IMPROVEMENT POWERED BY STRUCTURED LEARNING
It’s not how we make mistakes but how we correct them that brings us success!
Before Marc hit his target score-, GMAT 740, he had already experienced two GMAT attempts with sub-par scores-, 670 and 690. Having a fair judgment of his performance during the test, he continued preparing for his next attempt with no further ado, without even waiting for the scores; he did not want to waste any time.
Marc changed his habits, such as overdoing practice questions and rushing through the concept files or “poor studying habits,” as he says, and bridged every gap he identified in his GMAT journey. Throughout his preparation, he made a lot of the typical GMAT prep mistakes. But at the same time, he also learned from those mistakes and made slow yet steady progress under the able guidance of his mentor.
You can also watch Marc’s success story below to learn about his experiences, his improvements, and the methods he applied that helped him go from 68%ile to 97%ile on GMAT.
Marc’s initial GMAT prep journey
Marc started his GMAT journey by researching the various GMAT test prep companies and finding the one that suits him the best. After preparing using that free course for two months, he took his first OG mock and ended up scoring a mere 640(V35, Q42). That is when he realized he needed more time to prepare and better help build his conceptual knowledge.
He enrolled with eGMAT after reading multiple positive reviews about the course on GMAT Club.
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Poor Studying Habits to avoid
Marc became more comfortable and consistent in his performance by studying from eGMAT’s improved Quant and Verbal course. He prepared with the eGMAT for three months before he took his first actual attempt and scored a GMAT 670.
Marc admits that his low score the first time was due to his “poor studying habits.” He flew through the concept files, not taking enough time to understand the concepts and trying to finish the course as quickly as possible. He did not invest enough time reviewing his mistakes and finding the reasons behind his errors while solving practice problems. He also did not go through his past notes, which could have helped him fix his learning gaps and improve.
He believed GMAT is about solving more questions in less time and thus solving as many questions as possible in as little time as possible.
Marc’s first attempt with the GMAT and learning
On September ’21, Marc started preparing for the eGMAT course and booked his GMAT test for Dec. Due to COVID restrictions, Dec ’21 GMAT test got rescheduled for early January, and it was an online test that he attempted from his home.
He was surprised to see his GMAT 670 score as he was not expecting anything more than 640 or 650. He knew his Quant preparation was “undercooked” for that exam, yet he scored Q49. On the other hand, he was disappointed with V32 as a native English speaker; he had more confidence in his verbal abilities.
Even before he received his first GMAT score, Marc had already started preparing for his next attempt. Now, with the new upgraded version of the eGMAT Quant 2.0 course, he felt better equipped to ace the GMAT quant. He was committed to not repeating his mistakes and doing focused study to bridge all the knowledge gaps.
eGMAT support and improved Quant 2.0
Marc reached out to eGMAT support for guidance as he needed a well-structured personalized study plan this time. He was asked to go through all the concept files of Quant 2.0 by our dedicated strategy experts.
Compared to the previous version, Quant 2.0 had shorter solution videos, deeper clarification in the concept files, and a more progressive learning architecture. With the adaptive nature of the course, Marc could save time and focus on his weak areas only.
Marc scored GMAT 690 in his 2nd attempt. Despite improved prep with Quant 2.0, his scores reflected a dip in Quant but improvement in Verbal score. Still unhappy with his scores, his learning in this attempt was to focus more on the time management during the test.
With the plan of taking a break in between, he rushed through the quant section, but made multiple silly mistakes. His verbal score improved as he managed to take a break before Verbal, but clearly, that was not an ideal approach for a high GMAT score.
The GMAT exam is not just about your ability but also how you approach the exam.
Preparation plan for GMAT 740
While talking about his final GMAT 740 attempt, Marc shares various corrective measures that he used that helped him succeed. From maintaining and following error logs, cementing concepts with practice quizzes, and investing sufficient time in reviewing each mistake to checking test readiness before booking his GMAT exam, Marc left no stone unturned to ensure his success this time.
He got rid of all his poor study habits. Unlike before, this time, instead of solving too many questions to practice topics, he focused on understanding concepts and cementing them.
Talking about how Mocks help in getting prepared for the actual exam, he recommends not going for 10-15 mocks as many students prefer. He practiced with 4 Official GMAT mocks and 5 eGMAT Scholaranium mocks and believes those were enough to familiarise him with the language, timing, and actual test environment. Mocks are the measuring stick to evaluate test readiness. They are not the means to practice or learn concepts.
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While answering the question: Do timed custom quizzes help build the required time trigger, Marc recollects his approach to solving them. If custom quizzes are done one by one, reviewing each question after attempting it, it does not build the necessary pressure. It is best if we create custom quizzes with 10-15 questions and solve them all in one go before reviewing them. This approach is much better than spending 2 hours on the mock, and then twice that amount of time reviewing the mock.
While answering the question: Do timed custom quizzes help build the required time trigger, Marc recollects his approach to solving them. If custom quizzes are done one by one, reviewing each question after attempting it, it does not build the necessary pressure. It is best if we create custom quizzes with 10-15 questions and solve them all in one go before reviewing them. This approach is much better than spending 2 hours on the mock, and then twice that amount of time reviewing the mock.
GMAT test day experience
His final GMAT test day was much different this time. His last mock score of 770 had boosted his confidence well.
The exam was at the test centre and in the morning slot. With a fresh and calm mind, Marc spent the right amount of time attempting the quant questions.
He also took a break before starting with his verbal. He believes everything worked in his favor. He scored V44, better than expected, even though the adaptive test had become much more difficult with longer passages towards the end.
Marc’s GMAT tips are
Do not rush through the concepts.
Focus on revision.
Exercise as it helps the brain work better.
