First mock GMAT: How much can I target?

Question

Hey,

I just took my first Gmat today, after 6 hours of preparation in the last 3 days (focused on the quantitative part).

Score: 470. Q23 V33

I plan to take my final Gmat in about 3.5 months, and to spend 3h/day, 5j/7 on my preparation.

What score can I expect?

Any opinion would be much appreciated

Thanks for reading

AnirudhaS · Answer

A score improvement of 150 is possible

bb · Answer

Hi and welcome to GMAT Club! There is a bit of a variable in the improvement numbers and some are lucky since they make really bad mistakes on their first test and can easily rise through the score percentiles. In general, without "dumb luck", I would draft this table: Most can improve about 100 points from that level (a lot harder if you start with 600+) probably 20% improve 150 points 2-3% improves 200 points 1% improves 200+ points 0.0001% improves 300 points 000000000000001% improves 500 points

This is just statistics and observations. I don't know which one you will fall into and my purpose is not to discourage you but just to give you an idea how much effort you will have to put in. Average effort will be 100 points but as you look for more improvement, it may require you to work harder than others. P.S. You can check Share GMAT Experience Forum and some of the improvement stories and scores too. The good thing is your Quant is low and that is easier to improve (usually for most) than Verbal... unless you are allergic to quant that is.... but the way GMAT goes, it makes you pay for the mistakes and shortcuts you took in your youth. The more of them you can redeem and undo, the higher the score. I studied harder than I ever studied before in my life for 3 months. I have done everything I could within my timeframe and budget to give a better chance of a better score. I restructured my day, studied in the morning, read fiction books at night, and chased every mistake I made so I don't make it again (I did not take a lot of questions and I made the mistake of not having an OG and maybe many other mistakes) but the effort paid off. I made notes, reviewed yesterday's notes and lesson at the start of each day and treated GMAT as a map to a berried treasure. At the end, it worked out and I got a 750 which I did not expect (I started at 540). I ended up getting a scholarship with that score and getting an MBA. so in some way I made 100K in 3 months

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

It may help to purchase the Official Mocks (2 are free; 4 require payment) from mba.com. You can use them over the following months to get a sense of your scoring level.

All the best.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Rplay,

Many GMATers are unhappy with their initial practice scores, but you really shouldn't be. That 470 is just a measure of your skills right now - and you'll improve on that result over time as you learn more about the content, Tactics and little 'secrets' of the Exam. Many GMATers also spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores, so the fact that you've given yourself 3.5 months of study time is a smart choice.

The GMAT 'tests' you on a number of different skills, so there's no way to determine what you 'might' score on the Official GMAT based on your study timeframe; the more appropriate question is how well you are going to hone the skills needed to perform at a high level. To that end, it would probably be more productive for you to define a Score Goal; that way, we can put together a Study Plan that would put you on the proper path to potentially achieve that Goal.

Before I can offer you any additional advice for your studies, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on your timeline and your goals:

1) What study materials do you currently have access to? What "brand" of CAT/mock was this first practice CAT? 
2) What is your overall goal score?
3) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?

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

AjiteshArun · Answer

Hi Rplay , Your 470 is not particularly representative (just 6 hours of prep

) of where you can end up. This makes predicting your final score even more difficult than it already is. For what it's worth, I think that V33 is already a very good score, and it is possible that your Q23 is due to lack of familiarity with quant. As you continue working on your concepts, you may see large improvements in your score. All the best.

EducationAisle · Answer

I used to carry the impression that any improvement in excess of 200, is very very difficult.

But, I recently read a post on GMATClub, from a candidate who secured 500+ point improvement. Frankly, what I read, was almost  unbelievable  to me (the candidate's Quant score, for example, increased from 7 to 50!). I was like...am I really reading this!

MathRevolution · Answer

Hello Rplay,

Welcome to the GMAT club. It is one of the great platforms to get information about the GMAT official test, Study plan, Section wise instructions, and many more.

You are recommended to visit various posts and utilize this forum in the best efficient way.

A score of 470 is a bit shaky but you can surely do better and improve your score in the next 3.5 months.

You can schedule a Comprehensive counseling(https://calendly.com/mathrevolution/1-on-1-session) session for 30 mins with one of our experts to have detailed advice on your current study plans.

To improve, you will require consistent learning and practice. Also, keep motivation high to learn. You need to take care of both sections simultaneously.

