Retaking the GMAT - strategy question

[anukritipuri]

Hi Stacey

I took my first attempt at GMAT and scored a 660. The break up was 47 (Quant) and 35 (Verbal). I know where I lost points in Quant - I skipped the last 4 questions on the test but I am unable to figure out what I messed up in verbal. I am aiming for a score of 740 on the re-attempt and I am trying to figure out what I should do different this time specifically for improving my verbal score. Before taking GMAT the first time, I took the GMATPrep tests and scored anything between 40 and 42 on verbal. I even took the Manhattan CAT tests (though I do think the Manhattan CAT tests are a level higher than the actual GMAT). Also, I have always been pretty confident about my SC skills and I used to get my RCs correct most of the time. I wasn't as good at CR as I was at SC and RC but during the test, I was having a hard time with SC as well.
I am not sure how and what to focus on in verbal the second time. I would appreciate any assistance/guidance.

[StaceyKoprince]

You may have been experiencing mental fatigue on the real thing. This would especially affect you during verbal, the final section.

Did you have any of the feelings described in this article:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... you-crazy/

On practice CATs, did you always do essay and IR? Did you limit yourself to the two 8-minute breaks? If not, then you weren't practicing for the full mental fatigue that would hit you on the real thing.

Also, if you couldn't finish the last 4 questions on quant, then that indicates you were having timing problems. That, in turn, indicates that you'd spent too much time on other problems that were too hard - burning too much mental energy before you got to the verbal section.

You may have fallen into the same trap as so many others: when the real test comes around, you fall back into the old school mindset of "I have to get everything right" and then you mess up your timing AND fatigue yourself to the point that it affects the rest of this section and the rest of the test.

Does that sound like a possibility?

If so, then you really need to internalize for next time: the decision to move forward with a particular quant question has multiple implications for both the quant section and the verbal section. No decision is made in a vacuum. You are trying to manage your two precious resources: time and mental energy. As with any business, you don't have an infinite supply of your precious resources and so you have to figure out the best way to spend what you do have.

You may have read these before, but I'll recommend them again to help you solidify this mindset:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... lly-tests/

Read that one every day!

Approach your studies:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -the-gmat/

And since you did mention timing issues on quant:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -to-do-it/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... nt-part-1/