Please guide me

[ankurkapur_cfa]

Hi
This is my first post regarding GMAT preperation. I started my studies in Jan 2012 and gave myself 2-3 months to take GMAT with a target of ~730. I have put in lot of efforts in the last few weeks, but have not seen any improvement. Below mentioned is the scoring pattern:

Nov 2011 GMATPrep 580
Jan 21, 2012 MGMAT CAT 1 630 (Q47 V30)
Feb 12, 2012 MGMAT CAT 2 660 (Q46 V34)
Feb 26, 2012 MGMAT CAT 3 630 (Q46 V31)
Mar 3, 2012 GMATPrep 580 (Q43 V28)

While taking the exam, I was quite anxious about my performance especially in the last 2-3 CATs. I was not able to focus and keep my cool while taking mock CAT. On an average, I had ~10-13 minutes spare after the end of each section. For the last 2.5 months, I have been putting in 2-3 hours daily and 4-5 hours over weekends without any break. I have gone through all the strategy guides twice, OG twice as well as OG supplements guides. However, I do feel that there are lot of wholes in my preparation since I am still not able to solve 30% of OG problems.

I plan to take GMAT date once I see a score in the range of 700. I am fully committed to achieve my set target of ~730 and can still give 1-2 months more. Please guide me what can I do to improve my performance. Also let me know in case you have any questions for me.

Regards
ak

Problem Solving (Total 66, % right 59%) Average Time RIGHT Answers 1:50, Average Time WRONG Answers 2:46, Average Difficulty RIGHT Answers 660, Average Difficulty WRONG Answers 720)

Data Sufficiency (Total 45, % right 51%) Average Time RIGHT Answers 1:34, Average Time WRONG Answers 1:53, Average Difficulty RIGHT Answers 660, Average Difficulty WRONG Answers 690)

Sentence Correction (Total 45, % right 64%) Average Time RIGHT Answers 1:13, Average Time WRONG Answers 1:19, Average Difficulty RIGHT Answers 590, Average Difficulty WRONG Answers 630)

Critical Reasoning (Total 42, % right 52%) Average Time RIGHT Answers 1:34, Average Time WRONG Answers 2:04, Average Difficulty RIGHT Answers 580, Average Difficulty WRONG Answers 620)

Reading Comprehension (Total 36, % right 44%) Average Time RIGHT Answers 1:35, Average Time WRONG Answers 2:17, Average Difficulty RIGHT Answers 530, Average Difficulty WRONG Answers 630)

[ankurkapur_cfa]

Hi Stacey,

I took GMATPrep test today (Mar 22) and scored 670 (Q49,V33). I figured out weaknesses across quant and verbal. First of all under time pressure my performance goes down a lot, for each question I am concerned about the timings and don't spend enough time which is required to solve the question. Usually I am left with 12-13 min spare after each section. This time I did not see the clock on each question but followed the approach of looking at the clock after every 10 questions.

There are few areas in quant such as inequality, coordinate geometry and probability which I see as weak areas. I will refer back to strategy guide again for these areas. I also plan to start taking MGMAT advance quant drills.

However, my biggest concern is verbal section in which I am not confident in almost 50% of the questions.

SC - modifier and verb tense is the issue. Even if there are errors in other areas, I see that in most of the cases it is between 2 options.
RC - Earlier I was not very comfortable with RC but for the last 1 month I have practiced a lot of note taking which has helped me answer atleast 60% of the questions. But still I need to improve a lot and bring this to atleast 80% accuracy.
CR - I understand diagramming technique but I am not able to apply the technique when I am taking CAT, maybe because of time pressure.

Please guide me what can I do to be able to not only perform well in verbal section but also be confident while marking answers in atleast 80% of the questions. Could you also help me with some relevant tips to increase concentration levels especially when you are 2-2.5 hours into the exam and have to face verbal section.

Thanks and regards
ak

[StaceyKoprince]

2-3 months is not a huge amount of time, especially if your goal score is 730 - don't be so hard on yourself. :)

Also, as you're learning, you can't really decide ahead of time "I'm going to take exactly this long to get this score." It takes what it takes (and most people would need a minimum of 3-4 months, and quite possibly longer (depending on starting score level and whether you're working on your own).

Your quant score was more steady on the first 4 tests. Your verbal went up, then went down again. Why do you think that happened? Did you take all tests under 100% official conditions, including the essays? Were there any circumstances that would have given you an artificial advantage - or a disadvantage? (Were you more tired when you took one? Did you take longer breaks than allowed on one? Etc.)

It sounds like you have been focusing a lot on how many problems you're going through - and usually that means that people haven't been focusing enough on how much they're learning from each problem they do. I'd rather have most students do fewer problems but really analyze and learn from the ones they actually do.

For example, do you think about these things when reviewing?
http://www.manhattangmat.com/articles/a ... roblem.cfm

Do you know how to learn from your errors?
http://www.manhattangmat.com/articles/error-log.cfm

Are you managing your time well?
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... anagement/

You can also use this article to analyze your MGMAT CATs:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... ice-tests/

Ah, okay, I just got down to the part where you give me some of your test data. Okay, you have a significant timing problem on quant. First, use the above "how to analyze a practice test" article to do the full analysis - this will show you how to interpret that data that you gave me (and you need to be able to interpret the data yourself, not just have me tell you what to do!).

When you're done analyzing, you can also return here to tell me the results and I'll give you more specific advice about what to do.

Then, read that time management article and start doing what it says ASAP. Right now, you're spending way too much time on incorrect PS and that's costing you DS questions - that's at least part of the reason why your DS percentage correct is lower.

It looks like RC is your weakest verbal area. Here are some resources:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... p-passage/
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/07/ ... rc-passage

http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... rehension/

http://www.manhattangmat.com/articles/a ... estion.cfm
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/09/ ... prehension
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/11/ ... il-problem

Okay, now I'm reading your second post.

Usually I am left with 12-13 min spare after each section. This time I did not see the clock on each question but followed the approach of looking at the clock after every 10 questions.

Great! Nice work. More resources, based on your comments.

See above for RC.

SC modifiers (which are also about meaning):

http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/03/ ... sc-problem
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/03/ ... -problem-2

http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... orrection/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... on-part-2/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... h-meaning/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... problem-2/

CR: don't worry so much about diagramming thoroughly. Take notes in a way that's natural for you as long as (a) you are abbreviating HEAVILY and (b) you understand the flow of info: this piece leads to this piece leads to this conclusion, and this other piece over here goes against the conclusion (or whatever the flow is).

Read this:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... g-problem/

Which CR question types in particular are giving you trouble?

Please guide me what can I do to be able to not only perform well in verbal section but also be confident while marking answers in at least 80% of the questions.

Are you going for a 41+ verbal score (92+ percentile)? If not, you shouldn't be trying to get to that confidence level - that's not what you need for, say, a score in the high 30s. (And if you're concentrating on that, then you're going to get frustrated and think you're not doing well, and that will just hurt you.)

When studying, figure out everything you want to do for an entire 2-hour block. Then study for 1 hour straight without stopping - no food, no checking email, etc. Take a 10-min break, then study again for 1 hour straight without stopping. After studying for 2 hours, take a break of at least 1 hour (to let your brain recover and make good memories).

When taking practice tests, do the essays. Stick to the break lengths. Make sure to have something to eat and drink on breaks - experiment and figure out what kinds of foods give you energy. You want complex carbs, protein, and a little fat. Towards the end of a test (last break before verbal), you can also do glucose - sugar, like an energy drink. (But don't do that earlier, or you'll crash before the test is over.)

Also read this: http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... you-crazy/