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Nilesh.S
Joined: 25 Sep 2023
Last visit: 04 Apr 2026
Posts: 3
Given Kudos: 14
Location: India
Schools: McDonough '26 (A$) Tepper '26 (WL)
GMAT Focus 1: 675 Q90 V79 DI82 
GPA: 3.36
Products:
11 Jun 2025, 22:09
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Hello everyone,
I'm Nilesh, and I recently scored 675 on the GMAT Focus Edition with Q90, DI82, and V79, last week. As an engineer working in a data-related field, I thought the GMAT would be straightforward – boy, was I wrong! My journey from 615 to 675 was filled with challenges, including a frustrating score plateau at 645 that almost made me give up. I'm sharing my story hoping it helps others facing similar struggles.
The Beginning: Reality Check at 615
When I started with e-GMAT, my score was 615. Given my engineering background and data-heavy job, I was surprised by this score. I knew that I needed some help improving my score. I had heard good reviews about e-GMAT and decided to enrol into their course.
My initial target was just 645 because I wasn't aware of what percentiles meant in the new format, and also cause I thought this is all I was capable of.
It was only when my mentor explained that 675 represents the 95-96th percentile that I set my sights higher. Little did I know that 645 would become my nemesis before becoming my stepping stone.
My Score Plateau: Stuck at 645
After initial preparation, I took the test and scored 645. Thinking it might be a fluke, I retook it after just 15 days. The result? Another 645. I still remember that moment – it was heartbreaking. I thought, "I can't do it." The second 645 felt like a wall I couldn't break through. I was ready to give up.
That's when my LMP mentor Rashmi stepped in. She helped me realize that while my Quant was decent (Q88), my Verbal and DI were holding me back. More importantly, she showed me that I had fundamental issues I was ignoring.
The Turning Point
The real game-changer came from an unexpected source – a YouTube interview of another e-GMAT student. I watched him show his e-GMAT scores with incredibly high accuracy rates. Until then, I thought getting 50-60% on e-GMAT questions was acceptable because they were "really tough."
That interview gave me an epiphany: "The problem is with me, not the questions." This mindset shift was crucial. I stopped settling for mediocrity and started working on my actual weaknesses.
Section-wise Journey
Quant: The Path to Q90
Despite starting at Q83, I had room for improvement. My main issues were:
What really helped was finally accepting that there are no "silly mistakes" – everything is either a process, concept, or behavioural error. Once I started categorizing my errors properly and maintaining a detailed error log, my accuracy improved dramatically.
By test day, I was so confident that I finished the Quant section with 5-7 minutes to spare and used that time to review my answers. The result? A perfect Q90!\
Data Insights: Overcoming Overconfidence
This was interesting. Given my job involves data analysis, I initially thought DI would be easy. I used to skip practice and jump straight to sectional tests. Big mistake! GMAT DI is different from real-world data analysis.
The structured approach to MSR (my weakest area) was crucial. I had to learn to:
Verbal: From Fear to Confidence
Verbal was my biggest challenge. Starting in the 30th percentile, I had serious issues with both CR and RC. The Master Comprehension course was fundamental – it literally taught me "how to read." This might sound basic but learning about pause points and proper comprehension techniques transformed not just my Verbal, but also helped with Quant word problems and DI.
For CR, pre-thinking became second nature. Initially, it felt forced, but with practice, my mind automatically started predicting answer directions after reading the stimulus. My accuracy gradually improved to 60%+ on hard questions.
RC remained challenging, but the structured reading strategies helped me engage with passages instead of just skimming through them.
I was quite confident getting to the test about my verbal abilities, and was scoring V82-83 on my mocks, but unfortunately on the test day, made some avoidable errors and the score suffered.
But I must say, the skills that I picked up through the e-GMAT course are skills that are going to stay with me throughout – I am just better at reading and critically thinking now.
The Role of Mentorship and LMP
I cannot overstate the importance of the Last Mile Push program. My mentor Rashmi was "on my head" (in a good way!) to: analyze every mock thoroughly, maintain error logs religiously, and follow a structured milestone-based approach. She wouldn't let me slack off or take shortcuts, which is exactly what I needed.
