Are MGMAT CAT Scores inflated? If yes by how much?

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guynoor: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 59; Joined: Sat Feb 10, 2007 10:03 pm; Thanked: 1 times

by guynoor » Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:08 am

Is it true that Manhattan GMAT CAT scores are inflated? Do their questions reflect the real GMAT? Yesterday i scored a 620 on their CAT and i am concerned if this really portrays my true score ??? Any comments will be appreciated.

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Source: Beat The GMAT — GMAT Strategy | Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:08 am

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Stacey Koprince: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 2228; Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:28 pmFollowed by: 694 members; Location: Montreal, Canada; Thanked: 639 times; GMAT Score:780

by Stacey Koprince » Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:54 pm

Our scores are neither inflated nor deflated, but they do have a wider standard deviation than the actual test. (This is true of any practice test - any simulated test is going to have a broader deviation as compared to the real thing.)

The real test has a st.dev of about 30, which means if you score a 650, you can expect to score between 620 and 680 if you keep taking the test. Our test has a st.dev of about 50, which means if you score a 650, you can expect to score between 600 and 700 if you keep taking the test. So we're fairly close, but not as accurate as the real thing (and, frankly, I think a st.dev of 30 is too wide for a test on which the schools place such importance... but we've got to live with it). We continuously work on the test to try to narrow the gap, but I'd guess the closest it's even possible to get is about 40.

So, we're pretty close to the real test... but no one (including the real test) is close to an "exact" score b/c even the real thing has a range of 60 points.

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guynoor: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 59; Joined: Sat Feb 10, 2007 10:03 pm; Thanked: 1 times

by guynoor » Tue Apr 03, 2007 4:59 am

Stacey Koprince wrote:Our scores are neither inflated nor deflated, but they do have a wider standard deviation than the actual test. (This is true of any practice test - any simulated test is going to have a broader deviation as compared to the real thing.)

The real test has a st.dev of about 30, which means if you score a 650, you can expect to score between 620 and 680 if you keep taking the test. Our test has a st.dev of about 50, which means if you score a 650, you can expect to score between 600 and 700 if you keep taking the test. So we're fairly close, but not as accurate as the real thing (and, frankly, I think a st.dev of 30 is too wide for a test on which the schools place such importance... but we've got to live with it). We continuously work on the test to try to narrow the gap, but I'd guess the closest it's even possible to get is about 40.

So, we're pretty close to the real test... but no one (including the real test) is close to an "exact" score b/c even the real thing has a range of 60 points.

Thanks Stacey. I am not taking your course however i am thinking about taking the membership at MGMAT so that i can go at your location and give as many prep tests as possible. I want to test myself at home but i am not structured enough to do it in one sitting, do you think its a good idea if i just stick to your CAT's and practice using the GMATPrep tests or may be give that test one section at a time. Also if you do really well on the Verbal but average or above average on Quant can you still get a 700 ? The other day i got a 39th Percentile on my Quant but still got a 620 because i did well on my Verbal. Any comments will be appreciated.

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Stacey Koprince: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 2228; Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:28 pmFollowed by: 694 members; Location: Montreal, Canada; Thanked: 639 times; GMAT Score:780

by Stacey Koprince » Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:48 am

Just FYI not all sites have the option to take practice tests at our center. Make sure you check your local center first.

I think a combination of our CATs and GMATPrep is a good one for practice tests. The GMATPrep b/c it's closest to the real thing, and ours b/c we actually give you explanations for the answers. Anytime you take these, though, I'd take the full test (including essays). Stamina is an issue for a 4-hour test - you have to practice that too.

Also, IF you get a 99%ile in verbal, then you can get away with a quant percentile in the 60s and still get around a 700. Then, obviously, if the verbal drops, the quant has to go up to compensate.

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guynoor: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 59; Joined: Sat Feb 10, 2007 10:03 pm; Thanked: 1 times

by guynoor » Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:02 pm

Stacey Koprince wrote:Just FYI not all sites have the option to take practice tests at our center. Make sure you check your local center first.

I think a combination of our CATs and GMATPrep is a good one for practice tests. The GMATPrep b/c it's closest to the real thing, and ours b/c we actually give you explanations for the answers. Anytime you take these, though, I'd take the full test (including essays). Stamina is an issue for a 4-hour test - you have to practice that too.

Also, IF you get a 99%ile in verbal, then you can get away with a quant percentile in the 60s and still get around a 700. Then, obviously, if the verbal drops, the quant has to go up to compensate.

Thanks !!!

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RachelAL: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 26; Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2007 5:57 am

by RachelAL » Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:22 am

If this helps, here are my scores on practice tests:

1) 740 (MGMAT)
2) 700 (MGMAT)
3) 680 (GMATPrep)
4) 710 (GMATPrep)

GMAT #1 650

1) 680 (MGMAT)
2) 720 (MGMAT)
3) 690 (GMATPrep)
4) 740 (GMATPrep)

GMAT #2 720

As you can see I deviate from all the practice tests. However, I did think the MGMAT quant was more difficult than the real thing and their verbal was a bit easier, in terms of question difficulty and scoring. That is just my opinion.

-Rachel

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