SurferMBA,
From your score pattern, I feel that you were doing pretty good in your practice tests. Kaplan tests are tough ones. If you have kept 610 and 670 then you should expect more in real GMAT tests. Moreover your GMAT prep tests show that you have consistently scored 690 and 710. So 580 score is on lower side considering all those scores that you have kept your tests. There is a thread in this forum where all those recent test takers have posted their verbal score of V27 despite good performance in their practice tests and real GMAT test. All of them suspecting a probable algorithm bug or something like that in the system. I hope you are not victim of that situation. However I would suggest you to appear for the test again with some good practices.
good luck
I've been watching this forum for a while and wanted to thank everyone for sharing all this great information...
Now to my story. I want to share my GMAT strategy and the score that I received today. I am hoping to receive specific guidance from folks on this forum about how I can improve my test scores. I plan to take it in the next 30 days.
I took the Princeton Review in-class course. I think it helped develop some test taking techniques, but I didnt feel fully prepared. So I bought the Arco, Barrons, Kaplan and
MGMAT books in addition to the OGs I received from PR. I went through each book and did the exercises and problems, including the problems in the OGs.
I was pretty confident and started taking practice tests.
PR 610
PR 690
Kaplan 610
Kaplan 670
Barrons 620
Arco 700
PR 700
GMAT Sample Test 1 690
GMAT Sample Test 2 710
As I started the GMAT today, I was a little nervous since I barely finished my essays in the AWA section. The first question on the math section stumped me. It took me 5 minutes to get going. During the verbal section though I felt really comfortable, until the last few questions when I had to rush. I didnt anticipate doing as badly as I did. I thought I would atleast hit 650 on the test.
I probably need to work hard on the verbal and the inequalities in the Math section, but I went through all the
OG questions, and had trouble with only 5-10% of the questions, which I spent a lot of time revising this week.
Is it just a pacing issue, did the test get super hard or did I have a subconscious melt down? GMAT gurus I seek your wisdom!!!