[KevinFitzgerald]

The new "estimator curve" has a humped shape, the highest part of which corresponds to the CAT's best estimate of your ability at that point in the exam.

As you proceed through each section, your estimator curve changes according to the items you get right and wrong. If you answer hard items correctly, the hump shifts to the right, indicating a higher estimated ability. If you answer easy items incorrectly, the hump shifts to the left, indicating a lower estimated ability.

At the end of each section, the CAT converts its current estimate of your ability (based on the hump in its final estimator curve) to a "paper-test equivalent". This equivalent takes into account the number of questions you left unanswered at the end of the section (if you ran out of time, for example). There is a penalty for unanswered questions so it is better to complete all the questions (randomly guessing at the end, if necessary) than to leave questions at the end of a section blank. The equivalent is then converted to a "scaled score" (out of 60 points) for that section. After both sections are complete, the CAT takes the two scaled scores (quant and verbal) and converts them to an overall score out of 800 points.

Now you have seen the process by which the CAT determines your score. We hope this series has dispelled some of the mystery surrounding the GMAT.

[KevinFitzgerald]

Hello Rajat,
The problem with that logic is you don't know what questions to answer, because of the experimental questions. It could be that you spend extra time at the beginning questions but because they are experimental, they don't count for anything. So you've sacrificed the last 2-3 questions for nothing. So it's best to exercise good time-management skills and answer every question. Remember, you can't "trick" this test.
Kevin

[rajat_nda]

Originally Posted by KevinFitzgerald

Hello Rajat,
The problem with that logic is you don't know what questions to answer, because of the experimental questions. It could be that you spend extra time at the beginning questions but because they are experimental, they don't count for anything. So you've sacrificed the last 2-3 questions for nothing. So it's best to exercise good time-management skills and answer every question. Remember, you can't "trick" this test.
Kevin

Thanks kevin,
you have been a big help to all of us out here. Will keep all this in mind...
Thanx...

ciao

[nairpraveenk]

GMAT Guru's ,

I have a curious question, well in GRE the number of attemps matters, was just wondering if the same applies to GMAT.
Kindly throw some light!!

[iday]

Originally Posted by nairpraveenk

GMAT Guru's ,

I have a curious question, well in GRE the number of attemps matters, was just wondering if the same applies to GMAT.
Kindly throw some light!!

Throw that question at ANY AdComm and u'd get the same response "The number of times u take a GMAT doesnt matter. We take the best scores".

Having said that, it must also be noticed that GMAC sends your entire history to the school. So they'd know all your attempts. The whole thing brings ur judgement to the fore. You must consider stuff like - what is a good GMAT score (dont fall prey to social pressure - 700 is a great score), if u retake the test then how much of improvement you can show (650 to 680 is not worth it) and use your judgement (do not reconsider taking a test if u have a 700 or 720. butretaking with that score is justified if u got a feedback from schools that ur GMAT is weak).

There are too many factors involved but the bottom line is that the number of times really does not matter as far as it is reasonable (2 or 3 times)

[Bhola]

Nice and very informative theory.....the curve explains it very well and probably this is why they say that its very important to get first 8 questions correct...
after all first impression is the last impression.

[krazykoolrohit]

thanx a lot. it was very informative

[Phlegmatic]

Excellent work..thanks a lot...