GMAT Strategy

Hello everyone,
I have had a long unrewarding journey with GMAT so far. Below is a summary of practice tests and official scores. I have gathered the courage to take the test one more time. I would appreciate any feedback on the following topics:

1. There is a huge difference in my practice test scores and official score - are there other students who have faced similar situation? What can I do to reduce this gap?
I do admit I did not give any test with IR and AWA. In the official tests I scored well on both these sections ( IR 6, AWA 5)

2. I am currently using MGMAT strategy guides and official GMAC prep materials. Are there any other
preparation materials or tests that users here would recommend. I want to leave no stone unturned this time.

Thanks a ton for all your help in advance!

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Date        Name                         Score (Quant, Verbal)
March Official GMAT 640 (45,34)

Sept/17 Official GMAT 590 (44,27)

9/21         GMATPrep-3              700(48, 37)
9/24         Knewton_0                660 (45, 37)
9/27         MGMAT_1                 650(41,37)
10/1         MGMAT_2                 680(46, 37)
10/6         Knewton_1                640 (43,36)
10/9         MGMAT_3                 670(45,36)
10/13       Knewton_2                680(47,35)
10/15       GMATPrep-4            690(47,38)
10/16       Knewton_3                660(46,35)
10/18       MGMAT_4                 Quant = 46, Verbal - not attempted
10/19 GMAT Focus 46-50 ( this test only gives a range)
10/21       Knewton_4                710(49,38)

10/24       Official GMAT            590 (42,29)

Thanks Rich!

Hi everybody!

I'm new in the forum.

I just took the test yesterday for the first time and I experienced the same dreadful disparity between the prep tests and the actual test scores.

My score was 580 (q39 v31).

Here my profile: I'm Italian, not native speaker, degree in Political Science. I started my journey last September with a GMAT Prep Test where I scored 490 (q33 v23) with no prep though.

Then I started to study the official materials (OG, the 2 Reviews) keeping a log of my mistakes, for an average of 3-4 hours a day 6 days a week consistently (I'm having some free time to dedicate to GMAT), for the last three months. I took a CAT test every 2-3 weeks.

Here are my CAT scores:

MGMAT 1: 580 (q37 v33)

MGMAT 2: 570 (q36 v32)

MGMAT 3: 570 (q37 v31)

MGMAT 4: 650 (q40 v38)

MGMAT 5: 620 (q41 v34)

GMAT Prep Test 2: 570 (q33 v34) 10 days prior to the real test

GMAT Prep Test 1-Reinstalled: 640 (q42 v35) 8 days prior to the real test

GMAT Prep Test 2 - Reinstalled: 710 (q47 v40) 5 days prior to the real test

All the CAT tests were taken in the exact exam conditions (all 4 sections, two 8min breaks, no pause button, etc.).

The first improvement in the GMAT CAT 4 came only after 2 full months of study, and only after I bought the CR Powerscore Bible that helped me immensely not only in CR but also in RC and quite surprisingly in SC. Two weeks ago I bought also MGMAT Word Problems, to help me tackle the word problems with which I've always struggled since the beginning. The last two prep tests scores were a little inflated due the repeated questions, but I wouldn't say they went up more than 20 points, since the repeats were limited (3-4 in quant and 8-10 in verbal) and, most of all, I didn't revise the previous tests so I didn't know where my mistakes were.

IN THE TEST DAY: I was pretty confident, I slept well, had a good breakfast, no particularly nervous, I was just eager to get started and to possibly score high. QUANT: I noticed from the beginning of quant section that there were some pretty new kind of questions, in a format that i didn't happen to exprience before (charts, a sort of matrix,..) but I felt I was doing good until half of the section, when I started to have time management problems and I ended rushing the last 7-8 questions. VERBAL: definitely harder than what I encountered in the OG materials, especially the SC questions, that were drawn in a unusual way (quite long and verbose, hard to figure out). Again, rushed the last 4-5 questions, although I was confident I scored well the verbal part, that is definitely my strong one. Once I was finished, I expected to be somewhere between 620 and 670, so when the result appeared I felt quite shocked. Just as in many of the mock tests, I eventually happened to do well where I felt I screwed up, and I did bad where I felt I did good.

CONSIDERATIONS: I'm having an hard time to explain myself why I performed so poorly. I prepared did test in all its details, from the rigorous study (whose results can be gauged by my improvements in the CATs), to the simulations taken in the same exact conditions of the real test, and I didn't have any problems with my nerves. In my last 10 days before the test I improved dramatically my scores in the Prep tests, due to an enhanced confidence in my potential and tons of practice questions done. I was feeling I could read the mind of the GMAT authors while reading the questions. So, besides the fact that it was the real deal held at the test center and now at my home, that mybe could explain a max 10-20 points drop, I can't find any other valuable reason for my performance other than the fact that the real GMAT IS WAY HARDER than any Prep Tests.

What is your opinion on the matter? Has anybody else had the same feeling that I have?

I'm planning to retake it in one month, since I want to apply a few MBA programs starting in September.

What would you suggest me to do at this point to improve my scores?

Thank you in advance for your support!

Thank you Rich for you thorough analysis of my scores.
I agree with you that probably the results in the reinstalled GMAT Prep tests are a bit unrealistic, but it is also true that the repeated questions were limited and I purposely decided not to review any of the Gmat Prep questions in the first place in order to mitigate the inflating effects whether such questions had popped up again.
That being said, I feel that my improvements in the last couple of weeks are real and that my actual range is 600 to 650.
You referred to the study materials that probably wasn't enough GMAT-like. What do you mean exactly? I practiced esclusively on the OG books, that I completed at least two times each. Could you suggest me any other materials on which I can continue my prep?
As per my decision to retake the test in one month, it is due to the fact that I need to submit my applications by end of March at the latest.
In your opinion, what should I do in this month in terms of preparation in order to raise my range by at least 20 points And secure a score of at least 630-640 that is what I need?
Thanks again for your support!

whodareswins -

I think that what Rich means in terms of the study FROM BOOKS not being enough like the GMAT is that using a book is much easier than using the computer for questions. The book is laid flat and the paper on top of it or to the side. The eyes stay at that orientation. It is easy to draw geometry figures, easy to take RC notes, easier with Data Suff statements etc.

Taking the exam on the computer means that the questions are on a vertical orientation while your paper is horizontal (flat) on the desk. This is very different. Your orientation moves up to the screen - down to the paper - up to the screen - over to the mouse - down to the paper, etc.

I wrote an article about how to make this more realistic. It is called "Why the GMAT should be offered on IPad." I mean seriously every 6 year-old in America seems to have an IPad, they are used to place orders at restaurants and GMAC and Pearson cannot get a few of these to use on the GMAT?

Anyway here is the article to help everyone use their books for more realistic practice. https://poetsandquants.com/2012/06/28/wh ... -on-ipads/

Whodareswins -

As to your practice tests: Here is an article I wrote about how to make sure your practice tests are as realistic as possible. Perhaps you are already doing the things I mention.

https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2012/07/ ... tice-tests


Next, you said

QUANT: I noticed from the beginning of quant section that there were some pretty new kind of questions, in a format that i didn't happen to exprience before (charts, a sort of matrix,..) but I felt I was doing good until half of the section, when I started to have time management problems and I ended rushing the last 7-8 questions.

That last part is not a good idea. When you say "rush through the last 7 - 8 questions" I assume you mean that you gave each of them a certain amount of time (like 1 minute) and hurried to try to get to each. That is actually a very bad strategy. It is likely that you missed most of those. Some questions can be done in 1 minute but rushing is always a bad idea on the Quant.

Here is an article where I discuss what to do if you are running out of time on the Quant section:
https://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/12 ... -the-test/

David,

thank you for your precious insights.

I was wondering though, whether the real test, at least in its verbal part, is actually more difficult than any prep test, especially for the SC questions.
I had this clear feeling ever since I started the verbal part of the test.

In my previous 5 prep tests my verbal score averaged 35.3, so I was pretty confident I could at least confirm that score (my actual score turned out to be only 31), since verbal is my strong part and I counted on it to help me raise my total score over 600.
I completed the last section of the OG with almost 90% correct answers, especially for SC and RC where I'm strong, always under time conditions, so I had never thought I could have encountered problems in tackling the questions in the real test. But it happened, so I'm a bit confused on how should I prepare now to get used to the exact questions' format of the real test especially for SC.

On my way to retaking the test, it would be crucial to detect the exact causes of my slip in verbal and operate surgically to get back where I think I belong in terms of score.
I already completed all the official materials, so I really don't know what else should I study, other than re-do all over again the same questions.

Any suggestion would be highly appreciated!