how do I calculate scaled scores for paper based tests?

[rangerguy2000]

Hi ppl... ive just started preparing for the GMAT.. just wanted to know how do u calculate scaled scores for quan and verbal sections? like ppl saying they got 44 in quan and 45 in verbal? how do u calculate those?

[VP_Jim]

Those scores are based on a computer algorithm that takes into account not only the number of right answers, but also the difficulty of the questions you get right. In other words, there's really no way to tell what your raw score would be without taking a practice CAT. You can get a lot of questions wrong and still score well as long as you're in the "upper bin" material.

[rangerguy2000]

thanks pal... another ques... do u calculate the percentile the same way we do with normal things? like # correct divided by total or is there a diff way that we gotto use?

[VP_Jim]

The percentile does NOT mean the percent you got right or the percent of your raw score out of the maximum possible. To figure out your percentile, you need to refer to a GMAT percentile chart. There should be some in the back of the OG; one for your overall score and one each for verbal and quant percentiles.

[rangerguy2000]

thanks man... ok, i just finished a manhattan paper based test... got 28 correct in quan and 33 in verbal... where would i stand?

[VP_Jim]

Remember - it's the difficulty of the questions you got right that matters. The raw number doesn't mean much. You need to take a CAT. Here's a link to ours to get you started:

https://www.veritasprep.com/gmat-prepara ... tice-GMAT/

[rangerguy2000]

Hey ... just did a GMAT Prep exam.. got Q 47, V 28, overall, 610, hows that possible with the Q so high?

Did the Veritas online free exam yesterday, got Q 43, V 26, overall, 560.. how?

[VP_Jim]

To answer your questions:

1. Yes, your quant score was good. However, the verbal score is what brought it down to 610.

2. There is always going to be a variation in your practice test scores. Think of them as a range rather than as a true score (even the actual GMAT has a margin of error of 30 points). A 50 point swing in practice tests is not at all surprising. Think of your score as "around 600".