A 6 min read

Introduction: Harsh’s GMAT Success Journey

Achieving a top GMAT score is a significant milestone, one that requires dedication, strategic planning, and effective resource utilization. Harsh’s journey from a 595 to an impressive 705 in the GFE exam is a testament to this. With a remarkable D85, placing him in the 99th percentile in Data Insights, and an 8-point improvement in Quant, Harsh’s GMAT success story is both inspiring and informative.

In this article, we will explore:

• How did Harsh achieve a 110-point improvement in his first attempt, reaching a score of 705?
• What strategies did Harsh use to score in the 99th percentile in Data Insights (D85)?
• How did Harsh manage an 8-point improvement in Quant (Q87) and save over 50 hours using the PACE feature?
• What key learnings and insights can you gain from Harsh’s experience to enhance your own GMAT preparation?

Through this article, we explore Harsh’s systematic approach, backed by e-GMAT’s extensive resources, and showcase the strategies and determination that led to his remarkable success.

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Setting the Stage: Overcoming Initial Challenges with Structured Prep

Harsh’s initial GMAT score of 595 highlighted several challenges that needed to be addressed, including lower-than-expected scores in both the Quant and Verbal sections. Recognizing the need for a more effective approach, Harsh adopted a structured preparation plan under his mentor’s guidance. Thus, Harsh was able to steadily improve his performance, setting the stage for his significant score increase with the combination of targeted practice and detailed study plan.

Key Steps in Harsh’s Structured Preparation:

1. Diagnostic Mock Test: Harsh identified specific areas of improvement and established a baseline to measure progress by taking a diagnostic mock test.
2. Personalized Study Plan: He created a targeted approach to address weak areas and ensured a balanced focus on all sections of the GMAT with e-GMAT’s personalized study plan.
3. Focused Practice: He utilized e-GMAT’s comprehensive resources to practice extensively, emphasizing building a strong foundation before moving on to advanced topics.

DI Excellence – 99th Percentile Score in DI

Harsh’s journey to this milestone was greatly aided by e-GMAT’s comprehensive course and Scholaranium platform. This resource provided him with a variety of questions that mirrored the actual exam structure, enabling him to practice efficiently. The course helped Harsh familiarize himself with various question types such as Graphical Interpretation, 2-Part Analysis, MSRs, and Data Sufficiency. This understanding allowed him to approach each question type with confidence and clarity.

“The course actually helped me to get accustomed to what kind of questions you can expect,” Harsh mentioned, highlighting the importance of this preparation.

By consistently practicing and reviewing his performance, Harsh was able to cement his understanding and improve his accuracy, ultimately achieving a stellar D85, a 99^th percentile score, in Data Insights. The data shown below represents his DI ability to be above 70% equivalent to a 90^th %ile on the GMAT.

Fig 1: Harsh’s 70% DI Hard Accuracy indicates 90^th %ile in actual GMAT exam

Quant Improvement: 8-Point Increase and 50+ Hours Saved

Harsh’s quant score improvement from Q79 to Q87 was a result of strategic preparation and efficient use of e-GMAT’s resources. Coming from an engineering background, Harsh was familiar with most of the concepts but needed to fine-tune his skills to achieve a higher score contrbuting to his GMAT success story.

How did he achieve this improvement?

Harsh utilized e-GMAT’s PACE feature to streamline his study process, skipping familiar content and focusing on weaker areas identified through diagnostic quizzes. This approach saved him over 50 hours of preparation time, which was crucial for him as a working professional.

Moreover, Scholaranium’s analytics helped Harsh identify and correct careless mistakes. By focusing on accuracy and time management, Harsh was able to enhance his performance significantly. For instance, in algebra alone, he saved close to 14 hours, allowing him to dedicate more time to mastering challenging concepts. This targeted approach not only improved his accuracy but also reduced the time taken to solve questions, leading to his impressive Q87 score.

