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Join us in a live GMAT practice session and solve 30 challenging GMAT questions with other test takers in timed conditions, covering GMAT Quant, Data Sufficiency, Data Insights, Reading Comprehension, and Critical Reasoning questions.
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Prefer video-based learning? The Target Test Prep OnDemand course is a one-of-a-kind video masterclass featuring 400 hours of lecture-style teaching by Scott Woodbury-Stewart, founder of Target Test Prep and one of the most accomplished GMAT instructors.
21 Feb 2024, 07:27
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Watch Tamas's video debrief on YouTube
TL;DR: As a bad procrastinator, I have delayed preparing for my master's applications, including preparing for the GMAT. In the end, I had 1 month to study, and I chose to go with Target Test Prep for a number of reasons. I not only had an amazing experience with TTP, but also managed to get a 725 (99.4th percentile) Focus score and learn some very valuable things that I would definitely do differently!
Background:
Main Takeaways:
Summary:
I am very happy with my result, as well as sharing these insights with you. I really hope my debrief can help you in your preparation, and I wish you the best of success!
I am very grateful for Target Test Prep and everyone in the team that supported me in my journey. They were always ready to answer any questions I had, and they even helped me with a subscription issue. I will genuinely recommend TTP to anyone who asks me on how to prepare for the GMAT.
Tamás
*Edit: formatting.
TL;DR: As a bad procrastinator, I have delayed preparing for my master's applications, including preparing for the GMAT. In the end, I had 1 month to study, and I chose to go with Target Test Prep for a number of reasons. I not only had an amazing experience with TTP, but also managed to get a 725 (99.4th percentile) Focus score and learn some very valuable things that I would definitely do differently!
Background:
- I am an international student with an academic background in business and economics and a "professional" background in sales and strategy
- I am a non-native English speaker with a C2 (Proficiency) language certificate (Cambridge English)
- In high school, I specialised in advanced mathematics, which helped me tremendously in preparation for the GMAT Focus exam
- This exam (725) was my first attempt, as well as my last resort, as it was 1 day before the application deadline
- I was on exchange until the middle of January (2024), and had the GMAT Focus exam scheduled on the 30th of January in a test center. In the end, I started preparing at the end of December (still on exchange), having only one month left
- Initial stages: I first started with borrowing some of the official GMAT books. However, I found that I could not proceed fast enough, nor will I have the capacity to properly prioritise the material. Therefore, I looked for online courses, and chose Target Test Prep for multiple reasons:
- It was fully accessible for me even on exchange, as well as when I moved back home;
- It analysed my results from the mock exam I completed before I started preparing, personalising my experience and helping me focus on areas of improvement;
- It contained multiple thousands of practice questions, which was my main way of preparing, as I learn much better by doing rather than studying;
- It had a friendly and flexible subscription system;
- I found that most online sources recommended it as a great choice;
- The 5-day free trial helped me try the platform and whether it was for me (it was!)
- First mock exam (27/12/2023): After completing the 5-day free trial with TTP and registering for the exam, I immediately did one of the free mock exams that the official website provides. I remember that my total score was 665. I was really happy with this result, as it indicated I had a rather good understanding of the topics as well as the exam's style itself. However, I knew that this was not to be taken for granted, and instead of sitting back, I took this as motivation.
- Flexible preparation (1-month subscription) with TTP: After the mock exam, I immediately started my subscription with TTP. Having already done the first couple chapters in my 5-day free trial, I had a rather good idea on what is waiting for me. What I really liked is that TTP helped me with two of my biggest weaknesses: planning and time management. I simply needed to put in my exam date, as well as my target score, and combined with my mock exam results, I got a personalised study plan. I cannot emphasise enough how true it is that Scott (TTP) always says: just follow the study plan! It was crucial and hugely beneficial. The chapters and the types of questions built upon each other, and not only made my preparation faster, but also more effective. Until "the challenge" happened (see below), I went through all of the chapters carefully, reading the theory part, doing all of the practice questions and practice tests, and reviewing my mistakes. Looking back, these topics went surprisingly well during the exam, and saved me time for harder questions.
- The challenge: I only had one month to study, but around 40 chapters to complete. This meant I should have completed more than one chapter a day on average. When I completed everything carefully (lessons, practice tests, reviewing mistakes), it took me well around 4-8 hours, depending on the chapter. And mental fatigue is a real thing. Whenever I tried doing 2, even 3 chapters a day, I could not focus properly on the content anymore. On top of that, I also had a 30 hour flight back home in the middle of all of this. If you have been on exchange, you also know that the last couple days are full of things to sort out, such as saying goodbyes, ticking off the last things on your bucket list, packing, and moving out. Approaching the date of the exam, I still had 4 verbal chapters left, as well as all of the data insights chapters. Bummer.
