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29 May 2025, 22:45
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Hi everyone!
I sat the GMAT a few weeks ago and wanted to share my experience—reading other people’s journeys on GMAT Club really helped me while preparing.
Starting Phase
Last September, I decided I wanted to apply for an MBA in 2025. After talking to friends, I started feeling behind on GMAT prep. A lot of them recommended TTP, so after doing some research, I signed up.
The first few months were slow—between work and life, I barely studied 5 hours a week (or less) from September to December, which definitely wasn’t enough. During end of year holidays, I realized I’d barely scratched the surface (less than 15% of the course!) and knew I had to step it up. Like many others, I struggled to balance studying with work, but it all came down to having clear goals and sticking to them.
Middle Phase (the "real" start)
In January, I committed to at least 10 hours of styuding a week, mostly on weekends. TTP really helped: I never had to worry about what to study next—just follow the path: theory, practice, repeat.
By March, I was about 60% through. I still had some quant and verbal chapters left, plus the data insights section (which felt quicker once the other sections were solid). I knew I had to stay on track or risk my GMAT interfering with applications. The pressure, plus encouragement from friends, gave me the push to finish strong.
Final Studying Phase
The next few weeks were a turning point. I finished the remaining chapters much faster than expected—probably because the earlier work helped me spot patterns and tricks more easily. By early April, I was done with the theory. I got excited, took a mock, scored 685, and rushed to book the GMAT a few days later... which, in hindsight, wasn’t the best idea. TTP suggests leaving at least a month for mocks and review, and I should have listened.
First GMAT (655)
Less than a week after that mock, I took my first GMAT. I’d only done 3 mocks, and none under real test conditions. I kept pausing when I got stuck, which was a mistake. You have to learn how to manage those moments of panic under time pressure.
Test day had a rocky start: technical issues, delays, and I went into quant (usually my strongest section) already on edge. I struggled with timing and got stuck on question 2, which threw me off for the rest of the section (64th percentile). I recovered in verbal (84th) and finished strong in data insights (97th), which helped save the overall score: 655. I knew it was a solid score, but I felt I could do better, especially in quant.
Between Tests
I took a short, much-needed break, then focused mostly on quant. I practiced TTP chapter tests and official GMAT questions, this time sticking to real test conditions. My mocks improved (715–725), and that gave me the confidence to book my second GMAT after the 16-day wait.
Second (and final) GMAT (725)
For the second test, I scheduled it for 10:30. I’d recommend not going much earlier than that—you want some buffer in case you have trouble falling asleep the night before.
Test day wasn’t smooth—again, technical issues, had to switch laptops during the system check—but I stayed calm and trusted my prep. The test itself felt much easier, especially quant. I made a silly mistake on the last question, but otherwise felt in control.
Final score: 725. When I saw it, I couldn’t believe it. All the months of studying had been worth it.
Takeaways / Recommendations
Studying for the GMAT is a challenging phase, but with enough study and practice, I am sure that most people will be able to get their target score. Simply don't rush the process, dedicate as much time as you need, and commit yourself to a realistic plan. Feel free to contact me in case you have any questions!
I sat the GMAT a few weeks ago and wanted to share my experience—reading other people’s journeys on GMAT Club really helped me while preparing.
Starting Phase
Last September, I decided I wanted to apply for an MBA in 2025. After talking to friends, I started feeling behind on GMAT prep. A lot of them recommended TTP, so after doing some research, I signed up.
The first few months were slow—between work and life, I barely studied 5 hours a week (or less) from September to December, which definitely wasn’t enough. During end of year holidays, I realized I’d barely scratched the surface (less than 15% of the course!) and knew I had to step it up. Like many others, I struggled to balance studying with work, but it all came down to having clear goals and sticking to them.
Middle Phase (the "real" start)
In January, I committed to at least 10 hours of styuding a week, mostly on weekends. TTP really helped: I never had to worry about what to study next—just follow the path: theory, practice, repeat.