Fig 2: PACE analytics shows close to 14hrs saved during Algebra preparation alone

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Role of Scholaranium and Data Analytics

How did e-GMAT’s data analytics enhance Harsh’s preparation?

Quant Insights: Initially, Harsh faced challenges with careless mistakes in quant. Using Scholaranium’s detailed analytics, he identified these errors and worked on minimizing them. For example, by analyzing his performance, he realized that many of his mistakes were due to overconfidence on easier questions. This insight helped him adopt a more careful approach, which significantly improved his accuracy. The data shown below represents his Quant ability to be above 80% equivalent to a 98^th %ile on the GMAT.

Fig 3: Harsha’s 82% Quant Hard Accuracy indicates 98^th %ile in actual GMAT exam

Verbal Insights: In the verbal section, Harsh used data analytics to address timing issues, particularly in Reading Comprehension. Scholaranium provided insights into his time management, showing how long he spent on each question type. By focusing on these analytics, Harsh reduced his average time per question and increased his accuracy. His accuracy in hard RC questions improved from 60% to 80%, while his average time per question dropped below two minutes. This data-driven approach, combined with extensive practice, led to a significant improvement in his verbal scores, culminating in an impressive V83.

Fig 4: 70% DI Hard Accuracy indicates 90^th %ile in actual GMAT exam

Final Preparations: e-GMAT’s Last Mile Push Program

As Harsh approached the final stages of his GMAT preparation, the e-GMAT Last Mile Push (LMP) Program played a crucial role in fine-tuning his skills and strategy. This program provided personalized guidance and strategic insights during the critical weeks leading up to the exam.

How did the LMP Program help Harsh?

The LMP Program helped Harsh address specific weaknesses, particularly in Verbal and Data Insights. Personalized mentoring sessions focused on areas like RC timing improvement and hard question accuracy and by implementing targeted strategies curated specifically for Harsh by Rashmi (his mentor), he reduced his average time per question and increased his accuracy.

Moreover, the structured study plan from the LMP Program allowed Harsh to concentrate on preparation and improvement without the burden of planning. This well-rounded approach contributed to his impressive overall score of 705. Harsh’s Last Mock Score is shown below along with the sectional scores which indicates that Harsh score more or less similarly on the GMAT exam. Eventually, it shows how accurately e-GMAT’s mock predicted Harsh’s 705 score on the actual exam contributing to his GMAT Success Story.

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Fig 5: Harsh’s Last Mock Score – Indicating more or less similar scores as that of actual GMAT test

Test Day Mindset: Staying Calm Under Pressure

How did Harsh manage his test day mindset?

Harsh emphasized the importance of not setting overly high expectations to avoid panic. On the day of the exam, he encountered a new testing environment that initially caused anxiety. However, he took a deep breath and reminded himself of his thorough preparation. This helped him regain focus and tackle the questions methodically.

In quant, Harsh completed the section in 35 minutes, thanks to his extensive practice and familiarity with the question types. This efficiency gave him ample time to review his answers, ensuring accuracy. His ability to stay calm and composed allowed him to translate his preparation into a strong performance, contributing significantly to his GMAT Success Story with overall score of 705.

Key Learnings and Advice for Future Test Takers

Harsh’s journey to a 705 GMAT score offers valuable insights and practical advice for future test-takers:

1. Avoid Careless Mistakes: Be diligent with every question to prevent errors, especially on easier ones.
2. Familiarize with Data-Heavy Questions: Practice extensively with various data types to navigate complex questions efficiently.
3. Structured Approach to Verbal: Use techniques like pre-thinking for CR and targeted strategies for RC to manage time and improve accuracy.
4. Strategic Preparation: Utilize diagnostic quizzes and the PACE feature to focus on weaker areas and save study time.

By following these strategies and maintaining a calm, focused mindset, future test-takers can significantly enhance their GMAT performance, just as Harsh did.