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Substantially improving GMAT score. Is it really possible?

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Substantially improving GMAT score. Is it really possible?

by Rafetell » Sat Jul 23, 2011 11:42 am
Hi to everyone,
This is the first time I'm posting in this forum and since so far I've read some interesting topics/answers, I would like to place the following into discussion:

Is it true that ETS tracks down the results of everyone who had taken the test and, if he or she takes the exam once again, ETS will try to prevent that person from getting a substantial higher result? I'm raising this question because ETS claims that GMAT is a very reliable exam and if someone takes the exam more than once her result will not significantly differ from the previous one.

My story comes down to this: So to experience what GMAT was really all about, I took the exam and the result, without any kind of preparation, was 510. Then, I put all efforts into my preparation (KAPLAN, Manhattan, Official guide), spent months doing so and found myself between 680 and 710 (GMATPrep CAT1 and CAT2, Kaplan's CAT1 to 4, totaling 6 exams). I went on doing the exam and I was absolutely smashed (530)! How is this possible? The questions that were thrown at me were very suspicious now that I think about it. Later someone told me that I made a big mistake by going unprepared the first time since ETS...

Your thoughts please and thanks in advance,

Rafetell
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by kenji » Sat Jul 23, 2011 12:09 pm
It sounds a little bit weird ( and discomforting to the fact I will sit again for the GMAT next Wednesday)...this forum is full of stories of people raising their score at the second attempt..
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by Brian@VeritasPrep » Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:00 am
Hey Rafetell,

That's an interesting conspiracy theory, but I think it's just as likely as believing that ETS killed Kennedy...

The primary (and really sole) goal of the GMAT is to indicate to business schools which candidates are most likely to succeed both in and after business school. Accordingly, GMAC invests many of its resources to ensure that the test is fairly graded/administered and that its scores have significant relevance to schools. I think the data you're citing is offered in the context of "if the same person takes the GMAT twice in one week, the scores will be within 20-30 points of each other", demonstrating that the test's scoring is quite accurate and certainly not arbitrary.

That is in no way designed to indicate that people cannot improve. If a candidate takes the test cold thinking "I did well on the SAT and the GRE so why wouldn't I do well on the GMAT", struggles with Data Sufficiency, CAT pacing, and other unique elements of the GMAT, and scores significantly lower than expected but then studies for 2-3 months, "clicks" with the test, and hits a high score, why would GMAC and its member schools want to punish that student? That's an excellent candidate! There's really no incentive for the GMAT to try to put a ceiling on your scores after your first attempt, and they simply do not do that.

Big score gains are possible and happen all the time. But they also happen less frequently than one might expect, and that may be another point of the data you've seen; large score increases typically happen when people change their mindset and study regimen. They say that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result; well, that's definitely true of the GMAT. Simply studying more problems, taking more tests, and spending more time won't often lead to a score gain - you need to analyze WHY your score was lower than you'd like, learn the nuances of the test beyond simple content and repetition, and learn to think like the testmaker.
Brian Galvin
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Veritas Prep

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