Sad but true, I just registered for the in class manhattan GMAT, and took the CAT exam (timing myself like the GMAT requires)...I skipped many questions and left a few blank since I have little or no memory about all that stuff. I will do better as time progesses right?! Especially if I study and practice really hard. I am so discouraged right know, please help.

:D Yes, it will get better! I too couldn't recall most of this info. The class does help! A lesson learned: Dedicate as much of your time to studying during the week. You get more out of the class. This Spring I was torn with a lot of "life" things happening.

You honestly can only go uphill from this point. Just stay focused and be patient and you shall see results. Once you have encountered your weaknesses, make a list of goals of what you'd like to tackle throughout the weeks. It will help a lot. My first exam I scored a 420 and am now in the mid 600's so there is hope :)

hope this helps!

Your score doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your brain. :) It just means that you need to study. The timing alone is a major issue - did you know that any question left blank results in an automatic 3 percentile point deduction per question? So that right there is part of what brought your score down. Most of the stuff tested on the exam is stuff you learned a long time ago - so if you were able to learn math and grammar in high school and get decent grades, you'll be able to learn it again. It just takes some time (and study!).

Good luck!

Thank you all greatly....I have started studying...and I will keep you posted as I improve.

Good luck!

I just took my second CAT exam 7 weeks after my classes and I scored a 580. I am aiming for a 700, and seeking advice on how to get there. I seem to freeze when I see these questions...How do I analyze my weaknesses from the guide on my scores. Quant is my problem at the moment. And studying is so hard given work and everything. Please advice me everyone!

That's excellent! Nice jump on your second test!

Do you mean your class started 7 weeks ago or ended 7 weeks ago? (I'm trying to figure out whether you're still in class now.) If you're still in class, talk to your teacher about how to analyze your weaknesses - s/he is most familiar with your situation, so that's the best way to go.

Have you been using the OG tracker? If not, download it today and start using it (you may even want to consider inputting some of your past work). That gives you lots of data about your strengths and weaknesses (you can find it in the course downloads section of the web site).

Also, have you been running the assessment reports after you take practice tests? That again gives you a ton of very valuable information.

You are very encouraging Stacy, thank you. My M-GMAT class is still in session, and I will speak with my teacher on saturday. I will use the assessment report on the CAT to also find and strengthen my weaknesses. Will keep u posted as I progress. Thanks again.

I started studying about 6 months ago and got a 450 on my first diagnostic CAT and now I'm getting in the 760 range. Once you do enough problems, you start to understand what's happening. So when you see a monster problem that looked crazy, you'll say, "This problems is testing my knowledge of odds and evens with multiplication" instead of freaking out.

GL

GL is right - quality study can make a big difference!

Hello everyone and Stacy, i took a hesitant practice test yesterday, I got a 620 (Yes, I paused on a few questions :(. I am still on it......suggestions on 'Quality Study' processes will be very much appreciated.

Never use that pause button again. NEVER. This goes for anyone reading this. If you use that button, you simply train yourself to take the test in the wrong way and it will come back to haunt you on the real test. Force yourself to do what you have to do during the real test - make a guess and move on.

If you can't even make yourself do it on a practice test that doesn't count, how do you think you're going to make yourself do it on the real thing? I guarantee you that you whatever you do in practice, you'll do on the real test. Don't fool yourself into thinking that you won't indulge in some bad habit "when it counts" on the real test. It won't happen - whatever your habits are going into the test will be exactly what you do on the real thing.

Okay, I'm finished scolding. :) You've made some really great progress. "Quality" study means find a balance between in-depth study and breadth of study. So, in one 2-hour study session, some people might do close to 60 problems (2 min per for 2 hours). That's quantity, not quality. Quality would be doing 20 problems (40 minutes to do them) and then spending the remaining time analyzing those problems. Remember the "how to study" lesson from class 2? The 10 questions you should ask as you study a problem? Get those down on paper (or in a file) and make sure you're working through them as you study problems. (And ask yourself the questions for all the problems you do, not just the ones you got wrong.)

Now, you could spend an hour on one problem, so you also have to find a balance the other way. For most problems, you should spend the first 2 min doing the problem as though it's the real test (make yourself select an answer, etc.). Then spend between about 3 and 10 minutes reviewing that problem (maybe 15 or so on a really complicated problem that ALSO represents something that is commonly tested - don't spend all that time if the topic is an uncommon one).

As you're doing this, if you can't come up with satisfactory responses to those questions for a particular problem, come post it in the appropriate folder here and ask for advice! (Remember that you can't post OG questions online, though.) Good luck - keep us up to date on your progress!

Advice taken stacy, thank you....I just took 2 more CATs, and cannot seem to get past a 620.........got a 610 on the last one. I make really carelsess mistakes, and took 2 CAT tests back to back...think that had a tiring effect on my CATS/Scores, my weakness is Maths (ranges from 48-61%), I am better in Engish. Loads of my maths mistakes are due to carelessness.....any advice administrators? I have difficulty in reducing these mistakes on carelessness.

I posted the prior message too (forgot to type in my user name). Do you advice me to answer the essay questions while I work on the GMAT prep/CAT exams. I have ignoring the essays.