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Apr 2610:00 AM EDT
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The Target Test Prep course represents a quantum leap forward in GMAT preparation, a radical reinterpretation of the way that students should study. Try before you buy with a 5-day, full-access trial of the course for FREE!
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Apr 2808:00 AM PDT
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Whether you are just beginning your MBA journey or fine-tuning your path to a 700+ score, GMAT Day is designed to give you a competitive edge.
25 Nov 2025, 00:29
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Hi everyone,
I'm excited to share my GMAT journey with you all. After scoring 675, I recently achieved 705 (V85, Q85, DI85) on my attempt in August. The balanced score across all three sections feels particularly rewarding given my initial struggles.
The 675 Reality Check
My first attempt yielded 675, which wasn't terrible but fell short of my target. The primary culprit? Data Insights. Despite my professional background working with data, I was scoring below 80 in this section, which prevented me from crossing the 700 threshold. The issue wasn't conceptual understanding – give me five minutes, and I could solve any question. But solving it in 2-2.5 minutes? That was the real challenge.
I knew I needed a more structured approach. That's when I decided to invest in e-GMAT's comprehensive course. The platform's systematic methodology and extensive question banks became the foundation of my successful second attempt.
The Breakthrough: Pattern Recognition and Speed
The game-changer was learning to identify patterns quickly. After solving numerous questions on the e-GMAT platform, I developed the ability to recognize question types and their underlying patterns almost immediately. This wasn't just about memorizing solutions – it was about understanding the structural similarities between questions.
When I walked into my second attempt, most questions felt familiar. I didn't need to create new methods on the spot because I had encountered similar question types during practice. This familiarity eliminated the surprise element and gave me confidence to execute under pressure.
Section-Wise Strategy
Verbal (V85): Accuracy Over Speed
My approach to verbal was counterintuitive initially – I focused on accuracy first, speed second. In verbal, unlike quant where you have some sense whether your answer is correct, you're often choosing between two very similar options without certainty.
I practiced with the mindset that even if I could only attempt 20-21 questions, I wanted 95% accuracy on those. Only after achieving consistent accuracy did I work on speed to reach all 23 questions within 45 minutes.
Key insight for CR: The biggest pattern in my errors was missing tiny details – often just one word that changed the entire meaning. My solution: spend 80 seconds of your 2 minutes thoroughly reading and understanding the question. If you truly understand the question, you've essentially solved it; you just need to find the matching answer choice.
Quant (Q85): Avoiding the Silly Mistakes
Being from a technical background, quant concepts weren't the issue. My challenge was behavioural – those "silly mistakes" that cost precious points. The key was developing a systematic review process and practicing under timed conditions until I could trust my first instinct.
The scholaranium analytics helped me big time here, where I would spend time on reviewing each question and use PRIS feedback to understand the root cause.
Data Insights (DI85): From Weakness to Strength
This transformation was the most satisfying part of my journey. The breakthrough came through extensive practice with the diverse question bank on the e-GMAT platform.
In my final preparation phase, I relied heavily on sectional tests. When I didn't have time for a full mock but wanted to stay sharp, I'd take a 45-minute sectional in my target improvement area. This was particularly useful for maintaining momentum in DI and catching silly mistakes in quant.
Review Strategy: The 1:1 Rule
For every 45-minute quiz, I spent at least one hour reviewing. This wasn't just about wrong answers – I analyzed questions where I spent too much time, looking for more efficient methods. I categorized mistakes as either conceptual flaws or calculation errors, then took targeted action for each type.
Mock Test Strategy: Experimenting with Sequences
Interestingly, I experimented with section order. In my first attempt, I started with DI (my weakest section), thinking the first section would be easier. This backfired. For my second attempt, I switched to the standard sequence (Quant, Verbal, DI) after experimenting in e-GMAT mocks, which worked much better.
Critical mock strategy: Create a GMAT-like environment. Don't pause between sections. If you can't sit through a 2.5-3 hour session at home, you won't be ready for test day. The third section is particularly challenging if you haven't built the stamina.
Test Day Reality
Honestly, I couldn't gauge that I'd score 705 during the test. Not everything went according to plan – I missed a few questions and had moments of doubt. When I saw the score, I had to ask the proctor to confirm it was really 705. The relief was overwhelming.
Key Takeaways
This journey taught me that GMAT success isn't just about intelligence or domain knowledge – it's about developing test-taking skills, building mental stamina, and executing under pressure. The score of 705 with balanced performance across all sections (V85, Q85, DI85) feels particularly rewarding because it represents overcoming specific weaknesses rather than just playing to strengths.
For anyone in the middle of their GMAT journey: trust the process, focus on your unique challenges, and remember that sometimes the difference between a good score and a great score is simply refusing to give up when things get tough.
Best of luck!
Final Score: 705 (V85, Q85, DI85)
Preparation Time: ~2 months focused preparation
Key Resource: e-GMAT comprehensive course
Test Date: August 2025
I'm excited to share my GMAT journey with you all. After scoring 675, I recently achieved 705 (V85, Q85, DI85) on my attempt in August. The balanced score across all three sections feels particularly rewarding given my initial struggles.
The 675 Reality Check
My first attempt yielded 675, which wasn't terrible but fell short of my target. The primary culprit? Data Insights. Despite my professional background working with data, I was scoring below 80 in this section, which prevented me from crossing the 700 threshold. The issue wasn't conceptual understanding – give me five minutes, and I could solve any question. But solving it in 2-2.5 minutes? That was the real challenge.
