GMAT Strategy

Quick background. Took official GMAT last October and scored 670 (I forget the exact scores but Quant was 50th percentile and verbal was 95th, for an overall 84th percentile). I was pretty disappointed by this, being that I had studied with Manhattan Gmat and a tutor for about 4 months pretty seriously, focusing mainly on Quant. I figured that it was just a bad combo of nerves/timing, so I knew I would retake eventually.

After the test I started a new demanding job, moved, and found myself knowing that I would need to approach my retake. Still feeling dejected and pretty clueless regarding how to improve my score when I had killed myself the first time around, I decided to try a new program out. So, I went with Knewton, mostly due to reading favorable reviews on this site and also the 50+ plus score improvement guarantee. I started the program about 2 months ago and was hit with my first blow: 550 on the diagnostic (35Q, 32V). Deciding that maybe the lay out of these tests was different than I was used to (and maybe I was a bit rusty), I worked through the program.

I work a lot of hours... so I've been trying to knock through the program by doing about 2.5hrs every week night and about 5 hours each on Saturday and Sunday. Despite feeling overall "good" while I'm completing HWs and Lessons, rarely scoring below 85% accuracy, my practice tests have ROYALLY sucked.
Here is my breakdown, following the diagnostic: (600, 41Q 32V; 600, 37Q 37V; 580, 35Q 37V). I just completed the third CAT, and I'm pretty much ready to jump out a window.

On my very FIRST GMAT Prep CAT about 2 yrs ago before I even knew how DS really worked, I scored a 530. All through my Manhattan GMAT CATs my first time around I scored between 650 - 720. I understand that maybe I'm a bit "rusty" this time around but really? I'm back in the 5s? Is it me, is it Knewton? Is it some awful combination of the two?

My exam is in exactly 2 weeks. I guess I need a last minute hardcore cram approach - though the word "cram" feels like a bad joke given all the time, energy and money I've invested in this process over the last 2 years. I was originally targeting 720+ given my history, but after these CATs I'm wondering if I will even break 6?!

Please, experts, anyone out there give me advice on what to do these next 2 weeks. I can go back and re-do all the Knewton HWs, extra quizzes, etc. I can re-do my Manhattan CATs. I can work through OG. I can do some crazy mixture of all of these things. All I know is that if I don't improve from 670 (even a little bit!) I will be extremely disappointed and embarrassed. HELP!

Thank you,
Lindsey

Hello Lindsey - Knewton CATs are just reworded questions from OG/GMATPrep. I would be cautious. I recently took the GMAT. I have to say that the real exam was much more difficult. I have scored in my 700s on the Knewton. However, I could only score 650.

I think that you will definitely score above 650. Trust me.

Thanks

I just got back from my first real GMAT and scored a dismal 610. MGMAT's 6 CATS ranged from 530 (the first diag one) to my latest of 680. GMATPrep the night before said 640.. I'm pretty bummed.

Keep us posted on our actual score! Good luck!!

Okay kids.. something is amiss. Yesterday morning I took my 5th Knewton CAT and scored a dismal 570 (38Q/32V). I chose to literally just let it go and not obsess about it. Today I wokeup early and had coffee, and was ready to conquer another test. I took GMATPrep test 1 which I haven't taken since my very first ever diagnostic test over a year ago, so I was not afraid of repeating Qs or anything like that. I was literally SHOCKED to see this score at the end: 720 (47Q, 42V). WHAT!

I am trying not to get too excited. On the one hand, 720 is more in line with the score I feel I deserve after hours upon hours of Quant studying. On the other hand, what if it is a fluke resulting from lucky guessing? I truly feel something is wrong with the Knewton tests. Even on a bad day, there is no reason why after scoring 670 on the REAL Gmat, and going through the entire Knewton Course (I had used Manhattan for the first go round) that I would even be in the 5s, for any practice test.

My official test is on June 2nd. So I have a few more days to take some tests, review, etc. Any suggestions for keeping my confidence high? Take GMAT Prep a few more times? etc.

Lisa,

Even I had issues with Knewton scoring. Everyone says quant is a little weird in knewton but I had issues with verbal scoring as well. But the difference you are posting is huge. I mean 570 on knewton and720 on GMAT prep.

I had a 570 on my knewton diagnostic. My other knewton test scores ranged from 670-690. My last test knewton test score (after the course) was 670 and the GMATprep right after the course was 720. So about a 30-50 point discrepancy.

I guess GMATprep is the real deal, the rest are just what they are - practice tests!

All the best!

Figured I would provide an update to my story for anyone who is interested.

I took the real GMAT on Saturday and scored a dismal 620. So, that means my retake score is 50 points lower than my initial score. I can't really explain why this happened, as I was testing between 690-720 on GMAT Prep the week before the exam. Perhaps my test anxiety is worse than I thought.

I think I will be taking some time off from GMAT. I believe the stress surrounding the test really affected my abilities and eventually led to my dismal performance. It's truly disheartening to think of all the time, energy and money spent on this process, not just for the first attempt, but for the second attempt as well. I do think Knewton is a decent program, and throughout the course I performed pretty well in all the classes and quizzes. I still believe the scoring on their tests was not accurate. If anything, consistently scoring in the high 5s really shook me and messed with my head. It was only when I began scoring high 6s, low 7s in the GMAT prep that I was able to believe in myself again. By then, I guess it was too late.

Good luck to everyone else.