ETS Software

[pgralf]

I am hoping Erin (or someone else) can answer a few questions about test preparation with confidence. I have spent a decent amount of time with the 10th Edition of the Official GMAT Review Book, the ETS software, and a few other sources and am consistently scoring 10-15% higher than my target score. My questions are:

1. Is the ETS software CAT actually a CAT? Do questions get easier and harder, or is just comprised of representative questions?
2. Does the CAT care if I am poor at one area (geometry)? If I do terrible in this area, will I get easier geometry questions or easier questions overall? Is the number of geometry questions already defined before the test begins, or will it give me more or less of my weak area?
3. What are the odds I will see duplicate questions on the actual test? I am afraid that I am getting a false sense of security during practice tests when I see a few questions that I recognize and get right.
4. Erin, do you you have a rule of thumb for a guardband on practice scores? Surely scores will flucuate, but is it likely to be within the 10-15% that I have been seeing, or are there radical swings. (When answering this one, you should know that I do not get nervous or flustered before/during tests - I am not going to get the deer in the headlights look).
5. As a rule, should I spend my few remaining weeks getting VERY good on sections that I do well in (last 2 practice tests I have scored in the upper 80s to low 90s in verbal) or on my weaknesses? Is it better to be solid across the board or great in one area and average in another?

Your site has been very helpful. Thanks. I hope these questions make sense and you can take a few minutes to give general answers.

[Erin]

Originally posted by pgralf

1. Is the ETS software CAT actually a CAT? Do questions get easier and harder, or is just comprised of representative questions?

Yes, the PowerPrep is a CAT. I sent an email to GMAT asking them whether the algorithm of the PowerPrep is exactly the same as that of the real GMAT. I don't recall the exact phrasing, but they implied that it was, which makes perfect sense--imagine if somebody found out it was different. There'd be quite a hullabaloo if it were not.

Erin

[Erin]

Originally posted by pgralf

2. Does the CAT care if I am poor at one area (geometry)? If I do terrible in this area, will I get easier geometry questions or easier questions overall? Is the number of geometry questions already defined before the test begins, or will it give me more or less of my weak area?

I can't say with 100% certainty, but I imagine that GMAT does not target areas as specifically as this. Imagine, for example, if they had to do something similar on the SC section--would they target people who are weak in the subjunctive, for example? I doubt it. I believe that the difficult of the questions is done purely on the basis of how well past testtakers have performed on each test item.

[Erin]

Originally posted by pgralf

3. What are the odds I will see duplicate questions on the actual test? I am afraid that I am getting a false sense of security during practice tests when I see a few questions that I recognize and get right.

I'm not sure I understand the question. If you are asking whether you will see any of the Official Guide questions on your real test, the answer is a definite no. If you are asking about from one sitting to another, I'd say the chance is somewhere on the order of 1000:1 at best.

[Erin]

Originally posted by pgralf

4. Erin, do you you have a rule of thumb for a guardband on practice scores? Surely scores will flucuate, but is it likely to be within the 10-15% that I have been seeing, or are there radical swings. (When answering this one, you should know that I do not get nervous or flustered before/during tests - I am not going to get the deer in the headlights look).

All things being equal, real scores tend to be about the same or 5 to 10% lower, depending on your familiarity with the Official Guide questions. I've had several students go through the Official Guide three or four times and score consistently over 700 on the PowerPrep, but only 6xx on the real thing.

[Erin]

Originally posted by pgralf

5. As a rule, should I spend my few remaining weeks getting VERY good on sections that I do well in (last 2 practice tests I have scored in the upper 80s to low 90s in verbal) or on my weaknesses? Is it better to be solid across the board or great in one area and average in another?

Whew, that's a tough question. I'd have to say, as a rule, you need to figure out what's going to get you the most points. If SC is okay with you only if you study a lot, then keep that in mind. From my experience, when people don't bone up on a certain section, they'll see the result when they take the test. Unfortunately, many people have to sacrifice points in one part for points in another. For example, many of my students drill Verbal to death because their math is great, but when they take the test, they get 85-90% on the math, even though they are capable of 95-99% on the math.

[Erin]

Originally posted by pgralf

Your site has been very helpful. Thanks.

You're welcome

[pgralf]

Thanks again. VERY insightful and thorough (and fast). I am sure no one ever feels completely at ease going in, but if I can consistently score 10-15% above target things should go OK.

[Erin]

Actually, you don't want to be completely at ease. Being too relaxed is also a problem with some people. There is even research that shows that a certain amount of anxiety will actually improve performance, while too much will worsen performance.

[diehard800]

thanks erin...very elaborated answer