770 first gmat prep test - reliability?

Question

Hi everyone,

I just took my first gmat prep test 1 with no practice, and got 770 (51 in quant with 2 mistakes and 7 mistakes in verbal - 96th percentile but I don't remember the score). It sounds so high I just wonder whether it actually reflects my level? I am taking the gmat in 5 weeks, do you think it's possible to reach a similar score for the real exam?

Also, I got the 92th percentile for integrated reasoning, but is it important?

Cheers

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi cdegrave,

A 770 is an amazingly high first score on a practice CAT (especially with NO prior practice). It's likely that you could be a naturally strong critical thinker and pattern matcher - if that's the case, then you shouldn't have too much trouble with the Official GMAT. Before we leap to that conclusion though, I have a few questions about how you took this CAT:

1) Did you take the Essay section along with the other sections?
2) Had you seed any of the questions on this CAT before?
3) Did you take the Test in one sitting without doing anything unrealistic (pausing the CAT, taking longer breaks, etc.)?
4) Is this the first time that you've taken this CAT?

Many Business Schools have publicly stated that they don't use the IR score as part of the application process, so you don't have much to worry about there.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

cdegrave · Answer

Hi Rich, I would say the only "practice" I had was studying for my lsat last year, which helped for the verbal section. As a non-native speaker though, my mistakes in the test mostly came from SC

1) Did you take the Essay section along with the other sections? I did take the essay but didn't think too much about it, I would really think harder during the real exam. 2) Had you seed any of the questions on this CAT before? Nope. 3) Did you take the Test in one sitting without doing anything unrealistic (pausing the CAT, taking longer breaks, etc.)? I had a 20 min break between the quant section and the verbal section to quickly eat something. 4) Is this the first time that you've taken this CAT? yes, first CAT of all time With that in mind, I understand the conditions were better than they would be for a real test. I am taking the real gmat in 5 weeks, and I have the OG16 that I plan to use with gmatprepnow. Do you think it's enough to score a 770? I can spend 7/8 hours a day on it. Also last question that isn't really related: I am graduating in June and only have 6 months of work experience (PwC). Are there good unis which would overlook my lack of work experience for an MBA if I have a strong gmat + gpa? Cheers, cdegrave

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi cdegrave,

You've described enough details that define how this CAT experience wasn't completely realistic, but I would still have to assume that you could regularly score in the 700+ range going forwards. At this level though, the GMAT becomes really 'sensitive' to little mistakes, so the more that you make, the more likely that your score will drop. In that same way, if your practice CATs are taken in an unrealistic way, then you are not properly training for the Official GMAT - and your scores might also be 'off' for that reason.

If you are able to score at this same level on the Official GMAT, then you would be in the perfect position to apply to ANY Business Schools that interest you as long as you ALSO have a strong OVERALL PROFILE. Many Business School Programs expect at least a few years of professional work experience, so your options would likely be limited if you have less than 1 year of work experience.

Why are you thinking about applying to School now? If you spent a couple of years focusing on your work experience, then that experience, combined with this potential GMAT score, would almost certainly make you a much stronger overall applicant at EVERY School (and your GMAT score would put you in position to apply for scholarships).

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

IanStewart · Answer

The GMATPrep tests are the most reliable score predictors available. There's always a bit of luck involved on a single test, so you shouldn't treat a test score as a precise value - it's better to think of it as an estimate with a margin of error around it. But that margin of error is small, and you can't get a 770 just by luck alone. Your true level right now is almost certainly in the 740-780 range. When you have two or three GMATPrep data points to look at, you'll get a better estimate of your level by interpolating among those scores.

Your most likely level now is 770, and any study plan at all will be 'enough' to potentially get a 770, just as long as you don't get worse during your prep. And that's why I'd strongly advise against studying 7/8 hours per day - you risk burnout, and the GMAT really is not about how much you can memorize, or how much study time you can cram into each day. You'll get the most out of your study if you're well-rested and thinking clearly, and if you give your brain some time away from the books to process what you've learned.

There is still a small amount of improvement you could make in Quant (some Q51s are better than others; the score is rounded off). You must know almost all of the content already, so you could probably jump straight to test-like practice, solving OG and Question Pack questions, making careful note of any errors, and then using that error log to guide you to review certain concepts or topics more thoroughly. But you really won't need much time to do that. It's in Verbal where you have more room to improve, and it's fortunate if SC is your weakest area, because that's the question type where you can improve most in a short space of time. So that's what you should prioritize. As far as study materials, for Verbal prep I would only advise using official questions - I've not found any company source of Verbal questions which approaches the quality of the real thing. And if you're using books or videos to learn content, be sure those materials are appropriate for a high-level test taker. Especially avoid any materials that emphasize gimmicky test-taking 'tricks'; those tricks aren't at all useful for test takers at your level. Instead, be sure you're focusing on understanding concepts. Good luck!

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770 first gmat prep test - reliability?

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