My GMAT Journey: All 8 times!!

Hello everyone,

Today, I took my 8th official GMAT, but unfortunately I could not reach my ideal score of 700.
I am writing this because I feel like there are not many stories like this, a story that someone took GMAT 8 times and still did not achieve a good score and because I wanted to share my learning and mistakes, hoping that people new to this GMAT journey won't need to take GMAT 8 times and end up not getting their ideal score. And also I would like someone to help me answer some questions too

My profile and the journey
I am a non-native speaker and I grew up in a lower mid class in Asia but lived in an English speaking country for about 6 years or so. went to a normal public school but completed my high school degree on my own after I stopped going to high school because of some mental (?) issue. I finished my Business undergrad degree in an English speaking country, and after the graduation, worked in finance for 3 years.
My journey began around April 2021 as I wanted to get into one of top MBA programs either in the US or in EU. As almost everyone does, I bought some official guides and solved the OG questions, and after realising that I needed to learn more basic concepts etc, I used several prep courses. After about a year of prep, I took my first official test(online) just to see 360 (Q6 V31). I kept studying, using some prep courses to solidify basic concepts and to improve reasoning process, but it really did not work on the score board. And yes it made me really sad and a little depressed, but thanks to my perseverance or my stupidity lol, I kept going, ended up studying for over 3000 hours and used all the 8 attempts. I am feeling salty but more relieved to be honest. I feel like I am finally free from GMAT. I think without this the limit on the number of attempts, I would have kept going. I probably just needed some reasons that forcefully stop me.

Here are some learnings I would like to share.

Learnings and tips
(well I am not sure if I can call it "tips" since I did not get my ideal score, but here they are anyways)
- It is very important to purchase a comprehensive prep course at the early stage of your prep.
- Probably consider working with tutors if you didn't get a good score on your first and second official GMAT or if you think you are not improving at all. The sooner the better. Even if it costs a little more, it is much better than realising it after 6 or 7 attempts because you won't feel too much pressure. So If I were to redo the journey, I would work with some tutors for a few months after I took two official exams. Good tutors can really point out mistakes in your reasoning and I find them super helpful.
- Better not to take it too seriously. I was taking it very very seriously
- Long hours do not mean anything. It is probably a common sense but it is really true that if you want to improve your skills, focus on quality rather than on quantity. But it is sometimes very difficult to do it on your own, because you cannot really see yourself in a complete objective manner, so it's beneficial to have study buddies or work with tutors, who can see what you cannot see. So my point is " work with other people and ask for help as soon as possible". I found a very good study buddy here in GMAT club.
- Perseverance is important but learning when to quit is equally important. I definitely would not say to give up after 2 attempts because you did not grow up or did not work in an environment that helps you get a good GMAT score, it really takes a lot of time for you to improve even a bit, because in my opinion, your reasoning skills and other skills that you gained while growing up are 100% one of the most important factors. But I think for majority of people, it's still achievable so with perseverance and good resources, you can definitely get a good score, but at the same time, if you feel like you are really far off your ideal score after a few attempts, it might be wise to cut a loss and go find what you are good at. There are things that effort and perseverance cannot be helpful for.

Mistakes
- Way too long hours for prep and putting GMAT before anything else. I really lost many things during this journey and gained not as much. It's better to have a good balance between studies and social life to keep your mind fresh.
- Too much pressure on yourself. Although I really tried to stop myself from doing this, I could not help but tell myself that if I do not get a good score, I am a loser and I have nothing else to do, almost thinking stupidly that GMAT is the only way to measure my intelligence and it's what defines me as a person. So please don't be so harsh on yourself. Well at the end of the day, even if you don't get a good GMAT score, you still have a chance to go to some b schools or you have something else to do. I ended up seeing a psychiatrist.

Last Notes
I wanted to appreciate this awesome community! Without this GMAT club, I would not have been able to keep my motivation up and my perseverance. I met nice people here on GMAT club throughout my journey, who helped me a lot!! I really want to thank all the tutors who helped me and were super patient with me, and everyone who helped me during my journey!!! egmat GMATWhizTeam GmatTutorKnight JeffTargetTestPrep ScottTargetTestPrep MartyTargetTestPrep Gmat Whiz Saquib and Gmat Whiz Sunita !!!

