Need help with GMAT Focus score - Stuck at 635

Question

I’ve been preparing for the GMAT for the past 4.5 months. I previously gave the exam in July 2024 after 6 months of self-prep and scored 575 (Q81, V77, DI78).

This time, I’ve focused more on improving verbal accuracy, strengthening data insights (DI), and working on tougher quant topics. Below are my official mock scores so far:

Mock 1  (Official Test 4): 585 (Q87, V77, DI75) 
  Mock 2  (Official Test 2 – Retake): 635 (Q83, V82, DI80) 
  Mock 3  (Official Test 3 – Retake): 635 (Q82, V83, DI79)
  
 (Note: Although Mocks 2 and 3 are retakes, I had not seen these tests in over a year, so it was as good as taking them fresh.)
  
 Current Concerns: 
 
 My quant score has unexpectedly dropped despite consistent practice. I’m unsure why. 
 Verbal was always a weak area, but I’ve made visible progress through reading and focused practice. 
 In DI, time management, data sufficiency, and two-part analysis remain challenging.  
 
Goal: 
 I'm aiming for a  40–60 point improvement  with 20 days left before my exam on  June 14 .

Constraints: 
 I’m a working professional and can dedicate  2–3 hours on weekdays  and  6–8 hours on weekends  for study.

I feel like my performance has plateaued and I need guidance on how to push through this phase. Any help would be appreciated!

ManifestDreamMBA · Answer

I am not sure of any suggestions that can help with a 40-60 point increment in 20days but curious if rescheduling is an option. That ways you can take it once you are getting your desired score in mocks.

All the best and hope someone else is able to share something more helpful!

Ayeka · Answer

Try to find the reason your quant score is dropping, is it a particular topic question that you are getting wrong or are you making any silly mistakes or you answered easy questions incorrectly or are you spending too much time on any type question and has to rush through last questions.... Take 20 seconds to read the question and decide whether you can get right answer within 2-2.5 mins, if yes then solve it and if no, them guess the answer and move on and come back to the question if you have time later. 
For Data Sufficiency, try watching some YT videos about how to reach the right answer in various types of questions and also practice different question types daily. If you think a question is going to take 3-4 mins to solve, then guess the answer and move forward and if you have time at the end then come to the question again.

Hope it helps!

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

Old post and on the previous GMAT but maybe some quick tips (towards the end of the post) you can take from this past student I had who improved on a retake. They went from a 680 to a 740 in around 32 days. https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-online- ... 68599.html

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi Jeeya,

So, the good news is that you are in a pretty nice spot!

That said, you do need to continue to find your holes and fix those to help improve your score. Thus, engaging in topical practice is a great way to do so. Let's use quant as an example.

For example, let’s say you want to practice Number Properties. You can do so by answering 50 or more questions just from Number Properties: LCM, GCF, units digit patterns, divisibility, remainders, etc.

After each problem set, it's crucial to delve into the questions you answered incorrectly.

For instance, if you stumbled on a remainder question, take a moment to reflect. Was it a careless error? Did you fail to apply the remainder formula correctly? Was there a concept in the question that eluded you? This analysis is key to your learning process.

By carefully analyzing your mistakes, you will be able to fix your weaknesses efficiently and, in turn, improve your GMAT quant skills. Number Properties is just one example; follow this process for all quant, verbal, and DI topics.

Feel free to reach out with any questions.

Good luck!

EducationAisle · Answer

I wouldn't worry too much about it. The algorithm for Quant is quite unforgiving on GMAT. So, getting an additional question wrong can dip your Quant score significantly. Perhaps this is what you are witnessing.

Jeeya · Answer

Thanks, this helps

Jeeya · Answer

Hi Scott,

Yeah, I do feel I am missing medium difficulty level questions on the mock and the weakness lies around algebra and number properties. Will definitely take up topic wise Quant practice to nail down the weak spots. Thanks a lot for your guidance!

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

I'm happy to help!

MBAACCOUNT2025 · Answer

I am seeing this today. I hope your exam went great.

Need help with GMAT Focus score - Stuck at 635

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards