Make Sure to See GMAT Quant Questions Through to the End
Over the years, I’ve observed a clear pattern: the students who achieved the highest GMAT quant scores were the ones who refused to give up on tough problems during practice. They didn’t let frustration, mental fatigue, or self-doubt get the better of them. On the other hand, students who quickly abandoned questions—whether after 60 seconds, 90 seconds, or some other short time frame—saw the least improvement in their scores, even if they were equally capable in other respects.
The truth is, mastering GMAT quant requires more than just knowing formulas and techniques. **It demands perseverance—the ability to stick with a problem even when your brain feels stretched and your patience wears thin.**Perseverance isn’t just helpful; it’s essential.
This is why untimed practice is so important in the early stages of your preparation. By working through questions without the pressure of a clock, you give yourself the time and space to develop your problem-solving skills and, just as importantly, your mental endurance.
Often, when you first look at a question, you may not immediately know how to solve it. This uncertainty can trigger self-doubt—questions like, “Do I really have what it takes to do well on the GMAT?” But here’s the thing: if you keep at it—persisting through the fire of doubt, fear, boredom, and frustration—you’ll often find a path to the answer.
If you allow yourself only two or three minutes per question, you risk cutting the process short. You might skip straight to the explanation without experiencing the transformative moment when persistence pays off and the solution clicks. By doing so, you miss out on learning one of the most critical skills for GMAT success: the ability to persist, to hack away at a problem, and to do whatever it takes to solve challenging questions.
Building this perseverance takes time and effort, but it’s the foundation for achieving mastery in GMAT quant—and ultimately, for excelling on test day. So, embrace the challenge. Push through the discomfort. And trust that every time you stick with a problem, you’re building the skills and mindset you need to succeed.
Warmest regards,
Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep
