to improve verbal score in short time

[riteshjbp]

Hi

Firstly i am very thankful to manhattan gmat that its sc guide is really helpful for me.
I have given 6 gmat manhattan test and 1 repeated manhattan test.In 6 test i have scored around 600-610 with questions uncompleted in both sections and in 7th (after reset) test scored 700 with all questions completed,scored 38 in verbal.Then in gmat prep scored 600 (q-48 v -23) with 4 questions left in verbal. 2nd gmat prep scored 630 (q-49 v-26) with no questions left.I have improved a lot in quant section from mgmat tests but my verbal score is a worry.I have done lot of practice in verbal but it is still down in tests.I have to give gmat in 10 days.In gmat prep i have done 8 wrongs outof 29 questions then in last 12 questions i have done 9 wrongs and in other i have done 11 wrong in 12 to 28 questions.In analysis i have done some of the questions right which have done wrong in test.I think,I am missing something due to which my verbal score has not improved.Please help me because i have to score 700 + for getting admitted in asia colleges,so that i am very thankful to you

thanks and regards
ritesh

[StaceyKoprince]

The number of incorrect questions doesn't change much, regardless of the score - that isn't how the test works.

You scored 700 on one test but all of the others were in the low 600s. Why? You said you completed all of the questions on the 700 test. Was that because you managed your time better? Or was that because you saw questions you'd already seen before and so were (artificially) able to answer them more quickly?

You mentioned that the 700 test was your 7th test, when repeated questions can appear, so I will generally assume that the 700 was not a "truly earned" 700 and that the 600-range tests are more reflective of your current score.

If that is the case, then I need to tell you that it is very unlikely that someone would go from a 600 to a 700 in 10 days. A 100-point increase more typically takes a few months. I know that's probably not what you want to hear, but I don't want to leave you with unrealistic expectations about what can likely be accomplished in 10 days. Typically, scores don't change much in 10 days.

That leaves you with a choice:
1) take the test in 10 days but lower your goal to a more realistic level
2) postpone your test and try to raise your score closer to your goal level before you take the real test

Next, you're obviously having a timing problem with both the quant and the verbal. It may help you to know that:
1) your goal is NOT to get every question right, so drop that mindset right now!
2) you WILL get lots of questions wrong, no matter how good you get; whatever you can learn to do, the test will just give you something harder
3) part of your task is to decide when a question is just too hard, make a guess, and move on
4) your goal IS to answer correctly all of the questions that you can do without losing time on the questions that you can't do (and there will always be questions you can't do - see #2 above)

Think of this as strategic time management: you can't do everything in the given time, so you're going to have to prioritize. That priority always needs to be given to the questions that you can actually do, which means sometimes letting go of questions you can't do.

On to some good news: If you can literally just get some of those really hard questions wrong faster, your score will go up without having to learn anything else, because there are MASSIVE penalties for getting multiple questions wrong in a row (the longer the string, the larger the per-question penalty) and even more massive penalties for leaving questions blank (NEVER leave anything blank - if you have to, spend the last 60 seconds guessing randomly on every remaining problem).

Here are the guidelines you should be following:
quant - about 2m; max of 2.5m
SC - about 60-75 sec; max of 90 sec
CR - about 2m; max of 2.5m
RC - about 2.5m (short) to 3.5m (long) to read; about 1 min for general purpose questions; about 1.5 to 2 for everything else

This MIGHT be something you could fix in 10 days to improve your score (though it likely won't be enough to get you all the way to 700). If you want to try:

If you don't have one already, buy yourself a stopwatch with lap timing capability. 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. 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).

Now, how do you use that when doing problems? If you're not on track by one minute*, make an educated guess and 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.)

* For SC, 1min is well beyond the half-way mark (we're supposed to average about 1m15s here), but you can almost always eliminate at least some choices on SC in that timeframe. Once you've got that "I'm around the 1min mark and I'm struggling" feeling, go through any remaining choices ONCE more. Pick one. Move on.

[riteshjbp]

Hi stacey,

Thanks a lot for your inputs.I haven't seen such a great input any where.Actually i am fortunate that you gave me valuable tips at the right time.Now my gmat date is after 2 weeks.I have given 3 mgamt exams till now and try to stick to the timings given by you.Though the test were reseted but honestly i havent remember that the questions were repeated in both verbal and quant.Yes some passages were like that they were once readed earlier but in that also questions are different and i havent remember the questions also.In these 3 tests my score is 650,670,670.I think the inputs given by you really help me.Now please tell me how can i move from here for a brilliant score.

once again thanks

The number of incorrect questions doesn't change much, regardless of the score - that isn't how the test works.

You scored 700 on one test but all of the others were in the low 600s. Why? You said you completed all of the questions on the 700 test. Was that because you managed your time better? Or was that because you saw questions you'd already seen before and so were (artificially) able to answer them more quickly?

You mentioned that the 700 test was your 7th test, when repeated questions can appear, so I will generally assume that the 700 was not a "truly earned" 700 and that the 600-range tests are more reflective of your current score.

If that is the case, then I need to tell you that it is very unlikely that someone would go from a 600 to a 700 in 10 days. A 100-point increase more typically takes a few months. I know that's probably not what you want to hear, but I don't want to leave you with unrealistic expectations about what can likely be accomplished in 10 days. Typically, scores don't change much in 10 days.

