Advice on re-taking the GMAT

[Guest_9.27]

Hi. I just took the GMAT for the second time. First time I took it was back in June. I prepped on my own for about 3 hard weeks. On my GMAT Prep practice test 1 I scored a 570, but then scored a 720 on my GMAT Prep 2. The biggest difference was in the Quant section, which I had bombed in the first practice test. On the real GMAT that I took in June, I got a very disappointing 550.

I took the full 9-session MGMAT course this summer, with a goal of scoring 650 or above. My MGMAT CATs were: 1) 640 (Q - 43, V - 34) , 2) 670 (Q - 43, V - 38), 3) 600 (Q - 36, V - 35), and 4) (Q - 44, V - 35). I took the GMAT Prep tests again this week, just before I took the exam. I only recognized about 2 questions per section...and for those, I would purposely get 1 wrong and 1 right to try to even out the scores. My scores were very good. Prep 1) 680 (Q - 47, V - 37); Prep 2) 700 (Q - 44, V - 42).

So that brings me to the real GMAT i took yesterday morning. I got a disappointing 620 (Q - 42, V - 34). Not sure why I continue to do poorly on the real exam as compared to my practice tests. Not sure what I should do at this point. I am applying to the EMBA programs at Columbia and NYU (Jan. 2009 start), and wanted a score of at least a 630 (NYU EMBA median), and preferably a 650 (Columbia EMBA median). Both schools have 620 within the middle 80% of their acceptances, so I know there is a chance I can get in with this score. I feel like the rest of my application is strong, but I only have 8 years work experience...so that might be a slight disadvantage. I could take the exam one more time before final applications are due. I am leaning towards applying for the early deadline -- if they decline me..., I can then ask them if an improvement in my GMAT score would change their minds. This way I dont have to take it again unless I absolutely need to.

Based on my practice tests I feel like I should be able to score 650 or above..., but the two real exams are leaving me with doubts. Its really devastating to get a disappointing score, especially when you have prepared so much. Not sure I want to got through it all again :(

I would appreciate any advice you can provide on re-taking the GMAT and if I should expect an improvement, or thoughts on my chances of getting in to the EMBA programs I mentioned with a score of 620.

Thanks!

[Guest_9.27]

I just realized that I never indicated my total score for my last MGMAT CAT (#4). It was a 650.

Looking forward to a reply. Thanks.

[StaceyKoprince]

First, contact student services (studentservices@manhattangmat.com or 800.576.GMAT) right away and request a post-exam assessment. This is a free service for our students after they take the official test; you will be matched up with an instructor to debrief from the test and figure out a plan to retake it.

You can also continue to discuss it here if you'd like. Here are some questions for you:

When you took your practice tests, did you do so under exact official testing conditions? (two essays, 10 min break, quant, 10 min break, verbal) Did you take your practice tests at about the same time of day as the official test? Did you have something to eat and drink on the break to keep your energy up? How were your nerves? When you took the SAT (or other similar tests, did you generally perform as expected, or did you underperform?

How was your timing? Were you able to move at a steady pace throughout the test or did you have to rush or make random guesses at any point? (Note: everyone feels generally pressed for time throughout the test, so when I ask whether you had to rush, I mean something like: you realized you had 10 questions left with only 10 minutes to go or something like that.)

[Guest_9.27]

Thanks for your input Stacy.

I tried to take my practice exams under normal test conditions. ~10 minute breaks, etc. However, I did not do the essays as part of that time. Do you think that can really have an effect on stamina? And if so, would you suggest always doing the essays during a practice test? Seems like a big waste of time, but if you think its really necessary to build up stamina/endurance, then I understand.

Otherwise, I tended to take my practice exams at approximately the same time as my official test. I did eat a protein bar in between sections. My nerves were ok. I felt that I was focused throughout the test.., with the exception of a few minutes in the math when the proctor did not see me raising my hand for a new scrap booklet and a few minutes in the verbal when the person next to me was typing extremely loudly. I took the SAT twice, and the first time I performed a bit under expectations, but on the second try, I achieve a score I was satisfied with.

As far as my timing...that was a bit of an issue. On the math, I had to guess on the last 3 questions. I felt the verbal section was harder than any I had seen before. I did look up and had 10 minutes to finish 10 questions. Thus, I had to guess almost completely randomly on 4 to 5 questions. However, this was not unlike my practice exams when I typically had to guess randomly on 2 to 4 questions in each section. I know this is not what you guys teach...however, I was achieving success so I did not want to alter my strategy too much. This may have hurt me...not really sure though, since it had not hurt me on practice tests.

I will call student services for a post-exam assessment, but would appreciate any comments you have as well.

Thanks.

[StaceyKoprince]

I've posted this before, and I'll post it again: if you don't take the essays, that's like training for the first 2/3 of a marathon. You may do a great job during that first 2/3, but that last 1/3 is going to be seriously difficult. So, yes, you've got to do the essays - I know you don't care about the essay score, but you do care about the verbal score and the lack of mental stamina can actually make a big difference.

Given what happened with the SAT, you may also have had some nerves on your first GMAT. It's good that you were able to do well on your second SAT because that bodes well for your chances to do better on the GMAT, now that you know what to expect.

You mentioned that you struggled a bit with the timing but it didn't really hurt you in practice - it did, actually, but maybe you still got scores you were happy with. The scores might've been higher, though, if you hadn't had the timing issues. Basically, the thing that hurts your score the most is a string of wrong questions in a row. 5 questions wrong in a row will hurt your score more than the same 5 wrong questions spread out across the test. So it's important not to put yourself into the position of having (potentially) a string of wrong answers in a row anywhere - and the most likely place for that to happen, of course, is at the end of the section, when you're running out of time.

Make sure you discuss how to handle timing during your post-exam assessment - the instructor can take a look at your practice tests and give you some direction as to how to improve in this regard.

Regarding whether to re-take, you may also want to post your situation in the admissions consulting thread and ask them. They may have a better idea of what the schools would like to see in your situation.

[Guest_9.27]

This test can be so frustrating, and it really helps to get some expert advice... Keep up the great work!

[StaceyKoprince]

You're welcome - good luck!