Defeated... I give up :S

Question

well, what should I say? topic reveals my feelings at this moment.....
I am though a little suprised, how badly I performed.... gonna make this as short as possible because I kinda feel depressed now.

took my first gmat end of september and score 640.
Study materials prior to first try:
-kaplan
-kaplan800

The kaplan CATS always gave me results between 600 and 700

Then I found this forum and regained hope. Browsing this forum I found out that the OG is essential and lots of other helpful things. I continued to study hard (full-time) to make sure I do a lot better this time. All these 700 posts really motivated me till a few hours ago.
Anways, for my second try I additionally used:
- OG 11th
- 1000 SC (completed 650 questions)
- LSAT CR
- and of course GMAT club!

My performance improvement actually looked quite promising. I found out my weaknesses (RC and CR at first) and worked on them hard. LSAT CR is in my opinion the best training. After you do several hundred questions, you simply know what kinda style the questions are.

One week before my second attempt I took a full length practice test every day (PP and Gmatprep).
In my first try, I got only one mistake in each CR and RC and 8 in SC. I focused in SC in the last days and as it turned out, in my last practise exam I reduced my SC error rate to 3.

Test results in order of occurence:
PP: 740
Gprep: 730
Gprep: 710
PP: 700

Today: 620

This really hits me hard, because I knew I had a realistic chance to cross the 700 barrier. Furthermore, it throws my career planning completely out of line and I need to go plan B (which btw does not really exist yet).
Yet I'd never have pegged that I perform even WORSE than on my first try after studying only kaplan.

I do not have the will to take the GMAT a 3rd time, just cant do it.

oh btw, for AWA I used this pdf file going around, which containts a template for each essay. They are really good and applicable to almost any topic!

Lastly, I would like to thank everyone here in this forum. I really learned a lot here and it was heaps of fun puzzling over some quants or discussing verbal questions. Keep up the good work!

This really hits me hard, because I knew I had a realistic chance to cross the 700 barrier. Furthermore, it throws my career planning completely out of line and I need to go plan B (which btw does not really exist yet). Yet I'd never have pegged that I perform even WORSE than on my first try after studying only kaplan. I do not have the will to take the GMAT a 3rd time, just cant do it. oh btw, for AWA I used this pdf file going around, which containts a template for each essay. They are really good and applicable to almost any topic! Lastly, I would like to thank everyone here in this forum. I really learned a lot here and it was heaps of fun puzzling over some quants or discussing verbal questions. Keep up the good work!

laxieqv · Answer

Nero44, you have right to believe that you can cross 700 barrier!! I read many of your posts,just wanna say a few words "they're just great!" , especially your maths posts. Maybe yes, as others say GMAT involves some luck

. Have you considered to re-take it?! Anyway, don't be so sad ...we here know that you're deserved much more!! Good lucks to you with your endeavor!!

pavrnd · Answer

You definitely have potential to score more than 700. Your practice cats consistently show that. I would say spend some time to think about why you couldn't do it on the test day. A lot of things could affect your score - performance anxiety, time of the test, how much sleep you had last day, etc. If I were you I would consider taking it again.

gsr · Answer

Hey nero44! 620 is definitely not you! As your practice scores indicate, you are 700+ material. In which section did you go down this time? If you say Math, then I will be totally surprised. Even 620 and 640, I am surprised. Something should have gone wrong during the test - Definitely not your potential. Were you nervous or tired or did you run out of time by spending too much time in few questions? Retrospect and find out what really caused this. There should be something.
Don't give up yet! Unlike so many other things in life, you get a second (or even a third) chance with GMAT. I understand your frustration. Take a couple of days off, think about and definitely give re-taking the test a thought. You have the goods, so you won't go down everytime. Just think about it.
Good Luck!

christoph · Answer

verdammt ! wo mÃ¶chtest du dich bewerben ? was sind deine scores fÃ¼r math und verbal ?

duttsit · Answer

I will never be contended with your score. Because I know you deserve much better. Gear up my friend and try last time. I am sure you will write another inspirational story for us to follow!!!

What was your breakup?

desiguy · Answer

Nero,

You def cannot give up. Your scores clearly indicate that you can cross the 700 barrier! As I was reading your posts, I noticed that you too an exam everyday during the week before the test. You probably just got a little burned out. Also, were you taking the practice tests around the same time as your scheduled gmat? 

There could be a lot of external factors that affected your score, but reading your posts and contributions clearly shows that you should take it again. Maybe take a few days off, relax, go out, and then come back in a few days full force...

What was your breakout?

Paul · Answer

I know how much effort it takes to undertake the GMAT a third time but I have done it, and so have many of us in this forum. At the end of the day, it depends on how dearly you hold on to your dream of going to your target school. Do not give up. I am a bit of an outlier but I spent about a year, although I actually studied "only" 6 months, in between my second and third try and finally made it. All I can say again is gather yourself up and gear up for another battle. You lost the previous one but you have not lost the war. You will see how great it feels once you will reach the mountain top, I promise.

conocieur · Answer

Nero, you are 700+ material, do not even think of giving up, 620 is not good enough for you, everybody here knows you can do it, so give it one more try.

I'm sure GMAT is a bit of luck, and that luck can account for up to 50 points, that is my estimate.

by the way, I never had the chance to see that AWA template you are talking about I wish I would have seen it before I took my test

vikramm · Answer

I understand the frustration... was feeling the same a few weeks back. 
Was it test anxiety? What ever the root cause... time to keep it behind and decide what next?

All the best!

Hjort · Answer

You should give yourself at least one more try at a higher score- your application score cannot go down from a 640 and based on your recent practice tests it could go significantly higher. 

I will gladly help you work out plan B if you wish.

Hjort

HIMALAYA · Answer

nero, yes, it is understandable that how frustrating it is when one doesnot have the desired score after his/her intense/long preparation. but this doesnot match to a person like you who is an MBA applicant... you as an mba have to manage/run a company in future and you cannot say leave the battle ground in real world by saying that i tried once/twice/thrice so i donot do it again. this is not a way to manage things in real lief. so take/face it as a challange. you have to do it again and again not only one time but also many times until you get your required/desired score. there are many good people who got their 700 score in their 3rd or 4th attempt. i always remember this: https://www.gmatclub.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=19802 learn from the past. find your weeakness and heat on it. note the common mistakes you do. change your strategy. sucess is there... good luck... note: btw, what is your score breakdown?

GMATT73 · Answer

Nero,

Forget about ETS for a moment. There could have been a myriad of outside factors that affected your performance. Were you extremely stressed out? Did you get a full night`s sleep the night before the exam? Did you pace yourself correctly?? Were you a bit hyper-critical? Also what was your Q/V breakdown?

Remember that a third of the test is experimental, so perhaps you may have spent a disproportional amount of time on those questions only to cut yourself short on time for the ones that really mattered. I completely understand your frustration. I too took the same Kaplan course, used the same Kaplan Practice tests, studied the same white Kaplan course book, only to score a 570!!

At all costs, do not give up- at least not now. You have replied to so many of my "difficult posts" in the math forum, the same posts that other members missed and still managed to score above a 700. We all know you have the potential to shatter the 700 ceiling, and you will, but just not this time.

Shake off your disappointment and reengage after a couple days of introspection. Deconstruct the test if you have to (that`s my plan B), but do not let go of your dreams. Keep striking while the iron is still hot.

See you in the forum buddy. 8-)

uclandru · Answer

take it from a 4 time test taker, you should take it again and hit your target score....

qpoo · Answer

I am guessing your issue is not preparation or ability; it could be your testing skill or the ability to overcome anxiety. If that is the case, then you might want to focus on that - instead of the math or verbal knowledge preparation.

I do believe PP is a good gauge of your score. Your score is quite good by that standard.

take care and cheer up !

HongHu · Answer

Nero, I can feel how disappointed you are now. Don't be too hard on yourself. Give yourself a break, say wth and relax. Then when you can gether the strength again, I'd join the others and say you can give it another try! If you believe you definitely have the potential of a higher score, don't take what it gave you as an answer. You know just by statistics if you got a score that is lower than your true potential, the next time it's more likely you'll have a good score that reflect your potential, and hey maybe even higher. So yeah, go ahead and take a rest, and then come back sometime, and see what you feel. We are all behind you.

nero44 · Answer

Hey all,
@ everyone: thank you so much for your words. Really cheered me up big time.

I relaxed pretty well the last days to re-think everything.

I still do not plan to retake it a third time at this point. I'll give it some days maybe some weeks to see what happens. I had an interview last week for an intern position just to keep me busy til I have new plans.

I still do not know what was happening at test day. Some of you asked for my score breakup:
1st: 640 Q44 V34
2nd 620 Q44 V32

It seems as if I had not studied at all between my first and my second attempt... I usually am very solid with testing experience.. never had any trouble with nervousness during my undergrad (graduated this august, so it's all quite recent). That's what basically puzzles me, because I'm the kinda secure guy. I usually always know what I can expect and what not, EXCEPT for this time...

@ Christoph: I was planning to apply for an MSc finance study in the UK. LSE was upon my top-shots, but my GMAT score put me out of race there.

@ Hjort: you got a real good point there.. 640 down to 620 looks really bad and does not reflect my character....

Thing is, the application round began in mid October and goes till summer. The longer you wait, the lower your chaces for admission. Sending your application after new years, is already considered as late. The rest of your profile must be extremely strong in order to have a reasonable chance. Intake rate is about 3-5% ....

My initial plan was to get everything ready by november, but apparently this plan is worth Â§$%& now. I just don't know if it's worth to invest so much time to boost gmat. The delay in time may weaken my chances for my other picks even more. Additionally I may start the intern from january on, so there hardly isn't even time to do so....

maybe anyone here has some ideas bout this... d'be glad to hear your opinion. gonna start on my PS now and have a cold

:beer

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Defeated... I give up :S

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