Hi everyone, I've been lurking on and off for a while now. There are no GMAT test centers in my country, which means I need to travel abroad to do it. That being said, I've taken the GMAT 3 times, the most recent being about 1 week ago. The first time, I became overconfident, didn't prepare and scored a dismal 510! The second time, I prepared quite well, purchased the
MGMAT guides and took a completely new approach to the GMAT. For my practices, I generally used the
MGMAT tests (in which I hear the quant sections are significantly harder). At the end of my 1 month prep, my final score was a relatively respectable 710 (Q46, V41).
Imagine my complete dismay when I retook my GMAT and received an actual score of 640 (Q39 (50%), V39)! Considering the difficulties in traveling to retake the GMAT, I decided to apply to INSEAD, hoping that my profile would compensate for the low score (I am 26, scholarship recipient, well traveled and have worked at senior positions in my government, reporting directly to senior political figures). Naturally, I was not afforded a place but I was encouraged to improve my quant score and reapply, with an indicative target of 75th percentile in quant.
So, my 3rd attempt at GMAT a week ago saw me preparing solely for quant, and I was extremely confident that I could attain this score without much effort. My practice exams showed that I was scoring well above my target. Upon retaking my GMAT however, my score was EXACTLY the same!!! I noticed that I finished the quant section with 10 minutes to spare, while my timing was perfect on my practice tests, in which I finished with only a minute or 2 to spare.
I can only attribute this to anxiety and nothing else, and I have no idea how to remedy this. If I do not retake the GMAT and improve my quant score within the next 4 weeks, (assuming I get a place at INSEAD), I will be forced to delay my MBA by a year which is certainly not an attractive option for me given my current situation. If anyone has experienced this, I would be very grateful if someone could shed some light on this and give me a few pointers as to how I can manage stress and improve my quant. Thanks!