MGMAT CAT query

[farrer_road_mrt_cc20]

I just recently completed a MGMAT CAT and noted that for the verbal section, 10 "700-800 questions" appeared consecutively almost right from the start. To be precise, it started from the 2nd question onwards.

What I am curious is... is this reflective of the actual GMAT algorithm? Wouldn't it be more 'correct' to have the easier questions in front and subsequently build up to higher level questions?

The reason why I am asking is that my verbal score decreased quite significantly from my previous tests and I was wondering if it is normal..I did not notice this trend of 10 "700-800" questions in my previous tests. Instead, the questions were spaced out pretty evenly.

Thanks.

[tim]

You should expect the GMAT algorithm to do whatever it thinks is necessary to get a good estimate of your scoring potential. The takeaway is not to be thrown off by what the test does, but rather to do the best job you can on each question without worrying about difficulty level or what comes before or after.

[RonPurewal]

really, you shouldn't think about "difficulty levels" at all, ever.

there's no way such thoughts could possibly help you, since you will have absolutely no clue of the "difficulty levels" of the problems on the real exam. so, in a best-case scenario, it's just plain useless to think about them.

in a worse (and more realistic) scenario, thinking about "difficulty levels" is a constant distraction——a distraction that will reduce the amount of brainpower you have available for actually solving the problems.
the human mind is VERY easily distracted.
think about how people will tell friends to be quiet, or will turn down music, if they're looking for a particular building on the street... we're that easily distracted from something as simple as just finding a building! now, imagine how much easier it is to be distracted from complex problem-solving tasks.

in essence, don't worry about stuff you don't know and can't control. (this is also a pretty good prescription for how to live life in general.)

[RonPurewal]

also, this is the wrong folder for this type of question (which belongs in the "General GMAT Study Questions" folder-- first folder on the forum home page).