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Pease help -Gmat prep2 740 and Actual 580

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phighter
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Pease help -Gmat prep2 740 and Actual 580 [#permalink] Pease help -Gmat prep2 740 and Actual 580   26 Nov 2011, 13:28
Hi

I took my Gmat in September and scored 580. Before Gmat i studied for 2-3 hrs almost every day for around two months,My Gmat prep 1(2nd time) score was 710(with 4-5 repeats).

Gmat prep 2(first time) i scored 740 and was very high on confidence, but the actual went horribly wrong. Though i am studying again but my performance is similar to what it used to be before my first attempt.

Last week
Took 2 Kaplan tests, CAT 1(Q 50, V28), score 580
CAT 2(Q50,V 32), score 610

Also wrote 800score with

Test 2(Q 44,V34)

really curious about what could have gone wrong last time and where i stand now?

If anyone could shed light, it would help me a lot,

Thanks in advance
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BM
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Re: Pease help -Gmat prep2 740 and Actual 580 [#permalink] Pease help -Gmat prep2 740 and Actual 580   26 Nov 2011, 20:22
The disparity between the second practice test and the actual GMAT is indeed unusually large. One factor could have occured on test day. You mentioned that things went "horribly wrong," so I'm a bit curious. How did you feel mentally during the actual test? Were you very nervous, fatigued, or distracted? Were you physically sick or did you not sleep well the night before? Did you take the breaks and did you eat or drink anything? There are all sorts of possibilities here, so please recount your experience with as much detail as possible.

Another issue could deal with the practice test or toward the end of your studies. Did you study excessively shortly before the test? Did you take the practice CAT under realistic test conditions? Were you consistent with your studies or did you take breaks every now and then? Adn what was your score for the first GMATPrep (first attempt)?

Now, you don't have to answer every question here. It would be nice if you did, but that's not the point of this exercise. I just wanted to throw out some ideas in order to help you to work out the issues - to stimulate your mind, I suppose. With that said, the more information you provide us, the better we can help you!
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phighter
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Re: Pease help -Gmat prep2 740 and Actual 580 [#permalink] Pease help -Gmat prep2 740 and Actual 580   29 Nov 2011, 01:19
Hi bmillan01

Thanks for your reply,

My answers to your queries are as follows:

1. I slept hardly 3 hours before the test as it was at 9 am and I sleep usually late.

2. I was extremely anxious during the test, and there was a test taker constantly coughing, I get distracted very easily

3. I took breaks but did not eat or drink anything

4 5 days before the test I studied less than I had before those days.

5 Practice CAT were in my living room, ideal conditions

6 I always had three to four day breaks between my studies but that stopped 2-3 weeks before GMAT

7 I took prep 1 gmat first time before starting my preparation and had a score of 580

8 I got put off mentally when I saw a question in quant which I had seen before but not understood, only question to which I did not find an answer during prep as it was a week before and I thought it is just 1 question

Sorry for the delay in reply,but I am quite confused plus my concentration span is minimal and I don't know how I would not get irritated or distracted during test this time around, I have to put a lot of effort to focus

Thanks
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lbsgmat2012
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Re: Pease help -Gmat prep2 740 and Actual 580 [#permalink] Pease help -Gmat prep2 740 and Actual 580   29 Nov 2011, 06:19
lack of sleep and stress are usualy major factors in scoring low.
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alinomoto
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Re: Pease help -Gmat prep2 740 and Actual 580 [#permalink] Pease help -Gmat prep2 740 and Actual 580   29 Nov 2011, 10:04
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phighter wrote:
Hi bmillan01

Thanks for your reply,

My answers to your queries are as follows:

1. I slept hardly 3 hours before the test as it was at 9 am and I sleep usually late.

2. I was extremely anxious during the test, and there was a test taker constantly coughing, I get distracted very easily

3. I took breaks but did not eat or drink anything

4 5 days before the test I studied less than I had before those days.

5 Practice CAT were in my living room, ideal conditions

6 I always had three to four day breaks between my studies but that stopped 2-3 weeks before GMAT

7 I took prep 1 gmat first time before starting my preparation and had a score of 580

8 I got put off mentally when I saw a question in quant which I had seen before but not understood, only question to which I did not find an answer during prep as it was a week before and I thought it is just 1 question

Sorry for the delay in reply,but I am quite confused plus my concentration span is minimal and I don't know how I would not get irritated or distracted during test this time around, I have to put a lot of effort to focus

Thanks


The first 2 are a big red flag. Can easily cause a score on test day to plummet. Of course, it could be other factors too, or simply that the GMAT Prep was not reporting your actual level (although this is doubtful).

Kaplan and other tests do not give a very realistic indicator of the score. The closest to GMATPrep that I have found are the Manhattan CAT exams. Try taking those to see where you stand. If for whatever reason you are now scoring in the 580-640 range, then your GMAT results were probably a correct indication of your ability and something was suspect about the GMAT Prep scores.

However, if you are back at the 700+ levels, I'd certainly put some more effort and take the GMAT in ideal conditions (i.e. the same time as when you usually take the practice CAT tests) and also try to get a good night's sleep before (easier said than done).
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MichJDMBA
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Re: Pease help -Gmat prep2 740 and Actual 580 [#permalink] Pease help -Gmat prep2 740 and Actual 580   29 Nov 2011, 10:35
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phighter wrote:
Hi bmillan01

Thanks for your reply,

My answers to your queries are as follows:

1. I slept hardly 3 hours before the test as it was at 9 am and I sleep usually late.

2. I was extremely anxious during the test, and there was a test taker constantly coughing, I get distracted very easily

3. I took breaks but did not eat or drink anything

4 5 days before the test I studied less than I had before those days.

5 Practice CAT were in my living room, ideal conditions

6 I always had three to four day breaks between my studies but that stopped 2-3 weeks before GMAT

7 I took prep 1 gmat first time before starting my preparation and had a score of 580

8 I got put off mentally when I saw a question in quant which I had seen before but not understood, only question to which I did not find an answer during prep as it was a week before and I thought it is just 1 question

Sorry for the delay in reply,but I am quite confused plus my concentration span is minimal and I don't know how I would not get irritated or distracted during test this time around, I have to put a lot of effort to focus

Thanks

It sounds like all of these things together played a huge role on test day and you seem to know what you were doing wrong.

Perhaps you should try to get in a better sleeping pattern beginning a couple weeks before the test, eat/re-hydrate during break times, take practice tests (and get used to taking them) in non-ideal locations/noise conditions and prepare ahead of time to know that there are probably going to be questions that will throw you off but know that it will likely throw off anyone else who prepared as much as you did so you shouldn't freak out and instead calmly deduct the best possible answer.

As far as #4 goes, my standardized testing experience has always been that you should take a break from studying a couple days before the test. That way you're not test fatigued when you begin the actual thing. By the week of the test, you know what you know and your testing skills are pretty much set. Cramming for the last couple of days isn't going to really help on a standardized test. It's much better to relax yourself and even get "hungry" for test questions on test day.

Good luck on your future retake! :)
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Re: Pease help -Gmat prep2 740 and Actual 580 [#permalink]
29 Nov 2011, 10:35