I just Beat The GMAT!

Hello all, I just took the GMAT yesterday and bombed the verbal portion. I'm almost as confused as I am frustrated though since my verbal score in no way reflects my previous practice test performances. The last five tests I've taken are as follows

KNEWTON 6: 710 44Q 43V
GMAT Prep 2: 710 45Q 42V
MGMAT 4: 710 45Q 41V
MGMAT 5: 720 44Q 45V
MGMAT 6: 760 49Q 45V

Acutal GMAT: 660 48Q 33V

WTF

Is this common for someone to test so well in verbal with multiple different companies and bomb the test? The math seemed to match up pretty well and I had no issues that I could blame my performance on. I was prepared and confident. All of my practice tests were taken with essays and I didn't retake any of them. In fact I was so upset that I took a Kaplan test this morning to try to prove that my performance was unusual and it went as I expected:

Kaplan 2: 710 45Q 42V

I figure that I must have done poorly on the first few qestions of the real thing and never recovered. Also, my timing was under control for the most part. I guess I'm curious if I'm kidding myself by thinking that I can actually improve from a 33 in verbal to a score I'm used to getting in the low 40's. The verbal portion of the test itself did seem more challenging than MGMAT, Kaplan, GMAT prep, etc. Who knows though, as I've heard one of the instructors on the forum say: "Sometimes you hit all of the red lights". I plan to reattack the test in another month while hitting the verbal hard in the mean time. Many Thanks.

Thats still a good score and nothing to be upset about. Much like you said you probably just caught a bad set of questions that tripped you up. I know one of the things that happens to me from time to time is Ill sometimes start double thinking a relatively easy question because all of my testing and focus work has been on harder questions where the right answer is sometimes hidden. When something like that happens there can be a tendency to make something easier into something uch harder and you end up overthinking the question and getting it wrong. My guess is next go around you will do fine and end up in the 40s. Probably a smart idea to take it soon so the material is still fresh. Good luck

That's a great point and I think that was likely a factor with my case. I plan on going back to easier problems to try and fill some of the gaps I may have. Thanks for the insight.

I would recommend that you reschedule the exam as soon as possible.
Based on your consistent practice test performances, I believe that your prep is pretty much up to the mark. You're on track, brother!

Sometimes, even the best laid plans go astray, right? Best to take some learning out of your exam and move on!