I just Beat The GMAT!

In December, I took the GMAT for a second time and scored a 720. I was incredibly proud of that score, but more than that, I was proud of the work I put in to reach that score and the defeated attitude I managed to overcome in the process.

I'll start at the beginning. When I decided that I wanted to pursue an MBA education, and as a result, take the GMAT, I was certain I could handle the test prep on my own. I was confident that if I had the right resources I would be able to invest the time necessary to learn the material and master the test. With that attitude, I purchased the Manhattan Prep strategy guides, downloaded a syllabus I found online, and began the laborious task of self-study. I started studying in April but didn't buckle down until July after I signed up to take the test in September. While I did manage to complete the syllabus and a fair amount of practice questions before the test, I did not feel confident going into the test and ended up scoring a 640 (35 V, 42 Q). I knew I would likely take the test again so I wasn't too disappointed with my score, but I did know I needed to improve it substantially in order to get into the schools at the top of my list.

Following that first test, I dove back into the Manhattan Prep strategy guides, focusing most of my energy on improving my quant score. I reviewed the material I was struggling with and did countless problem sets from the Official Guide. I spent an hour or two every weekday and more than twice that on the weekends studying so imagine how disappointed I was when I actually got a worse score on the next practice test I took almost a month later. With my second test only weeks away, I felt completely defeated. The 700 score I desired seemed impossible to achieve, and I had all but convinced myself I wasn't smart enough to get that score...or accepted into a Top 20 MBA program.

I knew I had a choice to make - continue with the same study approach and hope for an incremental improvement in my score or swallow my pride and get some help. I didn't like the idea of spending loads of money on study prep, but I knew getting an MBA would be a huge financial investment so I looked at the test prep as just another part of the investment. After some research on tutoring options, I stumbled across Target Test Prep and Jeff Miller. I was immediately impressed with TTP's extensive online curriculum, various levels of tests, and structured study plans. Plus, compared to other prep, both TTP's online curriculum and tutoring rates were very reasonably priced. So, I decided to push my test date back six weeks and commit to the TTP curriculum. I dove right into the chapters and met virtually with Jeff about once a week to make sure I understood everything. Jeff's accessibility and flexibility made it easy to schedule our sessions, and he did a great job of tailoring the questions to what I needed to focus on while providing clear explanations when I struggled with a problem/approach. When I was studying on my own, I could customize the tests based on difficulty level and the areas I needed to focus which helped me maximize my study time. Additionally, the extensive amount of realistic practice problems and the detailed answer explanations (both in written and video format!) were invaluable resources throughout the entire process. I definitely put in my time, but I was able to get through the entire curriculum and take at least 1-2 tests per chapter before my second GMAT. In the two weeks leading up to the test, I took 3 practice tests to build up my test stamina and get my timing right. Contrary to my first test, I went in feeling extremely prepared and confident and was thrilled with my final score of 720 (41 V, 47 Q).

The verdict is still out on where I'll be accepted, but I can't tell you how good it felt to submit my applications knowing that my GMAT score would work in my favor rather than against me. Hindsight is 20/20, but if there is one thing I can emphasize from my experience, it's to be honest with yourself as you go through the process. Figure out your weaknesses early on and invest your time and resources into improving them. And if your weakness is the quant section, look no further than Target Test Prep. I would have saved myself so much time and pain if I discovered them when I began studying back in April!

Great post, congrats on the score! could you describe your studying schedule while using TTP?

Thanks!

Congrats. I'm using TTP as well. Great prep compared to others I've tried. What did you use to raise your V35 to V41?
Thanks!