How does Accuracy in OG problems correlate to Test Scores?

[heel2891]

Hi,

I know this may be a very vague question but I'd like to try to solicit your expert feedback anyway. I scored a 650(42 Verbal, 36 quant) on my first MGMAT CAT. After studying Quants NOVA and the MGMAT SC guide my score dropped significantly to a 510 (31 Verbal, 21 quant). Since then, I have done the first three MGMAT quant guides...every page, every OG problem. I also did the Kaplan 800 CR section (and performed very well). Now I'm less than a month out from test date and don't have enough time to take another CAT right now. Plus I'd like to get through guides 4 and 5 before taking another CAT. I'd like to try to gauge where I stand to determine whether to push out my exam date or keep pressing on. I still aim to finish guide 4 and 5, all the bonus questions banks, Kaplan 800 math sections, and as many practice CATs as I can before my test date of Aug. 4th.

I'm at PS (82% 2:12), CR(86% 2:01), SC(88% 1:17), RC(85% 1:40) DS (68% 2:33). I usually get between 65 and 85% of the advanced section problems correct on quant and much more on verbal. I would like to know if there is a way to get an idea of whether those percentages get me in the 700s level. Particularly I'd like to know if those quant percents indicate that I could get a quant score of 44 all timing and stress concerns aside.

My target is 730. I feel confident I will score in the 95th-99th percentile in verbal, which means I need between a 43 and a 46 for my quant score. Do you think I'm on track or am I way off and should consider rescheduling and grinding longer on my GMAT prep?

Thank you so much for your time and patience!

Brad

[StaceyKoprince]

There's no way to use that data to estimate your current CAT level, unfortunately. There are too many variables that go into a CAT that are not represented in the data that you presented.

For instance, the average timing data that you noted for your quant indicates that you would run out of time before a section ended. That would drop your score a little or a lot depending upon how severe the timing problem was. Alternatively, maybe during a real test you would speed up and lose some earlier points in order to have time to finish the section, but then that would change your scoring earlier in the section. There's no way to look at this in the static (non-adaptive) world of the OG.

What you really need to do is take a practice test. You say that you don't have time, but you are studying in general right now, right? So let me say this: the MOST important thing on your study agenda right now is taking a practice test.

You do NOT want to finish guides 4 and 5 before you take another CAT. You need to know RIGHT NOW what your issues are with respect to timing and the first 3 books so that you can start to deal with those issues. If you discover that you have a major timing problem, it will not get better by doign books 4 and 5, and you will be even more disappointed / demoralized when you finally do take that test (not to mention, it takes weeks to fix timing problems, so you'll be losing a bunch of time).

Go take a test! Official conditions, including the essays. That's the most important thing to do right now. :)