Really weird Princeton Review Practice CAT Score

Question

So confused, 7 days out from the real GMAT and my CAT scores have been as follows: 
- GMAT Prep 680 (q41 v42) 
- Princeton Review 680 (q41 v43) 
- GMAT Prep 720 (q46 v44) 
- Princeton Review 740 (q45 v48) 
- GMAT Prep 730 (q48 v42)

and then this morning, 
- Princeton Review 640 (q35 v44)

How does this happen? Has anyone experienced such a discrepancy with the PR tests?? 
I am reviewing my Quant section and only missed 6 questions. 2 are in the beginning and then the rest throughout the tests but I only missed ONE question from #14 to #31 with the CAT not serving me anything above a difficulty 7 during that time.... Is this a bug? Can this happen on the real day?

Thank you for your thoughts!!

GMATinsight · Answer

All I can say is that do NOT trust any practice tests other than Official GMAC tests, Manhattan tests and Veritas tests.

Only these three tests types are worth taking. Other tests have specific strengths and weakness while princeton tests have some great problems, but not limited to, when it comes to scoring

prateekchugh · Answer

Trust only GMAT official Test Scores, do not worry about other tests. Be confident and give the exam. All the best.

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi CG305

You ask a great question. Certainly, when you take practice tests from companies other than GMAC, you may find some variation in algorithms used and thus variations in your score. Do you plan to take one final official GMAC practice exam?

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi cg305,
 
The scoring algorithm on the Official GMAT is far more complicated than most people realize. Since that algorithm is proprietary, no GMAT company has an exact match for it, thus CAT scores can vary a bit based on the 'biases' involved in their respective designs. Based on your other CAT/mock Scores, it's likely that there's simply something 'off' with the scoring/calibration of this 3rd-party CAT.

While you might be tempted to take some additional CATs/mocks at this point, you have to be careful about doing too much (since you're so close to your Official Test Date). The process of taking (and reviewing) a CAT requires a significant amount of energy and effort - and takes time to 'recover' from. This is one of the reasons why you typically shouldn't take more than 1 CAT per week - and your last CAT should be taken about 1 week before you take your Official GMAT. You might be okay to take one more CAT during this last week, but you should not take any more than that - and you have to be careful about not 'burning out' before Test Day. In the last few days before your Official GMAT, you should limit your studies to general practice and light review (NO CATs and NO 'cramming') - you would be better served by getting some extra rest so that you can go into Test Day calm, clear-headed and ready to work.

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

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Really weird Princeton Review Practice CAT Score

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