Awful Quant on Real Test despite 3 Months of Study, Tips?

[melissa.agresta]

I suppose I am just looking for insight and encouragement. I have been out of school 12+ years, and majored in Fine Arts so no math background. However, I have never been awful in math (well above average SAT's back in the day) - just better in Verbal. I took the prep course, did all homework and additional practice questions daily. Not times sets, but timed individually. Made note cards of all the new things I learned along the way (maybe 100 or so) - but towards the end of my study I felt I was still learning new tricks. I feel I have learned SO much, but yet I still choke when trying to solve under pressure and in under 2 minutes. My Practice CATs went as follows:

#1 12/1/12: 370 (32V, 3Q)
#2 10/20/12: 600 (39V/33Q)
#3 11/3/12: 650 (38V/41Q)
#5 12/1/12: 610 (36V/37Q)
#6 12/15/12 REAL THING: 570 90% VERBAL, 22% QUANT!!!!

I could the tell the whole exam I was getting super easy questions - yet I couldnt think clearly and answer them. It was awful. I am not trying to get into a top tier program - the minimum is only 550 - but after all this study and such a weak result in Quant, I signed up to take it again in a month. Anyone have advice for me with regards to plan of attack/evaluation? I just want to get 50% in quant - or a total score of 600. I understand ALL the concepts and answers when I read them - just cant come up with solutions in time.

Ready to give up.

** TO ADD TO THIS, I have been analyzing all my practice tests and going over all the questions in depth. I feel like I knew a lot more then I was tested on. IE I did not answer the 300 level questions well enough that I even reached the level of being asked any of the more difficult ones I had learned to do. My strategy as of now is to do timed sets of 10-20 every day for the next month, on easy level questions and may up to mid-range difficulty if I have time. Then create an error log of these sets, and go over why I missed them. I will then try and find problems in the same category to do for additional practice.

[StaceyKoprince]

I'm sorry you had such a rough test day (though I will also say: great job on the verbal!).

First, if you took our course or one of our Guided Self-Study packages, 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 figure out what went wrong and 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. (Note: the office is closed today and tomorrow for the holidays.)

You talk about "choking" on the quant questions and feeling like you don't have enough time. I suspect there are two major things going on here: mindset and timing.

I'm guessing that you're still taking the test in the way you took tests in school - where you tried to get everything / almost everything right. On this test, you only need about 60% right (even up to 80th to 85th percentile or so!!). Part of your job is to figure out which problems to do and which ones to let go. The test is actually testing you on your ability to make those kinds of decisions (which good business people have to make every day)!

Read this:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... to-win-it/

If you really find yourself struggling to let things go, buy yourself a can of tennis balls. Write "Nice Shot!" on the side of one with a marker. Keep it with you when you study and physically pick up the ball and say "nice shot" aloud when that's actually the best move, then pick an answer and move on to the next problem.

The second thing is timing - if you feel you're "choking" then you're almost certainly messing up the timing as well. If you can fix your mindset, that will help with timing, but there are also other things you need to do, found here (make sure to read both parts):
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... nt-part-1/

Start doing the exercises in section 4 of the time management article today - even just for 10 minutes. It takes a god 4 to 6 weeks (typically) to fix timing issues, so if you're going to take it again in a month, you need to get started right away.

Finally, take a look through this stress management article to see whether there are any techniques here that can help you during the test:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... anagement/

You can fix this problem - it's just going to take some targeted / concerted effort. Go sign up for your PEA and feel free to come back here for any additional advice!

[melissa.agresta]

Thanks for the encouragement...back to study.

Melissa

[StaceyKoprince]

let me know how it goes!