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ioric18 · 2009 October 31st, 11:47 AM

Hello everyone,

Before I go ahead and start my topic, I want to thank all members for their countless and priceless advice with the GMAT. Even though my GMAT experience did not go well (and yes, I'm retaking it a month from now) I have to say I got a lot out of my GMAT preparation, and all the grammar rules and critical reading skills that I have learnt will go a long way. If it weren't for GMAT, I would still be lost in my own English world, thinking that my English is OK since I have been speaking, reading and typing for 20 years. (I'm not a native speaker by the way) Especially to Erin, describing your grammar explanation as just useful would be an understatement. My thousand thanks to you!

OK, back to my story. I took my test 10/30 Friday and was very unsatisfied with the outcome after months of preparation. My CAT practice scores hover around 690 with higher ends at 730 and lower 640 (my first trial). But I got a score lower than those that I got before I even started practicing.

GMAT killer no 1
I was shocked when given a Marker Pen and GRID PLASTICS (yes, not paper but laminated plastic) with VERY small grids for both Math and Verbal. Throughout my practice, especially for all verbal questions, I always write down the keywords, main points (for reading comprehension), conclusion (for critical reasoning) and sentence flawed structures (for SC) on scratch papers. During the actual test, given the marker pen and grid papers, I could hardly read what I wrote, and I was forced to change my strategy during the actual test, by making do without writing anything down throughout the whole verbal section.(BIG MISTAKE!)

GMAT killer no 2
My computer is right next to a classroom and the test center offers daily seminar/lessons. Before the test started, the lab assistant actually told me that there will be a class during my test hours. So if I felt disturbed by the noise next door, I would use the ear plugs. Or if I were to find it irritating, I could ring the bell and let him know. In avoid the worst, I started out with the ear plugs, so The AWA and first half of the Math test went well, but as soon as I came across a tricky Word Problem, I started hearing people talking real loud next door, with the lecturer joking with his classmates. I became so distracted and impatient that I didn't even finish the last Math question. As for my Verbal section, I can understand the lecturer microsoft excel explanation better than all my reading comprehension's! I wanted to ring the bell and yelled at the assistant but decided to force myself to focus (how much I regret not pressing the button and not informing the assistant of my situation).

Given the marker pen and grid papers, along with those noise coming from the class next door, I had a hard time trying to concentrate and got so frustrated to a point that for most part of the verbal, I ended up staring at the screen, not able to understand anything that I read. From that moment, I knew I'll flung this test. I was expecting a 500 score but got a 630 (Q46, V31) instead. When the lab attendant handed me the score, I wanted to yell at him so bad but he ended up apologizing for the noise of the classroom before I did anything. I also asked him about the scratch papers and he said those are STANDARD scratch papers handed out by Pearson, so he couldn't give me anything else, but the 2 marker pens, the 5 slides of plastic and the styrofoam ear plugs.

For everyone who is going to take the test soon, please do not repeat the same mistake that I did. Do a quick search on "GMAT scratch pad" and save yourself one big embarrassment.

My questions for everyone:
a) Can I complain about the test center to GMAC regarding the Killer no.2 part? Having spent 250 bucks on a test, I believe all of us deserve a better environment for testing. Do you not agree?
b) I'm planning to make a comeback with 100 more pts from my previous result and I only have 5 weeks to go before my next test. I'm planning to seek experts (Manhattan GMAT, 800score, Knewton...etc) help, any advice?

Please let me know your feedback.
Thank you very much in advance.

sushkan2008 · 2009 October 31st, 01:02 PM

Hi ,
Sorry to hear about your experience.Where did you take the test?
Yes you can tell GMAC about it.There was someone in the testmagic forum got another test for free and I guess he scored very well.

How were the questions,were they any harder than the ones you see on the GMAT prep?

ioric18 · 2009 October 31st, 05:06 PM

Hi sushkan,

Thank you for your reply.
Do you suggest that I email GMAC and explain my situation to them?
Any chance that you might still remember the title of the thread?

The questions were harder than the official GMAT PowerPrep overall. I had no problem when I studied the OG Math, but during the actual Math section, I remembered I had a few tricky questions in a row and struggled a bit. For the Verbal part, the first few SCs and RCs questions were OK(Official Guide level) before I actually became temporary-illiterate. As far as the rest of the verbal part, especially the RCs, I think the passage was about Microsoft Excel, if you know what I meant...