By March, I was about 60% through. I still had some quant and verbal chapters left, plus the data insights section (which felt quicker once the other sections were solid). I knew I had to stay on track or risk my GMAT interfering with applications. The pressure, plus encouragement from friends, gave me the push to finish strong.
Final Studying Phase
The next few weeks were a turning point. I finished the remaining chapters much faster than expected—probably because the earlier work helped me spot patterns and tricks more easily. By early April, I was done with the theory. I got excited, took a mock, scored 685, and rushed to book the GMAT a few days later... which, in hindsight, wasn’t the best idea. TTP suggests leaving at least a month for mocks and review, and I should have listened.
First GMAT (655)
Less than a week after that mock, I took my first GMAT. I’d only done 3 mocks, and none under real test conditions. I kept pausing when I got stuck, which was a mistake. You have to learn how to manage those moments of panic under time pressure.
Test day had a rocky start: technical issues, delays, and I went into quant (usually my strongest section) already on edge. I struggled with timing and got stuck on question 2, which threw me off for the rest of the section (64th percentile). I recovered in verbal (84th) and finished strong in data insights (97th), which helped save the overall score: 655. I knew it was a solid score, but I felt I could do better, especially in quant.
Between Tests
I took a short, much-needed break, then focused mostly on quant. I practiced TTP chapter tests and official GMAT questions, this time sticking to real test conditions. My mocks improved (715–725), and that gave me the confidence to book my second GMAT after the 16-day wait.
Second (and final) GMAT (725)
For the second test, I scheduled it for 10:30. I’d recommend not going much earlier than that—you want some buffer in case you have trouble falling asleep the night before.
Test day wasn’t smooth—again, technical issues, had to switch laptops during the system check—but I stayed calm and trusted my prep. The test itself felt much easier, especially quant. I made a silly mistake on the last question, but otherwise felt in control.
- Quant: 94th percentile. One mistake—the last question. Still not sure how I missed it, as I felt it was one of the easiest questions, but luckily managed to get the rest of the questions right.
- Verbal: 99th percentile. Ironically, this was the section I used to feel weakest in. TTP’s practice really helped—after a while, you start easily detecting wrong answers, and are left with 1-2 viable answers.
- Data Insights: 96th percentile. I was doing great until I lost track of time and spent 14 (!) minutes on three questions. That left me with a minute per question for the last five, but thankfully, the strong start helped carry the score.
Final score: 725. When I saw it, I couldn’t believe it. All the months of studying had been worth it.
Takeaways / Recommendations
- Start early. I’d recommend starting at least a year before your applications. It’s no fun to rush and feel like the GMAT is hanging over you.
- TTP is a great course. It’s easy to follow, has tons of questions (honestly, I’d be surprised if anyone finishes them all), and covers everything you need. The hard questions are as tough—or tougher—than the actual test. My advice: follow the plan, do the chapter tests, and leave a few weeks at the end for review, mocks, and custom mixed tests (which I skipped before my first GMAT but really helped for the second).
- Go hard from the start. If you can, aim for 15+ hours a week from day one. Better to push hard for a few months than drag it out and stress out forever.
- Practice under test conditions. No pausing, no skipping—study just like the official test. That’s the only way to learn how to stay calm on the real day.
- Visualize the end. Picture the moment you hit "End Test" and see your target score (or better) popping up. It is an amazing feeling, it really is!
Studying for the GMAT is a challenging phase, but with enough study and practice, I am sure that most people will be able to get their target score. Simply don't rush the process, dedicate as much time as you need, and commit yourself to a realistic plan. Feel free to contact me in case you have any questions!
30 May 2025, 09:44
Kudos
Bookmarks
Thank you for sharing the amazing journey ! It's inspiring.
How did you manage timing in DI ? especially in time consuming questions like the MSR ? What was your strategy ? Do you skip questions, if it is taking too much time ? Kindly share your thoughts.
How did you manage timing in DI ? especially in time consuming questions like the MSR ? What was your strategy ? Do you skip questions, if it is taking too much time ? Kindly share your thoughts.
30 May 2025, 11:18
Kudos
Bookmarks
Thanks for sharing your journey and Congratulations on your score!
josebeharb
