Dear Stacey ,
I appeared for my gmat on 18th october and scored a dismissal 600 (q45, V 28) . The main reason for this score was poor time management as i got stuck to question 8 and 9 on my quant part for more than 15 mins.
Before this my practive tests were going fine and I was scoring in the reange of 650 - 710.
I am planning to reappear for my exam somewhere around 12th or 19th of december. Can you please suggest/give some tips that can help me improve my score.
Plus I am an international student so was wondering what is the max i can stretch my gmat 2 is If i am planning to apply for 2009 session.
To improve myverbal i have used manhatten strategy guides for verbal.
gave practice test and manhatten test 1 and scored 670.
please advice n help as it is really important for me to crack my exam.
thanks
GMAT Forum
13 postsPage 1 of 1
- StaceyKoprince
- ManhattanGMAT Staff
- Posts: 9361
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
- Location: Montreal
First, you absolutely cannot do what you did last time. If you allow yourself to get really hung up on some questions early on, you will most likely have the same result next time.
Can you tell about how long 1 minute is, without using a stopwatch? That's the timeframe you need to be able to estimate. Get a stopwatch with "lap" capability (if you don't have one already). When you go to do a set of problems, start the stopwatch but turn it over so you can't see the time. Every time you think one minute has gone by, push the lap button. When you're done, see how good you were - and whether you tend to over or underestimate. (You probably tend to underestimate how much time has passed, given your description of your test experience.) As you continue to study, keep timing yourself in this way until you get yourself to the point where you're within 15 seconds either way on a regular basis (that is, you can generally predict between 45 sec and 1min 15 sec).
On any given problem, if you're not on track by one minute, spend part or all of the second minute making an educated guess and then move on. (The general idea is that if you're not on track by the halfway mark, you're unlikely to figure out what's holding you back AND have time to do the whole problem in the 1 min you have left.)
Keep reminding yourself that:
(a) you WILL be given problems you cannot do in 2 minutes - no matter how good you get
(b) you only need to get about 60% of the questions right in order to score in the range you want to score
(c) there's a 25% chance that this question you're stuck on right now doesn't even count at all
Be aware of the types of problems on which you tend to get sucked in. DS vs PS? Algebra vs. geometry vs. WT vs. number properties vs. FDPs? Any sub-categories within tthose 5 main categories? "Abstract" or theory problems vs. real-number problems? Etc.
Learn how to make effective educated guesses, in particular on those types of problems for which you tend to get sucked in. "educated guess" just means: find some way to identify wrong answers and cross them off. You can use estimation or logic, you can try some numbers or try the answer choices, you can do part of the math you're supposed to do (you may know how to get started even if you don't know how to finish the problem), etc. Anything that allows you to eliminate one or more answers before you guess from among the remaining answers.
ETA: sorry, I just realized I forgot to address the last part of your post. You need to decide where you're going to apply and you need to check the individual web sites of those schools. They all have different deadlines - you just have to check and see what they are!
Finally, you don't mention whether you want to do better than you were doing on your practice tests or whether you want to score at about the same level as you were scoring on your practice tests. The above advice is what you need to do in order to be able to maintain the scores you've been getting on the practice tests. If you want to improve one or both of those areas, then I'll have additional advice - let me know.
Can you tell about how long 1 minute is, without using a stopwatch? That's the timeframe you need to be able to estimate. Get a stopwatch with "lap" capability (if you don't have one already). When you go to do a set of problems, start the stopwatch but turn it over so you can't see the time. Every time you think one minute has gone by, push the lap button. When you're done, see how good you were - and whether you tend to over or underestimate. (You probably tend to underestimate how much time has passed, given your description of your test experience.) As you continue to study, keep timing yourself in this way until you get yourself to the point where you're within 15 seconds either way on a regular basis (that is, you can generally predict between 45 sec and 1min 15 sec).
On any given problem, if you're not on track by one minute, spend part or all of the second minute making an educated guess and then move on. (The general idea is that if you're not on track by the halfway mark, you're unlikely to figure out what's holding you back AND have time to do the whole problem in the 1 min you have left.)
Keep reminding yourself that:
(a) you WILL be given problems you cannot do in 2 minutes - no matter how good you get
(b) you only need to get about 60% of the questions right in order to score in the range you want to score
(c) there's a 25% chance that this question you're stuck on right now doesn't even count at all
Be aware of the types of problems on which you tend to get sucked in. DS vs PS? Algebra vs. geometry vs. WT vs. number properties vs. FDPs? Any sub-categories within tthose 5 main categories? "Abstract" or theory problems vs. real-number problems? Etc.
Learn how to make effective educated guesses, in particular on those types of problems for which you tend to get sucked in. "educated guess" just means: find some way to identify wrong answers and cross them off. You can use estimation or logic, you can try some numbers or try the answer choices, you can do part of the math you're supposed to do (you may know how to get started even if you don't know how to finish the problem), etc. Anything that allows you to eliminate one or more answers before you guess from among the remaining answers.
ETA: sorry, I just realized I forgot to address the last part of your post. You need to decide where you're going to apply and you need to check the individual web sites of those schools. They all have different deadlines - you just have to check and see what they are!
Finally, you don't mention whether you want to do better than you were doing on your practice tests or whether you want to score at about the same level as you were scoring on your practice tests. The above advice is what you need to do in order to be able to maintain the scores you've been getting on the practice tests. If you want to improve one or both of those areas, then I'll have additional advice - let me know.
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
- Ashish
QUESTION FOR STACEY KOPRINCE - PREPARATION ADVICE
First and foremost thank you so much for your prompt reply.
As asked I obviously want to do better than my practice tests, in short I want to break the 700 mark. Just to provide you with some more info on my preparation, I have included my practice test scores for MGMAT specifically after my last encounter.
Free MGMAT Test 670 Q 49 V 33 (took this one before my official test)
MGMAT 1 670 Q 47 V 34
MGMAT 2 660 Q 47 V 33 (took this one today)
AS per the specialised assessment reports I personally have come down to the following conclusion:
1) Tend to get more DS questions wrong than PS.
2) In verbal problem area fluctuates between the three with no consistency specifically RC.
3) In reading comprehension I tend to get inference and tone questions wrong more than others.
4) Also i believe the only way to get a high score on GMAT is to improve the verbal score I went to stretch my verbal score to above 40 at least.
5) Also i feel by the time I reach verbal I tend to wear out that affects my concentration and inturn my efficiency.
I am planning to take my 2nd attempt now on the 12th of December or 19th December depending on how my preparation goes and somehow I believe to achieve my goal this time your advice would play a crucial role so would be really grateful to you if you can help me with how I should go about my preparation and material I should specifically concentrate on (I have all the possible material) and if required I can devote as many hours required per day.
Stacey please feel free if you need to know any other specific details that can you help you in your advice for me.
As asked I obviously want to do better than my practice tests, in short I want to break the 700 mark. Just to provide you with some more info on my preparation, I have included my practice test scores for MGMAT specifically after my last encounter.
Free MGMAT Test 670 Q 49 V 33 (took this one before my official test)
MGMAT 1 670 Q 47 V 34
MGMAT 2 660 Q 47 V 33 (took this one today)
AS per the specialised assessment reports I personally have come down to the following conclusion:
1) Tend to get more DS questions wrong than PS.
2) In verbal problem area fluctuates between the three with no consistency specifically RC.
3) In reading comprehension I tend to get inference and tone questions wrong more than others.
4) Also i believe the only way to get a high score on GMAT is to improve the verbal score I went to stretch my verbal score to above 40 at least.
5) Also i feel by the time I reach verbal I tend to wear out that affects my concentration and inturn my efficiency.
I am planning to take my 2nd attempt now on the 12th of December or 19th December depending on how my preparation goes and somehow I believe to achieve my goal this time your advice would play a crucial role so would be really grateful to you if you can help me with how I should go about my preparation and material I should specifically concentrate on (I have all the possible material) and if required I can devote as many hours required per day.
