Update: From GMAT loser to fighter in six weeks...

Worried about having a low GMAT score? Read this...


Guys, I don't know what to say. Got the two easiest essay questions you could possibly imagine and math seemed to be right in line with GMATPrep.

Took a break (had to go three floors down to use the bathroom) between Q and V and then encountered a little confusion with the fingerprint confirmation (had to rescan four times). Finally returned to to the station only to see the computer interface flash "break time exceeded by 4 min 12 sec., this time will be deducted from your actual test."

Knowing that I was going to be under the gun of "time pressure" from that point forward, I proceeded to dive into Verbal question #1 with the clock starting at 70:48. To stay keep from panicking, I hid the clock and systematically read each question as they came. SCs were a breeze compared to some of those posted on this site; especially the brutal 100 list. CRs were tricky and much more cleverly worded than I had ever seen before. RCs were, well RCs.

As might have easily predicted, I got to question #30 when the red "4:59" countdown timer flashed on the screen.

At this point I knew that it was GAME OVER.

Knowing that it was virtually impossible to finish 12 verbal problems in less than five minutes, I decided that this test was destined for disaster. Consequently, I just took my hand off the mouse, pushed my chair back from the monitor and did some serious self-introspection for about 30 seconds; why did you put yourself through a month of intensive study only to poorly manage your break timing? As a foreign language major, are your critical reading skills really up to par with those of your future b-school counterparts??? Why are you taking this test when you can't even focus clearly?? What the hell is your problem with computerized tests???

Anyway, I scanned the remaining problems just to see what PVue was testing. Had one moderately lengthy RC and the usual mixure of SCs/CRs remaining.

Clicked through those eight survey pages, and when the ultimate decision came, do you wish to cancel your score? I knew that this was going to be far below any performance in the past, but was still very curious to see how the math turned out because so many people on this site had given me so much help in that area: Jon, Laxie, U2Lover, Haas, Dahiya, Yurik, Ak, Yezz, Vivek ... and many others.

SHOULD HAVE JUST CANCELED THE TEST THEN AND THERE.

Rather than lie by saying that I did cancel, which is exactly what I should have done, I will tell all of you here at GMAT club exactly how miserably I underperformed.

Q38 V22 (Overall 500).

Nearly 100 points lower than last year's GMAT (590) and the worst of any practice CAT or paper test, GMATPrep included. I not only shamed those who supported me over this past month, I have disgraced myself to the point of utter humiliation. How can somebody be a GMATClub moderator, score consistently in the 600s on practice CATs, only to walk in and underperform when it counts the most?

If there is a hell on earth, I'm living in it right now.

The truth of the matter is, when it comes to the GMAT I only have partial confidence in one aspect of the exam: SCs. Because I am a translator. But even those comprise a mere 1/6 of the test. My math sucks, my reading comprehension ability (under pressure) is downright pathetic, and I have some inherent disability to critically read in a timed enviornment.

That being said, I'm going to take a week off and reevaluate the GMAT, whether or not I am a suitable candidate for b-school, and life in general.

For the greater benefit of my fellow club members preparing to take the test, here is a debriefing, if it can help a fellow member in any way??

Enviornment

1. The test is aesthetically identical to GMATPrep.
2. The markers do tend to dry out, so request a minimum of three upfront.
3. Security is tighter than the Pentagon. Be sure to bring your passport if you are not a citizen of the country in which you intend to take the test. No wristwatches or jewelry permitted.

AWA

Questions are straightforward from the OG. First one was the argument of "reducing campus housing rates to increase dorm revenue." Second was the issue do you agree that "in defining success, results are more important than effort."

Quantitative

IMHO slightly more difficult than GMATPrep. I scored a 620 and 580 on GMATPrep #1 and #2, respectively. Both had a Q range of 40/42. Dahiya once mentioned that, "GMAT tests an finite number of math problems in an infinite number of ways." This is absolutely true. The root of every possible standardized question is the same, just each is cleverly disguised in a unique way. First problem #1 was based on weighted averages. #2 was something like (changed) 1234*342*23, which digit would change the total product by less than 1000? #3 was similiar to (not the same) In the series S(1,2,3,...) S(400)=x and the function f(x)= (x-n) where n is an interger > 500, what is the value of S(4999)-S(4998)....or something like that, which required my feeble brain to just guess. Subsequently got a string of DSs requiring the visualization of inscribed figures, overlapping sets, calculating the mean of the sum of a consecutive set of numbers 1....250. One problem on mut ex probability.
followed by your standard mixture of absolute values, inequalites, number properties, special triangles, distance formulas, and ratios. Somewhere towards #29 they started getting really easy, something like (changed) 9^x=1/3, what is the value of x? Given two points, which is the eqation of a line. Got to problem #37 and the clock had 1 second left. Went to click the answer and time expired, so I know for sure the problem was recorded as incomplete. Surprisingly, didn't get one work/rate problem or even one problem on combinatorics or SD. But then again, I didn't score highly either.

Verbal:

Started off with 70:12 and decided to hide the clock. Rolled with the punches as they came, first a few inference CRs followed by an RC on the hierarchtical status of the Anasazi Indians (spent 10 minutes on these four questions) then a half dozen SCs intersperced between CRs of all types; assumption, weaken, strenghthen, etc. The SCs were a a little more lenghthy than the OG, but not quite as difficult as some MGMAT style that I have seen posted on this site. Know your semicolon/colon usage, the S-V for "one of + group + verb" and inversion.

CRs were not overly difficult. Problem is I couldn't concentrate on many because I kept worrying about having to rush through to make up for lost time. Not one bold facer, but did get a inference logic CR early in the game that looked just like a disguised BF. Could have been experimental.

RCs were shorter, like two long CRs vertically stacked, and only 1/4 required the use of a scroll bar. Make sure you understand the difference among the following meanings: explain, detail, qualify, refute, and sustantiate. Topis were centered on history, government fiscal policy, astronomy, and .....didn't even get a chance to read the last one.

In retrospect, I took this exam with low levels of confidence and concentration, partly because of work related problems and partly because of personal issues. Having taken both versions almost exactly a year apart, I can honestly say to those of you who facing the beast, don't worry because I truly believe there is not much difference in difficulty between PVue and ETS, other than cosmetics and shorter, more detailed RCs. PVue screens are easier on the eyes with portions of the RCs "highlighted" for reference (vs. refer to line #35...).

Dahiya, Rudy, Haas, Ak, U2Lover, Yurik, TestPrepGuru, Futuristic, Sumit, Professor and all the rest of you guys "on deck" will do just fine. I know exactly how well each and every one of you would have performed had you been faced with the same set of problems that I saw today.

Sorry to bore all of you with a lengthy post from the one person who can now be officially titled the "biggest loser at GMATClub." Going to take a week off and seriously reevaluate my life completely...