Frustated & dejected with 1st GMATPrep Mock CAT

Question

Hello GMAT brothers and sisters , I belong to the IT male group (non-native English speaker) (so called highly competitive, I would say unfortunate

) where only a score of 700+ in GMAT would only suffice for admissions. I had given my first shot at GMAT in Oct end and received a 620 (q39 35). After reading a few inspirational stories abt how test-takers have a chance for comeback, I was inspired to put my heart & soul into the preparation. After taking leave from work, i blasted thorough the following books for 2 months. GMAT 12th Ed. Manhattan Guides (All sets of Quants & SC) CR Bible To get into the groove of answering tough Maths questions, I had also enrolled into GMATClub tests. As i was consistently getting around 10-13 questions incorrect in each of the tests (apart from 2-3 insanely difficult tests

), I was getting the confidence to tackle Maths and set to face my 1st GMATPrep test (reinstalled). (I couldn't find the exact source, but I was told earlier that the above hit/miss ratio is sufice for a score > 48) When i finished through the test, I was pretty satisfied with my performance, but that satisfaction lasted only till I clicked the button. Score of 650 (q46 v34) But the most baffling part is I had got 12 incorrect in quants and 12 in english. Dejected and frustated as mentioned in the title thread, I have a few questions to the masters & experts in GMAT. What should be the ideal hit/miss ration in GMAT? From the score i got it, it seems as if only 5 incorrect answers in each of the section should be made to get a score 700+? It does seem to me that experimental questions would have also played a part in this score, but as bb had pointed out in a thread, we do not have much control over it. Would that mean luck plays a major part in GMAT? Thanks in advance P.S. I have completed 16 of the 25 GMATClub tests and have reviewed only the first 8 of them.

AmrithS · Answer

Hi there

I'm wondering, wouldn't focusing on improving the verbal score (34) help you reach the 700+ target?

HarishV · Answer

Hi Amrith,
 Thank u for ur reply. My major concern area was that I had 12 incorrect verbal questions. That translated to a score of 34. So for a target above 37-39 would I be given a bandwidth of 5-6 questions alone?

Wishbone · Answer

I'm not sure you can quantify how many questions you need to get right/wrong in those terms. Difficulty certainly plays a part in V37-39++

Gottesschaf · Answer

HarishV, the amount of questions you answer right or wrong is not the most important factor for your score. What is much more important is how difficult these questions were. You might answer 10 questions wrong on the GMAT. If each of these questions were on 750+ level, because you answered every question below this level correct, you will still get an amazing verbal score.

Of course you should always try to answer every answer correct, but the difficulty is also quite important.

And, What I am much more concerned with, I even quoted it: You need to review your tests much more consequently. You have to understand your mistakes so that you will not do them again. Understanding your mistakes helps you a hundred times more than starting another problem set, where you will do the same mistakes again. You have to understand. At least try. I know it is difficult and exhausting, but spending some time on understanding the question types and your mistakes is always the right thing to do.

thisiszico2006 · Answer

Hi Harish,

I can relate with your frustration. I also belong to the Indian IT Male category. I have taken 4 mock tests : free MGMAT - 610(46Q,29V) , Knewton - 650(47Q,31V) , GMAT Prep1 - 620(49Q,25V) , Kaplan - 610 (40Q,36V).

My GMAT is 5 weeks from today , and it seems futile to go ahead with the test. My range is 610-650 and this **** score is going to take me nowhere. Funny thing is that from 1st to the 4th mock , I have only been studying Verbal part :shock:

, and even more funny part is that during the test , I always feel that the verbal is going better than in the previous time , but the score always tends to suggest something else :cry:

How I wish that GMAT did not have a verbal section :wink:

, and even more funny part is that during the test , I always feel that the verbal is going better than in the previous time , but the score always tends to suggest something else :cry:

How I wish that GMAT did not have a verbal section :wink:

HarishV · Answer

Yes buddy. You are right. Were you able to identify which section in Verbal were you facing trouble? Mine was mostly in RC. SO had to tweak my strategy a bit. I was also a bit weak in SC so had to brush through the concepts. From my very little exp I have, I have learnt one thing abt SC is tat whichever concept book ur using, You have to read it again and again. Till the GMAT is to be given, we have to go thru the concepts/rules daily. This should boost up ur verbal score 8-)

The dilemma i face is that I simply cant put myself together to attempt another mock, although I have been looking into the concepts/ GMATClub tests. :cry:

I guess I have to close my eyes and take the plunge..(another mock). I probably cud be the only person here wit this kinda problem...

openbox1 · Answer

no way to gauge what score you have by how qtns you got wrong.
I got 11qtns wrong in quant which is nearly every third qtn wrong and got Q49 in gmatprep. Another test 6qtn wrong in quant and Q50.

Also bear in mind that a significant portion of your actual GMAT will have qtns that do not count to your score (research qtns for future gmats) so getting those wrong do not count to your total although the amt of time you spend on them will.

Pray to god you get easy experimental qtns.

Shoumik · Answer

How come we should pray for easy experimental questions if they don't contribute to our GMAT score?

openbox1 · Answer

Let me put it in another way. Do you want to waste 3 minutes on a difficult experimental qtn that doesn't contribute to your score yet takes away time to solve other more "important questions?"

Shoumik · Answer

Makes more sense now

samramandy · Answer

Hey dude I would suggest you not to gauge your performance with the number of questions that you are getting wrong.

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