Beat The GMAT

anshulseth · Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 12:31 am Post subject:

This query is for Stacey.
I have started my GMAT prep last month, and wish to give it in May '09.
Last month I took the GMAT Prep test, Scoring 650 there (Q47, V31)
and then after one month, I again took MGMAT CAT, where too I again scored 650(Q46, V 33).

What I wish to query is, though they are diff test from diff sources, my score has remained the same after one month.
So, does that mean I am where I was, or I have progressed or went down.
I have read your comments saying MGMAT has std deviation of 50, and GMAT Prep has of 30.

But still, going by that logic, has there been any improvement.

Thanks

Stacey Koprince · Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:28 am Post subject:

At this point in your study, you (and everyone) should not look at your overall test score for improvement. You should look at the individual question types you saw on the test (and not just the 5 overall categories, but the sub-categories within each type as well).

Your first test was GMATPrep, so you can't get all of the same data b/c GMATPrep does not give it to you. But you can get a lot of data from the MGMAT test. Run the assessment reports and look for:
- areas on which you scored <50% correct
- areas on which you averaged >20sec above or >30 sec below what you were supposed to average
- areas on which there is >30sec (overall question categories) or >45sec (question subcategories) disparity in timing (in either direction) between the ones of that type that you got right and the ones that you got wrong

Also look at the question lists and review:
- problems on which you spent >30 sec above or >45sec below what you were supposed to on problems of that type
- problems below your level that you got wrong - eg, if you're currently scoring 650, look for problems in the 500-600 category

Pat yourself on the back for things on which you scored >50% correct (the higher, the better) and for things you answered correctly in the general timeframe you were supposed to spend. For things you answered correctly very quickly, do still pat yourself on the back, but know that doing something too fast increases the chances you'll make a careless mistake - so just be careful.

Note on some of the timing data: if your timing got messed up in the section (eg, you spent too much time early on and had to rush later on), then your data will be skewed because you will have been forced to do questions towards the end much faster than you'd otherwise have done them (possibly to the point of making random guesses in a few seconds). If this happened in either section, you'll have to dive down into the data for individual problems rather than use the assessment reports to do the work for you, because the average timing may seem to be okay even though you had a bunch that were too long and a bunch that were too short.

For example, perhaps your percentages show that you're not that good at geometry circle problems... but they you realize you got them both wrong because they were towards the end and you had to guess in 15sec each because you were running out of time. So maybe you do know how to do them but just mismanaged your time on other stuff.

This is how you tell where you've been improving and where you still need to improve! Smile

Good luck!

themaharaja1 · Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:41 am Post subject: manhattan scores

Stacey, thanks for your guidance...

i gave 1st mock gmat from Manhattan yesterday and i got below score. Do you think they are ok?

i mean even though my percentile score in verbal is 69 and percentile score in quant is 81, still it is giving me 660. Is that too high score considering individual percentile scores?

SCORE & OVERVIEW OF RESULTS
TYPE SCORE ESTIMATED PERCENTILE RANK
Quantitative 47 81%
Verbal 33 69%
Total 660 86%

Stacey Koprince · Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:57 am Post subject:

Nope, that's fine. The overall score is not an average of the other two - it's based on the combinations of scores that people tend to get. So it's not unusual for the overall percentile to be higher or lower than the two individual percentiles. Smile

themaharaja1 · Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:43 am Post subject:

based upon earlier replies are you saying that i will score between 660+/-50?

Stacey Koprince · Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 11:00 am Post subject:

I would never say that anyone "will score" any specific score. There are a lot of variables that go into test day. Smile

Based on the statistical tests one so far, the standard deviation on our tests is about 50 points. That means that there is a 2/3 chance that your official test scoring level right now is within 50 points of your MGMAT practice test score and a 1/3 chance that your official test scoring level right now is outside of that range.

(This is the same way the 30 point standard deviation works on the official test by the way - same 2/3, 1/3 split in odds, but only 30 points in either direction rather than 50.)

Giorgio · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:49 am Post subject:

Stacey,

I am going to buy SC guide , and as you say free 1 year Access code is included if you buy any of the listed books, am i getting right?

2nd question , do i have to order from official MGMAT website or can i buy from amazon as well?

