Massive Jump in Practice Test Score - False Confidence?

[happy student]

I sat for my third practice test this weekend and had a huge jump from my 2nd practice test 6 weeks ago. I went from a V31 Q44 (610) to a V38 Q46 (690). I am just now finishing the last week of self study and will sit for my first official GMAT on October 3rd. While I wish I had more time to study and fine tune before my first sit down, I need to get a score posted for one of the schools I am applying to. I will 100% take it again in 4-6 weeks from October 3rd (as recommended by MGMAT) and truly feel tip-top.

While I am very pleased with this improvement, I recognize that I might be giving myself a false sense of confidence if I lean too much on this score. I recognize that this is not consistent (given my first three tests being 610 then 610 then 690) and that I was not in a real test environment, yadda yadda. However, I was asked mostly 700-800 level questions which has not happened before on a practice test. What is this score really telling me outside the analysis of which areas I did well and poorly in? What is my best move to eek out as many points as possible from now until October 3rd (aside from not taking it and studying more!).

I will take another practice test this weekend and see how close I get to that 690 again. If I do hit a score near this number, I am going to start thinking that this is where I am at right now and I am on pace for a decent showing on October 3rd. Is that fair?

I know one thing for sure, only hard work is going to get me the score I want but that doesn't take away some of the anxiety even when you have been working hard.

Any advice here on out would be great. Sorry if this post is just vague and nervousness.

[StaceyKoprince]

From what you wrote, there's a good chance that you earned that jump in score. :) I have more questions for you first, though.

Have you been taking the tests under official testing conditions, including the essays, number and length of breaks, etc? If you deviate from official conditions, that can sometimes result in an artificially inflated score, so we want to make sure that's not happening. (For example, a lot of people skip the essays because they care less about the essay score. The problem with that is that we have to write the essays before we can get to the multiple choice portion of the test. If you aren't prepared for the energy / stamina needed to do that, then your score could drop on the real test.)

If you have been taking the test under official conditions, then this is a really great sign. Generally, improvements tend NOT to be linear. You go along for a while at a certain level, and then some things start to come together and you jump. Then you plateau again for a while before jumping again. (This is the most common scenario; obviously, it doesn't happen this way for every single person.)

So, this score is telling you that your current scoring level is most likely in the +/- 50 point range from that score. If you took it in non-official conditions, that spread could be wider (and will tend to skew lower). It also means, just generally speaking, that you have improved quite a bit on verbal.

When you take more tests, make sure to do so under official conditions. And, yes, if you can back it up (under official conditions), then you should feel pretty good about that scoring range. Obviously, there are things you can't mimic (such as the knowledge that a practice test is only practice while the real thing counts), but you can get close. :)

Because you're looking at taking your first official test in 2 weeks, start with these two articles:
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/08/ ... -game-plan
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/08/ ... -to-review

You can also use this article to help you with your analysis of your most recent practice test:
http://www.beatthegmat.com/a/2009/09/23 ... tice-tests

If, during that analysis, you uncover certain areas about which you want more advice, let us know!

[happy student]

Stacey,

Thanks for your reply. Honesty, I haven't actually done a writing section for the last two practice tests. However, I have little worries about test stamina as I have sat for and passed my CFP exam last November (10 hours over two days 4 and 6 hours respectively). The GMAT's 3.5 hours doesn't frighten me in the least. I take a 5 minute break between sections and stick to the 75 minutes per section. I will add the writing section back in the practice test this weekend to give myself a more "realistic environment."

In the meantime, I will look over your materials. I plan on having week 9 done by Saturday. Take CAT 4 on Sunday. Then, for the last week before the test, use your materials, focus on my weakest areas and work on advanced questions.

I will keep you posted.

[StaceyKoprince]

You might be totally fine (re: the essays), but to be sure, it's best to include the essays. Some people don't see a resulting score bump when they skip the essays, but it's more common to experience that artificial inflation - so just make sure.

Good luck!

[happy student]

Stacey,

I just finished CAT 4 and unfortunately it seems I did worse, much worse. Q35 V36 (600)

Quant. fell by nine points and verbal by two. It seems that getting the last 6 in a row on Quant had a compounding negative effect, not good. I have not reviewed my CAT 4 exam ind detial yet. I will do that tomorrow after work but this is demoralizing to say the least. I've never done this poorly on a Quant section (Q39 is the lowest and that as my first CAT Exam).

