Ask the Test Maker

Hi GMAC officials ,

I wrote my GMAT exam today and received a shocking 490 ( Q42 v17 IR 5) . I want to know whether the ~40 mins outage in the test center could have any impact on the test score . This is highly unrealistic score and hard to accept since my previous GMAT attempt score was 580 . I was forced to cancel the second test result as a drastic 90 point decrease seems unbelievable.

The personnel at the test center gave me an option to reschedule the exam after 30 mins ,but also said that I can continue the exam if I would like to . The power went off in between the AWA part . Also, the personnel at the test center did not allow me to to click the "YES" button after the quant section and asked me to take the 8 mins break instead . I suspect there was something wrong with the system ... Could some one from the official team clarify this ?

My GMATPREP ( exam pack 3/4 )scores were 640 & 650 respectively . I even never received a 490 in any mock CATs.I know this will not be considered by GMAC as a ground to defend myself .

Also, I had scheduled this exam 3 days before . Does this have any impact ? I am clueless what happened ... I thought I was doing great and then this score ..

Please let me know whether this 2 scenarios could have an impact on the test score .

I will share my GMAT ID and test center detail if some is willing to assist .

gmat_winter wrote:Hi GMAC officials ,

I wrote my GMAT exam today and received a shocking 490 ( Q42 v17 IR 5) . I want to know whether the ~40 mins outage in the test center could have any impact on the test score . This is highly unrealistic score and hard to accept since my previous GMAT attempt score was 580 . I was forced to cancel the second test result as a drastic 90 point decrease seems unbelievable.

The personnel at the test center gave me an option to reschedule the exam after 30 mins ,but also said that I can continue the exam if I would like to . The power went off in between the AWA part . Also, the personnel at the test center did not allow me to to click the "YES" button after the quant section and asked me to take the 8 mins break instead . I suspect there was something wrong with the system ... Could some one from the official team clarify this ?

My GMATPREP ( exam pack 3/4 )scores were 640 & 650 respectively . I even never received a 490 in any mock CATs.I know this will not be considered by GMAC as a ground to defend myself .

Also, I had scheduled this exam 3 days before . Does this have any impact ? I am clueless what happened ... I thought I was doing great and then this score ..

Please let me know whether this 2 scenarios could have an impact on the test score .

I will share my GMAT ID and test center detail if some is willing to assist .

Hello,

Could you please send this description of what you experienced, as well as your GMAT ID and test center detail to [email protected]? Our customer service team will respond and will address this with you.

Thank you,
Jeremy

Thank you for the address . I have mentioned the inciden in detail to [email protected] and to [email protected] as suggested by you chat services . I just hope someone address the issue soon . I am really disturbed after this event.

gmat_winter wrote:Thank you for the address . I have mentioned the inciden in detail to [email protected] and to [email protected] as suggested by you chat services . I just hope someone address the issue soon . I am really disturbed after this event.

Our teams will be sure to follow up and address your issue directly and appropriately. Thank you for alerting us and giving us detail on this.

Jeremy

Hi Jeremy , When can I expect a response from the customer support team ? It is past 48 hours per the response time .Please advise me.

Thanks.

gmat_winter wrote:Hi Jeremy , When can I expect a response from the customer support team ? It is past 48 hours per the response time .Please advise me.

Thanks.

Hello,

You should hear from the team shortly. If you would like to follow-up, please follow up with [email protected], as they are the team directly handling this for you.

Thanks,
Jeremy

Dear GMAC Officials ,

Could someone please let me know how much more time the the customer support is going to take to address the concern ( weeks /months )? There is still no update as to what is done to investigate.

I raised a valid complaint against the pearson staff( Bangalore-India ) who were indulge in unfair practice.

1) Tripping power off in between the exam and giving an excuse that the electricians switched the power off in order to repair faulty batteries . After that, asking me to go out to have food and take phone along with me as it would take more than 30 mins to fix .

2)The staff lurking behind me 5-7 mins prior to the end of the section and forcing me to talk to him . He spoke couple of time during the period while I was writing the exam asking me to not Click on the "YES" button( that prompts me to take the break) under any circumstance .
I have mentioned in the letter to Customer support that this could be clearly verified in the CAM .I am sure GMAC has a way to identify this , if the investigation is conducted fairly.

(When I raised my suspicion to the staff on the event their response was " I was given the option to cancel the exam after 30 mins , why didn't I cancel " . I know this is my word against their , but this is to show how unprofessional the staff members are at that particular center)

Does it not violate GMAC protocol ? Why did they tamper with the system ?
IS there a reason the agents are not looking into the issue on priority ?Eventually , I have to through the agony

Pearson has to understand that a candidate spends a lot of time, energy and money to prepare for the exam and any sort of major discrepancy practiced by unprofessional staff at Pearson brings everything to halt .

