Two days left to the test!

[nathanalgren07]

Hello,

My test is on the 27th of this month, i.e. in a week. I haven't really had any time to study for the test, because I have been working too much and I am almost never home and free. I just have time to do practice tests and that is all.

Without any preparation, I took CAT1 (12 Dec) and I scored a 710 (Q50, V36), then I reviewed the problems and made a list of the topics that I had most wrong answers. I made a little review on that at work (Don't let my manager hear lol) and then After working 13 hours, I took CAT2 (16 Dec) at 11.30pm and I scored a 660 (Q49, V32), but when I reviewed the questions as always, I noticed that it was mostly because of concentration problems. I still went ahead and made a list of the topics that I need to study.

Then finally the weekend came and yesterday (18 Dec), I took the CAT3 in the morning after a decent breakfast and I scored a 750 (Q51,V41). And again reviewed the questions and topics, and today (19 Dec) I wanted to try a different practice test, so that I don't get used to the question types of Manhattan, and I made a little research to see in which test most people score lower than real Gmat. Kaplan was the answer.

Then today I took Kaplan's free test and I scored a 700 (Q47, 40). Funnily Kaplan way easier than Manhattan. I finished the whole Quant in 32 minutes and I had only one wrong answer. Yet I scored 47 in Quant. Verbal part of Kaplan is also easier than MGMAT.

So a week left to the exam and I am working weekdays from 9 to 6, sometimes 9am to 9pm. I only have a few hours at night and the next weekend. I am planning to take GMATPrep tests next weekend on Sat and on Sun.

I still have 3 more MGMATs that I can take and 2 GMATPreps. I don't know if I will have time to finish them all. What would you suggest me to do? And could you tell me the hardest test I can take (not lowest score, hardest questions)?

PS: I studied Math in English and I scored 103 in TOEFL. My Math and grammar knowledge are good, I think I just need to get used to the question types of GMAT to score 700+, but I might be completely wrong.

PS2: Don't tell memy grammar sucks, based on this post, because I am writing this at 1 am and I am not paying so much attention lol :)
Thank you very much.

[StaceyKoprince]

A lot of people are going to be mad at you for doing so well with so little preparation. :)

You're taking the tests under 100% official conditions, including the essays, right? (Skipping the essays can inflate your score, especially the verbal score, because the test isn't as long as usual.)

But you got a 750 on your last test, so even if that's a bit inflated, you're still good for 700+, assuming that you didn't use the pause button or do something else that would give you a really MAJOR advantage (that you could never have on the real test). And assuming you don't have a history of severe anxiety issues or anything like that during official tests. :)

I wouldn't worry too much about the Kaplan score - I've heard that they...er...make the scoring algorithm lower than it should be for the free test. (I haven't tried it myself, but it's pretty much an accepted thing over at Beat the GMAT - all the students talk about it.)

Hardest questions on quant - definitely our test. Hardest verbal Qs, toss up between our test and GMATPrep. So might as well do our tests.

Don't take a practice test within a few days of the real thing though - you just risk tiring yourself out. For the last 2-3 days, just do high-level review.

Take a look through these two articles about what to do for the final 2 weeks before the exam. You'll obviously have to shortcut things given that you have 1 week and a busy work schedule, but this can give you some guidelines:

http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/08/ ... -game-plan
http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/08/ ... -to-review

[nathanalgren07]

Is that why no one replied my post except you? :P

Actually, I have been preparing for 6 years as I got my MS&BS degree in Teaching Math in English, even though I hadn't been aware of GMAT existed until recently. :)

Anyway, the tests I took at night after work, I generally score around 700-720. And one time morning test, I scored 750. Does being tired/not tired make that much difference?

I think it does and I hope that is not wishful thinking :)

I haven't taken any of them with essays, so I think that can inflate my score 20-40 points, but working 12 hours can compansate it, so another wishful thinking: Essays inflation = working 10-12 hours inflation, so I can actually score 700+ under normal conditions.

I don't think I have any problems with test, I took TOEFL without taking any practice test before the real one and I scored a 103 and didn't have any time problems.

Am I so optimist or what? :)

Thank you very much for your replies.

PS: I already read all the articles and tutorials in the website.

[StaceyKoprince]

Does being tired/not tired make that much difference?

It can, yes. Also, the standard deviation of the real test is about 30 points and the SD of our test is about 50 points. So even there, you're roughly within SD.

Skipping the essays can inflate the score and there's really not a way to know whether that will happen with you - beyond taking a test with essays. Lots of people work 10+ hours. Not many people have to be mentally "on" or in peak form for 3.5 hours straight of that 10 hours (with two 8-minute breaks). That's what you're trying to do for this test.

If you have time to take one full-length test without doing so within 3 days of the real test, try it. (Note to others reading this: the normal prohibition is no test within 5 days of the real thing.)

[nathanalgren07]

Does being tired/not tired make that much difference?

It can, yes. Also, the standard deviation of the real test is about 30 points and the SD of our test is about 50 points. So even there, you're roughly within SD.

Skipping the essays can inflate the score and there's really not a way to know whether that will happen with you - beyond taking a test with essays. Lots of people work 10+ hours. Not many people have to be mentally "on" or in peak form for 3.5 hours straight of that 10 hours (with two 8-minute breaks). That's what you're trying to do for this test.

If you have time to take one full-length test without doing so within 3 days of the real test, try it. (Note to others reading this: the normal prohibition is no test within 5 days of the real thing.)

Okay here are the latest practice test results:

- GMATPrep1: Taken at 11pm after work, Scored 700.. didn't take the essays.. Q50 V33
- GMATPre2: Taken in the morning today, after having breakfast, took it under full exam conditions (i.e. i took the AWAs as well.) and I scored 730.. Q50, V38..

My test is on Monday. I am planning to review the 8 practice tests (6 MGMAT, 2 GMATPrep) and today and tomorrow, and that is all. Wish me luck and let me know if you have any advices! :)

[StaceyKoprince]

Too late - your test was yesterday! I hope you come back and share how things went though. Hopefully you'll have a good report; if you don't, we can help - so let us know either way. :)

[nathanalgren07]

Well it went just like I expected and I scored a 710 (Q50, V36). During the exam I felt it was easier than both GMATPrep and MGMAT. I finished the Quant 20 minutes early and the Verbal 10 minutes early.

Before the test I was aiming to score 700+, but during the test I thought I am going to score around 730. So I was first disappointed to see the 710 on the screen but then I thought for a moment and realized I actually achieved my goal without putting much effort. So I became happy again. :-)

When I am sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story. :-)

[mschwrtz]

Congratulations, and good advice.

[StaceyKoprince]

Congratulations! Yes, with more work, maybe you could have gotten a higher score... but 710 is a great score already.

Good luck with apps!