My Question
Now I kinda need a bit of help to figure out a few things ok I won't lie. it was quite shocking to see the result after I spend almost 3 years, well over 3000 hours and around $10,000 or possibly more.
And I sacrificed quite a lot my personal life and my career. I quit my job 1 year ago to focus on GMAT prep. I am probably not in a good position both socially and financially as well.
So I guess I was extremely inefficient preparing for GMAT and putting a lot of "wrong" effort (?) I was wondering if anyone could advise me as to how it is possible that someone, who was quite dedicated to the exam, can end up not hitting even 650. Am I probably just a super inefficient learner? Is my brain flawed in some way or part of it not isn't functioning well?
Ok, it might sound like a silly question. If you are extremely bad at GMAT like myself, what can you possibly be good at? My point is I just want to know how I end up like this. If anyone has met someone like me or is familiar with these topics, it would be much much appreciated if you could share your thoughts with me.

Scores
2021/03/19 1st GMAT 360(Q6 V31) online
2021/04/14 2nd GMAT 600(Q44 V29) online
2021/09/29 3rd GMAT 630(Q47 V30)
2021/12/07 4th GMAT 640(Q43 V35)
2022/02/25 5th GMAT 640(Q47 V31)
2022/04/14 6th GMAT 560(Q45 V23)
2022/08/04 7th GMAT 580 (Q47 V23)
2023/01/27 8th GMAT 640 (Q44 V34)

Resources
Books/Online Resources
Manhattan Fundamental Verbal and Quant
Manhattan All Verbal and All Quant
Power Score RC and CR
GMAT Ninja Youtune Video

Questions and Mocks
OG Quetsions
GMAP Prep Questions
Official Mock #1to#6
Varitas Mock
Manhattan Mock

Prep Course
eGMAT Quant and Verbal
Math Revolution
TTP Quant and Verbal
GMAT Whiz

Personal Tutoring
GMAT Knight Tutoring 3 Verbal sessions
GMAT Whiz 10 Verbal sessions and 10 Quant sessions


Thank you very much for reading.

Hey Buddy!

You improved from 360 to 640!

That's a freaking 280 points jump and I am sure it would have taken enormous strength and willpower to get there. You should indeed be very proud of yourself. Also, it takes a mountain of courage to share your experience on something you probably didn't succeed in as much as you had expected. If I were you, I could never write about my journey and I really appreciate you doing so. To me, you're already a champion.

Sorry to hear that you didn't get your desired score, however, a score doesn't really define who you are. At best, it can tell very little aspect of what you're today, not what you can eventually be tomorrow. Always remember, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. Maybe one day you will realize that this experience has made you a stronger and better person than you could ever be.

Wishing you the very best in whatever you do going forward and wherever you find yourself.

More power to you my friend
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Hi Sivatorne.

Nice work getting from 360 to 640. That's one of the biggest GMAT score increases I've heard about.

To answer your question about why you haven't quite gotten the results you want even though you have put a lot into the GMAT, it's likely just that your methods of preparing haven't been ideal. In other words, even though you have used a lot of resources and put in a lot of time, probably something about the way you have prepared could have been more effective.

For instance, even the GMAT itself you haven't used in an ideal way. Your score goal is 700+, but you have taken the GMAT 8 times even though you haven't been prepared to score 700+.

Many people experience such an issue. For instance, thousands of people use the Target Test Prep course every year, but not all get the exact same results. Why not? Because there are nuances to how they use the course. So, some get better results than others get.

So, I think the question you could ask yourself is that of how you could have better used the resources you used and what in general you could have done differently. For instance, the following post discusses how best to practice for the GMAT. So, you can see whether you used the methods described in the post. If not, then you have a clue regarding what you could do differently going forward.

The Best GMAT Practice Methods

By the way, if you contact GMAC and say that your target schools all require a GMAT score higher than you have achieved so far, they will likely give you one more shot at the GMAT. If you do get another shot, don't take it until it's clear that you are ready to score 700+.

Meanwhile, 640 is high enough for getting into many solid schools. So, regardless of whether you score 700+, you're well positioned to keep making progress.
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Hi Sivatorne,

I know you did not hit your final score goal, but your study should inspire others. The fact that you stuck with the GMAT for so many years speaks volumes about you! In other words, I see great things happening for you in the future.
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That’s a golden piece of advice, Marty!

Posted from my mobile device

Sivatorne - Congratulations on your incredible journey and progress! It's clear that you have faced many challenges and obstacles. Let me start by saying that people. In my experience, people who get ahead in life are not those who start at the top or excel at the very beginning of their journey but those who have an insatiable energy, drive and determination to keep pushing forward. Your story suggests that you possess that. So clearly, you possess a critical gene of the needed success genome. Having said that, it is clear that something is missing.


