GMAT Prep 2012 Practice Exam vs GMAT Exam Pack 1 (2016) Accuracy

Question

Hello everyone, I thought I would share my still developing GMAT experience...

I took the test cold in January and got a 360 and then almost gave up. I got scared by the test and didnt even want to try tackling it again.
However, around mid April I decided to start prepping and give it another shot. I did about 2 weeks of prep and came across the free GMAT prep 2012 software with the 2 free exams. I scored a 530 on exam one and I was elated. I registered to take the test the very next day because I only need a 450. However, after the test was over I scored a 390. How is that possible? A 140 point decrease? I did not feel nervous in the slightest and thought I did much better. Nonetheless, I take it again June 17th and did another practice test last week and scored a 550. W00t. I wanted more tests though so I bought the GMAT Exam 1 Pack from the MBA site and while downloading I noticed the file said 2016 on it. I just took the first of the two out of this newly downloaded exam pack 1 and scored a 430. Can anyone explain to me what in the world is going on? Is the GMAT prep 2012 software out of date and the new 2016 course pack much more accurate on what you will actually score? Someone please help me. I take the test in a week and am desperate to understand what it is exactly that is going on.

Cheers,

Thomas 8-)

bb · Answer

It is hard to tell since you did not provide your score split.

As far as I am aware, there is no difference in algorithms between the packs, just the question set.... so your score jumps are likely due to question overlap - are any of the questions you are seeing familiar? have you done/seen them before?

If not, the only other option/thought I have is that you are really bad in one particular area, and that throws your score off quite a bit. Exam pack 1 turns on an enhanced score report on and shows you a more detailed split that you can figure out the issue at hand.

thomas82393 · Answer

bb

I won't be back by my computer until later tonight to view the split but I appreciate the reply and hopefully you can help me further. I will provide the split but I did take notes on my phone and took track of how many questions I missed total and how many I missed in the first 10 of each exam. To answer your first question, no, I have not seen any questions or had any overlap. Here are my percentiles:

Exam one
Q
5 wrong in first 10
17 totaL wrong 
34 percentile
V
4 wrong in first 10
13 total wrong
29 percentile 
530

Exam two
Q
4 wrong in first 10
20 total wrong 
38 percentile

V
6 wrong in first 10
17 total wrong
27 percentile
550

Exam three
Q
4 wrong in first 10
14 total wrong
29 percentile

V
3 wrong in first 10
23 total wrong
20 percentile

These numbers seem to heavily contract themselves. What do you think? I just don't see how I scored a 530/550 on the practice tests and only got a 390 on the real test and then again today on the 2016 course pack I only scored a 430. MY hypothesis is that the 2 free exams that come with the software give you easier questions and the percentile scoring is outdated. That may help explain why I scored a 430 on the 2016 practice test a month after scoring a 390 because I had a month of prep.

Thoughts on all of this?
Thanks again BB

bb · Answer

The number of wrong answers really doesn't matter or I should say is not valuable since there's no clear correlation between the number of incorrect answers and the final score. I know it seems crazy but there's no correlation due to experimental questions and the adaptive nature of the test.

It seems your scores have gone down very proportionately in both Q & V. My only guess is you may have solved some of the questions in the first two tests before or have been exposed to them. I think it's more of the question mix rather than the scoring algorithm but the two are tied together.

If you can see them to find your enhanced score report for the third test you have taken, that could be helpful but without seeing the same for the first two tests (which is not available), there is not much value in discussing this a whole lot.

I would recommend on spending a few days you have left on whatever area you can improve the most. Maybe get Kaplan math workbook real fast or Kaplan verbal warning book and see which one you can cover faster. The Kaplan workbooks of the most concise and helpful prep guide books and just right for your needs.

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thomas82393 · Answer

bb  yes but I missed a significantly lower amount of questions and my score was lower. I just don't understand that. I really think the 2012 are out of date or something. How do I go from a 530 on a practice test to a 390, and then a 430 on this most recent practice test after a MONTH of prep. I barely prepped for the 530 and 390

thomas82393 · Answer

Something is not making sense as to why my score decreased from a 530 to a 390, I just don't see that as practical. And then a 530 to a 430. I really think that original software is easier or outdated.

bb · Answer

There is a standard error that's always present in the scoring. That's true for both practice tests and your real GMAT. GMAC reports the standard error at the round 40 points so you could've taken 2 tests on the same day and scored both 390 and 430 and still be considered to have an accurate score.

We do not have a lot of feedback about sub 400 or even sub 500 scores but there is a chance that scores tend to jump a lot more in the lower percentiles. A third of all the questions that you answer do not count towards your score and if you got more than half of the answers wrong on your test, mathematically, depends on how the spread is, only a small number of questions could've counted towards your score.

My advice would be to study as much as you can until the day before. On the day before the test take it easy and do a little bit of review, maybe take a practice test if you have the energy. Good luck

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thomas82393 · Answer

Why don't a third count? Based on what you were telling me earlier, is it possible to get even more questions wrong on my real exam next week than my exam that I got a 430 on, and come out with a higher score? I'm so confused haha but thank you again for your help. I worry that the test makers may have no idea what they're doing

bb · Answer

About a third of the questions is what's called experimental questions and those do not count in the final score. You can get them right or wrong and they have no influence but you never know which question on the test is experimental so while it does create havoc for scoring based on number of questions answered wrong, it makes no difference for the strategy, you still need to answer as many questions correctly as you can.

The only correlation exists on the G Matt is the more hard questions you answer right, the higher is your score

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The only correlation exists on the G Matt is the more hard questions you answer right, the higher is your score

Sent from my iPhone using  GMAT Club Forum App

thomas82393 · Answer

bb

Here are the splits
Exam 1 (May 10)
Q34 V29
530
Exam 2 (June 5)
Q38 V27
550
Exam 3 (June 10)
Q29 V20
430

*Exam 3 was the purchased course pack which I am convinced that is a more accurate score. How do I go from a 530 to a 430 after a month of prep when I barely prepped a week when I scored a 530. It does not make sense.

KarishmaB · Answer

Thomas,

I think you are investing far too much energy into something which is beyond your control. I have heard test takers reporting huge variations (100+ points) in practice test scores taken within a week of each other. Note that 20-30 points variation is anyway normal. A much larger variation is often seen at sub-600 level scores because people scoring in that range are comfortable with some topics and have some serious gaps in others. Even though the test gives you a mix of many topics, if you get many questions from the gap areas, you could see a big dip in your score. There are many reasons why someone's score could fall a lot from one test to another. Keep in mind that these scores are only indicative. 
Also, it is possible that students find the latest version of practice tests tougher because questions from older versions are often replicated by various prep providers to provide some close-to-the-source practice.

Anyway, as BB mentioned, invest your time and energy in closing the gaps. That will help you increase your score.

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