GMAT Online - What We Know [Master Topic]

Hello everyone,
I attempted the GMAT online today. Scored a 730 on my first attempt. I was following this thread for some time now, just to get an idea about GMAT online. I would like to share my enhanced GMAT online experience on this thread, to help others.

I used SONY VAIO 2011 laptop with Intel Core i3 2.2 GHz processor and 4GB RAM. The operating system was windows 10 professional. I arranged for a 60 Mbps wired internet connection as well as a 5 Mbps WIFI connection for backup, in case something goes wrong with my wired connection. I had not faced any difficulties with my wired connection up until today, but just to be safe I arranged for an additional connection. It is recommended to install the ESS browser and ZOOM meet well before your appointment.

The login process was very smooth. You cannot start the check-in process until fifteen minutes before your scheduled appointment. Before that the EXAMITY page is inaccessible. After you start your check-in on the mba.com my account page, you are directed to the EXAMITY page. There you can start your scheduled appointment. After you press start, you are connected to the proctor if you have ZOOM cloud meetings pre-installed. If not, then the ZOOM cloud meetings setup is automatically downloaded and you can install ZOOM cloud meetings. After that, you are connected to the proctor. The proctor then guides you through the entire process and gives you all instructions. The proctor asks you to open the task manager to check whether you have any other applications open in the background. After that, you gave to show your ID on the camera. After that, you are asked to show both sides of the physical whiteboard, if you have opted to take one for the exam. Then, you are asked to give a complete 360-degree tour of your workspace as well as your desk (both above and below the desk, all four corners). If you have a LAN connection connected to your laptop and you will be using the webcam on the laptop, a long LAN cable is recommended, so that you can comfortably move and rotate your laptop for the room tour.

In my case, the proctor was very polite and super-helpful with all the procedures. That helped me to calm a little. It took almost twenty minutes to finish the entire process and start the exam. I selected the Verbal-Quant-IR-AWA sequence for the exam.

The verbal section was similar in difficulty to the GMAT prep mocks with two long passages and two short RC passages. Most of the CR questions were complete the passage. I was falling short of time at the end of the section, so I had to hurry with the last RC passage as well as CR and SC questions. I missed the last question of the section. After finishing my section, I was not confident about the verbal score. Anyway, after you finish the section, you get an instruction on the screen to take a break with a 30-second timer. You can select to skip the break if you want or you can select to take a break. After selecting to take a break, I asked for the proctor to leave the desk. The proctor instructed me to show my whiteboard and then allowed me to leave. After about four minutes, I returned to my desk. Then I was instructed to give a 360-degree room tour and show both sides of the physical whiteboard. Then I was allowed to start the quant section.

The quant section was pretty difficult compared to the quant sections of the GMAT prep mocks. I attempted the last question of the section at the last minute. Overall I had a better feeling about the quant section than the verbal section. After finishing the section, a similar procedure was followed.

After that, I finished the IR section and started the AWA section. Here comes the best part of my exam. Just as I pressed enter after completing the first paragraph everything got erased. All of a sudden, everything was deleted. I was puzzled! Then, I received a message saying the ESS browser has stopped working. Not sure what was happening, I asked the proctor for help. The proctor instructed me to close the ESS secure browser and exit the page. After suspiciously closing the page I was redirected to the EXAMITY page. The proctor requested some time to look into the problem. After a couple of minutes, the proctor said that everything on her side was okay and that I might have lost my connection. But, my computer was still showing that I was connected to the internet. So, I asked the proctor if I can open some other page to check my connection. The proctor permitted me to do so and even to take my time. So, first I opened GMAIL and it opened fine. Then, the proctor suggested opening speedtest.net and check my internet speed. And shockingly, the speed had fallen to in and around 1 Mbps. The proctor said that I compulsorily needed at least 2 Mbps speed and we cannot continue with the exam. I felt that I lost my attempt. But, anyway, I asked the proctor if I could connect to the backup connection. The proctor allowed me to check the other connection and asked me to check the speed. And again backup connection too was slow ( less than 1 Mbps). I just kept on switching between connections. But nothing worked. I had given up. Then all of a sudden the proctor decided to connect me to the exam. The proctor said that as my connection is slow, the interface might lag while switching between questions. But as I was on my essay, I felt that it wouldn't matter. After that, the proctor re-connected me to the exam. And thankfully the first paragraph was present already and the timer too started from where the exam was disconnected. As warned by the proctor, the interface did lag while typing. Still, it was not that big of an issue. And then I completed the essay.

Then the score appeared on the screen. Q49 V40 IR7 and a total of 730. The proctor was super helpful. I had already given up after the connection issue, if not for the proctor's intervention. I was expecting a V42 and Q50 and a total of 760. So, I am planning to retake the exam after a month.