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30 Oct 2003, 10:15
Kudos
Bookmarks
For those that dont think the GMAT has gotten considerably tougher over the last few years, I beg to differ.
Would love to get other thoughts........
If you look at old GMAT tests from 5-10 years ago, the problems are, as a whole, easier to compute in a quicker timeframe, than the problems offered today. I think most test takers would tell you that 85% of the problems in the Official Guide (which come from old GMAT tests) simply pale in comparison to the vast majority of questions offered on the real CAT test today. Plus, tougher topics such as probability and combinations were never even tested on the exam until a few years ago.
Similarly, 7-8 years ago a mid-600 score would have earned you a score in the 93+ percentile. Today, it barely gets you an 80th percentile.
Finally, the test is (obviously) on computer now - there's no skipping hard questions and returning to them.....no circling "key" words in reading comp passages or critical reasoning, etc.
Personally, I think the test is quite tricky today. I really believe that the available materials (save the 100 hardest questions in the OG, and a select # of Kaplan problems) do not provide sound preparation. Now I'm stuck trying to get my hands on material that will actually prep me for what I can expect, as opposed to simple one-step problems that used to be common on older versions, but which simply dont cut the mustard anymore.
Just my two cents....
Would love to get other thoughts........
If you look at old GMAT tests from 5-10 years ago, the problems are, as a whole, easier to compute in a quicker timeframe, than the problems offered today. I think most test takers would tell you that 85% of the problems in the Official Guide (which come from old GMAT tests) simply pale in comparison to the vast majority of questions offered on the real CAT test today. Plus, tougher topics such as probability and combinations were never even tested on the exam until a few years ago.
Similarly, 7-8 years ago a mid-600 score would have earned you a score in the 93+ percentile. Today, it barely gets you an 80th percentile.
Finally, the test is (obviously) on computer now - there's no skipping hard questions and returning to them.....no circling "key" words in reading comp passages or critical reasoning, etc.
Personally, I think the test is quite tricky today. I really believe that the available materials (save the 100 hardest questions in the OG, and a select # of Kaplan problems) do not provide sound preparation. Now I'm stuck trying to get my hands on material that will actually prep me for what I can expect, as opposed to simple one-step problems that used to be common on older versions, but which simply dont cut the mustard anymore.
Just my two cents....
30 Oct 2003, 15:18
Kudos
Bookmarks
No one is denying the fact that it it got tough. But since it is tougher so are the rewards. See folks saying that they missed last questions and yet managed to get 700's. What does that mean. The test is tough but not all the questions count. Infact the questions which are experimental are out and the questions which are not experimental must have got minor weightage even if wrong on the basis of past experimental experience. The heavier GMAT doesnt mean that percentage of folks scoring in 90+ percentile has dropped. If GMAT has changed then even the algorithm has also changed.
30 Oct 2003, 20:43
Kudos
Bookmarks
I am not sure that GMAT has got tougher. Many problems that I encountered in actual GMAT were very easy - the one step type. At least two were simple fractions. Yet you could go wrong and make a mistake - and the wrong answer is also there in the choices !
Why the GMAT seems tougher is because the questions that you see in the exam have never been seen - either in OG or on Kaplan - or anywhere else. The fundamentals are same but the details are not. Instead of the longest line in a cuboid, it becomes distance of a corner lamp from the furthermost point !
Even if scoring is higher, it is the percentile which matters, not the actual score. A 98 percentile is very good, whether it is 730 of 2001 or 740 of 2003 or 750 of 2004 ! To me, it seems that GMAT is not getting tougher, it is the competition that is getting tougher ! ETS must be having a hard time preparing normalised questions.
Why the GMAT seems tougher is because the questions that you see in the exam have never been seen - either in OG or on Kaplan - or anywhere else. The fundamentals are same but the details are not. Instead of the longest line in a cuboid, it becomes distance of a corner lamp from the furthermost point !
Even if scoring is higher, it is the percentile which matters, not the actual score. A 98 percentile is very good, whether it is 730 of 2001 or 740 of 2003 or 750 of 2004 ! To me, it seems that GMAT is not getting tougher, it is the competition that is getting tougher ! ETS must be having a hard time preparing normalised questions.
