<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>GMAT Myths – GMAT</title> <atom:link href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/tag/gmat-myths/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat</link> <description>GMAT Prep Course, Best GMAT Class & Study Books | Manhattan Prep GMAT</description> <lastBuildDate>Thu, 05 Sep 2019 16:26:07 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.2</generator> <item> <title>GMAT Myths, Debunked by the Data Hammer</title> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/gmat-myths-debunked/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Ryan Jacobs]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 26 Sep 2018 18:48:02 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[For Current Studiers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Practice Tests]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Myths]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/?p=16248</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>I want to debunk a few common GMAT myths about timing and scoring on the test. I’m going to try to do it in the best way that I, as a graduate of an MBA program, know how: with the help of Microsoft Excel!* The histogram you see here shows the amount of time, in […]</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/gmat-myths-debunked/">GMAT Myths, Debunked by the Data Hammer</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-16289" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/09/gmat-myths-debunked-data-hammer-ryan-jacobs.png" alt="Manhattan Prep GMAT Blog - GMAT Myths, Debunked by the Data Hammer by Ryan Jacobs" width="1200" height="628" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/09/gmat-myths-debunked-data-hammer-ryan-jacobs.png 1200w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/09/gmat-myths-debunked-data-hammer-ryan-jacobs-300x157.png 300w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/09/gmat-myths-debunked-data-hammer-ryan-jacobs-768x402.png 768w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/09/gmat-myths-debunked-data-hammer-ryan-jacobs-1024x536.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I want to debunk a few common GMAT myths about timing and scoring on the test. I’m going to try to do it in the best way that I, as a graduate of an MBA program, know how: with the help of Microsoft Excel!*</span><span id="more-16248"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The histogram you see here shows the amount of time, in seconds, that I spent solving questions on my GMAT practice tests (“CATs”). I pulled the data from my last four tests.** The green bars represent questions that I answered correctly, the red bars questions I answered incorrectly. I’m showing you just the Quant section, since Verbal questions typically vary more in the amount of time they take because of the different question types, but I can tell you the lessons to be learned here apply just as well to the Verbal section as to the Quant.</span></p> <p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-16249" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/09/fig-a.jpg" alt="Manhattan Prep GMAT Blog - GMAT Myths, Debunked by the Data Hammer by Ryan Jacobs" width="1608" height="973" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/09/fig-a.jpg 1608w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/09/fig-a-300x182.jpg 300w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/09/fig-a-768x465.jpg 768w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/09/fig-a-1024x620.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1608px) 100vw, 1608px" /></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spend some time lingering on this data set. Does anything surprise you? I mentioned earlier that I wanted to use this chart to debunk a few GMAT myths—here they are:</span></p> <p><b>Myth #1:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> You need to get GMAT problems right in under 2 minutes to do well on the test.</span></p> <p><b>Fact:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> 2 minutes per question should be your target </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">average,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> not your target maximum! In the chart above, 47% of questions took more than 2 minutes. If, when you study, you are currently using a timer that counts down from 2 minutes, then you are meaninglessly cutting yourself off on nearly half the problems you’re doing! (Not only that, but you should expect problems to take longer when you study than when you take the test; the whole point of studying is to learn the skills you need before you actually take the real test. By the time you actually take the test, you will hopefully have learned to execute each skill pretty well, so it naturally will not take as long.)</span></p> <p><b>Myth #2:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> When you spend more time on a question, you are more likely to get it right.</span></p> <p><b>Fact:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> 60-150 seconds is most people’s “happy zone” on Quant. (Admittedly, for me it’s more like 30-120 seconds, but then again, I have been studying for the GMAT for 9 years.) If you look at the data, you’ll notice that when I spend an inordinate amount of time on a question, I tend to get that question wrong anyway. Interestingly, these questions also tend to be the most difficult questions I see on the test, which mean they end up being outliers and thus have less impact on my score than other questions. My rule of thumb is that once I’m approaching 4 minutes or so, I should probably just give up. That’s why you see very few questions at the higher end of this histogram: lose the battle, win the war.</span></p> <p><b>Myth #3:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> People who score 700+ on the GMAT get most of the questions right.</span></p> <p><b>Fact:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> My scores on these four Quant sections were 46, 47, 48, and 51 out of 51. My scores on these CATs ended up being 720, 750, 750, and 780 out of 800 overall. Yet there’s a lot of red on this histogram.</span></p> <p><b>Myth #4:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> People who score 700+ on the GMAT work more quickly than people who don’t.</span></p> <p><b>Fact:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> There are 31 questions here that I got right in over 2 minutes. Getting questions right on the GMAT takes hard work, brain energy, creativity, and backup plans, even for GMAT teachers! So while it is important not to spend too much time on a question, it is maybe even more important to read every question carefully and devote 100% of your attention and effort to that problem. Positive mindsets result in good scores.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What are the takeaways from all this? (1) When you study, use a stopwatch that counts up, not a timer that counts down. (2) When you take the actual test, it’s okay to go over 2 minutes on a question, but unless it’s the end of the test and you know you’ve got some time to burn, you probably don’t want to go over 4 minutes. (3) The perfect is the enemy of the good! I got 36% of my questions wrong. (4) Those 36% really were pretty hard, and I really did try my best to solve them.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">*Fun fact: I once had a boss who nicknamed me “The Data Hammer.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">**For those of you who did the math and noticed that there appear to be more than 124 data points, note that these CATs were all taken back when the Quant section was 37 questions long. ?