I did do the writing section this time and felt just fine about that. I didn't feel any different going into Quant then I did going into it without doing the writing section. I even felt about the same taking this Quant section as I did last week.

Obviously reviewing the exam will reveal some answers but my fear of that CAT 3 score of 690 being false confidence seems to be coming true -- unless my Quant score this time around was a fluke.

On a positive note, my Verbal stayed pretty much the same. So, at least something was consistent. I am not feeling too good about taking the GMAT next Sunday but it's too late to cancel now and I have to post a score if I want to get an application in for early acceptance. I will take it and get back to the 4-5 weeks I should have used before sitting the first time around.

[StaceyKoprince]

Yes, getting more in a row wrong accelerates the penalty. 4+ in a row wrong is pretty much always a major hit.

WHY did you get 6 in a row wrong at the end? Were you running out of time? What happened there?

It's not great that this happened, of course, but at least it happened on a practice test. You have an opportunity to figure out the problem and correct it - look at it that way.

It's not too late to cancel in general - you can always cancel (though you may have to pay the full fee. The issue is whether you have time to reschedule and still hit whatever deadlines you've set (or the schools have set).

If you think you can shake off the blow to your confidence and get in there and do well, then you may want to go for it. But if you think you're going to be thinking about this all through the test, then you may want to postpone. If you take it, you're required to wait 31 days before you can take it again; if you don't, you can reschedule sooner than that.

If I were you, I'd try to figure out why you had the low quant this time and why you had the great quant on CAT 3. It's more unusual for a good score to be a fluke, but it can happen - make sure you really did know what you were doing. It's more likely for a bad score to be a fluke, but you can't count on it not happening again unless you figure out what caused it and take measures to minimize a repeat.

Once you figure out (or think you've figured out) what's going on, come back here and let us know.

[happy student]

Yes, I simply ran out of time. I will need to have better pacing this Sunday if I am going to avoid a catastrophe at the end of the quant section. The funny thing is that I've always come close to running out of time with a few questions left and have never done this bad. I will find out why in detail later tonight when I review my test. Maybe I've just be lucking out.

I know I can always cancel the test, but I rather just take it since canceling will cost the full fee at this point. I really don't see any downside to taking the test since you report your highest score. While I know taking the test more than 3 times is not a good thing (for my pocket mostly), B-schools are telling me they don't care how many times you take it. However, I don't plan on taking it more than 2 or 3 times.

While the feeling I had yesterday sticks, it won't come into the test with me this Sunday. If the score I get this Sunday is not worth putting on an application I will simply submit my application for that school's 2nd deadline with a score worth reporting. No sense in submitting an application with a poor score and getting told no thank you.

So, to follow your advice, I will dedicate tonight and tomorrow to figuring out what happened on yesterday's and last week's CAT Exam (3 & 4), read your materials from earlier in this post and review as many weak areas as possible. I was planning on taking CAT 5 on Wednesday night. Is this a good idea at this point?

No matter the outcome this Sunday, the true answer lies in another 4-6 weeks of attacking my weaknesses a building on my foundation and being very comfy with the test.

Let me know. Thanks for all your help.

[StaceyKoprince]

Yes, figure this out. The real test often causes our bad habits to blow up (because now we know it really counts). If you have a bad habit of hanging on to a few for a bit too long, that can happen even more on the real test.

I agree that there are very few potential downsides to just taking it. The only thing major thing to consider is deadlines, because of the 31-day enforced wait on a re-take. If you don't have a deadline consideration, though, then good!

It's already past Wed, so that question is moot for you at this point, but I will say for others reading this: the last practice test should be 5 to 7 days before the real test. DO NOT take a practice test within 3 days of the real test. Ideally, that last practice test is also taken at the same time of day as the real test. Also, it MUST be taken under 100% official conditions, including essays, length of breaks, etc.

Good luck - let us know how things go!

