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24 Dec 2025, 20:58
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Purpose
This debrief is written for me to share with friends to give me feedback and as accountability. However, I also feel value in sharing this to the forum for everyone on the same journey as me, and I would be glad if anyone on the forum would also give me feedback.
Background & information
Study Habit
Key Material
Magoosh - 1 year
GMAT Ninja CR Playlist
TTP - 6 months
Offline Class - 3 months
Study Proportion
Practice Exam/Mock and Official Test History
Breakdown by Topic/Skill
I invite you to read this too where I believe the data says more about me. I also attached screenshot of my Official GMAT Test - Time Management Report in this post
Error pattern/weak point
I did not start recording my error log in a spreadsheet consistently until this July, after I finished TTP and followed their error log style. I recorded 416 questions for Quant, 94 for Verbal, and 128 for Data Insight (I did not track Verbal and DI as consistently as Quant).
I wrote this after the test, trying to connect everything and summarize it into concise conclusions:
Top Quant Error Pattern
Top Verbal Error Patterns
Top 3 Data Insight Error Patterns
Priority and plan
I spent the past four days using my study time to read and analyze my mistakes. I am currently in a limbo between whether I should plan more or simply start studying again. I am also unsure how much I should push myself and how to schedule the next phase. My current target is to reach 645 by Q1. Even if I do not achieve it, I may set another target, since I feel the need to finish what I started and I have already invested too much to quit now.
I still have four mocks left (Practice Exams 5 and 6).
Quant - 3 Weeks Focus
Verbal - 3 Weeks Focus
Data Insight - 3 Weeks Focus
Things You Wish You Knew
Things You Wasted Your Time On
Gratitude & Closing
I am grateful for this long journey. It exposed many of my weak points and helped direct my life toward becoming better.
I am thankful for my friends who introduced and helped me on this journey and the friends I met through this forum (Maxsparrow & @farhanrig) who have helped me along the way.
I would also like to say thank you to Magoosh, TTP, and GMATNinja, and to everyone on the forum whose posts I often read & replied my message (bb, Bunuel, KarishmaB, gmatophobia, JeffTargetTestPrep, and many others).
Advice on how I can build a clear plan to reach 645 would be greatly appreciated.
And if you are in the same position as me, or would like to ask me questions to learn from my journey, I would be glad to help.
Thank you.
- Score: Q78, V78, D74, 535
- Target: Q82, V82, D82, 645
- Prep Duration: 2 years
- Key study material: Magoosh (Quant only), GMATNinja CR playlist, TTP (Quant only), Offline class near me, GMATClub
Purpose
This debrief is written for me to share with friends to give me feedback and as accountability. However, I also feel value in sharing this to the forum for everyone on the same journey as me, and I would be glad if anyone on the forum would also give me feedback.
Background & information
- I am a management undergraduate from a top 3 university in Indonesia. I admittedly lacked academic and career direction during undergrad and graduated with only a 3.01 / 4.00 GPA. I found Product Management 7 years ago rightly after I graduated, and am now leading product and commercial strategy at a local startup. I discovered my passion and now aspire to break into the US tech scene in product management through a T20 US MBA.
- I believe 645 is necessary to compensate for my low GPA and to prove academic readiness for T20 admission (I would also appreciate validation on this view).
- I would not consider myself strong in either math or reading. English is not my native language, and I had to fix my grammar frequently using an LLM while writing this. I had sufficient skill and work ethic to enter a top 3 university in Indonesia, but I performed in the lower ranks in my batch there. I would not say I read a lot, but I would not say I do not read either.
Study Habit
- I started studying in October 2023. While there were some periods when I did not study at all (e.g. one or two weeks due to semi-annual planning at work), if accumulated, it is fair to say that I rarely went a full week without studying. Thus I can say I study for 2 years.
- On average it was about 2 hours after work and 4 hours on each weekend day. That would be roughly 9 hours per week on a light week and up to 18 hours per week on a heavy week.
- When using Magoosh and TTP, I realized that I did not like their study plans, so I started selecting topics that I felt were weak or high-priority and focused on completing those sections instead. During the offline class period, if I was not in class, I worked on homework, which in some weeks amounted to about three 45-minute sections, and I used the remaining time to review previous class material.
- I focused on trying to understand my mistakes. Previously, I wrote notes in a notebook, but later I switched to maintaining a consistent Error Log. After fully understanding each mistake, I recorded what I missed, the more elegant solution path, and the rule to apply next time.
Key Material
Magoosh - 1 year
- Built broad, surface-level Quant skills. Used only for Quant, and I was not able to finish all Quant material.
- I chose this because it was the most affordable option, and I did not expect myself to get a good score in less than a year.
GMAT Ninja CR Playlist
- Built CR foundation, which partially carried over to RC.
TTP - 6 months
- Helped me realize many foundational Quant gaps (e.g, number properties) and provided strong organization for distance/work rate based questions. Used only for Quant, and I was not able to finish all Quant material.
- I chose this because after my Magoosh subscription ended, I felt a sense of direction loss in my study. It was recommended by a friend, and I was also aware of TTP’s positive testimonials on the forum. The price was too expensive for my budget and I had always avoided TTP before, but there was a 25% discount and I thought if I could get a great score in 6 months at this discounted price, this might be worth the price.
Offline Class - 3 months
- It exposed me to a test-like situation, created pressure to increase my pace, and was the first time I truly approached questions with the mindset that solving alone is not enough. I needed to develop skills to solve questions as easily as possible (which is why it is called quantitative reasoning, not mathematics). This was also the first time I developed an understanding of how to solve Data Insight questions systematically instead of “brute force.” After this class, I felt confident enough to take the official test and scheduled it about one month after the class ended.
- I chose this because both in Magoosh and TTP I was not able to finish all the material within the subscription period, which made me wonder whether I am a slow learner or whether the material is simply too large to finish if your goal is to build 645-level skills. A friend also recommended this class because it helped create positive pressure through learning alongside classmates.
Study Proportion
- Quant & math-related Data Sufficiency: 50%
- Verbal: CR 30%, RC 10%
- Data Insight (non-math Data Sufficiency): 10%
Practice Exam/Mock and Official Test History
| Date | Source | Q | V | DI | Score | Notes |
| 3/25/2024 | mba.com PrEx 1A | 60 | 60 | 60 | 205 | Many questions left unanswered |
| 9/22/2024 | mba.com PrEx 1B | 75 | 75 | 75 | 505 | |
| 5/3/2025 | mba.com PrEx 2A | 73 | 78 | 75 | 515 | |
| 11/7/2025 | mba.com PrEx 2B | 78 | 79 | 76 | 555 | |
| 11/14/2025 | mba.com PrEx 3A | 75 | 83 | 82 | 605 | |
| 11/21/2025 | mba.com PrEx 3B | 78 | 83 | 73 | 565 | |
| 12/5/2025 | mba.com PrEx 4A | 79 | 77 | 63 | 465 | Distracted in cafe during Verbal & DI |
| 12/12/2025 | mba.com PrEx 4B | 79 | 82 | 79 | 605 | |
| 12/19/2025 | Official GMAT Test | 78 | 78 | 74 | 535 |
Breakdown by Topic/Skill
I invite you to read this too where I believe the data says more about me. I also attached screenshot of my Official GMAT Test - Time Management Report in this post
| PrEx 3A | PrEx 3B | PrEx 4A | PrEx 4B | Official Test | Avg | Med | |
| Date | 11/14/2025 | 11/21/2025 | 12/5/2025 | 12/12/2025 | 12/19/2025 | ||
| Score | 605 | 565 | 465 | 605 | 535 | 555 | 565 |
| Section - Quant | 75 | 78 | 79 | 79 | 78 | 78 | 78 |
| Arithmetic | 57 | 48 | 54 | 69 | 54 | 56 | 54 |
| Algebra | 18 | 40 | 53 | 41 | 40 | 38 | 40 |
| Pure Context | 24 | 34 | 47 | 34 | 53 | 38 | 34 |
| Real Context | 45 | 70 | 65 | 70 | 31 | 56 | 65 |
| Rates/Ratios/Percent | 100 | 64 | 46 | 59 | 29 | 60 | 59 |
| Value/Order/Factors | 53 | 40 | 50 | 40 | 100 | 57 | 50 |
| Equal/Unequal/ALG | n/a | 40 | 65 | 51 | 40 | 49 | 46 |
| Counting/Sets/Series/Prob/Stats | 33 | 56 | 41 | - | 49 | 45 | 45 |
| Section - Verbal | 83 | 83 | 77 | 82 | 78 | 81 | 82 |
| Critical Reasoning | 93 | 84 | 29 | 70 | 44 | 64 | 70 |
| Reading Comprehension | 68 | 63 | 21 | 79 | 37 | 54 | 63 |
| Analysis/Critique | 83 | 64 | n/a | 64 | 26 | 59 | 64 |
| Plan/Construct | 86 | 85 | 45 | 73 | 100 | 78 | 85 |
| Identify Inferred Idea | 85 | 61 | 30 | 53 | 38 | 53 | 53 |
| Identify Stated Idea | 34 | 59 | 25 | 100 | 38 | 51 | 38 |
| Section - Data Insight | 82 | 73 | 63 | 79 | 74 | 74 | 74 |
| Math Related | 91 | 30 | 56 | 79 | 35 | 58 | 56 |
| Non-Math Related | 88 | 33 | 84 | 67 | 43 | 63 | 67 |
| Data Sufficiency | 80 | 59 | 29 | 73 | 37 | 56 | 59 |
| Graphs and Tables | 78 | 47 | 80 | 73 | 100 | 76 | 78 |
| Multi-Source Reasoning | 82 | - | 63 | 100 | 18 | 66 | 73 |
| Two-Part Analysis | 82 | - | n/a | - | 44 | 63 | 63 |
Error pattern/weak point
I did not start recording my error log in a spreadsheet consistently until this July, after I finished TTP and followed their error log style. I recorded 416 questions for Quant, 94 for Verbal, and 128 for Data Insight (I did not track Verbal and DI as consistently as Quant).
I wrote this after the test, trying to connect everything and summarize it into concise conclusions:
Top Quant Error Pattern
- Algebra & Pure Context: Understand the technique but fail to apply it, or do not fully understand the technique (thus relying on “brute force” rather than “pattern recognition”), or make careless math mistakes.
- Real Context & Rates/Ratios/Percent: Misread or misinterpret the problem.
- Counting / Sets / Series / Probability / Statistics: Understand the technique but fail to apply it.
Top Verbal Error Patterns
- CR: Correct but too slow, which adds time pressure to RC.
- RC: Did not fully understand the passage, which leads to failure in identifying what is being stated or inferred.
Top 3 Data Insight Error Patterns
- Math-Related Data Sufficiency: Conceptual gaps; understand the technique but fail to apply it.
- MSR / TPA: Understand the technique but fail to apply it, or get the question correct but take too long, resulting in a habit of bailing and guessing later.
- Graphs / Tables: Correct but too slow, adding time pressure to other questions.
Priority and plan
I spent the past four days using my study time to read and analyze my mistakes. I am currently in a limbo between whether I should plan more or simply start studying again. I am also unsure how much I should push myself and how to schedule the next phase. My current target is to reach 645 by Q1. Even if I do not achieve it, I may set another target, since I feel the need to finish what I started and I have already invested too much to quit now.
I still have four mocks left (Practice Exams 5 and 6).
Quant - 3 Weeks Focus
- Improve accuracy in translating long passages for percent / ratio / rate questions
- Build the habit of pattern recognition for Algebra & Pure Context instead of brute force
- Master counting, probability, and 3-set Venn diagram techniques
Verbal - 3 Weeks Focus
- Finish the GMAT Ninja RC playlist
- Redo the GMAT Ninja CR playlist and identify remaining gaps
Data Insight - 3 Weeks Focus
- Familiarize myself with MSR / TPA techniques
- Strengthen math-related Data Sufficiency
- Increase Graphs / Tables speed
Things You Wish You Knew
- GMAT, like many things in life, depends heavily on your starting point, which is the accumulation of what you have done before. Math sense is built from consistency and practice. Verbal skill comes from reading habits (I have heard that people who consistently read English newspapers from front to back for years can develop strong Verbal skills with little issue). Data Insight may come from both, or be developed through doing data analysis at work. If you are not at the same starting point as others you see online, that is fine. You just need to accept that you may have to study more and pay your dues first.
