Help Needed..!!

[ayush.barot]

Hi Stacy,

I have been studying for GMAT more than 6 months now, and on my real exam day, i got a shock of my life ...that is a 310!!..

Such a low score has really scared me, I don't know how to improve, i was very week in the Quant part before, but then practiced for more than 5 months, and became quiet better in it, and was over confident about the Verbal Part, especially RC and CR, which were the worse part of my exam,

I had also give three practice tests..

1. MGMAT Test 1: 410

2 MGMAT Test 2: 410

3 GMAT prep: 310

My Target is to get a 600 atleast, which seems way to tough to achieve, Please Help!!!

[StaceyKoprince]

I'm sorry you had such a rough test day experience. You mentioned that your goal is 600, but your practice test scores were far below your goal score. Next time - don't take the real test until your practice tests are in your desired scoring range.

Your first task is to decide how you want to study going forward - on your own? with a friend? in a class? with a tutor?

Next, there are two main possibilities for your lower scoring levels: content knowledge or severe timing issues (or a combination of both). It might be that you need to start with the kind of material found in our Foundations of Math and Foundations of Verbal guides. Or it might be that you know that material already but have such serious timing issues that your score drops severely.

I'd like to get some more detailed data on your strengths and weaknesses in order to advise you. Use the below to analyze your most recent MGMAT CAT(s):
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... ice-tests/

Then come back here and tell us the results of your analysis and what you think you should do based on that analysis. (Note: do share an analysis with us, not just the raw data. Part of getting better is developing your ability to analyze your results - figure out what they mean and what you think you should do about them!)

You also don't mention what materials you have used so far (to study); please let us know!

[ayush.barot]

Hi Stacy, Thanks for your reply,

As per my last MGMAT test, I had scored,
410, V- 20, Q- 27

After analyzing my practice tests scores, I found out that timing was not much of an issue for me in the Quant section. It was some topics like Inequalities, Absolute values, Rate, Time & Distance and Probability in which i scored very less. I also scored less in the Data Sufficiency part, specially in the ones with Inequalities.

Whereas, in the Verbal Section, timing was an issue, i took really long for the RCs and CRs in the beginning of the verbal section, still got most of them wrong , then later,I had to rush with the last 15 questions.

I really get confused with the RC Specific answer questions (except for the first question "Main Purpose"), also with the CR questions, and take a bit long to solve some topics in Quant.

I had referred to the 8 strategy guides, and the official guide GMAT, but couldn't complete the Advanced part of all the strategy guides and the whole official guide.

I plan to study alone, i had joined some classes here, but it didn't help much, so i started studying alone, and also i am working,
i struggle to manage time to study i.e. i try to manage 2 and half hours on weekdays and 6 hours on weekends.

I have got the fear of giving the GMAT now after when i saw that score on the screen, its really a challenge for me now to get my desired score, but don't know how to overcome this fear and achieve the score i want..!!!!!!

Thanks,
Ayush

[StaceyKoprince]

Okay, so it sounds like the quant issue is more about the actual content being tested, while in verbal you're taking too long on the reading-heavy questions and then that messes up your timing for the whole section.

At this stage, you don't want to complete all of OG or all of the advanced material in our books - that only comes at the 650+ level.

You say that you have the 8 strategy guides. You also list a lot of quant topics that are a struggle for you. When you look at the material in the strategy guide itself, are you okay with it? Or are you struggling with it? Do you understand it in pure math form but struggle when it's in official question form? Or are you struggling with it in pure math form as well?

If the pure math is still a struggle, then you may need to go one level "down" to the Foundations of Math material, and then build your way back up to the regular chapters in the strategy guides. (Ditto for verbal - there are two separate books called Foundations of Math and Foundations of Verbal that you may find useful / necessary.)

If you're 100% fine with the pure math but can't apply that knowledge when you get to OG-type questions, then you are going to need some form of outside help. That doesn't have to be a class - it could be studying with friends or finding people online with whom you can study / exchange ideas. But you're going to need help to learn how to think about OG-type questions - it isn't just a matter of knowing the rules / facts.

Use the forums here and at Beat the GMAT. Also, go through old articles on our blog and look for articles that talk about how to do specific problems. In those articles, pay attention to the information about HOW you know what to do, how to decode what they're really saying in the problem, etc.

Here are some other resources along those lines:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... questions/

http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -Problems/

Also look at the resources in this article, particularly the how to study / how to learn section:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -the-gmat/

For RC/CR, do you think you're struggling with the reading itself? Or is the reading comprehension fine but you struggle on the actual questions?

I'm going to assume that we're starting with a reading issue, but let me know if I'm wrong. Take a look at these and see what you think:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... p-passage/

http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -passages/

[ayush.barot]

Hi Stacy,
I read the articles, they are really awesome, and thanks allot for sharing them with me.

Now, I am planning to completely change my way of studying, i.e. exactly in a way as it is mentioned in the articles, and apart from the content, I was really concerned regarding the timing issue in Verbal, like my reading is very slow, and when I try to read very fast, then i am not able comprehend properly

One more thing is that I am planning to study 2 to 3 hours on weekdays and 6 hours on weekends, So what do you think, would that be enough, please let me know.

Thanks,
Ayush

[StaceyKoprince]

Yes, I think that kind of schedule is reasonable. No more than about 2 hours in one sitting (beyond that, your brain starts to get fatigued and doesn't make memories as well - so you end up being really inefficient if you keep going).

Sometimes you might only get through 30 minutes or an hour before you start to feel that mental fatigue - maybe because you've had a tough day at work or whatever. Listen to your brain - you can't force it if it's tired.

You can try to do something for 15-30 minutes that might get you energized (listening to music, exercising, dancing, cleaning, talking to a friend - whatever works for you!). Then try again. If your brain is still wiped out, then go to bed early and try squeezing 30 minutes in the next morning instead. (Note: if you're really not a morning person, make it 30 minutes at lunch instead!)

Re: RC, okay, go try what I discussed in those articles I linked last time. :)

[ayush.barot]

Hi Stacey,
Thanks for your help..!!!!
I have started following everything that you have mentioned in your articles, will try to study in a more efficient manner and work harder this time, and hoping for the best that i will be able to overcome the fear and crack the GMAt this time...!!

Thanks for the great help..!!!!

Regards,
Ayush.

[StaceyKoprince]

good luck!