TTP got me my target score!

My Journey

GMAT was a long journey for me. Coming from a liberal arts academic background, my quantitative skills were not up to par, and I had a lot of learning to do. I was also living in Pakistan at the time, and the pandemic was in its prime. There were very few resources to turn to.

The very first step I did was to enroll in a local GMAT program in Pakistan. While that course brought me up to date on basic math skills, like taking out the LCM and performing long division, I was not familiarised with GMAT math—which is different. There is a level of critical analysis in the GMAT quant section that I needed to master, and I wasn’t even familiar with it at this point. Basic math skills were not going to carry me through.

However, I did not know this at the time. After 6 months of starting my initial prep, I signed up for the at-home GMAT test with a false sense of security. Surely, this couldn’t be too hard.

I was wrong. The at-home GMAT was a terrible experience. Not only was my internet performing poorly, but I was unable to understand HOW to answer the questions—what concept to use WHERE. The quant section goes by quickly, and I simply hadn’t developed any intuitive sense of how to answer the questions accurately and without wasting too much time. Needless to say, I walked away with a dismal 630 score on that exam.

My goal was 720 because I wanted to apply to the best business schools in the US. 630 would just not cut it. So I went online and began to research GMAT courses. I found thousands of positive reviews for TTP. It was also the most affordable of the courses and offered lots and lots of practice. As someone living in Pakistan, TTP seemed like a dream come true. And it was!

I used TTP for another ~6 months and signed up for an in-person test at a Test Center. This time, I walked away with a 720!

How to Maximize TTP

Here are a few things I did to make sure that I used TTP to the maximum:

1. Coming from a liberal arts background, I took the basic math drills VERY SERIOUSLY. Make sure your addition/subtraction/multiplication/division and basic skills are on point so that you can progress through the other topics with ease.

2. I read and completed each and every lecture, regardless of how short or easy it was. There are hidden gems in all the lectures, by which I mean shortcuts and tips etc., all of which helped me find better and more efficient ways to tackle a problem. This helped develop my critical thinking skills as well so that I wasn’t wasting too much time thinking about what route to take during the test. When I saw a question, I knew what to do almost instantly.

3. DO ALL THE DRILLS. There are several drills on all the topics. Please do all of them, regardless of how repetitive they may seem. This builds muscle memory and helps avoid silly errors during the actual test.

4. Track your progress. I loved TTP because it kept telling me my strengths and weaknesses. Before my exam, I put in a little extra time to improve on my weak areas. This helped me avoid blanking out during the exam if I saw something I wasn’t too good at.

5. Let’s talk about Probability and Combinatorics. WOW! I mean WOW! This was my weak point. When I started TTP, I frankly had no faith that I would be able to even learn these topics. I walked away mastering them, making zero mistakes in the practice tests and the actual tests. I mean, even if it is just for this, TTP is worth it. Game changer!

6. Be consistent and practice. It can be tough sometimes. You’ll want to stop when it gets repetitive. When this happens, take a couple of days. It’s a marathon, not a sprint—don’t bore yourself with the exam. But when you regain your energy, keep practicing to build your muscle memory and critical thinking skills.

7. A note on the Verbal sections—this was my strong suit, but after going through TTP, I was able to improve here as well. Don’t forget to practice your strengths, whatever they are. But for the Verbal, just make sure your English is on point before going through TTP. It’s not a basic English language course. Rather, it will help you improve your critical thinking skills and advanced understanding of the English language.

8. Finally, please note that this is not a silver spoon—meaning that YOU have to put in the work to make it happen. Without self-discipline and self-motivation, TTP won’t work. You need to want it. And believe in yourself. And have fun with it. Challenge yourself. Don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. It’s hard and GMAT can be frustrating for many of us—it gets too much and often I found myself overwhelmed and tired. Push through—and you will succeed.

Closing Thoughts

Today, I am headed to my dream school. I am recruiting for consulting, and the GMAT is very important for that. (Definitely take the GMAT if you recruiting for consulting, my GMAT score is on my resume because it can be so important).

As I embark on my journey, I am so grateful to everyone who reviewed TTP and shared advice. I hope my debrief has helped you in your journey.

Remember, GMAT is tough for most of us. Don’t give up. If you want to go to your dream school and get your dream job, invest in yourself and make it happen. I would highly recommend TTP for self starters and those who aim high. Good luck!

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