GMAT Focus Attempt 1 of 575. What to focus on?

Question

Hi Experts-

Had my first gmat focus exam with a score of 575 (Q76, V83, DI76). Was super thrown off by some phrasing in Verbal questions. A lot of "most likely" questions that I couldn't seem to gauge the type of question they were asking. Quant & DI are my weaker areas and have been mainly studying Quant for the past month. Below are my practice test scores. Also attached my ESR. 
 
 Mock 1: 515 (DI69, Q74, V83) 
 Mock 2: 555 (DI72, Q80, V81) 
 Mock 3: 605 (Q76, V84, DI80)

Goal is 675 and have about 2 months to prepare.  Is this a realistic timeline? Recommendations on topics I should focus on to maximum score boost? Resources that you recommend? Any insight is super appreciated!

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Yes, you can definitely increase your score from 575 to 675. This article will give you a rough idea about how many *hours* it’ll take:  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

Improving your score from  575 to 675  in two months is a challenging but  realistic goal . A 675 on the GMAT Focus Edition puts you in the roughly 95th percentile, requiring a significant jump in both Quant and Data Insights (DI) while maintaining or slightly edging up your already strong Verbal performance.
Here is a strategic breakdown of how to spend your next 60 days.
 
1. Verbal: Decoding the "Most Likely" Questions
Your V83 is strong, but being "thrown off" by phrasing suggests a gap in  Question Type Recognition .
 
  "Most Likely" in Critical Reasoning (CR):  This usually signals an  Inference  question. Unlike "Strengthen" questions where you bring in new info, Inference questions require you to find an answer that  must be true  based strictly on the passage. If it feels like "most likely to follow," it's a  Complete the Passage  task. 
  "Most Likely" in Reading Comprehension (RC):  These are often  Inference  or  Author’s Perspective  questions. The key is to avoid "Common Sense" traps. The correct answer is rarely exciting; it is the one that is logically bulletproof based  only  on the text. 
  The Fix:  Spend one week doing "Untimed Topical Drills." Don't look at the clock. Read the question stem  first , identify the type (Assumption, Inference, Strengthen, etc.), and "pre-phrase" an answer before looking at the choices.  
 
2. Quant & DI: The "Topical Mastery" Approach
Since your Quant and DI are hovering in the mid-70s, you likely have foundational gaps or "process" errors (falling for traps).
 
  Stop doing "Random" Practice:  Solving random sets of 20 questions is inefficient. 
  The Topical Method:  Focus on one area for 3–4 days (e.g., Number Properties). Learn the theory, then solve 30–50 questions  only  on that topic. 
  Data Insights (DI) Strategy:  DI is 1/3 Verbal (Multi-Source Reasoning) and 2/3 Math/Logic (Data Sufficiency, Graphs). Since your Verbal is high, lean into  Multi-Source Reasoning  to bank points. For  Data Sufficiency , remember: you aren't solving for a number; you are checking if a number  can  be found.  
 
3. Recommended Resources
To hit 675, you need resources that offer deep analytics and "hard" question banks.
 
  Target Test Prep (TTP):  Highly recommended for Quant and DI. It is incredibly structured and will force you to master every sub-topic before moving on. 
  GMAT Club (Forum):  Use the "Timer" feature on their question bank. Filter for "605-655" and "655-705" difficulty levels to get used to the phrasing that threw you off. 
  Official Guide (OG) & Review Tracking:  You must keep an  Error Log . For every wrong answer, write down:
 
 Why was the right answer right? 
 Why was my choice wrong? 
 What "clue" in the question did I miss?

4. Realistic 2-Month Timeline
 
  Weeks 1–4: Foundations & Topical Drilling.  70% of your time on Quant/DI, 30% on Verbal (specifically practicing "Inference" questions). 
  Weeks 5–6: Accuracy & Timing.  Move to "Mixed Sets." Start timing your practice. Aim for 2 minutes/question for Quant and 1:45 for Verbal. 
  Weeks 7–8: Mock Season.  Take one Official Mock every 5 days. Analyze the  ESR (Enhanced Score Report)  for each to see if you are dropping points at the beginning, middle, or end of sections.

anushree01 · Answer

Just know that it is achieveable, nothing is impossible

MayankPreppie1 · Answer

Your 575 to 675 jump is realistic, but only if you stop 'studying Quant' and start 'building Algebra.' Your 30th percentile in Algebra is the single biggest weight dragging down your score.

1. Verbal (The 'Literal' Fix):  You have 100% in Inferred Ideas but only  38% in Stated Ideas . This means you are overthinking. When you see 'most likely' or 'suggests,' the GMAT isn't asking for your interpretation; it’s asking for a  paraphrase . 
- If the answer isn't a direct synonym of a sentence in the passage, it's wrong. Stop being 'smart' and start being literal.
 2. Quant (Algebra Overhaul):  You are  in the 100th percentile in Number Properties but in the 30th percentile in Algebra . You are 'calculating' when you should be 'simplifying.' 
- Spend 2 weeks doing nothing but linear and quadratic equations until you can solve them in your sleep.
 3. Data Insights (Visual Literacy):  Your  16th percentile in Graphs/Tables  is an 'Eye-to-Brain' lag. You are likely reading every word of the labels like a book. 
- Spend 10 minutes a day just looking at charts. Identify the highest point and the trend  before  you read the question.

Skip the generic videos. Use the GMAT Club Filter to drill 'Medium' Algebra questions and 'Two-Part Analysis' specifically. From what we can see, you don't need more 'concepts'; you need to stop over-analyzing the easy stuff.

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