Huge timing issues .....

[cyoo1987]

I just took the GMAT and scored a horrible 510 (44Q 19V)

There were a couple things that could have affected my bad performance.

1. finding the test center was very difficult. I got lost many times and had trouble finding it

2. i lost 2 minutes on verbal (bc i went out during break for too long), and i became agitated and was unable to concentrate towards the end.

3. timing was bad in quant as well. I was rushing for the last 10 questions and ended up guessing.

4. i started freaking out midway through IR, felt a bit relaxed during math (until the end that is), and freaked out again during verbal.

5. i could not comprehend what i was reading for most written questions after multiple readings (reading comp, critical reasoning, IR) this doesn't happen often when i'm taking practice tests. only today. (i think i was very flustered and could not stop worrying)

prior to taking exams i took 2 mock tests and got 660s on both of them. (they were repeats however, so these scores could be inflated.

planning to take the exam again this month. are there any tips the instructors could offer to me to help me fix my problem areas? esp how to become a faster reader? please advise. thank you.

[tlawrence316]

I am not an instructor, but it is clear that the anxiety killed you on the verbal, compounded by the timing issues.

The silver lining that I see is that even though you had timing issues on the quant, you still scored pretty well. As soon as I straightened out my own timing issues on quant, my scaled score increased by about 9 points. If that happens with you, your quant score would be in the stratosphere.

I am betting that if you retake the exam, getting there plenty early, eating right and getting plenty of rest prior to that day, you will score MUCH better, because anxiety will be much less of an issue.

Good luck!