Real test is a little easier time-wise

[sunil481]

Took the GMAT yesterday and got a 780 (M50 V48). A few impressions:

1. The GMATPrep software is pretty accurate - got a 770 and 780 on those practice tests. I would also say that they fairly accurately mimic the "feel" of the test in terms of timing and types of problems.

2. MGMAT's practice tests are pretty accurate too. (I took all six, then reset it and took all six again). I started out with a couple of 730's but I did not finish those in time. As I got more serious about timing I scored in the 770-800 range on MGMAT tests.

3. But MGMAT's math section is harder to finish in time than the real thing. I had a lot more time on the real test yesterday, and looking back, I wish I had spent some more time on the earlier problems. I knew how to do every problem I saw, so in order to get a 50 I had to get a few wrong. And since I knew how to do them, I can only conclude that I made careless mistakes early in the test because I was rushing. Later in the test, when I realized I was ahead of schedule, I took more time and probaby got all those questions right.

Obviously I'm happy with my score and I think MGMAT's tests are great overall (thanks!), but one tweak I would highly recommend is that MGMAT make the timing more realistic so that people aren't in the habit of rushing on the real thing.

[GMAT 2007]

Congratulations Sunil. I agree with you about MGMAT quant part, I feel the 700+ questions get much harder than the hardest questions in OG.
Would you like to share some tips, specially about improving verbal?

Thanks a lot in advance.
GMAT 2007

[sunil481]

Sure, a few tips on verbal:

1. This might vary a little bit from person to person, but I think in general it's easier to improve Sentence Correction than the other two types. So, unless you're already doing great in SC, its probably best to work on those more than anything else. This is true for efficiency reasons (you can do a lot of SC questions in a short period of time) and also because SC is more clear-cut and formulaic than the other two types, which are sometimes vague/unclear.

2. Stick with OG and MGMAT questions on sentence correction especially. I won't name names, but I also used books and CATs released by two other big-name prep companies and their SC questions were pretty weird and twisted sometimes. The real test was not like that; on the real thing, there was always one clear right answer and you could identify exactly why the others were wrong. And I think OG and MGMAT are also pretty clear-cut so use them.

3. On critical reasoning questions where they give you the two boldface portions: there's often a wrong answer choice that gives a better description of one boldface portion than the correct answer, and then of course has an incorrect description of the other portion. So in other words, the right answer might have an "OK" description of one portion and an "OK" description of another portion, where a wrong answer might have the ideal description of one portion and an incorrect description of another portion.

I'll post if I think of anything else. Good luck!

[jamgajr]

Congratulations.

You gave good tips.

One doubt: was the verbal part in the real test easier than in MGMAT tests?

I am asking this because I got a v42 in Gmatprep1 (34 correct out of 41) and a V41(26/41). And MGMAT semms much more difficult.

[sunil481]

I think maybe the reading comp was a little easier on the real GMAT than MGMAT. But in general, I didn't pay as close attention to verbal differences between the two tests (except the point I noted above, i.e. I think both MGMAT and the real GMAT are very clear in sentence correction, compared to other CATs that are more subjective and vague). 42 is good though - if some of your wrong answers are in sentence correction then I think you can just focus on SC and bring it even higher.

[JAMGAJR]

Thanks, Sunil.

Unfortunately, my weakest part is RC (in portuguese is very good, but in english it is not). I have been trying to read more, in order to improve my speed and my vocabulary.