390 (Q-19 V-23) Horrific. Did I take it too early?

how'd you get a 5.2 on the AWA? I thought it was scored in increments of 0.5.

I got a 5.0 on the AWA part, the 2 was a typo. I recall doing well with about 5 minutes to spare for analysis of an argument but I kinda faltered on analysis of an issue and had about 30 seconds left before I quickly typed something out that I hoped made sense.


Gee no need to be nasty about how horrible I did on the rest of it. Granted there were a few things that really stressed me out before and when I took the test but I didn't think they were valid reasons for having to pay rescheduling fees. But yeah, if I knew it was going to turn out that way I would've sooner used my Xmas money at the Raceway or invested it in a new ipod.

The kicker is I got a 510 on the practice test I took.

Sorry if my comment came across as harsh - I did not mean it that way. I just feel that to schedule a test this important, you should really invest time in thorough preparation. And the fact that you are here shows your seriousness in doing well.

Take a look around at the various success stories and obtain the reccommended materials. With some time and effort, you'll do far better the next time around!
- tsd

I need a better guide for the quantitative/math section. I've been reviewing with GMAT For Dummies and while they offer good strategies for the writing and verbal sections, the math help section is written more for people who recently completed algebra/calculus courses and/or happen to be good at it. I figured I should wait til the end of the year/early next year since I still have a ways off to graduate and I need 2 more math classes to graduate.

But at least I know what kind of writing they want!

I think with more practice you would be able to crack it ! All the best

Don't fret over your score bro. You can do much better than that with the proper strategy in place.

First, call the college and ask them what the average GMAT scores are for students who have been admitted. I think it's better to have a target score to work towards than the ambiguous goal of "just do your best". Of course you want to try your best, but short of perfection having a target score in mind can help you implement a more strategic approach to your prep. The GMAT is just one component of your application. If the average of your school is 600, there's probably no need to spend the extra time working to target a 700. This is even more true if the other components of your application are strong. Furthermore, your target score can help confirm what concepts you should focus on mastering. If your goal is a 600, you're probably better working with OG/Kaplan guides, whereas if you're targeting a 700+, your prep may include Manhattan's guides. With that said, high GMAT scores can help you in terms of receiving financial aid. Again, just call the school and ask. They may not list this information on their Web site, but they tend to be very generous when you take the time to call.



Was this a GMATprep exam? Try not to rely on (or over-analyze) the scores you receive from test prep exams. They're too skewed to be considered reliable. Use GMATprep for a more accurate indicator of your readiness. If this was the score you received on GMATprep than you're probably facing a test anxiety issue or mismanagement of your time.

I hate to be optimistic about your situation, as a 390 clearly isn't a very good score. However, I think this is a great opportunity for you to really improve your score by a lot. The silver lining is that not many people can say they improved their score by 250+ points, and YOU can do that!!!

Study hard, learn the basics (which you are deficient in), and don't allow yourself to be satisfied until you get at least two consecutive 650s on practice tests. The OG is your guide...read every single word in that book until you get sick of the English language.