One crucial insight she provided: I was taking mocks randomly when tired after work, leading to inconsistent scores. She advised taking mocks only when fresh and treating them strategically, not just as checkboxes to tick.
Initially, I was reluctant to maintain error logs – it felt tedious. But after Rashmi's insistence, I started doing it religiously. The real eye-opener came when I created custom quizzes of my incorrect questions. When I attempted these after 10 days, I made the same mistakes! This showed me I hadn't truly understood my errors the first time.
Test Day:
I took the 8 AM slot, same as my mock timings. After two 645s, I approached this attempt with a "let's see what happens" attitude rather than pressure. This mental shift was crucial.
During the test, while the quant was a breeze (thanks to the e-GMAT questions), unfortunately got the 3 out of the first 5 questions wrong in verbal☹ Also, got 2 MSRs in DI – I did panic initially, but was able to pull through.
When I saw 675, I couldn't believe it. My expectations were modest given my mock scores, but the preparation had paid off.
Key Takeaways
Looking back, getting stuck at 645 forced me to confront my weaknesses instead of hoping for lucky improvements. The journey from 615 to 675 taught me that with the right approach, guidance, and mindset, significant improvements are possible.
To anyone facing a score plateau: don't give up. The breakthrough might be just one realization away. Trust the process, be honest about your weaknesses, and remember – your score is limited only by your dreams.
Happy to answer any questions about my journey. All the best to everyone preparing for the GMAT!
I'm Nilesh, and I recently scored 675 on the GMAT Focus Edition with Q90, DI82, and V79, last week. As an engineer working in a data-related field, I thought the GMAT would be straightforward – boy, was I wrong! My journey from 615 to 675 was filled with challenges, including a frustrating score plateau at 645 that almost made me give up. I'm sharing my story hoping it helps others facing similar struggles.
The Beginning: Reality Check at 615
When I started with e-GMAT, my score was 615. Given my engineering background and data-heavy job, I was surprised by this score. I knew that I needed some help improving my score. I had heard good reviews about e-GMAT and decided to enrol into their course.
My initial target was just 645 because I wasn't aware of what percentiles meant in the new format, and also cause I thought this is all I was capable of.
It was only when my mentor explained that 675 represents the 95-96th percentile that I set my sights higher. Little did I know that 645 would become my nemesis before becoming my stepping stone.
My Score Plateau: Stuck at 645
After initial preparation, I took the test and scored 645. Thinking it might be a fluke, I retook it after just 15 days. The result? Another 645. I still remember that moment – it was heartbreaking. I thought, "I can't do it." The second 645 felt like a wall I couldn't break through. I was ready to give up.
That's when my LMP mentor Rashmi stepped in. She helped me realize that while my Quant was decent (Q88), my Verbal and DI were holding me back. More importantly, she showed me that I had fundamental issues I was ignoring.
The Turning Point
The real game-changer came from an unexpected source – a YouTube interview of another e-GMAT student. I watched him show his e-GMAT scores with incredibly high accuracy rates. Until then, I thought getting 50-60% on e-GMAT questions was acceptable because they were "really tough."
That interview gave me an epiphany: "The problem is with me, not the questions." This mindset shift was crucial. I stopped settling for mediocrity and started working on my actual weaknesses.
Section-wise Journey
Quant: The Path to Q90
Despite starting at Q83, I had room for improvement. My main issues were:
- Word problems
- Some probability questions
- Making "silly mistakes" that weren't really silly
What really helped was finally accepting that there are no "silly mistakes" – everything is either a process, concept, or behavioural error. Once I started categorizing my errors properly and maintaining a detailed error log, my accuracy improved dramatically.
By test day, I was so confident that I finished the Quant section with 5-7 minutes to spare and used that time to review my answers. The result? A perfect Q90!\
Data Insights: Overcoming Overconfidence
This was interesting. Given my job involves data analysis, I initially thought DI would be easy. I used to skip practice and jump straight to sectional tests. Big mistake! GMAT DI is different from real-world data analysis.
The structured approach to MSR (my weakest area) was crucial. I had to learn to:
- Read tables and graphs the GMAT way
- Apply verbal skills to data interpretation
- Manage time effectively across different question types
Verbal: From Fear to Confidence
Verbal was my biggest challenge. Starting in the 30th percentile, I had serious issues with both CR and RC. The Master Comprehension course was fundamental – it literally taught me "how to read." This might sound basic but learning about pause points and proper comprehension techniques transformed not just my Verbal, but also helped with Quant word problems and DI.
For CR, pre-thinking became second nature. Initially, it felt forced, but with practice, my mind automatically started predicting answer directions after reading the stimulus. My accuracy gradually improved to 60%+ on hard questions.
RC remained challenging, but the structured reading strategies helped me engage with passages instead of just skimming through them.
I was quite confident getting to the test about my verbal abilities, and was scoring V82-83 on my mocks, but unfortunately on the test day, made some avoidable errors and the score suffered.
But I must say, the skills that I picked up through the e-GMAT course are skills that are going to stay with me throughout – I am just better at reading and critically thinking now.
The Role of Mentorship and LMP
I cannot overstate the importance of the Last Mile Push program. My mentor Rashmi was "on my head" (in a good way!) to: analyze every mock thoroughly, maintain error logs religiously, and follow a structured milestone-based approach. She wouldn't let me slack off or take shortcuts, which is exactly what I needed.
One crucial insight she provided: I was taking mocks randomly when tired after work, leading to inconsistent scores. She advised taking mocks only when fresh and treating them strategically, not just as checkboxes to tick.
Initially, I was reluctant to maintain error logs – it felt tedious. But after Rashmi's insistence, I started doing it religiously. The real eye-opener came when I created custom quizzes of my incorrect questions. When I attempted these after 10 days, I made the same mistakes! This showed me I hadn't truly understood my errors the first time.
Test Day:
I took the 8 AM slot, same as my mock timings. After two 645s, I approached this attempt with a "let's see what happens" attitude rather than pressure. This mental shift was crucial.
During the test, while the quant was a breeze (thanks to the e-GMAT questions), unfortunately got the 3 out of the first 5 questions wrong in verbal☹ Also, got 2 MSRs in DI – I did panic initially, but was able to pull through.
When I saw 675, I couldn't believe it. My expectations were modest given my mock scores, but the preparation had paid off.
Key Takeaways
- Never underestimate your ability: Everything can be learned. You don't need to be "naturally gifted."
- Identify YOUR weaknesses: Don't assume. I thought my data background meant DI would be easy – wrong!
- No silly mistakes exist: Every error has a root cause. Find it, fix it.
- Quality over quantity: Solving 100 questions mindlessly < analyzing 20 questions thoroughly.
- Mindset matters: My breakthrough came from believing I could do better, not from learning new concepts.
- Get help when stuck: Sometimes you need an external perspective to see what you're missing.
Looking back, getting stuck at 645 forced me to confront my weaknesses instead of hoping for lucky improvements. The journey from 615 to 675 taught me that with the right approach, guidance, and mindset, significant improvements are possible.
To anyone facing a score plateau: don't give up. The breakthrough might be just one realization away. Trust the process, be honest about your weaknesses, and remember – your score is limited only by your dreams.
Happy to answer any questions about my journey. All the best to everyone preparing for the GMAT!
12 Jun 2025, 19:52
Kudos
Bookmarks
Congrats on the score improvement
Thanks for sharing your experience. I am also stuck between 600 and 635. I have been practicing for a month, and my official mock scores are still between this range, and I am going to take my first attempt next week.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I am also stuck between 600 and 635. I have been practicing for a month, and my official mock scores are still between this range, and I am going to take my first attempt next week.
13 Jun 2025, 05:19
Kudos
Bookmarks
Nice work!
Congrats, and may all go well for you going forward.
Quote:
I recall having a similar epiphany during my prep. Having such an understanding is key to GMAT success.
Congrats, and may all go well for you going forward.
