Hi guys, ive been a member of this club since 2005. I have taken the gmat 3 times already and scored a 690 in early 2006. I decided not to go to b-school at the time. Its been almost 4 years since and my gmat is expiring. I was also laid off last year and I am considering applying this year for 2011 entry. With the weak economy and stiff competition, it seems that avg gmat scores have risen the past years. Ive been serious over the past few months, reviewing fundamentals and practicing. The first practice test (gmat prep) i took was 2 weeks ago. I scored a 710 (47M, 40v). I just took another gmat prep test today and scored a 600 (45M, 28v). I want to say that it was an off day but I felt confident going in, and less so the first time. Has anyone experienced this type of fluctuation in the software? I am feeling really bummed.
Joe - I'm an optimist so my guess is that you have a decent grasp of the fundamentals, but may have succumbed to time pressures and made some careless errors. When you say you've "been serious", does that mean you have been in a regular study routine? I would encourage you to stick to the routine, master the fundamentals, and call the 600 a fluke. For what it's worth, I took the GMAT Prep several months ago and got a 690, but then bombed on the real thing a couple days later. The pressure of a ticking clock can easily force you into silly mistakes that will kill your score. If you have spent a considerable amount of time mastering the fundamentals and maintaining an active
error log, I believe your 710 is a much more accurate indication of your potential. If I were you, I'd go right back at the GMAT prep test that beat you and take it again. You will see some repeat questions, but you will probably correct past mistakes and consequently see a series of different, more difficult questions.