After
3 months of preparation and a slew of 700+ scores in practice tests, I appeared in GMAT on 16 July. By the time AWA and IR passed, my confidence was building up, nerves getting relaxed and chin getting up. I did everything alright, took my breaks etc. When finally i saw the score however, my world crashed around me. I blinked once and stared hard. Leaned on screen and again stared. However,the dreaded figure on screen did not change. 580! Quants 36 and Verbal 34. A big dream of 15 years had come to an end and the silence of my mind was deafening.

For the first time in many years I wept like a child, off course not then and there (However, I do not remember how I came back home).

I have done a short analysis after it sunk in. My quant score 36 is on 40 percentile, which is pass mark in normal exam (yuck). If I need to go places, percentile needs to be doubled. However, in my practice tests also, my quants score always dwindled between 34 to 44. The high score was largely due to a good show in verbal. But Verbal 34 is flabbergasting for me as I scored a 38 in my first practice test and after some time, it never came below 42 in any test I took, many times going 49.

In test, I felt quants was way to easy and was sure that score will be average (easy questions means less marks, I believe). All the problems on verbal however, felt a bit lengthy, CR, SC and RC all of them. I also found Verbal tougher than the same from OG, CR Bible and 1000 SCs.

My confidence has broken. I need to take the test again by 1st September as I can't afford to loose a year. And my overall profile is good enough to get me a top 25 school provided I score a 700 which I was sure of. I am afraid however, I am not in a good financial or time position to afford a fresh course. Can some body advise to improve my quant score by 12 marks or to 80 percentile. Experts please reply.

During my practice tests of verbal, I scored usually 1-3 wrong in RC, 3-6 in SC and 3-4 in CR ( total maximum 6-8 mistakes). In quants, my correct and wrong in both DS and PS are equal, usually 7 each. Now in quants I find difficult what other find as well, Combinations, Probability, number system. However, in exam I did not get a sibgle probability question and only one permutation. I guess I messed up early in exam and paid the penalty. Also, a question, do the difficulty level achieved in quants carries over in verbal?

You seem to take this seriously, so I expect that you can easily add 20 points at a resit. You could try these schools:
University of Arizona (Eller) (AZ)
North Carolina State University (Jenkins)
American University (Kogod) (DC)
Florida State University (FL)
DePaul University (Kellstadt) (IL)
St. Louis University (Cook) (MO)
Ohio University
Howard University (DC)
University of Houston (Bauer) (TX)
Oklahoma State University (Spears)

It sounds like you may have had a bad testing day, either due to nerves or over-confidence. The only real solution is to keep doing practice tests - and if necessary, get targeted help through an agency or online tutor. If you generally score a lot higher on the practice tests, I don't doubt that with a bit more prep you'll be able to raise your score substantially.

If you were scoring 700+ on your practice tests, it sounds like you know the material, but you suffered from a case of test-day jitters/anxiety. How did you feel at the test center?

To answer your question: No, the difficulty level achieved in quants does not carry over to the verbal section. On the verbal section, you start with a "blank slate."

Cheers,
Brent - GMAT Prep Now

Thanks Ezra and GMATPrepNow for kindest word. Please tell me the most realistic way to identify my problem areas. Also advise me on how to work on them. One difference I feel CATs are having from other exams that in other exams you work on strengths and get away. However on CATs one needs to identify weaknesses ans work more on them than on strangths. Correct me if I am wrong.hope it's not too much strain for you. I accept that me and my profile are not personally known to you to draw emphatic conclusions about my SWOT. Still hope for help.

I have a reason for that Duncan sir. It's a dream a cherished for long, to get into a top college. Now as the time has come, I feel faltering. The doubt is that do I have the necessary skill and tool to achieve the same. Am I being unrealistic?
You seem to take this seriously, so I expect that you can easily add 20 points at a resit. You could try these schools:
University of Arizona (Eller) (AZ)
North Carolina State University (Jenkins)
American University (Kogod) (DC)
Florida State University (FL)
DePaul University (Kellstadt) (IL)
St. Louis University (Cook) (MO)
Ohio University
Howard University (DC)
University of Houston (Bauer) (TX)
Oklahoma State University (Spears)

Thanks Ezra and GMATPrepNow for kindest word. Please tell me the most realistic way to identify my problem areas. Also advise me on how to work on them. One difference I feel CATs are having from other exams that in other exams you work on strengths and get away. However on CATs one needs to identify weaknesses ans work more on them than on strangths. Correct me if I am wrong.hope it's not too much strain for you. I accept that me and my profile are not personally known to you to draw emphatic conclusions about my SWOT. Still hope for help.

Thanks sir will sure do as guided. Actually I have completed quants and sentences corrections from verbal. I'll feed the answers in sheets and come back shortly.

Thanks Ezra and GMATPrepNow for kindest word. Please tell me the most realistic way to identify my problem areas. Also advise me on how to work on them. One difference I feel CATs are having from other exams that in other exams you work on strengths and get away. However on CATs one needs to identify weaknesses ans work more on them than on strangths. Correct me if I am wrong.hope it's not too much strain for you. I accept that me and my profile are not personally known to you to draw emphatic conclusions about my SWOT. Still hope for help.

As you say, identifying weaknesses is very important. One way to do this is to use an Excel spreadsheet while you work through the GMAT Official Guide (OG) practice questions.

On my website, (in the Resources section of GMAT Prep Now) I have two free, downloadable Excel files (one for the 12th edition of the Official Guide and one for the 13th edition). These will help you identify your weaknesses.

Cheers,
Brent - GMAT Prep Now

It was largely a matter of over confidence and anxiety I guess. I went on to bed at midnight but could not sleep till 2. My test was at 9 morning. And as I recall now , at the fag end of verbal,I sort of started looking forward to just finish the test faster. Found hard to concentrate as I never took IR and awa in practice tests.

If you were scoring 700+ on your practice tests, it sounds like you know the material, but you suffered from a case of test-day jitters/anxiety. How did you feel at the test center?

To answer your question: No, the difficulty level achieved in quants does not carry over to the verbal section. On the verbal section, you start with a "blank slate."

Cheers,
Brent - GMAT Prep Now