GMAT Strategy

I just took the official GMAT and received 650. 40 and 40. I don't get it. I got 760+ on both Gmat prep tests. 730, 760, 760 on 3 manhattan gmat. took 3 gmat focus test with predicted score of 48-50. My rate on the OG 12 questions is around 85% on the math (timed), 95% verbal. My last gmat prep, yesterday, I got a 47 on the verbal section. I purchase the beatthegmat questions and got a pretty high clip on those. Through out the test today, I thought it went ok. I received around 5-6 700+ question only on one of them I didn't know how to do and guessed. I can see how there's variance on the verbal because I received a really hard passage and didn't stick to timing discipline and ran out of time toward the end and had to guess but math wise, I dont understand this. I have never received less than a 48 on the math section in anything. What can I do? I've used all the gold standard for test prep and got highscores on them. Whats the next step ?what do I do?

By the way, does anybody know policies on retake. During testing today, power went out on the AC. There was construction next door. And the server went down for 20 minutes during the test. I lost at least 1 min on a verbal question because I had to re-read the questions again.

Your actual GMAT score is shocking given the fact that you were scoring around 750 on the MGMAT CATs.
I am not sure about the retake. Maybe some experts here will shed some light here. You may also wanna check www.mba.com and see if they have any email address on which you can send your concern.

Hi Thailandvc,
I can see from your join date that you've been studying for a while. It sounds to me like one of a few things could have happened:

1. you might have just been exhausted. You've been studying so long that you just sort of... blew a fuse.
2. you might have had some bad luck. Sometimes on a given test you'll hit a few topics that are just not a strength. On one GMAT I had THREE questions about graphing circles on the coordinate plane.... It was a real WTF moment.
3. you might have just had an off day. We all do, sometimes. Add 12 +16 and get 30 for some reason, stuff like that. Remember, the test isn't just about what you CAN do, it's about what you ACTUALLY do. The factors you mention could have thrown you off, or maybe you just had a random off day.

The GMAC says that 2/3 of the time, we score within 40 points of our true ability. That means that 1/3 of the time you might score outside that range.

My thought is: Assuming that your admissions deadlines allow, take a few weeks off to just reset. You've been studying for at least about a year, haven't you? Ok, take a few weeks off. Enjoy thanksgiving and stuff. Then take two weeks to practice a bit to get back in the swing of things. Don't take practice tests constantly, don't exhaust yourself. Then take it again. I don't think you didn't know what you were doing -- I think it was some combination of exhaustion, bad luck, and a bad day.

Some students of mine were able to get a free retest because the building was testing the fire alarms that day, and it was something the GMAC should have known about in advance so they were responsible. Some students who suffered through a parade going by did NOT get a free retest, since the GMAC claimed no responsibility for that. The ones who did get a free retests still had to wait 30 days, just like always.

I suggest you ask for a retest, but don't hold your breath. and expect to have to wait 30 days from your previous test.

Best of luck on your next test!