GMAT Strategy

When I took the test, the pen was really poor. I had to press it down hard to make a mark, and even when it did put some ink down, it wasn't a thick black color, it was a watered down grey. Furthermore, if I didn't recap it after each question, it would take a few strokes on the next use to get something to show.

I thought my pen was jacked up, so I requested a new one. The proctor pulled out a new pen and tested it on a blank pad, experiencing the same thing I described above. At first I thought to myself, "oh, they're going to get me a better pen than this." But to my surprise, they handed it over as if that was how the pen was suppose to perform.

During the test, not having a good pen made the test a lot harder. Math problems were a chore, especially the hard ones.

Is this how the pens usually are? I wasn't sure if the proctor didn't like me (note: I kind of got on their bad side before starting the test ... long story) or if this was how the pens usually work.

Wow that's scary!! Can someone else confirm if the GMAT pens are easy to use?

I agree. The pens aren't the best. I suggest getting a set and a pad to practice with

It takes a bit of getting use to. You should do some of your practice CATs with an erasable noteboard and a fine black Staedtler pen.

Also, you can ask the test center to give you two pens at the beginning. Most will be ok with that. The pens are re-used until they run out of ink and you don't want that happening when you're in the last 3 minutes of the quant section.

Thanks for the advice canada_sms.

they use the fine staedtler pens?

Yes. Something like this only in black.

https://www.staedtler.com/Lumocolor_non_ ... .Staedtler

I called GMAC to understand how their pens are supposed to perform. They stated that the pen should be easy to write with and should create a solid black mark. They said that if you are still not provided a suitable pen after asking for a new one, then report the matter to the testing administrator who is on-site at the testing center.

Just an FYI in case anyone encounters my same situation.

I know it seems silly but it really can affect your score. Typically, I use a sharpened pencil on regular notebook paper. During the quantitative section, I write out all the problems in a systematic and neat format. Using the marker with erasable notepad affected me was really annoying. My writing was a bit fatter...not clean, and this forced some of the work to get jumbled together....it gets really confusing during the harder questions when you have a good deal of arithmetic to do.


I wish they would give you a standard notebook with 15 pieces of paper and a few sharpened pencils. At the end of the test, they can collect your notebook and make sure that 15 pieces remain (to ensure you didnt steal and copy official questions). Considering you get charged $250 to take the test, I would imagine $5 of that fee could be invested into paper and pencils.


Also keep in mind, that you have to get fingerprinted, id'd, when you go in and out of the room. Its like CIA clearance...lol. So why not just provide paper and make sure nothing is taken out? Why do we have to work with poor markers and erasable notepads?

^

I couldn't agree with you more. Why are the noteboards necessary? What would be wrong with a pad of numbered paper that the administrators could later look over to make sure no sheets were missing?

They do sell a mock noteboard that is very similar to the one on test day
https://www.testdayscratch.com/

The only dry erase markers I have at home are the thick ones you use on a whiteboard, so that is what I practised with. When it came to the actual GMAT it was actually kinda easier than practise because the pen was much finer. Also, my administrator was very nice and gave me two pens to start out with. They can start to dry out so its nice to be able to rotate. She was also very quick to give me a new noteboard when I signalled for one.

My Kaplan guide said that the pens were not designed to erase and that you should just start over if you make a mistake, but I found that I was able to smudge stuff off with my finger. I tend to make errors when cross multiplying and long dividing (in real life I use a calculator)