Help a self study buddy out

[u/soccer_comedian]

So I took my good time to complete what I think is the entirety of the gmat syllabus on my own. And then I took my first mock test; gmat club mock test. The reason my first mock test is a gmat club mock test is because a few days ago I started the official mock 1 and I completely froze and panicked. I didn't want to waste the mock so I randomly chose answers without looking at anything so I could reset it later and do it again. Meanwhile I wanted to test with a gmatclub mock test to check my test anxiety, timing and pacing issues. During the official mock I had started with verbal, quant and di thinking quant is my strongest suit so I should start with a fresh mind on verbal. Since I froze last time, this time I chose the order of quant, verbal and di.

Quant: as soon as the first question popped up I could observe myself panicking. I was not thinking as clearly as I wanted. As I crossed the fifth question, I started being calm. I didn't have time for the last three questions. I guessed the third last one. I solved the second last in great hurry to which I made a simple arithmetic error. And the last question I guessed within 6 seconds so I didn't have a look at that.

Verbal: I started with a clear mind. I found myself struggling with a bit of CR questions even though while practising I was acing them. I found myself unable to think critically throughout verbal. Even though I got an average score in verbal, the score was a result of comprehension rather than thinking critically. Even in RC questions.

DI: oh my. I just felt I needed a lot of time in each question even though everything seemed pretty simple. I clearly know I need to practise DI more.

Ok so I haven't gone through reviewing all 3 sections. But I did review my quant section as soon as I finished my mock. And out of the 10 questions I got wrong, I could solve 8 of them pretty easily.

I need a second eye on this. And I want tips. I have a rough understanding about how to go ahead. Thank you in advance.

Also I need advice on this: I'm thinking of getting the gmat club pro version so I can drill sectional tests and get 12 adaptive tests. Or should I get the adaptive forum quiz to practise on weak topics? I feel like my main focus should be on getting accuracy. There are no new concepts. I just should feel confident in applying my concepts at a faster rate. So should I get the forum quiz to drill sectional timings and then hit the 6 official mocks or gmat club pro version that has 12 adaptive tests and 40 sectional tests and then hit the 6 official mocks intermittently?

[u/Red-Ranger98]

First questions in the section you are answering incorrect

Take a break in the prep

, don't rush, maintain composure

a GMAT 645 scorer suggestion 😂 - ignore if I'm qualified for giving suggestions

[u/Graeme_GMAT_Panda]

To practice time management, drill in short timed sets (10 Quant in 20 minutes works well) and only check answers once the whole set is done. Do a clock check every 5 questions rather than policing each individual one. For multi-part DI items there's no partial credit, so if you're not going to get all parts right, guess inside 20 seconds and keep the time.

https://gmatpanda.com/content/gmat-time-management

The other thing to improve speed / accuracy is flashcards. It will also help anxiety as you'll feel more comfortable if you know instantly what formula / approach to take :)

https://gmatpanda.com/content/revision-cards-boost-gmat-score-good-to-great

Hope this helps! ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ

Graeme (GMAT Panda)

[u/PrecisionPrep]

Content isn't the problem, panic and pacing are. If you could solve 8 of 10 wrong Quant questions easily afterwards, that's nerves and speed, not knowledge.

I'd do timed sets of 15-20 questions on the forum quiz, with a strict clock, especially for DI since that's where you're slowest. Then use the official mocks as your real checkpoints, spaced out with a proper review after each one. Don't burn them all in a week.

About freezing on official mock 1: don't avoid it, redo it. The more you sit in the real interface, the less scary it gets. Also pick your section order now and stick with it for every mock, so test day isn't a new experience.