(How much) can I improve my score?

Question

Hi there,

I wonder by how many points an average test taker can reasonably expect to improve his/her gmat score. Let's say such test taker takes the first prep exam at the very beginning of his preparation and scores a 540. Then he studies hard for 2 months and takes the real test. Which score - on average - do you think will such test taker receive?
I'm asking this question because I think there are basically two types of tests: tests that test knowledge of a specific subject matter (e.g. the CPA tests accounting knowledge), and tests which are basically inteligence tests. In the former type of test, we "only" need to study the subject matter and then most people can perform well on such kind of test. Regarding the latter kind of tests I am unsure, if and how much it is possible to improve (because normal learning strategies do not increase inteligence (a lot)). 
Since the GMAT - in my opinion - is at least in large part an inteligence test, I would be interested in your opinion, hoch much you think, it is likely possible to improve one's score?

Also, I would like to start a little poll: What was the score in your first GMATPrep test exam and what was your score in the real test?

I've taken the test twice (years ago) and scored exactly the same score. The same happened to a classmate. Therefore, so far, my experience is that improving one'S score is unlikely.

Thanks for sharing your views.

snatch

bb · Answer

Hi and welcome to GMAT club!

Good question. GMAT is NOT an intelligence test! You can search on the forum correlation between a high IQ and GMAT. It is rather small and we had a few smart high IQ guys their asses handed to them by the GMAT.

A high schooler can get a better score on it than a brilliant 30-year old because GMAT tests high school math and grammar. The reason it does is because those are most similar topics to business world and they can't come up with anything better.

It can definitely be taught and learned. That's why many prep companies have a better score guarantee. Most likely you have been using the wrong materials. There are a few variables but from what I have seen on GMAT club, most folks can expect about 100 points improvement by studying and applying average effort.

By applying high level of effort and really focusing on the GMAT, you can improve 200 points. My first Diag test (after some half ass studying for 6 months was 540. My roommate who had no clue about the GMAT got 530. I was embarrassed. So I put a lot of effort over the following 4 months and that resulted into 750. Note that effort is not time. Studying for 6 months is not as good as for 3 months and honestly is worse as you will forget what you learn over time.

Finally, the most improvement I have ever seen was 300 points. Basically anything over 200 points is quite rare.

Hopefully it is good news. Good luck!

pairakesh10 · Answer

Hi bb,
Two weeks ago, I started to study for GMAT. I gave a Gmat prep test and scored 390!! This was disastrous, but I have never been to study and come across Gmat like Math or Verbal in last 6 years. I understood that, there is need of lot of effort in basics and well as practice. I am targeting for 700+ and I will study till I reach this goal. After reading your reply to above post, I worried to understand that my score may not go beyond 600? The prep test I gave was without the basic brush up of Math or English.

bb · Answer

You should set your expectations that you will require a LOT of effort to get up there. 
I hope you will be the greatest improvement student on GMAT Club with 370 points of improvement. However, right now the record stays at 300-310. I don't mean to say you can't reach that goal... all I am saying is that no one else has so far.

Best Regards,
BB

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

From what I have seen, a person can achieve GMAT score increases as long as she or he keeps going, uses effective approaches, and keeps finding new levers to pull.

We often hear that people's GMAT scores top out at certain levels, but to understand what's going on, we have to examine those stories thoroughly and ask ourselves whether those people kept going, used effective approaches, and kept finding new levers to pull.

Many people believe in score ceilings or don't really care to achieve large score increases. So, simply looking at what happened without considering why it happened is not particularly useful. Sure, someone achieved a score increase of under 100 points and didn't achieve any increase from her or his second to third GMAT, but what did that person do, or not do, when preparing?

On a related note, the current GMAT Club score increase record, and what is quite possibly the largest GMAT score increase ever, was achieved by member  daldilaimi , who achieved a  530 point score increase , going from her first GMAT score of 250 to her final GMAT score of 780.

bb · Answer

Marty - thank you. That's a nice reply but the OP has already graduated back in 2015

Would love to use your firepower perhaps in another topic and by the way, great YouTube Live on Friday! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F16VCFxF_t4

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

People are still coming to this post for information on what constitutes a reasonable GMAT score increase. Hence the over 23K views. So, I put in my 2c and updated the record.

RetaketheGMAT · Answer

Continuing the general thread on how much of a score jump is possible on the GMAT.

It all comes down to the  WHY question . Why did you get your most recent score on the GMAT?

The OP was right to focus on the nature of the GMAT -- it's  NOT a Math or English test  (a knowledge test as he called it). Once you've understood that it's a test of Executive Reasoning -- then you can focus properly on assessing your gaps to being ready to hit your target score.

The key thing to remember is we've all had very different education and experience that has shaped our reasoning skills. But they can be learned with very focused effort and ideally great coaching.

Based on client experiences (1100+), I can refer to the following timelines:

Jumps of 200+ points in 3-4 months
Jumps of 100+ points in 2 months
Jumps of 30 to 50 points (depending on starting score) within a month.

The key is focus   -- if you can answer the WHY question (what were your gaps that caused you to get questions wrong) -- then you can focus your efforts more closely and get to your target much faster.

There are 2 reasons why improving your GMAT score takes so long on your own:

1) You don't know what your really gaps are (WHY question again) -- so you do a lot of unnecessary work with a 25% or less of really effective effort -- that means out of every 20 hours less than 5 hours is actually helping you to improve your score.

2) Lack of expert help. You can't see your own process gaps because you don't have the experience in coaching so you self-coaching becomes a two step process. 1) learning to be your own coach then 2) actually coaching yourself through the required improvements.

Happy to get on a call with anyone who needs help creating focus in the RETAKE prep -- and even doing a FREE diagnostic session if it makes sense.

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