Study and Strategy questions relating to the GMAT.
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GMAT Focus-Question for J. Schneider or any MGMAT Instructor

by Guest Thu Jan 15, 2009 11:26 am

I was that Jonathan stated that "the question bank may not be 100% representative of the actual GMAT question pool" in another post on forum

U wanted to clarify why Jonathan feels this way about the GMAT Focus questions. What do others think about the GMAT Focus questions? They definitely do seem different then GMAT Prep Test questions. There was way more probability and counting questions then I expected.

Has anyone taken the GMAT recently (since GMAT Focus was introduced) that can verify as to how representative GMAT Focus vs GMAT Prep questions are?

Thanks!
StaceyKoprince
ManhattanGMAT Staff
 
Posts: 9361
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
Location: Montreal
 

by StaceyKoprince Tue Jan 20, 2009 5:00 pm

In general, both GMATPrep and GMAT Focus are likely less representative than the real test for the simple reason that the pools of questions are smaller than the pool for the official test. Fewer questions = opportunity to skew the percentages of different content areas.

It also isn't clear whether the people who choose questions to put into the GMATPrep and GMAT Focus databases take into account the different frequencies at which various topics appear when they are choosing the GPREP / GFocus questions. They may. They may not. We don't know.

Finally, GMAT Focus is designed to be a math diagnostic test - to tell you your strengths and weaknesses on math. GMATPrep is designed to simulate the real exam across as many metrics as possible. If I had to choose, I'd go with GMATPrep as a more accurate representation of the official test, then - although, again, we don't really know what criteria they use to choose the questions they put into each pool.
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
shom
 
 

by shom Tue Jan 20, 2009 9:12 pm

Stacey - Thanks for taking the time respond. Sounds like a good perspective on the subject.
StaceyKoprince
ManhattanGMAT Staff
 
Posts: 9361
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
Location: Montreal
 

by StaceyKoprince Fri Jan 23, 2009 1:02 pm

you're welcome!
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep