Second Test in One Week, Seeking Advice

[chengyangt56]

Hi,

My first offical GMAT score is 660 and I took it two months ago. I only remember I scored 51 on Q and very low score on V.

So, I focused on the verbal part after my first official exam.

I did all six Manhattan prep before my first official exam. Although the system reset all my CATs so that I can redo them, during the time I did the reset CAT I found the questions all the same before the CATs are reset.

For now, my six Manhattan CATs average verbal score is 34 ( 32-36) . I want to know if I can get more verbal questions from Manhattan prep to practice more, hoping my verbal score can improve a little bit in a week. I think I am weak at reading skills. I am familiar with grammar thing, but it just takes me extra time to finish reading or get the idea what the question is all about. I am appreciated if you can give me any advice on my verbal weakness.

Thanks,

[StaceyKoprince]

The tests all pull from the same database of questions, so yes, if you do a second set of 6, you can see repeated questions. There are many more problems in the database then would cover 6 tests, so you should see some new ones. But if you are continuing to score at roughly the same level, then you are going to see more repeated questions from the first set of 6 because your scoring level hasn't changed much.

Congratulations on lifting your average to 34. I'm worried that those scores might be artificially inflated, though, since you saw at least some of the questions before. It would be a good idea to take the GMATPrep tests (if you haven't already) in order to try to get a "clean" score for verbal.

In this last week, your performance level is not going to change much. At this stage of the game, the goal is just to solidify what you've already learned and make sure not to tire yourself out too much. (Don't take a practice test within 5 days of the real test!!)

You don't mention working from Official Guide materials. Do you have these books? Or any of the GMATPrep materials? I think it's very important to practice from official questions, particularly on the verbal side. The free portion of the GMATPrep software (found at www.mba.com) includes 2 practice tests and 90 practice questions (15 of each type: IR, DS, PS, CR, RC, SC). So start with those. You can also buy the add-on Question Pack, which contains ~400 additional questions (quant and verbal).

Re: our questions, you already have access to the tests. We do have additional questions in our books (and in online question banks associated with our books) - but you'd have to buy the books to get those. At this point, I'd rather have you do official questions from the sources I mentioned above.

Just remember that, as you get closer to your test date, you should do LESS work. You already know what you know and that's not going to change much in the last few days. Don't mentally fatigue yourself right before the test.

Good luck!