by StaceyKoprince Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:35 pm
GMATPrep is built on the same algorithm as the official test but uses a smaller pool of questions. The real test has a standard deviation of 30 points; because GMATPrep has a smaller pool of question, the standard deviation might be a bit higher. (I usually think of it as 40 points, but this is just a pretty random guess - GMAC has not published the standard deviation for GMATPrep.)
So, if you scored a 650 on a GMATPrep test, that means your score on the official test is most likely to be in the 610 to 690 range. If you have experienced serious anxiety on prior standardized tests or if you have a history of underperforming on standardized tests, then you should skew your expectations downward a bit, since a practice test is never as nerve-wracking as the real thing.
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep