I've read articles from this site numerous times and I've always valued the feedback of fellow posters. I have a hate relationship with the GMAT because I can't beat it. I'd never taken a standardized test before but I took the GMAT about 5 times!!. It's depressing and very embarrassing but somehow I kept on taking it thinking that my scores would improve. My scores are as follows from start to finish 450- 490- 480 (cancelled due to anomaly on GMAT from Gmac)- 510 and finally (Yesterday) 540!!! I've used everything from MGMAT (great) to grockit (great) to princeton review (terrible but probably because of the instructor). I'd never gotten below 600 on any of my practice tests as a matter of fact my last test before the exam was 680. I don't know what to do. I want to go to the top 20 schools otherwise an MBA for me is really pointless. I'm interested in finance/ accounting my GPA (undergrad) was 2.99. Math major but also worked full time (international student). I hate to think that Business school isn't the right path for me because of my inability to score over a 600 in my GMAT. I really don't know what to do. I'm tempted to re- write the GMAT. Please could you advise? I would really appreciate your insight to this. Should i re-take or make my case with these schools.
Dilema
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Bryant@VeritasPrep
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Before submitting applications, I would treat myself to a guided prep class. If you have only ever prepared on your own, you might be pleasantly surprised at the progress you can make on your score with a good prep course. Well worth the expense I assure you. If you are not at least cracking 600, you will have a very challenging time applying to top schools, so get all the help you can first before you give up on the GMAT. I applaud your persistence--it will pay off!
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Stacey Koprince
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Received a PM asking me to reply.
So you've always done much better on practice tests and your score drops a lot on the real thing. Start here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/a/2009/10/26 ... went-wrong
There are a number of reasons why this might happen - some easier to fix and some harder to fix. The most important thing right now is to figure out specifically why this is happening to you. Once we figure out why, then we can set up a plan to do something about it. So go read that article, do the analysis, and come back and post here with what you discover and we'll start to discuss.
Note that my response assumes you are going to take it again. If you aren't going to take it again, then I'm not the best person to talk to - my area of expertise is the GMAT. You'll need to talk to the admissions folks to decide whether to take it again and what to do on the admissions side of things.
So you've always done much better on practice tests and your score drops a lot on the real thing. Start here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/a/2009/10/26 ... went-wrong
There are a number of reasons why this might happen - some easier to fix and some harder to fix. The most important thing right now is to figure out specifically why this is happening to you. Once we figure out why, then we can set up a plan to do something about it. So go read that article, do the analysis, and come back and post here with what you discover and we'll start to discuss.
Note that my response assumes you are going to take it again. If you aren't going to take it again, then I'm not the best person to talk to - my area of expertise is the GMAT. You'll need to talk to the admissions folks to decide whether to take it again and what to do on the admissions side of things.
Please note: I do not use the Private Messaging system! I will not see any PMs that you send to me!!
Stacey Koprince
GMAT Instructor
Director of Online Community
Manhattan GMAT
Contributor to Beat The GMAT!
Learn more about me
Stacey Koprince
GMAT Instructor
Director of Online Community
Manhattan GMAT
Contributor to Beat The GMAT!
Learn more about me
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asherman
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I know of one school that does NOT require a GMAT score for admissions - Dominican College: https://www.greenmba.com/ and there are probably more out there, maybe not in the top 20. Another idea is to take some of the courses at a JC to maybe improve your skills, then try taking the GMAT again? Just a few ideas 
Good luck!
Good luck!-
Brian@VeritasPrep
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Hi Chykie,
I just saw this thread pop to the top, and figured I'd weigh in, as well. Like Stacey, I'm a GMAT instructor and will have similar advice. I agree wholeheartedly with her article, and also add this - on a standardized test, you'll make a standardized set of mistakes. Part of the key to success, if you're already capable of scoring in the high 600s on practice tests, is to minimize the number points that you "give back" to the test via error.
I'd suggest this - go back to your most recent practice tests and jot down a few keywords for why you got each problem wrong. Something like "assumed x was positive" or "incorporated statement (1) in to my assessment of statement (2)" should work, and you can then go back to that list of mistakes and determine which errors you tend to make. The timed component of the GMAT will only exacerbate those mistakes - the more pressure you feel and the more quickly you have to work, the more likely you'll be to fall in to those same traps.
If you even know of 3-4 mistakes that you commonly make, you can jot down quick reminders to yourself on test day to be aware of them, and have a quick-check process to make sure that you at least take those points back. It worked for me - I had a nasty habit of assuming that variables were integers (or, better put, failing to consider nonintegers) in practice, so I made a quick note "Integer" at the top of my noteboard and made sure to look at it before submitting my answers. Sure enough, at one point in the first ten questions, I was about to submit an incorrect answer, having made that mistake, and was able to catch it and correct my answer. Knowing that I had saved myself from at least one wrong answer, I was a lot more confident through the rest of the test...the GMAT was going to have to beat me with creative questions, and not the types of traps that I was primed to avoid!
I just saw this thread pop to the top, and figured I'd weigh in, as well. Like Stacey, I'm a GMAT instructor and will have similar advice. I agree wholeheartedly with her article, and also add this - on a standardized test, you'll make a standardized set of mistakes. Part of the key to success, if you're already capable of scoring in the high 600s on practice tests, is to minimize the number points that you "give back" to the test via error.
I'd suggest this - go back to your most recent practice tests and jot down a few keywords for why you got each problem wrong. Something like "assumed x was positive" or "incorporated statement (1) in to my assessment of statement (2)" should work, and you can then go back to that list of mistakes and determine which errors you tend to make. The timed component of the GMAT will only exacerbate those mistakes - the more pressure you feel and the more quickly you have to work, the more likely you'll be to fall in to those same traps.
If you even know of 3-4 mistakes that you commonly make, you can jot down quick reminders to yourself on test day to be aware of them, and have a quick-check process to make sure that you at least take those points back. It worked for me - I had a nasty habit of assuming that variables were integers (or, better put, failing to consider nonintegers) in practice, so I made a quick note "Integer" at the top of my noteboard and made sure to look at it before submitting my answers. Sure enough, at one point in the first ten questions, I was about to submit an incorrect answer, having made that mistake, and was able to catch it and correct my answer. Knowing that I had saved myself from at least one wrong answer, I was a lot more confident through the rest of the test...the GMAT was going to have to beat me with creative questions, and not the types of traps that I was primed to avoid!
Brian Galvin
GMAT Instructor
Chief Academic Officer
Veritas Prep
Looking for GMAT practice questions? Try out the Veritas Prep Question Bank. Learn More.
GMAT Instructor
Chief Academic Officer
Veritas Prep
Looking for GMAT practice questions? Try out the Veritas Prep Question Bank. Learn More.
