Should I retake the GMAT?

[karthik.jalamangala]

Hi,

I took my GMAT on Friday, 9/23 and got a score of 640 (Q 48, V 31). This was my second crack at the GMAT.

In my first attempt, I had gotten 620 (Q 43, V 31).

Thanks to Ron Purewal, the quant scores jumped up. However, the verbal scores were the same.

I think I got a low score on verbal because I tend to (a) take almost 1 min 45 secs on most SC questions and (b) commit 3-4 mistakes in a row!

I am thinking of applying for Fall 2012 and I am basically getting started with the applications now.

My background is I have 10+ years work experience and my BS and MS GPAs are both 3.53.

QUESTION: Should I retake the GMAT or focus on getting my applications complete?

Please advise.

Thanks!
Karthik

[StaceyKoprince]

That is a great question to ask - but the right person to ask is an admissions consultant. We can help you figure out what to do if you do decide to re-take it, but an admissions consultant can help you decide whether you should in the first place.

There's another folder here called Ask An Admissions Consultant. You can also try calling some admissions consultants to see whether they have any "free consultations" - a lot of them will do that for marketing purposes.

Then, if you're advised to re-take, come back here and let us know, and we'll help you come up with a plan!

[karthik.jalamangala]

Hello Stacey,

Thanks for your response. Incidentally, I had posted the same question to the admissions forum, as well and they responded yesterday.

I want to apply to UC Berkeley Haas, UCLA Anderson, USC Marshall and Santa Clara Leavey.

The guidance I received from the admissions consultant in the other forum is that for the first 3 schools above my score is on the lower side and I should atleast try and increase it by 30 points, to improve my chances.

So, a retake is in my future :)

To make things worse, with deadlines coming up in the middle of January and a planned 2 week vacation at the end of December, my time is limited.

On the good news front, since I took GMAT 2 weeks ago, I am still "in the zone" and I am beginning to scratch the surface on verbal, again.

That said, please advise specific strategies to adopt for

(a) Sentence correction timing
(b) avoiding 3-4 mistakes in a row, more than once in the test.

I plan to start listening to Ron's Thursday lectures on Sentence Correction.

Thanks!
Karthik

[StaceyKoprince]

Okay, here's your general process for SC:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... n-problem/

In particular, on all verbal Qs:
On your 1st pass through answers: place answers into 1 of 2 categories, definitely wrong or maybe. DO NOT decide whether something is right at this stage.
On your 2nd pass through: look only at the "maybe" answers, compare, choose one

When you are down to two answers on verbal, look at each answer ONCE more, then pick one and move on. Do NOT go back and forth multiple times - you're just wasting your time. (You either have a hunch when you first look, or you don't have a hunch. If you do, it's not going to change in the next 15 to 30 seconds. If you don't, you're probably not going to develop one in the next 15 to 30 seconds. Either way, might as well pick now!)

A lot of times 3-4 mistakes in a row is due to stamina / fatigue issues or timing or both. If you're rushing for any reason, then you're more likely to make mistakes. If your mental stamina isn't where it needs to be, you're more likely to make mistakes as the test progresses. And if both of those things are going on...

So, we already talked about timing. For stamina, several things:
- all practice tests must be taken under 100% official timing conditions, including essays and length of breaks
- use study sessions to practice stamina: figure out exactly what you're going to do, then GO for 1 hour without stopping. Then take a 10 minute break, then GO again for another hour without stopping. No checking email. No getting something to eat or drink. No chatting with anyone. Get the idea? :)

Don't do 3+ hour study sessions, though - max of about 2 hours for one sitting (with a break in the middle). Studying is actually MORE brain-draining than taking a test, because when you're studying, you're trying to create new memories as well as recall what you've already learned. When you're talking the test, you're just trying to recall things.