Took my GMAT today.....340!!......I feel like an idiot!!!

Question

Okay I have never posted on a board before. I am hoping someone on this board can help me understand what I did so wrong. I got a 340!!!!...I see other people received scores 600-730....What the heck did I do???.......... :wall

The college I want to go to is the University of Akron. They told me not to worry about the score. How can I not worry over a score so low. I am not a great test taker. I even sat through the last 4 saturdays from 9am-5pm in a review class. Just think I want to sit for the CPA....I am thinking about hanging it up...I am in my 40's...maybe I am too darn old for this. I wanted to get my master's in taxation. I am an accountant. I do not think I am stupid but man today I feel like the stupidest person around.

necromonger · Answer

Lainez,
relax - first tell the forum how you prepared. How long, which way, methods, what did you identify as your weakness, and how you did in your practice tests.

A lot of us can give you motivational speeches, but they go only some way. I think what you are looking for is a way to do better, and there are many people here that can perhaps suggest them.

Don't hang up just yet, hang on - and brace for another attempt.

acfuture · Answer

necromonger has made a great suggestion...

Please post what you have done and how you have prepared. 

We have strength in numbers. I know that there are some great people in this forum that they will teach you. We are all here to learn.

Don't give up, not yet, you got at least one more in you...
Believe it and it will be so....

laineyz · Answer

I bought the GMAT flashcard book published by Kaplan. I studied those for about 6 months. Then I got serious to my time frame of when I wanted to go to graduate school and around April I realized that I needed to take the GMAT by the end of July. I took it July 1st. I took a review class that was taught at Cleveland State every Saturday in June from 9am-5pm. I would come home and work on the GMAT prep from MBA.com. On the practice tests they had I received a 600 and and 630. I didn't think that was too bad. So I took the week before the test off. Reviewed the night before. Then went in a bombed it...............

How do colleges use this test??....the college I want to go is a state school. It is the University of Akron. I have been in my field for 16 years. I want to take the Master's of Taxation. 

But Man, do I feel stupid. I think anyone that has never sat for that has NO IDEA!!!....my husband can not understand why I feel so beat up.

rhyme · Answer

If you were taking practice exams and scoring 610 to 630's you are already quite prepared to Akron - you just need to keep your studies up for one more month and then retake.

If the school told you "not to worry" about it, why not call them and find out more about why they said that?

FYI - average GMAT scores at akron

https://www.businessweek.com/bschools/05 ... /akron.htm

laineyz · Answer

Thanks Rhyme. I have a call into the advisor. We will see.

rhyme · Answer

Did you take full length practice exams? Or did you skip the essays? Did you take the GMATPrep exams as practice? How many exams?

laineyz · Answer

I took the GMAT PREP full length exams. I didn't skip the essays. I took them too. I downloaded these from the MBA.com website.

laineyz · Answer

Okay....talked to the advisor. I have until August 3rd to bring my score up from 340 to 490-540. What kind is a good guide? I work full time. I am taking a class right now that is Monday and Wednesday in the evenings. Please help.

necromonger · Answer

August 3rd..hmm..short time span. Here is my suggestion (mind you, I haven't taken GMAT yet and for all you know, I may be a dud too, so don't take my advice as gospel (or bhagavad gita if I go by my faith ;) ). But I'm doing OK in practice tests, so it can't be all that bad)

-Get MGMAT books, quick. And do an intense period of 2 week study only on areas where you think you're really bad. Focus on basics in math.

-Do OG completely - everything, and take the 5-6 paper ETS tests along with GMATprep (again)

Since you don't have a lot of time - barely a month in fact, this should be enough. The focus is - don't jump into tests right away and depress yourself. First learn the theory for the 2 weeks and then start hitting all tests and review them.

Good luck! I do hope you'll cross that 500.

rhyme · Answer

I would second this -

Get the MGMAT books ASAP. Start with those. There are 7 of them, you will have to try and do 2 a week, plus OG problems. You will have to dedicate your weekends to make the August date. Don't despair. I did the same thing - 5 weeks, 8 hours saturday, 8 hours sunday, plus 1-2 hours a day during the week.

Be prepared for it to be a signficant amount of work. Try to find a study partner if you can. It helps keep you motivated. Try craigslist.org if your city is listed. 

If you are taking the exam in August, I would suggest you do 1 full length practice exam a week, 2 if you can manage it.

HongHu · Answer

Don't give up. Try to analyze what went wrong. Were you nervous? Do you feel you perfermed normally? Were you suprised by any questions? Did you feel unprepared for any questions? What are your section scores? For preparation of the next test I would try to focus on OG.

Good luck!

laineyz · Answer

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY TO EVERYONE!!


Thanks for the help I am going to go to amazon and order the books. I don't want to sound stupid but what is the OG? I know of the parts as verbal, quantative. Can someone explain?

acfuture · Answer

I too at first when i going this forum was not sure what OG meant either. I had to ask others, so don't feel bad about it... I would say it is a GMAT lingo??!! OG = Officicial Guide (the GMAT prep book that GMAC sells) there is a 10th edition and an 11th edition. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/097657 ... e&n=283155

laineyz · Answer

that is funny.....I would have never guessed it. I live around a borders I will see if they have it...if not I will order it. Thanks so much....now off to studying......

chudik · Answer

understand you. First exam was 460 - I was just disappointed - I had ~700 at KAPLAN CAT tests:(( I have retaken and got... ~390:((( But I think it was my mistake as I had not took a time-out and was over-stressed and exhosted.... I have re-taken and got 500. At the moment I am preparing for re-taking....

04blackmaxx · Answer

I thought 500 was terrible after seeing this site, but considering my prep I think I got what was coming. GMAT for dummies is definately a dumb way to study.

	Manhattan Prep: $99 Bonus Score Higher on Your GMAT Exam. Guaranteed.
	Target Test Prep - Save up to $599 $400 Discount + $99 Bonus GMAT Club Tests
	e-GMAT: 60% Off on GMAT Focus Get to 735+ from any starting point
	Magoosh increases your score, guaranteed - 15% off ALL Magoosh GMAT plans with code GMATCLUB15 + Free GMAT Club Tests.
	Experts' Global - ~~$1720~~ $960 End-to-End GMAT Prep + App Support: 150+ Videos, 2000+ Questions, 15 FLTs +
	GMATWhiz - $299 ~~$499~~ Experience the course through a free trial.
	GMAT Club Tests - Free Included with every course purchase of $149+ View all deals

Took my GMAT today.....340!!......I feel like an idiot!!!

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards