Taken the GMAT 4 times!

[samgalewicz]

I have taken the GMAT 4 times. these have been my scores: 470, 550, 590, 510. I was increasing every time, and the last time I took it (510) I didn´t sleep at all the night before, got terrible insomia (i think i was just too nervous) and I did the exam not understanding half of the questions because i was so tired. (mistake of having taken the exam under those conditions). I am re-taking the exam in two weeks. In my gmat preps I have been getting between 620-680 (GMAT Prep) and will start Manhattan GMAT this week.

Do schools take into consideration how many times someone has taken the GMAT? How do you see my scores? I hope in two weeks that I take it I don´t get insomnia again and I will be able to pass my test. I´ve been studying religiously for the past year, and can´t believe I still haven´t passed the GMAT.

I want to apply to top ten schools first round in October. So I still have a few more tries (in July my 5 exams per year is up). I also work for a top international technology company with 2 years experience, and I´m an international (LATAM), female. How do you see my chances of getting accepted?

[StaceyKoprince]

For your questions on admissions, you should post your questions in the admissions consulting folder. Those are the people who can best assess your application / admissions story. I know anecdotally that most schools don't care if students take the test up to 3 times, but some schools start to view 4+ tests negatively. You don't say what your goal score is, but you're here asking for advice two weeks before your next test, so I assume you are not yet at your goal score (on practice tests). If that's the case, you may want to rethink taking the test for the 4th time in two weeks.

You mention scoring in the 620-680 range on GMATPrep. Because GMATPrep offers only 2 "clean" tests, I assume you have been seeing repeated questions on these tests. Have you taken that into account, both in how you take the test, and in how you discount the scores that you have been receiving? For example, when you see a question you recognize, do you answer it immediately and move on? If so, that inflates your score beyond just getting the question right because you are also artificially giving yourself extra time. Alternatively, when you see a question you recognize, and you know you got it wrong last time and you really struggled with it, do you get it wrong on purpose this time because you think you'd probably get it wrong if you were seeing it for the first time? If so, and if you also wait for 2 minutes so that you don't give yourself artificial extra time, then you aren't inflating your score on this question.

You also mention that you "will start Manhattan GMAT this week." I assume you mean you will start taking MGMAT CATs this week, yes? CAT practice tests are used to determine how much improvement you have made since the last practice test that you took (1-3 weeks before). People do not improve much simply by taking practice tests. Given that you have two weeks left, the ideal plan is to take one test now, spend a week working on your weaknesses and solidifying your strengths based upon those test results, take a second test, and spend the final week solidifying your strengths and accepting your weaknesses (knowing how to make an educated guess when you don't know what to do, making sure you don't spend too much time on any one problem, etc). Again, most of your improvement comes from the work you do between practice tests to get better at the weaknesses you identify from your test results. In general, it can take 1-3 weeks of study (every day!) to make enough progress before it is worth taking another practice test.

Also, if you are so stressed out that you can't sleep and can't comprehend the questions on the test - cancel the test!

At this point, go post in the admissions consulting folder and ask them what they think about your situation. Use their advice to decide whether to take the test again in 2 weeks or to wait longer.