This series of emails and PMs focuses on situations that many Test Takers face during their studies. The names of the original posters have been changed to protect their identities.
“Debatable” Answers in SC
Hi Rich,
During practice I have sometimes seen SC questions that seem like the correct answer is debatable. Is that something that I need to be worried about on the Official GMAT?
Ele
Hi Ele,
For the real GMAT, questions go through a rigorous testing process before they are considered "fair" and appear as "questions that count" on a live Test. During the testing phase, questions appear as "experimental" questions (which do not count) on live GMAT exams. In that way, the questions can be statistically measured and compared against expectations.
For example, if an experimental question is expected to be answered correctly by 40% of Test Takers, AND 40% of Test Takers DO answer it correctly, then it is considered "fair" and then put into the pool of active questions. The process is fairly standardized and remarkably accurate, although sometimes there are anomalies and questions are removed.
All of this means that It's possible (however rare) that an SC that appears debatable could show up on Test Day, but if the results don't match the expectations, then the question would be removed. Questions with an "interpretational bias" don't get very far on the real GMAT though, so it’s highly unlikely that you’d see them very often. If you’re working with practice materials that seem questionable though, you might want to invest in different resources.
The Importance of Attention-to-Detail
Rich,
On one of the OG questions, I didn’t notice that the question listed “1/10 percent” and thought that it said 1/10. Are these types of traps something that will show up a lot in the quant section?
Eye
Hi Eye,
Many GMAT questions will come with little "twists" that are meant to test how well you're paying attention. These are not tricks/traps, they're a legitimate measure of your aptitude and attention-to-detail, so you have to pay careful attention to the wording of each question. On many questions, one (or more) of the wrong answers could either be an answer to a different question or a "math mistake" – those types of answers are meant to "catch" the people who make silly mistakes, since Business Schools need to know if you’re prone to making little mistakes (and the GMAT will give you the score that you EARN). The way to protect yourself against these mistakes (and losing those points) is to take good notes and do all of your work on the pad.
Planning For, and Properly Defining, a 650
Dear Rich,
I’ve just started studying for the GMAT. How many months am I supposed to study gmat to get an average score like 650?
I ultimately want to enroll in an MBA program in California. Would 650 be enough to enroll to MBA programs at universities like CalState, SF State and others?
Eme
Hi Eme,
To start, a 650 is not an ‘average’ score (it’s actually right around the 80th percentile overall). The average score on the Official GMAT is right around 540-550 most years.
For most Test Takers who are just starting out, I recommend that they plan for a 3-month study program. Some people need less time, some people need more, but it's important not to lose sight of your goal. To score a 650 will take you X amount of time; we can try to guess what that X is, but we don't know enough about your abilities just yet to say for sure.
To measure your current abilities, you need to take a FULL-LENGTH practice CAT Test (including the Essay and IR sections). You can download 2 for free from www.mba.com. You then have to take additional FULL CATs at regular intervals so that you can measure your progress and adjust your studies to focus on your ‘weak spots.’
As to your question, a 650 would be enough for you to apply to just about any US Business School, so it would certainly be enough to help you confidently apply to the Schools that you’ve listed. Keep in mind that the application process is 6 or 7 pieces (some schools do interviews, some don't), so your applications involve more than just a GMAT score.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
