I just Beat The GMAT!

Took the GMAT yesterday.

Here is my background:
- Military 6+ years
- Business Major in College (Marketing to be exact) top 30 school.

Preparation Courses:
Knewton Courses 6 week
MGMAT Course in person 9 week

Study Material:
OG12th
OG Quant
OG Verbal
MGMAT Study Guides

Study time 6 months while working full-time.

Practice tests:
Knewton 540
MGMAT 610
MGMAT 710
GMAT Prep 730
GMAT Prep 710

The lowest score I received in math coming into the test on the practice exams was a 38 or 50 percentile.(My GMAT was 38 percentile) I find most of the problems in the OG to be fairly easy and I definitely get most the 300-600 level(according to MGMAT Companion) questions in the OG. I also work these problems timed and time wasn't an issue during the exam. Honestly, I don't know what happened during the test. I felt like the questions were more difficult than what I was used to or maybe it was nerves. As you can see I have devoted a great deal of time and money and mostly to improve my math score. One thing that may have hurt me was the amount of time I spent studying the days before the exam. I felt pretty burned by the time I started math almost like I had blinders on.

MY question is what is the best way to prepare for the Quant section from this point. I have kept an accurate log/flash cards of all problems that I have missed. I also remember specific types of problems from the exam that I missed. Should I just focus on those problems? I feel that I have the knowledge to get the job done and 1 more month will definitely benefit me some but are there any good preparation strategies that I am missing.

Due to my unique background I only need to be at or above 650 but I am shooting for a 690. Any preparation techniques that will help me in quant will be greatly appreciated. I'd love to hear from some of you who studied for awhile and did bad on their first attempt only to crush on their second attempt.

Thanks!

Verbal 42 is awesome man. Just little bit more in Quant would take you 700+

I almost want to say that it has to be nerves when I look at your scores. For me - https://www.beatthegmat.com/760-done-dea ... 66740.html (debrief second attempt) it was a bit of sickness in the first attempt.

I think the key here is practicing QUALITY questions. I would totally recommend signing for Grockit (which is free) and practicing the various levels of questions in it, again given your scores I would focus on the 8X, 16-32x questions in Quant. Also the 300+ tough questions mentioned in my post was awesome to keep my flow going at the 720+ level for 20 questions at a stretch, if you do not find it on BTG pm me and i will be glad to share that. I think this was instrumental in my move from 50 to 51 in quant. But plan to do this towards the end of your prep when you have got your fundamentals in order and are consistently getting 8X and 16-32X questions right on grockit (>75%)

While you are focusing on your Quant do not neglect Verbal which is your strength. Looks like our situations are flipped, I had to work on my verbal. I set up a schedule wherein I studied verbal for 2 days but took a quant test every 3rd day or revised the strategy, things slip out of the mind so fast that it is unbelievable hence this constant revision ensured that i did not slip up on my quant while I was devoting time on verbal.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the advice!! I think you are correct about the nerves. I have done some pretty nerve racking things and I never had trouble with pressure but this is a whole different ball game. Funny story as I walked into the test I was thinking why the hell are my feet so cold. Then I thought about the expression used often for actors/performers, "cold feet". My feet were sweating because I was nervous, first time that has ever happened to me.

I have been using the OG 12th edition and the QR (green one). Do you think Grockit is better because I can focus on a series of tough questions as opposed to the OG where the tough questions are mixed with some easier ones towards the end of the book?

One thing I have also changed in my studying is to spend 30 minutes every night reviewing previously missed problems. I have written out each problem and I am trying to turn each problem into a lesson learned from a concept standpoint.

Thanks again for the response.

verbal score is very good
practice for quants shd give u ur dream score