For those not in the know, the GMAT is a Computer Adaptive Test. This means that the more you get right, the harder the level of the next question. Similarly, the more you get wrong, the easier the level of the next question. Of course the easier questions bare less weighting in points as well.
There is a whole mathematical way it calculates what level of question to ask you next. You think you want to spend as much time to make sure you get the earlier ones right- and yes as much as you do, you also don't want to spend too much time because if you do not finish, that's even worse.
I began the test with enthusiasm. As I got to the quantitative section I thought I was doing well 
as the questions got harder, but then suddenly three quarters of the way through they started to get easier. A pinch of panic set in but I tried to just keep going while watching the time. I got to my last quantitative question with 2 minutes left. If you've done these tests before 2 minutes is actually a lot of time especially if on your last question. I was so engrossed because I was so close to getting the answer that before I knew it, the test shut down! I ran out of time! I had about a minute of full fledged panic. Not finishing would have caused a severe dent in my overall score. After that minute I realised I still have the Verbal section to go. I looked at the lady in the commentator's box, the invigilator; she had a look that suggested to me that she had seen what happened. It was a look of nervousness for me. Or perhaps I was reading into things. I had to pull it together for the last section.
as the questions got harder, but then suddenly three quarters of the way through they started to get easier. A pinch of panic set in but I tried to just keep going while watching the time. I got to my last quantitative question with 2 minutes left. If you've done these tests before 2 minutes is actually a lot of time especially if on your last question. I was so engrossed because I was so close to getting the answer that before I knew it, the test shut down! I ran out of time! I had about a minute of full fledged panic. Not finishing would have caused a severe dent in my overall score. After that minute I realised I still have the Verbal section to go. I looked at the lady in the commentator's box, the invigilator; she had a look that suggested to me that she had seen what happened. It was a look of nervousness for me. Or perhaps I was reading into things. I had to pull it together for the last section.I felt that I did stronger in the verbal and finally finished the test. You get an unofficial score as soon as you finish. I left the test almost in tears, I felt defeated. Although you can do the test as many times as you want, it also costs $250 each time.
On the subway ride home I tried not to look anyone in the eye because of the tears that I was trying to fight back.
No, I didn't do that bad, but I had such high expectations for myself that it was a hard fall even though it wasn't a far fall. I thought that everything hinged on this test.
But it didn't.
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