Test-taking strategy help needed.

[ChaitaliK320]

Hi Team Mprep!

I have completed my on-demand interact course with Manhattan and have been giving tests, reviewing my answers, and following the cycle. However, one persistent problem has been that I am able to solve all the 700-800 questions while reviewing them, in the 2 - 3 minute frame, but while taking the test I somehow keep messing it up.

My most recent test was my MPREP CAT 5 - 660 (Q 46 V 34). I solved all my incorrect question and got 80% right within the time frame when solved later. I don't know what the problem is. I had a timing problem initially, but I have sorted it out with the Yellow scratchpad technique. Do you think that this is happening because of my timing anxiety? If I miss every 4th question on the scratch pas for which I run out of time but do all the other questions correctly, how badly will it affect my score? Is there any other strategy you can think of?

I am taking the test on 7th March. Would love to get your reply at the earliest.

Cheers,
Chaitali.

P.S. this is my Quant overview from the test :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1sOoUR4XGCDalA0a29xV2dUanM/view?usp=sharing

[StaceyKoprince]

Yes, it could be test anxiety and time pressure felt during the test.

When you review these questions afterwards, for what kinds of reasons were you missing those problems?
- If it was a careless mistake, then you need to identify what the careless mistake was (as precisely as possible) and put in place some new habit or way of doing that thing that will minimize the chances of a mistake in future.
- If you blanked and couldn't think of how to do the problem, but then realized later that you did know how to do it, then you need to ask yourself this: What are the specific clues that signal that I should take this particular approach to solving the problem? What do I need to notice next time, that will allow me to say, "When I see ______, I'll think / do _______"?
- Are you constantly watching the clock and stressed out about time during the test? Do you feel as though you are constantly behind and have to keep rushing to catch up? If so, then you need to guess on some earlier, hard problems so that you stay on time. A lot of students won't guess on a problem until they're already behind on time. Don't do that. Know your weaknesses (and do factor in what frustrates you or feels really hard to you even if you sometimes get those right). Guess immediately on some of those to reduce the time pressure (and the overall stress of having to work on a problem that you hate!). Then, you can work through the section without feeling like you constantly have to watch the clock and speed up.

I took the real test myself in early January and decided that I was going to guess immediately on certain kinds of questions that I hate—I wasn't even going to see whether I thought the question was an easier one or whether there was a way to make an educated guess. I just immediately guessed B (my favorite letter) and moved on. I did this on 7 or 8 questions in the section (I lost count, but it was at least 7) and I still scored a 48 on the quant. (Note: I even did this on my last two questions in a row in the quant section, though I had like 10 minutes left. One was cylinders and the other was combinatorics—yuck. It's possible that cost me one point at the very end, but I was still willing to guess immediately because I knew that I had the verbal section coming and I didn't want to use up too much mental energy on terrible math.)

(Note on the above: if you're going for a 50 or 51 on quant, then I would limit that kind of immediate guessing to maybe 4 questions instead of my 7 or 8. On others, see whether you can make an educated guess or that kind of thing.)

[ChaitaliK320]

Thank you so much Stacey. I am going to immediately guess on Inequalities problems and the tough combinatorics! Lets see how that goes! Thank you so much.
Trying out a new plan tomorrow on GMATPrep Test 2. Will keep you posted.

Cheers and Thanks,
Chaitali.

[StaceyKoprince]

You're very welcome. Let us know how it's going!