Stacey please feel free if you need to know any other specific details that can you help you in your advice for me.
- Ashish
QUESTION FOR STACEY KOPRINCE - PREPARATION ADVICE
another point there is a great deal of emphasis given on analysis of a test . In addition to the advice can you please lso explain how should one go ablut this and the best way of analysing a test.
- StaceyKoprince
- ManhattanGMAT Staff
- Posts: 9361
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
- Location: Montreal
1) Why do you tend to get more DS wrong? How's your timing on those? A lot of times, my students tell me they're not as good at DS but they're only looking at percentage correct. Then I go in and look, only to discover that they're averaging 1.5m (or similar) on DS because they're spending too much time on PS - of course the percentage is going to be lower! Or I discover that they happened to have a harder mix of DS questions on that test - again, of course the percentage is going to be lower?
Even if those things are not what's happening to you, go back to your most recent test and figure out why you got each DS problem wrong - very specifically. Keep a log.
2) No consistency on percentage correct, right? What about timing - any consistently too high or too low? What about placement on the test? Do you tend to get more wrong consistently at the beginning, in the middle, at the end?
3) What have you been using so far to study RC?
4) I agree that it is important to have a pretty good verbal score to get a 700. You also have to have a pretty good math score. :) 47 on quant is about the 79th percentile; 33 on verbal is about the 66th percentile. So, yes, you are better at math than verbal right now. I would work on improving both, though - it's often easier to improve a strength than it is to improve a weakness.
5) That's important to know. First, make sure you're always doing the essays on any practice tests from now on. Second, when you sit down for a study session, try to mimic the intensity of the test. Figure out what you're going to do for the entire 2 hours (I don't recommend studying for more than 2 hours at a stretch). Take one 10-min break in the middle, but otherwise work hard and straight through for the entire two hours. No interruptions, no little breaks to check email, nothing to eat or drink, etc.
It is important to analyze your test performance - that's how you figure out your entire study plan. First, here are some high level things to assess:
Are you struggling with content, technique, timing, or all of the above?
If content, what specifically is giving you the most trouble? (eg, in SC, modifiers and verbs) Include in this category the different types of questions for CR and RC (eg, find an assumption vs. weaken or inference vs. main idea).
On what types of questions or content areas are you struggling with technique or timing? (Technique is knowing how to identify / categorize a particular type of question and knowing what you're expected to do / answer as you move through the problem.) How was your timing? Did you generally move steadily through the test, giving appropriate time and attention to each question? (2m for quant, 1 to 1.5m for SC, 2m for CR, 2-4m to read a passage, 1m for general RC questions, 2m for specific RC questions) Or did you have to rush at times and possibly make random guesses? If you did have to rush and/or make random guesses, on how many questions would you say you did that? Did you do it on a lot of questions in a row or were the guesses scattered?
What kinds of errors do you tend to make repeatedly? WHY are you making those errors? Keep a wrong-answer log that includes answers to these questions:
1) Why did I get it wrong (as specifically as possible)?
2) What could I do to minimize the chance of making that error (or those errors) again? How will I make whatever that is a habit so that I really do minimize chances of making the same error again?
3) What are the right ways to do it?
4) Of the right ways, which one is the best way for me (combining both efficiency and effectiveness) given my strengths and weaknesses?
5) How will I recognize problems of similar type in future so that I can apply that "best way" to the problem?
On ones that you got right, ask yourself this:
1) Did I really know what I was doing or did I get lucky? If I got lucky, review all of the "wrong answer" questions, above
2) If I did know what I was doing, did I also do it in the best way (for me)? If not, figure out the best way for you.
3) How will I recognize problems of similar type in future so that I can either repeat my original success or apply my new "best way" to the problem?
On verbal, articulate:
- specifically why each wrong answer is wrong (especially when you picked a certain wrong answer)
- which wrong answer is the most tempting and why
- how to recognize that the tempting wrong answer is still wrong anyway so you can eliminate it
- why someone might be tempted to eliminate the right answer (especially when you did eliminate the right answer)
Questions to ask yourself (whether you got the problem right or wrong):
Was I able to CATEGORIZE this question by topic and subtopic? By process / technique?
Did I make a CONNECTION to previous experience? Or did I have to do it all from scratch?
Did I COMPREHEND the symbols, text, questions, statements, and answer choices?
Did I understand the CONTENT being tested?
Did I choose the best APPROACH for me?
Did I have the SKILLS to follow through?
Am I comfortable with OTHER STRATEGIES that would have worked, at least partially? How should I have made an educated guess?
Do I understand every TRAP & TRICK that the writer built into the question, including wrong answers?
Have I MASTERED this problem? Could I explain every aspect, fully, to someone else?
How will I RECOGNIZE similar problems in the future?
So that should give you some things to do. :) Remember - don't study for more than 2 hours at one sitting (eventually, your brain stops absorbing the material easily) - if you want to study more than 2 hours in one day, make sure you take a substantial break (at least 2 hours) between study sessions. Your brain really does need that time to process and encode the material.
If you have any questions on the above, let me know!
Even if those things are not what's happening to you, go back to your most recent test and figure out why you got each DS problem wrong - very specifically. Keep a log.
2) No consistency on percentage correct, right? What about timing - any consistently too high or too low? What about placement on the test? Do you tend to get more wrong consistently at the beginning, in the middle, at the end?
3) What have you been using so far to study RC?
4) I agree that it is important to have a pretty good verbal score to get a 700. You also have to have a pretty good math score. :) 47 on quant is about the 79th percentile; 33 on verbal is about the 66th percentile. So, yes, you are better at math than verbal right now. I would work on improving both, though - it's often easier to improve a strength than it is to improve a weakness.
5) That's important to know. First, make sure you're always doing the essays on any practice tests from now on. Second, when you sit down for a study session, try to mimic the intensity of the test. Figure out what you're going to do for the entire 2 hours (I don't recommend studying for more than 2 hours at a stretch). Take one 10-min break in the middle, but otherwise work hard and straight through for the entire two hours. No interruptions, no little breaks to check email, nothing to eat or drink, etc.
It is important to analyze your test performance - that's how you figure out your entire study plan. First, here are some high level things to assess:
Are you struggling with content, technique, timing, or all of the above?
If content, what specifically is giving you the most trouble? (eg, in SC, modifiers and verbs) Include in this category the different types of questions for CR and RC (eg, find an assumption vs. weaken or inference vs. main idea).
On what types of questions or content areas are you struggling with technique or timing? (Technique is knowing how to identify / categorize a particular type of question and knowing what you're expected to do / answer as you move through the problem.) How was your timing? Did you generally move steadily through the test, giving appropriate time and attention to each question? (2m for quant, 1 to 1.5m for SC, 2m for CR, 2-4m to read a passage, 1m for general RC questions, 2m for specific RC questions) Or did you have to rush at times and possibly make random guesses? If you did have to rush and/or make random guesses, on how many questions would you say you did that? Did you do it on a lot of questions in a row or were the guesses scattered?
What kinds of errors do you tend to make repeatedly? WHY are you making those errors? Keep a wrong-answer log that includes answers to these questions:
1) Why did I get it wrong (as specifically as possible)?
2) What could I do to minimize the chance of making that error (or those errors) again? How will I make whatever that is a habit so that I really do minimize chances of making the same error again?
3) What are the right ways to do it?
4) Of the right ways, which one is the best way for me (combining both efficiency and effectiveness) given my strengths and weaknesses?
5) How will I recognize problems of similar type in future so that I can apply that "best way" to the problem?
On ones that you got right, ask yourself this:
1) Did I really know what I was doing or did I get lucky? If I got lucky, review all of the "wrong answer" questions, above
2) If I did know what I was doing, did I also do it in the best way (for me)? If not, figure out the best way for you.
3) How will I recognize problems of similar type in future so that I can either repeat my original success or apply my new "best way" to the problem?
On verbal, articulate:
- specifically why each wrong answer is wrong (especially when you picked a certain wrong answer)
- which wrong answer is the most tempting and why
- how to recognize that the tempting wrong answer is still wrong anyway so you can eliminate it
- why someone might be tempted to eliminate the right answer (especially when you did eliminate the right answer)
Questions to ask yourself (whether you got the problem right or wrong):
Was I able to CATEGORIZE this question by topic and subtopic? By process / technique?
Did I make a CONNECTION to previous experience? Or did I have to do it all from scratch?
Did I COMPREHEND the symbols, text, questions, statements, and answer choices?
Did I understand the CONTENT being tested?
Did I choose the best APPROACH for me?
Did I have the SKILLS to follow through?
Am I comfortable with OTHER STRATEGIES that would have worked, at least partially? How should I have made an educated guess?
Do I understand every TRAP & TRICK that the writer built into the question, including wrong answers?
Have I MASTERED this problem? Could I explain every aspect, fully, to someone else?
How will I RECOGNIZE similar problems in the future?
So that should give you some things to do. :) Remember - don't study for more than 2 hours at one sitting (eventually, your brain stops absorbing the material easily) - if you want to study more than 2 hours in one day, make sure you take a substantial break (at least 2 hours) between study sessions. Your brain really does need that time to process and encode the material.
If you have any questions on the above, let me know!
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
- ashish
Question for Stacey Koprince
Dear Stacey,
Thank you so much for your reply it really does give me an insight on the kind of work that is required in next couple of weeks.
1) As asked for RC I am using Manhatten Reading comprehension strategy guide. ( the latest edition) - any tips on this that can help me improve my accuracy . any strategy you think tht works.
2) What I extract from your post is more than the practice it is the analysis that make more room for improvement and this was something that was seriously lacking in my last attempt.
3) All the practice tests I am giving now are with the essays so its a full length test. I would like to ask you like taking my recent performance of 660 how close my real gmat score can be ???
4) Finally it might be asking for too much but as discussed earlier I am short of time and have some 20 days more before my next attempt so is there a rough time line you can give me ( to be precise the no. of tests i should give )
thank you so much for your help and time.
Thank you so much for your reply it really does give me an insight on the kind of work that is required in next couple of weeks.
1) As asked for RC I am using Manhatten Reading comprehension strategy guide. ( the latest edition) - any tips on this that can help me improve my accuracy . any strategy you think tht works.
2) What I extract from your post is more than the practice it is the analysis that make more room for improvement and this was something that was seriously lacking in my last attempt.
3) All the practice tests I am giving now are with the essays so its a full length test. I would like to ask you like taking my recent performance of 660 how close my real gmat score can be ???
4) Finally it might be asking for too much but as discussed earlier I am short of time and have some 20 days more before my next attempt so is there a rough time line you can give me ( to be precise the no. of tests i should give )
thank you so much for your help and time.
- StaceyKoprince
- ManhattanGMAT Staff
- Posts: 9361
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
- Location: Montreal
Good - go through that RC guide very carefully. That will help you, but know that it takes a LOT of practice to get good with the techniques. RC is probably the hardest area to improve in a relatively short amount of time, so make sure you practice regularly.
Yes, the analysis is where we learn the most. That's how we know what to do differently when we practice! :)
Our tests have a standard deviation of about 50 points. The official test has a standard deviation of about 30 points. GMATPrep doesn't have an officially published standard deviation, but I assume that it is about the same as the official test or a little higher - so, say 30-40 points.
Ideally, you'd like to have your practice test scores be about what you'd like to score on the real test. Unfortunately, because there are standard deviations in play, it's tough to get more precise than that.
In 20 days, I would take either 2 or 3 more tests. Generally, I recommend a test about once a week at this point. You just took a practice test 2 days ago, so you may only want to take 2 more, one in about a week and one another week after that. Don't take a practice test within 5 days of the official test (not enough time to analyze and learn from it and you just tire yourself out right before the big thing!).
Yes, the analysis is where we learn the most. That's how we know what to do differently when we practice! :)
Our tests have a standard deviation of about 50 points. The official test has a standard deviation of about 30 points. GMATPrep doesn't have an officially published standard deviation, but I assume that it is about the same as the official test or a little higher - so, say 30-40 points.
Ideally, you'd like to have your practice test scores be about what you'd like to score on the real test. Unfortunately, because there are standard deviations in play, it's tough to get more precise than that.
In 20 days, I would take either 2 or 3 more tests. Generally, I recommend a test about once a week at this point. You just took a practice test 2 days ago, so you may only want to take 2 more, one in about a week and one another week after that. Don't take a practice test within 5 days of the official test (not enough time to analyze and learn from it and you just tire yourself out right before the big thing!).
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
- ashish
Question for Stacey Koprince
Dear Stacey thanks for your advice it really helped improved my verbal score in the test this time and scored 38... overall score was 680. As discussed earlier I was planning to give my test on 12th of dec or 19th dec . I am in a dilemma now as in how to decide when to take the test ? please advice how can I decide as it is going to be my second attempt.
thanks
thanks
- StaceyKoprince
- ManhattanGMAT Staff
- Posts: 9361
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
- Location: Montreal
That's great! Given that we're talking about an area that typically takes more time to improve, I would probably go for the later date. This assumes all things are equal - that it is equally convenient for you to take it on either date, that you can take the test at a good time for you on either date, etc. If you had to take it at, say, 8a on the 19th or noon on the 12th, and if you were really NOT a morning person (as I am not), then you should go for the 12th. But if it really doesn't matter either way, give yourself the extra week.
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
- ashish
Question for Stacey Koprince
Dear Stacey ,
Finally approaching the d - day its on the 19th friday. Just want to thank you before the exam of all the help and advice I have received from you.
Hope all goes according to the plan. Also as you know my whole history by now any suggestions for the D-day.
thanks again
Finally approaching the d - day its on the 19th friday. Just want to thank you before the exam of all the help and advice I have received from you.
Hope all goes according to the plan. Also as you know my whole history by now any suggestions for the D-day.
thanks again
- esledge
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Re: QUESTION FOR STACEY KOPRINCE - PREPARATION ADVICE
Hi Stacey,
First of all I’d really like to thank you, Ron and everyone at Manhattan GMAT for the timely and prompt guidance you offer to the GMAT aspirants. Like most others I too need tips on how I can fair better in GMAT. I took the GMAT for the first time on December 10th 2009.I got a score of 600 (Q 48,V 26).My prep tests included 6 MGMAT tests, which I took 8 times, 2 GMAT tests, that I took around 4 times,4 Kaplan Tests and 4 Princeton Tests. Princeton tests were not of good standard and I always ended up getting more than 720.The Kaplan tests that I found pretty difficult , I ended up with average scores of around 610.In my MGMAT tests , which I took for about 8 times in total , I got an average score of about 660.
Then I decided to give GMAT a second shot. I started preparing in March 2010 with pretty much the same material and the same tests. This time too I took the tests as many times as I took during my first preparation. I got really high scores in MGMAT like around 700 + every time. I would say this dint reveal the correct picture as I remembered quite a few questions. I also retook the GMAT practice tests and I ended up with a score of 710 and 680. Here again I did remember quite a few questions.
On the exam day, there was an 1.5 hr delay in start of the exam as the palm reader (used for bio metrics) wasn’t working. I was given an option to take the test on another day but I thought I should get over with it. I ended up with a score of 660 (Q 49,V 33). I felt that I started loosing concentration after the 17th question in verbal. This probably dint happen in my practice tests as I had taken them a lot of times and so the repetitive questions dint require that much concentration as the new ones that appeared on the exam day.
During the first attempt I got a score of 4.5 in AWA and in my second got a score of 5.0.
I am targeting schools such as NUS, NTU in Singapore where they prefer score of 700 + and I plan to give GMAT one last determined shot. But I am afraid that even if I purchase the MGMAT tests or the GMAT practice tests again I would remember quite a few questions and this wouldn’t reflect the correct picture. I feel pretty confident in the Quant section but please guide me on how to go about the verbal section.
