Retake GMAT - 670 - 43Q, 39V

[shruti.srinivasan.87]

Hello,
I took the GMAT on 11th July. My AWA score is 5 and IR score is 7. On test day, I had too much time in Quant and the last 10 questions or so were really really easy. I gave up too soon in the first half of the section. I think I could have gotten a few difficult questions correct had I taken my time with it. I thought that I should move ahead and not spend too much time on one question. As a result, I had more than 20 minutes for the last 4 questions! When I reached the verbal section, the options were not making sense to me. I'm guessing this is fatigue related.

My question is, will I benefit from resetting all the Manhattan tests and taking them again? Also, how should I go about preparing for my next attempt? I want to get at least 700 and I think it's an achievable score for me.

My practice test scores are:
MGMAT1 - 43Q, 32V - 620
MGMAT2 - 44Q, 40V - 700
MGMAT3 - 47Q, 44V - 740
MGMAT4 - 43Q, 40V - 690
MGMAT5 - 43Q, 40V - 690

I had taken one GMATPrep test before I started studying. I got a 710 on that. I took the second GMATPrep test 3 days before my exam and I got a 730 on that. I'm sorry I don't have the score break-up with me. I took the last 3 MGMAT tests and the GMATPrep tests under proper test conditions.

I will be taking the exam again mid-September.
Thanks for your time.

[StaceyKoprince]

Nice job on essays and IR! At least you know that you don't need to worry about those sections next time.

Did you feel, though, that IR may have mentally fatigued you? If so, you might actually want to go for a little less next time. :) That will help by the time you get to verbal. Here's more on mental fatigue:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... you-crazy/

Were you having timing problems on quant before the test - going too slowly? It sounds like you might have overcompensated - cut yourself off too earlier because you were worried the same thing would happen and then you went too far in the opposite direction.

Either way, definitely a timing problem to tackle. Read this and start practicing what it says:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... nt-part-1/

It typically takes a good 3 to 6 weeks to fix timing problems.

Your score still mostly held up relative to your most recent MGMAT exams, though not GMATPrep. I'd be curious to know whether the higher GMATPrep scores were mostly due to Q or V (or was it even?).

Those practice tests were all at least 2 weeks ago. Have you been looking at them for the last 2 weeks? If not, don't look now.

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

Then come back here and tell us the results of your 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!)

That'll help us build a study plan, which you'll go off and do for a couple of weeks, and then you'll be ready to take another practice test - by which time, you'll have forgotten many, if not most, of the questions, so you can take the tests again. :)

I'd also recommend taking a look at this, particularly the "how to study" section:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -the-gmat/

[shruti.srinivasan.87]

Hi Stacey,
Thank you! I'd love to know what you think I should do in the next few weeks. I'm taking GMAT again on September 13th.

Did you feel, though, that IR may have mentally fatigued you? If so, you might actually want to go for a little less next time. :)

IR definitely fatigued me. In the practice tests, I always found the questions too difficult and in half an hour, I usually covered 4-5 questions. I didn't practise enough for IR. And I was surprised with my IR performance on the actual GMAT!

Were you having timing problems on quant before the test - going too slowly?

I wasn't aware I had a timing problem until I read your reply and started analysing my tests.

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

Then come back here and tell us the results of your analysis. (Note: do share an analysis with us, not just the raw data.

My weaknesses are Number Properties, Exponents and roots, Geometry - Triangles and Diagonals, Fractions, Decimals and Percents in Quant and Describe the role and Explain the discrepancy in CR and Quantity in SC. I definitely have a problem with the Data Sufficiency format. In both Quant and Verbal, my accuracy with 700-800 level questions was 30-40%. The weaknesses I have listed above include the questions I was way too slow on.
I think Statistics, Probability and Permutations and Combinations are other weak areas for me.
I need to improve upon my method of solving DS questions. Apart from that, I need to learn concepts/formulas etc in Geometry and Number Properties. I need to practise more problems in the other weak areas.

Your score still mostly held up relative to your most recent MGMAT exams, though not GMATPrep. I'd be curious to know whether the higher GMATPrep scores were mostly due to Q or V (or was it even?).

That's true. I knew that I hadn't prepared enough to get a 700, but the GMATPrep scores did get my hopes up :)
I found the latest GMATPrep score - 47Q, 42V
And I do remember that my verbal percentile was better than my quant even in the first GMATPrep test. I could've done better in Verbal on the actual GMAT.

[StaceyKoprince]

Ah, that means you took IR a lot more seriously on the real test because you knew it counted and that wiped out a lot of mental energy. The good news is, you did really well! So don't do as well next time. :) And practice a bit more so that you simply know what's coming - that'll help a lot.

And now you know you do need to deal with timing - every day from now on. This is a huge thing. One more question related to DS: are you actually weaker at DS? Or are you tending to spend too long more selectively on PS, which means you tend to rush more selectively on DS, and then you make more mistakes on DS? I see that happen a lot. Dig into the timing data on the test and see if this could have happened. You might get better at DS simply by making sure you spend normal time on it!

Next, study in a way that helps you build mental stamina. Figure out everything you're going to do during a study session. Then GO for 1 hour, NO stopping. Then take a 15-minute break. Don't check email, don't browse the web, just relax the brain. Then go for another hour, no stopping. Then stop for at least 1 hour, ideally at least 2 hours. (Your brain actually needs time to put all that info in long-term memory!)

Being better prepared for IR will help. And that decision fatigue article I linked to last time will also help you instill some good habits and think about how to minimize energy expenditure.

Of the topics that you listed, these are most important (due to frequency with which they're tested):

number properties (divis and primes, odds evens pos neg)
exponents and roots
fractions decimals and percents

The CR and SC categories you listed aren't super common. I'm going to point you instead to an area in SC that's giving lots of people trouble lately:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... orrection/

[shruti.srinivasan.87]

Thank you for the advice Stacey. I'll start studying the way you said. I don't think it's timing, I know I'm weaker at DS. I usually spend enough time on DS questions, only to get them wrong :(

I'll let you know how it works out. I wish your in-person session in Mumbai was before my test date. I would've loved to attend it.

Thank you again Stacey. I appreciate you putting so much time and effort into this forum.

[StaceyKoprince]

You are very welcome.

Hey, even though your test will be over, we're probably going to do some kind of a free session or just a gathering after work one night or something. Keep an eye out for info (or you can send an email to studentservices@manhattangmat.com closer to the time in order to ask) - you can come say hi even though you'll be done. It'd be fun to meet!