Higher Quantitative Score by Missing Early Questions

Question

Hi there!

I recently purchased the Manhattan GMAT online set of tests, and had a question regarding Quantitative strategy. I'm new to these forums and haven't spoken with any GMAT experts, so I apologize in advance in my question has already been answered. If anyone could reply to this thread (including fellow test takers or experts), I would be extremely grateful!

I came up with an interesting observation after completing three practice exams from Manhattan GMAT:

Exam #1: Q(50, 95%), V(45, 99%), Total: 770 
Exam #2: Q(48, 86%), V(41, 93%), Total: 730 
Exam #3: Q(51, 99%), V(45, 99%), Total: 780

I noticed that while my first two exams averaged 31 questions each with 700-800 difficulty, my third exam consisted of only 8 questions with 700-800 difficulty (I missed two questions early on, and so the difficulty of all subsequent questions was much easier).

Thus, I was hoping you could tell me if missing questions early on in the Quantitative section could potentially be a strategy for attaining a higher overall math score (via easier questions).

Thanks again for your help, and I look forward to hearing back from you!

KarishmaB · Answer

It is not just accuracy but also the level of questions you get that defines your score. If you get easier questions, your score will be lower. If you answer easy questions incorrectly, you will keep getting easier questions till you answer them correctly. Then you will keep getting tougher questions. Skipping 2-3 questions in the beginning will delay reaching the tougher questions by some questions and your score will suffer. 
Do not make strategies based on MGMAT tests or even GMAT prep tests for that matter. The algorithm of actual GMAT is not known to anyone outside GMAC (that includes all prep test companies). So the strategies you try to build using other people's algorithms could ruin your score. Try to do as well as you can on as many questions as you can within the stipulated time. That is how you will maximize your score.

cbears2010 · Answer

Karishma,

Thanks for your logical and well-reasoned response.

I was just surprised that an MGMAT Quantitative question set with only 8/37 advanced problems could generate a higher score than ones with 34 and 28 advanced problems.

Nevertheless, since the actual GMAT algorithm is unknown, I'll refrain from pulling any funky stunts on the real test.

Regards,

Justin

fxsunny · Answer

Dude - good question, it really is. But from all the folks that I talked to earlier on when I started my prep - and then, spent a few hours trying to research this on forums - I had just one takeaway: 
Just leave it be. Study Hard, Give it your best. And, there's no substitute for that.

You probably already knew that, but sometimes it takes hearing it from an external entity to reinforce the idea. It did for me. Thanks.

PS: Also, if there was such a strategy, it would be out in the open. Don't ya think? That would then prompt GMAC to make amends, and we'd be back to where we started from! Just my 2c.

pratikbais · Answer

Yeah I second Karishma's comment, although I haven't taken the test yet but after spending some free time on trying to figure out the GMAC algorithm, now I can assure you that the best way out is to study rather to analyse the algo..

Santanu76 · Answer

Hi

My two cents:

I have heard from quite a few people on this forum that, in case of MGMAT tests, if you do very well on your first few tests, you exhaust a decent chunk of the higher difficulty question pool and thus, the number of 700+ level questions in the subsequent tests could theoretically be much smaller. Am a tad surprised that this happened as early as the third test though! Do let us know how the fourth test went and the number of 700+ questions you got.

Though I have taken all the MGMAT tests, I wasn't diligent enough to go through each test I took and note the number of questions of each level of difficulty.

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