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Lowest score in actual GMAT

by PL » Sat Oct 06, 2007 4:15 pm
I just took GMAT and scored only 560 (46 in Quant, 22 in verbal). I am very disappointed with my score. But wanted to share some of my experiences. I prepared for GMAT for about 4-5 months

First practice test (Diagnostic test by Kaplan, paper format) - 580
(registered for kaplan course)
Second practice test (kaplan) - 570
Third practice test (kaplan) - 590
Fourth practice test (kaplan) - 610
Fifth practice test (kaplan) - 590
(put in lot of effort in math, esp with combinations and probability)
Sixth practice test (kaplan) - 670
Seventh practice test (princeton review online diagnostic) - 600
Eighth practice test (GAMT prep) - 610
Ninth practice test (kaplan) - 760 ( I think there was something wrong with the kaplan software here. Though I did well, I don't think it is possible for anyone to get 54 in Quant. But for this test I did get 54 in quant)
Tenth practice test (princeton review online - cracking GMAT) - 620
11th practice test (GMAT prep - 640)
Was confused about the jumps in my score. Came across this website. Read lot of good comments regarding Manhattan GMAT.
Completed OG11 (except for RC)
12th practice test (princeton review online - cracking GMAT 2) - 640.
13th GMAT practice test (free online CAT offered by MGMAT) - 640
Completed second review of OG for the questions that I answered incorrectly first time.
Subscribed to MGAT online CATS.
14th practice test (MGMAT CAT1) - 680
15th practice test (MGMAT CAT2) - 700
16th practice test (MGMAT CAT3) - 680
After that, I felt confident that my scores have stabilized and appeared for the actual test this afternoon - 560 (so dissapointing)


I am not sure if anyone feels the same, but I think these days GMAT/GMAC has made its scoring more stricter. I attended world MBA tour recently and many have said that the number of application they receive have dramatically increased last year/this year (about 30% increase), which kind of indicates that number of people taking GMAT have also increased. To normalize the scores, I think GMAT/GMAC have made their scoring system much stricter, but none of the companies (MGMAT, PR, Kaplan etc) have made that adjustment yet.

Anyone agrees with me?

As for me, I feel I lost it. I don't have any more patience to got thru this ordeal again. I think MBA is just not for me. I can't keep up with such competition out there.

PL.
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by sriram » Sat Oct 06, 2007 8:24 pm
Hi PL,
I dont think GMAC can change their algorithm so easily. The questions that you get in GMAT are very dynamic in nature. When lot of people answer a questions right, its difficulty level is increased. So after sometime it might appear for a guy getting 700+..similarly, when lot of people get a question wrong, its difficulty level is lowered, so it might appear for a guy getting around 600...

In my opinion, maybe lot of people nowdays are doing well in GMAT..Thats why the difficulty level has increased..You get the percentile only by comparing your performance with others..So maybe others would have got those questions right, which you got wrong..

Another possibility is that maybe you got a lot of first 10-15 wrong in both the sections..That dramatically lowers your score and never gives you an opportunity to lift it up..Also, you might have got a string of questions wrong..

A disadvantage in GMAT is that you can never know how well you have done because the answer that you mark maybe a wrong one..As the wrong answer is always found in the options, one is confident of getting it right...

Any more theories?
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hey

by wharton hopeful » Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:06 am
I got a similar score 2 weeks ago- the real gmat did seem harder than the practise tests. Whatever gmacs 'gmat marking scheme' is, we cant change it, and we still have whatever score we got on the day :cry:
So, don't despair, just dust yourself off and try again! You'll crack it the next round, i know i will. :) Atleast now you know what the real test is like, and you know your weakenesses and what to concentrate on!
Remember the power of positive thinking!! :wink:
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by stoic74 » Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:35 am
Please try to give it another shot. Your Math score is very reasonable. From reading your post, it doesn't seem like you are specially struggling with english. So, preparation should give you a much improved score.

So, just give it one more shot without putting on yourself. You seem to be already resigned to the fact that MBA/GMAT is not for you. What do you have to lose? I am sure you will do better in verbal with smart preparation with the resources on this forum. Also, don't lose touch with Math.

Good luck!
Stoic74
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by Prasanna » Mon Oct 08, 2007 5:19 am
I agree with stoic74.

PL- You should retake the exam. Your post shows that you approach things in a strcutured manner. The only thing I saw is that you took GMAT prep only once and it gave you a 640. As of today GMAT prep is most accurate in predicting scores. Further you have to take all tests in the exam format (with same breaks and time limits)..I hope you would have read through posts in the forum on this.

You need to identify your weak areas and give it a try again. You can definitely get a good score.

Prasanna
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by PL » Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:44 am
Thanks everyone, for your support and encouragement. After reading your responses, I am considering taking GMAT again. Thanks again.

PL
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by beatthegmat » Mon Oct 08, 2007 9:32 pm
Good luck on your retake!
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