I have around 3.5 years of experience in the Information Technology services sector.
First of all I’d really like to thank you, Ron and everyone at Manhattan GMAT for the timely and prompt guidance you offer to the GMAT aspirants. Like most others I too need tips on how I can fair better in GMAT. I took the GMAT for the first time on December 10th 2009.I got a score of 600 (Q 48,V 26).My prep tests included 6 MGMAT tests, which I took 8 times, 2 GMAT tests, that I took around 4 times,4 Kaplan Tests and 4 Princeton Tests. Princeton tests were not of good standard and I always ended up getting more than 720.The Kaplan tests that I found pretty difficult , I ended up with average scores of around 610.In my MGMAT tests , which I took for about 8 times in total , I got an average score of about 660.
Then I decided to give GMAT a second shot. I started preparing in March 2010 with pretty much the same material and the same tests. This time too I took the tests as many times as I took during my first preparation. I got really high scores in MGMAT like around 700 + every time. I would say this dint reveal the correct picture as I remembered quite a few questions. I also retook the GMAT practice tests and I ended up with a score of 710 and 680. Here again I did remember quite a few questions.
On the exam day, there was an 1.5 hr delay in start of the exam as the palm reader (used for bio metrics) wasn’t working. I was given an option to take the test on another day but I thought I should get over with it. I ended up with a score of 660 (Q 49,V 33). I felt that I started loosing concentration after the 17th question in verbal. This probably dint happen in my practice tests as I had taken them a lot of times and so the repetitive questions dint require that much concentration as the new ones that appeared on the exam day.
During the first attempt I got a score of 4.5 in AWA and in my second got a score of 5.0.
I am targeting schools such as NUS, NTU in Singapore where they prefer score of 700 + and I plan to give GMAT one last determined shot. But I am afraid that even if I purchase the MGMAT tests or the GMAT practice tests again I would remember quite a few questions and this wouldn’t reflect the correct picture. I feel pretty confident in the Quant section but please guide me on how to go about the verbal section.
I have around 3.5 years of experience in the Information Technology services sector.
- StaceyKoprince
- ManhattanGMAT Staff
- Posts: 9361
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
- Location: Montreal
Re: QUESTION FOR STACEY KOPRINCE - PREPARATION ADVICE
We would be very happy to help. Can you do me a favor and start a new thread of your own? I can't unfortunately just split off your last post or I would do it myself.
Just copy and paste to a new thread and put it in. I'll be back on the forums early next week and will answer you then. Also, please give me some additional detail:
1) how long has it been since you last studied for the test?
2) how long has it been since you've taken an MGMAT test or looked at the questions from an MGMAT test?
3) when was the last time you took any kind of practice test?
If you've taken an MGMAT practice test in the last month, please use the below article to analyze your results; I need this info in order to advise you:
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/02/ ... sts-part-1
If it has been a while since you last took a test, you will need to take another so that we have some data on which to base your study plan.
I assume your online access to our tests has expired; contact the office to see what you can do to get access again - you may be able to get a discount so that you don't have to repurchase the whole thing again. studentservices@manhattangmat.com 800.576.GMAT, or skype: m.gmat
Just copy and paste to a new thread and put it in. I'll be back on the forums early next week and will answer you then. Also, please give me some additional detail:
1) how long has it been since you last studied for the test?
2) how long has it been since you've taken an MGMAT test or looked at the questions from an MGMAT test?
3) when was the last time you took any kind of practice test?
If you've taken an MGMAT practice test in the last month, please use the below article to analyze your results; I need this info in order to advise you:
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/02/ ... sts-part-1
If it has been a while since you last took a test, you will need to take another so that we have some data on which to base your study plan.
I assume your online access to our tests has expired; contact the office to see what you can do to get access again - you may be able to get a discount so that you don't have to repurchase the whole thing again. studentservices@manhattangmat.com 800.576.GMAT, or skype: m.gmat
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
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