Zigzagging scores

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combo: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 10; Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:27 am; Location: london; GMAT Score:620

by combo » Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:00 pm

Hello guys

In the MGMAT CATs - I scored 570 in the 1st test of the 6 test series. By the 4th test, my score was upto 650. I was pumped up. And then...

5th CAT 630
6th and final CAT 620....but also

GMATPrep 660 M 74% V 84%

Now I`m wondering what going on. Am I losing focus ? I have been preparing for 2months now - quite hard, as well as doing a full time job and having a 3 month old baby. My exam is now in 2 weeks exactly 30th Sept - oh sugar....

The problem is I`m trying to hit 700. In maths I might have hit a ceiling but believe high 70% is within my reach. In verbal - I have scored as high as 89% in the MGMAT CATs - but cannot find that form back - keep getting stuck at 70-77%ile.

Using MGMAT startegy guides/ all the OG books / Kaplan 800 - thats it.

I wonder if I am suffering from GMATitis , also known as GMAT fatigue syndrome. A long holiday and admission to Columbia is the normal cure.

Apart from that - any other remedies for zigzagging scorelines ?
Thanks
Combo.

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Source: Beat The GMAT — GMAT Strategy | Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:00 pm

combo: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 10; Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:27 am; Location: london; GMAT Score:620

by combo » Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:35 pm

No takers ? Surely some of you have been in the same boat.

Do I continue with the tests ?
Thanks for any hints.
Combo.

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VP_Jim: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 1223; Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 3:29 pmFollowed by: 15 members; Location: Los Angeles, CA; Thanked: 185 times

by VP_Jim » Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:28 am

This is common - some tests are harder than others, you might've gotten a bad mix of questions, you might've had a bad day, etc. Be confident in the knowledge that your scores are trending up, and your most recent test was the highest. I wouldn't worry about it - just keep studying and try to hit that 700.

Jim S. | GMAT Instructor | Veritas Prep

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jsl: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 203; Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:01 am; Location: Windsor; Thanked: 5 times; GMAT Score:650

by jsl » Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:51 am

VP_Jim wrote:This is common - some tests are harder than others, you might've gotten a bad mix of questions, you might've had a bad day, etc. Be confident in the knowledge that your scores are trending up, and your most recent test was the highest. I wouldn't worry about it - just keep studying and try to hit that 700.

Hi Jim!

Once one reaches the magic 700, as I recently did on a Kaplan CAT, what should one do? Are you implying that people who hit that score are generally ready to go for the actual test?

I was planning to keep taking my remaining MGMAT CATs until I run out; I am hoping the scores will straddle the 700 mark and the actual test on the day will come above that. However, I just don't know when to "take" the test... I know that one generally never feels ready but I'm just trying to increase the probability of my getting a high score!

I think I could keep studying for a while longer focusing on the GMATPrep software and OG book.

Any advice would be great!
Jon

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VP_Jim: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 1223; Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 3:29 pmFollowed by: 15 members; Location: Los Angeles, CA; Thanked: 185 times

by VP_Jim » Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:58 am

Well, if you scored a 700 on a practice exam, there's a pretty good chance you'll do well on the real thing. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean you'll get 700+, but you're virtually guaranteed of scoring above, say 600, and most likely above 650.

Obviously, the probability of getting a high score increases the more one studies. So, if you wouldn't be satisfied with a 650, you should keep on studying. If you would be satisfied with a 650, once you've scored 700 on a practice test you can probably go ahead and take the real thing.

If you have the time and the motivation, you should probably keep studying and taking a few more practice exams.

Jim S. | GMAT Instructor | Veritas Prep

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combo: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 10; Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:27 am; Location: london; GMAT Score:620

by combo » Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:49 am

hi JSL

Last time, I was getting 680s in my practice Kaplan tests, online. I did the kaplan course. I though getting above 650 in the real thing was a sure thing.
But i got 620. I was aghast - but then 1 SD of gmat scores is 30 points.

Bottomline - the number of tests you do is not a large enough sample to get draw any conclusions. If you do 40 online tests, sure - go ahead and make your own SDs and mean etc. But scoring 700 dont mean a thing otherwise. YOu could easily get 670 in the real thing, maybe even worse of you are overconfident. Be careful !
And good luck ! My test is on the 30th Sept - scored a 710 in gmatprep today but knew 4 of the cr questions.
Yrs
Combo.

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tngearhart: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 50; Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:41 pmFollowed by: 1 member; Thanked: 2 times

by tngearhart » Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:49 pm

your scores are encouraging.

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