NEED HELP TO IMPROVE GMAT SCORE!

Question

Hi, I am Jiya
I have been getting a score of 350-400 in the past few months, and currently got a score of 455 on a mock. My target is 650 at least, because that's the most accepted average gmat score for masters.

I want to reach the target score by maximum January, cannot have it any later since I will start missing the deadlines for applications in Universities and also miss scholarships and/ student loan deadlines probably.

I currently have official gmat guides to prepare from and I use gmat club as well to practice questions. I have scored 74 in Quants, 79 in Verbal and 65 in DI. I struggle to recall and apply concepts and take a long time to solve.

It would be really helpful if you could help me get clarity on how and what I should study, to get more accuracy and solve within the time required and implement a more structured way of studying to get maximum results. I don't have enough time left to reach a 650 from 455 but I would like to try my best. Is it realistic? and achievable?

Bunuel  , @everyone who knows best!

dhruv23320 · Answer

Practice but consistently

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

This article will give you an idea about how many hours it’ll take to reach 650+:  How Many Hours Should I Study for the GMAT Focus?

From here, it's a matter of identifying and strengthening all remaining areas of weakness. So, be sure to thoroughly analyze your practice tests and practice sessions to identify those weaknesses. Then, for each area of weakness:

- Carefully review all of the properties, formulas, techniques and strategies related to that topic
- Locate and answer dozens of questions that test that topic.

For each question you answer incorrectly, ask yourself: 
- Did I make a careless mistake? 
- Did I incorrectly apply a related formula/property/technique? 
- Did I fall for a trap answer? If so, what was the trap exactly? 
- Was there a concept I did not understand in the question?

By carefully analyzing your mistakes, you will be able to fix your weaknesses efficiently and, in turn, improve your skills. This process has been proven to be effective for all topics.

For more tips, check out these articles: 
-  Developing the Proper Mindset For GMAT Success 
-  How to Increase Your GMAT Quant Score: Top 20 Tips 
-  How to Score High on GMAT Verbal on the Focus Edition 
-  How to Prepare for GMAT Data Insights

dotsoftme · Answer

Hello Jiya,
It's completely understandable that you're feeling the pressure with your application deadlines approaching. Moving from a 455 to a 650 in a little over a month is an  extremely aggressive  goal, but with a highly focused, structured, and intensive study plan, you can certainly maximize your score improvement and give yourself the best possible chance.
Let's break down your situation and create a detailed plan.
 
🎯 Realistic Assessment and Mindset
Is 455 to 650 by January Realistic?
Achieving a 200-point jump in this timeframe is exceptionally challenging and requires a significant time commitment (likely 4-6 hours or more per day).
 
  Challenging Factor:  Your current scores (Q74, V79, DI65) are at the lower end of the GMAT score distribution, indicating a need to build strong fundamental concepts across all sections. 
  Achievable Factor:  Since your current score is low, there is more room for rapid initial improvement than for someone already scoring 600+. The first 100-150 points often come faster by solidifying foundational knowledge.  
 The Verdict:  While it's not a  guaranteed  outcome, it is  achievable  if  you commit fully to an intense, high-quality, and structured study plan. You must try your best, as every point will help your application and scholarship chances.
 
🛠️ The Core Strategy: Building a Strong Foundation
Your biggest challenge is the reported difficulty in  recalling and applying concepts  and  taking too long  to solve. This confirms that your primary focus must be on  concept mastery  and then  timed practice .
Phase 1: Concept Mastery (Weeks 1-2)
Since you struggle with recall, you need to use a systematic approach rather than just practicing random questions.
1. Quant: Focus on High-Yield Topics (Current Q74)
A Q74 suggests major gaps in foundational math concepts. You need a full content review.
 
  Actionable Steps: 
 
  Identify Weaknesses:  Group your incorrect questions by topic (e.g., Geometry, Number Properties, Ratios, Inequalities). Use the GMAT Club filters or your mock test report for this. 
  Deep Dive:  For each weak topic:
 
  Review the Basics:  Go back to your Official Guides or a GMAT prep book and re-learn the rules, formulas, and common problem types. Create a  Formula/Rule Book  for quick reference. 
  Practice:  Solve  untimed  Official Guide questions on that specific topic until you achieve  80%+ accuracy . The focus here is 100% on  accuracy , not speed.  
 
  Prioritize:  Start with Number Properties (primes, factors, multiples, divisibility rules) and Algebra (equations, inequalities) as these are foundational for many other Quant problems.  
  
2. Verbal: Sentence Correction and Critical Reasoning (Current V79)
A V79 indicates fundamental issues with English grammar, logic, and reading comprehension.
  Critical Reasoning (CR):  CR tests your logical reasoning.
 
  Actionable Steps:  Focus on  core argument structure (premise, conclusion, assumption) . Practice systematically by question type (Strengthen, Weaken, Assumption, Evaluation). For every question, explicitly state the conclusion  before  looking at the options.

Reading Comprehension (RC):  RC tests your ability to efficiently extract information.
 
  Actionable Steps:  Practice active reading. Don't try to memorize facts. Focus on identifying the  Main Idea, Tone, and Structure  of the passage. Practice summarizing the passage in 1-2 sentences immediately after reading it.  
3. DI: Integrated Reasoning/Data Sufficiency Skills (Current DI65)
Your low DI score suggests you struggle with interpreting data and combining quantitative/verbal skills, which is a major part of the new GMAT.
 
  Actionable Steps:  DI heavily leverages your Quant and Verbal skills.
 
  Quant Check:  Review your Data Sufficiency (DS) fundamentals. Many DI questions are essentially timed DS questions presented differently. 
  Practice Specific Formats:  Spend dedicated time practicing  Two-Part Analysis  and  Table Analysis  questions from the Official Guide, focusing on accurately reading the prompts and data displays.

Phase 2: Timing and Application (Weeks 3-4)
Once you are hitting 80%+ accuracy on specific topics, it's time to build speed.
1. The Error Log: Your Most Powerful Tool
Every single question you get wrong (and even those you get right but took too long on) must be logged and reviewed.
    Column  
  Purpose  
 
   Concept/Topic  
 Number Properties, Modifiers, Weaken, etc. 
 
   Why I Got It Wrong  
 Concept lapse, careless error, calculation mistake, misunderstanding the question, ran out of time. 
 
   The Correct Approach  
 A 1-2 sentence summary of the fastest, most effective way to solve the problem. 
 
   Time Taken  
 How long it took you (for timing checks).

Review your Error Log daily . This is how you stop repeating mistakes and solidify concept application.
2. Strategic Timed Practice
You need to transition from untimed accuracy to timed efficiency.
 
  Quant: 
 
  Benchmark:  The target average time is about  2 minutes per question . 
  Drills:  Do sets of 5-10 questions  only  on your weakest topic, with a timer set at  1 minute 45 seconds per question . This forces you to move faster. If you don't see a path to the answer within 60 seconds, make a strategic guess and move on.  
 
  Verbal: 
 
CR: Target 1:15 to 1:45 per question. For CR, if you can't clearly identify the conclusion in 30 seconds, the question is lost—guess and move on.  RC:  Allocate about  2-3 minutes to read the passage  and  1 minute per question .  
  
3. GMAT-Specific Problem Solving Techniques
 
  Quant: 
 
  Plugging in Numbers:  For certain algebraic or variable-heavy questions, substitute simple numbers (like 2, 3, 0, -1) to test the options. 
  Plugging in the Answers (PITA):  Start with the middle answer choice (C or B/D) and work outwards.  
 
  Verbal (SC): 
 
  Split Strategy:  Don't read all five options. Identify the first key grammatical difference ("split") among the options (e.g., singular vs. plural verb), eliminate the options that violate the rule, and then look for the next split.

