How do I maintain the ideal error log and use it to improve my scores? I have an excel spreadsheet that has variables like my total score, quant score, verbal score, which test series, number of correct and incorrect answers and topics I made mistakes in. But the last variable (weak topics), however, isn’t well defined. I want to effectively manage them and have a clear idea of what my weaknesses are. My spreadsheet as of now looks like scrambled eggs.
Also, I am confused regarding this part: After taking a mock, and identifying my weaknesses, should I go back to my 2-month schedule and wait until those topics appear in my schedule or practice them right away? I’d personally want to do them right away, but at the same time, I also don’t want to lag behind in my schedule. I also have only a few hours I can dedicate per day to my GRE study.
Any valuable advice will be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Hey, are you following a plan or just taking mocks and fine tuning on the weak aspects? If you are following a plan from greg, I don’t think you will be taking a lot of mocks and it will mostly be studying/prep till the final week or so - where you will actually take mocks.
Coming to your excel sheet, I think to track what improvement is required from mock to mock - this seems good. Maybe have two columns to indicate weak areas in both quant and verbal.
PS - It’s not recommended to take Manhattan Prep’s mocks as the verbal part is completely skewed from the actual test and save your Powerpreps for the final days of your prep.
Well, I am actually following the 2 month schedule and take mocks whenever I feel like it. That is why I don’t wanna lag behind on the schedule while working on my weak spots. However, I think the latter is very important cause it’ll help me improve my scores, and want advice on how to balance the both.
Also, about the mocks, what series do you suggest I take now? I’m planning to take the GRE in 1.5 months.
You can take some inspiration from Vince Kotchain error log : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1S623xgoLA5Iicm5RA0UVPlONlEm4OnDrQRPIAYgdRf4/copy along with his video on how to review your mistakes and then apply it to the study plan you’re following
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If I may offer my unsolicited advice, I would be careful of taking mocks unless you are being specific in what you are trying to achieve. Given that you are early in the two-month schedule, you are currently learning, then applying specific skills in untimed practice. By getting comfortable with and building those skills up, you will naturally incorporate those into your toolkit for full-speed testing. Regularly taking mocks with time and/or score pressure could reinforce comfortable skills, rather than build up new ones.
If you’re just using these tests as additional practice, then ignore the above… you can use the manhattan 5lb book for quant practice, and the big book (relevant questions) for verbal practice to supplement your lesson of the day.
I would say that for an error log, the focus could be the type of question, the mistake made, and a missed concept / strategy that could have been used (multiple rows per test). Instead, the focus of your spreadsheet is currently the scores of your mock tests, which seems less critical.
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Hey Ramya,
Was having a similar concern regarding the error log and I am planning to appear for the GRE somewhere around the May end. Is there any way possible to connect and discuss things on the same!
Thanks.
Hi Abhinav,
I’m open to communicating, how do we connect though?
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