Scored a 670 in my first attempt. Need help to understand a few things

Question

Hi guys, I'm a marketing professional with 2.5 years of work experience.

I started my GMAT journey in July this year when I bought the official guide. I just skimmed through the theory for a month or so, brushing up on concepts and getting familiar with the question types. I got serious about my preparation in September when I gave my first mock and got a 690. I made a 2 month plan for myself and booked my exam in the first week of November.

I was weak in a few topics in both Quant and Verbal, but I chose not to focus on them much as I realised it would take a lot of hours of theory and practice to solidify them. Instead I chose to focus on my strengths. The only study material I referred to was the official guide, focussing initially on improving my accuracy and later tried to improve my timing.

In addition to the 2 free mocks, I purchased 2 more official mocks from GMAC, testing myself every Saturday to get used to the exam. My average score for all my mocks was ~700 [690, 670, 720(r), 710, 690(r), 710]. My quant score was stable (48-49) but my verbal score kept fluctuating (35-40).

As the due date drew closer, I tried to keep myself calm and relaxed. I was confident that with my preparation and a bit of luck, I would be able to score 700+ . However, on the night before the exam I got anxious and couldn't sleep properly. I wasn't in the best state or mood for the exam but powered through the test. At the end of the 3.5 hours I got a 670 (Q-48, V-34).

At the time I didn't know what to make of it. I was disappointed that I went below my floor score for verbal (35) and that I couldn't breach my quant ceiling (49). After a week of wallowing in my grief I've come to terms with my situation, well sort of.

I seek help with a few things:

1) With my current score, which MBA programs in North America should I target? (Round 2)

2) I do plan to take the test again, what should be my strategy this time? I know I've got a 720+ in me, with proper preparation ofcourse.

3) What material or test prep company should I approach to cement my score?

4) Should I wait one more year before applying to colleges, hopefully with a better score?

Your suggestions would be extremely valuable at this juncture.

Thank You

Russ19 · Answer

Hi  IVCS ,

Adcom considers a few things and your score is one of them, so you can target some universities with your current scores. A friend of mine having similar scores as your one, and other things required for admission has secured full funding from TSU, ranked 44 th top American MBA this year.

Best Wishes!

sivatx2 · Answer

You may have to analysis your ESR what did not work for you on the day of your exam & which part of your verbal section you need to focus on. Hey, 670 is a good & reasonable score if you don't have to apply for the Top 25 or so programs. Good luck on application, and your next attempt(if you need one)!

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi IVCS,

I'm sorry to hear that Test Day didn't go as well as hoped. GMAC has publicly stated that the Official Score that you earn on Test Day is within +/- 30 points of actual ability. Assuming a similar 'swing' in how your CATs function, your various CAT score results - along with your Official Score - show that you essentially performed the same each time (about 690 +/- a few points). You handle certain aspects of the GMAT consistently well, but you also make certain consistent mistakes. The differences in your individual Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores are likely due to a mix of lucky/unlucky guesses and a few little mistakes (that you made or did not make on each Test) - and a poor night's sleep before your Official GMAT didn't help.

With a few tweaks to how you 'see' (and respond to) the Quant and Verbal sections, you should potentially hit a 720+ relatively soon, but you will have to make some fundamental changes to how you work through the Exam.

A 670/Q48 is a solid Score - and it could be enough to get you into your first-choice School. The process of applying to (and ultimately attending) Business School will require a big investment of time, money and energy on your part, so you really should make sure that the Programs that you apply to match your career goals/needs. There are a variety of factors that go into selecting the Schools that you'll apply to. Instead of just applying to Programs in which you might have a good chance to 'get in', here are some other things to consider:

1) Is there a particular company that you want to work for or industry that you want to work in? Certain degrees are more appropriate than others if you have a specific career goal.
2) What do you want your MBA to do for you?
3) Do you want to go to School full-time or part-time?
4) Are you willing to relocate? Are you comfortable with working through a program that is primarily online?
5) Are you going to be applying for scholarships?
Etc.

Once you have a list of Schools that interest you, we can better define the type of GMAT Score that you might 'need' to be considered a competitive Applicant (and when the best time to apply might be). Before I can offer you any additional advice for your studies, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

1) How many hours did you typically study each week?
2) On what dates (or approximate dates) did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks and how did you score on EACH (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for EACH)?
3) For your next attempt, are you planning to take the At-home GMAT or are you planning to take your GMAT at a Test Facility?

If you took your Official GMAT at a Test Center, then you might also choose to purchase the Enhanced Score Report. While the ESR doesn’t provide a lot of information, there are usually a few data points that we can use to define what went wrong on Test Day (and what you should work on to score higher). If you purchase the ESR, then I'll be happy to analyze it for you.

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

Contact Rich at: [email protected]

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

I do plan to take the test again, what should be my strategy this time? I know I've got a 720+ in me, with proper preparation ofcourse.

Since you fall into that V35+ range, chances are you have some strong fundamentals. Consider working on Solving Approach if you haven't already - as in the way you tackle questions. An SC is 1 question, not 5 (if that makes any sense!).

All the best.

https://www.gmatknight.com/post/5-verba ... gmat-tutor

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi IVCS,

To answer your questions:

1) I actually would reach out to one of the many admissions consultants here on GMAT Club to get some advice on suitable schools to which to apply.

2) Regarding how to study for your retake, give this article a read:

GMAT Study Plan: The Best Way to Study for the GMAT

3) Regarding prep resources, in addition to seeking advice in this thread, take a look at the GMAT Club reviews for  the best quant  and  verbal courses , and also read through some  GMAT success stories  to see what materials have worked well for other test-takers.

4) If you can improve your GMAT score and then apply round one next year, I don't think waiting a year is a bad idea.

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Scored a 670 in my first attempt. Need help to understand a few things

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