Strategies with 1 week left?

Question

Hey y'all,

Just finished the PowerPrep Test 1 today, no AWA. Got a 710 (Q50, V35!), roughly 93%.

Was quite disappointed by my Verbal, where I missed 10 questions out of 30 (Powerprep only showed the 30 Verbal that counted). I missed 6 SC, 2 RC (two very careless mistakes) and 2 CR (could have thought it through a little more).

My previous scores were:
GMATPrep1: 770, Q50, V44
MGMAT1: 720, Q47, V41
Princeton1: 670, Q50, V33
MGMAT2: 680, Q47, V36 (taken right after Princeton on same day)
PowerPrep1: 710, Q50, V35

I'm not quite sure what's happening with my Verbal. I'm still missing around 6 SC questions, even after doing more than 1/2 of the Manhattan book. I'm noticing modifiers, parallel constructions and things like that, but I always pick the wrong one due mostly to idioms. I guess I'll just have to do flashcards for idioms and really memorize them, since I get a lot of those questions.

My RC and CR are good, but making a few mistakes here and there cost me (when I got V44 on GMATPrep, I had 8 wrong, 6 SC, 1 RC and 1 CR). Does getting 2 extra wrong make that big of a difference? Or is it because I missed 2 somewhat easy RC's by careless mistake that the computer thinks I'm bad for missing easy questions?

I have 1 week left till G-Day, and here's my plan:

- Finish the difficult 1/3 of the OG for CR and RC
- Finish the Manhattan SC book and all OG questions
- Review Math principles
- Do PowerPrep2, GMATPrep2, and maybe MGMAT3 (I enjoy the punishment of the hard math)
- If I have time, do GMAC Verbal Workout for RC, CR and SC

Do you think that will work? Any other suggestions? It's just very strange that my Math has been pretty steady but my Verbal is all over the place, and I'm not sure why. On my practice problems with OG (under time pressure), I rarely get more than 1 wrong out of 20 RC/CR questions (in the difficult sections). Any suggestions on that?

Thanks to those of you who have followed my GMAT studying progression and provided feedback!

financeguy · Answer

You know I have this feeling that your inconsistent scores mean you must take more practice tests to get a hang of how to tackle a 4 hours test.

I don't see anything wrong with taking more tests if you have plenty of time at hand but if you are juggling too many priorities, then just relax and think good.

pelihu · Answer

I don't know where you are quoting this information from, but it's a bunch of bunk. Attitude on test day can make a huge difference in the final score. Anxiety and fatigue can swing your score substantially. I've read enough reports and know from personal experience that this is true.

If you believe there isn't enough time to learn things that will help you on the exam (you  can  learn stuff in a week), then focus on getting yourself mentally ready for exam day. That might mean adjusting your diet and sleeping habits several days in advance, and doing something to maximize your confidence level when you walk in.

financeguy · Answer

Well.. I guess you should talk to a psychometrist

The GMAT test is not a job interview so don't think that your state will influence your result any significantly and the basic principal behind CAT testing is to get to your real testing potential using adaptive techniques. I have read somewhere that GMAT can estimate your range in less than 10 verbal and 10 quantitative questions but they give you many more to make sure that all other factors which you are mentioning are gradually ruled out. Please PM me if you want me to send you more information on how the adaptive test actually works. I am not saying that your state of mind at a particular day or time will not make a difference but you will still stay in your score range. I am surprised that even senior members of the forum are not aware of this basic adaptive testing principal

Thanks

pelihu · Answer

Actually, if you are going to quote sources, you should cite them. Saying "I read somewhere" or "I heard somewhere" means nothing; but what's really silly is that the data you refer to doesn't even address the question at hand.

I well aware of how an adaptive test works. I also intensely familiar with how test-day attitude can substantially swing a score. There have been countless reports from people who were overly anxious during the first 15 minutes of a section, resulting in wasted minutes and inability to timely finish the section. The GMAT will indeed narrow down a score range within the first 10-15 questions of a section, but it also punishes people who do not finish all the questions. Furthermore, many people have reported that anxiety has multiplied as early difficulties forced them to think about silly mistakes or work more quickly. Confidence can have the opposite effect, allowing a test-taker to comprehend questions more quickly and answer decisively. 

So, before you try applying a generalization that, frankly, doesn't apply; and before you make more vague references to data that you "read somewhere", try to understand the nature of how people react to exams like this. Adaptive tests are effective at quickly ascertaining a test-takers score range, but they aren't magic 8-balls that mystically pinpoint the taker's score, in spite of test-day attitude and performance.

bsd_lover · Answer

No offense mate, but this piece of information is utter garbage,

Its a great idea to kill yourself by taking 1 test every day, hell why stop there, why not try taking 2 Gmat tests in a row, or try doing a test with no sleep in the night before. 

Rest and recovery time are just as important to improving mental stamina as training with a full 4 hour test is. Mental fatigue is very real and its very difficult to measure. But in a mental marathon, it plays a key role in determining the end result.

Sorry I dont mean to sound as if I am having a go at you, but I am a bit passionate about the mental preparation aspect.

financeguy · Answer

That's a myth and a general mis-conception which people have but it doesn't mean that it's true.

Don't go for any other sources but just read the official guide and instead of believing people, I would rather believe GMAC.

I would repeat: Unless you didn't have any sleep at all a night before the test or got fired from your job the same morning, excuses that I didn't have a good breakfast or wasn't feeling really well don't mean anything. Period.

financeguy · Answer

I wouldn't mind because you seem to have the missed the boat altogether and picking up on something which was used to illustrate a different point

pelihu · Answer

Where did you learn to reason, K-Mart? I'll repeat what I said in my last message, identify where GMAC says what you claim they say. You will not because they do not. If the CAT is is as effective as you claim, then people could take the exame over and over, day after day after day, and they would get the exact same score. Obviously that is not the case. People perform differently from day to day and scores vary from exam to exam.

You seem to believe that GMAC has written a test that will provide some magical "correct" score no matter what the conditions. Stop and use your brain for a second - this is an asinine idea. GMAC is not the Wizard of Oz in this or any other universe. They have not magically designed a test that isolates and ignores things like anxiety, fatigue or even silly mistakes. Arguing otherwise is not just silly, its moronic.

financeguy · Answer

Well we seem to subscribe to different schools of reasoning, I guess

If someone has studied logic they would know about a famous (rather infamous) logical fallacy when someone tries to attack the other person rather than attacking the argument. Now coming back to your weak reasoning, anxiety and silly mistakes are part of your personality and that's what is being partially tested in GMAT so I wouldn't believe that one person will be anxious one day and then perfectly alright the next day or the next week. These are personality traits which are improved over a long period of time and it can be argued that one person taking the test in a short interval of time will produce similar results. So if you try to open you mind rather than attacking me personally, it's not a hard to crack concept. Look at many examples in this forum where people repeated the test within a month or so and got the same score. Hope I haven't overkilled your seemingly over inflated ego

Thanks

Fig · Answer

Guys

... Play it fair or I should lock this thread.... that would be finally a lost here

Thanks for your understanding

Side note and to give an image.... I believe people have well read nice arguements from both the sides of the same river... but we know all that both sides of the river will always remain where they are (in other words... no one will convice the other one here

)

kryzak · Answer

Wow... what have I started? :shock:

Anyway, I can attest to taking 2 tests in one day. By the 2nd verbal section, my brain was literally DEAD... I couldn't even reason my way out of a simple CR or RC passage, when they're normally really simple for me. End result, 680... I guess the good takeaway from this is that even in my most mentally fatigued state, I got a 680. So a 700+ is hopeful (knock on wood). Right now I just hope I get a 700+... my SC is getting a lot better after 2 more chapters of Manhattan SC! Woohoo! (throw something positive out here in this thread) :-D

seofah · Answer

OK, I predict kryzak is coming out with 740+

Based on this thread, what do you think?

trahul4 · Answer

kryzak,

Dont think about how much you are going to score and unnecessary pressurize yourself. Just go and enjoy the test. Good results will automatically follow. All the best !

kryzak · Answer

thanks for the confidence guys!

now that I think about it, my 770 on GMATPrep1 was when I was at my "happiest". Didn't really care about the score, really had "fun" (ok, I'm a masochist) doing the problems and just wanted to see where I landed. After that, it was all about "I need to get this score!"...

as everyone said here, mental state is key. After Sunday, when I take my GMATPrep2, I will just relax and do problems for fun and learning.

You'll see more updates from me before the test, haha! What would I do if I didn't find this site???!!!

bsd_lover · Answer

Hey Kryzak, Just some last minute tips on mental preparation. Have a read of my writeup at : https://www.gmatclub.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=47351 My methods might not necessarily the best for you, but ensure that you do NOT feel sleepy during the test. That means make sure your sleep cycle is adjusted, and you have had a LOT of sleep the night before. Also dont do the test on an empty stomach. All common sense, but when the test comes closer, adrenalin takes over and common sense become uncommon. Once again all the best. Hope to read your success story soon. cheers.

kryzak · Answer

thank you bsd! I'll follow some of your advice in that post! Will keep everyone updated!

kryzak · Answer

Alright, took a PowerPrep 2, without AWA, but I did an hour of SC practice just before it (to simulate the energy it takes to do verbal thinking). 

I keep on feeling I'm running out of time for Verbal for some reason. Anyway, got a good score, 750, Q49 V44.

I missed 3 problems on Quant (got a Q50 by missing 2 last time), two of which were VERY stupid mistakes. I had 10 minutes or so remaining at the end of the test, so I should spend more time checking my work. Not too worried about Quant right now, just reviewing strategies to do things faster.

Verbal I missed 5, 4 of them SC, and all the SC mistakes were idioms. Still having problems memorizing them, especially when they're in very complicated sentences. Flash cards, flash cards, flash cards!

The only thing I'm worried about is an entire reading passage, 1 CR question, and a few SC questions were the same as OG11, so my scores are probably skewed higher. I don't know why I'm still running out of time on Verbal even with these benefits. This just means I probably deserved a V40 or something. 

Alright, everything is up to the GMATPrep2 I'll take on Sunday. After that, no more CATs...

bsd_lover · Answer

Make sure you do the FULL GMATPrep2 buddy. Skipping AWA gives a false sense of confidence sometimes.

kryzak · Answer

you know what? I just had a revelation on why I'm running out of time now in Verbal. 

I actually am spending time figuring out SC questions instead of just guessing and giving up! That's why I had more time to do RC and CR and got almost all of those right. Now that I can actually analyze SC questions better and narrow them down to 2 choices, I'm losing the extra time I used to have. Yet my SC score is still not getting better, due to idioms here and there.

I'll see how much I can improve my idioms in the next few days. If not, I might go back to my old style of not spending too much time on SCs and making sure I get most of my RC and CR right. That's how I got V44 the first time.

bsd, I will take the GMATPrep2 with AWA on Sunday, will report back!

Thanks!

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