GMAT reliability

Question

Hello Gmatters,

I am desperate! My official Gmat tests fluctuate so much! On each test, I either do better on math or verbal. I can never get the best of my scores in each subject in one test! its soooo frustrating. can any of you relate? I am beginning to think the GMAT just wants me to fail! ugh.

Kim

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Kim,

Before anyone can provide any advice on your situation, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying, these score results and your goals:

1) How long have you studied?
2) What materials have you used?
3) When you say that your scores have fluctuated, are you talking about Official GMAT scores or practice CAT scores?
4) What are the exact scores that you're referring to (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?

5) What is your goal score?
6) When are you planning to take the GMAT?
7) When are you planning to apply to Business School?

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

HiLine · Answer

You need consistency. After you answer RichC's questions, we'll be able to help more. :-D

kimber780 · Answer

1) How long have you studied? about 2 months

2) What materials have you used? OG 2016, Manhattan Word Translations and Math Foundations, Kaplan Premier

3) When you say that your scores have fluctuated, are you talking about Official GMAT scores or practice CAT scores? Official Scores, My practice tests are fairly consistent (480-500)

4) What are the exact scores that you're referring to (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)? V28 Q17, V20 Q 22

5) What is your goal score? haven't even touch 400. All I need is a 400 so its very frustrating

6) When are you planning to take the GMAT? in a couple weeks

Pretty pathetic I know! I just cant study very much (currently taking 3 classes)/work full time. I just wish I could get the best scores in 1 test, then I would touch that 400.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Kim,

Based on what you've described, there are a number of different 'issues' to contend with, so I'll deal with them in a logical order.

1) Your goal score is absolutely achievable, although it's not clear how exactly you know that you 'only need' a 400. Is that a minimal score requirement for a School/Program that you're interested in? And are you GUARANTEED to get in if you score 400+ (how do you know?)?

2) You can achieve that score goal without correctly answering ANY questions that you think are too hard or too weird, so don't worry about those prompts. However, you have to take a good look at the questions that you DO think that you can correctly answer - on the ones that you're getting wrong, can you explain WHY you got them wrong (those errors are the things that you need to focus on eliminating from your work).

3) Many Test Takers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores. Part of your issue is that you have not put in enough time and effort yet.

4) You've used a book-heavy approach so far during your studies. Many Test Takers get 'stuck' at a particular score level when studying in this way, so you might find it useful to work with some new, non-book study resources.

5) The two score results that you listed likely vary because you're guessing a lot in BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections. While you could conceivably 'guess' your way to a 400+, that really shouldn't be your chosen approach.

A couple of weeks might not be enough time for you to 'lock in' the proper skills needed to hit your score goal, so you might want to consider pushing back your Official Test Date a bit. What are the application deadlines for the Program(s) that you're considering?

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

kimber780 · Answer

Thank you for your reply!

I say 400 because everything else is very good in my application, and I was told thats all I need to get into the program.

I am determined to get the 400 I score I need in a few weeks, I have to, or I cannot apply this year. There is a lot of pressure right now.

For the test that I got a V28, the questions seemed "easy", however, when I took it the second time it seemed harder. I will say that I haven't done well studying for both verbal and quant. I thought I had the verbal down so I focused just on my quant, then it brought my verbal down. It's just weird that it went down that much. I am currently studying both sections together (flip flop days).

I just need to get over this hump, and it really sux!

HanoiGMATtutor · Answer

May I ask what your background is in math and English? For most people, 400 is not a GMAT score that is difficult to attain. Do you have any handicap?

I would say that improving on Quant or Verbal alone may be sufficient to push your score over the 400 threshold.

kimber780 · Answer

Thank you for the reply.

Not handicap,,,, however, I don't think very standardized.

- kim

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Kim,

On this last practice CAT, how many total questions in each section did you get wrong that you think you COULD/SHOULD have gotten correct? The answer to that question is important because it helps to define the 'big issue' that you're facing - it's either your overall content knowledge or silly/little mistakes. If you think that you got lots of those questions wrong because you don't know how to answer them, then that's one thing; however, if you're getting lots of questions wrong because you're making little mistakes, then that points to different areas that you need to work on.

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

GMATPill · Answer

No test is perfect 100% of the time. Best you can do is position yourself so that you are most likely to perform your best in each of the sections. Whether it's the test or it's you -- doesn't matter. Focus on what you can control - which is your own accuracy and timing.

If you prefer an additional practice test, you may find this one useful: www.gmatpill.com/gmat-practice-test/practice-test/

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