Need Help!!! GMAC Practice Test Question

[jsmergy00]

I just took the two GMAC official practice tests and got a very strange result... I'm hoping someone can help explain---

Background
I am taking the GMAT this Saturday, November 20th and have been preparing hard for the past 4 months. On the last 5 practice tests (4 MGMAT, 1 Kaplan), I've scored between 700-720.

What Happened
Yesterday I took the GMAC Practice Test One and scored a 760 (49Q,47V). I crushed it! I missed 12 quant and only 3 verbal. Today I took the GMAC Practice test Two and scored a 620 (37q,38v)! This time I missed 12 quant (missing 5 in a row early on) and 9 verbal. I can't beleive that the most accurate indicator of my test day experience has a 140 point variance in 1 day.


It goes without saying I am having an emotional breakdown! Has anyone else experienced this or can any experts shine some light as to what happened and let me know how I should prepare over the next 3 days?

Thanks in advance!!!

[Brian@VeritasPrep]

Hey, jsmergy:

Honestly, I think your situation is pretty understandable. Taking a full-length practice test is a pretty energy-consuming task, so taking them on back-to-back days almost has to have an effect on the second test. And your results tend to indicate that fatigue - whether noticeable to you or not - had an impact. Your second test, at least in terms of % correct, was much lower on the verbal side, when you'd be most worn down.

I'm not sure where you're located, but you posted this at 7:30pm Eastern, so I'd say it's fairly likely that you took two tests within 24 hours...I can't see that NOT having an impact on your ability to focus. Even if it's only for peace-of-mind reasons, I'd say that you can chalk a lot of this one up to the fact that two tests in that limited span of time is just going to wear you down mentally and affect your concentration.


Over the next few days, then:

1) Relax, especially in the 24 hours leading up to the test. Let your mind be sharp and fresh!

2) Look back at the mistakes that you did make when you were fatigued on that second test and make sure that you're aware of them; they're probably good indicators of the kinds of mistakes you'll make when you're not 100% dialed in, so you'll want to be ready to catch them on the test if you do get pressed for time or start to wane a little bit in focus.


You can't fake your 700-760 trend on that many tests, so the 620 is the outlier. On the plus side, you got your worst-case scenario out of the way!

Good luck this weekend!