GMAT Strategy

Hi -

I have been studying for the GMAT for about 2 months. In general, I feel like I don't know how to do any "specific" questions - I generally don't know formulae - and I just "reason" the answer when I do the questions.

I've taken the following:
GMATPrep Test 1: 770 (Verbal 50, Quant 45)
GMATPrep Test 2: 740 (Verbal 44, Quant 49)
GMAT Focus: 42-49 (by the way, much more difficult than the GMAT CAT)
McGraw Hill 2007: 740
GMAT800: 700

My GMAT target is 700. Are these GMATPrep CAT scores a good indicator of my potential performance, or are they bogus? I still feel very uneasy.

Given your scores, it seems you know quite a bit intuitively, even if you haven't formally memorized formulae.

GMATPrep scores are the most accurate available, so you seem to be in good shape.

I agree, it sounds like you're good. In fact, sometimes it's better NOT to know formulae etc. since often best way to do a problem is simply to reason through it. The key to doing really well (let's say, over 95th percentile) is striking the balance between the "official" way of doing problems and the "reasoning through it" way of doing problems.

The first time I took the GMAT, I didn't study and hadn't taken math since high school and I did just fine. If your brain is designed to do well on GMAT problems, which it sounds like yours is, you can do quite well without really having any clue what you're "supposed" to be doing.

Keep prepping and it sounds like you have the potential for 750+. GMAT Prep tests are the most accurate out there.

Nice scores ctimpano. I hope you get your 700 on the test. I wish I could get that even in practice tests!

You hit 50 in verbal in first GMATprep test


isnt it something out of this world :roll:

Dont worry you are already on your way ......ATB

I have a similar question, with a twist!

I started prepping two weeks ago and so far have spent all my time just answering sample Qs in the OG 11th and a Kaplan book that I borrowed from a friend. I downloaded and took the official GMATprep test and scored 760 on both the first and the second sample tests. Then I tried the Kaplan sample test from a CD that came with the book and I got 640 and 680!! So basically unlike the OP who got consistently high scores on all tests, my scores are all over the place. Anyone has any ideas? Thanks in advance!

Oh BTW, my first post

Kaplan scoring algorithm tends to be significantly off. The GMATPrep tests are the best indicator of what your true performance on the test would be.

Yeah, I think Kaplan tries to score you down and low so that you believe you are not good at all and take their classes! Very mean indeed!