Three Tests Down, Score Stagnation?

Question

Just finished my  third GMAT Focus Edition test today  and I’m feeling a bit defeated.

My score’s barely moved.
 
  1st attempt (March) :  665  – VR 79 / DI 83 / QR 87 
  2nd attempt (April) :  675  – VR 79 / DI 83 / QR 87 
  3rd attempt (today) :  685 (approx.)  – VR 81 / DI 80 / QR 88  
I've been putting a lot of work into  Verbal Reasoning , and while it’s been slowly improving,  Data Insights  continues to underperform—even though I study it just as much (if not more).

I'm targeting  705+  (ideally 725) for Round 1 applications. But this plateau is making me anxious—especially with just a couple weeks left until my next attempt.

At this point, I’m wondering if I should go all-in on DI and let VR/QR ride.
Anyone else hit this kind of wall before?

How did you push through?  Any advice or strategies would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

MBAACCOUNT2025 · Answer

You've a wonderful score ( 685 ). You should start with the essays.  There is no need to get a 705+, regardless of the school you're targeting.

pintukr · Answer

Congratulations on an excellent score. You should go ahead with the applications, post working on key highlights of your work experience and profile.

All the Best.

NextstopISB · Answer

This is the good score , congratulations

Gmat750aspirant · Answer

Quant and DI scores are good, focus on weaker areas of Verbal

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

One thing that may help a bit is including working with a study buddy. If, for example, you can find someone who needs help with Quant and is really strong on Verbal/Quant, it could be a good fit. Consider sharing your score report and specific areas (e.g. CR assumption questions) you find challenging. People may provide some specific suggestions and tips based on them.

How to score high on GMAT Verbal.

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi MJ79,

Great work so far! Regarding how to push through in DI, when students struggle with DI questions, the first thing I always ask is whether they have fully completed their quant and verbal prep. Not doing so can really affect how well you handle DI questions, as many of those questions involve quantitative and verbal concepts. So, would you say you are in that boat?

In addition, one way to improve each individual DI question type is to engage in topical practice. Doing so lets you pinpoint your weak areas in JUST ONE question type. For example, when practicing TPA questions, perhaps you see a pattern that you struggle with 3-part ratios or weighted averages. If you can find those micro weaknesses, you can fix them in real-time and thus improve your accuracy in DI questions..

Lastly, when working on DI questions, for the time being, make sure to practice them untimed so you can focus on JUST accuracy. As you become more familiar with these question types and get more accurate, better timing will follow.

For more advice, check out this article:  How to Prepare for GMAT Data Insights

Feel free to reach out with any additional questions.

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