I've noticed on the verbal MGMAT CATs that regardless of how well you do, you always tend to get a string of below-average (average being your appropriate skill level) questions towards the end of the exam. For example, in the tests that I've scored in the 95th-99th percentile in verbal, my last 6 or 7 questions are only 600-700 level questions and I might have even gotten a few 500-600 level ones.

Is this pattern an accurate reflection of what the real GMAT tests are like? Would it behoove me to allocate more time on the first 3/4 of the test knowing that the test is going to throw softies my way towards the end?

Are you on your 5th or 6th test by this point? Or maybe the 4th test, but scoring at the 90th+ percentile since the very first test? You may be running out of the hardest questions.

Basically, when we designed the tests, we assumed people would not have 4+ exams at the 90th+ percentile level - once you get to that level, you're ready to take the real exam. :) The algorithm also isn't allowed to repeat questions within each set of 6 exams. So it's possible that you could "use up" the hardest questions before you reach the end of a set of 6 if you really are scoring at the highest levels for most of the set.

Go back and take a look - is that what might have happened?

And, no, the real test is not going to throw softies at you towards the end - they get around this "not having enough questions" problem by only letting you take the test once every 31 days. They cycle the database completely before you're allowed to take it again! :)

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Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director of Online Community
ManhattanGMAT