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JaneKubryak
Joined: 18 Dec 2025
Last visit: 17 Feb 2026
Posts: 1
Location: Russian Federation
GMAT Focus 1: 685 Q86 V86 DI80 
GPA: 4.5
Products:
GMAT Focus 1: 685 Q86 V86 DI80
Posts: 1
26 Jan 2026, 07:19
Kudos
Bookmarks
A little context: Russian female with 11 years of experience in corporate finance, consulting and entrepreneurship. Started my career in VC in Europe in 2025, looking forward to building the best early stage VC tapping into the global entrepreneurial talent pool.
This is why I embarked on a mission to get into top US MBA programs. Stanford, precisely. Spoke to several alums, who encouraged me and said that it's totally possible to get in. But the 730-740 GMAT, or 685 GMAT Focus was a must.
My target schools after research are Stanford, Harvard and Columbia. Applied in R2 and waiting for interview invites.
I do have some quant background. GPA 4.5/5 in Finance, CFA exams level 1 and 2 (which I heard MBA programs love!).
But of course I haven't been taking any standartised tests for at least 5-6 years. So, the journey took longer than I expected.
Started in a relaxed mode last January - big mistake, start in January hardcore!
Enrolled in TTP course in March, and prepped until October-November.
Stages:
1) Jan-Feb - light prep and brush up of general math skills with official free resources. Plus some Youtube videos on the tactics, where I also found TTP. This is not useless, but I'd limit to 2 weeks.
Did my mock test with 545 and 32 percentile Quant - realized just how bad is bad. Big woop!
However I reminded myself, that I'm comparing my maybe 30 hours of prep to someone's 300. I ended up doing smth like 400-500 hours in total I think.
2) Mar-Jun. Went through TTP materials. Yes, there is a lot of material! Even with skipping the parts I understood well (proven with easy tests!) - I could barely manage it in 3 months.
3) Jul-Aug. Practice test phase. Took me roughly 6 weeks of: Mock test, review mistakes, practice weak spots, rinse and repeat.
By practice test 6 I got my first 685.
Big mistake: I didn't schedule my exam then. Should have! When you're ready, you're ready - go get it!
But I thought I could maybe do even better...
Instead of that life got in the way with some residency renewal, then vacation - and then I had to spend the entire month of October refreshing what I've already learned.
4) Oct. Prepared for my 1st real exam and only got 645. Despite hitting 685 on the practice test before that.
Another mistake: After I solidified my Quant, I started to go after really high DI. And my Quant dropped! Always be sure to hold every piece together, and refresh.
You get out of shape with GMAT really quickly, you can't learn it once and for all.
Plus, this attempt was an online test. It was super stressful, because the check-in took an hour, I had to dive under the table with my laptop in hand, then the neighbor started speaking on the phone right outside... Not recommended.
5) Nov: prepared for a retake, and got my 685.
By this time I felt confident, and felt like another go could maybe yield a marginal improvement.. But I also gave it my best, to be honest. So, I focused on my TOEFL and essays, since it was about 6 weeks before the deadlines.
Learnings:
1. It took me 9 months in total to complete the GMAT, instead of 3 that I've planned. I was lucky that Standord MBA/MSx dual application only works in Round 2 - so I didn't have to hurry for R1, and my long prep didn't mess up with the schedule.
2. TTP is much better than Official Questions. First, problems are structured and labeled by topic, so I could only practice what I got wrong. And second, the video explanations after the problem are the best! If I had no clue how to come to that answer - I just watched the video.
3. May be wise to plan 2 takes of the real exam. I used TTP's strategy of registering for the exam, when I'm totally ready (= got a 685 on a practice exam). But still got a 645 on my first attempt - partly because my quant was a bit off-speed, and partly because the at-home experience was way too stressful for me.
4. GMAT performance is about being in-shape. Like for a marathon, you need to run for 6-8 hours weekly. For GMAT you need probably the same number of weekly problem solving - otherwise the score is starting to slip.
5. It's totally doable, but requires time. If I got my 685 score the month before I turned 35 - imagine what people can do fresh out of college!
Wish luck to all of the folks in my shoes this year. Start early, train often, grow your confidence - and you will succeed!
And fingers crossed for my interview decisions!!
This is why I embarked on a mission to get into top US MBA programs. Stanford, precisely. Spoke to several alums, who encouraged me and said that it's totally possible to get in. But the 730-740 GMAT, or 685 GMAT Focus was a must.
