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I just BOMBED The GMAT!

by czechchamp » Tue Jul 22, 2008 5:57 am
I took the GMAT yesterday morning and managed incredible 600 :roll: (Q42, V31 with AWA: 4)

Background: I studied for approximately 4 months and took MGMAT online course (good experience). My GMATPrep CAT's in the last week were as follows:
GMAT Prep 1 > 640 (Q43, V35)
GMAT Prep 2 > 640 (Q42, V38)
- reinstalled the software and worked on timing -
GMAT Prep 3 > 710 (Q44, V42)
GMAT Prep 4 > 710 (Q44, V44)
MGMAT CAT 6 > 690 (Q42, V41)

I took the last CAT on Saturday, 2 days before the real thing. I took it at the same time my real test was scheduled for, wrote the essays, did the whole nine yards including breaks. There were absolutely no repeated questions. Scored 690, felt good about it and confident to take the exam.

On Monday, I went to the testing center, signed up, everything went smoothly. I felt confident (keep in mind my target score was 680-690) and wrote decent essays. Took the optional break and started with math. I didn't feel great about the Quant section so before Verbal I decided to focus more on it and gain some ground lost in math. As I was working on Verbal section I felt that I was doing well, my gut feeling was telling me that I'm on track. Finished the exam, still pretty calmed and received my score of 600! With 58th percentile in Verbal!!! :evil:

I actually felt that I did good in Verbal and slipped out in math, but my math score is spot on with all of my previous CAT's (42-44); however, I do not think I EVER scored this low in Verbal! I was scoring consistently 90th + percentile in Verbal....I have no clue what went wrong, even reflecting back @ the exam I can't really see any reason behind such a pathetic Verbal score.....

So here I am, dazed and confused. :? Obviously, I will not be able to review the results so I will be forever puzzled why I messed up so much in Verbal. I will retake 4-5 weeks later; however, could anyone provide me with a good suggestions in regard to Verbal bible? Something that I could go over so that this would not happen again? Btw, I used all of the MGMAT resources, covered OG11 + Verbal Review etc. So I need an advise on a new Verbal study material.

Any takes on what possibly went wrong? I feel like such a dumb a$$ :x I lost faith in all of the CAT prep tests (I'm not saying that they are not accurate but I can't explain how could I manage only 58th percentile after decent scores in Prep Tests....)

Any feedback greatly appreciated, sorry for the lengthy post.
Last edited by czechchamp on Mon Aug 04, 2008 8:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Exact experience...

by matg800 » Tue Jul 22, 2008 11:24 am
I had exactly the same experience....bro. Felt maths was a bit tough...but guessed a few and went on. Verbal felt very easy and smoothly sailed thru...but to my SHOCKKK>....landed with 48Q and 25V @ 600 I have never even in my first practice test got such a low verbal score....!

I scored 690,710,660,750 in GMAT Prep.

I dont even know what went wrong......! Am dazed and lost....and clueles...!
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by theromfinder » Tue Jul 22, 2008 1:26 pm
That is a little too scary. I just took the GMAT for the first time 2 hours ago.

Score: 600

KAPLAN CAT1: 660
KAPLAN CAT2: 680
ULTIMATE PRAC TEST: 640

MBA GMAT PRAC1: 710
MBA GMAT PRAC2: 680
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by theromfinder » Tue Jul 22, 2008 1:29 pm
Also, I sucked hardcore in Verbal -- 58% on the real thing.

In fact, our percentile scores for Quant and Verbal were exactly the same.

My verbal percentile range with Kaplan was about 90-99%.

Interesting.
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by theromfinder » Tue Jul 22, 2008 1:29 pm
Also, I sucked hardcore in Verbal -- 58% on the real thing.

In fact, our percentile scores for Quant and Verbal were exactly the same.

My verbal percentile range with Kaplan was about 90-99%.

Interesting.
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by svaradhan » Tue Jul 22, 2008 5:07 pm
Hey, I had the same experience too when I took my GMAT on 11th July. I scored pretty okay in all my practice tests. But in the real test I got 25 and that pulled my score really low. I don't know if it is a coincidence for ll of us or the tests are really set that way. But I did get psyched with first few questions in Verbal and I think that is the reason for my horrible score in Verbal.
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by Prasanna » Tue Jul 22, 2008 5:46 pm
czechchamp

I can understand the frustration you must be going through. Dont take it personally, it is not going to help you much.

Talking about your GMAT prep scores, I have seen experts stating in this forum that GMAT prep has a score variance of 50 points. Your first two test scores fall within this variance range. When you reinstall the test you would probably have known some of the questions from earlier test. IMO MGMAT exams are a very good prep tool but not as good as GMAT prep in resembling the actual scoring mechanism.

You have already covered good amount of prep material. You need to focus on the verbal part. If you have quality information from your prep, you could start from there and identify the areas you need to work on. I might sound very simple but there is no short cut that I can suggest you. MGMAT SC guide is a good book refresh. You might buy new prep material if that would satisy you, but the drill would be the same. You need to identify and strengthen your verbal skills.

Wish you good luck

Prasanna
Wish you good luck
Prasanna

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by czechchamp » Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:42 pm
Prasanna wrote:czechchamp

I can understand the frustration you must be going through. Dont take it personally, it is not going to help you much.

Talking about your GMAT prep scores, I have seen experts stating in this forum that GMAT prep has a score variance of 50 points. Your first two test scores fall within this variance range. When you reinstall the test you would probably have known some of the questions from earlier test. IMO MGMAT exams are a very good prep tool but not as good as GMAT prep in resembling the actual scoring mechanism.

You have already covered good amount of prep material. You need to focus on the verbal part. If you have quality information from your prep, you could start from there and identify the areas you need to work on. I might sound very simple but there is no short cut that I can suggest you. MGMAT SC guide is a good book refresh. You might buy new prep material if that would satisy you, but the drill would be the same. You need to identify and strengthen your verbal skills.

Wish you good luck

Prasanna
Thank you for your response.

I had few days to think about my situation. Looking back at the exam I must say that the real GMAT questions (Verbal section) were little tougher than what am I used to from GMATPrep and MGMAT CATs.

For instance, in CR sections of MGMAT and GMATPrep CATs I was able to recognize the assumption behind the argument, and there were really only 2, and more you analyzed the conclusion at hand, only 1 answer choice left that could work for the particular problem. However, in the real test, after I analyzed the conclusion, it seemed to me that there was a toss-up among 3 answer choices that depending on what angle you took while looking at the argument, different assumptions could be used to support it. I was puzzled by it. I seriously did not know which one to choose and more than likely missed the question.

Same thing in SC, the idioms were much harder to pick up than in the Prep CATs that I took. So either the Prep tests are not accurate at all (too easy), or GMAC just recently toughen up the GMAT's verbal section.... :?:

Or I don't know what I'm talking about..which is probably the case.

Well I'm going to take the weekend off and get back to studying next week. It's lovely feeling when you put your entire life on hold just so that you can concentrate on GMAT....

What can I say, I love it :roll:
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by Mclaughlin » Thu Jul 31, 2008 10:47 pm
Same thing happened to me, I dont even know where to find resource material to help with the verbal since I finished all of the OG stuff and the Verbal on the test was like nothing I had seen before! insanely difficult. Glad i'm not the only one.
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by bbuisson » Fri Aug 01, 2008 9:07 am
i feel your pain, i just went from a 40 in verbal to a 34 this past Tuesday. Of cours,e I improved my math, but then dippped my verbal for a grand total of +10 points.

Did the scoretop thing make verbal harder or something? what's the deal!
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by czechchamp » Sat Aug 02, 2008 4:33 pm
Mclaughlin wrote:Same thing happened to me, I dont even know where to find resource material to help with the verbal since I finished all of the OG stuff and the Verbal on the test was like nothing I had seen before! insanely difficult. Glad i'm not the only one.
I know man, I have no clue what to say. I exhausted pretty much all of the "recommended" prep material for verbal. I can go back to it but what good will it do when I feel like I'm understanding the concept, scoring well on prep tests and then...the real thing will be much tougher than what any prep material can prepare me for.... :?
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by czechchamp » Sat Aug 02, 2008 4:36 pm
bbuisson wrote:i feel your pain, i just went from a 40 in verbal to a 34 this past Tuesday. Of cours,e I improved my math, but then dippped my verbal for a grand total of +10 points.

Did the scoretop thing make verbal harder or something? what's the deal!
Who knows, but that's how I felt when I took the test. The verbal was like nothing I've seen before.
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by zagcollins » Sat Aug 02, 2008 7:51 pm
wrote my test yesterday....scored the same as I did in mocks...but surprisingly I maintained my level in Quant & fell in Verbal....Verbal is so damn tuff....BF in the 6th question...3 science paras out of which 2 were massive and dense I couldn't even comprehend them clearly..Had to guess and move on....During the Math section, I thought I performed reall bad but that wasn't the case....So, I was in my socks when I came back for the Verbal section...to my shock, I started the Verbal section 26 secs late :( i thought i performed ok on verbal and better at math....but that was not the case....guys, GMAT has totally upped the level in verbal...need tougher and real dense material..Math was simpler than GPREP..i botched up on it big time as i got tense....everybody has a different tense exp with Quant but verbal, yes, the verdict is unanimous....
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today Aug 2nd...Verbal section killed me

by costicailiescu2005 » Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:53 pm
Same thing happened to me, today 2nd Aug....Unbeliveble...I don`t know if anyone can realize how I feel after I got Q44,V15
I have never scored so low in Verbal...
Here is my debrief...I`m not a native speaker, I`m from Romania, 26 years, female, I speak English for 2 years.

I took the test 6 month ago with no preparation, I knew math was not a problem and all I needed was a 500-550. Unfortunately I got 400 because of Verbal part so I`ve decided to study.

Well after 4 month of study: OG, Manhattan SC, PR....and Cat`s scores between 560(GMATPrep) to 630(MGMAT) I got 490 today when I sit for the real test.

Math was ok I knew I was doing well, but verbal was too hard, RC fragments were hard, some infferences also, assumptions as well.

If anyone has a clue...what happend today is really unbelievable. :?
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by andy9923 » Sun Aug 03, 2008 1:03 am
the same thing happened to me as well. today i scored a 660 on the real test (Q48, V33). last night when i took the GMAT prep i scored a 720 (Q49, V39). even for my kaplan diagnostic test i took a while back i scored a 680. for some reason, my verbal score dropped drastically.

similar to other people's experiences, i too had been doing okay on most of the verbal prep material. Interestingly enough, during the test today i actually had more than enough time to finish my verbal. i suppose the problem i have is that i myself cannot necessarily assess the true difficulty of a question. as a result, i can't always tell if a question is meant to be tricky or not.

i have to say that the test i took today was quite a bit more difficult than the 2 GMAT prep practice tests i took this week. even though GMAT prep software uses an adaptive algorithm (not necessarily the same i understand), in the real test the math section got very hard very quickly. The RC passages in the real test were also longer, with subject matters much harder to grasp.

i am a bit lost right now. i think i will take the test again.
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