Hi everyone! I have a general question about GMAT preparation.
I started planning for the GMAT about 15 days ago. My cold mock score was **395: Q66, DI61, V81**.
What surprised me most was my Quant and DI performance. I have consistently scored As and near-perfect marks in mathematics throughout school and university, and I also have a master’s degree in computer science. Seeing Quant and DI as my weakest sections was honestly quite rattling.
My Verbal score was comparatively better, which I attribute to my general reading habits and perhaps some residual benefit from GregMat, which I used around five years ago when I was considering taking the GRE.
Over the past two weeks, I have mostly been jumping between GMAT Club, YouTube videos, preparation books, and random practice questions. There is so much material available that I have ended up feeling more confused than productive.
My target is **715+**, and I am comfortable taking more than one attempt if required. I am planning to apply to business schools for the **2028 intake**, so I have time, but I want to use it properly.
Could anyone recommend a structured preparation strategy for someone working a full-time job?
I currently have around seven preparation books on my laptop, along with the entire universe of GMAT Club questions, videos, courses, and other resources. The abundance of material is becoming part of the problem.
I work best when I have a fixed plan and a clear sequence of steps. It is difficult for me to stay consistent unless I know exactly what I need to do today, what follows next, and how progress will be measured.
I would especially appreciate advice on:
* How to diagnose the gaps behind such a low Quant and DI score
* Which resources to use and which ones to ignore
* How to structure preparation alongside a full-time job
* When to begin timed practice and mock tests
* A realistic timeline for moving from 395 to 715+
* Whether coaching or a structured course would be worthwhile
Hopefully, the responses can also help others who feel overwhelmed by the number of GMAT resources available.
**TL;DR:** I scored 395 on my cold mock and am targeting 715+ while working full-time. I need a structured, step-by-step preparation strategy rather than an endless list of resources.