improving GRE quant

[Grimnir]

Well, I'm taking my exam in about 2 weeks and I can't improve my quant score at all. I've been studying for 6 weeks probably 15 hours a week and I'm getting no where. This is on top of working well over full time hours. I started off scoring a 155 and I've taken 4 practices and scored  from 154 to 157. My major issue is time. It causes me to read questions wrong and make mathematical errors. I've always been this way. Anytime I am required to do math problems in timed conditions, I crumble. My scores on the quant section in no way reflect my math abilities.  I understand 90% of the problems yet under pressure I cannot do them. If I were to take the test untimed I would be scoring around 160-163 (I've taken untimed exams) unfortunately the test isn't untimed. I've done 450 magoosh problems and this hasn't done jack for my score. I have the manhattan GRE 5 lb book of problems too which I did a while back, but again, it wasn't improving my score. Not sure what my issue is but I'm getting very frustrated at this point. Not sure how to get myself into the 160 range. My goal is a 160. Definitely considering pushing back my test date....Any input on how to push a score into the 160 range is appreciated or anyone with similar stories...

 

Oh and the funny part is I score 165+ on the verbal. Talk about divergent scores.

 

Thanks

Edited August 16, 2014 by Grimnir

[NeuroBatman]

I am in the same boat my friend.  I have thrived in math and science courses throughout my undergrad, but put me under timed conditions and I fall apart.  I think for me a large part of it might be learning a multitude of information in a short amount of time and trying to sort through all of that information for each question.  The knowledge is there, but I can't pull it off of the hard-drive in time.  I am a non-traditional student (32 y/o) and did not care one iota about math in high school, and my grades showed that.  I basically had to spend the summer teaching myself basic algebra and geometry.  I'm not sure if you are in the same boat, but I'm a neuroscience major and the only thing that I can conclude from what I've studied regarding the brain is that I filled my cortex with so much information that it was difficult to access what I needed in a timely fashion.  In laymen's term, perhaps I over-studied and should have spread my studying out over a longer period of time so the information had some space and time to be consolidated.  I'm not sure if that helps.  In all honesty I'm posting because I just took the test and can really relate to you (I scored a 152Q and 165V). 

 

Additionally, I'll never understand why a clock is needed to measure one's erudition.  I've taken some very difficult courses (biology, chem, neuroscience) and the  lowest test score I've received during my undergrad was an 89% (in Gen Chem II), which happens to be my only B.  I share your frustration friend.  Good luck!!

[geographyrocks]

I had the same problem. I managed a 156 which was good enough to get me in...but I was pretty upset since I could score +160 when untimed.