Low Score in Kaplan CAT 1..Help

Hi puys, Jus now gave the Kaplan Cat1 from CD and had a devastating score of 540… Maths 36 22right and 15wrong and Verbal 23 17 right and 24 wrong. Didnt get enough time for last 7 math questions…verbal really threw me off. I …

Hi puys,

Jus now gave the Kaplan Cat1 from CD and had a devastating score of 540...
Maths 36 22right and 15wrong
and Verbal 23 17 right and 24 wrong.
Didnt get enough time for last 7 math questions....verbal really threw me off.

I have been preparing for a month now, using OG11, Kaplan and Princeton...Gave princeton cat 1 and scored 610...planning for the D-day by mid september.

How do i go from here ? Please advise puys...I am totally feeling demoralized for the efforts put so far.


Thanks,
Hari.

Hi puys,

Jus now gave the Kaplan Cat1 from CD and had a devastating score of 540...
Maths 36 22right and 15wrong
and Verbal 23 17 right and 24 wrong.
Didnt get enough time for last 7 math questions....verbal really threw me off.

I have been preparing for a month now, using OG11, Kaplan and Princeton...Gave princeton cat 1 and scored 610...planning for the D-day by mid september.

How do i go from here ? Please advise puys...I am totally feeling demoralized for the efforts put so far.


Thanks,
Hari.


Hey Hari!

Kaplan scores are demoralising. I advise you to not look much into them. You can safely add 70-80 to this score, for some the increment can be of 100 points.

First of all analyse the paper well per section and sub-sections (sub sections refer to DS,PS and then RC,CR and SC).

Just pratice hard and try to do everything daily - lets say 15 SC,15CR, 3RCs, 15 DS and 10 PS.

Please read Manhattan for SC. 1chapter per day u shud stick to!!!

Hope that helps!
Regards!
Marijuana!

Further from me..

There are many reasons why people get devastated in their first test :

1. unable to keep time. We dont usually practice this during our prep in the begining.
2. Working on computer. There is a huge difference between the paper mode and computer mode of test.

I am also a GMAT aspirant like you, planning to take the test this month end. I started off with Manhattan CAT and got 540 in the first one :shocked:
Then I corrected few things and after a month I am seeing myself hovering around 670-690 range in both kaplan and manhattan tests. God knows what I am gonna get finally but just to let you know what you experienced is not unusual.


I would suggest below:
1. Like Marijuana mentioned: Identify your weakness and work on them, regularly.
2. Get used to working on computer. There are plenty of soft prep materials floating out there.
3. Do keep time while you solve a problem.
4. And above all, have fun through the prep :)

Good luck buddy!

Hey Hari!

Kaplan scores are demoralising. I advise you to not look much into them. You can safely add 70-80 to this score, for some the increment can be of 100 points.

First of all analyse the paper well per section and sub-sections (sub sections refer to DS,PS and then RC,CR and SC).

Just pratice hard and try to do everything daily - lets say 15 SC,15CR, 3RCs, 15 DS and 10 PS.

Please read Manhattan for SC. 1chapter per day u shud stick to!!!

Hope that helps!
Regards!
Marijuana!

Even I'll be taking the GMAT next month.
I'm trying Kaplan quant and verbal problems. I think Kaplan is way tooooo difficult.
I think Manhattan and GMAT Prep are better options of preparing for the GMAT.

Please let me know if this is correct !

Hi Sarah_n,

In my opinion, Kaplan quant ( not talking about kaplan 800) is easier than GMAT and verbal is close to or more difficult than OGs/GMat prep more so because sometimes I find Kaplan's problem a distortion of OGs problems and their explanations unconvincing, if not annoying

And yes, I totally agree with you. MGmat is a real deal. Their quant is more( i think much more) difficult and verbal quite close. And their explanations for both quant and verbal are unbeatable. It has helped me more than anything.

GMAT must be closest to actual test as many people opine. So far i have taken one of them, and was blown
I have saved one for next week.

Wish you luck!!

Even I'll be taking the GMAT next month.
I'm trying Kaplan quant and verbal problems. I think Kaplan is way tooooo difficult.
I think Manhattan and GMAT Prep are better options of preparing for the GMAT.

Please let me know if this is correct !

Hi,

I am one of the thousands who are preparing for GMAT and whose aim is to get into one of the best B-schools in the world.

My G day is on November 23. I have started my serious preparation from last 2 weeks. I have given first kaplan diagnostic test to rate myself and to understand where do I stand.

I scored 580 (Don't remember the individual percentiles exactly). I could not answer 3 questions in Quant and 6 in Verbal due to the time limit. I identified my weaknesses during the autopsy I conducted after the test.

All my mistakes in Quant are from Data Sufficiency and my accuracy in SC, CR and RC are 60%, 60% and 70% respectively.

I have framed a plan for the next 3 months.

What does my 580 mean (given that I prepared for 2 weeks for it)? What other tests are recommended to know the range I belong to.

Looking forward for some gyan from the PGuys!!

Raghav

Thanks to marijuana_user, BizzareNym for all valuable suggestions and motivations.
The Kaplan score is still lingering over me and want to really hit the next test hard.
I soon analysed my CAT1 test.
quants 15 wrong:
DS-9
PS-6
Need to concentrate on DS. PS most of them were silly and could have been easily avoided.