That leaves you with a choice:
1) take the test in 10 days but lower your goal to a more realistic level
2) postpone your test and try to raise your score closer to your goal level before you take the real test

Next, you're obviously having a timing problem with both the quant and the verbal. It may help you to know that:
1) your goal is NOT to get every question right, so drop that mindset right now!
2) you WILL get lots of questions wrong, no matter how good you get; whatever you can learn to do, the test will just give you something harder
3) part of your task is to decide when a question is just too hard, make a guess, and move on
4) your goal IS to answer correctly all of the questions that you can do without losing time on the questions that you can't do (and there will always be questions you can't do - see #2 above)

Think of this as strategic time management: you can't do everything in the given time, so you're going to have to prioritize. That priority always needs to be given to the questions that you can actually do, which means sometimes letting go of questions you can't do.

On to some good news: If you can literally just get some of those really hard questions wrong faster, your score will go up without having to learn anything else, because there are MASSIVE penalties for getting multiple questions wrong in a row (the longer the string, the larger the per-question penalty) and even more massive penalties for leaving questions blank (NEVER leave anything blank - if you have to, spend the last 60 seconds guessing randomly on every remaining problem).

Here are the guidelines you should be following:
quant - about 2m; max of 2.5m
SC - about 60-75 sec; max of 90 sec
CR - about 2m; max of 2.5m
RC - about 2.5m (short) to 3.5m (long) to read; about 1 min for general purpose questions; about 1.5 to 2 for everything else

This MIGHT be something you could fix in 10 days to improve your score (though it likely won't be enough to get you all the way to 700). If you want to try:

If you don't have one already, buy yourself a stopwatch with lap timing capability. 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. 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).

Now, how do you use that when doing problems? If you're not on track by one minute*, make an educated guess and 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.)

* For SC, 1min is well beyond the half-way mark (we're supposed to average about 1m15s here), but you can almost always eliminate at least some choices on SC in that timeframe. Once you've got that "I'm around the 1min mark and I'm struggling" feeling, go through any remaining choices ONCE more. Pick one. Move on.

[StaceyKoprince]

Great, I'm glad to hear that you've been doing better with the timing.

You mentioned that you've scored in the mid to high 600s several times now. What was the breakdown of your quant and verbal subscores? Are the subscores pretty steady or are they fluctuating?

Did you take the practice tests under full official conditions, including the essays?

What have you noticed about your specific strengths and weaknesses on the different question types and content areas? Lots of detail, please!

[riteshjbp]

thanks stacey for your encouraging words.Ya the breakdown are for verabal 32,35,31 and for quant 45,47,48.
But i have not given tests with essays.But this test were given when i was exuasted like after running to about 20 mins or after gym..Scores are steady but the areas of wrong questions are different in different tests.One thing i have noticed that when i was giving test of mgmat,I was able to do sc easily but in gmat prep,i find difficulty to do sc,although i manage to do this part correctly but i take much time.
Again the timing strategy suggested by you is of great help.Atleast it makes 50 points difference.Again in last week i have the strategy to solve og-12 once again and doing gmat prep.Hope this will raise me.Please suggest asap as only one week to go

thanks once again

Great, I'm glad to hear that you've been doing better with the timing.

You mentioned that you've scored in the mid to high 600s several times now. What was the breakdown of your quant and verbal subscores? Are the subscores pretty steady or are they fluctuating?

Did you take the practice tests under full official conditions, including the essays?

What have you noticed about your specific strengths and weaknesses on the different question types and content areas? Lots of detail, please!

[StaceyKoprince]

Take a practice test with the essays - as soon as possible. I tell my students not to take a practice test within 5 days of the real test.

In the last week, people do not typically change their scores much. The last week is more about solidifying what you already know to make sure your score doesn't slip on the real test. So your last practice test score is about what you should expect on the real test (within 30 to 50 points, depending upon the practice test you take). Keep that in mind - if your practice tests are well below what you want to score on the real test, then you may have to consider postponing your test.

So, this week is really just all about review. Review all of your strategies, the major areas of content, your pacing plan, etc. The closer you get to the test, the LESS you should do. In the last day or two, you shouldn't do more than a couple of hours each day. (Basically, at this point, you aren't going to change much, but you could tire yourself out, so you want to make sure you don't tire yourself out.)

Good luck - let us know how it goes!

[riteshjbp]

Hi stacey,

I have not taken the test due to some problem in the exam center.After 2 weeks again i am planning for gmat.My last score was 670 in gmat prep.what i have to do next from here.I have completed mgtest but the it is expired.I am unable to review 4 repeated mgmat.Is it fine to again reniew the mgmat to take mgtest.Thanks for all your support.
please guide me for 700+.

thanks once again

Take a practice test with the essays - as soon as possible. I tell my students not to take a practice test within 5 days of the real test.

In the last week, people do not typically change their scores much. The last week is more about solidifying what you already know to make sure your score doesn't slip on the real test. So your last practice test score is about what you should expect on the real test (within 30 to 50 points, depending upon the practice test you take). Keep that in mind - if your practice tests are well below what you want to score on the real test, then you may have to consider postponing your test.

So, this week is really just all about review. Review all of your strategies, the major areas of content, your pacing plan, etc. The closer you get to the test, the LESS you should do. In the last day or two, you shouldn't do more than a couple of hours each day. (Basically, at this point, you aren't going to change much, but you could tire yourself out, so you want to make sure you don't tire yourself out.)

Good luck - let us know how it goes!

[StaceyKoprince]

Contact the office (studentservices@manhattangmat.com or 800.576.GMAT) to ask about extending the access to your practice tests. I'm not sure what the policies are, but they'll be happy to help if you contact them.

Keep doing what you have been doing. Your last test was just a little below your goal (700), so for the next week, continue trying to improve, and then take your last practice test. Generally speaking, your last practice test score will be roughly indicative of your official test score (assuming you take the practice test under official testing conditions without any advantages, such as repeated questions). So, you'll have to decide at that point whether you think you're close enough to go ahead and take the test or whether you should postpone.