I took the
executive assessment online a week ago and got 157 (IR 12, V 10, Q 15).
In the prep exams, I got 154, 162, 156, 152.
The online experience set-up was very challenging and annoying.
I downloaded the software the day before, and run the system check and it's the same software - so I saved some time on the exam day.
It took around 20-25 minutes just to upload the room pictures (super slow), and my ID wasn't recognized at first. After everything was set up, the software stuck (WTF). I restarted my computer and it resumed my test, quite easily.
The test:
- IR was fair (more or less like the prep exams) - I missed only one question because lack of time - and I guessed wrong. The first question took me 5 minutes, and the math was annoying (I only got it right the 2nd time).
- V - was significantly harder than what I've seen. Also, I got a passage about biology, a subject that I wasn't good at when I prepared. The SC was also quite tough, and the CR was really hard. I feel like I could have done better. Time was an issue (I had only 12.5 minutes for the second part). I felt a little bit unlucky, and I could have done better and I should have sacrificed one RC question to do better in the SC and CR.
- Q - was significantly easier than the prep, there was only one question that was a huge time drainer, which a very complicated calculation, and not "friendly" answers, that I ended up guessing.
My perp:
- For the verbal, I used
Magoosh (My mother tongue is not English). I do recommend it, although some important SC tips are missing from the lectures, but you can find some important info on their blog. The bottom line is that
Magoosh is very cost-effective.
- I didn't study for the quant, just did the prep questions.
- I did all the EA prep, and then I did 5 of the 6 GMAT exams (skipped Geometry), and some GMAT practice (mainly SC, and some Quant)
- GMAT club question of the day was really helpful
The online experience:
- The IR calculator was somewhat different in terms of layout and color than the one on the official practice, but it worked OK-ish.
- The whiteboard is buggy, but it somehow works. It's exactly the same as provided by gmatclub/ea, but - no keyboard shortcuts, no arrows are supported. There's a very annoying bug though: if you use the pane tool (which I used a lot in practice, so I could get back to my calculations if I have any time left) and then the text tool - the text disappears. That took some precious seconds. My solution was to switch to the pen tool on the quant section. With that said, I rather work with the online whiteboard than scratch paper.
- When I think I tend to lean my head on my hand. The proctor wrote to me that it confuses the AI - the chat screen took a few seconds to load, which was annoying. Although I knew that in advance, but I still couldn't help it.
- They don't send you an email with your score, you need to check the EA site every day (it took them 2-3 business days)
- All in all, I'd give the online experience 7/10. For me, it was better to do it in a familiar environment and stress less, than go to the test center and do it on 90's computers.
Tips for the online test:
- Have more than one id with you, since sometimes their AI doesn't work well.
- Download the software a day before, and run the system test.
- I used a foldable laptop stand, and wireless keyboard and mouse.
All in all, I'm happy with my score (although I feel I was unlucky in the Verbal section), and I don't think I'll ever do it again.
Good Luck!