GMATPrep Practice Exams easy???

[bcarlosf]

Hi

I've never taken the official GMAT before. I wanted to ask anyone out there who knows: are the practice tests on the official GMATPrep software intended to be easier than the actual test or the same level of difficulty?

Why I think they might be easier (but still hope they aren't): Yesterday I took the first GMATPrep practice exam and got a 780. Before, I had only taken the first 2 MGMAT tests and got 720 and 730 UNTIMED. I feel that the MGMAT questions are generally harder than those in the Official Guide, but I was still expecting a lower score since yesterday was the first practice test I took in timed conditions.

Stranger still: I got 100% correct in the verbal section with 17 minutes remaining. But my scaled score was only 51. How could a perfect score be anything less than 60?

Anyone out there who might be able to help me make sense of this?

[StaceyKoprince]

They never assign 60s, even though the scale "officially" goes that high. I don't know why, but assigned scores top out at 51. :)

For the most part, GMATPrep is designed to mimic the real test, but those who are scoring at the highest levels often find GMATPrep easier than the real test. I suspect this is true because the number of questions (and therefore the depth of the question pool) is probably lower than it is for the real test.

The good news is - even on GMATPrep, you aren't going to score 780 unless you're prepared to score 700+ on the real thing.

Also - if you finished GMATPrep verbal 17 minutes early, then it sounds like the untimed thing on your MGMAT tests probably didn't matter much at least as far as the verbal was concerned.

And finally - don't take practice tests untimed, ever again. You're training yourself to take the test in a way that you can't on the real thing, and it could be hard to break those habits. It sounds like timing on verbal won't be an issue, but you could be training yourself badly for quant right now.

[bcarlosf]

Stacey,

Thanks for the clarification. I did feel that the practice test score was too good to be true, and I still think I need a lot more practice.

And thanks for the advice. As far as timing, I don't usually have trouble with the verbal section, but I do with the quantitative. I can do most of the problems in 30s to 2 mins, but every once in a while I get a problem that takes 10 minutes to solve.

I won't be taking any more untimed practice exams, but I did find it useful to not put a time limit on all my practice. The reason is that I didn't want to confuse 'not knowing how to do a problem' with 'not having enough time to do it'. I feel that if I did everything with a time limit, I'd be tempted to cop out whenever I saw a problem that I didn't know how to deal with, and my efforts would just be practicing copping out. So in the first phase of my study, I focused on solving all the 'not knowing how' issues, making myself stick it out until I got an answer. Then once I felt comfortable with each type of problem, I started working on being able to do them faster. I feel like this approach has worked well for me.

[StaceyKoprince]

Guessing is not copping out. Guessing is *required* on this test. If you don't have a sense of when to guess and actually let yourself spend 10m on a single problem, you will kill your score.

Letting yourself spend all the time you want, and not developing that sense of "yeah, this one's not happening in the timeframe I'm supposed to spend, so now I have to guess" is extremely dangerous. I can't tell you the number of people I've talked to who have done something similar, then gotten way behind on timing on the official test, and bombed.

That doesn't mean it will happen to you, but you are going to have to make sure that you take the appropriate next steps to get rid of some bad habits that you've already picked up on quant (letting yourself just keep going on a problem) and to develop some new good habits (learning when and how to guess). Those are two of the skills you need to learn in order to maximize your score on this test, just as you want to learn geometry and grammar. Even those of us scoring in the 99th percentile have to guess sometimes!

[Nemps7]

Hi Stacy,

Your earlier response said that people getting top scores may find the official GMAT prep software questions easier. I've done my MGMAT class, and consistently scored 590-610 for 5 of the MGMAT practice tests (I got a 650 on one, but only because I ditched the essay and IR section).

I recently took a GMAT prep official practice test and got a 600 (though my quant score was a record high of 45 for me). I just didn't have the stamina to complete the verbal (which I normally score 36/37, but got a 28).

I've been taking the practice questions. I did all the quant questions and got 27/30 for their practice questions, and just did the sentence corrections and got 14/15. I feel like these are WAY easier than MGMAT and easier still than the official practice test.

Can I expect the possibility a significantly higher score than what I've been receiving on the MGMAT tests, or is this just wishful thinking. I plan to take the real test in about 2 weeks.

Thanks so much for your response,
Ned

[StaceyKoprince]

The free practice questions are even easier, for the most part.

And, no, you shouldn't expect a big jump on the real test. :) Every now and then, this happens for someone - but it's not typical.

Your MGMAT and GMATPrep tests are in the 600 range right now, so that's probably about what you can expect to score on the real test in 2 weeks.

I'm guessing that this isn't what you want, or you wouldn't be asking about a score jump - yes?

So you have a choice. Are you close to your goal? Or are you still pretty far? If you're close (within 30 or so points), then go for it (but plan to take it again - then it'll just be a nice surprise if you don't have to).

If you're still pretty far from your goal, postpone. You can reschedule for only a $50 fee as long as you do it more than 7 days in advance of your test date.

Next, what should you do to get better? I'm going to need some info from you.

Use the below to analyze your most recent MGMAT CAT (this should take you a minimum of 1 hour):
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... ts-part-1/

Also, read these two articles:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... lly-tests/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -the-gmat/

Figure out your strengths and weaknesses as well as what you think you should do based on that analysis. Then come back here and tell us; we'll tell you whether we agree and advise you further. (Note: do share an analysis with us, not just the raw data. Part of getting better is developing your ability to analyze your results - figure out what they mean and what you think you should do about them!)

Also, let us know what you decide to do about the test date!

[Nemps7]

Hi Stacy,

Thank you for this wonderful and detailed feedback!

First, I haven't actually scheduled the exam. I live in Copenhagen, and it's fairly easy to book a time, so I figure the week I feel confident and ready I'll just book. The issue is I'm planning on applying to Copenhagen Business School April 11th (coming up). I just spoke to their admissions, which will allow me to submit my application but take the GMAT at a later date.

Yes, I signed on to MGMAT like most, hoping to crack the 700 score. I actually took the class back in October, noticed improvement from a 500-610 by the end of the course, then studied my butt off for a month, and got a 590. The scores fluctuated between 590-610, and I just got too timid to take the real thing, embarrassed by my inability to improve despite an honest attempt to study.

I'm including that last paragraph only because I think it's important to understand my fear of taking the exam, after the months of studying, only to not succeed. I suppose it's a common fear, but not improving on these practice exams has been real hard. My most recent exam was a 650 for the MGMAT Feb 22nd, but I skipped the IR and essay in hopes of just seeing a score higher than 610, simply to know it was possible for me.

Here's what I've gathered - 43Q 36V.

Quant:
The timing of my math was all over - I answered 10 questions over 3 minutes, and consequently questions 31-37, I answered 5 under a minute, with the last question left unanswered. Of the 10 that were over 3 minutes, 5 were correct. I had a hard time letting some go. On my most recent exam, an official GMAT prep software (I scored a 600, but a record high of 45Q, I felt good about the quant because my timing was near perfect). On the MGMAT exam, I got all 3 exponents/roots wrong, both formula questions wrong, and both rates and work questions wrong.

I guess as studying goes - I'll look at Thursdays with Ron for some rates and work help, and look back at those specific topics in the MGMAT books.

Verbal:
The timing is hard to judge, as my internet connection constantly went out, so I think the timing was incorrect. I had 6 questions over the 3 minute mark, which I actually think is fair given that 4 were RC questions, and I always spend 3-4 minutes reading the opening and answering the first question. Except for one, the other questions were all under a minute for RC.

In terms of types of questions that were incorrect, drawing conclusions and weaken the argument were the only two types I got incorrect multiple times, so I guess just going over those sections in the MGMAT books is what to do. I've been doing a lot of work with modifiers for SC looking at the Thursdays with Ron and I've noticed it gives me a lot more clarity.

The timing of the verbal I've never found a problem. It's more maintaining mental concentration that late in the test. Growing up, I always had extra time due to learning disabilities on standardized tests, but living abroad it's just too much work to try to set that up.

Any ideas for building stamina, other than just cranking out tests?

Thanks so much again for your help, and sincere apologies if this is way to long or not the appropriate place to post this!
Ned

[StaceyKoprince]

Okay, a big part of the reason your score hasn't been improving is your timing. This test is a "where you end is what you get" test - it does NOT average your performance once you get to the end of the test. So if you miss the last 5-7 questions due to timing issues, your score is going to plummet - and where you end is what you get.

Think about it this way: you will have to guess SOMEwhere. Your only choice is where. :) If you don't choose to guess on the hardest questions as you see them, then you are going to be forced to guess at the end of the test.

Read this right now. If you've already read it, read it again:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... lly-tests/

Read it every day for the next two weeks. :) You're taking the test the wrong way - you're actually not showing how good a business person you can be! Good business people can assess various opportunities and decide where to spend their valuable time and energy. The GMAT wants to see that same kind of prioritization and discriminating behavior from you! (And you know how to do this already - you do it at work, right?)

How do you know that your timing was "near perfect" on the GMATPrep? Did you time yourself per question?

I ask because I talk to people every day who think their timing is near-perfect because they finish the section right on time. But the per-question timing tells a different story. Your timing isn't perfect if you spend 3+ minutes on 5+ questions and then rush on others to make it up.

Where are you spending too much time? What are the patterns? PS vs. DS? Story problems vs. "pure" math problems? Certain topic areas?

RC opening questions (in our tests) should be in the 3 to 4 min range - you're both reading and answering the first question. So that's just fine.

You can do some things to work on mental stamina. GMAC does also allow extended timing for people living overseas - but maybe you mean it's too hard to get updated documentation of your condition?

Take a look at this:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... you-crazy/

As you study, think about how you can minimize decisions during the test. The more you set yourself up to react (because you've had to make a similar decision before, so you can just go with it again the next time), the easier it will be to get through the test. (Though still not easy, of course!)

