GMAT Strategy

Test Information (Score / Percentile Rank)
Verbal Quantitative Total
34 / 68%

The Knewton score is more than 10 points below my average score on six other exams. If this is being used as a basis for the 50 point garauntee, of course I can raise my score, because it's been drastically skewed. The only other thing I can think of would be if all the other tests were somehow inaccurate.

Hi nibake. To prevent any potential appearance of impropriety, we specifically and happily accept previous official GMAT scores as a student's primary baseline, so for you the higher of your two 'Pearson VUE' exam scores (which I assume are official scores you are referring to) will be the baseline for your guarantee. And please remember, not a single other company out there guarantees anything more than 10 points.

I'm happy to have a private discussion with you on your results, but if you'd like to do it here that's fine as well. But I really cannot speak to your test psychometrics unless you give me your account info so I can look up your exam.

As far as I'm concerned- it's a huge scam! I just took their diagnostic to see how well I would score, having already taken an official gmat and taken several practice diagnostics from both gmat and other reputable gmat programs. My score on their diagnostic was a 520 I believe - which is virtually impossible that this is accurate based on real gmat standards. My first gmat diagnostic 2 years ago without studying was a 640 with a 89% in verbal. The Knewton diagnostic showed me with a 53% in verbal- and this is after taking the LSAT and scoring a 172. Now- the gmat does not test on completely the same things as the LSAT, but if I scored that high on the LSAT, I'm willing to bet that a 53% in the verbal on the gmat is virtually impossible. Additionally, I recently took several practice gmats after prepping with another gmat prep company and have been scoring with a minimum 700 on both gmat practice tests and other reputable gmat practice tests.

As far as I'm concerned, this program is a total scam - starting from their diagnostics which assess at an incredibly low level just to get you in the door. Their class may be fine - but don't take their 50 point improvement or your money back guarantee too seriously - you won't get your money back because your diagnostic score will be insanely low so you can't help but improve at least 50 points. What a joke!

Princeton Review 46, 46, 45, 43
Pearson Vue 45, 44
Kaplan 47
CATprep 46
Knewton 34
Manhattan...coming soon

It could be like a riddle. Who can find the score that doesn't match the rest?

Hello TheFavorite125 and nibake. I'd be happy to have a detailed conversation about your test results, as I've already extended to you nibake, but it is hard to talk about scores when I cannot look up your CAT information. We've searched for any diagnostic results of a 520 with 53% Verbal in the last three weeks and we haven't had any instances of that exact combination.

If you are interested in having an open and constructive discussion of our CATs and your performance, I am happy to do so, but please give us the courtesy of an actual conversation rather than trying to respond to ambiguous accusatory posts. I promise I won't shy away from your questions.

I don't see what there is to discuss, and I don't see anything ambiguous about the posts we made. Either the Knewton test is terribly off or all of the others I mentioned are off. I was not any less alert or motivated when I took the Knewton CAT, as a matter of fact, I felt like I was doing well. I did miss 6 questions, which is more than I missed on any other, but can that explain such an extreme difference between a 34 and all the other scaled scores I gave? I certainly don't believe so.

chris@knewton wrote:Hi nibake. To prevent any potential appearance of impropriety, we specifically and happily accept previous official GMAT scores as a student's primary baseline, so for you the higher of your two 'Pearson VUE' exam scores (which I assume are official scores you are referring to) will be the baseline for your guarantee. And please remember, not a single other company out there guarantees anything more than 10 points.

I'm happy to have a private discussion with you on your results, but if you'd like to do it here that's fine as well. But I really cannot speak to your test psychometrics unless you give me your account info so I can look up your exam.

Hi Chris,
I am really glad you are helping us. The other guys I believe are spammers since they are not willing to pass on their information. I understand whats going on here. Its a competitive world.
I have taken the GMAT and scored a 680 (Q-49,V-34). As mentioned above I would be willing to take the 50 points guarantee as a pretext to pay for the course. I am in the trial period now. Although I need a 99% but 680+50=730 could be a good lower cutoff. Since 690 is not a trivial amount but I'd be willing to pay that if the goal is reached. To be honest I am not the over-cynical types but just wish to enroll in the correct course to pretty much follow it like my bible along with the official material to achieve the desired score. Please let me know of any discounts that Knewton would be willing to offer on the basis of 'a' test or a coupon?

So now I am a spammer...curious.

I put up clear evidence of many practice tests from many practice test makers. Knewton, an enterprise that doesn't seem to be very unprofessional or dishonest in other respects, has a seriously problem when it comes to the practice exam. If you use your previous GMAT score, great! You will have no problem. The evidence shows that if you go by the Knewton practice CAT score, you are getting conned. If you have a problem with the evidence, so be it, but don't call me a spammer for calling attention to dishonesty. I would like to see some other people's results. If you are serious, why not take one test per day for the next few days and compare them as I did. Then if I am wrong, you can counter me with evidence.

...you silly spammer, you.

*What information am I to pass on? I passed on the scores, which are the issue here.

nibake wrote:So now I am a spammer...curious.

I put up clear evidence of many practice tests from many practice test makers. Knewton, an enterprise that doesn't seem to be very unprofessional or dishonest in other respects, has a seriously problem when it comes to the practice exam. If you use your previous GMAT score, great! You will have no problem. The evidence shows that if you go by the Knewton practice CAT score, you are getting conned. If you have a problem with the evidence, so be it, but don't call me a spammer for calling attention to dishonesty. I would like to see some other people's results. If you are serious, why not take one test per day for the next few days and compare them as I did. Then if I am wrong, you can counter me with evidence.

...you silly spammer, you.

*What information am I to pass on? I passed on the scores, which are the issue here.

Nibake, I have often felt that Knewton's scoring on the first practice test was a bit off, particularly on the verbal side. However, you don't seem to understand what Knewton is asking of you- your Knewton account information- so that they can look into the issue. It's is hard for them to discuss the issue if they don't have more than your verbal score to do by, you will admit.

I retract my previous post.

I've been very pleased with Knewton, and have seen over 150 point rise in my practice test scores.

As with any test prep program you get what you put in, the more effort and work you're willing to put in, the better your result will be.