I just Beat The GMAT!

This might be one of the worst and most unfortunate case for someone who is above average all through his life.........scored a 590(Q 48 V 25) in first attempt on ...just could'nt believe my eyes.....screwd up big time. Iwas scoring consistenetly over 680 in every exam, whether MGMAT OR GMAT PREP (PREP1- 690 & PREP2- 680). So, I decided to retake GMAT with IR just a month after first attempt to blow down my score even further, got a meagre 570 (Q 47 V 21). I am really worried....whether to take GMAT again or just leave my dream as a dream......please help....also if i take it again and score above 650 then what are my chances of getting into a decent B-School.

Hi Buddy

You just give up just because did not get score in 2 attempts? If your stepping back just because you did not get score then that not a good reason , But incase you do have passion for something else and not chasing MBA exposure then there is reason to choose what you really like doing.

figure out a way, do not react with emotions ( i understand mood swings/emotional aspect) But if u want to do MBA then take assistance from personal trainer or identify mistakes, do group preparation or see what works for you.

Hope you enjoy the journey. clear up your mind and be honest to yourself and then decide.Do it with easy and willingness what ever you decide.

Sandhya

sampg, spend a year reading issues of THE ECONOMIST or HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW, re-study all your verbal. Then after one year, polish up on some 700-800 level math problems to be sure.

Then re-take. Score high. Apply.

You are there with the quant, no reason to give up. Spend time studying grammar and taking English lessons, it will pay off.

Hi Sampg,

There are 2 questions here - I am not sure which one you are asking. Are you asking *why* your scores were lower than those in the practice test? Or are you asking if you can ever improve your scores?

The answer to the latter question is "yes" - you just need to analyze your mistakes better.

The answer to the former question requires you to introspect a bit. The test itself has a standard deviation of 30-points. This means a score of 650 can be explained. However the additional "dip" can be due to several factors such as:

1. Did you notice anything different on what you did on the test - opposed to what you did during practice? Like poor time management? During practice we tend to be more relaxed and are okay with guessing some questions. On the test, you can end up getting stuck on one problem that sucks up a lot of your time.

2. Did you take the practice test with the AWA + IR sections? If not, this alone can contribute a lot since the mental fatigue that sets in Verbal is a lot, lot more if you take an extra hour!

3. Did you see any repeats from the OG on the GMATPrep? If yes, how many? Even 3-4 repeats can do you a huge favor. Not only would you get the right but you would also end up saving time.

Net-net, as someone above pointed, don't get emotional Instead focus on where you are going wrong. and what you can do to fix that.

Arun