GRE retaking advice! Please help!!

[gctsan]

Hi friends,

So I took the GRE yesterday and got 161Q, 154V. I was extremely disappointed in myself as the score is lower than the average of my practice tests, which goes around 164Q, 158V. My test consisted 3 verbal and 2 quant sections. After the first Quant section, I proceeded to the second section and the first 2 questions were easy. And being already anxious, I thought I bombed the first section and now got the easy section instead. By the next couple of questions, I had a panic attack and wasted a lot of time worrying before realizing it was actually  the hard section (stupid, I know). So the panic attack + the hard section = I bombed the second section. Anyways, I'm retaking it at the end of September or the first week of October and will need to improve my Quant score to 167 for the program I want to apply. 

Since I spent the last couple of months study, I have exhausted all tests including Manhattan Prep MSTs, Kaplan, PowerPrep and Magoosh. Now I don't know what else to do or where to start since I have covered most of the material. My grad program deadlines are February 2016, so I can delay the second GRE test until November if necessary. I just need your advices on how to improve my quant score, since I understand most of the topics, but need help with efficiency. My budget allows me to take a prep course but I don't know if this is the best way, since they will be covering materials I have already learned. Any advice is much appreciated. 

Thank you

[columbia09]

Do you really need that high of a score ? You know most schools just use the GRE as a cutoff. Btw I would die to have those scores

[GREMasterEMPOWERRichC]

Hi gctsan,

I'm hoping that you can clarify some of the information that you provided in your post:

1) When you say that you used the PowerPrep MSTs, are you referring to the ones that you can download from www.gre.org?

2) Why do you think that you 'need' a Q167? Is that a minimum requirement to apply? An average Quant score for the program?

GRE Masters aren't born, they're made,

Rich

[gctsan]

Hi Rich, yes those are the practice tests from ETS.

I want to apply to one of the master programs at Columbia so I averaged out the score of the accepted candidates on the quantnet tracker (https://www.quantnet.com/tracker/), and it gives me 167 to be the average. Given my GPA is pretty mediocre, I think I at least I should get 167 to be considered.

 

[GREMasterEMPOWERRichC]

Hi gctsan,

Since you've already scored a Q161, I'm going to take it on faith that you know how to calculate an average. As such, that information does NOT mean that you must have a Q167 to apply. All things being equal, it means that you're dealing with a competitive program and a higher Quant score would probably make it easier for you to get that coveted invite.

We're you able to pick up the MSTs I mentioned in my PM?

GRE Masters aren't born, they're made,

Rich

[gctsan]

Hi Rich, I did! I will be using the Princeton Review MSTs. Thanks for the recommendation!