Consistent V40+ on practice, V38 on actual...

Question

Hi everyone - looking for some words of advice and maybe encouragement here.

I just did my first official GMAT today and scored a 700 (Q47, V38). While I know this is a good score, I was aiming for a 720+ and had hit a 740 (Q48, V42) on the practice exam that I had taken one week before the official test.

My gripe is whether or not my Verbal level is actually 40+ or if it's just under 40. I've been hearing that the GMATPrep and Exam Packs are a little dated and do not represent the current state of the test. Is this true? Because I've been using these exact sources to gauge where I'm at. What's even worse is that I was feeling very confident when I finished the Verbal section (I selected my order as V, Q, IR/AWA), so I'm not even sure where I went wrong.

Below are my practice scores:
GMATPrep 1: 710 (Q47, V41)
GMATPrep 2: 710 (Q47, V40)
Exam Pack 1 Test 1: 710 (Q45, V42)
Exam Pack 1 Test 2: 740 (Q48, V42)
In addition to these scores, I had been getting V40+ on the last 3 CATs on Manhattan Prep as well. This is why I'm so shocked that I got a 38 on the actual.

I've already signed up for another exam in three weeks and will buckle down to do what I can to hit that 720+. PLEASE DO NOT tell me that this timing is bad or whatever, I've already signed up after all. I'm just looking for advice and insights here.

Thanks!

abhimahna · Answer

Hi erenjaeger ,

I believe your verbal score is fair enough considering your mock scores. A slight decrease must be due to exam environment, anxiety (maybe?) and the day factors.

I believe in order to hit a 740+, you should follow either of the following steps:

1. Work on your quant and target 49+. This will ensure a constant score and hence improvement.

2. Make sure you start hitting in the middle 40s in the verbal section. Try to find your weakness (obviously order your ESR) and work on them more.

All the best

ss3617 · Answer

Check ESR and see where you have gone wrong. That should help you a bit.

wymy · Answer

Thanks! Does the ESR give me a breakdown of each and every question and whether or not I got them right? Or is it just an overall view of how I did in each section?

I imagine GMAC is probably not releasing the questions but do correct me if I'm wrong.

Additionally, my next exam is coming up in 3 weeks. Will I only be able to get the ESR 20 days after my test (which was yesterday)?

Thanks again guys!

abhimahna · Answer

This link will answer all your questions related to ESR.

https://www.mba.com/india/the-gmat-exam ... -demo.aspx

wymy · Answer

Thank you! So I'm assuming that the "rumour" I'm hearing about GMATPrep and Exam Packs being outdated is false then? And they're still representative of my level?

AjiteshArun · Answer

Some test prep companies release questions that are barely disguised "versions" of GMATPrep questions, and these questions can completely ruin the validity of the GMATPrep tests.

But if the questions were "fresh", your GMATPrep scores should be reliable.

EducationAisle · Answer

Hi erenjaeger , while 40 might seem a watershed when it comes to Verbal, clearly it's a continuum in the GMAT's internal marking scheme. So, your V38 is perhaps just a couple of questions off the magic figure of 40. Hence, I wouldn't read too much into it. Just under 40 would be my guess, since you say whether or not , while it should have been just whether

Consistent V40+ on practice, V38 on actual...

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