My target schools after research are Stanford, Harvard and Columbia. Applied in R2 and waiting for interview invites.
I do have some quant background. GPA 4.5/5 in Finance, CFA exams level 1 and 2 (which I heard MBA programs love!).
But of course I haven't been taking any standartised tests for at least 5-6 years. So, the journey took longer than I expected.
Started in a relaxed mode last January - big mistake, start in January hardcore!
Enrolled in TTP course in March, and prepped until October-November.
Stages:
1) Jan-Feb - light prep and brush up of general math skills with official free resources. Plus some Youtube videos on the tactics, where I also found TTP. This is not useless, but I'd limit to 2 weeks.
Did my mock test with 545 and 32 percentile Quant - realized just how bad is bad. Big woop!
However I reminded myself, that I'm comparing my maybe 30 hours of prep to someone's 300. I ended up doing smth like 400-500 hours in total I think.
2) Mar-Jun. Went through TTP materials. Yes, there is a lot of material! Even with skipping the parts I understood well (proven with easy tests!) - I could barely manage it in 3 months.
3) Jul-Aug. Practice test phase. Took me roughly 6 weeks of: Mock test, review mistakes, practice weak spots, rinse and repeat.
By practice test 6 I got my first 685.
Big mistake: I didn't schedule my exam then. Should have! When you're ready, you're ready - go get it!
But I thought I could maybe do even better...
Instead of that life got in the way with some residency renewal, then vacation - and then I had to spend the entire month of October refreshing what I've already learned.
4) Oct. Prepared for my 1st real exam and only got 645. Despite hitting 685 on the practice test before that.
Another mistake: After I solidified my Quant, I started to go after really high DI. And my Quant dropped! Always be sure to hold every piece together, and refresh.
You get out of shape with GMAT really quickly, you can't learn it once and for all.
Plus, this attempt was an online test. It was super stressful, because the check-in took an hour, I had to dive under the table with my laptop in hand, then the neighbor started speaking on the phone right outside... Not recommended.
5) Nov: prepared for a retake, and got my 685.
By this time I felt confident, and felt like another go could maybe yield a marginal improvement.. But I also gave it my best, to be honest. So, I focused on my TOEFL and essays, since it was about 6 weeks before the deadlines.
Learnings:
1. It took me 9 months in total to complete the GMAT, instead of 3 that I've planned. I was lucky that Standord MBA/MSx dual application only works in Round 2 - so I didn't have to hurry for R1, and my long prep didn't mess up with the schedule.
2. TTP is much better than Official Questions. First, problems are structured and labeled by topic, so I could only practice what I got wrong. And second, the video explanations after the problem are the best! If I had no clue how to come to that answer - I just watched the video.
3. May be wise to plan 2 takes of the real exam. I used TTP's strategy of registering for the exam, when I'm totally ready (= got a 685 on a practice exam). But still got a 645 on my first attempt - partly because my quant was a bit off-speed, and partly because the at-home experience was way too stressful for me.
4. GMAT performance is about being in-shape. Like for a marathon, you need to run for 6-8 hours weekly. For GMAT you need probably the same number of weekly problem solving - otherwise the score is starting to slip.
5. It's totally doable, but requires time. If I got my 685 score the month before I turned 35 - imagine what people can do fresh out of college!
Wish luck to all of the folks in my shoes this year. Start early, train often, grow your confidence - and you will succeed!
And fingers crossed for my interview decisions!!
27 Jan 2026, 02:37
Kudos
Bookmarks
JaneKubryak
Huge congratulations on the 685! As someone currently navigating the B.Com (Hons) grind at Delhi University and preparing for my own GMAT Focus attempt, your debrief is incredibly motivating.
Your point about GMAT performance being like "marathon training" is spot on. I’ve noticed the same thing—even a few days off and the Quant logic starts to feel "rusty." It’s also very reassuring to hear that someone with a CFA background and 11 years of high-level Finance experience still found the TTP video explanations to be the best resource; it really validates that "back to basics" approach.
Quick question for you: Since you’re aiming for the Stanford MSx/MBA dual app, how did you find balancing the heavy essay requirements with that final month of GMAT refreshing?
Wishing you the absolute best with the Stanford and HBS interview invites. With your VC and entrepreneurship background, you have a profile they’ll find hard to ignore!
