Getting yourself ready

HI neeti2711,

The 750+ score is just about the 99th percentile, which means that 99% of Test Takers either can't or won't do what it takes to score at that level. Thankfully, you won't need a 750+ score to get into Business School, so it's important to remember the REAL goal in all of this.

If you're looking to increase your practice CAT scores, you really have to nitpick WHY you're getting questions wrong. What could you have done differently? Was the question 'gettable', but you made a little mistake? At higher and higher score levels, the GMAT becomes really 'sensitive' to little mistakes - in real simple terms, if you make too many, then the 750+ score becomes impossible to achieve.

1) How long have you studied?
2) What materials have you used?
3) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?

4) What is your goal score?
5) When are you planning to take the GMAT?
6) When are you planning to apply to Business School?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

neeti2711 wrote:Do people who score more than 750 never make any mistakes during the practice tests? How do I make myself sure that I am ready for the test (or ready to score above 750)?

I make mistakes all the time! I'm sure the other experts would agree, too. The thing I love about the GMAT is that it's very forgiving - you can make numerous mistakes (on the quant, at least) and still end up with a score of 49 or 50. That would be more than enough to get a 750 overall if your verbal is also high.

The key is to review your practice tests in a lot of depth, and to ask yourself "what should I change about my process to ensure that I never make this particular mistake again?"

Over the last 10 years, I have tutored many students who have scored above a 750 on the GMAT, and all of those students have made mistakes on practice GMAT exams. The key in improving your GMAT knowledge is to analyze your mistakes and understand exactly why you got certain questions wrong. I would be happy to provide more advice, but I also would like some more information about your GMAT experience and goals.
Also,

I wrote a detailed article about how to avoid careless mistakes and improve your accuracy on your GMAT.

Here's a good motto by which to study for the GMAT: "Strive for Excellence, not Perfection."

Hi neeti2711,

I noticed that most of your posting history is back in 2012 and 2013. Have you taken the GMAT before? If you have, then how did you score? Some Test Takers become overly-obsessed by scoring at a particular level (whether that level is necessary to their 'big picture' goals or not). It's clear from the responses here that there are plenty of people who can offer advice, so it would make all of this easier if you provided a bit more information on your situation.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Hi neeti2711,

What were your Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores when you scored 690?

Also, before I can offer you the specific advice that you're looking for, it would help if you could answer my original questions (which I've reprinted below):

1) How long have you studied?
2) What materials have you used?
3) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?

4) What is your goal score?
5) When are you planning to take the GMAT?
6) When are you planning to apply to Business School?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Hi neeti2711,

If you have not taken any CATs recently (and it's been about 4 years since you took the GMAT), then you MUST take a FULL-LENGTH CAT (with the Essay and IR sections) sometime soon. Without that score result, we'll have no way to determine what you actually need to work on. There are also a variety of Test Taking skills that can be developed only by taking FULL CATs at regular intervals. Once you have that score result, you should post back here and we can discuss how to adjust your studies.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Hi neeti2711,

Test Day is a rather specific 'event' - the details are specific and they matter, so you have to train as best as you can for all of them. The more realistic you can make your CATs, the more likely the score results are to be accurate. The more you deviate, the more "inflated" your scores can become. This is one of the many reasons why you must take your CATs in a way that 'matches up' with what you'll face on Test Day (so you must take the FULL CAT - with the Essay and IR sections, at the same time of day as your Official GMAT, away from your home, etc.). Taking just the Verbal section, without the prior 3 hours of Test 'activities' before it, will NOT end with a realistic score result. You likely do have most of the necessary knowledge and skills to score higher in the Verbal section, but you have not yet properly trained to do so in the context of the FULL Test.

These two CAT scores are remarkably similar (and they're rather close to your prior Official Score), which means that you're fairly consistent in how you're handling the Exam - you do certain things consistently well, but you also make the same consistent mistakes. To score 750+, you're going to have to make some fundamental changes to how you handle BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections. To that end, you would likely find it beneficial to invest in a GMAT Course of some type (either Guided Self-Study or instructor-led).

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich