Official GMAT Experience (Mixed Feelings):720 (Q50|V37|IR7|AWA6)

Question

Just (Like literally JUST) got done with my first ever Online GMAT and I can't really describe this feeling. (It's not a happy one)

This is a post that I had written a few days before my attempt. Might be good to read this before proceeding with the current post just so that you have a better idea of how this attempt reflects in light of my mock scores.

Unfortunately, don't have permission to post the link here, but the title for my other post is:
"Consistently scoring in the low 700s, how to break the 750 barrier? "

Also, just to add to the above post, I gave one more mock before the test
GMAC Practice test 4: 760(Q50|V44)
This got me super pumped.

Anyway, let me start off by describing the entire "online" experience and then I shall get into the details of my performance.

Setup and pre-test formalities
--------------------------
I've got a BIG desk, which means that it had a lot of stuff, and I had made sure to keep it clean, well in advance. I also had my ID (remember to keep it handy), white-board, and 2 super thin markers ready. I had even gone to the extent of emptying all the drawers (sadly the proctor did not want to see my efforts)

I have 2 entrances to my room and had stuck a "DnD" post-it on each of them to ensure 187 minutes (plus breaks, ofcourse) of peaceful test-taking. The power source was connected to the laptop, all prerequisites were complete, and I was raring to go.

I was on the Examity page, waiting for the last 15 minutes before the test when I could log in to the portal and start my checkup formalities. The proctor was great and I didn't face any hassles in completing the formalities before the test could commence. I was asked to keep my phone in a different room though.

Pointer #1: I had to download an app called 'GoToMeeting' which is similar to Zoom and which was going to be our video platform for the test. I didn't know that this would be required but was quickly able to install it nevertheless.

Hiccup
------
Yup, there was one hiccup.
I attempted the test in the VQ order. At around Q17 in Verbal with 36 minutes to go, I suddenly saw a pop-up saying "Your test has been paused by the Proctor. Kindly connect with the Proctor". I was halfway through reading an RC paragraph when this happened. I waited for about 10 minutes. Didn't hear anything from the other side. I tried to close the window, but it asked for a password which I did not have. Here's another pointer to all future test takers.

Pointer #2: Remember to ask for the password that would allow you to exit out of the secure browser window. Mine was "closemytp" which I only got once I restarted my laptop and reconnected to the meeting.

This break led to me getting disoriented for a bit and having to read the passage from the beginning. I believe it's because of this that I lost a bit of time and had to guess on the last couple of questions. (V37, smh)

Once this was done, Quant was hassle-free, and I didn't have any complaints.

Surprised at the 7 in IR as I felt that I didn't perform well in this section.

Also, just wanted to call out, I've read a lot of posts where people have mentioned that they found the actual test tougher. I didn't find that to be the case. The level was more or less identical to that of the mocks that I had attempted.

Still Confused
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After I submitted my AWA, I saw the unofficial scores pop-up (an unimpressive 720, but looking at my trend, totally expected) but nowhere did I see the option to accept/reject the score. I'm not sure whether that is something that needs to be decided at a later point on seeing the official report. I would appreciate it if someone could shed some light on this.

I REALLY need to fix the way that I attempt my Verbal Questions. I'm definitely planning on a re-take, and want to book it ASAP. I would love to connect with people who could guide me regarding this. My focus for the days before my next attempt will be on maximising my verbal accuracy.

Also, remember that strange feeling that I described right in the beginning? I'm neither happy nor sad with this attempt, I do know that if I didn't face that issue, I would've got maybe a couple more questions right. but that V37 wouldn't have become a V47. So the problem is bigger and I really want to address it. Just can't seem to find the "HOW" yet.

If there are any things in particular that anyone would want me to address, please do let me know.

PS: There might be a bunch of typos and grammatical errors. Well, remember I got a V37

Cheers and All The Best!
Jag

Cheers and All The Best! Jag

AjiteshArun · Answer

Hi  Jagmeister ,

If those questions were "fresh", that is, you weren't already familiar with them, this is a great sign that you can get a score like that on the actual GMAT as well.

Thank you for this. There is plenty of bad information out there, and pointing out that the actual GMAT isn't somehow completely different from the official practice tests is important.

GMAT online scores can't be canceled . You get to choose which score(s) you want to send, so it's not an issue.

All the best for the retake.

Jagmeister · Answer

AjiteshArun

Thank you for your specific replies to each of my queries. I really appreciate it!

Yes that was a fresh set of questions and I hadn't reset the tests so it does give me hope. I haven't taken the GMAC Practice Tests 5 and 6 but will take them once I've worked on improving my verbal scores, to get a better and more accurate score.

Aah, that clarifies why I wasn't asked to accept/cancel my score.

Also, I got the official report today.

Total -720- 94%
Quantitative Reasoning -50- 87%
Verbal Reasoning -37- 82%
Integrated Reasoning -7- 79%
Analytical Writing Assessment -6- 88%

bb · Answer

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and for the tips. This is news to me about the password. Very helpful 👍

Posted from my mobile device

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi Jagmeister.

Generally when someone is good but not great at verbal one or more of the following would help him to score higher.

- Being more sophisticated in how you go about answering the questions - GMAT verbal is a fairly sophisticated logic game, and one things your score reflects is how sophisticated your approach to answering the questions is. So, by approaching the questions in a more sophisticated way, you'll likely drive your score higher.

- Being more precise - In so many cases, whether you get a verbal question correct depends on how precise you are. For instance, if you kind of but not exactly identify the conclusion of a CR argument, the test can slip all kinds of trap choices by you. On the other hand, if you are super exact in identifying the conclusion, the traps will be much more likely to stand out as completely incorrect.

- Practicing more effectively - Often people have trouble increasing their verbal scores simply because the way in which they practice doesn't result in their mastering GMAT verbal. So, another thing you could adjust to score higher on verbal is the way you practice.

For an in-depth discussion of how to do all of the above, see the following two posts.

How to Score High on GMAT Verbal

Three Key Practice Tips for Mastering GMAT Verbal

egmat · Answer

Hey Jagmeister , To begin with, I had mixed feelings when I read your post. It took me through the ebbs and flows of your entire testing experience. What I liked the most was this pro tip - You have helped so many people out there and so many of the students I worked with faced the same problem and it threw them off real bad. I must commend you on being able to maintain your composure. Now let's talk Verbal. The most mystifying part of the online exam is the lack of an ESR. " Trying to find a weakness on high scores on this test is like looking for a black pen in the pitch dark "

I would want to take a more analytical approach to your V37. Everything mentioned on the thread is super helpful and I would love to have a chat with you about this. One of the students from my Last-Mile cohort was stuck just like you. I want you to read this when you can - https://success.e-gmat.com/How-to-crack-a-plateau It's more about finding that lever you need to turn to scale your score to a V40+ - Whether that's approach, practice or a few strategic test-taking mistakes can only be found through a more detailed analysis. I love talking to students and I specialize in pushing people from the 720s to their 750s for a living. Would love to chat with you. Drop me a line here: dhananjay@e-gmat.com and we can take it from there. Looking forward to the chat! Warm Regards, Dhananjay(aka DJ)

RR0608 · Answer

Hi Jagmeister

What were your scores for the Kaplan Mocks? 
Congratulations on the 750!!

Jagmeister · Answer

Hey, sure, let share my mock scores. These are in the order that I took them. The last three mocks were taken AFTER my first attempt of 720.

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Official GMAT Experience (Mixed Feelings):720 (Q50|V37|IR7|AWA6)

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