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760 on Official GMAT practice test???

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760 on Official GMAT practice test???

by srfn » Wed Oct 08, 2014 7:22 pm
So I just took my first full-length (as in, with AWA and IR sections as well as the Q AND V sections) practice test this afternoon in anticipation of my test actual that's scheduled for this Saturday. It was a bit more exhausting than I expected it to be - by the last few problems of the verbal section I felt like I was sort of zoning out.

Anyway, as I answered the last question and clicked through the last of the instructional slides, and my score started loading, I was astounded to see that I had scored a 760 (49Q; 44V). This blew me away. My test scores to date (mind you, a couple were Knewton before it was discontinued and a couple were Economist, but they were all at least 45 days apart) had all been between 660-710, so I was expecting to be in that range. I've been studying sort of sporadically for about six months, and have at least been exposed to and practiced what I believe to be every topic covered on the GMAT.

My question for you all is -- was this a complete fluke? Should I not get my hopes up for a 710+ score on Saturday? Or is this official GMAT Prep (the official mba.com software) the most telling practice CAT of all? I would be absolutely ecstatic to score anywhere near a 760.

Thanks!
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by [email protected] » Wed Oct 08, 2014 9:05 pm
Hi srfn,

The score that you earned on this CAT is certainly fantastic, but it's understandable that you might be surprised by it (and even question it). In these last few days before your exam, you should try to think about how you can mirror the mindset that you had during this CAT on Test Day.

As far as the score result is concerned, a full review of the CAT is in order. Look at ALL of the questions (not just the ones that you got wrong) and analyze HOW you got each question correct. How often did you have proof of the correct answer? How often were you choosing an answer based on instinct? Were there any questions that you answered just by guesswork? It's possible that you got some questions correct due to educated guessing (not blind luck, per se, but a little bit of luck). This is not to say that you didn't earn that score, but that score might be a little higher than your natural ability. It's also possible that you're comfortable enough with all the material that you nailed this CAT.

As you've come to realize, a full CAT is a draining experience. As such, you should NOT take any more CATs before Saturday. Instead, stick to light review and practice and try to get enough sleep to be well-rested for Test Day.

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by David@VeritasPrep » Thu Oct 09, 2014 4:27 am
The official GMATPrep practice test is the closest to the actual exam. The question is, did you recognize any of the questions, had you seen them before? Maybe on a forum like this on. If so that may have inflated your score.

Have you visited the location yet? It might be a good idea to do that so that you know how to get there where to park etc. You do not want to have to leave hours early, or worse, be running late on Saturday.

In any case, just do some light practice from now until Saturday. Do what the Olympians do and mentally walk through what you will be doing on the exam. Walk through the essay, picture yourself doing the integrated reasoning, Take that break in your mind, imagine yourself getting distracted on the quant section, how will you refocus?

I would guess that on the actual exam you will get above 710 (perhaps even much higher) but you will have to earn it on test day. You will have to do your best and maintain your focus for hours, as you did with the practice test.

Best of luck on Saturday!
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by srfn » Thu Oct 09, 2014 6:27 am
Guys - firstly, thank you SO MUCH for answering my questions. It's immensely helpful.

David: I did not recognize any of the questions.

Rich: I have not yet reviewed the exam, but plan on doing so, in its entirety, tonight. I was definitely not 100% sure about every answer, and won't he surprised of some of my educated guesswork paid off.

One last question before my test this weekend - how hard is it to take a smoke break between sections? Unfortunately I'm a smoker, and during this practice test I had a cigarette after the IR and after the Q section.

Thanks again!
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by [email protected] » Thu Oct 09, 2014 9:55 am
Hi srfn,

Considering the time it takes to get in and out of the computer lab, you really only have about 7 minutes for your break. Your ability to grab your stuff, get outside, smoke a cigarette and get back inside will depend heavily on the layout of the building. If you have to time before Saturday, I'd suggest that you drive out to the Testing Center to get a feel for the layout - use a timer and walk through the action. While this might seem like a lot of energy to put towards just one detail of Test Day, I've come to find that "surprises/unknowns" on Test Day tend to cause more harm than good. It's better to know now (and make adjustments) than have to ad-lib through Test Day.

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