Its already December! GMAT journey
A year of Personal development and acing GMAT
A year ago, I felt stuck in my career and personal growth, filled with self-doubt and uncertainty.This year I faced failures head-on, rose like a phoenix, cried but next day got up and accomplished my dreams. A gmat score of 730 that felt unattainable when I had started, was my eventual score. What changed? I believed in myself. 💪🚀
How My GMAT Journey Went: A Complete Guide to Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Success
My GMAT Journey: From Struggles to Success with a 730 Score
The GMAT journey is a test of perseverance, patience, and self-belief. Mine was no different. It was filled with ups and downs, moments of self-doubt, and ultimately, the sweet taste of success.
2022: The First Attempt (Score: 620)
Back in 2022, I took my first attempt at the GMAT. I opted for the at-home version, thinking it would be a comfortable experience. Little did I know that a series of power cuts would turn it into a nightmare. The power outages caused me to be logged in and out of the exam multiple times, which broke my focus and momentum. Somehow, I managed to finish the exam, but the score was a 620 — a score I knew did not reflect my potential.
I was frustrated and disappointed. The experience left me disillusioned with the entire GMAT process. I told myself, "Maybe the GMAT is not my cup of tea," and left the preparation midway.
2023: A Fresh Start (Score: 580)
But in 2023, something changed. I realised that I still wanted to pursue an MBA and chase my dream of becoming an entrepreneur. With that goal in mind, I decided to give GMAT another shot.
I restarted my preparation in October 2023. This time, I took a more methodical approach. I watched GMAT Club debrief videos and practiced questions from the GMAT Official Guide. I maintained a steady rhythm of preparation until November, when I took a short break for a vacation. By December, I was back to full-time preparation mode.
I discovered that Expert Global mocks were the closest to the official GMAT mocks, so I started practicing them. My scores ranged from 640 to 690, which gave me the confidence to book the real exam. But exam day didn’t go as planned.
At the test center, I struggled to control my anxiety. On top of that, there was construction noise around the center, which further distracted me. I submitted the test and saw the score flash on my screen — 580. I was in shock. I hadn’t scored this low on any mock exam, and seeing this score on the official test was heartbreaking.
I cried. I truly believed that I was capable of scoring in the 700s. But this was a wake-up call. I knew something had to change. I realized that Verbal was my weakest section, and I decided to tackle it head-on.
Reaching Out for Help: Verbal Tutoring
I started reaching out to people who had already been through their GMAT journey. I came across a friend’s post recommending a private tutor. I connected with the tutor, explained my situation, and told him that I had already taken two attempts and scored 620 and 580. I made it clear that this time, I wanted to get things right.
With the help of the tutor, I started practicing Verbal questions from multiple sources. I learned the nuances of GMAT Verbal and the "math" behind selecting the right answer choices. I now understood the reasoning behind why one option is right and the others are wrong.
Just as I was gaining confidence, the GMAT introduced the new GMAT Focus Edition, which included an additional section called Data Insights (DI). The scoring structure also changed, with new scorecards ending in 5 (like 625, 635, etc.). Adapting to this new format was yet another challenge.
2024: The Third Attempt (Score: 595)
After 4 months of preparation, I felt ready to try again. My mock scores ranged from 555 to 655, and while that wasn’t the most consistent range, I was improving. I took two official mocks and scored 615 and 605, and on the Expert Global mocks, I was scoring higher. Feeling somewhat prepared, I decided to schedule my next attempt.
However, exam anxiety hit me hard. I couldn’t sleep the night before the exam, getting barely two hours of rest. During the test, I found the Data Insights (DI) section to be unexpectedly difficult. The questions were much lengthier and more complex than what I had practiced.
When I saw the score of 595, I felt crushed. But this time, something was different — I had improved my Verbal score. I saw that as a small win. I realized that I was on the right track, but I still had work to do.
Mastering Data Insights (DI)
Since my Verbal and Quant scores had improved but Data Insights hadn’t, I decided to focus on DI. I reached out to a tutor, just as I had done for Verbal. My approach became more structured:
I analyzed the Data Insights section in detail.
