740 on GMAT after seven attempts
I have written the GMAT exam seven times:
1)Nov 2021 - 670 Q-50 V-31
2)Dec 2021 - 640 Q-47 V-32
3)Feb 2022- 680 Q-47 V-36
4)Mar 2022- 690 Q-49 V-35
5)Aug 2022 - 710 Q-46 V-41
6)Feb 2022 - 660 Q-48 V-32
7)Mar 2023 – 740 Q-50 V-40
First four attemptsI started my preparation in March 2020, and I gave an official mock without any preparation and got a 550.
I joined a private instructor’s classes for Verbal theory in March 2020 and prepared very little till March 2021.
I prepared seriously from March 2021.
• I purchased the Wizako Quant course and re-watched the private instructor’s classes for Verbal.
• I used all the official materials for my preparation OG, Advanced OG, Verbal review, and Quant Review.
• I also used Kaplan 800 for verbal and GMAT CLUB Quant pdf.
After a lot of preparation, I decided to give the exam in November 2021. Target was to get a 760.
My first attempt was in November 2021, and I got a 670(Q-50 V-31).
I was very disappointed with my Verbal score as I used to score around 37-38 in my official mocks.
I had given my second attempt a month later and understood that I had a few shortcomings in Verbal and started working on the same, but in my subsequent two attempts, I only faced disappointment.
I scored above 700 in my mocks but could not emulate that performance in the exam.
I did not understand what was going wrong on the test day.
I used to hardly get any sleep before the day of the test because of anxiety and used to suffer diarrhea on the day of the test.
I start with the quant and then move on to the verbal.
During the break after the first section, I used to analyze my performance in that section.
Tip 1: To everyone reading this debrief, do not analyze your performance during the exam, and do not try to estimate the difficulty of the question and judge your performance based on it. Treat every question as the first question of the exam.
Fifth attemptAfter my four attempts, I purchased the
e-GMAT course.
I gave an e-GMAT mock and scored a 710.
As a part of the “Last Mile” program of e-GMAT, Ms. Rashmi was assigned as my mentor. Ms.Rashmi gave direction to my preparation and gave me tasks to complete in a set time frame. I trusted her completely and prepared as she guided me.
The e-GMAT SC meaning-based approach is the best and most effective approach for solving any SC question. The e-GMAT Master-Comprehension course is superb and helped me improve in RC and CR sub-section.
The e-GMAT (I have only good things to say about this platform) Scholaranium question bank is fantastic. There is a detailed explanation for every question. I changed my approach in verbal after solving Scholaranium questions and reading the explanations for the same.
After a lot of preparation, I gave two mocks and got a 720 and 730 with 40+ in Verbal.
I then gave my fifth attempt and scored a 710. I got a 41 in verbal (6-point jump) and a 46 in quant- my lowest score to date.
In hindsight I came up with the following reasons for my poor performance in quant and better performance in verbal:
1. I did not give as much focus to quant as I had given to verbal during my preparation.
2. I was tense and nervous during the first section of the exam.
3. I aimed at a Q51 and tried to get every question in the quant right, ending up spending a lot of time on a few questions.
4. After my first section during the break, I analyzed my performance and knew I would not get a Q50 or 51.
5. I was very relaxed while attempting Verbal because I thought my Quant performance did not go well, and I will give another attempt. Despite finding the Verbal section challenging, I did not panic and attempted the exam coolly.
I did not expect a score above 700, but to my surprise, I scored 41 on Verbal and got a 710.
Tip 2: Do not lose touch in any section.Solve 4-5 questions in all the sub-sections of both verbal and quant every day or at least for 2-3 days.
I could not give another attempt immediately because I had attempted five times in a calendar year.
Sixth attemptI started preparing on my own again in December 2022 and attempted GMAT again in Feb 2023 and scored a 660 (Q48 and V-32). I felt utterly shattered. I gave mocks before the exam and consistently scored around 720 in those.
Final attemptI spoke to Ms.Rashmi, and she told me to treat it as a bad day and said that this score(660) does not reflect my ability, motivating me to give another attempt.
• I repurchased the
e-GMAT course and prepared for one month.
• I only gave test-readiness quizzes(mixed quizzes containing questions from all sections) in a timed environment to simulate the test experience and focused on reviewing my error logs and mistakes.
• I also started meditating to control my anxiety on the test day.
During this attempt, I did not try to analyze my performance and attempted each question as the first question.
During the break, I closed my eyes and did not think about anything.
I found the verbal section very hard, and I knew I marked the wrong choice in two questions-I realized just one second after submitting those questions and wished GMAT provided the option to review questions even in the original format - but I did not let anything affect my performance, and remained calm and finished the exam.
740 flashed on my screen.
I felt relieved to be done with GMAT.
Tip 3: Do not give up on GMAT. Keep trying till you get the score you want. Be consistent with your preparation and study at least 2 hours every day, and do not take long breaks during your preparation.The result is not in your control, but the preparation and your attitude toward the exam are in your control.
Even if you get a low score on GMAT, do not let it affect your mental health.
Stay positive and enjoy the journey. I know it is easier said than done.
End of the day, the GMAT is just an exam and is not an absolute indicator of your abilities.
I want to thank my family, my private instructor, e-GMAT, and Ms. Rashmi Vaidya for believing in me and supporting me.