Studying Strategy Assessment - Retake in a month

[ehsu]

Hi Stacey,

I recently took the GMAT and scored a 640 (quant 45, verbal 32). My strategy was to do as many questions as possible, keeping in mind that it's the quality of studying, not the quantity. However since I had originally scored a 520 on my GMATs, I found out I was pretty weak in every single area, thus explaining why I decided to do as many problems as possible. I have taken the in-class course and also have a private tutor. I definitely kept in mind that it's about quality and not quantity.

I want to retake the exam in about a month, hoping to break the 700 barrier. My CAT exams during those 3 months are as follows:

GMATPrep 7/23: 660 (Quant 47, Verbal 34)
CATExam 8/4: 660 (Quant 44, Verbal 36)
CATExam 8/16: 630 (Quant 45, Verbal 32)

I can't figure out to how assess my CAT exams, GMATPrep, and my actual GMAT exam to see what my weaknesses are because I'm not sure that I have taken enough practice exams. In addition, I can't figure out how to practice on my strengths to hit a higher quant score. Lastly, I recognize that my verbal score is pretty weak, and can't figure out how to be more consistent with verbal.

The only time I've done a full practice exam (IR and essay) was the very first practice exam on GMATPrep. The remaining exams I skipped IR and the essay. I have read your article about not taking so many CAT exams (therefore after taking those 3 practice exams, I was able to learn more about timing and felt that I didn't need to take any more, but instead to just keep practicing problems).

I've read your "How to analyze your CAT exam" article but taking a look at my assessment report (this is across 2 CAT exams and again I'm not sure if 2 CAT exams is enough):

PS Correct - 64%, Avg diff right answers 660, wrong 700
DS Correct - 56%, Avg diff right answers 680, wrong 680
SC Correct - 66%, Avg diff right answers 730, wrong 730
CR Correct - 73%, Avg diff right answers 700, wrong 740
RC Correct - 43%, Avg diff right answers 700, wrong 710

How do I focus on what I'm weak in verbal considering the assessment report is saying that I'm getting wrong answers in the low 700s? Do I then go into OG archer and just focus on areas with the lowest percentiles and the slowest times?

I guess I'm just really confused how to utilize this next month most efficiently with the data that is available to me. Also considering that I was scoring 660 a month before my exam, I figured that another month I would probably hit 700, yet my actual exam was a bit lower than the first diagnostic that I took. In that regard, I feel that my studying was not efficient and I probably took a wrong approach to studying (whether hitting weaknesses or how to build upon strengths).

Help!

[StaceyKoprince]

You mention taking a class - did you take our class? If so, then you're eligible for a free Post-Exam Assessment (if you haven't done it already). This is a phone call with an instructor to come up with a plan to re-take the test. If this applies to you, please send an email to studentservices@manhattangmat.com and request the Post-Exam Assessment.

You have taken plenty of practice exams - just one exam can give you an enormous amount of data (if you learn how to read it!). Use the below to analyze your most recent two 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. We'll tell you whether we agree and advise you further. (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!)

Next, you are NOT weaker in verbal than in quant. The two sections do not use the same scoring scale - so a lower number doesn't mean that you're worse at that section. If you look at the percentile rankings, you're very similar in the two sections. Go look!

Okay, now I'm getting to your comment that you've read the How to Analyze a CAT article. Then you give me some very high-level data. You can start here, but you have to dig a LOT deeper than that.

For instance, based solely on percentage correct, RC is the weakest of the three verbal. DS and PS are similar at that very high level.

Next, you have to go into the more detailed data - the score reports give you many pages of data to review at much more granular levels. Follow each step in the article and start splitting things out into "too low," "too low AND too slow," "too low and too fast," etc. All the way down to individual question sub-types and categories.

It should take you an hour just to pick through all the data (it takes me 30-40 minutes and I've done it a million times!) and then you have to think about what it means. Try again.

Also, have you read this?
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -the-gmat/

[ehsu]

Hi Stacey,

Thanks for your response!

Quant
Timing problems from Assessment Summary: Geometry, word problems, FDP, # properties, algebra.

Too slow: Rates & work, coordinate plane, ratios, fractions, polygons, trian/diag, quadratic equation, stats, alg translation

1) > 50% correct + timing within expected: Polygons, combinations, div/primes, stats, consecutive integers, overlapping sets, digits and decimals
2) < 50% correct + timing within expected: None
3) < 50% correct + timing too fast: None
4) > 50% correct + timing too slow: Odds/evens, rates & work, fractions, decimals, ratios
5) < 50% correct + timing too slow: Trian/diag, circles & cylinders, lines & angles, coordinate plane, pos/neg, probability, alg translations, FDP

Verbal
I usually run out of time for verbal spend way too much time in SC and RC. During my real exam, I ran out of time for the last 5 questions so I had to hurry through them. My SC times will range between 1:30-2:30. Harder questions for SC are usually around 2:00+.

Too slow: SC: pronouns, SC: verbs, RC: inference, SC: s/v agreement, SC: modifiers, SC: idiom, SC: parallelism, CR: weaken, RC: main idea, CR: assumption

1) > 50% correct + timing within expected: CR: Eval arg, CR: Strengthen, CR: Expl discrep, RC: Tone, SC: Modifier, SC: Meaning, SC: Conn punctuation
2) < 50% correct + timing within expected: RC: Inference
3) < 50% correct + timing too fast: CR: Find the assumption, SC: Quantity
4) > 50% correct + timing too slow: CR: Describe the role, CR: Weaken, CR: Inference, RC: Specific detail, SC: S/V Agreement, SC: Pronouns, SC: Concision, SC: Parallelism, SC: Comparisons
5) < 50% correct + timing too slow: RC: Main idea, RC: Passage structure, SC: Verbs, SC: Idioms

My assessment: Quant weak areas - Geometry, alg translations, probability, pos/neg (not sure), FDP (not sure)

Verbal weak areas: RC (everything), SC - verbs, idioms. Need to focus on timing for RC and SC, CR - weaken, CR - find the assumption.

Is this a correct assessment? My plan is to review the strategy guides for geometry and probability and focus on these weak areas. However, after that for every other category/bucket, do I just redo problems and figure out why my timing is off? Also I did already use a post assessment back before I got a private tutor. Am I able to engage in this service again?

Thank you so much for your help!

[StaceyKoprince]

You're getting there, yes. :) You've now got the content areas that you need, although probability is very infrequently tested, so I wouldn't bother with it. I'm far more concerned with the Algebraic Translations - the ability to translate stories into math is a very commonly tested skill.

How do you study for these different scenarios?
(a) getting something wrong in general
(b) getting something right but taking too long
(c) getting something wrong and taking too long

There's a difference between messing up the timing and getting something wrong (or doing both!). So, at the end, when you tell me your weak areas, that's not enough - WHY is each one weak? Don't summarize so much that you lose that important detail - because how you improve in each area is going to depend upon why that area is weak in the first place.

For instance, what if you actually know all the rules you need for triangles and diagonals already, but the problem is that you are rushing and making careless mistakes? Or that you messed up on data sufficiency problems in those areas because you failed to consider all of the possible cases? Or that you tried to use a "plug in smart numbers" approach to solve but messed up on the strategy? In any of those cases, just going back and re-reading that chapter again might not be what you need to do.

Did you read the article I linked at the end of my last post? (If not, go read it now.) What do you think? Have you been studying that way? (If you're not sure, go read it again and follow the links embedded there to other articles.) How does that article, and that description of how to Know the Code help you to think about how you need to change the way you've been studying?

Hint: it needs to be a lot more detailed than "review the strategy guide and focus on weak areas." That's only scratching the surface.

Re: your question about how to study problems ("do I just redo problems and figure out why my timing is off"), that's also answered in that article and in the additional links contained in it - especially the How To Analyze article. So go take a look and let me know if you have any questions about it.

Next, time management. Yes, you've got some things to address; here's what to do:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -to-do-it/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... nt-part-1/

Use this for RC:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... rehension/

CR:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... reasoning/

SC:
I don't have anything comprehensive here like I do for RC and CR, but this will help and you'll also want to go back to the strategy guide:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... orrection/

For translations:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... into-Math/
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... them-real/

I believe that you only get one PEA, but I suppose it's possible that if you did enough tutoring you might get another one. You might want to send an email to ask - I don't know the rule for that, unfortunately. Send an email to gmat@manhattanprep.com