Had my GMAT exam today(29th July 2013), it was my 2nd attempt and could score only 650(Q-49,V-31) ;(
My first GMAT attempt on 29th October 2012 fetched me 640(Q-49,V-27). I have been preparing pretty hard for 3-4 months and had prepared ok type for the first attempt. Whats more disheartening is that even after putting in all that effort, I could improve my overall score by only 10 pts. And, its not that I just put some effort without any plan, I was able to see improvement in my verbal knowledge(though that never reflected in my mock test scores).
Here is how I prepared for the exam this time:
1-Completed OG 13 all the questions including diagnostic test.
2-Completed Manhattan GMAT guide 4th edition for RC( take away was not very significant), CR and partially completed SC guide.
3-Gave mock CATs(of various sources) once a week.
1) 2nd Mar-GMAT Prep 1--700
2) 4th May-Manhattan CAT 1--590(Q-42,V-31)
3) 11th May-Veritas Prep--690(Q-50,V-35,IR-3)
4) 18th May-Kaplan test1--670(Q-51 approx,V-29 approx,IR-2)
5) 25th May-Princeton review test--570(Q-47,V-22)
6) 1st June-Manhattan CAT 2--620(Q-47,V-29)
7) 8th June-Platinum GMAT--640-650(Q->43-46,V->34-36)
8) 16th June-CATPrep simulator--710(Q-51,V-35,IR-4)
9) 22nd June-The Economist GMAT tutor--680(Q-50,V-35)
10)30th June-Manhattan CAT 3--700(Q-47,V-38,IR-2.4)
11)6th July-Manhattan CAT 4--670(Q-46,V-35,IR-3.87)
12)14th July-Manhattan CAT 5--670(Q-42,V-39,IR-3.59)
13)21st July-GMAT prep 2--700(Q-50,V-34,IR-8)
14)27th July-Manhattan CAT 6--680(Q-47,V-36,IR-3.03)
4-Completed all the topics' questions from Manhattan question bank.
I did not do much theory work especially for quant because I thought I am kind of ok in that department. So, just went through Manhattan guide 4th edition for verbal.
As my mock CATs as well as GMAT exam's verbal scores show, I am struggling in verbal and that is pulling me down every time. But, I just don't wanna give up. I am an IT guy with 5 years of work exp, so thought that a score of 720+ is definitely required because of my not so good profile.
So, please advise me on how to prepare for the next GMAT attempt(probably before end of this year). Target score is 720+(Q-50+,V-40+).