Number of Correct Questions And GMAT CAT Scoring

Your score makes greater leaps at the start of the test than it does at the end of the test. After you answer each question, the Exam estimates your score in order to determine the difficulty level for your next question. It looks at the question you have just answered, the difficulty level of that question, and your accuracy. It then calculates the difficulty level for your next question.

If you have answered only two questions, each of those questions will have an equal influence on the Exam's estimate of your score. If you have answered 20 questions, each question will account for one-twentieth of the information the computer uses to arrive at your score estimate. Early questions alter the computer's estimate of your score a great deal, while later questions "fine-tune" this score.

Therefore, your score is not simply dependent on the number of questions answered right or wrong. You face an increased pressure to answer early questions correctly on a CAT test. By scoring well on this section of the CAT, you not only start off with a solid score, but you are also on the path to the more difficult, relatively high point value questions.