Since we are a math expert, we will recommend you go through our post on the GMAT club, which gives a complete Breakdown of GMAT math questions and types: https://gmatclub.com/forum/overview-of- ... l#p1641411

Also, make a note of various possible combinations to achieve your target score. The possible scores will help you track your performance after taking the mock or practice test. It will also help you maintain balance in both the sections, and you will always be in a great position to allot the study hours to a specific area accordingly.

Solve as many questions as you can relate to different topics, and it is recommended that you try to connect with many proven experts. You can visit Math Revolution and get access to our 7-day full on-demand course (27 topics, 490 subtopics, and 1,500 questions) for free trial lessons and free videos.

Regular tests will reflect the positive change in the score, and hence, your confidence will boost up. Gradually, with the help of mock tests, you will be able to compete with time and hence will be able to learn time management.

We appreciate your time and patience in reading this reply.
If you need any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

You can reach us at [email protected].

Success is within your reach.

Good luck!
Math Revolution Team

Rplay · Answer

Hello hello, Thank you all for these answers ! So to sum up, I guess my final score should be between 570 and 670. My goal is to reach at least 640, preferably 660. I guess I will be hard but it sounds like a good chalenge

EMPOWERgmatRichC , thank you! 1) So far I only use the free materials that I find on internet, and will do so until late may, when I will get my response from Nova SBE. If they take me, I won't need the Gmat, otherwise, I will give my best for it

my current book is the Gmat Quantitative review 2021, from the Graduate Management Admission Council. I gave my mock Gmat on the Hult B-school website. I saw on this forum that this test is now really reliable. I hope my 470 can still give me a vague idea of my level...? 2) 640+ 3) As said before, I have already applied to Nova SBE, without Gmat. If they don't accept me, which is likely, I plan to apply to HEC Montréal in next September with the Gmat. If I don't have HEC, I will spend some more time to improve my gmat and apply to other schools. My target-list is currently the following: - Bocconi - Stockholm SE - Copenhagen BS - Warwick - Maastricht Does these choices it look realistic with my profile ? Could you give me a approximate honest pronostic for these schools please (with Nova and Hec Mtl)? My overall profile: Education: - Bsc in Economics and Management : Aix-Marseille University (France, #101 in economics on QS Rankings). GPA: 12,2/20, equivalent to 3.0/4.0 - Last year (currently) in exchange: Linköping University (Sweden, #401 on Times Rankings): Slightly higher GPA Professional Background: - Part time job: Corporate Relation Officier, in a Business Center (France) for 6 months - Waiter in England for a summer - Student jobs: employee in a supermarket for a summer Volunteering and activities: - Ex-athlete at a National Level in Cyclism and Swimming - Organization of a 3 months English course for people with mental health difficulties. Other relevant infos: - 21 yo - I will do a 6 months internship in a consulting firm from July , probably in South Africa - I aim to become a consultant in management, before starting my own business (consulting company with a focus on green change management) THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR READING. Any advice from anyone will be highly appreciated.

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi Rplay,

To be honest, a score of 470 after just 18 hours of studying, it not too bad! Regarding how much you can improve your score in the next 3.5 months, if you work your butt off and study smart, I think you can improve your GMAT score by 150+ points. Also, since you seem to be just starting out with your GMAT studying, here are a few articles you can check out to help you get started:

How to Start Studying for the GMAT: 5 Steps for Success

The Phases of Preparing for the GMAT

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Rplay,

Since the Program that you're interested in does not currently require that you have an Official GMAT Score, your overall timeline and plan make sense. Once you hear back, if you decide that you want to continue your studies, then I suggest that you take one of the FULL-LENGTH practice CAT Test from www.mba.com (you can access 2 for free at that website - and they come with some additional practice materials).

As you're also interested in an evaluation of your profile, you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert about your overall application and plans. Those Experts should be able to answer your Admissions questions and help define the specific areas of your profile that could use some improvement. There's a Forum full of those Experts here:

https://gmatclub.com/forum/ask-admissio ... tants-124/

Based on this initial 470, you would likely need at least 3 months of consistent, guided study to get to the point that you could consistently score 640+. That would fit with the overall timeline that you've described, but you would have to be really efficient after May to properly train for (and take) the GMAT before the Round 1 application deadlines in September.

If you have any additional questions, then you can feel free to PM me directly.

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

	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.
	Manhattan Prep: $99 Bonus Score Higher on Your GMAT Exam. Guaranteed.
	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

First mock GMAT: How much can I target?

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