Sorry to hear about your awful experience. I was also thinking about the mobile thing. Do I keep the mobile in view so that I can answer the call if Pearson calls me. Still haven't decided though.
The internet thing happened while I was doing a system check recently. It just stops.
Waiting while not knowing if you can even get up is the worst. Can you tell me what you were scoring in the Prep tests if you don't mind.
Alright, scores finally showed up after I called them. Here's the debrief of my Online GMAT. Please see the TL;DR version at the bottom. Spoiler: Gonna retake
I scheduled my test on May 22nd because that's the only afternoon slot available. So naturally I do the system test one day before and I managed to pass system test. Great! there should be no technical issue at least because I done the system test twice, yeah twice I know I am paranoid like that.
Fast forward to D-Day. I sat at my work station, and 30 minutes before my schedule the begin exam button popped and I begin usual check-in procedure (it is identical with the system test for those who wonder, so please try the system test before you ask myriad of questions in GMATClub), and this was where the nightmare start. The OnVue software kept telling me that I lost internet connection when it was connecting just fine. Note that, when this happen, you can't do anything, the software just freeze as if it was not there. So I restart, redo the whole check-in, and it happen over and over. Finally, when the connection lost prompt showed again, I just connect-and-disconnect my Wi-Fi, this seems to do the trick the OnVue software ran again (duh!).
Okay, check-in done, I'm waiting for the proctor to start the exam (it takes around 15 minutes of waiting), and the exam started. I was running through the instruction section when I thought "Hey, if this is all technical issue that I'm going to face, I'll take it". Well, I might jinx it or the GMAC can read my mind, suddenly the screen goes white with "your file was missing" text or something like that.
I tried to calm myself, clicking the chat button, hoping for the proctor to come to me. 1 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes... 40 minutes nobody came, I grew anxious at this time, lots of thinking goes in my head "what if the proctor calls me, should I check my phone? but what if he/she sees me off the screen and cancel it". After what it felt about 1 hour of waiting, I reached my phone and no one calls me. I got back to my computer. press ctrl+alt+del (you can't do anything at that point, so might as well try), and it did got me out of the testing screen, and the OnVue prompt me to wait for the proctor to restart. Ok, cool, at least I can start the exam. Then the waiting game continues, and after approximately 15 minutes, the proctor decided 'nah, I'll end your exam right away'.
So that's my first try at Online GMAT, didn't even manage to start the exam. I contacted the Pearson GMAT team, they assure that after 3-5 business day I should be able to get refund and retake. I did get refund and was able to reschedule after 4 business day.
So reschedule I did, this time the test going to be June 3rd (my time, not eastern time). Okay, so now I know how to deal with the internet lost prompt, I still prepare a much better wifi (bought a new wifi dongle, do system test TWICE again, passed the system test).
Fast forward, I actually passed the check-in with no issue, and the test started just fine this time. here's my actual comment on the test
Quant
I think quant is harder somehow, I did the overall section 5-10 minutes slower, and I felt that it tooks me 4-5 minutes on some questions. But anyway, I feel confident that at least I can get a Q49.
Verbal
This is where it gets bad. I felt that while it is not that much harder, I got 3 long RC passage for the first 8-10 questions. This takes so much of my time and kind of pressured me to go faster. But this is not what causes so much stress on my Verbal section.
FYI, I positioned my phone so I can see if someone from Pearson calls me (this is the paranoia from my previous try). And you know what, they did call me! in the middle of the exam (I checked the number after the exam for some who wonder). the caller has US country code, and I got stressed and distracted in the middle of the exam. But still I managed to finish.
IR
Nothing special on this one, I think I ace IR.
At this point, I want to mention that no proctor has ever contacted me in both of my Online GMAT session. even during the chaos on the first try.
Finished the test, no issue, and I should get the results in 7 business day or even faster right?
Wrong!
Nothing cames out after 7 business day (they did email me to gives feedback on the Online GMAT). Emailed Pearson (they can't help me), Emailed GMAC (doesn't respond). last night I called the customer center number, and she told me she'll help me with that, but emphasized that the score can be released as long as 20 business days.
This morning the results actually came (without any email from them, it just popped in my mba.com account). and here's the score:
Q49
V34
IR8
Composite 690
That's for my debrief. Gonna retake at test-based because my score because it is lower than my 6 official practice exam score. It is sad because I thought Online GMAT has advantages (sending to unlimited schools, no AWA-I'm bad at AWA, etc) but the experience is just so unpleasant that I don't even want to try again.
TL;DR Version
First try, OnVue software bugged and made me wait for an hour before got canceled, didn't even get to start the actual exam
Second try, exam started just fine, got called in the middle, results cames after 10 business days and lots of email to Pearson and GMAC.
If you guys have any questions, please ask!
close
15 Jun 2020, 02:50
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