Timing and wrong/right answer choices

[crisprin117]

Have a few questions,

When taking a gmatprep exam I scored a 5 on integrated reasoning although I got 6/12 correct. I triple checked just to make sure because this contradicts how I though the exam would be graded, also checked to make sure that the system registered that I completed the section, which it does. I know that I guessed immediately on one answer choices I got correct. Does the Gmat somehow discount questions that are answered too quickly as guesses?

Also, is the score on the exam somehow tied to the time spent per question in any way, such as taking too long or too short of time on a question? I know MBA.com has stated that guessing questions at the end, even if you get none right, can affect your score negatively moreso than had you answered them incorrect but in a reasonable amount of time.

How does not answering one question in a section affect that sections score?

Just very curious, because it seems that the gmat not only incorporates correct or incorrect data but also time related data to judge your score.

[Jim@StratusPrep]

There is no penalty/disadvantage to answering a question quickly.

As for guessing, it is always to your advantage to guess if you do not know the answer. I think what you are referencing is related more toward timing - you want to give yourself is a shot to get things right.

For IR, you may have an easy question at the end and you want to avoid having to blindly guess.

For the rest of the exam, your questions will get easier as you guess incorrectly, so if you are blindly guessing you may be getting some questions that you are capable of answering, but don't have time to do the work, again hurting your score.

Hope that helps.

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Hi crisprin117,

You've asked about some specific aspects of how the GMAT is scored; here's what you need to know:

1) The number of correct answers is NOT how the GMAT calculates your score; it's actually a mix of a number of factors, including what you get correct/incorrect, when it happens, the "level"/value of the question and if you ran out of time (and didn't answer some questions).

2) The amount of time that you take to answer a question is NOT a factor in the scoring of that question.

3) At the end of a section, if you're low on time, it's BETTER to guess on the questions and answer them all than leave questions unanswered. Any question that is unanswered is marked as incorrect AND is penalized. So, blind guesses are better than nothing - you might still get the question wrong, but you won't receive the extra penalty.

Running out of time and not answering ONE question would not lower your score that much.

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

[crisprin117]

I thought integrated reasoning was calculated by taking the number you get correct out of 12 regardless of difficulty, is that not correct?

Rich,

Could you elaborate on your first point specifically about "when it happens"? I want to know if pacing is considered in evaluating my score, or any other factors similar to this really. Some examples would be greatly appreciated.

[David@VeritasPrep]

I thought integrated reasoning was calculated by taking the number you get correct out of 12 regardless of difficulty, is that not correct?

This is correct. IR is scored based on the number of full questions (there are 12) that you get correct.

I want to know if pacing is considered in evaluating my score, or any other factors similar to this really. Some examples would be greatly appreciated.

Pacing is not considered by the computer when it gives you the score. If you get a question right in 30 seconds or in 5 minutes it is still a correct answer.

I know MBA.com has stated that guessing questions at the end, even if you get none right, can affect your score negatively moreso than had you answered them incorrect but in a reasonable amount of time.

This is not correct. The computer does not care how long you took. What MBA.com actually mentions is guessing at questions versus simply not getting to those questions and therefore leaving the last ones unanswered. What they say is that it is generally better to at least guess as opposed to leaving questions unanswered. This is for the Quant and Verbal. I do not think it matters on IR since that section is about the number that you get correct as discussed above.

Just very curious, because it seems that the gmat not only incorporates correct or incorrect data but also time related data to judge your score.

Just to be clear - the GMAT absolutely does not do this. If you guess a question correctly in 10 seconds you still got it right and there is no penalty.

Hope this clarifies some things for you!

[crisprin117]

Hi,

It would clarify things for me if the gmatprep software was consistent with what you have said. I wouldnt question it normally, but i did recieve an IR score of 5 on gmatprep practice exam when the review of my exam shows I got 6 correct. I thought it had something to do with guessing on of the correct questions. I thought I made a mistake at first in thinking this, then triple checked and checked the individual questions. Its as odd to me as is probably unbelievable to others.

[David@VeritasPrep]

It would clarify things for me if the gmatprep software was consistent with what you have said. I wouldnt question it normally, but i did recieve an IR score of 5 on gmatprep practice exam when the review of my exam shows I got 6 correct. I thought it had something to do with guessing on of the correct questions. I thought I made a mistake at first in thinking this, then triple checked and checked the individual questions. Its as odd to me as is probably unbelievable to others.

I highlighted the relevant portion and I now see where the misunderstanding is.

You say that you got 6 questions right but only received a 5 as your score - as in why did you not receive a 6 since you got 6 right...

The IR section is not scored that way. You score IS based on the number you get right, but the scoring only goes up to 8. A score of 8 is considered the top score and is around the 93rd percentile. So only 7% of people score an 8. They earn that score by getting maybe 11 or 12 questions right. So the score is not the number of questions you get correct.

Like the rest of the GMAT your score is based on your percentile. So a 5 on the IR is the 52% percentile, meaning that you got more questions right than 52% of people. So that is what getting 6 right means, 52% got fewer right than you did.

The reason that I stressed that you score is based on the number you get right is because the IR section is not adaptive. So it is different than the rest of the exam.

Does this clarify?

[crisprin117]

Haha well thanks for clearing up the confusion in no prep courses or books did I hear that the IR score was also scaled. Odd really considering how much i've been studying.

[David@VeritasPrep]

No problem!

It is all a little unclear. Glad I could finally help out!