Paper and pencil

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prada: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 64; Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 10:55 pm; Thanked: 1 times

by prada » Fri May 20, 2016 3:07 pm

Hey Guys,

Just a quick question. I remember when I did the GMAT a couple years ago I had a bad experience because they forced us to use a plastic sheet and a marker. That smudges the writing and instead of thin writing it was thick smudge. For a test so important as this we can't really afford to make a mistake between o and a or 7 and 1 or 8 and B and 3 or 2 and s. Finally after having spent decades writing with a pen or pencil on paper, why do we have to write on a plastic sheet with a marker?

Thanks

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Ask the Test Maker | Fri May 20, 2016 3:07 pm

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[email protected]: Elite Legendary Member; Posts: 10392; Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pmFollowed by: 511 members; Location: Palo Alto, CA; Thanked: 2867 times; GMAT Score:800

by [email protected] » Sat May 21, 2016 12:36 pm

Hi prada,

In real basic terms, the laminated pad and marker are 'secure' objects that a Test Taker can't fake. With paper, a Test Taker might be able to 'sneak in' notes or other knowledge to help him/her cheat on the Exam. With a laminated pad, that's not really possible. All things being equal though, the pad is pretty big, its pages are double-sided and working with a new/different style of writing implement is a skill that most people should be okay with.

If you're finding it difficult, then you can always purchase a market/pad set so that you can put in the necessary practice time to work effectively in that medium.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Contact Rich at [email protected]

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ceilidh.erickson: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 2095; Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 3:22 pmFollowed by: 247 members; Thanked: 1443 times

by ceilidh.erickson » Sat May 21, 2016 12:46 pm

Rich is exactly right. It's annoying for test-takers (especially left-handed ones), but understandable from GMAC's perspective.

Manhattan Prep sells a practice one if you'd like to get used to using it: https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/stor ... nd-marker/

Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education

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