- Nothing beats meeting people who have already been through the test and learning offline. For example, I got my first streak of CR questions correct after Maxsparrow recommended that I finish the GMAT Ninja CR playlist. The offline class I took also delivered a huge amount of information at a fast and dense pace. It was my first exposure to doing more than one 45-minute full section per week (e.g., Quant only), which helped me adjust to test-like fatigue and conditions.
- There is a huge difference between studying with full attention and simply “studying.” Protect your attention by doing whatever is necessary. For example, I now use 45-minute Pomodoro, the SocialFocus browser extension, and Samsung’s Study Mode.
Things You Wasted Your Time On
- I delayed exposing myself to full-section study, strict time constraints, and full mocks. After several months, I realized this was because I was deeply disappointed with my 205 score (the lowest possible score) and was trying to protect myself from facing that feeling again.
- However, to be honest, I still do not know whether I have been doing this for too long, or whether this is simply what I needed to go through because I started far behind many people and therefore had to study more.
Gratitude & Closing
I am grateful for this long journey. It exposed many of my weak points and helped direct my life toward becoming better.
I am thankful for my friends who introduced and helped me on this journey and the friends I met through this forum (Maxsparrow & @farhanrig) who have helped me along the way.
I would also like to say thank you to Magoosh, TTP, and GMATNinja, and to everyone on the forum whose posts I often read & replied my message (bb, Bunuel, KarishmaB, gmatophobia, JeffTargetTestPrep, and many others).
Advice on how I can build a clear plan to reach 645 would be greatly appreciated.
And if you are in the same position as me, or would like to ask me questions to learn from my journey, I would be glad to help.
Thank you.
Attachments
Dec19DataTime.png [ 300.52 KiB | Viewed 565 times ]
Dec19VerbalTime.png [ 316.97 KiB | Viewed 565 times ]
Dec19QuantTime.png [ 303.84 KiB | Viewed 563 times ]
Dec19Overall.png [ 144.97 KiB | Viewed 565 times ]
25 Dec 2025, 09:33
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Hi heron6! Merry Christmas!
Wow! If you started at 205 then progress to 535 is nothing less than impressive! I know 535 is just about the average score but the improvement is always what counts - you have improved significantly... though I see that improvement came in the first few months a year ago, so you have been stagnating after reaching about mid-500's in 2024
We did have a story by Dalal: https://gmatclub.com/forum/dalal-s-jour ... 43745.html and on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vee--5Dd0IE
She has changed everything about her approach and significantly changed her study habits.
Looking at your scores - it seems your GMAT Prep scores have been higher so there may be quite a bit of room for you to improve on DI side as well as perhaps a few points on Q and V. To go up 110 points, you need about 17 points across Q, V, and DI. Here is a quick snapshot of the calculator: https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-focus-s ... 18782.html
So if you can fix your V at 82 like you had on one of the GMAT Prep tests, you need Q82 and DI81 or perhaps Q84 and DI 79.
You are very correct that you need to LEARN instead of just study and cover material!
My suggestion for the path forward would be to focus on a specific section/area such as assumption questions or fractions or Word Problems, and stick to that area/zone until you reach about 80-90% accuracy on a mix of easy/medium/hard questions.
Also, it is not clear WHY you made certain mistakes from the information you provided. The whole Official score report of "Analysis/Critique" is not really helpful as it is too broad and it is just a lot of information. After you figure out which questions you make mistakes on (e.g. fractions, assumptions, or else), what you need to know is WHY you made the mistakes. That's what's going to help you the most improve.
P.S. I would not get another prep product as you have used enough and it has not made a significant difference/impact since mid 2024, so I would also look back, see how you studied, what you did, and see what can you do better - what can you do more if you had unlimited time and unlimited resources? Can you make chapters of hand-written notes for the areas you are weaker in? Can you study in the morning and do drills, etc?
Be careful not to spend endless time taking questions - that can suck up a lot of time. You need a structure - need a calendar to organize your days and weeks and cover particular topics and start with one and until you can get 80-90% accuracy in a 10-question quiz do not move past. I would suggest starting with your favorite topic/easiest for you area. Whatever that is.
-BB
GMAT-Club-Forum-9wxeu6hx.png [ 110.27 KiB | Viewed 497 times ]
Wow! If you started at 205 then progress to 535 is nothing less than impressive! I know 535 is just about the average score but the improvement is always what counts - you have improved significantly... though I see that improvement came in the first few months a year ago, so you have been stagnating after reaching about mid-500's in 2024
We did have a story by Dalal: https://gmatclub.com/forum/dalal-s-jour ... 43745.html and on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vee--5Dd0IE
She has changed everything about her approach and significantly changed her study habits.