</span></p> <hr /> <p><b><i>Want more guidance from our GMAT gurus? You can attend the first session of any of our online or in-person GMAT courses absolutely free! We’re not kidding. </i></b><a id="bloglink" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b><i>Check out our upcoming courses here</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b></p> <hr /> <p><em><strong><img decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-15202 size-thumbnail" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/02/ryan-jacobs-e1501597417957-150x150.png" alt="ryan-jacobs" width="150" height="150" /><a id="bloglink" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/instructors/ryan-jacobs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ryan Jacobs</a> is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in San Francisco, California.</strong> He has an MBA from UC San Diego, a 780 on the GMAT, and years of GMAT teaching experience. His other interests include music, photography, and hockey. <a id="bloglink" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/#instructor/288" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out Ryan’s upcoming GMAT prep offerings here</a>.</em></p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/gmat-myths-debunked/">GMAT Myths, Debunked by the Data Hammer</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>4 More GMAT Myths Busted</title> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/4-more-gmat-myths-busted/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chelsey Cooley]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2017 20:52:15 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[For Current Studiers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT 101]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Strategies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Study Guide]]></category> <category><![CDATA[How to Study]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Myths]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Study Practices]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/?p=13152</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Did you know that you can attend the first session of any of our online or in-person GMAT courses absolutely free? We’re not kidding! Check out our upcoming courses here. There are some GMAT study practices that almost everyone agrees on: don’t pull all-nighters, don’t try to study at a metal concert, and don’t schedule […]</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/4-more-gmat-myths-busted/">4 More GMAT Myths Busted</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13231" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/02/2-16-17-blog-2.png" alt="Manhattan Prep GMAT Blog - 4 More GMAT Myths Busted by Chelsey Cooley" width="676" height="264" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/02/2-16-17-blog-2.png 676w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/02/2-16-17-blog-2-300x117.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px" /></p> <p><b><i>Did you know that you can attend the first session of any of our online or in-person GMAT courses absolutely free? We’re not kidding! </i></b><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=GMAT%20Complete%20Courses%20Plug&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog" target="_blank"><b><i>Check out our upcoming courses here</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b></p> <hr /> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are some GMAT study practices that almost everyone agrees on: don’t pull all-nighters, don’t try to study at a metal concert, and don’t schedule your GMAT for 8 a.m. the morning after your best friend’s birthday party. However, there’s also some misinformation out there that </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">sounds </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">like good advice. </span><a href="//www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/2017/02/02/4-gmat-myths-busted/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=CC%2038%20-%204%20More%20GMAT%20Myths%20Busted%20-%20Link%20Back%20to%20CC%2037" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">I’ve already busted 4 popular GMAT myths</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, so let’s take a look at 4 more – this time, focusing on popular wisdom about how to study. </span><span id="more-13152"></span></p> <h4><b>1. I shouldn’t take a practice test until I’ve learned the basics.</b></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the <a href="//www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/prep/complete-course/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=CC%2038%20-%204%20More%20GMAT%20Myths%20Busted%20-%20Link%20to%20GMAT%20Complete%20Course" target="_blank">Manhattan Prep 9-week GMAT course</a>, students have to take their first practice GMAT before the second class session. I always get a couple of emails about this during the week before class, mostly from students who feel like they aren’t ready. Here’s the argument: why would you take a practice test if you haven’t studied at all? Shouldn’t you wait until you at least know the basics?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The truth might be surprising: it’s smart to take a practice test </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">before</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> you know the basics. One of the most common problems that my students face is </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">not knowing what they don’t know</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. The fastest way to develop a sense of exactly what you don’t know, and what you do and don’t </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">need</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to know, is to take a practice test. Also, taking a practice test removes some of the mystery from the GMAT. In the test prep world, mysteries tend to be much more intimidating than known factors. Use your first practice test as an excuse to just try out the GMAT and see what it’s like, so you’ll at least know what you’re dealing with. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even getting a lousy score on your first practice test is nothing to be scared of. The point of your first practice test </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">isn’t</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to evaluate your abilities. The point is exactly what it says in the name – </span><b>practice</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">. You’re ‘testing out the test.’ Worry about your score later.</span></p> <h4><b>2. Practice tests are the most important part of studying.</b></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You may have seen the reports online: “I took a practice test every day for three weeks, and then I got a 740 on the GMAT!” If that works, then it works – but if it does, you’d be the exception, not the rule. There are good reasons not to take </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">too</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> many practice tests. The most practical is that there just aren’t that many published practice tests, at least not high-quality ones. If you blast through all of the published practice tests, you’ll no longer have a good way to evaluate your performance later. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Also, practice tests are an inefficient way to study concepts. Suppose that you’re very weak on coordinate geometry. On an entire practice GMAT, you might see one coordinate geometry problem, and you’ll probably get it wrong. You won’t learn much about coordinate geometry from that – and if you do, you’ll have expended much more time and effort than you would have by specifically studying that weak area. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, cognitive fatigue is a real issue on the GMAT, and you can experience it without consciously </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">feeling</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> tired. When your brain is worn out, you won’t perform as well. Compare studying for the GMAT to training for a marathon: marathon runners don’t practice by running a marathon every single day! They do a long run every week or so, but they do shorter, easier runs in between. </span></p> <h4><b>3. I should study in the same place and at the same time every day.</b></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This seems reasonable, but it actually isn’t true! </span><a href="//www.nytimes.com/2010/09/07/health/views/07mind.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">This </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">New York Times</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> article</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> summarizes a classic research study that shows the opposite. Students who studied new material in two different rooms performed significantly better on a test than students who always studied in the same room. It’s important to study in comfortable locations where you feel that you can focus. However, there’s no need to set up a dedicated study space and time – and if you do, it might actually be counterproductive.</span></p> <h4><b>4. Stress will keep me from studying effectively.</b></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This one is actually true – although there’s a little more to the story. Excessive stress does significantly impair memory and learning. So, if you’re stressed out or anxious, try to deal with the stress </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">first </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">– don’t force yourself to study when you’re totally overwhelmed, since you won’t be as effective as you would be when calm and relaxed. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, there are two reasons to appreciate GMAT-related stress. First, the research on </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">acute</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> stress – the temporary stress that comes from taking a practice test, for instance – is much more ambivalent than the research on chronic stress, like what you experience during a stressful quarter at work. Some studies show that this type of temporary stress can actually enhance memory, in certain situations. So, if you feel nervous about taking a practice test, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing! </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Second, there’s a concept in learning science called the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerkes%E2%80%93Dodson_law" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yerkes-Dodson law</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which relates psychological arousal to performance. Very high stress hurts your performance on difficult tasks. However, people actually perform better on difficult tasks with </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">some</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> stress than with </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">no</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> stress. Stress can make your hands shake and your heart beat more quickly, but it can also make you focus more intensely and work more carefully. What really matters, other studies suggest, is how you </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">think about</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the stress you’re experiencing. For instance, people who think of their stress as excitement do </span><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/03/can-three-words-turn-anxiety-into-success/474909/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">a better job on difficult tasks</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> than people who think of it as anxiety. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In short, don’t believe everything you hear about studying for the GMAT! If a study trick seems too good to be true, it probably is. In order to succeed on the GMAT, you’ll need to get organized, approach your studies thoughtfully, and do things that have been proven to work. If you’re just getting started, try out a <a href="//www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/free/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=CC%2038%20-%204%20More%20GMAT%20Myths%20Busted%20-%20Link%20to%20GMAT%20Free%20Trial%20Class" target="_blank">Manhattan Prep GMAT trial class</a>, or pick up the <a href="//www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/store/strategy-guides/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=CC%2038%20-%204%20More%20GMAT%20Myths%20Busted%20-%20Link%20to%20GMAT%20Strategy%20Guides" target="_blank">Manhattan Prep GMAT Strategy Guides</a>, and start off on the right foot. ?</span></p> <hr /> <p><b><i>Want full access to Chelsey’s sage GMAT wisdom? Try the first class of one of </i></b><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=CooleyCoursesLinkGMATBlog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog#instructor/336"><b><i>her upcoming GMAT courses</i></b></a><b><i> absolutely free, no strings attached.</i></b></p> <hr /> <p><em><strong><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/instructors/chelsey-cooley/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgre%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=CooleyBioGREBlog&utm_campaign=GRE%20Blog" target="_blank">Chelsey Cooley</a><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/instructors/chelsey-cooley/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgre%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=CooleyBioGREBlog&utm_campaign=GRE%20Blog" target="_blank"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-10949 size-thumbnail" title="Chelsey Cooley Manhattan Prep GMAT Instructor" src="https://d27gmszdzgfpo3.cloudfront.net/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2016/01/chelsey-cooley-150x150.png" alt="Chelsey Cooley Manhattan Prep GMAT Instructor" width="150" height="150" /></a> is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in Seattle, Washington.</strong> Chelsey always followed her heart when it came to her education. Luckily, her heart led her straight to the perfect background for GMAT and GRE teaching: she has undergraduate degrees in mathematics and history, a master’s degree in linguistics, a 790 on the GMAT, and a perfect 170Q/170V on the GRE. Check out Chelsey’s upcoming GMAT prep offerings <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=CooleyCoursesLinkGMATBlog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog#instructor/336" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/4-more-gmat-myths-busted/">4 More GMAT Myths Busted</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>4 GMAT Myths Busted</title> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/4-gmat-myths-busted/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chelsey Cooley]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2017 19:10:21 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[For Current Studiers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT 101]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Strategies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Study Guide]]></category> <category><![CDATA[How to Study]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Quant]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Taking the GMAT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Verbal]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Myths]]></category> <category><![CDATA[gmat scoring]]></category> <category><![CDATA[gmat study plan]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/?p=12887</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Did you know that you can attend the first session of any of our online or in-person GMAT courses absolutely free? We’re not kidding! Check out our upcoming courses here. There’s a lot of well-meaning advice for GMAT test takers out there. Unfortunately, some of the most reasonable-sounding and frequently-repeated claims are actually false. In […]</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/4-gmat-myths-busted/">4 GMAT Myths Busted</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13017" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/01/2-2-17-blog-1.png" alt="Manhattan Prep GMAT Blog - 4 GMAT Myths Busted by Chelsey Cooley" width="676" height="264" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/01/2-2-17-blog-1.png 676w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/01/2-2-17-blog-1-300x117.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px" /></p> <p><b><i>Did you know that you can attend the first session of any of our online or in-person GMAT courses absolutely free? We’re not kidding! </i></b><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=GMAT%20Complete%20Courses%20Plug&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog" target="_blank"><b><i>Check out our upcoming courses here</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b></p> <hr /> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There’s a lot of well-meaning advice for GMAT test takers out there. Unfortunately, some of the most reasonable-sounding and frequently-repeated claims are actually false. In this article, we’ll look at four of the most common GMAT myths, and what you should do instead.</span><span id="more-12887"></span></p> <h4><b>1. I need to get 90% of the questions right to get a 700.</b></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s true, somebody who got a 700 on the GMAT probably got more questions right than somebody who got a 400. However, the opposite isn’t true: </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">just</span></i> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">getting more questions right doesn’t increase your score</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. The GMAT scoring algorithm doesn’t look at how many questions you answered correctly in a section. Instead, it looks at the difficulty level you’ve reached by the end of that section. You could reach the same difficulty level by missing a lot of questions, or by only missing a few, depending on where in the test you miss them and whether you finish the section on time. <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/2016/05/09/how-many-questions-can-you-get-wrong-on-gmat-quant/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=CC%2037%20-%204%20GMAT%20Myths%20Busted%20-%20Link%20Back%20to%20CC%2021" target="_blank">Check out this article</a> for more info on what your GMAT score really means. </span></p> <h4><b>2. Quant is more important than Verbal.</b></h4> <p>This is a tricky one. In part, it depends on the programs you’re applying to and the strengths and weaknesses of the rest of your profile. Some schools will want a high Quant score, while others will care more about whether you hit a particular overall number. In some situations, Quant might be very important.</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, when it comes to achieving a high overall GMAT score, Verbal is slightly more important than Quant. Getting a 90</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">th</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> percentile Verbal score and a 50</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">th</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> percentile Quant score, for example, will give you a slightly higher overall score than if they were swapped. Also, many students, especially native English speakers, find it easier, quicker, and more fun to improve Verbal than Quant. If you just want to earn a particular overall score, you might get there faster by focusing on Verbal. Don’t leave points on the table by ignoring Verbal! Even if you’re starting with a high Verbal score, an improvement of just ten percentile points can go a long way.</span></p> <h4><b>3. The first eight problems in each section are the most important.</b></h4> <p>Like most GMAT myths, this one has a kernel of truth to it. As you work through each section of the GMAT, the test will get harder when you answer a question correctly, and easier when you answer a question incorrectly. These difficulty changes are larger at the beginning of the section than at the end. This makes it seem as if the earlier questions are very important, while the later questions hardly matter at all.</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, that isn’t really the case. Getting the first eight questions right would cause your GMAT to rapidly increase in difficulty, up to the maximum level. However, your score isn’t based on the highest difficulty level you hit. Instead, it’s based on the difficulty level at the </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">end </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">of the test. A strong start is nice, but spending extra time on the early problems means having very little time to answer hard problems later on. You might even run out of time at the end, which carries a hefty score penalty. So, if you can answer all of the early questions correctly </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">and quickly</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, go for it. Otherwise, work at a steady pace throughout the test, and proactively guess on hard questions that you can’t answer quickly – even at the beginning of each section. </span></p> <h4><b>4. If I want a 700, I should mostly study 700-800 level problems.</b></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Don’t base the problems you study on the score you want. Instead, base your studies on your current ability level. When you take the GMAT, the difficulty of the test will change depending on your performance. In order to get the test to show you tough questions, you need to be very quick and consistent on the slightly easier questions. If you aren’t quite there yet, you won’t even </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">see</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the super-hard stuff – so there’s no point in studying it just yet.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In fact, spending a lot of energy on studying hard material can be counterproductive. If you see a very hard question on test day, the best move is often to proactively guess on it: missing a hard question won’t hurt your score very much, and attempting it could waste a lot of time. However, if you’ve spent a lot of time studying really tough questions, it’ll be harder to make yourself guess on them when you need to. Instead, study the questions that will really help you on test day: the ones right at or slightly above your level, or easier questions in areas that tend to trip you up. Happy studying! ?