Questions on GMAT Prep Studying

[diamond.john]

To anyone on the staff,

I am about a month away from taking the test and am trying to get a better measure of where I stand.

A bit of a background: my approach has been less than ideal - I was very close to taking the test back in the spring, but delays in the summer pushed back my test time (unfortunately I had already gone through all the MGMAT tests). So now, re-taking the MGMAT tests result in some uncertainty considering I have at one point seen all the problems (I don't know how much my score is skewed). It's not that I remember the answer and plug it in immediately, but I wonder if I remember the "exact" way to go about doing the problem - that is, if I am effectively remembering specific answers because I remember the recommended approach.


Additionally, I have used these forums as a study source and when gearing up to take the test again, I stumbled across the GMAT Prep forums. Not knowing that those made up the two official GMAC tests, I studied them relentlessly. Once I realized what they were, I stopped because I really want to know where I stand before I take the test (without having skewed scores).

I took the first full practice test last weekend and scored a 720. I definitely had seen a few of the problems but did them out in full anyway (only one problem I actually remembered the answer).

My question is multifaceted: Are there any other CAT tests outside of MGMAT and GMAT Prep that meet your standards as a solid predictor of score (with a standard deviation within your acceptability)?

Secondly, as far as GMAT Prep goes, are the practice problems they offer used as part of the pool of questions for the test? Or can I safely study those without it further skewing my next test score?

Thanks.

[StaceyKoprince]

Hi, good questions.

First, if you took our CATs originally last summer and are only re-taking them now, then you're probably okay in terms of the repeats issue. Any solution processes, shortcuts, etc that you still remember that many months later = you really internalized / learned this type of problem and would also probably be able to recognize other similar (but not exactly-the-same) problems. That's what you're going for overall, so that's good.

If you do see Qs that you remember, ask yourself: did you get it right or wrong last time? Do you - completely honestly - think you'd get this right if it were totally new right now? Or do you think you might get it wrong? If the latter, get it wrong on purpose.

As far as I'm aware, we're the only company (besides GMAC / the test owners!) that publishes a standard deviation for our tests - so I can't comment on who else might be good from that perspective. I haven't actually done any tests from other test prep companies in many years - I work on our own CATs, so I have to avoid other test-prep materials to avoid accidentally picking up material that someone else owns!

I've heard good things about 800Score tests, though, from both students and fellow instructors. You might also want to ask other students yourself. And I believe Beat the GMAT has a poll up on the site somewhere (or in the forums maybe?) asking what tests people like.

Re: GMATPrep, the extra practice problems (both the 90 free questions included with the software and the for-a-fee GMATPrep Pack #1) are NOT also included in the tests themselves - so you're free to study those to your heart's content. :)