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C O A C H
Y O U R S E L F
Taming the CAT
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The term "CAT" stands for Computer-Adaptive Test. Here you'll find some DO's and DON'Ts for coping with GMAT testing procedures and the computerized testing environment. Just scroll down or click on the links. |
| . Before Timed Testing Begins |
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DO have one acceptable form of photo identification with you. You won't be permitted to take the test unless you have one acceptable form of photo identification with you. A driver's license, passport I.D., or student I.D. will suffice. Although the official GMAT Bulletin indicates that you should have two forms of photo I.D., don't worry—you'll only need one.NOTE: The exam supervisor will also take a digital photograph of you. (The purpose of this procedure is to deter people from enlisting others to take the exam in their place.) DO consider requesting earplugs for the exam. Earplugs are available from the exam supervisor upon request, and I suggest you wear them. Why? If new test-takers enter the room during your test, the exam supervisor will escort them to their computer terminals, talking to them while doing so. And don't forget about the keyboard-pecking and mouse-clicking coming from all of the other computer terminals, which can make quite a racket. Also keep in mind that testing rooms are not soundproof; so without earplugs you'll probably hear talking and other noise from outside the room. Earplugs can help suppress all these various noises, thereby helping you concentrate. DO know the location of the nearest restroom. Be sure you find out before you start the test where the nearest restroom is located. You don't want to spend a "relaxing" 5-minute break frantically searching for someplace to drain your bladder. I know: It happened to me the first time I took the GMAT CAT (at the Sylvan Learning Center in Westlake Village, California)! DO step through the computer tutorial, which precedes the timed test, as quickly as possible. Before beginning the timed test, you'll step through a 5-section computer-based tutorial; each section consists of a sequence of "screens":
.- Using the mouse (6 screens)
- Selecting and changing answers (6 screens)
- Vertical scrolling (6 screens)
- Using the toolbars (21 screens) in order to
- quit the test
- exit the current section
- access the directions
- confirm your response and move to the next question
- Using the CAT word-processing features (14 screens)
During this tutorial you won't have the option of skipping any section--or any screen. You can easily spend 20 minutes on the tutorial. But don't; scroll through it as quickly as possible, and get on to the timed test while your mind and your eyes are fresh.NOTE: If you want to see what some of the tutorial screens look like, ETS provides a variety of samples in its official GMAT Bulletin. But you won't see any true GMAT-style questions during the tutorial or in the GMAT Bulletin's sample tutorial screens. Instead, again and again you'll encounter the same insipid sample question: "What is the capital of the United States of America?" Oddly, this sample question includes only four answer choices (a bit misleading, since every multiple choice question on the actual GMAT includes five choices!).
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| .During the Timed Test |
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DON'T worry about whether you'll be able to read the type on the computer screen. The typeface you'll see on your computer screen throughout the GMAT CAT is the same one you see here at my Website. The size is easily readable for nearly every test-taker. You can't change the size of the font on the screen, unless you specifically request before the exam begins that a special ZOOMTEXT function be made available to you. (If you're using a 15" monitor right now at 800X600 dpi resolution, or a 14" monitor at 640X480 dpi resolution, then the text you're reading now is about the same size as what you'll see on the exam.)NOTE: During the GMAT CAT you'll use a 14-inch monitor, which you can adjust for contrast. BTW, the entire test is in gray-scale (no colors). DON'T exceed the 5-minute limit for the two optional breaks. By all means, you should take full advantage of the two optional 5-minute breaks (one after the second essay section, the other after the first multiple-choice section). During these breaks you are permitted to leave the room. But keep in mind that the next test section will automatically begin after five minutes has elapsed! So you'd better be back to your computer terminal within five minutes; otherwise, you'll waste valuable testing time.CAUTION: If you take too long to begin a new section, the CAT system automatically shuts down (after a warning), your test terminates, and no scores are tabulated or reported.
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| .After the Last Timed Test Section |
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DO take a few minutes after the timed test to decide whether to cancel your scores. Immediately after taking the last timed exam section, you'll be subjected to a brief computer-based questionnaire about your test-taking experience. Once you've complete the questionaire, the CAT system will prompt you to choose one of two options:
.- Cancel your scores (no scores are recorded; partial cancellation is not provided for)
- See your scores immediately
I strongly suggest that you take at a few minutes to mull over this choice. Why? Immediately after the timed test fatigue might cloud your judgment. So relax for a few minutes, and try to assess your performance--as objectively as possible. Keep in mind, though, that if you haven't decided within 5 minutes the testing system will automatically show you your scores, and that once you see your scores you forfeit the option of canceling them. [Your four GMAT scores.] DO know beforehand which five specific schools you wish to receive your GMAT score report. Once you've elected to see your scores, the CAT system will ask you to select the schools you wish to receive your score report. The CAT system provides a complete list of schools, and you can select up to five at this time—without incurring an additional fee. NOTE: This is your first and last chance for freebie score reports, so you should take full advantage of it! Anytime later you'll have to fork over $25 to the GMAC for each score report. DO jot down your scores on your scratch paper before you exit the testing room. If you elect to see your scores, you should write them down on your scratch paper. When you leave the testing room, the supervisor will allow you to transcribe them onto another sheet of paper—one that you can take home with you—so that you don't have to memorize them. NOTE: After the test your exam supervisor will collect all scratch paper you took into the testing room, count the number of sheets, then tear up your scratch paper and drop it in the trash basket.
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