.

I read the article that you had mentioned in the previous post. Good quantity of proteins and carbs can help me on the test day,and also I should not engage my mind in any kind of decision making before the test.

I've no MGMAT Mock tests unattempted. So, I reset the tests and took the first test in which I got 780 (Q51 V45). I guess taking the tests again won't help me much as I get a lot of repeat questions.

My GMAT is next Wednesday. Till then, I'm taking off from office for full time studies. My plan for the next 5 days is to revise all the material, take both gmat prep tests again and go through some official practice questions in all sections.

Any suggestions from your side? and wish me luck!! :)

[StaceyKoprince]

Oh, no! Just seeing this now - you really don't want to do a ton of stuff in the last couple of days before the test. All you do is tire yourself out mentally. The closer you get to the test, the less you do - only 1 to 2 hours MAX the day before, and no practice tests within 5 days of the real test.

However you're scoring 5 days before, that's about how you should expect to be scoring on the real test. You're not going to change anything substantially in 5 days. All you do is risk fatiguing yourself and then having your score DROP on test day.

If you see this today, stop studying. You already know what you know and you're not going to change what you don't know by tomorrow. Rest your brain. Rent a movie tonight. Try to get your brain off of the test.

Good luck!!

[mjr0410]

Hi Stacey!! I'm done with GMAT and scored 710 (Q49 V37). Quant score is a bit shocking but I'm happy with the overall score.

Thank you very much for your support and guidance!!

[StaceyKoprince]

That's awesome - congratulations!! And thanks for coming back to let me know! :)