Feeling Hopeless - Went from 710 to 710 to 630

Question

Hey Gmatclub,

Wanted to ask for your help on what I should do. I feel like I am going backwards.

I have taken the official gmat test 3 times with a score of 710 (Q47, V37) last July 2020, 710 (Q49, V38) last January 2021, and now 630 (Q38, V38) yesterday (July 2021).

I've been focusing my studies mostly on Verbal for this GMAT, but seems to me that I have gone backwards on my exam. Don't know what to do at this point and feel hopeless. My official Mock exams vary from 700-750 but I have never gotten a Quant score less than 47 in those exams. As well, doesn't seem like my Verbal has improved these past months even after months of studying the official questions from GMAT.

Does any experts recommend any strategies on how I can get 740+ in the next two months? I have used TTP last year and willing to use it again this time around. Should I instead get a tutor? I am looking to apply in the round 2 cycle.

Thank you.

systemsav · Answer

Hey  Jerrymaguire ,

I'm sure experts will reply to your post with valuable suggestions on how you must improve on your score, and you can seek guidance from paid sources as well. But this might just be an opportunity for you to sit back and introspect. Ask yourself a few questions like
1. What is your target score? Why do you compulsorily need say a 750+ (assuming that's your target score)?
2. Can you not strengthen your profile and apply to a good B-School on your current score?
The reason this is important is that your profile would have also improved with time (for example, you'd have been promoted to a managerial role at work) and that would've made your profile strong enough to apply to a good B-School. With a strong overall application, you might not need a significantly higher score at all.

Now say you're clear that you need a big score, and that 710 isn't enough - assess your options cleverly. Try approaches to mend your verbal that you'll soon find on this thread. And remember you'll have 2 additional attempts with GMAT Online, along with your 5 Test-Center attempts (of course within the 5 per 12 month and 8 lifetime limits). If attempting at home makes a difference, you can attempt GMAT Online too.

All the best!

Saurav

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Jerrymaguire,

First off, a 710/Q49 is an outstanding Score, so you can comfortably apply to any Business Schools that interest you. As such, another retest is probably not necessary. Depending on the Schools that you plan to apply to, you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert about your overall profile 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/

Your most recent Score is certainly surprising - and I'm sorry to hear that Test Day didn't go as well as planned. When these types of score drops occur, the two likely "causes" involve either something that was unrealistic during practice or something that was surprising (or not accounted for) on Test Day. Before we discuss any of those potential issues though, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

1) Were your 3 Official attempts taken at a Test Center or through the At-home option?
2) How long did you study before each attempt? For this 3rd attempt, how many hours did you typically study each week?
3) What study materials have you used over the course of ALL of your studies? What “brands” of CATs/mocks have you used?
4) On what dates (or approximate dates) did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks and how did you score on EACH (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for EACH)?
5) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?

If you took your most recent GMAT at a Test Center, then you might also choose to purchase the Enhanced Score Report. While the ESR doesn’t provide a lot of information, there are usually a few data points that we can use to define what went wrong on Test Day (and what you should work on to score higher). If you purchase the ESR, then I'll be happy to analyze it for you.

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

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

What do you think happened with quant on this last test? Did you simply forget a lot because you were so focused on verbal? If so, a review of quant and some mixed practice should get you back to the upper 40s.

Also, probably you simply had a bad day.

Once you have reviewed quant and gotten back up to speed, your move is to keep working on quant by mastering one topic at a time, and I mean MASTERING. To score 750+ you have to be great at the GMAT. So, you have to master close to all of quant. So, for any type of quant question that you are not completely comfortable answering, first make sure that you fully understand the hows and whys of the concepts involved, and then do practice question of that type until you practically can't get them incorrect.

Regarding, verbal, this post should provide you with the insights you need to break into the 40s.  How to Score High on GMAT Verbal

Effective prep WILL get you to your score goal. So, adjust how you have been preparing, and make your goal happen.

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

Probably fair to say a 710 is a good score that should not stop you from applying anywhere (might be worth mentioning the type of schools you're interested in). You can probably go ahead and cancel the latest score.

As far as the 740+ goes working on solving approach may be helpful. Might be worth checking out a scoring grid for scores that can give a 740+. For example, a Q48 V42 (a high version of those scores perhaps) can get you a 740.

TheVerbalMentor · Answer

Hi,
To move beyond 700, what you need is a nuanced analysis of your problem areas. Clearly, the Quant score this time is an aberration and does not reflect the actual level of your skill. So, practice a lot of questions and gain the momentum back.

You seem stuck in Verbal, however. The score has been stagnant. Maybe, what you need is identification of specific problem areas to work on, rather than blind practice. A consultant or paid tutor may be able to help you cross the barrier.

That said, 710 is a good score and should help your application to most premier B-schools. Consider applying on the basis of the scores you already have. OR else, seek a tutor for more nuanced analysis.

MathRevolution · Answer

Hello Jerrymaguire,

A score of 630 in the latest GMAT is decent and tells the entire story about how well prepared you are now to meet the target score of 740+.

With my GMAT tutoring, guidance, and counseling experience, we have to accept a fact with a pinch of salt that diagnostic/ mock test scores are above then what one should expect in a real test. There is often dropping in the score. Some students have even experienced a drop of 100 pointers. It is one of the realities, and your preparation should not sideline this fact.

You can schedule a Free counseling session for 20 mins with one of our https://calendly.com/mathrevolution/1-on-1-session for detailed advice on your current study plans.

A couple of things that can be a noticeable barrier to your scores would be some or all of the below.

• No expert support (maybe) who can tutor, analyze, and guide you during your learning especially on hard-level questions while stably hitting middle-level questions.
• Lack of many updated questions and practice in the recent exam trend
• Not well aligned with time to solve questions.

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

We appreciate your time and patience in reading this reply.

Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]

Success is within your reach.
Good luck!

Math Revolution Team

IanStewart · Answer

If you were scoring Q47+ in official diagnostics just before test day, then your test day result is a strange anomaly that doesn't reflect your ability. If you can reflect on test day and figure out why you might have underperformed to that degree, that will help -- if you saw a lot of questions on one particular topic you're not comfortable with, you'd know to learn that topic better, or if you were tired, you'd know to be better rested for next time, for example.

If your diagnostic Q47s are all from a while ago, and the Q38 genuinely indicates that your level has fallen off because you haven't looked at Quant recently, then it's possible that you studied in a way that didn't lead you to retain what you learned. When people study math largely by memorization (memorizing methods and formulas), they tend to forget what they've learned quickly. Even the better prep companies that teach content (rather than gimmicky 'tricks' and 'strategy', which are of no value at your level) tend to emphasize memorization. When people instead study math by understanding what they're learning, they tend to retain it forever, and they can also answer a greater variety of questions -- those questions to which formulas can't be applied.

So if you were to study Quant again, I'd recommend emphasizing conceptual understanding. That's what I emphasize in my books and when I teach, so feel free to contact me at the email address in my signature if you think I might be able to help. But honestly, your 710 with the Q49 is probably going to be good enough for any application you might submit, even if you're capable of a higher score, and I think it would be reasonable to give the test another shot just after doing some self-study review, since you'll have a chance to improve that score, but you could then go ahead and apply with your best score whatever that turns out to be. Good luck!

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Feeling Hopeless - Went from 710 to 710 to 630

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