Here are some common barriers to the 700+ zone and things you can do to overcome them:
First and foremost: Don’t lie to yourself!
Try to ask yourself some of these questions.
-Did I make careless mistakes?
-Did the pressure of test day get to me?
-Were there basic concepts that I messed up?
Making careless or silly mistakes is the worst! All of the information is there in your head and you know how to do the problem but it’s like there is a little gnome running around swatting the right answers from making it through!
Teach out loud. If you have a study buddy, great! You can explain the concepts to him or her. Studying on your own? No problem! Find a place where nobody will judge you and explain the concept out loud. Being able to verbalize concepts in your own words will help immensely.
Time yourself. As you are doing your practice questions, don’t forget to time yourself. If you can train your body to know what 2 minutes feels like, when test day comes, you won’t be constantly stealing glances at the timer. Timing yourself will also help you recognize the questions that you are spending more time on, which can help reveal which types of questions are giving you more difficulty.
Keep track of the types of problems that are giving you trouble and come up with pro tips. Pay attention not only to the questions that you get wrong, but also the ones that you are spending a lot of time on, the ones where you just winged it, and WHY.
Complete a Timed Practice Test for the Verbal Section
People who want to learn how to improve Verbal GMAT scores can benefit from taking practice tests. You’re given 45 minutes to complete 23 questions in the Verbal section. This seems like a long time, but the minutes can disappear quickly if you spend too much time on one question.
Perhaps you missed some questions while rushing to finish on time. A timed practice test can help you to get into the habit of answering each question within a certain number of minutes. Once you establish a test-taking rhythm for the verbal section, you can focus on each question instead of worrying about the clock.
Think Like a Professional in the Business World
It can be helpful to examine your approach to the questions in the Verbal section. Someone who takes the GMAT is on a path to earning an MBA and working in the business world. Successful business people know how to evaluate a problem as well as possible options to find the most effective solution.
Read the Passages for the Reading Comprehension Questions
Some test-takers look at the Reading Comprehension questions in the Verbal section and decide to save time by skimming through the passages. When you do this, it’s difficult to get an understanding of what the author of the passage is trying to convey.
Dedicate More Time to Outside Reading
Spending some of your free time reading financial magazines and newspapers can help you boost your score on the Verbal section. Reading these materials gives you the opportunity to practice the same skills you’ll use on Reading Comprehension questions.