📅 Suggested Weekly Structure (High Intensity)
This is a sample structure for intense, full-time study. Adjust based on your available hours.
    Time Block  
  Mon/Wed/Fri (Quant Focus)  
  Tues/Thurs/Sat (Verbal Focus)  
  Sunday (Review)  
 
   AM (2-3 hrs)  
 Concept Review/Study on 1-2 weak Quant topics (e.g., Rates & Work). 
 Concept Review/Study on 1-2 weak Verbal topics (e.g., Modifiers and Assumption CR). 
 Full Mock Test (Every other Sunday) 
 
   PM (2-3 hrs)  
 Timed Practice Sets (20 questions): 10 on new topic + 10 mixed review.  Error Log everything.  
 Timed Practice Sets (20 questions): 10 on new topic + 10 mixed review.  Error Log everything.  
  Deep Review:  Analyze the mock test and your Error Log from the week. Identify 5 key recurring errors.

📈 Next Steps for You
 
  Immediate Action:  Take a full diagnostic test (Official GMATPrep Test 1 if you haven't yet) and print out the Enhanced Score Report (if available) to precisely identify your two weakest sub-topics in Quant and Verbal. 
  Start Studying:  Begin the  Concept Mastery Phase  today, focusing only on those 4 weakest sub-topics. 
  Track Progress:  Dedicate the first two weeks to building your conceptual foundations and tracking everything meticulously in your Error Log.  
You have a tough but not impossible climb ahead. Stay disciplined, trust the process of mastering fundamentals, and focus on quality over quantity.

MartyMurray · Answer

Hi Jiya,

The key to increasing your GMAT score is to focus on one topic at a time, by first learning or reviewing concepts involved in a topic and then practicing with questions that involve the topic.

For detailed discussion of how to prepare effectively, see these posts.

How to Score 705+ on the GMAT

How to Prepare for GMAT Verbal

ExpertsGlobal · Answer

Hello  jiya01 ,

Here is a structured, step-by-step approach to help you push through:

1. Consolidate your concepts
Revisit all the conceptual material you have covered so far and work on strengthening it. Consider investing in a solid prep course. Keep in mind: while the official material is excellent for practice, it is not designed for teaching concepts from scratch.

2. Re-attempt all previously incorrect questions. Review your mistakes from earlier practice. Understand why you got them wrong and how to avoid those errors going forward.

3. Practice with a new set of high-difficulty questions. Use either official sources or reliable third-party material to build deeper familiarity with challenging questions.

4. Practice consistently over the next few weeks. Every couple of weeks, go back and re-attempt your earlier incorrect questions. Continue revisiting weak areas in your conceptual understanding along the way.

By diligently following these four steps over a few focused weeks, you will likely find yourself performing at a significantly higher level.

All the best!

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My Rewards

Column	Purpose
Concept/Topic	Number Properties, Modifiers, Weaken, etc.
Why I Got It Wrong	Concept lapse, careless error, calculation mistake, misunderstanding the question, ran out of time.
The Correct Approach	A 1-2 sentence summary of the fastest, most effective way to solve the problem.
Time Taken	How long it took you (for timing checks).

Time Block	Mon/Wed/Fri (Quant Focus)	Tues/Thurs/Sat (Verbal Focus)	Sunday (Review)
AM (2-3 hrs)	Concept Review/Study on 1-2 weak Quant topics (e.g., Rates & Work).	Concept Review/Study on 1-2 weak Verbal topics (e.g., Modifiers and Assumption CR).	Full Mock Test (Every other Sunday)
PM (2-3 hrs)	Timed Practice Sets (20 questions): 10 on new topic + 10 mixed review. Error Log everything.	Timed Practice Sets (20 questions): 10 on new topic + 10 mixed review. Error Log everything.	Deep Review: Analyze the mock test and your Error Log from the week. Identify 5 key recurring errors.