Hi All,

I faced the same issue and 100 points drop in last GMAT on 19th Nov. I have already wrote an email to them but no repsonse as yet.

I also faced the 3 RC on the same topic and very diifiicult CR question on 4th question:(.
I did not feel that I was not doing good on test but I randomdly marked all experimental question after my verbal section as I was totally exhausted and was not feeling healthy.

Please let me know if you guyd get some positive response.

Regards
Prac

@prateekduble:

What is the deadline in which you want to send your scores?.

I'm assuming that it would normally take a month or so for them to reply about your pending decision.It all depends on what is your deadline for admission apps.

If I were in your place,.. I wouldn't be really basing my retake on them!

Aslan, I really appreciate your response.
I got a response from GMAC 5 minutes ago & here is what they said:

Dear Prateek,
Thank you for contacting Pearson VUE GMAT Customer Service with your concern. We have researched your request and would like to let you know that there were no errors found when we reviewed your exam. The additional section you participated in was not scored and did not affect your score in anyway. Please contact us at your earliest convenience if you have any other questions at 1-800-717-4628 7 am - 7 pm CST. Please reference incident number xxxxx . The incident number is our way of tracking this situation. We will be closing this incident at this time.

Thank you
Pearson VUE GMAT Customer Service, Wren R.

I am really surprised and disappointed after reading this email. As I said earlier, I scored in the range of 660 to 710 in practice tests. My verbal score never went below 32 (and average being 36). I used to read "Beat the GMAT" stories everyday, keeping my hopes high and badly wanted to score above 680. I didnt feel during the actual test that I am nervous or rushing through questions. Now I am back to square1. I am planning to apply for NYU Part time Fall-2011. I have enough time but low score has shaken up my confidence.

I will really appreciate any help in deciding on following:
1. When do you guys think I should retake the GMAT? 1 month, 2 month or more?
2. I know that I have built up my math skills to score above 45. How should I attack Verbal this time?

Thanks a lot guys!!!

- Prateek

@prateekduble: I really feel sorry for this kind of debacle on your side---but we all learn somethings from our experiences and I'm, sure you also would have also learnt 'a lot' in whcih area to maximise.

"1. When do you guys think I should retake the GMAT? 1 month, 2 month or more? "

AS rgds to your deadline for fall 2011 NYU, I dont know if its mid Jan or later.If in mid Jan or 'even' otherwise, I would advise you take the test as soon as possible.The reason being that all the stuff you have learnt will still be fresh for the retake and you wouldn't be loosing the practicing edge.Delay it more , and all the concepts will get rusty.Also, it is better to get the formalities out of the way so you can focus on bigger aspects of the application process and not end up rushing things in the end.

2. I know that I have built up my math skills to score above 45. How should I attack Verbal this time?


I cannot advice much here, but for you to keep on practicing and honing the skills you have acquired.Your score were not low in the end and I wouldn't be surprised if you cannot build further more on these foundations.

Good luck!

Aslan

You guys didn't wanna agree with me.

See I got a 720 the real deal today,with a 40 on verbal.This was the verbal score I used to get in practice tests.The GMAC's algorithm was CERTAINLY SCREWED between 15th October and 25th November.

And guess what it still is screwed,but now in terms of calculating overall score!

I got Q49 and V40, a split that according to 800score.com is equivalent to 730! A guy who got Q50 and V39 [read on the internet] was awarded 740,but he should have been awarded 730, according to 800score.com.So, just because of GMAC's screwed algorithm I'm awarded 20 points less than he was awarded for no apparent reason!

Btw 800score.com is a very reliable predictor of score.Each of my 2 previous exams awarded my the correct score depending on the split.Also,I have taken GMATPrep almost 8 times and each time the split corresponded to the correct overall score.

So ,guys watch out!

I should probably be demanding damages from GMAC for that inexplicable score,for I missed the deadlines of a couple of schools.Because of Pearson's [not GMAC's] crappy software I can't apply to some of the favorite B-schools.

Everybody knows that the schools to which I can apply with a score of 650 are totally different from the schools to which I can apply with a score of 720.GMAC should be sued for this carelessness.I don't think we can tolerate such behavior from GMAC,whether it is the fault of GMAC or Pearson Vue's software.

GMAC should accept that it is at fault and should either pay damages to candidates such as me or request the schools to extend their deadlines for the affected candidates.

@rishab1988:First of all...a really big congratz on your finally achieving the score!...I was actually expecting to see you knocking off a 750+ here .I'm sorry I could not comment earlier as I had also given the test on the 6th and it no less than a disaster.The score I got has left me dumbfounded and is way below then even the score i stated off with some 6 months back.In fact it is so embarrassing that it is more so of a personal hit to an ego of an engineer than a score for a B-school.

