Shocking 600 on gmat( Huge variation from prep score) Help needed!

Question

Hi guys,
I gave the gmat today and scored a shocking 600( Q49 v24). I felt like jumping off the test centre. I have been preparing for the last 3 months and got decent scores in prep as well. My scores were
Gmat prep 1 720 (q 49 v 40)
Gmat prep 2 680( q 47 v 35)
Gmat prep 3 720( q 49 v 41)
Gmat prep 4 710( q 49 v 39)

My quant prep score is at par with the gmat score but the score in verbal came as a shock to me. I'm a fresher out of college and scheduled to join the job within a month's time. As I don't have much time left with me, please suggest me what should I do? Considering the average Indian IT profile, I need atleast a 700 to get into the top programs. Should I order the enhanced score report? Would it help me in any way? Also according to you what could have gone wrong in verbal .Experts please guide.
Ps: I panicked in rc is what I can recall. Other sections were not much of a problem.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi sakgupt

I'm sorry to hear that Test Day didn't go as well as planned. When these types of score drops occur, the two likely "causes" involve either something that was unrealistic during practice or something that was surprising (or not accounted for) on Test Day.

If you can answer a few questions, then we should be able to figure this out:

When you took your CATs:
1) Did you take the ENTIRE CAT (including the Essay and IR sections)?
2) Did you take them at home?
3) Did you take them at the same time of day as your Official GMAT?
4) Did you ever do ANYTHING during your CATs that you couldn't do on Test Day (pause the CAT, skip sections, take longer breaks, etc.)? 
5) Did you ever take a CAT more than once?

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

sakgupt · Answer

Hi EMPOWERgmatRichC,
1) Did you take the ENTIRE CAT (including the Essay and IR sections)?
 Yes I took the entire CAT 
2) Did you take them at home?
 I took 2 of them at home and rest two at the computer lab of the tution centre 
3) Did you take them at the same time of day as your Official GMAT?
 I didn't take them at the same time as my gmat.(Probably the biggest mistake) To add,I usually sleep around 2 but just to wake up early for the gmat I was in the bed at around 10.30, still slept for less than 3 hours on the night prior to the gmat. But I didn't mention it because if that was accountable then I would have got a low score on quant as well. The IR section was a disaster for me but I managed 5 with some random guesses.I wrongly estimated the break ,wasting additional 3 minutes in the quant section. But then this must not be accountable for the disaster in verbal section 
4) Did you ever do ANYTHING during your CATs that you couldn't do on Test Day (pause the CAT, skip sections, take longer breaks, etc.)? 
 Except for wasting some time in the actual gmat, rest was same. But at a point in actual gmat I hurried through the RC's and even some Cr's. I could not understand the Rc's as nicely as I used to in the Cat's. Every time a rc popped in ,my breath rate elevated.  
5) Did you ever take a CAT more than once?
 No I took them just once

sakgupt · Answer

Hey rich,
Please guide me further. Kind of really worried.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi sakgupt,

Fatigue and endurance 'issues' tend to get worse as a Test Taker gets further into the Exam (so a 'problem' that occurs in the Verbal section wouldn't necessarily occur in the Quant section too). Based on the information that you've provided, the inconsistencies between how you practiced and the specific aspects of Test Day (the time you took your Tests, the amount of sleep, taking the CATs at home, etc.) could have very easily impacted your performance. Tired brains tend to make bad decisions, choose wrong answers, not take notes, etc.

I have a few more questions about Test Day itself:

1) How long was the ride to the Test Center from your home?
2) Were there any distractions at the facility or during the Test?
3) What did you do during the two 8-minute breaks?
4) Did you finish any sections early?
5) Did you have to rush to finish any sections (and guess on questions just to finish on time)?

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

sakgupt · Answer

Hey Rich,
Thanks for showing concern. Here are the answers:
1) How long was the ride to the Test Center from your home?
 The ride was approximately of 2 hours. 
2) Were there any distractions at the facility or during the Test?
 Overall there weren't any major distractions but towards the verbal section there were some gossips going on outside the test room, though not loud enough but still disturbing (just for few minutes though)  
3) What did you do during the two 8-minute breaks?
 During the 1st 8 minute break I was kind of upset because the IR didn't go well. I had some water and went out of the room. I misjudged the time and was late by almost 2.5 minutes. That was quite a shocker for the initial few minutes in the quant section. In the second break, I had a biscuit and some glucose with water. I was back on time this time around. 
4) Did you finish any sections early?
 I completed the quant section 2 minutes before and the verbal section around 2.5 minutes before. 
5) Did you have to rush to finish any sections (and guess on questions just to finish on time)?
 Not at all.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi sakgupt,

The extra information that you've provided is important - it provides two other aspects about why your performance was likely 'off' on Test Day.