Stacey Koprince · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:18 am Post subject:

You can buy from Amazon or from us, but you have to make sure you buy the most recent edition (the 3rd edition) and you have to make sure you buy a new book, not used (the code can only be input one time, so if someone else already used it, you can't use it again).

If you buy a new copy of the most recent edition then, yes, you will have access to the 6 tests for a year, as well as an additional bank of 25 SC questions online! Smile

Giorgio · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:47 am Post subject:

Oh, That's great Smile

Thank you

Stacey Koprince · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:52 am Post subject:

FYI - I just heard from the office that we're about to launch a 4th edition of the books. No major changes in content, but the 4th edition will include problem sets from OG12 (the 3rd edition uses OG11). So depending upon which OG book you have, plan accordingly! Smile

Giorgio · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:46 pm Post subject:

Are you planning to launch till the end of the april? cause i'm in a bit of rush Smile

Stacey Koprince · Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:56 am Post subject:

I'm not sure - email studentservices@manhattangmat.com or 800.576.GMAT to ask. I'll also try to find out, but the absolute fastest way is to call / email yourself!

Stacey Koprince · Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:17 am Post subject:

Okay, just heard: the official publication date is May 1st, but with the way publishing works, that means the books won't actually be available physically until several weeks after. (They have to get shipped to the bookstores, etc.)

So if you're already on a deadline, don't wait. Get the 3rd edition. I'm trying to find out right now whether there will be an "addendum" list of the problem sets based on OG12 numbering rather than OG11 - I'll let you know.

Stacey Koprince · Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:14 pm Post subject:

And for my third post in a row:

Problem set conversion lists have already been published on our web site. If you have the 3rd edition but want to use OG12, all you need to do is download the lists. Go to: http://www.manhattangmat.com/official-guide-12.cfm. This is an overview of OG12. Click on the link for each question type and download the "Problem List" PDF in each. That will tell you (a) what the new numbers in OG12 are for the problems that stayed the same, and (b) the categories for the new problems in OG12.

El Cucu

Hi Stacey/Ron! I have just made 4 of the 6 Preps.

I scored:
1st: 460 Quant 33 Verbal 21 (was interrupted so I have to guess almos all) I find the first CAT very different from Official Guide so it was a big change for me. (Also my background is humanistic and I not a native english speaker).

2nd: 650 Quant 43 Verbal 36

3rd: 690 Quant 45 Verbal 39

4th: 690 Quant 43 Verbal 40

After doing the cats I spent hours analizing each problem including those I have done right. I feel I can still improve both Math and Verbal and I feel each day more confortably with all types of problems as I make sure not to make the same mistake or to spend so much time again.

Timing is still an issue as in Math I have to guess the last 3 or 4 and in Verbal I finished just on time (not one second more). I know sometimes I said to myself how can I not get the answer so I spent more time than I should in some exercises. I also need help in how to make better guesses in Math when I realize the problem is too much for me, feel lost or have less time.

Mi idea is to finish CAT 5 and 6 and then take the Gmat PRep 2 with Gmat Focus 1,2,3 and review the mistakes of the OGuide and then take the real exam!

What would be your advice before taking the real exam? Many tks Stacey and tks in advance for all your great contributions! (pls. see below the gral. report)

Assessment Summary
QUESTION FORMAT Total Right Wrong Blank % Right Average
Time
RIGHT
Answers Average
Time
WRONG
Answers Average
Difficulty
RIGHT
Answers Average
Difficulty
WRONG
Answers
Problem Solving 88 42 46 0 48% 1:56 2:17 590 660
Data Sufficiency 60 33 27 0 55% 1:41 2:03 610 680
Sentence Correction 60 38 22 0 63% 1:05 1:15 640 720
Critical Reasoning 56 28 28 0 50% 1:44 1:39 690 660
Reading Comprehension 48 29 19 0 60% 1:35 1:43 640 620
QUANTITATIVE
CONTENT AREA Total Right Wrong % Right Average
Time
RIGHT
Answers Average
Time
WRONG
Answers
Word Translations 38 16 22 42% 2:22 2:18 SLOWEST
WORST Geometry 20 7 13 35% 0:57 1:58 FASTEST
Number Properties 27 15 12 56% 1:30 2:19
Algebra 35 19 16 54% 1:44 2:25
BEST FDP's 28 18 10 64% 2:02 1:49

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