From MGMAT 700+ to 510 in Real GMAT :(

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From MGMAT 700+ to 510 in Real GMAT :(

by mohit878 » Thu Jun 06, 2013 6:15 am
Today i had my first GMAT test and it was disaster for me as i scored 510 in real GMAT (48 Q,15 V ).I am preparing from last 3 months for GMAT,took off from work. Initially in the mocks..i used to score 550-560(GMATPREP) and 580-90(FREE MGMAT).Then after i did Manhattan SC guide and CR bible. Then after used to score 600+...after putting some extra efforts in some weeks i crossed 650 mark..Then i purchased MGMAT test series and did all the tests..I used to score 700+ in all the tests (Max was 740)....In GMATPREP2 i scored 710..An average i used to give 1 mock in 2 days.Then i decided to appear for GMAT on 5th June 2013.

One day before GMAT i couldn't sleep due to anxiety and pressure.My head was spinning during the test. Still i manged in Quant but in verbal i couldn't concentrate for first 10 ques.Then after i felt somehow normal. According to me verbal was not that tough..easy RC,SC,CR...I was thinking that i would get atleast 35+...But when saw pearson VUE screen...I just scattered....Don't know what happened...Is it the result of my anxiety or something i am missing.

But still i want to retake GMAT after 1-1.5 months as i know hard luck was also there in my low GMAT score.
Can someone please suggest what should i do now....How to start prep again ?

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by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Thu Jun 06, 2013 7:03 am
Your practice test scores suggest that you know the material backwards and forwards. The missing piece of the puzzle seems to be how you function on Test Day. In fact, you've already alluded to this. A lack of sleep and test anxiety can kill your score, so you need to overcome these. If you're interested, we have a free video on the topic on overcoming test anxiety: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gener ... es?id=1252

Also, you may be interested in the following BTG article: https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/04/ ... -the-gmat It talks about the huge benefits of adopting a positive mindset/attitude on test day.
According to me verbal was not that tough..easy RC,SC,CR...I was thinking that i would get atleast 35+...But when saw pearson VUE screen...I just scattered....Don't know what happened...Is it the result of my anxiety or something i am missing.
Since the test is computer adaptive, it uses previous responses to gauge your skill level and then give you questions just at the edge of your abilities. So, if you kept making careless mistakes, the test would have underestimated your skill level and given you questions that are well within your abilities. This might explain why the verbal portion seemed easy to you.

If you're interested, we have a free video explaining the GMAT testing/scoring algorithm: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gener ... es?id=1251

Cheers,
Brent
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by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Thu Jun 06, 2013 7:03 am
Your practice test scores suggest that you know the material backwards and forwards. The missing piece of the puzzle seems to be how you function on Test Day. In fact, you've already alluded to this. A lack of sleep and test anxiety can kill your score, so you need to overcome these. If you're interested, we have a free video on the topic on overcoming test anxiety: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gener ... es?id=1252

Also, you may be interested in the following BTG article: https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/04/ ... n-the-gmat It talks about the huge benefits of adopting a positive mindset/attitude on test day.
According to me verbal was not that tough..easy RC,SC,CR...I was thinking that i would get atleast 35+...But when saw pearson VUE screen...I just scattered....Don't know what happened...Is it the result of my anxiety or something i am missing.
Since the test is computer adaptive, it uses previous responses to gauge your skill level and then give you questions just at the edge of your abilities. So, if you kept making careless mistakes, the test would have underestimated your skill level and given you questions that are well within your abilities. This might explain why the verbal portion seemed easy to you.

If you're interested, we have a free video explaining the GMAT testing/scoring algorithm: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gener ... es?id=1251

Cheers,
Brent
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by mohit878 » Thu Jun 06, 2013 10:07 am
Brent@GMATPrepNow wrote:Your practice test scores suggest that you know the material backwards and forwards. The missing piece of the puzzle seems to be how you function on Test Day. In fact, you've already alluded to this. A lack of sleep and test anxiety can kill your score, so you need to overcome these. If you're interested, we have a free video on the topic on overcoming test anxiety: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gener ... es?id=1252

Also, you may be interested in the following BTG article: https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/04/ ... n-the-gmat It talks about the huge benefits of adopting a positive mindset/attitude on test day.
According to me verbal was not that tough..easy RC,SC,CR...I was thinking that i would get atleast 35+...But when saw pearson VUE screen...I just scattered....Don't know what happened...Is it the result of my anxiety or something i am missing.
Since the test is computer adaptive, it uses previous responses to gauge your skill level and then give you questions just at the edge of your abilities. So, if you kept making careless mistakes, the test would have underestimated your skill level and given you questions that are well within your abilities. This might explain why the verbal portion seemed easy to you.

