20 Days left in GMAT: Weird verbal score in free CAT

Question

I took a free CAT from economist today and the score I got in verbal was pretty weird.

I just got 10 questions wrong : 1,8,15,16,18,22,24,29,34 and 40 (these were the questions I got wrong)

RC: 9/12 CR: 7/11 SC:15/18 (no. of questions that I got right/total number of questions from a particular type)

I got 30 as my verbal score.

I felt the difficulty level increasing while I was attempting the CAT. Moreover, I got 2 tough passages to handle.

I am really very confused. Can somebody guide me how to interpret this result.

Thanks in advance

GMATPILLBILL · Answer

Hey Kevalkhanna

We can't comment for other tests but do note that no test prep company's algorithm will exactly match the real thing. The best we can do is get close.

You can always take a free GMAT PILL practice test here complete with detailed performance and timing analytics: https://www.gmatpill.com/gmat-practice-t ... ctice-test

In terms of our scoring, many of our students report scores that are +/- 30 points from their actual GMAT test and so are a relatively good indicator of their performance. That said, no practice test can perfectly replicate the actual score algorithm, but this is quite close.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Kevalkhanna,

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. The most realistic CATs available are the 6 from GMAC (the 2 free CATs, and each of the 2 that come with Exam Pack 1 and Exam Pack 2), so it would be useful to know how you performed on one of those CATS.

1) Have you taken any other CATs besides this one? How did you score on those CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for each)?
2) Did you take the FULL CAT (including the Essay and IR sections)?
3) What is your overall score goal?

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

Kevalkhanna · Answer

1) Have you taken any other CATs besides this one? How did you score on those CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for each)? yes Rich I have taken GMATprep1 at start of my preparation with IR +AWA I got 600 in that, then I have taken Jamboree test series, They are not adaptive but I am scoring fairly well in them. In maths I get 28-30 correct out of 37 and in verbal I get 12-13 wrong at max. I am planning to take more adaptive exams now. I have bought GMAT club tests and Manhattan test series. 2) Did you take the FULL CAT (including the Essay and IR sections)? yes I took most of the exams with AWA and IR, couple of them were without IR and AWA 3) What is your overall score goal? My overall score goal is 750. But I don't know whether I will be able to achieve it as I have my exam in second week of august. PS: I want to thank EmpowerGMAT, I got 5$ 5 day trial of your course earlier in my preparation and I loved the RC Ladder Method, even though I didn't check out the whole RC module but your RC Ladder and CR window approach works really well. I have improved my accuracy in RC. Even though my pace is still not up to the mark in verbal specially when I get 4 RC passages, I am happy that I have improved. Thanks

Kevalkhanna · Answer

Thanks I will take GMAT Pill CAT also

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Kevalkhanna,

Given your score goal, your planned Test Date and everything that you've described about your studies so far, you might want to consider pushing back your Test Date. A 750+ is a high goal (it's about the 99th percentile - which means that 99% of Test Takers either can't or won't do what it takes to score at that level). I think that you need far more study time than you've allotted to hit your goal (or at the very least make some significant improvements to your scores).

Most of the practice Tests that you've taken so far do not appear to have been realistic, so there's some question as to your actual ability 'level' right now. As such, you should plan to take a new FULL-LENGTH CAT (with the Essay and IR sections) in a manner that 'matches up' with Test Day in as many ways as possible (so take the CAT at the same time of day as your Official GMAT, take it away from your home, etc.). Once you have that score, you should report back here and we can discuss your studies going forward.

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

Kevalkhanna · Answer

Heyyy I took a full length CAT today manhattan CAT 1, I scored 640 (47Q,31V), I marked 2-3 question wrong in Quant in hurry but I messed up in verbal. I m really worried. I have planned my exam in 2nd week of august, I am gonna take couple of more tests and I think then I can decide what to do. 
But I have really worked hard for verbal, specially SC, usually I get 80-85% accuracy. But I don't know what happens in a timed environment. Please suggest me how to proceed and work in verbal.

Thanks

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Kevalkhanna,

It's important to remember that taking lots of CATs will NOT make you a better Test Taker. A CAT is really a 'measuring device' - when used correctly, it will give you a realistic score and help define your strengths and weaknesses, but it will NOT help you to fix any of those weaknesses. To raise your scores, you have to put in the necessary practice and repetitions. The CAT will show you whether your studies are helping you to improve or not. As such, you really shouldn't take more than 1 FULL CAT per week.

With a V31, you would have lost some significant points in at least 2 of the major Verbal categories (SC, RC and CR), so it would help to define how you're handling those question types:

1) After reviewing this CAT, do you understand WHY you got each of those questions wrong?
2) Of the questions that you got wrong, on how many did you 'narrow down to 2 choices', but still get wrong?
3) What 'steps' do you go through when dealing with a typical SC, RC or CR prompt?

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

Kevalkhanna · Answer

Thanks a lot Rich for helping me out figure things. 
I know more CATS wont improve my score but, they will in turn teach me how to manage my time in CAT, which questions to skip, and how to guess.

1) After reviewing this CAT, do you understand WHY you got each of those questions wrong? \

QUANT
I noticed in quant there were 8 questions, which I could have got correct (i found answer to 3 of them and panicked and marked wrong answers in hurry, 3 were where I had committed an addition/substraction silly mistake and 2 were where 36th and 37th question, which were really easy and I didnt even get the time to read them).
VERBAL
I started with an RC (1st three questions) got one correct out of 3, then I was going good, did 8 questions correct in row and my percentile was 80% till 26th question and then I got 700-800 level 3 RC questions I got them wrong and 3 more questions wrong in a row. (6 questions wrong in a row). My percentile dropped to 60% and then it didnt go up again. I ended the exam at 61% and had to guess on the last question.

PS: I run out on time on both sections. I had to blind guess in total 3 questions.

2) Of the questions that you got wrong, on how many did you 'narrow down to 2 choices', but still get wrong?

There were 3 CR questions where I narrowed down to choices and then got stuck, there was 1 CR question where I had to weaken and did strengthen instead.
(8/14)----> no. of corrects in CR

In almost all the RC questions that I did irrespective of whether it is right , I was stuck between two options and wasnt able to decide, It tookme more time to narrow down to one option almost 70% of the questions. I spent a lot of time on RC. I read the passage in 3 mins(short one) and 4 mins(long one). And then additional time narrowing down to get the answer, when stuck
(6/12)---->no. of corrects in RC

SC most of the questions I marked wrong were the ones, where the answer was grammatically correct and meaning was close to actual. But I chose passives and less concise options. I got 7 SC incorrect out of which 3 mistakes were of the type I just described. The last SC question was a blind guess as I had no time.
(8/15)-----> no of corrects in SC

3) What 'steps' do you go through when dealing with a typical SC, RC or CR prompt?

RC: I read the passage, try to comprehend the author's tone using the ladder method, but I fail to create the sassy paraphrase. I write the important thing in one line instead.

CR: I write down the type of question and the conclusion and then proceed. I try to prethink while reading argument and I am good with assumption questions, but miss out on weaken, parallel reasoning and paradox.
PS: when I have less time I end up doing them without writing the conclusion on paper.

SC: I read for meaning the initial sentence and hurry to find the spilts.

Please suggest me how to move forward. I have done Manhattan SC and Powerscore CR earlier in my preparation . I really wanna cross the 700 mark, how can I improve? I m ready to put in the effort, but I am not able to analyze how and where.

Thanks

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Kevalkhanna,

Verbal skills take time and effort to develop. As such, you couldn't have mastered them with just 5 days of access to the EMPOWERgmat Course. Given everything that you've described, it sounds like you're 'winging it' in the Verbal section - you're not consistently using proper Tactics (and as a result, you end up stuck with 2 answer choices that you have to spend extra time trying to decipher). As such, I think that you would find the EMPOWERgmat Verbal Score Booster to be quite helpful. Most of our clients finish that Study Plan in under a month, so it would fit your schedule perfectly. During that time, you'll also be able to access any of the Quant resources that interest you.

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

Kevalkhanna · Answer

Hi Rich, I took your advice, refreshed my concepts and gave two more mocks MGMAT and got 660 (q-45,v-35) and 670(q-47,v-35). I have observed that the main issue I am facing is timing, specially in verbal section. I am at 75-80 percentile throughout the exam but in the end as I have very less time left, I panic and guess, which pushes down my percentile to 70-71. I have 15 days left. I really want to break the 700 mark, Please suggest me what can I do to improve my score. Thanks

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Kevalkhanna,

From your post, it sounds like you took 2 CATs during the last 4 days. If that's the case, then that was NOT a good idea (and it's not surprising that these two score results are so similar - you didn't put in enough time between CATs to actually study, make adjustments and improve). Going forward, you should take no more than 1 realistic FULL CAT per week (and your last CAT should be about a week before your Official GMAT).

If your score goal is still 750+, then you would need to improve 80+ points in 15 days. Unfortunately, that is not a realistic goal (you're almost certainly going to need a month, or more, of consistent, guided study to get to that level) As such, you should consider pushing back your Test Date so that you can continue to study. A 700+ goal is far more reasonable though, and I still think that you would find the EMPOWERgmat Verbal Score Booster to be quite helpful under these circumstances.

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

Kevalkhanna · Answer

Heyy Rich, thanks for your suggestions. I am really thinking to go with the Empower GMAT verbal booster if I dont score this time. You are right that getting 750+ will take me one more month, but I am still planning to give the exam so that I can break that 700 mark. I am applying to ISB and I have to submit my score by 31st august, thats why I am planning to give the exam. But I am confused about it on second thoughts. maybe I should push back the date by a month. I am not able to figure out. Maybe I will be able to break that 700 mark in fifteen days. you think its feasible?

I dont know how I am gonna improve by 40 points in a fifteen days. I am facing issues with timings a lot, specially in verbal. Moreover, I will take one CAT in a week, and will study in between.

Thanks

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Kevalkhanna,

Raising your score to a 700 wouldn't take that much more overall effort, but you would have to add a level of precision to your work that hasn't occurred in the last few practice CATs. You could conceivably pick up most/all of those points in the Quant section, so you wouldn't necessarily need a big increase in the Verbal section. With a 750+ goal though, you would need significant improvements in BOTH sections.

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

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