A very disappointing GMAT score

Question

Hi all,

Am doing first post here. First of all, would like to thank all of you here (esp the founder) who posted your views and strategies about GMAT, I have been benefiting from them since I was preparing my 2nd GMAT 2 months ago. I have taken GMAT in January 2009 and the score during then was 650 (49Q 31V). I have scheduled to retake the test in hoping to gain 50 extra points and hit the magical 700+. I believed that I have been working very hard (study till 1am, mock test on every weekend), and at some points my score went over 700+ on a few Manhanttan GMAT tests and Veritas. However, my scores for GMAT Prep were bad, 640 and 610, with the 2nd test taken 2 days before real GMAT test.

I spoke to my GMAT coach and he thought that I was under stress from doing too many mock tests. In fact, each time when I take the GMAT Prep, I could almost hear my heart beats every now and then (I used ear plugs), and I know that I tend to lose focus and went overtime with some questions, leading me into an old scenario which I have to take blind answers in order to catch up with the questions.

I was struggling bout how I could overcome this mental game at the last minute, I even came to a point that I might have to cancel the test or simply plan for the next GMAT test if I don't hit 700 on this one. However, come to think about it, though the test is tomorrow, I don't want to give up yet. But I really need to overcome the stress and just give my best shot tomorrow.

Anyone who has similar experience please share with me your thoughts and advice, would very much appreciate it. Am going out for a jog to free my mind before I take the final mock test this afternoon, hope I would be able to see some of your messages by then.

Thanks and good day.

bb · Answer

Best suggestion is relax. You can take a test 24 hours before your real test but I would not do any other practice/tests. The last few days are to get energy and stamina; it is too late to do everything else.

Everyone is stressed the day before and most have a hard time sleeping, so usually it is good to get into a good routine for waking up early and going early to bed to match your test taking schedule.

Best advice - go watch a movie (not too late) and enjoy the city a bit

gurpreetsingh · Answer

Do take chocolates. almonds and energy drink for the break.

Wash your face with the water to relax, and you should not take stress. I have seen many people scoring 50+ points on real exam just because they were confident enough to beat the beast.

In Gmat preparation Stress and Time management are very important.

good luck and keep us updated with your result.

chenlo · Answer

Just taken another GMAT test, got 620

chenlo · Answer

Hi all,

Taken the real GMAT Test today, got 580 - a new low score among all the tests (inc practise test) that I have taken. Couldn't quite articulate my feelings now. My last GMAT score was 650, and I have spent 2 months studying very hard to try to gain that extra 50pts, for a while, my test scores (Veritas GMAT Life and MGMAT) did hit over the 700 barrier and subsequently dropped to 620 average for last 3 prep tests. I have no idea what the hell went wrong, and devastation is what fills me up at the moment. I am not sure if it was the stress or the numerous mock test that drained my mind.

I am starting to think if I should just take my 650 GMAT score and just apply for any school. Or should I consider a retake again, considering the tight schedule at work that I will be having. Anyone could give any advice would be most appreciated.

What the fuk went wrong.....?

(Just realised that I have posted my thread in the wrong category, moderator please help to move me to GMAT Experience.)

TescStudent · Answer

I think your official score sounds pretty good. Personally, what I did was just take the GMAT once, and without any preparation. I went in with the assumption and trust that if I took the test cold, the result would merely reflect my native ability - and I figured there's nothing wrong with that. After all, I didn't want to find myself stuck for years and year in a school where I would be in over my head.

whiplash2411 · Answer

I am not sure if I understand what you're saying correctly. Yes, it's not wrong to take a test cold, but perhaps indirectly implying that "native" ability is an indicator of performance at BSchool is pushing it a tad too much? I mean, a vast majority studies for the test, and BSchool classes aren't always made up of "genius" material. Hardworkers deserve more credit than the inherently intelligent, I think. Do correct me if I am wrong in my interpretation of your statement.

Cielo · Answer

Sounds like stress to me.
Also, did you have problems with time? When I took my first GMAT I had no idea of time management and spent 10+ minutes on one of the questions at the beginning of quant, and the last 10-15 questions just guessed rapidly. I was also pretty stressed by the people in the Paris exam centre who did not want to accept my Spanish document and let me wait quite a bit, while they were calling the GMAC

georgeorge · Answer

I'm going through the exact same thing that you just went through. I'm supposed to sit Saturday, but I'm going to back-out - I'm not ready.

Might I suggest some motivational music? This is dumb/funny, but true - R Kelly is a motivational genius...I've started to believe that I can fly and that I'm the world's greatest...however, I am well aware that I can't come close to finishing the verbal section in the allotted time.

Keep your head-up; keep believing - you'll get what you want; in fact, that's all you'll get.

Dawgie · Answer

Your native ability? So you learned how to do geometry and algebra without studying? Your brain automatically knew English grammar rules without study!? You'll definitely be a huge asset to the MBA class room then!

TescStudent · Answer

I understand what you're saying, and certainly working hard is a very good thing! But going too far in the other direction doesn't make much sense either.

To take a (reeeely) hypothetical situation, let's say that Person A studied for the GMAT for 15 minutes, that "study" consisting of reading the GMAT spec sheets to get an idea of what the test was about. Person B studied for the GMAT intensely for 50 hours, that is, 200 times as much as Person A. They both manage to score 700 on the GMAT.

The two then end up in the same classroom. The professor asks a question, which Person A manages to answer after about 10 seconds of thought. Is it feasible for Person B to ponder the question 200x longer, that is, for about half an hour, then raise his hand? Probably not. A and B take an exam. Person A finishes in the allotted 2 hours. Does Person B have 400 hours to finish his test? Probably not. In this scenario, these two clearly do not belong in the same classroom.

So personally, I'd like to avoid being Person B.

That's not to say though that I'm entirely opposed to studying either - it seems to me that the GMAT has some inherent resistance to being merely a measure of how well someone's prepped for it - otherwise, my own score would have been extremely low. Plus, studying proper writing is good for an aspiring business student.

whiplash2411 · Answer

Your argument seems pretty flawed to me. Quick thinking and your GMAT score are in no way related to each other. A person's practicality or ability to perform in a classroom atmosphere is not reflected by the GMAT, that's all I am saying. I am not denying that there might be some people who might be able to pull off a 700 on the GMAT by studying 15 mins as you mentioned, but those are hand countable. Also, you're making all the wrong comparisons. You forget that the person who studied for 50 hours takes the GMAT in the same time frame as person A. So the whole 400 hours business is out of the question. And once again, the GMAT doesn't test thought process. Standardized testing, IMHO, is but a tool to compare people from different backgrounds on a common platform, that's all. To determine one's performance in BSchool or in the classroom in general based on how many hours they put in to study for their GMAT is ridiculous.

TescStudent · Answer

As I said, it's a very hypothetical scenario, but the GMAT does test quick thinking - at least it tries to test for "mental agility" in the quant section.

And 700 with 15 minutes of study, I don't think is extraordinary. I would have had to hit my head or come to the test drunk in order to score 700, and I'm pretty sure that I'm not the best at this test.

Dawgie · Answer

Tesc, you didn't answer my queston. So you knew algebra, geometry, and english grammar rules when you came out of the womb? If not then, I guess someone studying algebra, geometry, and english grammar directly for the GMAT is different than indirectly right? The indirect = Native Ability of course. So you are telling non-native english speakers not to study for verbal because they are not inherently good?

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A very disappointing GMAT score

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