Also, do enough prep for both essay and IR that you can get "good enough" scores while using a minimum of mental energy. For instance, have a template ready to go for your essay: you know how you're going to organize things and the kinds of things you're going to say before you even get in there.

Here's one idea:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... no-thanks/

For IR, skip 2 or 3 problems outright. Know what you hate the most so that you are not using up brain energy on those!

And fixing your timing issues on quant will help immensely on verbal. When you spend 3.5 minutes on a quant problem, you have a double whammy even if you get it right. You have to rush somewhere else on quant AND you've just used up a ton of brain energy (for a single question!) that you cannot get back. Triple-whammy if you end up getting it wrong on top of that. Stop it! :)

That's your biggest issue in fact. You need to start believing / realizing that trying to get everything right is exactly the wrong way to win on the GMAT. It's not even what they want you to do!

Digest all of that and then let me know what you're thinking.

[Nemps7]

Hi Stacey,

Thanks again for your insightful feedback. I have officially now signed up for the test May 2nd, so I'm in the home stretch.

I will certainly try to get better at throwing in the towel on certain questions midway through the test, as opposed to running low on time towards the end.

I've just retaken a MGMAT CAT and scored a 610 - that's the same EXACT score I received about 7 months ago. I started my MGMAT course in mid August. I haven't seen improvement since the middle of this course (this includes no improvement even retaking these tests!)

Talk about depressing.

Here's my problem at this point - I have taken every question in the OG. I've taken 8 MGMAT CATs (2 retaken). I review these problems, occassionally spending up to 20 minutes making sure I can identify how I would do this in the future.

The problem is - I simply don't recognize how identifying issues in one problem is really helpful in future problems. These problems all seem so individual, and I get that they fall into certain categories, but every problem has a twist that throws me off (some problems, even after reviewing, I still get incorrect).

Any ideas how to fix this? I have 2 weeks before I officially give up with all this.

To say it's been a hellish nightmare is an understatement. I feel so embarrassed because the level of personal feedback and quality of the course I felt was so high. I don't understand how I have not improved.

Thank you,
Ned

[Nemps7]

Just a quick update -

I applied your "businessman" strategy, so to say, and took another practice test.

I felt awful coming out of the quant, and good at the end of the verbal. Final score was a 680 (45Q, 37V).

This has been my best score to date by 30 points! Guess I really just have to learn to let go of difficult problems.

It also definitely improved my time management in the quant section. Much fewer problems over the 3 minute mark.

In the verbal section, I had about 4-5 minutes remaining. Is this a sign of bad timing to have so much time left over?

Thanks again for all your help! It is greatly appreciated!
Ned

[StaceyKoprince]

I'll start with your second post first - nice work! Yes, a big part of this test is knowing how to take it. And you're learning how. :)

Ideally, you wouldn't have more than a few minutes left over at the end of a section, since rushing can obviously lead to careless mistakes. Go back and look through your verbal section. Expect a couple of careless mistakes - you're only human! But if there are more than 2-3, then note where you were rushing and figure out what you can do next time to check your work / slow down just a little bit.

Re: your first post, the problems do have connections and they also have twists, as you say. You're not looking for the exact same problem but with different numbers (or different words) - you won't see that. But you'll see problems that will be asking you to think or solve in the same way or in similar ways. The more of those kinds of connections you can make, the better you'll do, because when you see a new problem, you'll "recognize" parts of it (and already know what to do with them) and then you'll turn your attention to whatever twists you don't recognize. That's a lot better than having to do the whole thing from scratch. :)

And, of course, part of this is just letting go when you should be letting go. That right there is lifting your score, as you found out. Keep up the good work!

[Nemps7]

Hi Stacy,

Just thought I'd share with you I took the GMAT today. Again, my best full practice test score was a 640. With your sage words I boosted that up to:

690 (47Q/37V)

I'm very happy with my score, even if I didn't hit the 700 mark as I initially hoped. I know that I stupidly changed my answer from right to wrong in the last 5 seconds on the final quant problem, so I know a 700 was totally within the realm of possibility, and I'll leave myself satisfied knowing that : )

The 690 is definitely good enough for the school I'm applying to (I had my interview immediately afterwards actually, and they were quite pleased).

I just wanted to say thank you so very much! You're one of the few teachers on here I really enjoyed explanations from in forums, in the OG archer review videos, and general advice. As a teacher myself, I know we rarely get to understand what exactly our influence was - so I just want to say without your help in this forum, I really would have panicked and likely had a score below 650. I attribute your advice heavily to my huge boost in my actual GMAT score.

So thank you, thank you! Keep doing what you do! : )

[StaceyKoprince]

A 690 - that's fantastic! Congratulations! I'm really happy for you.

And thank you for the kind words. I love teaching and I'm always trying to help others and to get better at what I do, so it's nice to hear that it's working at least some of the time. :)

Good luck - I hope the school admits you! Let us know what happens!