1st time test taker, confused by my score

[mappleby285]

Ok so I didn't research here much before taking the GMAT today other than knowing the site existed. I took a few practice tests and read the Peterson's practice book in the month before the test. So now that the test is over I'm confused a bit about how my Unofficial score will change(if at all). I got a Quant 44 (which it is showing as 66 percentile?) and Verbal 41 (somehow that is a 92 percentile) for a combined total of 700. I know they still have to grade the essay questions which show up seperately. Will that change my combined score or is the x/5 just a seperate score and my 700 won't change? Also how is a 44 in the 66 percentile while a 41 is 92nd and that puts me at the 90 percentile overall? Thanks for helping out, just trying to make heads or tails of my score now that I'm done!

[edward.feng]

the AWA score is separate from the math/verbal score out of 800. A quant has a higher raw score to achieve a high percentile, because people do better on quant. 62% + 92% can equal a 90% overall score, because most 90% of the people do worse than those combined scores. It has to do with balance in a sense. For instance an 80%/80% will also give you a 90% overall. Most people don't have as good a quant as verbal or vice versa. So having a decent score on both, could boast you to a higher overall percentage.

[mappleby285]

Thanks, seems like a rather confusing scoring system.

[kevincanspain]

The section scores mean very little when seen in isolation. It is interesting to note that the difference between a top quant score ( q51) and one corresponding to the 80th percentile (47q ) is much smaller than the difference between a top verbal score ( v51) and one corresponding to the 80th percentile (37v). If you have to be exceptionally good in one section and merely above average in the other, it's better to ace the verbal! 700 is a great score. Make sure, however, that the business schools you apply to do not expect a high (47+) quant section score.

[mappleby285]

Make sure, however, that the business schools you apply to do not expect a high (47+) quant section score.

How would I figure that out? The only thing I have seen on any school website so far is the median GMAT score. Also got my official report today with a 6.0 on the AWA. I'm an embarrassment to my fellow engineers doing better on verbal than math. I should be ashamed.