[happy student]

Thanks! I will let you know how it goes. My last practice test was Wed, 5 days before my test this Sunday and I'm back to V45 Q36 (670). I def agree that you should not take a practice test less than 5 days before the exam, I'd get too mental. Stoked for Sunday! Regardless of the outcome, another 4-6 weeks and I will feel golden.

[happy student]

Well, it was a pretty pitiful showing this morning for the GMAT. I bombed the Verbal section and ended up with Q41 V28 (580)! While the Quant score was right around what I expected, my Verbal was way off any score I ever practiced at. My last three Verbal scores were V38, V36 and V36. I was hoping today would have ended up in the mid-600s. I think that would have been realistic considering where I was practicing at and given the overall work I've put in this far. I am pretty bummed about this because it seems I now need to figure out what's going on on with my Verbal in addition to improving in both areas (unless this was a fluke on game day -- really?!?!)

Moving forward I will need to forget about today and attack my weaknesses over the next 6-8 weeks to ensure that I am at a level worthy of obtaining a 90%+ percentile score. This means many many more practice tests (with the writing section), advanced questions, article reading and hard work.

Things I would do different: Not take the GMAT at 8:00AM. I am not a morning person nor did I ever take a practice test in the morning. I did them all in the late afternoon evening. There might be something to this as Stacey pointed out. However, I did finish both sections on time. Deep down, I felt so-so after math and even less so-so after Verbal. I though the RC was very difficult (and that's my best area). God only knows how I did on SC and CR.

Stacey, what words of wisdom do you have for me? Should I burn my second office hours talking to someone or just get back down to work as we have discussed? I'm not too concerned about schools seeing this score as I will show them "what's up" on my second attempt but I'd like to hear what you think. I could use it right about now.

[StaceyKoprince]

I'm sorry you had a tough time with the test. I'm really happy, though, to see your quant score - that's half the battle right there. Now we just need the other half.

You're in the Guided Self Study program, right? I think you qualify for a free Post-Exam Assessment. This is a phone call with an instructor to figure out what went wrong and come up with a plan to re-take the test. If this applies to you, please send an email to studentservices@manhattangmat.com (or call our 800 number) and request the Post-Exam Assessment; they'll get you set up.

My main advice right now is to take some time to try to figure out what went wrong on verbal. Write down EVERYthing you can remember - what felt good, what didn't, what seemed similar to practice and what didn't, timing, energy level, concentration, whatever. Even if you think it wouldn't matter, write it down.

Next, include that info on your PEA submission form (they're going to ask you to fill in a form before you meet with the instructor). The more info you can give the instructor, the better he or she will be able to advise you.

Get that scheduled as soon as you can (the more flexible you are on times, the sooner you can get matched with an instructor). Then come back here and tell us what you discussed and ask any other questions you have.

Also - yes, don't schedule the thing at 8a if you're not a morning person! That'd be enough to make my score drop 50 points right there. ;)

[happy student]

Stacey,

One step ahead. I already submitted that form right before you wrote a reply. I am sure that will help me figure some things out.

Interestingly enough I was so frustrated after the test that I forgot there was drilling/construction going on the floor above the test center (I was at 500 5th Ave. for any NYC folks reading this). The sound is one thing (head phone didn't solve all the noise the way) but vibrations was completely unacceptable!!! I was told "Oh, by the way they are drilling above, take these ear plugs and start your test."

I didn't want to come off as someone who uses excuses (because even with that distraction I feel I didn't show what I am capable of on Verbal) but let's just say that GMAT/Pearson VUE decided that the next time I sit the $250 fee is on them! I am seeing if they are canceling my score as well (or at least making a note in my file indicating what happened). Def. a distraction I or anyone could have done with out.

I will post after my PEA with the instructor. That's all for now.

[StaceyKoprince]

Well, if they offered to let you take it again, that's definitely an admission of a problem!

For you, though, really explore what else might have contributed so that you can do something about that thing (or those things). And, yes, let us know what happens with the PEA.

[happy student]

I am definitely going to be working on MANY things between now and the end of the year. Like I said, as much as getting a free test is nice it has nothing to do with going in there next time with the kind of confidence and understanding I need to have.

PEA is set for tomorrow night. I will post on Thursday.

[StaceyKoprince]

great - looking forward to hearing from you!