</span></p> <hr /> <p><b><i>Want full access to Chelsey’s sage GMAT wisdom? Try the first class of one of </i></b><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=CooleyCoursesLinkGMATBlog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog#instructor/336" target="_blank"><b><i>her upcoming GMAT courses</i></b></a><b><i> absolutely free, no strings attached.</i></b></p> <hr /> <p><em><strong><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/instructors/chelsey-cooley/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgre%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=CooleyBioGREBlog&utm_campaign=GRE%20Blog" target="_blank">Chelsey Cooley</a><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/instructors/chelsey-cooley/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgre%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=CooleyBioGREBlog&utm_campaign=GRE%20Blog" target="_blank"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-10949 size-thumbnail" title="Chelsey Cooley Manhattan Prep GMAT Instructor" src="https://d27gmszdzgfpo3.cloudfront.net/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2016/01/chelsey-cooley-150x150.png" alt="Chelsey Cooley Manhattan Prep GMAT Instructor" width="150" height="150" /></a> is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in Seattle, Washington.</strong> Chelsey always followed her heart when it came to her education. Luckily, her heart led her straight to the perfect background for GMAT and GRE teaching: she has undergraduate degrees in mathematics and history, a master’s degree in linguistics, a 790 on the GMAT, and a perfect 170/170 on the GRE. Check out Chelsey’s upcoming GMAT prep offerings <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=CooleyCoursesLinkGMATBlog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog#instructor/336" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/4-gmat-myths-busted/">4 GMAT Myths Busted</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Breaking the 700 Barrier: The GMAT Mindset</title> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/breaking-the-700-barrier-part-1-the-gmat-mindset/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stacey Koprince]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 03 Nov 2016 22:28:18 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Business Mindset]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Business School]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Strategies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[How to Study]]></category> <category><![CDATA[700 Score]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Myths]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/?p=12237</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Did you know that you can attend the first session of any of our online or in-person GMAT courses absolutely free? We’re not kidding! Check out our upcoming courses here. The top 10 US b-schools now have average GMAT scores in the 700 to 730 range. That’s 90th percentile or higher—in other words, really high […]</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/breaking-the-700-barrier-part-1-the-gmat-mindset/">Breaking the 700 Barrier: The GMAT Mindset</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-6533" src="//www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2016/11/11-3-16-blog-1.png" alt="Manhattan Prep GMAT Blog - Breaking the 700 Barrier Part 1: The GMAT Mindset by Stacey Koprince" width="676" height="264" /><strong><em>Did you know that you can attend the first session of any of our online or in-person GMAT courses absolutely free? We’re not kidding! <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=GMAT%20Complete%20Courses%20Plug&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog">Check out our upcoming courses here</a>.</em></strong></p> <hr /> <p>The top 10 US b-schools now have average GMAT scores in the 700 to 730 range. That’s 90<sup>th</sup> percentile or higher—in other words, really high scores!</p> <p>So, if you want a 700-level score, what does it take to get yourself into that range?<span id="more-12237"></span></p> <p>We’ll talk about what you need to do, but we’re also going to talk about what you need to NOT do. A lot of people harm their own chances (unknowingly!) by following paths that have very little chance of raising them to the 700 level.</p> <p>And one caveat: I can’t guarantee that, if you follow what I say, you’ll get yourself into the 700+ range. By definition, only 10% of all GMAT test takers score in that range. What I can guarantee is that you’ll maximize your chances. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f642.png" alt="🙂" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></p> <h4><strong>What is the GMAT really about?</strong></h4> <p>The GMAT is ultimately a test of your <strong>business mindset</strong>. Yes, you have to know math formulas and grammar rules and other things—but these are just the surface level of the test. The makers of the GMAT (aka GMAC) are most interested in how you <em>think</em>.</p> <p>What does that mean? <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/2013/06/03/what-the-gmat-really-tests/">Read this</a>.</p> <p>Seriously, go read it right now, then come back here. I’ll wait.</p> <p>What did you learn? How does that change your understanding of what you need to do in order to do well on this test?</p> <p>In short, the GMAT is a test of how flexibly you think and how well you make various decisions—including the decision <em>not</em> to work on a particular problem at all. If you’re going to hit a 700+ level on this test, you’ll need to employ a business mindset, both while you’re taking the test and while you’re studying.</p> <h4><strong>Myths of the GMAT & The GMAT Mindset</strong></h4> <p><strong>Myth #1: I need to get a high percentage of the questions on the test correct in order to get a high score.</strong></p> <p>Let’s talk a little about what you’re not trying to do. First, it is <em>not</em> the case that your goal is to get all or most of the questions right. You’re going to answer approximately 60% of the questions correctly—whether you end up at a 500 or 600 or 700 level.</p> <p>Think about how weird that is: the test is <em>not</em> scored based on percentage or number correct! It is not the case that a higher score means you got more right than the person sitting next to you.</p> <p>That’s just bizarre! How can you get a better score if you got about the same number right?</p> <p>In school, everyone took the same test, so the only way to differentiate was by the number each person answered correctly. But on the GMAT, everyone takes a different test. The GMAT is a computer adaptive test: it actually changes based on how you’re doing. It adapts to you while you’re taking it!</p> <p>Think of it this way: if I’m trying to figure out at what level you’re capable of scoring, and I have a bunch of questions at different difficulty levels, one way to accomplish my goal is the following:</p> <ul> <li>I give you a problem. You get it right.</li> <li>I think, hmm. So you can do that one, can you? Well, how about this one? And I give you a harder one.</li> <li>You miss that one, so now I have a hypothesis: your scoring level is somewhere between the first one and the second one. So I give you a third problem that’s in the middle somewhere to see how you do on that one.</li> <li>Basically, the test is triangulating based on what you can do <em>and</em> what you cannot do. (And it’s actually even more complicated than what I described above, but that’s good enough for our purposes.)