Hi there,

Congrats on your many strong scores so far, in the 90th percentile and above! Generally if you are scoring 700+ on Kaplan and GMAT Prep CATs, that indicates you are certainly capable of scoring that on the real exam. The lower scores are either bad days, or due to reasons I mention below. So now the key is just to ensure you are performing your best on test day!

Variations in scores over the course of studying can be from a number of reasons, including:

-As you learn new ways to approach certain question types, it is common for your performance on those question types to initially slow down and even drop, before you perfect those strategies and then see stronger results than your initial attempts.

-Scores can vary due to your psychological mindset or even testing environment on different days—are you taking them in a quiet place while you are focused and rested, or in a loud environment at home when you are tired or distracted?

-Some students don’t take practice tests as seriously as they should and see a performance difference once it is truly test day and they are very focused. Others get very nervous on any test, which affects their scores.

-Some students also have specific strengths or weaknesses they may see more or less of on particular CAT iterations.

-Even the official exams have margins of error and variability which means your score can vary slightly from one day to the next (for example, the GMAT has a +/- 30 point margin of error.)

Beyond that advice, it is important to really analyze the exams (especially those that you scored lower on) to see WHY you score lower. Was it particular topics, question types, or a timing issue? Your Kaplan Smart Reports can help you analyze your performance in detail. That should let you know if there is anything specific you should still be working on.

Good luck on your test!