Invest 30 seconds...
...for what may lead to a life altering association!
Help Line
- +91.8800.2828.00 (IND)
- 1030-1830 Hrs IST, Mon-Sat
- support@expertsglobal.com
...for what may lead to a life altering association!
A low mock score is part of committed GMAT preparation. Take it in your stride, take the evening off to reset, then analyze what went wrong. After a short gap, attempt the next mock with a rested, calm, stress free mind. You will bounce back!
Most sincere GMAT candidates prepare over a significantly long period and take significant number of GMAT mock tests. As you prepare for the GMAT, life goes on; there are everyday commitments, work stresses, and several uncontrollables that may affect your state of mind, prep efficiency, and thus your performance on mock tests. The preparation itself goes through its own ebbs and flows, and not every phase will show up cleanly in your mock test performance. Please be assured that you are not alone. Dips in performance in GMAT mock tests are an integral part of the preparation of a committed GMAT student; anyone who takes a sizeable number of mock tests does experience dips in GMAT mock scores.
The correct approach is to take the dip in your stride, ensure due learning from the dips in performance, take a short while to refresh and reset, and come back stronger and wiser to win the next GMAT mock test. Almost every sincere GMAT candidate bounces back after a dip in performance; without a doubt, you too shall!
Please understand that the GMAT is a sensitive exam where the difference of one more or one fewer question correct can change your score. Sometimes a 50-point swing in the total may come from just one or two more questions incorrect in each of the three sections. Therefore, do not treat every small movement as a score dip; consider it normal variation. Therefore, do not worry about doing anything too different with your GMAT preparation course; focus on progressing with your preparation and consolidating the same.
The score on a GMAT mock test may dip for any one or a combination of the following reasons.
For a GMAT mock on which the score dipped, take due time to review the questions, performance, and analytics. From the list of common reasons listed above, analyze carefully which one or combination led to the dip in your performance. First things first, do not feel demoralized or embarrassed about what went wrong. Trust us: throughout your GMAT preparation, you will learn more from your mistakes than from your successes. Simply figure out what went wrong, make a note of it, and promise yourself that you will not repeat that mistake in the rest of your GMAT preparation.
For example, if you got stuck on a difficult Reading Comprehension set and that soaked up a lot of time, leading to rushing through several questions that you could have otherwise got correct, promise yourself that you will not get too invested in any single question (or set) again. Rather, you will flag it for review and come back to it toward the end of the section if time allows. This is only an example; your own learning from the recent dip may be different. Mistakes are your best friends when you learn from them. So, learn from the mistakes here and move on!
One of the reasons to take GMAT mock tests is to try different test-taking strategies and establish what works for you. Examples include trying different timings of mocks during the day, different exam routines, food routines, break routines, section orders, time management, timer use and pacing checkpoints, and using the on-screen whiteboard. We recommend that in the early part of your preparation you try different strategies and identify what suits you; then, in the later part of the prep, stick to the exam routine that worked for you and make only minor, necessary calibrations.
If you tried something entirely different or new on a particular mock and the score dipped, you should not read too much into the score because this was not a performance issue as such. It was about a particular approach not working for you. In this case, simply take your learning on what did not work, make the necessary recalibrations in your test-taking strategy, and take the next mock after a few days. You will see that your earlier mock score level is back!
A dip in your mock score likely means you answered several questions incorrectly. During your review of the mock test, go through both incorrect and slow attempts and carefully flag every item you want to revisit later. Reviewing the questions you got wrong after a significant gap is strongly recommended. While repeating the entire mock is not a good idea, reattempting the specific questions you answered incorrectly after a meaningful interval is a must.
Do not be discouraged by the score dip. Give your mind a breather; an evening off can help. Then extract concrete learnings from the dip. Most such dips reveal one to four key strategic lessons in addition to the insights you gain from the questions you answered incorrectly.
Sometimes students reattempt the very mock in which the score dipped. This is a bad idea. While it may be emotionally satisfying to plan a revenge attempt and perform better in the reattempt, this is not sound GMAT preparation. When you reattempt a mock test, some or many questions repeat, and there is bound to be a residual memory of the repeating problems. Even if you do not remember the correct answer, you will feel a certain comfort with the language, the flow, and the question stems because you have seen them earlier. The test then becomes a lot easier. As a result, although it may feel good to score high on the reattempt, the score you get is not representative of your correct GMAT level. This also spoils your performance analytics on the mock testing system and gives you a wrong impression of the actual difficulty of the GMAT.
Remember, one of the main reasons why many students get a lower score on the actual GMAT compared to their mock scores is that they tend to repeat mock tests. On your next GMAT mock or on the actual GMAT, when you do not have the comfort of seeing repeated questions, the test suddenly feels a lot more difficult and even different. Therefore, limit your reattempts to re-solving only your incorrect attempts and slow attempts, that too after a significant gap. Never reattempt a full-length GMAT mock test.
Consistency is one of the most important virtues of a successful GMAT preparation story. However, rigorous preparation alongside a demanding work schedule or life in general over long periods can lead to fatigue. Ask yourself honestly whether you are feeling fatigued. If so, pat your back for all the hard work that you have been doing and tell yourself that you have earned a short break.
Generally, a 2–3 day break from the prep works very well to consolidate your preparation concepts subconsciously while letting your mind and body relax. One may think that a gap in preparation would hurt one’s progress, but when you are in a fatigued state of mind and body, a short break actually helps your prep. You will realize that when you resume your preparation rejuvenated after 2-3 days, you are more efficient at preparation and sharper at performance!
Set a clear gap before the next mock that lets you consolidate those learnings, feel fully refocused for a full-length sitting, and be in a well-rested, calm state of mind and body. For some, this gap is as low as two days; for some, as high as two weeks. When you feel ready, attempt the next mock carefully in a truly GMAT-like setting. No surprises: you will reclaim your earlier GMAT mock score levels.
A low mock score is not a verdict. It is a mirror that shows where attention must go. When you meet a dip with rest, review, and a fresh mock, you practice the same habits that strong managers use. You observe carefully, you adjust, and you return with intention. MBA applications ask for the same posture. You study your record, own the rough patches, and convert them into clear plans and choices. Life rewards the same rhythm. Energy, reflection, and renewed effort, repeated with care. Accept the noise of variance without losing focus on the signal. Use your error log as a quiet promise to yourself. Flag what needs work and return with patience. Trust the slow build more than a single day’s number. Progress is the compound interest of honest practice. Treat this dip with respect, learn what it offers, and walk forward. That walk is the real preparation!
