Published: March 13, 2012
GMAT Tips: Debunking the “First 7 Questions” Myth
Today’s GMAT tip comes from test prep firm ManhattanGMAT. In this article, they explain the truth behind a common myth about the GMAT. Read on to see what they have to say!
I don’t even need to say what the myth is! Everyone already knows – that’s how pervasive it is. Ever since the GMAT and GRE CATs launched in the 1990s people have believed that the earlier questions are worth more, that if we could get the first 7 (or 5, or 10) questions in a row right, we’d be guaranteed a really high score.
And you’ve likely also heard that this is a myth – from me, from other teachers, from Dr. Lawrence (Larry) Rudner, Chief Psychometrician of GMAC (the organization that makes the GMAT). And yet so many people still talk about it and believe it – so who should we believe?
Let’s talk about this and, hopefully, lay the myth to rest once and for all.
What is the Myth?
Different people talk about different details – if we get the first 5, or 7, or 10 questions right, then we’ll get a high score no matter what else happens, or a higher score than we would otherwise get. (And, conversely, if we do poorly on the first 5, or 7, or 10 questions, then our score will be terrible no matter what, or lower than we would otherwise get.)
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