Tommy Wallach wrote:Hey Challenger,
Just FYI, I can't answer any questions in PM, so if you're interested in my looking at your tests, it'll have to be in public. : )
>> Not a problem. I am so disappointed by the results that I do not care. I wrote in PM because I just though that maybe it is useless to present personal informational such as surname.
Tommy Wallach wrote:
For your issues:
1: It isn't that the GMAT is discriminatory. It's that it's testing your grasp of the English language. In the opinion of GMAC, English is the international language of business, so you are expected to speak it with great skill and fluency. I agree that this isn't fair, but there are international schools that don't require the GMAT. If you want to go to school in an English language spot, you're expected to be strong on the language. As for the rules thing--there aren't all that many rules with the GMAT. I wonder what the heck they're all saying to you! Either way, if you have true fluency, the switching back and forth shouldn't be too hard. If you know the rules, they don't go away after a few minutes of hearing another language. Just keep working, and make sure you're READING as much as possible in English, and speaking as often as possible with native English speakers in English.
>> GMAT discrimination is a topic for long discussion. Although I absolutely agree with your point that it is important to be proficient in English, I tend to disagree with other points and overall conclusion.
For sure, you know the following points but because you are native speaker, you might not feel the following idea.
In my view, GMAT does not test English proficiency. It tests "high order thinking" and understanding specific standard of English for business.
When I say "GMAT is discriminating", I mean overall picture.
First of all, Non-native speakers have to pass not only GMAT but TOEFL and IELTS. So, there is an overlapping in terms of the goals.
Secondly, the standard of English which GMAT tests in some cases is not truly international standard.
The tested standard is overloaded with "heavy rules" which at least international managers tend to avoid.
Personally, I like to master such English nuances as Subject-Verb Inversion, Ellipses or complex long heavy sentences. But in real life I consider those sentences vague. When I read a business article I want to understand the core business meaning rather than to interpreter the meaning from convoluted phrases.
Unfortunately, some academicians think that articles with overloaded heavy grammar seems to be more worthwhile. But they are not. Such grammarian weight just puts obstacles for a reader.
At the end, Business Schools have to teach students by using such inefficient articles, and GMAC has to test potential students with understanding such grammar.
I do not think that under pressure of exam conditions, it is easy for all people to switch between different languages, especially if one wants to score 700+. Logic of different languages is rather different. That is why all instructions in IELTS and some other international exams are only in English. if someone does not think in English during the test or tries to think in his or her language, he or she will fail.
Tommy Wallach wrote:
2: You're suffering under a common misconception about how to do the well on the GMAT. You're saying "Although I can answer them, I can't do in required time." That is an oxymoron. On the GMAT, you have 2 minutes. If you can't do it in 2 minutes, you can't really do it at all. Most people could nail every question given 8 minutes. What you need to realize is that, no matter how good you get, the test will keep adapting (up to a certain extent). Instead of trying to learn to conquer every question, learn to let go of a question that you aren't able to do in time. That's the mark of the true GMAT master; he can let go of questions that are too hard.
Just keep practicing, and make sure you are NEVER doing a question without time constraints. No verbal. No quant. Always with time constraints.
Hope that helps!
-t
>> ok, I will try. Thank you. I can do some question in less than 30 seconds, some questions requires 2-3 min. 8 min. is rather a unique example.
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