If you're interested, we have a free video explaining the GMAT testing/scoring algorithm: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gener ... es?id=1251

Cheers,
Brent
Hi Brent,

Can you please suggest some other GMAT tests as i have already done GMATPREP,MGMAT CATs,Princeton Free test,Veritas Free Test,PlatinumGMAT free test,GMATCLUB tests,Kaplan Free test.

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Mohit

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by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Thu Jun 06, 2013 10:09 am
Hi Mohit,

I can't think of any more free tests out there, but I should point out that you can take the official GMATPrep tests multiple times. Yes, you will see some repeated questions, but not that many. If you're interested, I wrote an article for BTG on this topic: https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/03/ ... iple-times

Cheers,
Brent
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by David@VeritasPrep » Thu Jun 06, 2013 5:20 pm
Mohit -

I did not write this article specifically for you, but I might have. I think this describes exactly what happened to you (and what has happened to so many others).

https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2013/03/ ... ore-so-low

Does this sound like what might have happened to you? The way that the scoring works if you are off at the beginning that can send you to a lower level of question there on the verbal and then if you made some of the mistakes that I discuss in the article above you would be actually missing questions that were at a low level. Those questions would have seemed easy but being tired you would have still missed them. That is just about the only thing that can explain the 15 on the verbal section.
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by mohit878 » Thu Jun 06, 2013 10:27 pm
David@VeritasPrep wrote:Mohit -

I did not write this article specifically for you, but I might have. I think this describes exactly what happened to you (and what has happened to so many others).

https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2013/03/ ... ore-so-low

Does this sound like what might have happened to you? The way that the scoring works if you are off at the beginning that can send you to a lower level of question there on the verbal and then if you made some of the mistakes that I discuss in the article above you would be actually missing questions that were at a low level. Those questions would have seemed easy but being tired you would have still missed them. That is just about the only thing that can explain the 15 on the verbal section.
Hi David,

Thanks for the reply.
You gave the exact reason of my problem.I finished verbal section in 70 mins(5 Mins before).I couldn't concentrate even little bit on questions.
Apart from stress reduction techniques can you please suggest some good prep tests as i have completed all the free tests available ,GMATCLUB tests,MGMAT CATS.

Regards
Mohit

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by David@VeritasPrep » Fri Jun 07, 2013 7:21 am
Have you tried the new Veritas test? You can access it for free at the link https://www.veritasprep.com/gmat/free-gm ... tice-test/
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by mohit878 » Fri Jun 07, 2013 10:02 am
David@VeritasPrep wrote:Have you tried the new Veritas test? You can access it for free at the link https://www.veritasprep.com/gmat/free-gm ... tice-test/
Hi David,
Before GMAT i also gave Veritas Free GMAT Test and scored 710...I exhausted all the free available tests and MGMAT,GMATCLUB paid tests.

Now need some more new tests for practice..

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Mohit

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by hutch27 » Fri Jun 07, 2013 9:09 pm
I'm in a similar boat- 680 on GMATPREP #2 test, but 510 actual gmat score. I wrote a post in the "i beat the GMAT forum", even though I didn't beat the test. So were somewhat similar, only thing is though that my scores didn't have as big of a range as yours did. Nonetheless, I think the best thing to do would be to really focus on the verbal questions... and really dig deep. I think the verbal can be mastered like the math (and same thing with math, too). I have faith i you; you did really well in the math, and you took 3 months of study to hone in on your skills, so you've got it in you- I can see it. Let me know how it goes man.

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by mohit878 » Fri Jun 07, 2013 9:50 pm
hutch27 wrote:I'm in a similar boat- 680 on GMATPREP #2 test, but 510 actual gmat score. I wrote a post in the "i beat the GMAT forum", even though I didn't beat the test. So were somewhat similar, only thing is though that my scores didn't have as big of a range as yours did. Nonetheless, I think the best thing to do would be to really focus on the verbal questions... and really dig deep. I think the verbal can be mastered like the math (and same thing with math, too). I have faith i you; you did really well in the math, and you took 3 months of study to hone in on your skills, so you've got it in you- I can see it. Let me know how it goes man.
Hi Hutch,

Sorry to hear that you also faced the same problem.I also read your experience in "i beat the GMAT forum"..
Now When will you retake the GMAT ?
What's your strategy for retake and what material/test you are using for preparation.

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by hutch27 » Sat Jun 08, 2013 6:35 am
I used the official guides; they're definitely the best questions you can find. Other than that I used gmatprepnow and did some magoosh quant. Both were good and I think I'll use them again.

I plan on studying a bit more, but this time studying smarter; GMAT specific techniques for quant and some more practice in the verbal. It's tough to pinpoint exactly what I'm going to focus on now, but in short, probably verbal and quant strategies.