Ender710

I agree with the responses above. Would you want an admissions committee to wonder why you chose not to write the essays? Admissions committees, at most schools, will look at your highest score. That dosn't mean they're going to piece together your best sections from each test. I do have a follow-up question to the main thread topic. I scored a 5.0 on my first official GMAT. I'd love to improve to a 5.5, if possible. I've studied the different rubrics out there and the differences between a 5 and 6 are very vague. Any suggestions? I'm tryin to figure out exactly how the computer grader figures in the difference between a 5 and 6- hard to do. I tried the product at mba.com that grades the essays and, without fail, I constantly score a 5. Thanks!

Hi All, My journey began in Sept. of 2008 when I signed up for a Kaplan Premium online course. I scored a very scary 460 on my first CAT. After four months of study, I sat for the GMAT on Dec. 29 and scored a disappointing 600 (Q40 V31). Quant is not my forte` and thus spent much of my time focused on bolstering my quant score. Sadly, it was the Verbal section that let me down. Like many others on this forum, I found the real GMAT Verbal section much more difficult than what the OG had to offer. I am exactly two weeks away from my judgement day. Although my original goal score was a 710, I will be very happy to score a 680. Doing so is very possible if I can perform at my fullest capacity on both sections. My biggest weaknesses are timing on the quant, number properties, data sufficiency, critical reasoning, and reading comp. I would appreciate any advice on how to improve data sufficiency as well as critical reasoning. I would also absolutely adore anyone that can lend quant timing techniques and best practices. More importantly, I would love to hear feed back from those that have balanced performance in both sections of the GMAT and how they manage to switch their brains over grom Quant to Verbal during the break. I feel as though this was a big obstacle for me. I've completed the Kaplan Online Classroom, worked my way through most of OG 11, started the supplemental OG Verbal and Quant, and purchased the GMATFocus (only finished one so far and scored 37-45). I've also done MGMAT SC Guide and a few of their CATS. Pretty much, at this point, I'm writing this email for catharsis, but if anyone does have any pointers, I sure would appreciate them. I promise I will pay it forward after I complete my journey. If not, in just a few weeks I look forward to adding my debrief of my six month journey. To date, I have taken over 10 CATS, so I'm positive I will have much feedback to provide regarding different prep tools. Cheers!

I have major problems with timing in Quants. I know that guessing on multiple questions in a row is not the best strategy for getting the highest score possible. I've been told, it's best to break each section into sub-sections and then focus on the timing of each sub-section. Hopefully, this way, you'll be able to maintain the highest level of question possible. This is assuming, of course, that timing does not improve greatly before sitting for the real exam. Improving timing is obviously the first goal. To improve my timing, I make sure that I go over every question that I answer. Hopefully, these questions, or parts of the questions will translate on exam day. Even if the variables, words, or quantities are different, most questions share the same process for answering them and setting them up. Anyone have any other suggestions. My exam is in 3.5 weeks. My scores have not been improving despite the fact my knowledge base has defintely grown. I attribute this all to timing. For me, I either figure out my timing in 3.5 weeks, or I'm in real trouble!!!

To learn some strategy for CR, try looking up some books on LSAT Logical Reasoning. This is, in essence, the same type of question. Logical Reasoning gets a bit more in depth, than does CR, so the strategies used are very helpful. Kaplan has wonderful LR materials. Also, the RC strategies from Kaplan LSAT are quite good. This is merely a suggestion. I have a friend who teaches for Kaplan and this came as a recommendation. Obviously, be sure to reference the OG in order to be familiar with the GMAT-style question. Good luck! PS- I'm very jealous of your engineering background. The quants are a struggle for me, for sure!

Hi All, So, I had an epiphany this past week. I had been getting really frustrated becaused I am putting all of this study time in and not getting the score improvement I want. Well...turns out "all of this study time" after really analyzing it was not as much as I thought. It was my goal to sit down for 2 hours on week nights to study. This week, I started using a stop watch- not to time problems, but to time my study. I quickly realized that my "2 hours" of study, on any given night, was actually more like 45 min. of study. By timing the minutes during actually study, and stopping the watch for things like rifling through book pages, setting study calendars, browsing this forum, calculating exam scores, I was not getting anywhere near the study time I had planned for. I now feel like I'm working more efficiently. I feel a lot more confident as well. Keep studying everyone! We can do it!

I've heard Manhattan GMAT CAT's are more difficult than the real GMAT. I'm hoping that is true because my Manhattan scores are always lower than my Kaplan CAT scores or GMAT Prep tests from GMAC. I'm trying to put in two hours of study on weekdays and more on the weekends. I'm going to hold on on practice CATS for a bit because my scores are not going up. I'm going to work on practicing the concepts I've learned in question sets and reviewing as opposed to testing in a CAT format. I've got to get over the hump in the next few weeks. I think it will come along.

I'm taking the GMAT on Dec. 29. I've been studying for awhile and am a bit stuck right now. I just haven't seen the score increase that I had hoped for. Verbal seems to be my strength. That being said, even Verbal is not that strong. My goal score is a 710. Right now, I'm scoring much below that. I'm taking a Kaplan Course online (self-study). I am also using OG 11, Manhattan GMAT CATs, and SC guide. I've been working my way through the OG. I haven't gotten into the SC Guide yet. I'm trying to work on Quants right now. I'm taking another practice test tomorrow. If my CAT score does not go up I am seriously thinking about pushing my test back. I guess we'll see.

Dzadz, I'm aiming for 710. I majored in Italian Language and Art History in Undergrad. Hence, the Quant portion is a major challenge...I know a lot of people here would be disappointed with a 710, but I will be beside myself when I manage to reel it in. The test center employees will rpobably have to escort me out of the building when I finish with a 710. (Notice my use of absolutely positive, self-prophesizing language! HA!) I've been studying for awhile and hit a bit of a plateau. I don't think I had been reviewing my incorrect answers as thoroughly as I should have been. I'm reviewing some of the basics and starting to tackle the OG 11. I've got 48 days to go until my test date. If I need to push back a few more weeks, I do have the ability to, but I would rather not have to. Here's to a lot of solid study days, effortless concentration, some well wishes, and good luck. I think it's in the bag........um, I hope! What's your goal?

As I understand it, a "cancel" only shows up on your gmat score transcript if you actually sit for the exam and then decide to cancel. Switching appointments, postponing appointments, or canceling appointments should not show up on your score report. It is definitely an investment to keep postponing or switching, though. However, postponing the exam only costs $50 compared to taking it when you are not ready and having to re-pay the entire amount of $250. If you even think n the back of your mind that you're not ready, I'd push it back a bit. I would only do this if you have put together a detailed study plan for the time that you've gained by pushing it back. Just my :2cents:! I'm actually thinking of pushing mine back again. Sooner or later, I'll hit my deadline and won't be able to, but right now I've got some room to play with.

Dec. 29 for me. Originally, I was going to test on Dec. 22, but I decided that after the holidays would be better.

Thanks for the comments. I don't think "outside" thoughts are distracting. Normally, it's a timing thing. I think I'm so wrapped up in getting through the quants quickly that my accuracy gets squashed. I'm starting to work my way through OG 11 and go through all expl. I'm going to use Ursula's grid, hopefully that will give me more insight. As I make my way through my skills should sharpen as they start easy and progress to more difficult. If that doesn't do it- well, I'll go from there. Someone told me to buy a stop watch and time every single question. Do you all think that is ridiculous? I was thinking of timing questions in 12-15 min chunks to make sure I'm pacing well. I mean, if you have to guess, it's better to guess every now and then to keep pace than all at the end, right? I think if I am to reach my goal score of 710, I will definitely need to work on my timing, and that includes a strategic guessing system as well. Just in case I get bogged down with a question I can't find my way out of. Sorry, this is long. I'm starting to get a bit neurotic. I bought lucky bamboo for my office and a money tree- add a little feng shui to my set-up. Hey, if a bear pin is Ursula's dumbo magic flying feather, why can't a plant work. Have a great day of studying!

Hi All, I've been bumming around the forum for awhile, but until this point I have not joined in. My CAT experience last night has compelled me to do so. I have been studying for about a month and a half; I have two months to go before I test on Dec. 29. I want to score a 710. Until last night I felt it was entirely possible, now I am doubting myself. I read Ursula's post everynow and then for inspiration, but I fear I am doing something fundamentally wrong in my studies- or maybe I'm not actually able to reach my goal score. period. The first time I ever imagined prepping for the GMAT was about 1.5 years ago. I took a GMAT practice test, scored a 460. I was completely shocked at this! I threw the idea of B-School in the toilet after receiving a big promotion, but now I'm back at it with a vegence! My scores until now have been: Kaplan DX: 550 on 9/15 (paper-based) Kaplan CAT 1: 570 on 9/30 GMAT Prep 1: 580 on 10/21 MGMAT CAT 1: 530!!!! on 10/29 My verbal and quant scores are very similar- M.E.D.I.O.C.R.E. (according to GMAT standards) During the first month and a half of my prep, I've mainly focused on math fundamentals and some grammar review. I've also looked at strategy from the Kaplan materials, and jumped into the OG 11 some. I know that is the holy bible of GMAT prep and will DEFINITELY continue going through it. I review the problems I get wrong, always. I review some of the problems i get right. Most of the mistakes I make are just STUPID mistakes. I look at them and think, "Wow, I knew that!" Timing is big for me on the quants. I'm slow. I know these posts show up all the time, "help me improve my score, blah blah blah." I'm seriously very lost. I've done the homework, I've read the forums, I follow the guidelines. Please, someone just tell me I'm wrong, to stop worrying, keep pluggin away, and it will come. I feel confidentally that the mid 500's is not reflective of my ability. I don't want to continue burning bad habits into my GMAT prep, and I'd like to head them off while I still have two months to go. I'm just not sure what's going on!

I just had the same experience. In fact, my MGMAT score was the lowest yet. (I've done two Kaplan CATS, and GMAT Prep 1 thus far) The Quants seemed difficult, and the verbal seemed a bit easy. In the end, my score was horrible. When I looked at the reports they provide to help analyze performance, none of my average correct scores were below my overall score. Very strange. Anyways, I have to tell myself that I will only use it as a benchmark against the next MGMAT CAT that I take. Hopefully my scores will increase. I've been studying for a month and a half; I have exactly two months to go. I'm just not seeing the score improvement I need. I'm not sure why I'm not seeing improvement, but indeed, my last MGMAT CAT experience was confidence shattering. I'm with ya!