lower verbal score despite lesser number of wrong answers

Question

Hi All,

I have my GMAT next monday. I have taken both the tests from GMATPrep. My GMATPrep 1 score is 690( Q48, V36). Today i took the second test in GMATPrep and scored 670(Q49,V31). I am concerned about the verbal section. Even though i got lesser number of questions wrong this time my score decreased by 5 points. I know that that is possible but I am concerned about the strategy that I took. I tried investing more time to earlier questions as a result I didn't get much time towards the end of the test and had to guess. One more important thing that I noticed is that I felt the last test much easier and was able to complete all the questions. Now that I am more prepared, I am surprised why this happened. I read this on some thread here, where different approaches were taken with respect to giving different weightage to different parts on the test. So tried it.

I am posting my responses in the two test, please suggest what went wrong.

GMAT Prep Test Verbal  
 
1 Prep 1 Wrong Prep 2 Correct(CR)
2 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct(SC)
3 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Wrong (CR) 
4 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Wrong (Chose wrongly, regretted after submitting) 
5 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct (CR)
6 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct (RC)
7 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Wrong (RC)
8 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct (RC)
9 Prep 1 Wrong Prep 2 Correct (SC)
10 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct (RC)
11 Prep 1 Wrong Prep 2 Correct (RC)
12 Prep 1 Wrong Prep 2 Correct (RC)
13 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct (RC)
14 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Wrong (SC) 
15 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Wrong (CR)
16 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct (SC)
17 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct (SC)
18 Prep 1 Wrong Prep 2 Correct (SC)
19 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct (CR)
20 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Wrong (SC)
21 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct (CR)
22 Prep 1 Wrong Prep 2 Correct (RC)
23 Prep 1 Wrong Prep 2 Correct (RC)
24 Prep 1 Wrong Prep 2 Correct (RC)
25 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct (SC)
26 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Wrong (SC)
27 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct (CR)
28 Prep 1 Wrong Prep 2 Correct (SC)
29 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct (SC)
30 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Wrong (SC)
31 Prep 1 Wrong Prep 2 Wrong (RC)  
32 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Wrong (RC)  
33 Prep 1 Wrong Prep 2 Wrong (RC)  
34 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Wrong (CR)  
35 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct (SC) 
36 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct (SC)
37 Prep 1 Wrong Prep 2 Correct (SC)
38 Prep 1 Wrong Prep 2 Wrong (CR)   
39 Prep 1 Correct Prep 2 Correct (CR) (guessed)
40 Prep 1 Wrong Prep 2 Correct SC
41 Prep 1 Wrong Prep 2 Wrong SC

Thanks

TheGmatTutor · Answer

Your score is determined not just by number of right and wrong answers, but by the difficulty level of the questions. Because you had to randomly guess on the second exam, you must have missed a lot of easy questions. Thus, the CAT gave you a score of 31.

The solution is pretty clear. Try to pace yourself so that you have time to answer all the questions in each section. Don't spend extra time on the earlier questions; maintain an average of two minutes per question for the whole section.

mss · Answer

Thanks for the reply. With no time left, will try to keep things simple as you suggested.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi mss,

These two CAT scores are remarkably similar, so assuming that you took the FULL CAT each time and did so under realistic, test-like conditions, either of these scores could have easily been a 700+. At this 'level', the GMAT becomes really 'sensitive' to little mistakes, so you have to really 'nitpick' the questions that you got wrong and WHY you got them wrong. How many of them were because of silly/little mistakes and what could you have done differently to keep those mistakes from happening? If you make too many little mistakes, then a 700+ score is just not possible.

You should post back here after your Test and let us know how you did.

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

mss · Answer

Hi,

Yes I took the full tests. I did the analysis and found that there were few easy ones, actually seven including three rc questions. Most of these I had to guess due to lack of time. Guess have to practise more to manage time and not miss the easy ones.

Thanks

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi mss,

Those missed 'easy' question represent some serious points, so you have to take a good look at how you're handling the overall section (by 'over-committing' to certain questions, you didn't have enough time to pick up the easy points that you noted). Here are some things to look for that were causes of this pacing 'issue':

1) Take a good look at any SC that took more than 90 seconds.
2) Take a good look at any CR that took more than 2 minutes.

Can you figure out WHY those questions took so long? By defining those issues, you can work to improve them.

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

lower verbal score despite lesser number of wrong answers

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