Practice Tests vs. Real GMAT

[mayank_s2003]

Actual - 720 (Took yesterday)

PowerPrep - I 660
Powerprep - II 720

Kaplan - I 660
Kaplan - II 660

Crack-GMAT I - 635 :-(
Didn't bother to take rest 4....

Princeton - I 710
Princeton - II 690
Princeton - III 720

[ursula]

Real GMAT 760 Q49 V46

Prep scores (in chronological order):

Kaplan Diag.	630	Q39	V39	
PowerPrep CAT1	750	Q47	V47	(before touching OG)
Kaplan CAT1	640	Q38	V38	
Kaplan CAT2	650	Q37	V40	
Kaplan CAT3	640	Q36	V40	
PowerPrep CAT2	770	Q50	V47	(after OG)

[JackDaniel19]

Real GMAT : 710 (49Q, 38V)

PP 1 : 710 (50Q, 36V)
PP 2 : 700 (49Q, 37V)

Other tests in Chronological order

PR 1 online : 610
PR 1 CD: 680
PR 2 online : 620
PR 2 CD: 730
PR 3 CD: 670
PR 3 online : 680
PR 4 CD: 700
Kaplan Diag: 680
Kaplan CD 1: 630
Kaplan CD 2: 570

Both Power Preps were done before OG.
Good Luck All.

[natew]

Used only ETS paper tests, no PR etc

Paper test scores: 610, 650, 630, 740, 680, 690 in that order

Real test after about a month of paper tests: 700 (Q42, V45)

IMO, paper tests are the best way to prepare, as they are actual tests that include the scaled scores and should be deadly accurate if timed.

The real GMAT (CAT) can be a bit more unnerving due to the fact that you get a harder question after getting the previous one correct, etc. My strategy for the Quant section (my weaker subject) was to realize that, unlike on the ETS paper tests, once you get to a tough question it sometimes pays to take a quick guess and bring the level of questions down a bit. Otherwise, if you're intent on solving questions above your level of difficulty, you will waste too much time and fail to complete the section.

I think that the CAT is a more accurate assessment of skill level because the paper tests allow for a wide range of possible scores depending on the success of guessed answers, while the CAT "reigns in" your guesswork a bit.

Those of you with 99% Q scores don't need to think this way, of course...

[Tuxedo]

Originally posted by bschools03

Actual: 690 (q49, v35)

Arco:670-690

Hey!!!

Could someone please tell me more about Arco tests? I am not sure whether I should get them. Thans a lot.

[rizwan]

Powerprep 1 - 790
Powerprep 2 - 780

[ramP232]

hi,
this is my first post,... n a rather long one...
but hope its useful.
just gave my GMAT last morning... scored 720 (Q-48, V-42)
I have given below the scores i obtained in the practice tests. I work in an MNC and on most occasions my days are quite long...10-14 hours... So i found it quite tough to balance both...moreover i started my preps quite late... But taking the last week off n to just think of GMAT n focussing on test strategies really helped...you need dedicated time to get in the groove.

Practice Tests:
1. Powerprep1: 660
2. Powerprep2: 640
3. Powerprep3: 700
4. Kaplan1: 550!
5. Cambridge Review: 680
6. Kaplan2: 560
7. Peterson section tests (section tests are quite helpful. I would recommend that even after you start with your last leg of practice tests, you take a break for a day in between n concentrate on specific sections that you feel you need to improve on.)
8. Kaplan section tests
9. Powerprep: final practice test: 710 (the day before GMAT)

From my GRE n TOEFL experience, i have found that the powerprep tests are closest to the real thing... n my final score has always been the score i got in my final powerprep practice test (which i took the day before the final) +/- 20 points. It helps you to know where you stand n also serves as a confidence booster.
But i would like to add that the questions in the quant section in yesterday's test were particularly difficult. It was nothing like any of the quant sections i had attempted before. I have always found quant to be quite easy n fun but frankly was quite alarmed when i noticed the difficulty of every question yesterday. So i would suggest that one solves different kinds of problems of varying difficulty...just to get more comfortable so that in case you are faced with a situation where the difficulty level is higher than expected you wouldnt be too perturbed.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL!
---RamP.

[post2ashish]

Hi guys,
i'm facing a problem.. could some one help...
When i'm practicing OG, i find tht i'm able to answer all the Qs in an RC with reasonable time (avg 2 mins or less per Q) but during a Comp-Test, somehow i'm unable to comprehend the RC in one go... & i have to read it again (if not full than a part of it) after reading each Q & before answering it...
[any strategy how to avoid this]

I have my GMAT scheduled on 24th Aug.
Let me share my practice scores...
Took the PP1 & kaplan diagnostic during the weekend... startling revelations... got 690 in PP1 (after i have completed the SC part on OG) & 640 in kaplan diagonistic...
Before the test i was not at all confident abt my performance in SC but to my astonishment, In both the tests i cud not perform upto the mark in RC & CR whereas i did pretty well in SC.... Also, i'm not able to complete the test in verbal section in due time... in both the tests i could complete only 35-36 Qs before the time ran out... if i can save some time & actually attempt these Qs, i'm sure my score will go up by ~30 points...

[could someone share some time saving techs]

seems i have worked a lot on SC & now need to work on CR & RC for-a-while

ashish

[arisnb]

Hi everyone,

I've got a question. How to do convert the 800 score test into Gmat score. I got percentile of both math and verbal but can't seem to find the calculator to convert it. Thanks.

[post2ashish]

GMAT Score Distribution
Scr % Scr % Scr % Scr % Scr % Scr %
790 99 690 92 590 67 490 34 390 11 290 2
780 99 680 90 580 64 480 31 380 9 280 2
770 99 670 89 570 61 470 29 370 8 270 1
760 99 660 87 560 57 460 25 360 7 260 1
750 99 650 85 550 54 450 22 350 6 250 1
740 98 640 81 540 50 440 20 340 5 240 1
730 97 630 79 530 45 430 18 330 4 230 0
720 96 620 77 520 44 420 16 320 3 220 0
710 95 610 74 510 40 410 14 310 2 210 0
700 93 600 70 500 37 400 12 300 2 200 0


Verbal Scaled Score Distribution
Scr % Scr % Scr % Scr % Scr % Scr %
59 99 49 99 39 89 29 56 19 16 9 1
58 99 48 99 38 85 28 51 18 15 8 0
57 99 47 99 37 83 27 45 17 12 7 0
56 99 46 99 36 81 26 43 16 9 6 0
55 99 45 99 35 76 25 38 15 7 5 0
54 99 44 97 34 72 24 35 14 6 4 0
53 99 43 97 33 69 23 30 13 4 3 0
52 99 42 96 32 67 22 28 12 2 2 0
51 99 41 93 31 61 21 24 11 2 1 0
50 99 40 90 30 59 20 20 10 1 0 0

Math Scaled Score Distribution
Scr % Scr % Scr % Scr % Scr % Scr %
59 99 49 91 39 57 29 25 19 7 9 1
58 99 48 87 38 55 28 23 18 6 8 1
57 99 47 83 37 52 27 20 17 4 7 1
56 99 46 80 36 48 26 18 16 4 6 0
55 99 45 78 35 43 25 15 15 4 5 0
54 99 44 74 34 41 24 14 14 3 4 0
53 99 43 71 33 39 23 12 13 2 3 0
52 99 42 67 32 35 22 10 12 2 2 0
51 99 41 64 31 31 21 9 11 1 1 0
50 96 40 62 30 29 20 8 10 1 0 0

hope this helps...