Need some guidance.

[mathew.linoy]

Hi,

I am two weeks away from my GMAT and my recent scores are 680(Q44,V38) and 670(Q46,V37). What do you suggest I should do to increase the certainty of a 700+ score. I make a lot of silly mistakes and almost every time i get stuck on the tough Probability Questions.

Thanks

[mathew.linoy]

Is my ask for some guidance not worth a response?

Anyway, today i took another mock test (Princeton Review) under 100% real test conditions. I scored a 680 again (V40,Q44). Made maximum mistakes in RC and had a wrong in CR and SC each. Quants I am unable to cross the 45 mark. Can anyone tell me what should I do to improve my score in the next mock? I will be taking a MGMAT mock on coming 21st.

Thanks

[StaceyKoprince]

Please remember to read the forum guidelines before posting. Please don't "bump" your own post. We respond to all posts in order, oldest first, and the date of your post is based on the date of the last post in the thread, not the first. If you bump your own post, you will wait longer for a response. (In this case, you did wait longer. I answered posts dated 15 November yesterday.)

Please also note that the forums are a free service, open to the public. Because of the volume of traffic we receive, it is not unusual to wait a week from the date of the last post (sometimes longer) for a response. If you see that older posts in the same folder have not yet been answered, then you know that we haven't missed you - we just haven't gotten to your question yet. There are ways to get much faster responses (such as private tutoring), but they cost money. :)

First, your current scoring range is 670-680. 700 is within the normal standard deviation, so it's possible you could hit 700 on the real test, but the most likely scores are closer to the practice scores you've already been getting.

Next, you are taking WAY too many practice tests - and they're not doing what you want, which is changing / increasing your score. Don't spend your very valuable and limited time in this way. Practice CATs 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.

Any one practice CAT provides you with enough data to spend a minimum of 2-3 weeks improving. Taking another CAT before you've actually tried to improve is a waste of valuable time - because you're pretty much just going to see the same results as before.

Use the below to analyze your most recent MGMAT CAT(s):
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... ice-tests/

Then, if you'd like, come back here and tell us the results of your analysis and what you think you should do based on that analysis. (Note: do share an analysis with us, not just the raw data. Part of getting better is developing your ability to analyze your results - figure out what they mean and what you think you should do about them!)

Note: you likely won't get a response until next week sometime. I have been traveling / teaching in India since 14 November and don't get back home until 26 November - so I have even less time than usual to log into the forums (not to mention I don't always have internet access).

You do mention making lots of careless errors; read this:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -the-gmat/

You also mention getting stuck on tough probability questions. Let them go - get them wrong faster. Read these two articles:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... to-win-it/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... nt-part-1/

Next, read the "how to learn" section of this article and follow the other links in that section:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... an-part-2/

Unless / until you are picking apart individual problems at that level of detail and analysis in order to improve, taking another practice test is just going to give you the same results you already know - in particular if you take another test just a few days later.

Overall, I just want to mention this: I talk to a lot of people who have a certain goal (eg, 700) and aren't quite there when their predetermined test date is approaching, and they start to almost panic and take a million practice tests, hoping to see a different result then whatever they're seeing,a nd they start to feel desperate and study many many hours a day - and then they take the real test as scheduled and don't get the score they want. If that's what's going on with you right now, you may want to take a step back, give yourself another week or two, and really spend your time learning in the ways described in the various articles above.

You are almost there, but trying to force it rarely works. (Sometimes people do get lucky with that - but that's the exception, not the rule.) If you feel that you would be able to take the real test as an "I hope I get 700 but I'm prepared to take it again if I don't" exercise, then you may just want to keep your test date and cross your fingers. But if you know that you would be disappointed and derailed, then ease the pressure a bit and give yourself a bit more time to do what you need to do to learn / earn that last 20-30 points consistently.