1) The 2-hour 'commute' to the Testing Center IS significant. Most Test Takers do their best thinking in the first 4-5 hours of the Day (which is why it's often advisable to take your GMAT in the early 'part' of your day). Given this, you likely would have been reaching the 'end' of that 'window' right around the beginning of the Quant section. By the time you reached the Verbal section, you were almost certainly feeling the mental and physical fatigue (and your performance suffered as a result).

2) The negative reaction you had to the IR section, combined with coming back late from the break would have likely caused an adrenaline surge during the early part of the Quant section - while you were able to take advantage of it at that time, it ultimately tired you out faster. Combined with the other factors involved, your Verbal performance was going to be problematic.

If this Test Center is the closest to your home, then you now have a new 'variable' that you have to factor into how you take your CATs. For the sake of training yourself for Test Day, you have to consider commuting for 2 hours before you start each of your CATs.

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

nitishgera · Answer

Just wanted to drop by and say that this is an extremely good analysis by Rich. A 2-hour commute to the GMAT centre is sin. It will mess with the heads of even the best prepared candidates.

sakgupt  : From what Rich has said and from my experience I would say that the best strategy would be for you to 
1) Choose the closest possible GMAT centre. Find a centre that is within half an hour distance from your place or as an alternative - change your mode of commute to a faster one.
2) I don't personally feel that you need to study all over again. According to your practice tests, your best-case score is between 700 and 720. If I were in your place, I would book another appointment for the earliest future date (they allow you to book an appointment that is 16 days apart from your previous appointment)
3)Also, develop a good strategy for the break. You do not want to be caught off-guard again.

sakgupt · Answer

Hey Rich,
I really appreciate your analysis. I also think that the 2 hour drive might have been the issue. I'm planning to book a date in november. I would also like to know your opinion on the enhanced score report. Should I order it? Will it tell me in which sections I scored less?
As per my thinking, I failed miserably in RC. So if the score report could really tell me more particularly about my performance in all the sections, then probably my conclusion regarding my verbal performance would be strengthened and would probably help in channelizing my preparation.

Thanks.

sakgupt · Answer

Hey nitish ,
I agree with you. I'm still in a state of shock on such a low score,but have to get over it and soon plan a retake. I would also try to book a centre which is nearer to my place to avoid the situation again. But when you get such a low score you kind of start doubting yourself. I'm probably facing the same situation. So I have to be very sure that the performance was not due to my lack of preparation but due to the external factors as mentioned by me . I'm still trying to figure out the exact factors and so asked rich about the enhanced score report. 
I really appreciate your suggestions. 
Thanks

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi sakgupt,

The Enhanced Score Report doesn't offer that much information (essentially percentile data and average time spent per 'major' question type), but based on your Scaled Scores, you lost lots of points in ALL 3 Verbal categories (and I don't need to see your ESR to know that). If you'd like to order it for the sake of having the information, then that's fine though.

Is there a closer Testing Center to your home or are you going to be retaking the GMAT at the same facility?

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

sakgupt · Answer

Hi Rich,

There's a test centre that is approx 1 hour away from my place. But there aren't any suitable dates and time available at that centre. So probably I would have to go for the same centre this time too. What would be your suggestions if I have to go for the same centre this time around too?

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi sakgupt,

Since the closer Test Facility would cut your commute in half, you should check back on that location regularly. While there might not be any available appointments open right now, Test Takers sometimes cancel/reschedule their appointments, so 'spots' could open up (given the busy time of year though, they won't stay open for long).

If you have no other option but to Test at the same Facility as before, then you have to properly train for EVERYTHING that you're going to face on Test Day. The 2-hour commute is a big hassle, and will impact your energy levels, endurance, fatigue, etc. - but you CAN train to better face THAT experience. To start, you should try for a Test Date that comes after 1-2 days off from work. You should be able to 'bank' some extra rest during that time. You should also plan for a Test that is earlier in the Day (when you're more likely to be your most alert). You then have to make each CAT 'event' match up with Test Day (including the 2 hour commute before you take it). While that will certainly be tedious to implement, it is the 'reality' of your situation - you can either train for it or not, but you've already seen what happens when you don't account for those details.

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

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Shocking 600 on gmat( Huge variation from prep score) Help needed!

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