Study and Strategy questions relating to the GMAT.
AkashM25
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Is it the correct strategy - 4 days to GMAT!

by AkashM25 Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:34 pm

Hi Guys,

So well contrary to what you would have thought while reading the topic name, I have roughly 100 hours left for GMAT and I am not so worried!
I have been preparing for GMAT for over a month now, full time, which would mean roughly 5 hours a day.

My target score is 750 - 760, of which I am not sure whether I'll reach or not . But yea, efforts are on!

Most of the blog entries here talk about how GMAT Prep most resembles the actual test. Following the advice, I had kept the GMATprep 2 for the final days, the final nail on the GMAT Prep coffin.

My practice test history is that I have written 6 practice tests till today, with scores of:

1. GMAT Prep 1 : 680 (Diagnostic)
2. Veritas Prep 1: 710
3: MGMAT 1: 660
4: MGMAT 2: 650
5. Veritas Prep 2: 720

I have been tensed before all of these exams and the tension has certainly reflected on my performance too. My intention was to cross the 700 barrier at least once on the MGMAT before the final exam.

I finally managed to score a 710 on the MGMAT 3 this morning (half sleepy, half tensed) and I was elated. I have also tried the GMAT Club Verbal Tests (I understand these tests are tougher than the practice tests too) with disappointing score of V21 and V23. I finally managed to break the V30 barrier on these tests too today.
So all in all, it was a good day for my verbal today !

And that brings me to the question, do you think it is a good time to leave the Mock GMATs aside now? I mean, yeah, I can practice another 2-3 mocks, write the GMAT prep tomorrow and maybe score a 650 or a 750.
But, I follow the policy that you should pack up when you are on the top, before going down! So would it make sense for me to walk out on the practice GMATs today?

Its not that I will stop studying. I have my task cut out; I am following the 1000SC question book and am left with some 500Qs that I will complete in two-three days, check where I am going wrong, fix them and consolidate SC further. I have an idiom list too that I need to go through as well. I have a compiled list of some 300 CR questions that I will practice along with Powerscore CR.
For quant, I need to practice some Probability and SD questions, practice a few AWAs and IRs.

I am reserving the last day for going through my notes, reading the formulas, going through some tips I have created for myself.

So is it a wise strategy to quit practice tests while I am brimming with confidence and only practice questions or I should utilize sometime and practice another mock?

At this point, you can wish me luck too!

Cheers!
StaceyKoprince
ManhattanGMAT Staff
 
Posts: 9360
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
Location: Montreal
 

Re: Is it the correct strategy - 4 days to GMAT!

by StaceyKoprince Tue Sep 02, 2014 9:00 pm

No! Stop! No more tests. And do NOT do 500 questions in the next 3 days before your test! You are tiring yourself out and will be much more likely to crash on test day.

You are about to run a marathon. Don't run a practice marathon the day before.

The day before the real thing, don't do more than 1-2 hours of GMAT work. The day before that, no more than 2-3 hours.

Read this; this is how you review:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... ew-part-2/

Your score ability is what it is (and it's very good, based on your practice tests!). You know what you know and you don't know what you don't know. That is not going to change in the next 72 hours. Go in there, do your best, and expect something in the rough scoring range of your practice tests (assuming you have been taking them under official conditions, including essay and IR). If you then want a higher score in future, you can take the test again.

Good luck!!
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep