GMAT MBA Practice Exam

Question

Hello community,

I plan to give my first official gmat mock test in two days. Hence, just wanted to ask if there will be any analytics after the exam which will help me identify weaknesses?

Plus, will I be able to see which questions were incorrect and time spent on that question?

I want to get most out of this test; hence please let me know.

Posted from my mobile device

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi DaniyalAlwani,

The Official GMAC CATs are the most realistic practice tests available, although there are some limits to the data that they give you. That having been said, you should take one, so that we can properly assess your current skills, strengths and weaknesses. Make sure to take it in a realistic fashion (take the FULL CAT - with the Essay and IR sections, at the same time of day as when you'll take the Official GMAT, etc.). Once you have that Score, you should report back here (or you can feel free to PM me directly) and we can discuss the results and how you might best proceed with your studies.

Before I can offer you any additional advice for your studies, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

Studies:
1) How long have you studied? How many hours do you typically study each week?
2) What study materials have you used so far?

Goals:
3) What is your overall goal score?
4) When are you planning to take the GMAT?
5) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

DaniyalAlwani · Answer

EMPOWERgmatRichC

Hey,

Thank you for your prompt response.

Yes, I intent to give full exam in one single attempt not only to have a full view of the test but also to see how exhaustion & time play major roles.

Studies:
1) I started to prep on 9th of April. Before that, I gave a diagnostic test 2 years ago in which I scored 490 (without studying at all, no clue; just gave it).
Currently, because of this whole quarantine situation, I started to stretch myself for couple of hours from 2 to 3 hours everyday. Days when I practice and read some theory as well, it stretches to 4-5. I usually take one day off every week.

2) What study materials have you used so far?
Theory - Manhattan GMAT books. 
Powerscore CR bible - I just got hands of it so just started it a day ago. 
For practice, I rely on gmatclub forum which not only gives me an opportunity to practice new questions but also to get familiar with tips/tricks.

My strategy was: 
1) Get familiar with topics and types of questions. 
2) Once, I do have some idea about every topic, then I jump to 600-700 level topic wise questions of quant PS. I realised I slack off DS which is not good; hence started to work on DS couple of weeks back. As far as verbal is concern, I have been everywhere to be honest. Hence, that is why I wanted to give a mock exam to see where I stand.
3) Once I give this test, I plan to start with Official guides and Verbal + Quant review.

3) What is your overall goal score?
700+. Nothing less than 710 to be honest.

4) When are you planning to take the GMAT?
Last week of July.

5) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?
Next Fall, GMAT is really important for me because I had a bad gpa in my bachelors. Hence, I wanted to give myself some time for retake if GMAT did not work out as per my plan. 
Schools: University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, Queens and York.

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi DaniyalAlwani,

You will see the correct/incorrect answers but not any analytics. For sure reach back out once you take the practice exam and I’d be happy to provide some advice. In the meantime, you may find it helpful to read the following articles:

How to Score a 700+ on the GMAT — A Mini Guide for Success

Taking GMAT Practice Tests

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi DaniyalAlwani,

Back in April, 2018, the GMAT was 'shortened' (both the Quant and Verbal sections now have fewer questions - and less time per section - than they did before). From what you describe, it's not clear whether you took a practice CAT/mock in the 'old' format or the current format, so your upcoming CAT might also serve to define how well you perform on the current, shorter sections.

Depending on that Score, we should be able to 'map out' the type of timeframe you would need to study to hit your Score Goal. A Test Date at the end of July would give you no more than another 2 months of study time - but depending on this upcoming CAT Score, you might end up needing more time than that to get to the point that you can consistently score 710+.

As an aside, there are additional ways to offset a lower GPA beyond scoring at a high level on the GMAT. Business Schools want to know that you can handle the 'academic side' of their respective Programs. Even if you were not a great student when you were younger, you can show that you're a stronger student now by enrolling in - and earning a high grade in - certain College-level Courses that MBA Programs put a value on (such as Calculus and/or Statistics). If you could earn a high grade in one (or more) of those types of classes, then that might also help to 'counter' a lower Undergraduate GPA.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

DaniyalAlwani · Answer

Hello guys,

As per my plan, I gave a practice official GMAT exam today and ended up being really disappointed.

Total score: 480 Q33 V23.

I selected Quant, Verbal followed by IR & Essay. When I was in the first 5 questions of quant, I kept on checking time and realised I'm running out; hence tried to pace it up. Mid quant, it hit me that I have already screwed up; as I was not really confident on my answers. On the other hand, I got reading comprehension (which I have not started to practice at all in last 2 months) at the start of verbal which made things worse. Later, I had pretty good check on time and was actually confident. Moreover, I was relatively more confident in Verbal than Quant but my score doesn't reflect that. I really need to decide on my action plan!

As mentioned earlier, I have gone through MGMAT books and was half way through the Powerscore CR. Initial plan was to attack OG questions + Quant & Verbal review books. However, now I am confused! I can either go through these books again OR attack OG questions as per the plan. But I really need an input from you experts. One thing I know that I need to conceptually understand quant topics but when it comes to practice those topics to see if I understand it before I jump to next topic, where should I practice from; OG or forum or Manhattan?

In addition to this, I have not reviewed my exam yet; it will be great if you can suggest me on how to effectively review it except for just looking at wrong answers.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi DaniyalAlwani,

Many Test Takers are unhappy with their initial practice scores, but you really shouldn't be. That 480 is just a measure of your skills right now - and you'll improve on that result over time as you improve certain skills. That having been said, raising a 480 to the point that you can consistently score 710+ will likely require at least another 3 months of consistent, guided study - and you'll have to make significant improvements to how you handle BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections. Thankfully, the GMAT is a consistent, predictable Exam, so you CAN train to score at a higher level. While I understand that the idea of pushing back your planned Test Date probably does not make you happy, the overall importance of your GMAT Score to your applications ultimately means that properly training for the Exam is more important right now than trying to stick to a particular timeframe.

"Review" is an exceptionally important part of the GMAT training process; your ability to define WHY you're getting questions wrong is essential to defining the areas that you need to work on (and the specific things that you need to 'fix'). As such, I'd like to know a bit more about your last CAT. While a full Mistake Tracker would provide a lot more information, there are some basic questions that you should be able to answer (and the more EXACT you can be with your answers, the better):

After reviewing each section of this recent CAT, how many questions did you get wrong....
1) Because of a silly/little mistake?
2) Because there was some math/verbal that you just could not remember how to do?
3) Because the question was too hard?
4) Because you were low on time and had to guess?
5) How many Verbal questions did you 'narrow down to 2 choices' but still get wrong?

Going forward, beyond doing lots of practice problems, you need consistent, professional guidance, so that you can learn all of the patterns, tactics and 'secrets' of the GMAT (without having to try to figure out all of that stuff on your own). You would likely find it beneficial to invest in a GMAT Course of some kind (either Guided Self-Study or instructor-led). Most GMAT Companies offer some type of free materials (practice problems, Trial Accounts, videos, etc.) that you can use to 'test out' a product before you buy it. We have a variety of those resources at our site (www.empowergmat.com). I suggest that you take advantage of all of them then choose the one that best matches your personality, timeline and budget.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

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