</li> </ul> <p><strong>So, myth #1 busted:</strong> Your goal is <em>not</em> your school goal to get most of the test right. That’s impossible, because the GMAT is explicitly trying to find the level at which you cannot answer questions correctly. And it will, even for someone scoring in the 99<sup>th</sup> percentile. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f642.png" alt="🙂" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></p> <p><strong>Myth #2: The earlier questions on the test are particularly important.</strong></p> <p>When someone grasps how the test really does work, the next question I hear is, “Oh, so the earlier questions are super important! They ‘set’ your level or your trajectory, right?”</p> <p>Actually, that’s another myth. I understand why it arose; I thought the exact same thing when I first started learning about adaptive tests. As I dug more into the complex theory that governs adaptive tests, though, I realized both why people intuitively think that and why it’s not correct.</p> <p>Still, I run into this myth all the time, so I’m here to tell you: There’s something else going on.</p> <p>The GMAT is what’s called a “Where you end is what you get” test. You could lift your score up to a 51 (the very top score for quant or verbal) by the middle of the section, but if your performance has dropped to the 40-level by the time that section ends, then your score is going to be 40. It’s <em>not</em> going to be an average of 40 and 51. It’s just a straight-up 40.</p> <p>Here’s what happens to someone who believes “the earlier questions are more important” myth:</p> <ul> <li>“I’m still early, so I’ve got to get this right. Hmm. I’m not really sure how to do this one. Maybe if I try it this way…” 4 minutes later, I have an answer.*</li> <li>I do this for the first 5 or 7 or 10 questions in the section.** By that time, I’m significantly behind on time.</li> <li>For the last 5 to 10 questions in the section, I have to rush and guess just to finish on time.</li> <li>My score tanks at the end. And where you end is what you get (henceforth known as WYEIWYG). <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f641.png" alt="🙁" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></li> </ul> <p>*By the way, spending a bunch of extra time doesn’t even guarantee that I’ll get it right. In fact, if I need 4 minutes to answer a problem that’s supposed to average 1 to 2 minutes (depending on the problem type), then my chances of getting it right actually <em>decrease</em>. Something’s wrong if I need that much time—there’s something that I don’t really know how to do, or it wouldn’t take me that long.</p> <p>**Think about what it would take to answer the first 5 or 7 or 10 questions in a row correctly. The first question is going to start out somewhere in the mid-range (around 50<sup>th</sup> percentile). You get that right, and you’re going to get a harder one. And then you keep doing that, problem after problem. Before too long, the questions you’re getting are up in the stratosphere!</p> <p><strong>So, myth #2 busted.</strong></p> <p>Now, if you know how to answer stratosphere-type questions correctly and in normal time, then you’re going to get a great score on the GMAT…in which case, “make sure to get the early questions right” isn’t even a strategy you need. You just already know how to do these questions, even the super hard ones. That’s <em>maybe</em> 0.5% of the population. For the rest of us, this just isn’t going to happen.</p> <p>The test writers are actively going to give you things that are too hard or will take too long to do. They want to see whether you have the presence of mind to recognize that this question is a bad question for you—your ROI (return on investment) potential is too low. And they want to know whether you have the discipline to walk away from a low-opportunity question.</p> <p>In other words, they want to know how good of a business person you are! Your ultimate goal is not to get everything right. Your ultimate goal is to demonstrate your “business mindset.”</p> <p>Make your own choices as you take the exam, deciding as you go what is and is not promising enough to warrant your precious time and mental energy. Do not become a victim of the “first 5/7/10 questions” myth! Remember WYEIWYG.</p> <p>In other words, use your business mindset to help you <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/2016/05/26/develop-a-business-mindset-to-maximize-your-roi-on-the-gmat/">maximize your ROI</a> on this test.</p> <hr /> <p><em><strong>Can’t get enough of Stacey’s GMAT mastery? Attend the first session of one of <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=KoprinceCoursesLinkGMATBlog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog#instructor/86">her upcoming GMAT courses</a> absolutely free, no strings attached. Seriously. </strong></em></p> <hr /> <p><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/instructors/stacey-koprince/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=KoprinceBioLinkGMATBlog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-9719 size-thumbnail" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2015/06/stacey-koprince-150x150.png" alt="stacey-koprince" width="150" height="150" /></a><em><strong><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/instructors/stacey-koprince/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=KoprinceBioLinkGMATBlog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stacey Koprince</a> is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in Montreal, Canada and Los Angeles, California.</strong> Stacey has been teaching the GMAT, GRE, and LSAT for more than 15 years and is one of the most well-known instructors in the industry. Stacey loves to teach and is absolutely fascinated by standardized tests. <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=KoprinceCoursesLinkGMATBlog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog#instructor/86">Check out Stacey’s upcoming GMAT courses here</a>.</em></p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/breaking-the-700-barrier-part-1-the-gmat-mindset/">Breaking the 700 Barrier: The GMAT Mindset</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Breaking the 700 Barrier</title> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/breaking-the-700-barrier/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Ryan]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2009 22:05:35 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Business School]]></category> <category><![CDATA[For Current Studiers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT 101]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Strategies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[How to Study]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Taking the GMAT]]></category> <category><![CDATA["First 8" Myth]]></category> <category><![CDATA[700 GMAT Score]]></category> <category><![CDATA[760+ GMAT Score]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Breakdown of a 700 Score]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Breaking the 700 Barrier on the GMAT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Breaking the 760 Mark]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Myths]]></category> <category><![CDATA[How Business Schools View the 700 Barrier]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Improved GMAT Score]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Perfect GMAT Score]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Taking the GMAT More Than Once]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Target GMAT Score]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/?p=2033</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>One of the great GMAT myths is that the first 8 questions in each section “make or break” your score and that nothing you do after that point has much of an effect on the score you end up with. False! Eight questions are not enough to determine your score. If they were enough, each […]</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/breaking-the-700-barrier/">Breaking the 700 Barrier</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>One of the great GMAT myths is that the first 8 questions in each section “make or break” your score and that nothing you do after that point has much of an effect on the score you end up with. False! Eight questions are not enough to determine your score. If they were enough, each section would consist of 8 questions.