Hi,
I had been preparing for GMAT for 3-4 months. I gave many mock tests and prepared a lot from multiple sources.I completed OG 13th edition, read Manhattan SC study guide, did almost all 1000 SC questions, completed Advanced Quant Manhattan, read a lot of ebooks and pdf on different materials that I had and read a lot many things from this site. I gave the following tests and following were the scores I got in every mock test.
GMAT Prep 1---720 (Q:50, V:38)
GMAT Prep 2---720(Q:50, V:37)
Veritas Free Test---710 (Q:48, V:38)
Kaplan Free Test---730(Q:98%, V:66%)
Economist GMAT Tutor Free Test---700 (Q:49, V: 35)
GMAT Pill Free Test---690(Q:49, V:33)
Manhattan 6 practice tests--- 630, 650, 680, 690, 720, 750 (the last 2 I gave just 2 weeks before my preparation).
I gave my GMAT yesterday. This was my first attempt and I was pretty confident that I would score well as my preparation was quite good. My AWA, IR and quant section went well and I was happy with my time management and performance.
I couldn't solve the first verbal question (SC question) and marked a guess. After that, something happened and I lost confidence on every verbal question I was attempting. After my test, when the score came, I was shocked and left devastated. I scored a meager 620 (Q:50, V:25). I have never scored such a low score in any of my practice tests. I got 630 and 650 in first manhattan tests during the times when I had just started my preparation, but never had I scored so low after that. I couldn't believe my score after the level of effort I have put in and the level I achieved in the mock tests.
I am now a bit skeptic and totally confused about what happened and how to tackle this situation as I really want to go to a good business school.
My biggest fear is that even if I am able to score well in my next attempts, would this score remain a blemish on my admission processes??
My GPA is 4 and I have been working for the past almost 2 years.
I would be really obliged if the experts would comment on these fears and if they could help me.
Please if the experts would guide me how to plan for my next GMAT.
Thanks a lot in advance!!
When should I retake the GMAT exam
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- Bill@VeritasPrep
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Did you take your practice tests in a realistic fashion? All 4 sections, 8 minute breaks?
I've seen performance drop like that in the verbal section because people weren't preparing appropriately (only doing the quant and verbal sections, usually).
I've seen performance drop like that in the verbal section because people weren't preparing appropriately (only doing the quant and verbal sections, usually).
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First of all let me get this reassurance to you immediately -- this score will NOT be any sort of blemish on your application. If you score higher on a subsequent exam this one will basically be forgotten. I have it from a former admissions officers at HBS that they like people to retake the exam. She said basically, "if you score is below our median score why wouldn't you try to score better? It shows that you really want to go to business school."
That is not to say that they would turn someone away just because that person scored a 750 on the first attempt, but it does not hurt you to take the exam multiple times UNLESS you take it several times with no improvement.
So rest easy you have not done any permanent damage. Re-group and score higher next time and all will be well!
That is not to say that they would turn someone away just because that person scored a 750 on the first attempt, but it does not hurt you to take the exam multiple times UNLESS you take it several times with no improvement.
So rest easy you have not done any permanent damage. Re-group and score higher next time and all will be well!
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As to how to improve, it is clear that your verbal score decreased considerably on the actual exam. This is something that my fellow BTG expert Lunar Power (Ron) has talked about. If I remember correctly Ron says that particularly on the verbal side people make gains in practice tests that can turn out to be illusions when the actual test comes around.
I am not sure if he said this next thing as well, but I am saying it, it may be that you have "learned" the official questions that are released by GMAC and that so many other practice questions are based on. In other words, you possibly became very comfortable with the types of questions on the practice exams and in the Official Guide books and when the actual exam was just a little different you got lost. That is what I get from your statement:
I am not sure if he said this next thing as well, but I am saying it, it may be that you have "learned" the official questions that are released by GMAC and that so many other practice questions are based on. In other words, you possibly became very comfortable with the types of questions on the practice exams and in the Official Guide books and when the actual exam was just a little different you got lost. That is what I get from your statement:
As to the way forward: you need to be very careful that you are understanding problems on the verbal side as you solve them and not simply very comfortable with things that you have seen before. You may need to do some questions that are out of your comfort zone. Maybe some LSAT CR and RC - just to get something that is unfamiliar and more difficult?? Whatever you do be very wary that you might be solving verbal based on being very comfortable with the familiar things that are in common between so many practice materials from most sources - things that might not be quite the same on the exam. The exam requires you to be flexible and ready for whatever comes.I couldn't solve the first verbal question (SC question) and marked a guess. After that, something happened and I lost confidence on every verbal question I was attempting. After my test, when the score came, I was shocked and left devastated.
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Hi Sukant,
The Verbal score drop that you experienced on Test Day happens to a certain number of Test Takers. The ultimate reason (or reasons) will vary a bit from person to person, but the short answer is that there were aspects about Test Day itself that differed from your practice. You should think about these details, as well as any others that come to mind, before you retake the GMAT:
1) Did you take each practice CAT in its entirety (including the Essay and IR sections)?
2) What time of day and day of the week did you take your practice CATs vs. the time/day you took your GMAT?
3) Were you taking your CATs under "test-like" conditions? Were you doing anything during your practice CATs that didn't "match up" with the actual GMAT?
4) Was there anything physical or psychological that was "off" on Test day? Lack of sleep, feeling sick, skipping breakfast, etc. Did you do anything different, strange or "not normal" the night before the exam?
Once you've defined the difference, you can fix them. The good news is that Business Schools don't care if you take the GMAT more than once, so this experience won't work against your application at all.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
The Verbal score drop that you experienced on Test Day happens to a certain number of Test Takers. The ultimate reason (or reasons) will vary a bit from person to person, but the short answer is that there were aspects about Test Day itself that differed from your practice. You should think about these details, as well as any others that come to mind, before you retake the GMAT:
1) Did you take each practice CAT in its entirety (including the Essay and IR sections)?
2) What time of day and day of the week did you take your practice CATs vs. the time/day you took your GMAT?
3) Were you taking your CATs under "test-like" conditions? Were you doing anything during your practice CATs that didn't "match up" with the actual GMAT?
4) Was there anything physical or psychological that was "off" on Test day? Lack of sleep, feeling sick, skipping breakfast, etc. Did you do anything different, strange or "not normal" the night before the exam?
Once you've defined the difference, you can fix them. The good news is that Business Schools don't care if you take the GMAT more than once, so this experience won't work against your application at all.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich