Retaking the GMAT

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ufdan: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 7; Joined: Tue Dec 09, 2008 9:09 am; Thanked: 1 times

by ufdan » Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:04 am

I took the gmat in February and scored a 540 (Q32/V32). I used OG11 book and the Math supplement to study with. I scored above average in each section of their diagnostic test except SC, which I was average. In addition, I used the GMAC prep software and scored a 620 (Q39/V35) on test 1 and a 640(Q41/V37) on the second exam.

Is it typical to score lower on the actual exam than the GMAC prep software? I put a lot of pressure on myself to do well and I crammed the night before and the day of, which I've since learned is not a good thing to do.

Practice test results since the actual exam
GMAC1 retake:Q38
GMAC2 retake:Q39
Manhattan :Q42
Kaplan1:30
Kaplan2:30

Any advice on how this practice material correlates to the actual exam would be helpful.

Source: Beat The GMAT — GMAT Strategy | Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:04 am

VP_Jim: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 1223; Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 3:29 pmFollowed by: 15 members; Location: Los Angeles, CA; Thanked: 185 times

by VP_Jim » Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:39 pm

In my experience, the GMAT Prep tests are the best indicators of "true ability". That doesn't necessarily mean you will score what you scored on the GMAT Prep; all it means that is that you COULD.

If your actual test score was significantly lower, some other factor is at play. Perhaps you were nervous. Perhaps you stressed yourself out by studying too much. Perhaps you used a different approach to timing on the actual exam... the list goes on.

Keep working on the basics and have a solid strategy regarding timing etc. before you sit down to take your next GMAT, and your score should reflect the additional work.

Good luck!

Jim S. | GMAT Instructor | Veritas Prep

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