LoveMom · 2009 October 31st, 07:22 PM

Hi Ioric18,

Could you please tell me where you took the exam? In US or in India?

Thank you very much.

ioric18 · 2009 November 1st, 04:22 AM

Hi LoveMom,

I took the test in Nagoya city, Japan.

gotit · 2009 November 1st, 04:28 PM

Yes email them. The previous thread is http://www.urch.com/forums/just-fini...princeton.html (GMAT score down 100 points from median KAPLAN, Manhattan, Princeton)

Mental focus is crucial and can add/subtract 50 points. So you will do a lot better in your second attempt!

xperience · 2009 November 4th, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ioric18

Hi sushkan,

Thank you for your reply.
Do you suggest that I email GMAC and explain my situation to them?
Any chance that you might still remember the title of the thread?

The questions were harder than the official GMAT PowerPrep overall. I had no problem when I studied the OG Math, but during the actual Math section, I remembered I had a few tricky questions in a row and struggled a bit. For the Verbal part, the first few SCs and RCs questions were OK(Official Guide level) before I actually became temporary-illiterate. As far as the rest of the verbal part, especially the RCs, I think the passage was about Microsoft Excel, if you know what I meant...

Maybe you actually should get in touch with GMAC and explain it to them about the test centre stuff.
Regarding the scratch paper, well it is standard to have small squares on the plastic laminated paper pad. However, I guess you might have made the mistake of trying to write within the confines of the boxed spaces that made your handwriting unreadable and uncomprehensible. I faced a similar situation and went ahead with scribbling on the pad as if it were an invisible A4 sized sheet. I didn;t give a damn to size of the boxes. After all, the pad is meant for rought work and we ain;t gonna get any marks added/deducted if we went ahead writing more neatly on it

That's just my 2 cents which might help you next time on.
All the best

mitzi · 2009 November 7th, 03:06 PM

Thank you for sharing your valuable experience with us!

We deserve fair and equitable environment for the test. I agree.
If you don't have your voice heard to Pearson, no body can. We should let them know so that they can improve or find alternative ways to accommodate task takers better.

squeaky wheels get more grease!

Mitzi

bfizz · 2009 November 7th, 03:40 PM

Even if you do get a refund on your $250 you will still have to ace the test next time. With that said, I am not sure if you have already explored this option but Manhattan GMAT - Guide 8: Sentence Correction is the most thorough study I have come across for this topic. Also note that I am a native English speaker and I learned so much from this book. Better luck next time my friend.

