Study and Strategy questions relating to the GMAT.
maro
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Retake gmat ,advice on study plan

by maro Tue Mar 19, 2013 5:06 am

Good morning,

I need help to put a plan or next weeks before my second attempt on GMAT exam.

I know this site before few days on my exam when i was searching for answers for some math problems

First some info. i aim for +550 grade on GMAT

i was studying from O.G 12 and O.G 13 for new Questions but i didn't finish them all..I took private classes on math to revise

My verbal tutor recommend McGraw-Hill's GMAT for verbal section.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

i save my GMAT prep exams for last 4 days..the results were :

i skip the assay & IR part

9 March GMAT prep exam 1.... 250 (Q 6..V 16) i was shocked with time frame & random guess most of them

NEW questions different from O.G I searched for how to answer this new type for next few days along with exam taking

my weak points : @ VERBAL...lose conc. while Reading comp skimming make me feel nervous or losing things

@ Q... probability is one of my weakest point + i can't remember all the problem ideas




10 March morning GMAT prep exam 1.... 350 ( Q 22...V 17)

10 March late night GMAT prep exam 2... 490 ( Q 35 ...V 23)

11 March Late night GMAT prep exam 2..... 540 (Q 40...v 24) some questions repeated plus i was really concerned about math part to develop it more than verbal


12 March .....EXAM DAY

i was calm go with Q section lost some time in medium questions

then random guess on what i don't know finish on time

i was depressed some how ..i entered verbal section with sort of depression and before the end i was totally tired can't open my eyes plus bad mood

result 450 ...(Q 31...V 21)

>>>>>>>>>>

I read some of stacey articles about time management & error time log

educated guessing on both verbal and Q

so please help me to put a good plan for study next month ...

my next trial on 16 April
StaceyKoprince
ManhattanGMAT Staff
 
Posts: 9360
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
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Re: Retake gmat ,advice on study plan

by StaceyKoprince Thu Mar 21, 2013 7:50 pm

First: you're rushing things. You're going to need more time. Don't set a test date and then make yourself work towards it - you'll just end up doing the opposite of what you need to do.

For example, you shouldn't take ANY practice tests within 5 days of the real test. You took 4 in the last three days. That exhausted you mentally - that's why you were so tired and couldn't read / concentrate during verbal.

You also have timing problems. It's going to take you a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks to address those timing problems. April 16th is only 3.5 weeks away.

And, of course, you probably have content problems - everyone does.

Read this article:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... an-part-1/

Make sure to read both parts. Also make sure to follow the links to other articles. Set up a good plan for yourself that spreads out over a *minimum* of 6 weeks (probably longer).

Don't set a test date yet. You'll know you're ready to take the test when practice CATs taken under 100% full official conditions (don't skip any sections, don't take longer breaks than allowed, etc) are in the score range that you want and you don't have serious timing problems that can cause your score to fluctuate a great deal.

Feel free to check back in with us as you develop your study plan. Let us know what you're doing and we'll let you know what we think about your plan!
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
maro
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Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:29 pm
 

Re: Retake gmat ,advice on study plan

by maro Sat Mar 30, 2013 10:00 am

Hi Stacey,

i delay my exam

so i took two weeks off ...

i read the two parts study plan & the other links...and here what i do

....i try to take Man.CAT exam i wasn't able to concentrate at all i get tired quickly or take longer time to concentrate &
i used pause button. i feel a rusty so i decided not to complete test and put study plan to revise and put myself in the study mood to rise up my conc. again

so i made :
1- time log sheet + error log sheet
2- Put plan for the next 3 weeks (6 session /week)

3- Daily journal for strengths & weakness after every session

>>>>>>>>>

plan as follow

* start with revising contents as i feel a little bit rusty
over next 2 weeks each day one topic ( ex. 1.5 hr arith +break +1.5 hr practice )
next day ( SC + practice)...etc
* at the end of the week review + quiz
after two weeks CAT + analysis
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

then week 3
DAY 1 (math log review + practice set time limited)
next day ( verbal log review + practice set time)....etc

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

is this good plan or it needs more modification
i will start from Sunday 31 March with this plan ?

i try to put plan for 6 weeks but i find it hard !!!

so i put as start for next 3 weeks ...if u can help me in this

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

Re: Retake gmat ,advice on study plan

by StaceyKoprince Wed Apr 03, 2013 1:27 am

Good work.

This is a good plan - and about 2 to 3 weeks is really all that you can plan in advance. Then, you'll take a practice test, and the results of that test will give you a whole new list of things to go study and practice for another 2 to 3 weeks. Then you'll take another CAT and you'll do it all over again. :) Each time, you'll be planning out your new studies based specifically upon the results you had and the strengths and weaknesses you discovered on the last practice CAT.

After you study for 1.5h, you need to take a break of AT LEAST 1 hour before you study for another 1.5h. You can study up to 2h in one sitting, but then you have to take a substantial break. Otherwise, your brain gets too tired, you stop making good memories, and your study becomes very inefficient.

I don't see timing mentioned until week 3. You can't wait that long; you have to start weaving timing into your practice every single day, using the time management article. You may need to take some extra time before you take your next practice test - maybe 3 or even 4 weeks. Your timing doesn't need to be perfect before you take that test, but you have to feel that you are making progress, you know how to cut yourself off and guess, you know how to keep your timing on track, etc. You'll still make some mistakes with the timing, but you should be able to notice it getting better.
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep