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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.
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One of the biggest reasons students experience anxiety during GMAT preparation is that they are aiming high. They want admission to a competitive business school, and they understand that the GMAT is one of the key components of that process. With so much at stake, it is only natural to feel the weight of expectation. Maybe your baseline score feels far from your target. Maybe you have been studying for months but have not yet seen the improvement you hoped for. As the weeks go by, self-doubt begins to take hold. You start to wonder whether you are capable of reaching your goal, or whether others are simply better prepared.
If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. Many students preparing for the GMAT have these same thoughts. The key is recognizing that this type of thinking does not serve you. It shifts your focus away from what you can influence—your effort, consistency, and attitude—and toward what you cannot control, such as other people’s scores or natural ability. When you direct energy toward comparison, you deplete the energy available for growth.
Instead, make a conscious effort to redirect your focus. Once you have researched what score range is competitive for your target schools, set your goal and stop revisiting it every day. Your job is not to outperform other applicants. Your job is to become the strongest version of yourself as a test-taker and as an applicant. Every hour you dedicate to preparation is an investment in that process. Even when you cannot see progress, you are laying the groundwork for improvement. Skills in reasoning, data analysis, and reading comprehension deepen gradually. The effort you put in today may not show up in your next practice test, but it will accumulate over time.
It can also help to replace self-criticism with recognition of effort. This is not about false positivity or empty motivation. It is about acknowledging the discipline it takes to show up and do the work. Consider adopting a few short affirmations as part of your study routine. Before a session, you might say, “Each study block brings me one step closer to my goal,” or “Today I’m building the skills that will serve me on test day.” After a session, you might reflect with, “I learned something new today,” or “I made progress, even if it was small.” These statements may seem simple, but they remind you that consistent effort has value, regardless of the score on your last practice test.
Over time, this shift in perspective can make a real difference. When you stop measuring yourself against others and focus on your own improvement, your anxiety decreases and your productivity increases. You begin to see the GMAT not as a judgment of your worth, but as a skill-building challenge that you are learning to master through persistence and patience.
So, when anxiety surfaces—and it will—take a moment to breathe. Refocus your attention on what you can control. Keep your head down, your mindset steady, and your progress consistent. That is how you move forward. One step, one session, one improvement at a time.
Reach out to me with any questions about your GMAT prep. Happy studying!
Warmest regards,
Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep
One of the biggest reasons students experience anxiety during GMAT preparation is that they are aiming high. They want admission to a competitive business school, and they understand that the GMAT is one of the key components of that process. With so much at stake, it is only natural to feel the weight of expectation. Maybe your baseline score feels far from your target. Maybe you have been studying for months but have not yet seen the improvement you hoped for. As the weeks go by, self-doubt begins to take hold. You start to wonder whether you are capable of reaching your goal, or whether others are simply better prepared.
If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. Many students preparing for the GMAT have these same thoughts. The key is recognizing that this type of thinking does not serve you. It shifts your focus away from what you can influence—your effort, consistency, and attitude—and toward what you cannot control, such as other people’s scores or natural ability. When you direct energy toward comparison, you deplete the energy available for growth.
Instead, make a conscious effort to redirect your focus. Once you have researched what score range is competitive for your target schools, set your goal and stop revisiting it every day. Your job is not to outperform other applicants. Your job is to become the strongest version of yourself as a test-taker and as an applicant. Every hour you dedicate to preparation is an investment in that process. Even when you cannot see progress, you are laying the groundwork for improvement. Skills in reasoning, data analysis, and reading comprehension deepen gradually. The effort you put in today may not show up in your next practice test, but it will accumulate over time.
It can also help to replace self-criticism with recognition of effort. This is not about false positivity or empty motivation. It is about acknowledging the discipline it takes to show up and do the work. Consider adopting a few short affirmations as part of your study routine. Before a session, you might say, “Each study block brings me one step closer to my goal,” or “Today I’m building the skills that will serve me on test day.” After a session, you might reflect with, “I learned something new today,” or “I made progress, even if it was small.” These statements may seem simple, but they remind you that consistent effort has value, regardless of the score on your last practice test.
Over time, this shift in perspective can make a real difference. When you stop measuring yourself against others and focus on your own improvement, your anxiety decreases and your productivity increases. You begin to see the GMAT not as a judgment of your worth, but as a skill-building challenge that you are learning to master through persistence and patience.
So, when anxiety surfaces—and it will—take a moment to breathe. Refocus your attention on what you can control. Keep your head down, your mindset steady, and your progress consistent. That is how you move forward. One step, one session, one improvement at a time.
Reach out to me with any questions about your GMAT prep. Happy studying!
Warmest regards,
Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep
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