- Last resort: And I can't thank TTP enough for this. The chapters are designed so that you can always go through the key insights. What I did was, instead of going through the theory and all the practice exams, I looked through all of the key insights from the remaining chapters, and did practice questions on the topics I deemed were the most tricky for me. This way, I managed to tick off all chapters, even though these last ones went more like a "skim" than thorough studying.
- Second mock exam (28/01/2024): I decided to do one last mock exam 2 days before the exam. I would recommend not doing anything on the day before the exam, as I found it helped me clear out my mind and prepare for the exam not just knowledge-wise, but mindset-wise and mentally too. I wrote a 765: I was extremely happy with it, however, I knew that once again, this may not be representative. To get the max points in my application, I needed a GMAT Focus score of 685, which was my previous goal. With this mock exam in mind, I aimed for 700+.
- The exam:
- Because I was not sure in my internet connection at home, and because in official environments I tend to focus better, I decided to do the exam at an official exam centre (Budapest, Hungary).
- I booked the test at 9:30AM, as I tend to do best in the morning.
- Arriving there was alright, however I was very nervous, and even though I arrived there 40 minutes early, my registration only finished around 10 minutes before the exam. So, always make sure to arrive there on time, best if it's 30+ minutes.
- The exam itself went well. I used the earplugs to close out any distractions, but I recommend opening them before the exam starts as the sound of the bag can be quite annoying, especially for others.
- I did the exam in the following order: Quant, Verbal, Data Insights. I chose this as I deemed quant to be the biggest challenge, and I rather wanted it behind me once I got to the "easier" parts. I really felt like I made more mistakes than I actually did, however, I always reminded me of what I learnt from TTP: don't focus on potential mistakes, just what you have ahead of you. This helped me stay focused and less worried about the outcome. I had the same feeling throughout the whole exam, but I didn't let it stop me.
- Importantly and evidently, I found that the most difficult question types were those that I did not have time for in my preparation.
- The result:
With a Q87, V89 and DI82, I was placed in the 99.4th percentile, and I got the highest score possible in my master's application. Importantly, I scored lowest on DI, which I previously considered a strenght, but which I did not have time to prepare for.
Main Takeaways:
- Plan your preparation, dedicate enough time and calculate with obstacles. If I had one tip to give my past-self, I would tell him to start earlier. One more month of TTP would have enabled me to finish all the chapters and spend enough time on practice questions and exams. Plan in accordance with your areas of improvement, and make sure to touch upon all of the different question types.
- One month for me was not enough, even studying full time. I spent 6-10 hours on average a day, for a month straight. I could not finish everything, and that is completely my fault. I am not saying you can't do it, as I am sure there are people who can do it in less time. However, even with a good starting score and a good understanding of the three topics, I had to learn a lot of things (see below).
- Don't let your previous knowledge fool you. I used to have 10 math classes a week for 6 years in high school, during which I also completed my C2 English language exam, and specialised in IT with a good understanding in data visualisation. Good foundation, right? Not exactly. The GMAT Exam is very unique in the sense that knowing the theory is not enough. You will need to be able to recognise the problem at glance, which takes time and practice. The way TTP combined theory with practice worked amazingly for me. I could instantly apply my knowledge with practice questions, and that made me remember things much better than simply reading a book.
- Turn your mistakes into strenghts. Reviewing my mistakes not only helped me correct them, but also turn them into a strength through practice.
- Turn everything into a motivating factor. Even if you score high on the mock exam, don't take it for granted (see my 765). Instead, use it as a motivation. The mock exam result is something you can get. It's on you to make sure you do get it.
- Remind yourself of your goals. The GMAT is something you are doing for yourself, an investment. Keeping in mind your overall goal, visualising your success, helps you stay motivated and work towards what you want to achieve.
- Arrive at the exam centre 30+ minutes before the exam. It helps you acclimate to the environment, sort everything out and ace that exam!
Summary:
I am very happy with my result, as well as sharing these insights with you. I really hope my debrief can help you in your preparation, and I wish you the best of success!
I am very grateful for Target Test Prep and everyone in the team that supported me in my journey. They were always ready to answer any questions I had, and they even helped me with a subscription issue. I will genuinely recommend TTP to anyone who asks me on how to prepare for the GMAT.
Tamás
*Edit: formatting.
Attachments
File comment: Screenshot of my score report (mba.com).
Score Report.png [ 22.64 KiB | Viewed 8430 times ]
21 Feb 2024, 08:09
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21 Feb 2024, 08:18
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ScottTargetTestPrep
Thank you so much for everything!!
