Hello,
So I just finished session1 of my virtual class and I had a GMAT logistic question. So the adaptive part of getting the question right/wrong and the score going up/down respectively makes sense. But are their any other factors? For example does it make a difference which wrong answer you choose or how long it takes you to get the right/wrong answer? Do those data points go into selecting the next adaptive question for your test?

Thanks in advance
Mike Matta

There are other factors, but time and what wrong answer you choose aren't among them. The test has to give you a certain amount of question types (eg, problem solving vs. data sufficiency). It also has to balance the topics it gives you in both broad categories (eg, algebra vs. geometry) and sub-categories (eg, triangles vs. circles vs. cylinders). The real test will also work in a number of experimental questions that will follow the question type and content categorizations but will not follow the difficulty level parameters (because these questions do not yet have difficulty levels assigned).

There are also factors involving the validity of particular questions - some are more precise predictors of scoring levels than others. The algorithm has to balance the amount of more precise vs. less precise predictors it gives you. (None of them are bad predictors, of course - but even within the ones that make it to "prime time," some are better than others.)

So, lots of things going on - it's pretty complex. :)

very informative - thank you!

You're welcome!