</p> <p>One of the consequences of the myth is the belief that in order to break 700, you must answer those first 8 questions correctly. Untold numbers of test-takers have labored over the first eight, afraid that any mistake will send their scores plummeting to unthinkable depths. While it is true that you should give each question your best shot, the absolute number of questions answered correctly is not as important as their difficulty level. Better to have a 50/50 success rate at a high level than a 50/50 success rate at a lower one, even though the percentage of right and wrong answers is the same.</p> <p>The most serious upshot of this myth is that its believers spend far too much time on the first eight questions and then find themselves racing to finish the section. Often, these test-takers run out of time and leave some questions unanswered at the end of a section. Given that unanswered questions are essentially counted as incorrect answers, it makes more sense to move at a steady pace throughout the entire section rather than concentrate on any particular subset of questions. In fact, spending too much time on early questions may actually damage rather than help your final score.</p> <p><span id="more-2033"></span></p> <p>Also, keep in mind that even for a test-taker of very high ability, getting the first eight questions correct in a section is highly unlikely, even if that test-taker spends a lot of extra time on those first eight questions! Remember, due to the adaptive nature of the exam, if you get the first question in a section correct, you will be bumped up to a very difficult second question. If you get that second question right, your third question will also be at an extremely high difficulty level. You will continue to see questions at this very high difficulty level until you get a question wrong, at which point the exam will adjust the difficulty level downward somewhat. Even test-takers of very high ability levels usually cannot sustain accuracy through the first eight questions in a section.</p> <p>Do not become a victim of the “first 8” myth: give every question your best shot, but do not let any one group of questions drive your entire performance.</p> <h3 class="header_gray">Breakdown of a 700 Score</h3> <p>Many people come to GMAT preparation in mortal fear of the quantitative section. Probability! Exponents and roots! The entire section seems like a parade of horribles. Unfortunately, many of these people spend the bulk of their study efforts honing their math skills at the expense of their verbal preparation. Certainly a great performance on each section is ideal, but experience has shown that an excellent verbal performance affects one’s overall score more dramatically than does an excellent performance in quantitative.</p> <p>Let’s take a look at what happens at the highest levels of the exam: 700+. A recent test-taker received a scaled score of 45 in verbal (98th percentile) and 40 in quant (66th percentile) and an overall score of 700 (93rd percentile). Notice how much closer the overall percentile is to the excellent verbal percentile. If the overall percentile were simply an average of the individual percentiles, this person would have received about 640. But because the combination of an outstanding verbal performance with a fair quant performance is so rare, the overall percentile and score will be much higher than the lower quant percentile. Another person, who scored 49 in verbal (99th percentile) and 37 in quant (56th percentile), received 710 (95th percentile), even though the quant performance here was a full 10 percentile points lower than that in the previous example. Again, an outstanding performance in verbal significantly offset a middling performance in quant.</p> <p>Does this work in reverse? That is, will an outstanding performance in quant so dramatically offset a middling performance in verbal? No. This combination is much more common, given the increasing number of international test-takers, who often have excellent math skills but relatively weak command of English. Even among native speakers of English, it is more common to see relatively high quant scores coupled with fair to middling verbal scores. Because these combinations are less rare, they are not rewarded as highly. For example, a test-taker recently received a 50 in quant (97th percentile) and a 37 in verbal (82nd percentile), but “only” a 670 overall (89th percentile). So the truly excellent quant performance was not enough to pull the overall score above 700.</p> <p>While an excellent verbal performance can indeed take up some of the slack from a weaker quant score, keep in mind that most business schools want to see strong skills in both sections. In fact, some of the top 20 schools apply the “80/80 rule”, which requires that successful applicants reach at least the 80th percentile in both sections. So do not put all your eggs in one basket: make sure you prepare well for both sections.</p> <h3 class="header_gray">Breaking the 760 Mark</h3> <p>760 is the threshold for the 99th percentile and the GMAT does not award that distinction to specialists (people who do extraordinarily well on only one section of the exam). At that level, you need to excel in both sections. So, although last week we discussed how the verbal section can pick up the slack from a weaker quant performance, if your sights are set on 760+, you need to be in top form in both areas.</p> <p>Your overall score out of 800 results from your performances in quant and verbal, each of which is first scored independently on a scale of 0-60. These subscores are then combined to yield your overall score according to formulae to which only ETS (the organization that administers the GMAT) is privy. Each subscore (verbal and quant) receives a percentile ranking as well. This indicates the percentage of test-takers who scored below your level over the past few years. So, for example, if you receive a verbal subscore of 40, you are in the 90th percentile, which means that 90% of all test-takers did not perform as well as you in verbal.</p> <p>Some recent scores of 760 broke down as follows: 41V/51Q, 46V/47Q, 44V/49Q, 45V/48Q, 47V/47Q. Notice that both sections are strong. Some recent scores of 760 broke down as follows: 51V/46Q, 42V/50Q, 46V/48Q, 44V/50Q. Again, these test-takers posted excellent subscores. To break 760, you more or less need to reach at least the 84th percentile in quant (subscore 46) and the 90th in verbal (subscore 40). While a significant number of test-takers can reach one or the other of these goals, very few can reach both on the same exam. Hence the reward of 99th percentile status to those who can.