Stunned -From 700 in the mocks to 580 in the real test

[SamridhiA947]

Hi

I wrote my GMAT exam today. Before the exam I was anxious about whether I would be able to score 700+. The exam seemed like a breeze and after anxiously submitting my test, I was in for a rude shock. I could not break even a 600.I could not believe the scores which were flashing on the screen- Total 580, Verbal 28, Quant 41. This when my GMAT prep scores were a 720 (Q 49, V39) 8 days before the test and a 710 (Q48, V40) exactly 30 days before. I had not even envisaged a situation in which I would choose not to report my scores, but 580! I had no option but to cancel my score. Initially I was arrogant enough to believe that there must have been some error (i know its so funny, like the stubborn child who flunked the exam thinking that the the questions must have been wrong! ) .I really do not know what went wrong, though on second thoughts I have a hunch that it might have been the CR in verbal and the Data Sufficiency in Quant, because I always found them to be a challenge. But 580! I remember getting a 580 in one of the Manhattan tests quite early in the preparation but henceforth its always been 670,690, 710,730 and 750 (seems funny now, in hindsight) on the Kaplan tests. I had heard that GMAT Prep is fairly accurate.

I will have completed seven years of experience in November and I really wanted to apply for 2016. But with most school Round 1 deadlines in October 2015, I will end up waiting another year even if I improve my scores and choose to take a retest. I have heard that one is more likely to get scholarships in Round 1. So it will be 2017 for me I guess.

Now could you please advise me about what i should be doing to get 700+. I had referred the Manhattan Guides for basics along with one more book, OG 13, OG Quant 2016 and OG Verbal 2016.

[StaceyKoprince]

I'm sorry that you had a disappointing test experience. As you've unfortunately learned, feeling that the exam is easy is not a good sign. Because of the nature of an adaptive exam, it's usually the case that it feels harder when you're doing better.

Our first task is to figure out why the drop occurred. There are multiple reasons why someone might experience a big score drop on test day. Read this and tell us any factors that you think could apply to your situation:
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... t-wrong-2/

In particular, when someone thinks that the test felt easy, that often means that the person was rushing and making careless mistakes without realizing it, so think about that possibility. If you were burned out / mentally fatigued leading into the test, that can have this effect. (Note: people often think that they weren't mentally fatigued because their body is full of nervous energy / adrenaline. But you can be mentally fatigued even while your body is pretty awake / adrenaline-filled.)

Next, you may want to purchase the Enhanced Score Report for your offiical test (you can get the data even if you cancel your scores):
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... re-report/

Finally, don't count yourself out of this year's application season quite yet. You could still apply second-round and then defer or reapply next year if you don't get the kinds of scholarship offers that you want. You never know!
That will help us to have a better idea of what may have gone wrong with the question types and the timing.

[SamridhiA947]

Hi Stacey

Thanks for your guidance. I went through the link which you posted and I realize that it could have been the timing issue and anxiety during exam (though I may not have realised). I completed all sections well before time- IR, AWA, Verbal and Quant. So that must have been an issue. I also took a test only 2 days before the exam. So fatigue could have been a factor. I also purchased the Enhanced Score Report which had shed some light on the sections on which I performed badly. Really grateful for your help.

[StaceyKoprince]

Oh, yes - finishing very early is a definite problem! If you're finishing Q/V more than about 4-5 minutes early, then that rushing is likely a sign that you're making careless mistakes. Since the test is adaptive, it's getting harder if you're doing well - so that should slow you down. Unless you're making mistakes on things that you do know how to do and not lifting your level.

Did you also finish practice tests that early? If not, then yes, I think unrealized anxiety was definitely a factor, and probably fatigue as well.

Okay, if you'd like to get any advice about how to prepare for your next attempt, then tell us more about your strengths and weaknesses.

First, read these two articles:
http://tinyurl.com/executivereasoning
http://tinyurl.com/2ndlevelofgmat
Think about how what you've been doing does and doesn't match up with that and how you may need to change your approach accordingly.

Then, use the below to analyze your most recent MGMAT CATs (this should take you a minimum of 1 hour):
http://tinyurl.com/analyzeyourcats

Based on all of that (plus your Enhanced Score Report data), figure out your strengths and weaknesses as well as any ideas you have for what you think you should do. 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. Your analysis should include a discussion of your buckets - you'll understand what that means when you read the last article. 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!)