New GmatPrep different than the old version?

Question

Hello,

I took the 2 free GmatPrep tests like 4 months ago, but I noticed they released a new version.

Are the new version's CATS different than the old version? If not, considering i took them 4 months ago, will it be OK to take them again now? Will I get accurate results?

I will really appreciate your advice.

DmitryFarberMPrep · Answer

The new GMATPrep has the same old questions, so you certainly won't be getting a fresh experience. It is updated to include IR, and you now have the option of purchasing additional quant questions for $25. They've also changed the software so that once you close the program, your problem list is gone. If you want to study your exam, you have to keep that window open until you're done!

As to retaking, I saw that you asked about resetting our (MGMAT) exams as well. Retaking is generally not going to produce an accurate score. Even if you don't feel you remember the material, it is generally easier to handle material you have done before. If you have improved significantly, you will certainly see some different questions, but there are likely to be some familiar ones, too. If you do choose to retake exams, try to make the experience as realistic as possible. If you see a familiar problem, take the full time before answering, and put the answer you think you *would* have chosen if you hadn't already seen the problem. That way the CAT algorithm won't push you up higher than it should.

So basically, you can retake exams to get some additional practice taking the exam, but you shouldn't expect those CATs to be accurate measures of your progress. If you have a lot of prep to do, I'd recommend that you purchase exams from another company to get a fresh experience, and mix in MGMAT/GMATPrep here and there.

albertodicecco · Answer

Thank you so much DmitryFarber, I will take your advice!

What other exams do you recommend me to buy?

DmitryFarberMPrep · Answer

The major test prep companies generally give you access to 5 or 6 exams when you buy a strategy guide. I'd do that, but I don't have a strong opinion on which company to go with (after us, of course!).

DmitryFarberMPrep · Answer

You know, when I responded before, I didn't take note of the time frame on those CATs, and I didn't know you'd already taken Kaplan's exams, too.

So, here's my new advice: Stop taking CATs! Honestly, that is not the way to improve your score. You need to take time to learn from what you've already done, and to focus in on specific problem areas. CATs are great for practicing timing and guessing strategy, and for building endurance for test day, but they should be a small part of your overall strategy. Looking at your last 2 tests with us, I'd say you need to spend some serious time reviewing Geometry and Number Properties. On the verbal side, it's all about CR Draw a Conclusion/RC Inference. Those two are really one skill--I have an article about it on pg. 69 of our GMAT Roadmap book. You'll be much better off if you take the time to master these skills. Give yourself some time off from CATs, and don't take another one until you *know* the result will be better than before!

albertodicecco · Answer

Hi Dmitry,

I am following your advice, today i studied Geometry for a couple of hours and after that I took the Geometry Question Bank for the first time. I didn't do it timed, but tried to do it as fast as I could and without books or notes. You can check my results on the attachment. What do you think? Should i keep practicing or should i start working on Number Properties, CR and RC?

I noticed yesterday you didn't talk about my SC, am i OK in SC?

DmitryFarberMPrep · Answer

You need to time everything! Let yourself have the timed experience first, and then go back and take as much time as you need to rework and review before checking the answers. It's hard to assess your progress on untimed problems, because a problem you get right in 5 minutes is not a problem you have mastered.

Your performance is actually fairly even across the three verbal topics, although you are slightly higher in SC than in the other two. I mentioned CR/RC not because you are lower there overall, but because there is one core skill there--inference--that will win you a lot of points if you master it. You are really getting beat up there, especially on the RC side. Just to give you some perspective, on the last tests you missed more problems in Conclusion/Inference than in all of Number Properties! Still, there are plenty of things to look at in SC. I'd start with Modifiers.

By the way, I got all this data by running an assessment report based on your two most recent exams. Do you know how to do that? Go to your CAT exams page & hit Generate Assessment Reports. (Or just use this: https://www.manhattangmat.com/assessmentreports.cfm) Check the boxes for all of the exams you want to include. You can combine them all, or just use the ones you feel are most representative. You can even choose a single exam. Then hit Generate, and you'll get a series of 5 reports. These are extremely important to study! Note that the last two are multi-page reports that break down your performance in each subtopic of each book. You can click on each one and see a list of all the problems of that type in the included exams. You can use the reports to narrow down topics for study, and then use these specific lists to study problems within each focus area.

Happy studying!

sa2222 · Answer

thanks for pointing out about the assessment report. I didn't know about it until I saw your post.

DmitryFarberMPrep · Answer

Yeah, those reports are really powerful, but not everyone realizes they're there!

shanayatwain7 · Answer

Hi Dmitry,

I have one question on the Challenge Sets provided by MGMAT on GMAT Club - Free tests link. Any of these challenge sets questions - do not overlap with the 6 CATS of MGMAT, right? Just want to make sure.

Plus, you mentioned that in this post that the GMAT Prep new version is basically the same set of questions just with the new IR section added. So, all the old versions listed below of GMAT Prep will have same set of questions, correct? except PowerPrep (which as mentioned here overlaps with OG)- 
GMATPrep v2 2012 - Current 
GMATPpre v1.1 2006 - 2012
GMATPrep v1 2005 - 2006
PowerPrep 1999 - 2005 (overlaps with OG)

New GmatPrep different than the old version?

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