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Apr 2301:30 AM EDT
-02:30 AM EDT
Struggling with GMAT Verbal as a non-native speaker? Harsh improved his score from 595 to 695 in just 45 days—and scored a 99 %ile in Verbal (V88)! Learn how smart strategy, clarity, and guided prep helped him gain 100 points.
Apr 2212:30 AM EDT
-01:30 AM EDT
At one point, she believed GMAT wasn’t for her. After scoring 595, self-doubt crept in and she questioned her potential. But instead of quitting, she made the right strategic changes. The result? A remarkable comeback to 695. Check out how Saakshi did it.
Apr 2308:00 PM PDT
-09:00 PM PDT
Video explanations + diagnosis of 10 weakest areas + 150+ short videos + study plan!
Apr 2610:00 AM EDT
-11:00 AM EDT
The Target Test Prep course represents a quantum leap forward in GMAT preparation, a radical reinterpretation of the way that students should study. Try before you buy with a 5-day, full-access trial of the course for FREE!
Apr 2711:00 AM EDT
-12:00 PM EDT
Prefer video-based learning? The Target Test Prep OnDemand course is a one-of-a-kind video masterclass featuring 400 hours of lecture-style teaching by Scott Woodbury-Stewart, founder of Target Test Prep and one of the most accomplished GMAT instructors
Apr 2808:00 AM PDT
-11:00 AM PDT
Whether you are just beginning your MBA journey or fine-tuning your path to a 700+ score, GMAT Day is designed to give you a competitive edge.
12 Jun 2024, 15:12
Kudos
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Hi all,
I recently completed my first attempt at the GMAT FE and got a score of 665 (V84, Q83, DI82). Reflecting on this score, I have mixed feelings, particularly due to the lower Quantitative section score, an area in which I felt confident. At the same time, I am delighted to have achieved this score with just a month of preparation. In sharing my journey, I hope to offer insights that might prove helpful to others preparing for the exam.
Initially, I had contemplated taking the GMAT for some time but found myself delaying for various reasons. Fortunately, during a transition to a new job role, I had a dedicated month to prepare. Without hesitation, I booked my exam four weeks in advance. To those considering the GMAT seriously, I advise booking a slot early to commit to the preparation process and avoid unnecessary delays.
Throughout my preparation, I relied solely on the GMAT Official Guide for enhancing my verbal skills and the invaluable GMAT Club community. I owe a debt of gratitude to the supportive GMAT Club community, where I found ample resources and guidance on test-taking strategies, particularly for the verbal section. In my opinion, the combination of the GMAT OG and GMAT Club proved more than sufficient for comprehensive preparation.
Verbal Section - Preparation Strategy
Entering a month-long preparation period, I acknowledged that verbal would pose the greatest challenge for me. Consequently, I prioritized Critical Reasoning (CR) and Reading Comprehension (RC) from day one. Completing the OG verbal sections for CR and RC within a week provided a solid foundation. I approached OG questions in an untimed manner initially, focusing on accuracy over speed. Subsequently, I tackled 600+ level questions on GMAT Club, ensuring daily practice with at least 30 CR questions and four RC passages.
However, my biggest hurdle in verbal was time pressure, evident in my practice test scores. Recognizing this, I adjusted my strategy to ensure completion of all questions within the allocated time on test day. Surprisingly, my performance in the verbal section exceeded expectations, despite my initial lack of confidence in this area. Continuous practice and adherence to a clear strategy were instrumental in achieving an above-average score.
Reading Comprehension Learnings
My initial struggles with RC were largely due to my approach of diving deep into the details of each passage and re-reading, which was both time-consuming and inefficient. I often found myself lost in complex humanities and social science-based passages and could barely get 1/5 questions right on average. Through consistent practice and meticulous error analysis, I learned to streamline my approach, significantly improving efficiency and confidence in handling RC questions.
Improvements in Critical Reasoning
CR posed the greatest challenge for me among all GMAT sections. Recognizing this, I committed to daily practice and error analysis. While adept at eliminating incorrect answer choices, time management remained a concern. Under time pressure, my accuracy also suffered. My eventual success in CR, achieving a 94th percentile, was a testament to persistent practice. The key to my success in CR was continuous practice and learning from mistakes. For all my practice, I solely used the GMAT Club question bank.
Data Insights - Preparation Strategy
Similar to my learnings from the verbal section, a clear test-taking strategy helped me achieve a decent score in DI. Through mock test analysis, I identified areas of strength and weakness, allowing targeted practice. For sectional preparation, I learned from my practice and mocks that I was struggling with non-math-related questions in TPA & MSR. DS and G&T were relatively easier for me. So, I focused mostly on MSR and TPA (non-math-related questions). A lesson from my DI practice was that knowing your strengths and weaknesses within the four subsections of DI can facilitate efficient time allocation during practice sessions.
Quantitative Section - Preparation Strategy
This was the section with which I was most comfortable. Even in my mocks, I consistently scored in the range of 87-90 in Quant. I brushed up on concepts related to Probability, Permutations & Combinations, and Mixtures & Alligations. Every alternate day, I dedicated one hour to solving Quant questions. Throughout my preparation, I remained confident and comfortable with Quant.
Now, looking at the scores, you might be surprised by how badly I performed in Quant. I had the same reaction when I saw my score. Later, when I reviewed my report, I learned a hard lesson. Although I got only two questions incorrect in Quant, I was penalized heavily for getting the first question wrong. After reading a lot on this, I realized that getting the very first question wrong can significantly impact your score, even if you perform well on the remaining section. Since I started my test with Quant, my nerves might have contributed to getting the first question wrong, as I was really nervous at the start. Nonetheless, this was one of the biggest takeaways for me from this exam.
Clear Strategy is Important
From my experience, I believe that the GMAT is largely about having the right mindset and going into the test with a clear plan. It's not necessary to get every question correct. Instead, it's important to use your judgment wisely and have a tailored strategy for each section.
Reviewing Feature
The reviewing feature is very useful on the exam, but based on my mock tests, I found that for the verbal and DI sections, I was rarely able to go back and review questions. Consequently, I decided not to use this feature for these sections during the actual test as well.
Future Plans
Overall, I have mixed feelings about my score, particularly since I know I could have done better in Quant. However, I'm grateful that this score gives me a realistic chance to apply to my target school, and I am excited to move forward with my application. That said, I am considering taking the GMAT again to improve my score. I would greatly appreciate any guidance from the experts on the forum regarding effective retaking strategies to help me achieve a higher score.
I recently completed my first attempt at the GMAT FE and got a score of 665 (V84, Q83, DI82). Reflecting on this score, I have mixed feelings, particularly due to the lower Quantitative section score, an area in which I felt confident. At the same time, I am delighted to have achieved this score with just a month of preparation. In sharing my journey, I hope to offer insights that might prove helpful to others preparing for the exam.
Initially, I had contemplated taking the GMAT for some time but found myself delaying for various reasons. Fortunately, during a transition to a new job role, I had a dedicated month to prepare. Without hesitation, I booked my exam four weeks in advance. To those considering the GMAT seriously, I advise booking a slot early to commit to the preparation process and avoid unnecessary delays.
Throughout my preparation, I relied solely on the GMAT Official Guide for enhancing my verbal skills and the invaluable GMAT Club community. I owe a debt of gratitude to the supportive GMAT Club community, where I found ample resources and guidance on test-taking strategies, particularly for the verbal section. In my opinion, the combination of the GMAT OG and GMAT Club proved more than sufficient for comprehensive preparation.
Verbal Section - Preparation Strategy
Entering a month-long preparation period, I acknowledged that verbal would pose the greatest challenge for me. Consequently, I prioritized Critical Reasoning (CR) and Reading Comprehension (RC) from day one. Completing the OG verbal sections for CR and RC within a week provided a solid foundation. I approached OG questions in an untimed manner initially, focusing on accuracy over speed. Subsequently, I tackled 600+ level questions on GMAT Club, ensuring daily practice with at least 30 CR questions and four RC passages.
However, my biggest hurdle in verbal was time pressure, evident in my practice test scores. Recognizing this, I adjusted my strategy to ensure completion of all questions within the allocated time on test day. Surprisingly, my performance in the verbal section exceeded expectations, despite my initial lack of confidence in this area. Continuous practice and adherence to a clear strategy were instrumental in achieving an above-average score.
Reading Comprehension Learnings
My initial struggles with RC were largely due to my approach of diving deep into the details of each passage and re-reading, which was both time-consuming and inefficient. I often found myself lost in complex humanities and social science-based passages and could barely get 1/5 questions right on average. Through consistent practice and meticulous error analysis, I learned to streamline my approach, significantly improving efficiency and confidence in handling RC questions.
Improvements in Critical Reasoning
CR posed the greatest challenge for me among all GMAT sections. Recognizing this, I committed to daily practice and error analysis. While adept at eliminating incorrect answer choices, time management remained a concern. Under time pressure, my accuracy also suffered. My eventual success in CR, achieving a 94th percentile, was a testament to persistent practice. The key to my success in CR was continuous practice and learning from mistakes. For all my practice, I solely used the GMAT Club question bank.
Data Insights - Preparation Strategy
Similar to my learnings from the verbal section, a clear test-taking strategy helped me achieve a decent score in DI. Through mock test analysis, I identified areas of strength and weakness, allowing targeted practice. For sectional preparation, I learned from my practice and mocks that I was struggling with non-math-related questions in TPA & MSR. DS and G&T were relatively easier for me. So, I focused mostly on MSR and TPA (non-math-related questions). A lesson from my DI practice was that knowing your strengths and weaknesses within the four subsections of DI can facilitate efficient time allocation during practice sessions.
Quantitative Section - Preparation Strategy
This was the section with which I was most comfortable. Even in my mocks, I consistently scored in the range of 87-90 in Quant. I brushed up on concepts related to Probability, Permutations & Combinations, and Mixtures & Alligations. Every alternate day, I dedicated one hour to solving Quant questions. Throughout my preparation, I remained confident and comfortable with Quant.
Now, looking at the scores, you might be surprised by how badly I performed in Quant. I had the same reaction when I saw my score. Later, when I reviewed my report, I learned a hard lesson. Although I got only two questions incorrect in Quant, I was penalized heavily for getting the first question wrong. After reading a lot on this, I realized that getting the very first question wrong can significantly impact your score, even if you perform well on the remaining section. Since I started my test with Quant, my nerves might have contributed to getting the first question wrong, as I was really nervous at the start. Nonetheless, this was one of the biggest takeaways for me from this exam.
Clear Strategy is Important
From my experience, I believe that the GMAT is largely about having the right mindset and going into the test with a clear plan. It's not necessary to get every question correct. Instead, it's important to use your judgment wisely and have a tailored strategy for each section.
Reviewing Feature
The reviewing feature is very useful on the exam, but based on my mock tests, I found that for the verbal and DI sections, I was rarely able to go back and review questions. Consequently, I decided not to use this feature for these sections during the actual test as well.
Future Plans
Overall, I have mixed feelings about my score, particularly since I know I could have done better in Quant. However, I'm grateful that this score gives me a realistic chance to apply to my target school, and I am excited to move forward with my application. That said, I am considering taking the GMAT again to improve my score. I would greatly appreciate any guidance from the experts on the forum regarding effective retaking strategies to help me achieve a higher score.
14 Jun 2024, 04:57
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi Saransh0702,
Congratulations on the great score, could you please help me understand what you mock strategy has been like? It would help me prepare better.
Congratulations on the great score, could you please help me understand what you mock strategy has been like? It would help me prepare better.
14 Jun 2024, 06:21
Kudos
Bookmarks
665 in GFE is ~710/720 in classic. It is good, but not good enough for an Indian male (from T15 school perspective). So your decision to improve your score is the right way forward. Though I am not a tutor, I'd say that "what got you here may not get you there (i.e., 705+)". This is what I would recommend:
- Plan A: hire a coach for a crash course and plan to retake by end July latest
- Plan B: shortlist a few schools where your current score is higher than the schools' average by >20 points and start attending webinars, events, and network with adcom, alumni and students (this is to ensure you don't lose time, should you not improve your score)
In parallel, also commence your work on tasks for your applications that are not dependent on your scores.
- Plan A: hire a coach for a crash course and plan to retake by end July latest
- Plan B: shortlist a few schools where your current score is higher than the schools' average by >20 points and start attending webinars, events, and network with adcom, alumni and students (this is to ensure you don't lose time, should you not improve your score)
In parallel, also commence your work on tasks for your applications that are not dependent on your scores.
