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a huge difference in practice test scores

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anirudhrao
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a huge difference in practice test scores [#permalink] New post   Updated on: 30 Apr 2021, 22:07
I recently took a magoosh practice test and scored a 570 on it. 3 days later I took up the official GMAT practice test and I ended up scoring just a 500. Is this because magoosh is not an appropriate score detector? If it is, why do I see such huge fluctuations in my scores?

Originally posted by anirudhrao on 30 Apr 2021, 19:31.
Last edited by anirudhrao on 30 Apr 2021, 22:07, edited 1 time in total.
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EMPOWERgmatRichC
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Re: a huge difference in practice test scores [#permalink] New post   30 Apr 2021, 20:32
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Hi anirudhrao,

I'm sorry to hear that Test Day didn't go as well as hoped. There are a variety of factors that can influence your performance on your practice CATs/mocks - including the "brand" of CAT that you took, the time of day you take your test, how well-rested you were, the environment that you took the test in, etc.).

In addition, the process of taking (and reviewing) a CAT requires a significant amount of energy and effort - and takes time to 'recover' from. This is one of the reasons why you typically should not take more than 1 CAT per week - and your last CAT should be taken about 1 week before Test Day. By taking a CAT just 3 days your Official GMAT, there's a reasonable chance that you were a little too tired on Test Day to perform better.

Beyond all of those considerations, when these types of score drops occur, the two likely "causes" involve either something that was unrealistic during practice or something that was surprising (or not accounted for) on Test Day. Before we discuss any of those potential issues though, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

Studies:
1) What were your Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores on your Official GMAT?
2) How long have you studied in total? How many hours do you typically study each week?
3) What study materials have you used so far?
4) On what dates (or approximate dates) did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks and how did you score on EACH (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for EACH)?

Goals:
5) What is your overall goal score?
6) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?

If you took your GMAT at a Test Center, then you might also choose to purchase the Enhanced Score Report. While the ESR doesn’t provide a lot of information, there are usually a few data points that we can use to define what went wrong on Test Day (and what you should work on to score higher). If you purchase the ESR, then I'll be happy to analyze it for you.

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Re: a huge difference in practice test scores [#permalink] New post   01 May 2021, 00:11
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anirudhrao wrote:
I recently took a magoosh practice test and scored a 570 on it. 3 days later I took up the official GMAT practice test and I ended up scoring just a 500. Is this because magoosh is not an appropriate score detector? If it is, why do I see such huge fluctuations in my scores?

Magoosh is a good indicator, with the score range such difference is ok. You may want to practice little bit more and then try.
Scores may vary because of the number of people those tests. I would suggest try with one or more non official mocks
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AjiteshArun
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Re: a huge difference in practice test scores [#permalink] New post   01 May 2021, 21:30
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anirudhrao wrote:
I recently took a magoosh practice test and scored a 570 on it. 3 days later I took up the official GMAT practice test and I ended up scoring just a 500. Is this because magoosh is not an appropriate score detector? If it is, why do I see such huge fluctuations in my scores?

Hi anirudhrao,

Every score estimate (and even the actual GMAT score) involves some error, but non-official tests are not expected to be as accurate as official tests. Also, we cannot rely on positive online posts, because there will always be people for whom the estimates were close to their actual GMAT scores.

This is not to say that you shouldn't use non-official practice tests. They can be a part of your prep, but we really shouldn't expect them to be as accurate as the official practice tests. I recommend that you (a) prioritize official tests, (b) not take your lowest (or highest) scores as being very representative, and (c) focus on looking at your performance as being in a range or band, rather than as a a specific number.
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Re: a huge difference in practice test scores [#permalink] New post   04 May 2021, 03:31
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anirudhrao wrote:
I recently took a magoosh practice test and scored a 570 on it. 3 days later I took up the official GMAT practice test and I ended up scoring just a 500. Is this because magoosh is not an appropriate score detector? If it is, why do I see such huge fluctuations in my scores?


Hi anirudhrao,

The official mock tests are the most reliable mocks as they replicate the GMAT algorithm in the best possible way. Having said that, to understand the reason behind the difference in scores, I suggest you to analyze both the mocks. By analyzing, I mean, go through the solution of each question, compare your approach with the right one and check if there's any difference. I want you to understand whether you have solved the questions using the right methods or you got lucky with a few questions.

The scores keep varying when your approach of solving questions is not consistent. The solution for that is to learn the right methods to solve questions. Once you do that, you can practice questions. But, I see that you are still having a few conceptual gaps. So, try to learn the concepts perfectly and once you do that, learn the right process of solving questions.

And I can help you in a better way if you can tell me a few more details about your GMAT preparation.

  • What is your target score?
  • Which resources you are using right now?
  • Is there any specific study strategy you are following?

Answers to these questions will help me guide you in a better way. You can write back to me here or a better way would be to discuss the same over a call. You can use the link below to schedule a call with me.

Click here to schedule a call
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Re: a huge difference in practice test scores [#permalink] New post   04 May 2021, 11:33
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Hi anirudhrao,

You ask a great question. Certainly, when you take practice tests from companies other than GMAC, you may find some variation in algorithms used and thus variations in your score. When do you plan to take your next official practice exam?

Also, if you would like some more detailed advice on how to improve your GMAT quant and verbal skills feel free to reach back out. In the meantime, here is a helpful article:

How to Score a 700+ on the GMAT — A Mini Guide for Success
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Re: a huge difference in practice test scores [#permalink]
04 May 2021, 11:33

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