Verbal 24 wrong:
RC- 9 wrong
CR- 9 wrong
Sc- 6 wrong.
4/6 in SC were pretty silly mistakes that could have avoided, maybe the time pressure that got over me.
But RC and CR are of real concerns for me... i believe i tend to lose a bit of focus and concentration for the passages and if they are complex ones as were in Kaplan 1 then i get lost completely... time pressure to add to it.
I am trying to apply the kaplan methods for RC and CR, but writing the gist of the paragraphs for RC or the evidence and conclusions for CR for each, surely eats up a lot time...am and not able to apply the method to all the 41 verbal questions...so my take is to have a mental map of the information; and in doing so get juggled with some information.
Guys and gals please post your views on CR and RC interpretations, would really appreciate your tips and tricks.

Regds.

Hari,

Pagalguy home page contains a new methodology to crack SC's. Though it is intended for CAT, it applies for GMAT too. Plz check it out. I started with OG verbal now before continuing with Kaplan. Doing OG perfectly would imporve us a lot. All the best. When are you giving your GMAT??

Raghav

Hey Raghav,

thnks for the update...will surely look at the methodology after this post...had seen the RC tips for the diagramatic way...but its time consuming (what i felt).

I did OG 11 SC,RC and CR...then did Kaplan, the sample practice question in Kaplan are more or less at the same Level as OG ...i had a good accuracy in it...bu the Kaplan practise set in CD is pretty tougher and same wqas the test...


i am planning for the test in last week of september....but the mock test has made it skeptical...

when are you planning to give ?

Hari.

Puys,please tell me from where u r getting the Kaplan tests.I bought Kaplan (math+verbal) book.I got access to a couple of test in the internet.are u all talking about these tests or are there any other tests?please do tell me.My date is fast approaching..thnx in advance..

I purchased a Kapan book which has both verbal and quant stuff and thats how I got access to these tests.
In initial few pages there are instruction to set up your online course. It will ask you to create a login/pwd, enter book's isbn etc. Once you have done that, you can see various tests/quizzes available under "MyKaplan" tab.

Good luck for your treasure hunt!!

RAVITEJA461 Says
Puys,please tell me from where u r getting the Kaplan tests.I bought Kaplan (math+verbal) book.I got access to a couple of test in the internet.are u all talking about these tests or are there any other tests?please do tell me.My date is fast approaching..thnx in advance..

Hari,

I am giving my GMAT on Nov 23. I have TOEFL on Sep 20. I am going slow for now. I completed Manhattan SC, and will start with 1000 SC. I did quant from OG and doing Princeton now. I gave my first kaplan test befor emy actual preparation and scored 580. I am planning to buy Manhattan tests that has been suggested by many ppl in the forums.

Good Luck!
Raghav

RAVITEJA461 Says
Puys,please tell me from where u r getting the Kaplan tests.I bought Kaplan (math+verbal) book.I got access to a couple of test in the internet.are u all talking about these tests or are there any other tests?please do tell me.My date is fast approaching..thnx in advance..


Hi Ravi,

The Kaplan Book that you have has got CD which has some Practice sets and 4 tests and as you said there are couple of tests availabe on line as well.

All the best!.

Hari.

But there was no cd in the book.I think Kaplan Verbal book wil have..Am I wrong??

I purchased a Kapan book which has both verbal and quant stuff and thats how I got access to these tests.
In initial few pages there are instruction to set up your online course. It will ask you to create a login/pwd, enter book's isbn etc. Once you have done that, you can see various tests/quizzes available under "MyKaplan" tab.

Good luck for your treasure hunt!!


Thnx for the reply but I have another doubt.When I enter into MyKaplan page and follow the syllabus link ("your course syllabus"),I get an overlay window but apart from a couple of tests(diagnostic,practice),nothing is clickable.What is the need of that window.Is there any material to read apart from the practice tests??I hope I am not seriously missing any online stuff even after spending 800+ bucks!!!
RAVITEJA461 Says
Thnx for the reply but I have another doubt.When I enter into MyKaplan page and follow the syllabus link ("your course syllabus"),I get an overlay window but apart from a couple of tests(diagnostic,practice),nothing is clickable.What is the need of that window.Is there any material to read apart from the practice tests??I hope I am not seriously missing any online stuff even after spending 800+ bucks!!!


Ravi..U should have got Kaplan GMAT Premier Edition 2009 book (costs 1500 INR!!). This book comes with a CD Rom that has 4 diagnostic tests and also this book has a code with in it that gives access to some quizzes as well as a complete diagnostic test online..

Hope this info helps.. Cheers!

if you check the icons appearing against each artifact, you will see a distinction between icons. some has a computer like appearance while others have paper like appearance. You can click only ones which have comp like icon.

Even I can not click on few artifacts.

Besides, I think Kaplan has stopped providing CDs with their books because I also didnt get any CD with premier edition. Not sure though.

RAVITEJA461 Says
Thnx for the reply but I have another doubt.When I enter into MyKaplan page and follow the syllabus link ("your course syllabus"),I get an overlay window but apart from a couple of tests(diagnostic,practice),nothing is clickable.What is the need of that window.Is there any material to read apart from the practice tests??I hope I am not seriously missing any online stuff even after spending 800+ bucks!!!

Yeah.I too have the same exp with the kaplan online stuff..Only computer icons are clickable 😞 anyways thnx for the help buddy..