Same Quant / Verbal split Different Total Score - WTF?

Question

I was just going through the 700 Clubbers thread and I discovered that a person with my exact same quant/verbal split received a different total score

Is that supposed to happen? :pc

: There are other anomalous scores in the 700 clubbers thread too

Jerz · Answer

Yes - the scores are relative and depend on how well/poorly test takers are doing so over time what it takes to get a 700 will move around.

bakfed · Answer

It all depends on the relative score that you're getting as you reach that last few questions. I know several folks who have my exact breakdown (Q49, V35) who ended up with a 690, instead of a 700.

AmrithS · Answer

lol :D I've realized the futility of walking down the "Interpret GMAT Scoring Algorithm" road

jonblazon · Answer

it happens, never try and understand why, just accept it.

techitytech · Answer

I've now seen a couple people with Q48 V44 (the score I have) with 760s and I got a 750.

bakfed · Answer

Unless you're going for 800, there's truly no difference between your 750 and 760, especially when you couple that with a GPA of 3.8. AdComs know that you have the intellectual horsepower to do the work. Trust me.

highwyre237 · Answer

think of it this way... a 48Q can be anywhere between a 47.5 - 48.4999999, a 44v can be anywhere between a 43.5 - 44.499999

so, when creating a composite score, its understandable that not everyone would receive the same given the same breakdown rounded to the nearest whole number.

geometric · Answer

That would piss me off so much! I've always thought these point systems are ridiculous. I mean, has anyone in the world ever gotten below a 400? Why not just move this to a 0 to 100 scale?

highwyre237 · Answer

According to GMAC 11% of people score a 390 or lower... but, I'm assuming the majority of people here are better prepared then that segment. https://www.mba.com/the-gmat/gmat-scores ... means.aspx The scoring scale isnt the issue, its rounding. Think of it this way, if everything was weighted equally, and the score was out of 100, a 48q and 44v could still be 91 (47.5+43.5) 92 (48+44) or 93 (48.49 + 44.49). No matter what, if our scores are going to be represented rounded to the whole number, there will always be differences when comparing breakdowns to total score, regardless of the scale.

pinchharmonic · Answer

you're joking right? i got a q49 v44 and i got a 750. how can they have a split lower than mine with a higher score?

ok i read about the rounding... is that really why the same scores (or even different) could end up with such counter intuitive total scores? I didn't read that anywhere.

i googled q49 and v44 and most people got 760s. there are a few "unlucky" people like myself that got 750s...

highwyre237 · Answer

q49 could equal 48.5, v44 could equal 43.5 total = 92

Q48 could equal 48.49, v44 could equal 44.49 = 92.98

just remember a 49 could be anywhere between a 48.5-49.49, and a 48 could be 47.5-48.49

edit:
Its just how it goes I guess. Dont feel that because your total score is lower you are unlucky, its the score you earned. Not all 750s are equal, and not all 49q44v are equal.

pinchharmonic · Answer

thanks. I had no idea that the scores are calculated to the nearest tenth, but only reported to the units digit. In that case yes, i suppose i can accept that. I have a 3.38 GPA, which I thought was fine until I see that most of the applicants have very high GPAs. I figured the 760 would eliminate any doubt of my capability for top mba programs.

Same Quant / Verbal split Different Total Score - WTF?

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