I practiced tougher DI questions using the GMAT Club quizzes, which felt significantly more challenging than those on Expert Global mocks.
I maintained an error log to track every mistake I made.
I reviewed every mistake, analysed it, and discussed it with my tutor to ensure I didn’t repeat it.
With no Expert Global mocks left, I started relying on GMAT Club's timed quizzes for daily practice. Every morning, I spent 3 hours solving questions, tracking mistakes, and revising them.
2024: The Fourth Attempt (Score: 635)
This time, I went in with more confidence. I had improved my Verbal, Quant, and DI scores. In the weeks leading up to the exam, I had scored a 645 on the official mock. I felt ready.
On exam day, I was calm. But when the score popped up, it read 635. While it wasn’t quite what I had aimed for, it was still a major improvement. For the first time, I had a score that I could use to apply to colleges.
But I knew that being an Indian techie meant I was part of an overrepresented pool of applicants. I needed a better score to stand out.
The Final Attempt (Score: 730!)
This time, I didn’t change my preparation strategy much. Instead, I focused on mastering my mistakes.
I reviewed every mistake I had made on all my official mocks and GMAT Club mocks.
I wrote down the explanations for every mistake, step by step.
I revisited the explanations, again and again, until I fully understood them.
By August 2024, I was ready for one last attempt. I stayed calm this time, even though I had only slept for 2 hours the night before. I told myself to take it one question at a time. Surprisingly, this approach worked like magic.
The Data Insights (DI) section felt much easier than before. I calmly solved one question at a time, without overthinking or second-guessing myself. When I submitted the test, I wasn’t expecting a miracle.
But then, I saw it.A score of 730! I couldn’t believe my eyes.
After so many sleepless nights, self-doubt, and back-to-back setbacks, I had finally cracked the GMAT.0
Resources I used:
Official Guide and Official mocks - These resources are best judgement of your preparation level
Expert Global mocks - Close to Gmat official mocks [Do not exhaust official mocks quickly, keep it for the end, use this instead]
Gmat club quiz - Use it for timed practice everyday
Note:
1️⃣ Practice with Harder Content: Practice with questions that are tougher than those on the GMAT. This way, when you face the actual exam, it will feel more manageable.
2️⃣ Get Accustomed to Distractions: Train your mind to focus in noisy environments. I practiced in cafes with people constantly talking, which helped me stay calm and focused at the test center, even with distractions like people raising their hands or asking proctors questions.
3️⃣ Embrace the Journey: While I could have achieved my goal with fewer attempts, I have no regrets. Each attempt proved to me that I am capable of achieving a 730 score, and every setback was a stepping stone to success. 💪🚀🎉
What I Learned from My GMAT Journey
1️⃣ Don’t let one bad exam define you. It’s easy to give up after one bad score, but you have to trust the process.
2️⃣ Seek help when needed. My decision to reach out to tutors for Verbal and Data Insights made a huge difference.
3️⃣ Mistakes are your best teacher. Tracking every mistake I made and revisiting them again and again helped me avoid repeating them.
4️⃣ Take one question at a time. Staying calm, even on test day, can make a huge impact on your performance.
Final Thoughts
The GMAT journey isn’t just about mastering Quant, Verbal, or Data Insights — it’s about mastering yourself. There were times when I doubted my ability to score above 700. But with the right mindset, strategy, and resilience, I was able to turn a score of 580 into 730.
If you’re feeling stuck in your GMAT preparation, just know that it’s possible to turn things around. Trust yourself, stay consistent, and seek help when needed. Your breakthrough moment is just one attempt away.
Keywords: GMAT success story, GMAT journey, GMAT struggles, GMAT 730, GMAT preparation tips, how to improve GMAT score, GMAT motivation, overcoming GMAT anxiety, GMAT Data Insights, GMAT focus edition
If you’re on your GMAT journey and have questions about overcoming challenges, feel free to reach out. I’d be happy to share more tips from my experience!
GMAT club debrief: https://gmatclub.com/forum/580-to-730-675-gmat-fe-150-point-jump-my-gmat-journey-of-struggle-438885.html
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