I knew I needed a more structured approach. That's when I decided to invest in e-GMAT's comprehensive course. The platform's systematic methodology and extensive question banks became the foundation of my successful second attempt.
The Breakthrough: Pattern Recognition and Speed
The game-changer was learning to identify patterns quickly. After solving numerous questions on the e-GMAT platform, I developed the ability to recognize question types and their underlying patterns almost immediately. This wasn't just about memorizing solutions – it was about understanding the structural similarities between questions.
When I walked into my second attempt, most questions felt familiar. I didn't need to create new methods on the spot because I had encountered similar question types during practice. This familiarity eliminated the surprise element and gave me confidence to execute under pressure.
Section-Wise Strategy
Verbal (V85): Accuracy Over Speed
My approach to verbal was counterintuitive initially – I focused on accuracy first, speed second. In verbal, unlike quant where you have some sense whether your answer is correct, you're often choosing between two very similar options without certainty.
I practiced with the mindset that even if I could only attempt 20-21 questions, I wanted 95% accuracy on those. Only after achieving consistent accuracy did I work on speed to reach all 23 questions within 45 minutes.
Key insight for CR: The biggest pattern in my errors was missing tiny details – often just one word that changed the entire meaning. My solution: spend 80 seconds of your 2 minutes thoroughly reading and understanding the question. If you truly understand the question, you've essentially solved it; you just need to find the matching answer choice.
Quant (Q85): Avoiding the Silly Mistakes
Being from a technical background, quant concepts weren't the issue. My challenge was behavioural – those "silly mistakes" that cost precious points. The key was developing a systematic review process and practicing under timed conditions until I could trust my first instinct.
The scholaranium analytics helped me big time here, where I would spend time on reviewing each question and use PRIS feedback to understand the root cause.
Data Insights (DI85): From Weakness to Strength
This transformation was the most satisfying part of my journey. The breakthrough came through extensive practice with the diverse question bank on the e-GMAT platform.
- The Speed Problem: Here's what was killing me in DI - I could solve any question if you gave me 5 minutes to think through it. But 2-2.5 minutes? That's where I was drowning. As a data scientist, I'm used to having time to explore data, run analyses, think through different approaches. The GMAT doesn't care about your day job - it wants speed and precision.
- e-GMAT's Topic-by-Topic approach was particularly helpful here. When I identified specific weaknesses within DI subtopics, I could dive into focused practice using their topic-wise tests. The platform's diverse question set helped me understand that even within Data Insights, there are distinct subtopics requiring different approaches.
- Initially, I was trying to be too thorough with every piece of data presented. I'd read every single line in MSR passages, analyze every data point in graphs. This perfectionist approach from my work life was actually hurting me on the GMAT. I learned to be more strategic - identify what's relevant for the specific question and ignore the rest.
In my final preparation phase, I relied heavily on sectional tests. When I didn't have time for a full mock but wanted to stay sharp, I'd take a 45-minute sectional in my target improvement area. This was particularly useful for maintaining momentum in DI and catching silly mistakes in quant.
Review Strategy: The 1:1 Rule
For every 45-minute quiz, I spent at least one hour reviewing. This wasn't just about wrong answers – I analyzed questions where I spent too much time, looking for more efficient methods. I categorized mistakes as either conceptual flaws or calculation errors, then took targeted action for each type.
Mock Test Strategy: Experimenting with Sequences
Interestingly, I experimented with section order. In my first attempt, I started with DI (my weakest section), thinking the first section would be easier. This backfired. For my second attempt, I switched to the standard sequence (Quant, Verbal, DI) after experimenting in e-GMAT mocks, which worked much better.
Critical mock strategy: Create a GMAT-like environment. Don't pause between sections. If you can't sit through a 2.5-3 hour session at home, you won't be ready for test day. The third section is particularly challenging if you haven't built the stamina.
Test Day Reality
Honestly, I couldn't gauge that I'd score 705 during the test. Not everything went according to plan – I missed a few questions and had moments of doubt. When I saw the score, I had to ask the proctor to confirm it was really 705. The relief was overwhelming.
Key Takeaways
- Accept that it's difficult: Getting 655 might be achievable quickly, but crossing 700+ requires strategic effort and time. Don't underestimate the challenge.
- Control what you can: Many factors are beyond your control on test day. Focus on perfecting your preparation and execution.
- Your journey is unique: Don't compare timelines with others. Some people score 750 in two months; others need four months for 705. Your starting point and circumstances are different.
- Mistakes are your roadmap: The only way to improve is by identifying and systematically addressing your error patterns.
- Pattern recognition beats memorization: Understanding question structures and recognizing similar patterns is more valuable than memorizing individual solutions.
This journey taught me that GMAT success isn't just about intelligence or domain knowledge – it's about developing test-taking skills, building mental stamina, and executing under pressure. The score of 705 with balanced performance across all sections (V85, Q85, DI85) feels particularly rewarding because it represents overcoming specific weaknesses rather than just playing to strengths.
For anyone in the middle of their GMAT journey: trust the process, focus on your unique challenges, and remember that sometimes the difference between a good score and a great score is simply refusing to give up when things get tough.
Best of luck!
Final Score: 705 (V85, Q85, DI85)
Preparation Time: ~2 months focused preparation
Key Resource: e-GMAT comprehensive course
Test Date: August 2025
Archit3110
Major Poster
25 Nov 2025, 05:10
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Congratulations for score.. all the best with applications
25 Nov 2025, 10:21
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Congrats on the 705!! I wish you all the best with your applications.