What do your scores suggest?

There is one thing that you need to remember - Success on the GMAT requires both Core Abilities in various subsections and Test Readiness. Your score fluctuations suggest that while you possess the core abilities, you may have lacked in test readiness. Test readiness includes factors such as time management, test-taking strategies, and mental preparation.

Lack of test readiness can limit a student's performance, even if they have excellent abilities. Below is an example of a student who despite excellent abilities, scored 640, but was able to improve to 760 within 20 days by working on his test readiness skills.

https://gmatclub.com/forum/my-tryst-wit ... 05331.html

What I am trying to say is that when you look at this student, you would look at 760-scorer and say that he is smart. At the same time, even he stumbled on the GMAT on his second attempt. It is possible that you would have scored much higher had you gotten the right test readiness inputs.

Bottom line – treat the GMAT as just a test. Clearly, you need to do something with regard to how efficiently you have studied. But a lack of a 700-score does not make you any less smart. In fact, your journey suggests that you possess a key trait – a trait to be singularly focused and never give up. Now, your outcomes will improve if you add/enhance the following traits – introspection and planning.

I hope it helps.

-Rajat
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Wow Sivatorne! I am sorry to hear about your journey outcome and not reaching your goal

(I do think going from 360 to 640 is a huge bump of 280 points - it is VERY hard to increase by more than 150 points and over 200 is REALLY hard so going up 280, even if it is to 640, still deserves a huge credit and recognition. It is not how tall we are, but how much we have grown and I can say that you have learned, mastered, and improve more than 99.99% of GMAT Club users. I am sorry it is still short of the averages of the bschools but it is a celebration, pride, and standing tall).

In terms of options, this year is an interesting year for applicants. Many schools have found their ranks to be a bit slimmer than the year before and the year before their ranks were slimmer than the year before. You get the picture. Is it possible for you to apply for a test waiver? A number of schools may be inclined, esp for someone from Europe since many of the European applicants pursue a Masters degree instead of an MBA...

P.S. What you have learned and mastered in the GMAT journey will still be valuable even if you apply with a waiver. So many people today don't know what it means to work hard for something and they don't know what it means or how to start. The hard work you put into the GMAT will help you in recruiting, in classes, and many other projects!
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Sivatorne , first of all I know that no matter what I (or anyone else) say, you will feel a bit disappointed. I get this. So from this place of understanding you, all I'm going to say is that you are going to do very well in the future.

I am in a similar situation; been studying for the GMAT for a longer time - since May 2020 - and I can relate to, pretty much, everything you said. Especially this quote got me :

I agree with all of your recommendations, tips, mistakes mentioned, etc. as I feel the same...

Now, for the question that I myself contemplate about and struggle with:


So buddy, if you are like me, there is a good chance that (and you mentioned it) you grew up, lacking some skills. In my case it was stopping paying attention in math class in 3rd grade, and that really caused me to stay behind for many many years that I simply gave up and didn't care anymore.
-What am I trying to say here? That changing a habit takes a LOT of time. So, if I stopped to pay attention in math classes since 3rd grade and as a result I have been behind for more than 15 years, it will take a LOT of time to change this habit. This is why the GMAT can be difficult for people like me for instance.

Another thing that has nothing to do with math/english/critical thinking is the way your brain functions in general, how you act, how you just go about things in general. For example, do you know those people who keep forgetting things so they go back and forth to the same place many times? Like, say you need to grab several things from the kitchen (salt, paper towels, water, etc...) and you start doing trips to the kitchen.
-What am I trying to say here? Those people are likely, but not necessarily, to have a hard time excelling at an exam like the GMAT because they are all over the place, not organized, not thinking efficiently.

Another thing (and I'll stop here, I think you got the gist of it) is your mental capacity/ability .. let's just call it this way. What do I mean by that? Say you are constantly destructed by things during your studying: phone, TV, notifications, etc... let's face it - it sucks to study for the GMAT while it's quite fun to be destructed by these things. Your mental capacity/ability comes into play here by you shutting your brain off and focusing ONLY on the GMAT. But it's hard, right? Well, you can start incorporating mediation into your life and this might help.
-My point here, again? It has nothing to do with your math/english skills, but something else...

So... what am I trying to say altogether? I think that although your target score has not been met (and yes, it sucks), you should look at the half full glass. Having improved your score by SO much is evidence for you that you are on the right track to success. If anything, it shows that you were (and are) able to work on many many parts in your brain and improve them. This is a POSITIVE sign. If anything, you are becoming more efficient. And I know, it sounds slightly counterintuitive because your scores somewhat show that you have not been efficient. Yet, we don't all have the same starting point. If your situation is sorta like mine, then you should see your GMAT progress as an improvement to your life. To be honest, if I were you I would have still kept on preparing for the GMAT but not for the purpose of retaking the exam, but for the purpose of improving yourself and becoming more efficient.
Now that you don't have the stress anymore, just use this GMAT as a resource for becoming more efficient in your work and life. Don't stop HERE.

And again, what you have shown to everybody here man is that you've got courage, strong mentality, and that you are stubborn. That's something to be proud of.

I'll sign off by saying that there is not way you are giving up and that you are going to achieve success in life. Everyone here has told you that !

Thanks for sharing, I appreciate you.

All the best buddy

gmatophobia
Thank you very much for your comment.
I believe that I will eventually connect the dots, and I am already starting to feel like I am ready for some next challenge, thanks to the comments like yours.

MartyTargetTestPrep
Thank you very much for your comment and for your suggestions.
I didn't know that the 9th attempt can be possible, but whether I will go for the 9th one or not, I will definitely need to change my habit and to understand those "nuances".
I am going to read the article. Thank you.

ScottTargetTestPrep
Thank you very much.
I could not be happier if my story can inspire others in any way.

egmat
Thank you very much for your comment.
During my prep, I started to realise to some degree that introspection is one of the areas I needed to work on.
I hope I can take it into account and work on it during my next journey.
Thanks a lot for your support once again!

bb
Thank you very much for your comments and for your kind words.
Even after my GMAT journey, I have been encouraged to move forward as quickly as possibly by people in this community !!
That's why I really like the community you created and cannot thank you enough for that.
And I will definitely consider a test waiver. And now I feel like I don't need to feel ashamed of sharing my story during recruiting.
Thank you once again.

HWPO
Thank you very much for your response.
Wow it's really good to know that there is someone out there who is or was on the same boat. I appreciate the fact that you understand me well!!

And in my case, it was probably that I had no idea what reasoning is and how to think critically, until very late in my career, and I am still not good at it. I read sometimes here that some people like thinking critically since they were young. And like you said, now I know that it takes really a lot of time of change habits. And you've got to work on it consistently without taking a break otherwise you will be pushed back to your old habit and have to start the process almost from the scratch again and again...
Thanks for your suggestion as well. And I like how you said that you should see yours GMAT progress as an improvement to your life. This really motivate me a lot!!

Once again, thanks a lot for sharing your own story!! It's really valuable for me to be shared with stories like yours!
And if you are still on the journey, I wish you all the best to get your desired score and to be successful in the future.

I've added this debrief to this post on The Biggest GMAT Score Increases.
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Hi Sivatorne,
I can only imagine your frustration and truly feel sorry. I was pretty much on same boat with you when ı started gmat 1,5 years ago ( ı started with a 590 from a non-official test and after studying for 3 months ı scored the same!). Looking at your Q / V breakdown ı can say that you lack fundamental quant skills and maybe a little bit verbal skills. I am going to be honest gmat is not an exam where someone can just "study" and achieve results. GMAT demands STRONG fundamental skills both in verbal and quant. I graduated from engineering and in high school ı was in STEM so GMAT quant questions were not really an issue for me as ı already had decent quant skills. However ı finished entire TTP and solved thousands of quant questions just to be as ironclad as possible at quant! However my main issue was and still is verbal...I am non-native and my education language was not english. My whole conversation skills came from movies ı watched & games ı played. So what ı did was to take a grammar book study it just to build my grammar afterwards ı signed with TTP and spent a very very long time on SC questions and basic grammar just to build my skills...Also note that you have to have strong "logic" and "reading" skills so ı have been practicing RC questions from OG and LSAT and ı have been reading lots of articles from economist for the past 1.5 years. Also I can confidently suggest you to partake in "butler" initiative in gmatclub as it will help you to write your own answers as if you are tutoring someone and to build your own way of thinking. I know you spent thousands of hours you probably know most of what ı stated...but please bear in mind that it may very well be your fundamental skills that are dragging you down. I also spent maybe a thousand hour just to build my skills...An after all what ı did, in verbal, ı still severely struggle... If you want to talk pm me and we can discuss further...

Hey bb, what do you mean by the schools ranks were slimmer? I'm not familiar with that expression, hope you can elaborate. Thanks!