2009 October 31st, 11:47 AM	#1 (permalink)
ioric18 I JUST got here. Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3	Please learn from my GMAT experience, feedback welcome Hello everyone, Before I go ahead and start my topic, I want to thank all members for their countless and priceless advice with the GMAT. Even though my GMAT experience did not go well (and yes, I'm retaking it a month from now) I have to say I got a lot out of my GMAT preparation, and all the grammar rules and critical reading skills that I have learnt will go a long way. If it weren't for GMAT, I would still be lost in my own English world, thinking that my English is OK since I have been speaking, reading and typing for 20 years. (I'm not a native speaker by the way) Especially to Erin, describing your grammar explanation as just useful would be an understatement. My thousand thanks to you! OK, back to my story. I took my test 10/30 Friday and was very unsatisfied with the outcome after months of preparation. My CAT practice scores hover around 690 with higher ends at 730 and lower 640 (my first trial). But I got a score lower than those that I got before I even started practicing. GMAT killer no 1 I was shocked when given a Marker Pen and GRID PLASTICS (yes, not paper but laminated plastic) with VERY small grids for both Math and Verbal. Throughout my practice, especially for all verbal questions, I always write down the keywords, main points (for reading comprehension), conclusion (for critical reasoning) and sentence flawed structures (for SC) on scratch papers. During the actual test, given the marker pen and grid papers, I could hardly read what I wrote, and I was forced to change my strategy during the actual test, by making do without writing anything down throughout the whole verbal section.(BIG MISTAKE!) GMAT killer no 2 My computer is right next to a classroom and the test center offers daily seminar/lessons. Before the test started, the lab assistant actually told me that there will be a class during my test hours. So if I felt disturbed by the noise next door, I would use the ear plugs. Or if I were to find it irritating, I could ring the bell and let him know. In avoid the worst, I started out with the ear plugs, so The AWA and first half of the Math test went well, but as soon as I came across a tricky Word Problem, I started hearing people talking real loud next door, with the lecturer joking with his classmates. I became so distracted and impatient that I didn't even finish the last Math question. As for my Verbal section, I can understand the lecturer microsoft excel explanation better than all my reading comprehension's! I wanted to ring the bell and yelled at the assistant but decided to force myself to focus (how much I regret not pressing the button and not informing the assistant of my situation). Given the marker pen and grid papers, along with those noise coming from the class next door, I had a hard time trying to concentrate and got so frustrated to a point that for most part of the verbal, I ended up staring at the screen, not able to understand anything that I read. From that moment, I knew I'll flung this test. I was expecting a 500 score but got a 630 (Q46, V31) instead. When the lab attendant handed me the score, I wanted to yell at him so bad but he ended up apologizing for the noise of the classroom before I did anything. I also asked him about the scratch papers and he said those are STANDARD scratch papers handed out by Pearson, so he couldn't give me anything else, but the 2 marker pens, the 5 slides of plastic and the styrofoam ear plugs. For everyone who is going to take the test soon, please do not repeat the same mistake that I did. Do a quick search on "GMAT scratch pad" and save yourself one big embarrassment. My questions for everyone: a) Can I complain about the test center to GMAC regarding the Killer no.2 part? Having spent 250 bucks on a test, I believe all of us deserve a better environment for testing. Do you not agree? b) I'm planning to make a comeback with 100 more pts from my previous result and I only have 5 weeks to go before my next test. I'm planning to seek experts (Manhattan GMAT, 800score, Knewton...etc) help, any advice? Please let me know your feedback. Thank you very much in advance. Last edited by ioric18 : 2009 October 31st at 04:49 PM. Reason: Left out score details

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2009 October 31st, 01:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
sushkan2008 Within my grasp! Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 283	Hi , Sorry to hear about your experience.Where did you take the test? Yes you can tell GMAC about it.There was someone in the testmagic forum got another test for free and I guess he scored very well. How were the questions,were they any harder than the ones you see on the GMAT prep?

2009 October 31st, 05:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
ioric18 I JUST got here. Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3	Hi sushkan, Thank you for your reply. Do you suggest that I email GMAC and explain my situation to them? Any chance that you might still remember the title of the thread? The questions were harder than the official GMAT PowerPrep overall. I had no problem when I studied the OG Math, but during the actual Math section, I remembered I had a few tricky questions in a row and struggled a bit. For the Verbal part, the first few SCs and RCs questions were OK(Official Guide level) before I actually became temporary-illiterate. As far as the rest of the verbal part, especially the RCs, I think the passage was about Microsoft Excel, if you know what I meant...

2009 October 31st, 07:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
LoveMom I JUST got here. Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 23	Hi Ioric18, Could you please tell me where you took the exam? In US or in India? Thank you very much.

2009 November 1st, 04:22 AM	#5 (permalink)
ioric18 I JUST got here. Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3	Hi LoveMom, I took the test in Nagoya city, Japan.

2009 November 1st, 04:28 PM	#6 (permalink)
gotit Advancing my career Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Calgary, AB, Canada Posts: 135	Yes email them. The previous thread is http://www.urch.com/forums/just-fini...princeton.html (GMAT score down 100 points from median KAPLAN, Manhattan, Princeton) Mental focus is crucial and can add/subtract 50 points. So you will do a lot better in your second attempt!

2009 November 7th, 03:06 PM	#8 (permalink)
mitzi Push it to the limit! Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Tampa, FL USA Posts: 2,600	Thank you for sharing your valuable experience with us! We deserve fair and equitable environment for the test. I agree. If you don't have your voice heard to Pearson, no body can. We should let them know so that they can improve or find alternative ways to accommodate task takers better. squeaky wheels get more grease! Mitzi

2009 November 7th, 03:40 PM	#9 (permalink)
bfizz I JUST got here. Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 4	Even if you do get a refund on your $250 you will still have to ace the test next time. With that said, I am not sure if you have already explored this option but Manhattan GMAT - Guide 8: Sentence Correction is the most thorough study I have come across for this topic. Also note that I am a native English speaker and I learned so much from this book. Better luck next time my friend.

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