Looking at your scores - it seems your GMAT Prep scores have been higher so there may be quite a bit of room for you to improve on DI side as well as perhaps a few points on Q and V. To go up 110 points, you need about 17 points across Q, V, and DI. Here is a quick snapshot of the calculator: https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-focus-s ... 18782.html
So if you can fix your V at 82 like you had on one of the GMAT Prep tests, you need Q82 and DI81 or perhaps Q84 and DI 79.
You are very correct that you need to LEARN instead of just study and cover material!
My suggestion for the path forward would be to focus on a specific section/area such as assumption questions or fractions or Word Problems, and stick to that area/zone until you reach about 80-90% accuracy on a mix of easy/medium/hard questions.
Also, it is not clear WHY you made certain mistakes from the information you provided. The whole Official score report of "Analysis/Critique" is not really helpful as it is too broad and it is just a lot of information. After you figure out which questions you make mistakes on (e.g. fractions, assumptions, or else), what you need to know is WHY you made the mistakes. That's what's going to help you the most improve.
P.S. I would not get another prep product as you have used enough and it has not made a significant difference/impact since mid 2024, so I would also look back, see how you studied, what you did, and see what can you do better - what can you do more if you had unlimited time and unlimited resources? Can you make chapters of hand-written notes for the areas you are weaker in? Can you study in the morning and do drills, etc?
Be careful not to spend endless time taking questions - that can suck up a lot of time. You need a structure - need a calendar to organize your days and weeks and cover particular topics and start with one and until you can get 80-90% accuracy in a 10-question quiz do not move past. I would suggest starting with your favorite topic/easiest for you area. Whatever that is.
-BB
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-9wxeu6hx.png [ 110.27 KiB | Viewed 497 times ]
26 Dec 2025, 08:21
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First off, congrats on the 320-point increase in your mock scores!
To incease your score from 535 to 645, you must identify and strengthen all remaining areas of weakness. So, be sure to thoroughly analyze your practice tests and practice sessions to identify those weaknesses. Then, for each area of weakness:
- Carefully review all of the properties, formulas, techniques and strategies related to that topic
- Locate and answer dozens of questions that test that topic.
For each question you answer incorrectly, ask yourself:
- Did I make a careless mistake?
- Did I incorrectly apply a related formula/property/technique?
- Did I fall for a trap answer? If so, what was the trap exactly?
- Was there a concept I did not understand in the question?
By carefully analyzing your mistakes, you will be able to fix your weaknesses efficiently and, in turn, improve your skills. This process has been proven to be effective for all topics.
For more tips, check out these articles:
- Developing the Proper Mindset For GMAT Success
- How to Increase Your GMAT Quant Score: Top 20 Tips
- How to Score High on GMAT Verbal on the Focus Edition
- How to Prepare for GMAT Data Insights
Also, since you're a TTP student, please feel free to reach out to us via live chat so we can make sure you're on the right path moving forward.
We've got your back.
To incease your score from 535 to 645, you must identify and strengthen all remaining areas of weakness. So, be sure to thoroughly analyze your practice tests and practice sessions to identify those weaknesses. Then, for each area of weakness:
- Carefully review all of the properties, formulas, techniques and strategies related to that topic
- Locate and answer dozens of questions that test that topic.
For each question you answer incorrectly, ask yourself:
- Did I make a careless mistake?
- Did I incorrectly apply a related formula/property/technique?
- Did I fall for a trap answer? If so, what was the trap exactly?
- Was there a concept I did not understand in the question?
By carefully analyzing your mistakes, you will be able to fix your weaknesses efficiently and, in turn, improve your skills. This process has been proven to be effective for all topics.
For more tips, check out these articles:
- Developing the Proper Mindset For GMAT Success
- How to Increase Your GMAT Quant Score: Top 20 Tips
- How to Score High on GMAT Verbal on the Focus Edition
- How to Prepare for GMAT Data Insights
Also, since you're a TTP student, please feel free to reach out to us via live chat so we can make sure you're on the right path moving forward.
We've got your back.