I have made all the effort to explain the whole incident in the letter to customer service , but it is really disappointing to not get any update from them .

I kindly request you to expedite the process as I do not know any other means to raise the concern .

Regards.

It is my humble request to GMAC official here to kindly intervene in the ongoing investigation conducted by APAC GMAT Team official . The complain was against the unfair practice by the test coordinators at test center - THINK EDUCATION ADVISORY SERVICES LLP. ( Bangalore , India) that lead to score deviation

The first response by APAC GMAT Team official that wait time was less than 20 mins and then the exam was resumed is absolutely false .I can be as sure as death that exam conducted after 30 Mins of break . so , I have replied to his incorrect finding with the hard core evidence.
My exam started at 13 hours sharp . The power tripped when I was left with 6mins ( few senconds)to complete my AWA section . After which , I received a call from the test center at 14:02 asking me to come back to the center . There is not way I could have started the test immediately at 14:02 since I was outside the test center.How could this all be possible in less than 20 mins ? I have the time recorded on my phone and the same can be produced by mobile service provider as evidence .

Doesn't it mean the APAC offical is reporting a false finding ? I strongly believe the subsequent findings are going to be manipulated. Is this what a candidate is expected to undergo at the GMAT test center?

I am pretty sure that the next finding will be that "we did not see any one behind you during test" .

My question why is the investigation not conducted in a fair manner ? What have they done to find out my first concern - Just called up the TA ? I don't know how fairly the tests are conducted and how biased the reports are, but I am starting to lose faith . I gave the evidence that I received a call from the test center to come back and write the test at cetain hour ( narrated in the mail to APAC offical ) . Did they not see the recording what time I left the chair after the outage started and at what time I sat on the chair after I was called to the test center . Or are the videos tampered ?

My only fault is - I choose a wrong GMAT Center to appear for the test that has highly unprofessional test coordinators . I have raised this concern to <[email protected]>


I request the GMAC officials in BTG to please understand the turmoil one has to go through because of this . Even if I reappear for the test again I will be scared that this incident could repeat again and no one is there to listen to me .

Before it gets too late , I kindly request the GMAC officials to have some one assigned and conduct a fair investigation. I am ready to answer any question they have for me .



Below is the response by Aditya P. (GMAT-Program Coordinator | Asia-Pacific).






We see that you have mentioned additional details like the TA standing behind and instructing you for the break . We would need some time to go through the video recording and it may take 5 to 7 business days. Kindly wait for the mentioned days and meanwhile if you have additional query you may call customer care with reference incident number 206868407.

Just wanted to update on the present finding as of now is that the wait time was less than 20 mins and then the exam was resumed.


MY reponse: ===================

Dear Aditya and GMAC official @ Socialmedia -

Thank you for the response .

Aditya , Per your response this is absolutely incorrect to claim that wait time was less than 20 mins.

I started the exam at 13 hours sharp . The power went off when I was left with approximately 6 mins to complete the AWA section . Here is the hardcore evidence - I received a call from the test center ( phone number at 91+ 8041127570) at 14:02 hours to come back to the test center. I have the call record from AIRTEL( mobile service provider) that I can come to your center and show it to you .

I have a serious concern about the investigation done . How did you get to know it was less than 20 Minutes ? If you just speak to your TA over call they will lie , and I know thats a lie . Do they even have an incident ticket for the outage ? If you are favoring the TAs then I need to approach in a different way . This isn't a fair conduct of investigation .
I know your response to my other concern - " We did not see any one behind you " .

Please do not play with candidates life by furnishing incorrect result .Please re investigate the 1st issue again .




UPDATE : I spoke to customer representative named - Nisha & her Supervisor named Murphy .

Nisha updated me on call that the staff at the the test center have acknowledged that there was a server error in between the test. However, I have not received any such update on mail. There is no mention of tampering with the system that I have clearly specified in the Mail.

For some reasons the GMAC - Asia team is showing excessive unfair partiality to the TAs at the test center. Moreover,trying to manipulate statements so that I am not entitled to retake the test . What they do not understand is a candidate will not go through this much effort to ask for a fair chance if he/she is manipulating . Murphy ( customer representative) asked me to wait for more days and then wait for a response from Aditya P who is doing the research . How much long they want me to wait now ....?It takes 1 week from the coordinator to reply and that too incorrectly . I am tired of following up with them.

You went to the Koramangla Center ? I have heard a gazillion complaints about centers run that company. Forget the whole matter and go to a Pearson Center next time.

I scored a 730 at the Bombay - Pearson centre in April. The pens kept running out of ink during quant. But personnel were very efficient.