Hi all! I recently finished my GMAT "adventure" and wanted to share my experience in case any of it is helpful to hear about. I'll start off with some basic details of my study plan: the whole process took 10 months, with the rough split being 6 months of studying, 2 months of practice tests, and 2 months of official tests. During this time I averaged 12 hours of studying per week. I used the
Target Test Prep (TTP) course, buying the 6 month and 4 month plans. I used only official GMAC practice tests. I took a total of 6 practice tests and 2 official tests, the first being a 595 (66th percentile) and second being a 665 (91st percentile).
I'll include my practice test scores below for reference.
TTP was the primary factor for my success. It was recommended to me by a friend (755 GMAT classic), and I have since referred it to my friends starting their GMAT journey. The best aspect of TTP was that it was all inclusive, and I could trust it. If you decide to choose TTP for your prep course, I would strongly advise you trust and do exactly what it says. i.e. even if you feel like you know everything in a chapter, don't skip the chapter.
The meticulous nature of the course ensures that when you're done with it you're a pro.
I struggled the most with the Quant section, followed next by DI, then Verbal. After 100% completing the course, around the time I was starting practice tests, I started to really hone in on the resources they provide to focus on what you struggle with. They have resources for any kind of learning style, which I appreciate. I primarily reread chapters, took handwritten notes, and above all, took practice quizzes. This is the greatest benefit of the course. The questions are tough and meant to over-prepare you for the actual exam.
The DI and Verbal prep within TTP is extensive as well. Everything emulates what you'll actually see on the exam, which I greatly appreciate. The Verbal practice questions certainly over-prepare you. DI I struggled with, so I ended up spending more time on those practice tests, which was vital. Timing is key on the exam, and my timing was worst on DI. Using the practice quiz feature on TTP to set specific time constraints helped me here.
When I got into my practice test phase, as you'll see below, I was pretty stagnant for about a month. Firstly, if you experience this, you have to both have grit and make changes to your approach. I took this time to reach out directly to the TTP team for advice, and they gave me countless tips specific to me that clearly helped. I used their chat feature often to message directly with their team and that made a huge difference to me.
Analytics are a massive part of the GMAT experience as well. The analysis TTP provides to you is so comprehensive. The GMAC official practice exams also provide stats and feedback after each exam. I highly recommend you study this information, and use it to craft how you prepare for the next exam.
What specifically got me to jump from 595 to 665 I genuinely believe was the specific advice given to me by the TTP team and hammering their practice problems. There wasn't a whole lot of magic to it. I just did what they said and it worked out. For that, I am incredibly grateful.
Best of luck on the GMAT! This exam can be learned with time, you can certainly accomplish your goals on the exam if you put the work in. Make sure to have grit and don't give up.
Test Log:
(PT = Practice test)
PT1 535 March
PT2 595 March
PT3 595 April
PT4 605 April
PT5 605 May
GMAT1 595 (66th percentile) May
PT6 615 June
GMAT2 665 91st (percentile) June