I attended the free practice test at Kaplan's Cincinnati test center.Felt pretty much out of place as I was the only person to administer the test and it was a paper based test. To add, few of the questions were familiar. Yet, I stuck on and completed the test only to see a 690 (Q 45, V 40). I wonder if the scoring algorithm of Kaplan is skewed. I commited 3 mistakes in math and got a 45 while 7 mistakes in verbal gave me a 40.
My doubts about the scoring algorithm heightened when I gave the GMAT Prep Test-1 this morning. Having the real test at 8 AM, I want to get as much practice as possible during this time period. I took the AWA sections as well as my biggest fear is not lasting the complete length of the exam. It felt good to see a 740 (Q 50, V 40) but, I felt criminal on getting 7 incorrect in math and 11 in verbal. 7 mistakes and still a 50 in math ?? My stars must be perfectly aligned to make this possible... or may be it isn't the stars. Any answers blogosphere ?
I then decided to leave the scoring algorithm to the rightful people and sit down and do my job.....the "G" day ain't too far away!
4 comments:
The 7 questions you got wrong must have been very difficult questions. If the 7 incorrect were earlier in the test and you finish the test strong, getting a few super difficult questions correct, then I can see a 50Q happening that way as well.
The CAT (Computer Adaptive Test) isin such a manner that the negative score per question is proportional to the percentage of total questions remaining. So a question incorrect early on in the test holds more negative than the questions later.
That is why we are encouraged not to leave any question unanswered. If you are running out of time, just mark whatever you can think of. Unanswered has a lot more negative than the last question wrong.
All the best for your test..
By the way, in the actual test, there are a few experimental questions too. So if you get those wrong, no negative ;)
@ Soni: 7 questions incorrect feels criminal so I was shocked to see a 50. I still can't see getting a 50 even after getting super difficult questions correct unless most of the 7 were experimental questions.
@ Teacher: Hmm.... I know that the penalty for not attempting a question is high but, I didn't know that it is proportional to the total questions remaining.
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