A Q30 makes me no where near the eligibility to even consider about applying to a B school.As a matter of fact I was not aiming for any top 5 school, but some specific schools in specific locations for which even a 600+ would have been sufficient with my experience.But here, what I saw was actually so ludicrous that I did'nt know whether to cry or laugh here, because it was not representing my skills at all.This could have been a score where I could answer some 10 questions and then started blindly guessing on all others.The verbal remained the exact same as it was on the previous attempt.A downgraded V27.These scores are coming down from a Q45-Q49 on MGMAT and GMATprep and V34-V39.

Apart from this, I was pretty relaxed before the test, but the condition were pathetically managed.Giving me a pen whose nib was broken and resembled with a paint brush (and also felt the same when writing); the A/C turning on and off in the middle which left me sweating (and cleaning off my glasses several times in between for all the steam); waving my hand for a new sheet or pen for about three mins and nobody coming in; no place to place the pad for writing and when placed the pad on the desk, then having to crane my neck backwards to see the screen, which itself was a dilapidated old convex blurry screen that made my eyes watery from time to time.Even apart from all this in the name of 'standardized testing' of Pearson VUE I was managing the section and the questions looked manageable.But do not even have a 'way off guess' for how the score came up...reflecting something which made me feel that maybe I was mentally challenged here!.

I have written to GMAC on this, wouldn't care even if they give a coupon for a retest in this kind of facilities again, because already the day is shot.When I was returning, the guy at the center told me with a wry smile, that he has never seen scores above 550 here (another red flag) and that there is not much of a trend of people giving GMAT here.I also realized that, what I previously thought of as nerves, were not really bad nerves (as i was pretty relaxed this time)...but the bad services which puts the mood off.

I met an old friend and he actually argued that why I had given GMAT in that centre, because due to a lack of traffic, the Pearson VUE centre is not being run up properly and it would have been better off if I had given GRE instead, (as a lot of people give GRE here, and it is conducted in a proper center as well).He himself had gone to an ivy B-school on a GRE instead of GMAT.

Personally, very very disappointed with the result.Also have come to realize that no matter how much the testing agencies publicize that they are universally accredited and offer 'universal services globally', I don't think they ought be standing in the way of an MBA with the methods they service with.

Aslan, don't be so much upset. I remember, once you've said- one needs to ace the Verbal to score high on GMAT; I was arguing my needs of boosting the Quant...

As for the test center, one scientist long time ago made a mankind invention with no light. I did GMAT Prep yesterday, after 16-hour prepping with various stuff for the quant. I scored 42 when I could be fresh and well score 48; but I didn't score 35 or 32.

Morale - stay in BTG community, until you crack the thing!
don't let the animal to bite your neck

Thanks Night reader...I'm not limiting my chances of doing an MBA with the monopoly of just one exam :]

Hi rishab1988, moto, prateek, aslan...

I just got back from my test and have scored a shocking 24 on my verbal. My GMAT score is completely abysmal. I have constantly got 690s and 700s in my Manhattan , GMAT prep softwares. I fail to believe that I could get a 24. I have always got 39 consistently on my verbal. Even my Quant scores I feel are screwed. I have scored 49s, 50s in my GMAT Prep Please note that these scores were my first attempt at GMAT Prep and hence I had never seen those questions before. I am in tears after seeing my score !!

I cannot bring myself to terms with my score.

Please let me know what I should do !!
I tried speaking to the GMAC customer service, and they posed several stupid questions. They specifically asked me to point out problems I would like to dispute my score with !!! They said they cannot dispute my whole score...I have to specify the problems nos..How ridiculous can that be !!!All I remembered that I was getting harder questions. My last RC was so convoluted, I couldnt literally understand wht was going on !!

The only hope that I had was, tougher questions were leading me to a greater score ..I am still in a state of shock. I want to apply by Jan 15, but my confidence is completely shaken up !!! I dont know when I should give my GMAT again !!

Thanks

gosh, your narration sounds like some bugs/viruses entered GMAC network; hell with their softs.
dazzle: I only know, that if you were sincere and had the scaled scores announced in your post, it's almost not possible for you to have such a sharp drop-down. GMAT Prep, although not being an ideal, is still a solid predictor of your GMAT score-especially if you have taken it with no repeats.

If I were you, I would get mad on GMAC, register immediately for the next test session with different test center and different exam time. After having scored close to the GMAT Prep scales, I would knock at the GMAC's door with my leg!

and this could be done within the very short time interval for having the most effect.

I actually dont know what to make out of GMAC ways here.

Some places people are getting (no tech background whatsoever) quant scores up above 40Q easily and at some places it is bringing down to abysmally low levels.

I just wish there was some transparency in whether their software is actually up to date in various locations.In my location GMAT is hardly given, and I have more doubts as to how much it is regularly upgraded or is it just a center to collect money.

Obviously unless and until GMAC doest face any real competition (like SAT had with ACT's) it will continue to do with these kinds of up and downs in its markings.

aslan wrote:I actually dont know what to make out of GMAC ways here.

Some places people are getting (no tech background whatsoever) quant scores up above 40Q easily and at some places it is bringing down to abysmally low levels.

I just wish there was some transparency in whether their software is actually up to date in various locations.In my location GMAT is hardly given, and I have more doubts as to how much it is regularly upgraded or is it just a center to collect money.

Obviously unless and until GMAC doest face any real competition (like SAT had with ACT's) it will continue to do with these kinds of up and downs in its markings.

Aslan, I am surprised with your note of GMAT upgrades... As an engineer who is expected to delve into basic e-world elements, you could understand that GMAC is not administering the test-it's PVue. The test is placed on a global server by GMAC, but PVue settles the test admin in different parts of the world through its representatives.

Why would GMAC have competitors? GMAC is the institute to hold the knowledge body content as American Institute of Public Accountants (AICPA) or the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts (I-CFA)

PVue is not responsible for the GMAC's soft performance as a tool in assessment of the test taker abilities.

The direct question which must be asked of GMAC is 'How it comes possible to scale the scores with such varying degree of skewness?"

A guy scored 49-51 in Quant with the GMAT Prep! He had never practiced the GMAT content under CAT conditions prescribed by the testing institution -GMAC.

You and me can score 51 and experience the drop-down yet. But not him, provided the sincerity of his claims.

I start having doubts about the GMAC soft, as one may be corrupt. Many reasons may persist -worms, as the test is carried with the cyber-soft; improper algorithm installed into the soft; etc.

Unfortunately, as the test takers we might be affected. None of us could prove the GMAC soft working not properly, until we took the test again and achieved different results. This way we could probe manifesting the GMAC.

@Night reader:Sorry about the mistake there...I always mix them up....You are right.It is Pearson VUE and not GMAC.

The GMAC actually had taken the test from ETS (who administers GRE) and gave to Pearson VUE. GMAC is actually holding an alliance of all MBA institutes, but according to recent reports from my brother (who happens to teach at a univ in US)...GRE is trying hard to make inroads into B-school after it lost its business and most of the ivy leagues are leveraging on both.Reason also that GRE is changing its 'whole' pattern in 2011 to make it more B-school friendly.

Regardless of bugs, Pearson VUE sucks here in my location..honestly I don't like to speak about malpractice this often , but on standardized test if you give a pen/sheet in time of 2-3 mins, when one even starts to look in the camera above with one hand raised (whether its even working!), then it actually makes the mess out of the whole 'test' thing...and no comments on their dilapidated machines and water markers!

You guys are bang on.

While taking GMAT I got extremely hard quant questions after 20th question [as hard as 700-800 MGMAT CAT] questions back to back.I guessed 3-4 questions at random [as a strategy to not screw up in the end],but even then I kept on getting insanely hard questions.It felt like I was bombarded with MGMAT 700-800 questions and asked to solve them in 2 minutes.
If it weren't for that hardcore practice of MGMAT CATs [ got Q51 3 times in a row on MGMAT cat],I would have been decimated at the test center.

Furthermore,I was totally exhausted after doing quant [even more than I get after doing MGMAT CAT],but here,the advantage of doing super hard LSAT RC and CR questions really helped.I can solve,with 90% accuracy mind you,all GMAT CR and RC questions with my brain working at 10% throughput.I know that,because of crazy quant,I totally screwed up SC,but CR and RC saved the day for me [ I got 5 highlighted text questions 2 weakeners 1 assumption question and 3-4 inference questions on RC!].So my RC section was basically a CR section!

After all that hard work [ I used to touch 730-750 on MGMAT cats under timed conditions and 760-770 on GMATPrep] I scored a 720 on GMAT.So you can say I underscored 20-40 points than I could have.

Some people are lucky in that they score 760's 770's on GMAT after putting in much less effort than I [ I have seen many people score 680-690 on Mocks and get 730-750 on real deal],but I know that I am NOT.

If it weren't for the hard work,I wouldn't even have got a 720 on GMAT.I am a guy who scored 100% marks at calculus level math at degree level and I got 49 on real deal! [ I know GMAT math is totally different from that math but still!].

I do believe that some people who are way more capable still get less than what they deserve.But this is how life goes.Some win some loose.

Anyway,that is how luck always pans out for me.

I am applying to some MFE [Masters in Financial Engg.] programs.Let us see whether luck favors me.Knowing my luck,I am hoping for the best ,but I will prepare for the worst!