</p> <p>How do you get there? By understanding how the exam changes at its highest levels. At the 760+ level, you will no longer be tested on the basics; by the time you start seeing 760-level questions, you will already have proven to the CAT that you have mastered the fundamentals and are ready for the tough stuff. So the CAT will try to gauge your level by taking the same concepts you would see at the 650 level and “gussying” them up. In quant, it is now more about logic than about calculation. Did you spot the pattern hidden in the numbers? Did you spot the hidden equations? In verbal, you will need to resolve subtle flaws of logic and grammar. The issues no longer announce themselves; you have to seek them out. The 760+ exam is for active test-takers. If you sit back and let the exam wash over you, chances are you will not break 760.</p> <p>What about 800? Does anyone ever get the “perfect” score? Indeed. But a score of 800 does not necessarily mean you got every question right. It means that you answered so many extremely hard questions correctly that your few errors were statistically insignificant in comparison. What kind of numbers do you need for 800? A recent test-taker who managed an 800-level performance received 51 in verbal and 51 in quant, subscores so rare that the GMAT does not even separate them in percentile (99th) from the theoretical upper limit of 60 on each section.</p> <p>So to break 760, review the most challenging questions you can find. Pick them apart. See how underneath all the fuss, they still test the same basic concepts. The only difference is the amount of insight needed to see which basic concepts are being tested. That insight will come with practice.</p> <h3 class="header_gray">Taking the Exam More than Once</h3> <p>What happens if you take the exam and you do not break 700? A common myth among GMAT hopefuls is that you only get one bite at the apple. In other words, if you do not hit your target score on your first attempt, all your subsequent efforts, even if successful, are somehow diminished in the eyes of b-school admissions committees. This is totally false!</p> <p>The vast majority of business schools take only your highest GMAT score into account when evaluating your application. Why? First, it is in their best interest to inflate their mean and median GMAT scores to keep their rankings high. Second, business schools do not see the GMAT as a test of innate intelligence but rather as a measure of your preparation for business school. They want to know that at the time of your eventual matriculation, you will have the basic skills (quantitative, reasoning, writing, etc.) necessary for success in their programs. Whether you prove yourself on your first, second, or third attempt is irrelevant as long as you demonstrate your readiness somewhere along the way.</p> <p>Also, keep in mind that business schools evaluate not only your academic qualifications (e.g., GMAT and GPA), but also your professional promise. They gauge this by your career choices and successes and by your demonstrated determination to succeed. If you present a GMAT score that is clearly below a school’s standards, the admissions office will question your drive and consider you unrealistic. Taking the exam again shows determination and an appreciation for what it takes to achieve your goals, all desirable traits in a business school applicant.</p> <p>How likely is it that your score will improve on a subsequent test? It is more likely than not. Many test-takers succumb to nerves on their first try, letting time slip away as they fumble through the exam. On a second attempt, the exam is no longer a mystery. Having learned from experience, many test-takers are better able to manage the time and to recognize the warning signs when they find themselves dealing with questions beyond their reach. Recent test-takers have gone from 620 to 720, 650 to 710, 580 to 670, 630 to 680, 520 to 690, and these are just a tiny sample of people whose scores improved significantly on a subsequent try. Of course, they continued to study and hone their skills, but an essential component of their eventual success was their prior experience with the exam.</p> <p>If your first attempt at the exam falls short of your target score (i.e., a score that will make you competitive at the schools to which you plan to apply), you will need to take the exam again. But do not see this as a failure. Rather, it is a second opportunity to show the business schools that you are ready. In fact, we recommend that everyone plan to take the test twice, right from the start. The first try is a “practice run” to shake out your nerves and familiarize yourself with the timing and pressure of the real exam so that on your second attempt you can concentrate on the content and time management.</p> <h3 class="header_gray">How Business Schools View the 700 Barrier</h3> <p>The 700 barrier has taken on a life of its own among business-school applicants. It seems more and more that applicants are shooting for 700 in order to “seal the deal” at a top-20 business school. But is 700 really necessary for admissions success?</p> <p>While the vast majority of business schools still report average GMAT scores below 700, the uppermost echelon increasingly reports averages at or above that mark. You have to be careful, though, when evaluating reported GMAT scores. Is it an average or a median? If a school reports an average GMAT score of 700, for example, you have no way of knowing what proportion of students scored above that mark, or below for that matter. A few very high or very low scores can skew the average up or down. If a school reports a median GMAT score of 700, by contrast, you know that approximately 50% of its students scored above that mark and approximately 50% scored below. Accordingly, median GMAT scores are more indicative of your admissions chances than are averages, though for most schools the two will be quite close.</p> <p>For example, the average GMAT score in a recent year at The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business (GSB) was 687, but the median score was 700. The slight discrepancy indicates that even though 50% scored above 700 and 50% below, there were more very low scores (relatively speaking, that is “ it is still Chicago, after all) than very high scores. What does this mean? It means that some applicants with comparatively low GMAT scores were admitted to Chicago GSB. Another top school with a similar discrepancy is the Fuqua School of Business of Duke University. In a recent year, it reported an average GMAT score of 701 but a median of 710. MIT and Hass (UC, Berkeley) also reported similar discrepancies between their mean and median GMAT scores in recent years. This shows that while your GMAT score weighs heavily in your application, a score above 700 is not necessary for admission to some of the country’s most prestigious business schools, even when they report average scores at or above 700.</p> <p>In fact, you should not think of average or median GMAT scores as “cutoffs”. One very prestigious b-school reports an average score above 700, but its admissions officers have been known to tell applicants that the real minimum in their eyes is 660. Will you have a better chance with a score of 760 than 660? Sure, but your application would not be summarily dismissed if you submitted a score of 660. And remember that more goes into the admissions decisions than just the GMAT score: work experience, GPA, recommendations, essays, etc.</p> <p>Of course, breaking the 700 barrier can only help your chances. So aim high and study hard!</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/breaking-the-700-barrier/">Breaking the 700 Barrier</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel> </rss>