=( Crushed

[Yvette726]

So I finally gave the GMAT today, after procrastinating and delaying my plans for almost a year. And I got one of the lowest scores of all the practice CATS. (though still in range).

I messed up terribly in the quant section, by the time i got to question# 28, I had 6 or 7 mins left. Then I just guessed all of the rest. At this point, i'm pretty beat up and I am thinking that maybe Bschool/GMAT is just not for me.


I used mostly the OG12/13 to study, plus Manhattan GMAT's guides and used Kaplan's CATS.
How do I pick myself up from this point on? Any advice will be much appreciated.

8/10 - 580 (GMATPrep)
8/17 - 390 (Manhattan GMAT, didn't finish)
8/24 - 670 (Veritas Prep) (Q 47/ V 35)
9/7 - 600 (Kaplan) (Q percentage below 66%/V percentage below 58%)
9/14 - 600 (Kaplan) (Q percentage below 64%/V percentage below 58%)
9/21 - 560 (Kaplan) (Q percentage below 64%/V percentage below 40%)
9/28 - 630 (Kaplan) (Q percentage below 80%/V percentage below 56%)
10/5 - 660 (Kaplan) (Q percentage below 76%/V percentage below 56%)
10/12 - 630 (GMATPrep)
10/19 - 600 (Kaplan) (Q percentage below 71%/V percentage below 83%)
10/25 - Actual GMAT - 590 (L Q36/V34)

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Hi Yvette726,

Many Test Takers take the GMAT more than once (so you're not alone) and Business Schools don't care if you do (so you shouldn't feel too bad about this exam). While you're not happy and you haven't hit your peak yet, you can retake the Test in 31 days and spend the next month continuing to study.

I will say that you should take the weekend OFF and do something fun. You can restart your studies next week.

You've listed your overall practice CAT scores, but what are the Scaled Scores for the Quant and Verbal sections (for each of these CATs)? I'd like to see how your Official Score compares.

You've also assessed one of your major problems: pacing. Knowing about this problem gives you something to focus on when you get back to your studies. Once I know more about your CAT scores, I'll be better able to advise.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

[Yvette726]

Hi Yvette726,

Many Test Takers take the GMAT more than once (so you're not alone) and Business Schools don't care if you do (so you shouldn't feel too bad about this exam). While you're not happy and you haven't hit your peak yet, you can retake the Test in 31 days and spend the next month continuing to study.

I will say that you should take the weekend OFF and do something fun. You can restart your studies next week.

You've listed your overall practice CAT scores, but what are the Scaled Scores for the Quant and Verbal sections (for each of these CATs)? I'd like to see how your Official Score compares.

You've also assessed one of your major problems: pacing. Knowing about this problem gives you something to focus on when you get back to your studies. Once I know more about your CAT scores, I'll be better able to advise.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Thanks Rich, I have added the scores/percentages that I was able to find. But Kaplan doesn't give a scaled score and I really have no idea what those percentages mean. (They don't really make too much sense to me). As for the GMATPrep tests, i accidentally skipped the scoring page both times, so I actually don't know what I got.

I plan on retaking the test by mid to late December but I'm concerned about whether I have enough time to catch up. At this point I feel totally lost.

[Jaixe]

I wouldn't feel crushed by that score Yvette. 590 is still a very good score and above average! Depending on what schools you're looking to apply to, you can certainly be admitted to many masters programs with that score (maybe not a top-20 b-school, but it depends on your goals!).

I must agree with the earlier post though, my hardest issue was pacing, specifically on the quant section. I had so much desire to get every. single. question. right. that I would get absorbed and not at all realize how much time I had taken.

The ONLY way to beat this issue is by practicing tests either with a repeating timer set to 2 minutes and you force yourself to go on when it beeps, practicing practice questions ALWAYS with a timer, or knowing roughly where you are at all times and knowing, if you're more than 2 or 3 minutes behind, you need to skip a question. If you can responsibly and obediently pace yourself internally by just keeping it at the front of your mind, remember that one missed question is better than 8 at the end. It has a HUGE impact on your score if you don't keep the frame of mind that one question doesn't matter, they ALL matter in TOTAL. In fact, just for kicks, try a practice test with 8 "freeby" questions. On these freebies, if you don't get it or know how to answer it within the seconds, choose a random answer and go on. Just try it on a practice test. You might find that it significantly brings up your score because you have time to answer those last 8 questions right

Good luck!!!