r/GMAT

I have just got the target test prep on demand program and I decided to also diagnose my level while I am at it by doing an official practice test. I ended up doing a very differently to how I expected and got 70th percentile quant, 94th percentile DI and 66th percentile Verbal. This put my total at 635. For my first time before being familiar with the GMAT is this a good score? What is my ceiling realistically starting here?

From what I am seeing this seems like a decent starting point, but I just want to confirm because when I search it I get mixed responses. Thanks all!

Guys after 2 long years and 5 attempts - finally got a decent score. It’s been a long, and testing journey, but if I’ve learnt one thing it’s just that perseverance is the most important thing in gmat

605>615>635>615>685

My first 4 attempts were spread across August and December 2025. My final attempt was yesterday

Happy to help

Same as title. unable to find the option how to reset but read posts it can be retaken. Pls help

Yes, you can build a solid GMAT plan with free resources.

But “free” does not mean “random.”

The biggest problem is not lack of material. It is jumping between YouTube videos, GMAT Club threads, PDFs, and question banks without a proper plan.

The current GMAT has three sections: Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights. It is 2 hours 15 minutes long, with 45 minutes per section.

Here is a simple free-resource approach.

Step 1: Start with an official diagnostic

Use the free GMAT Official Starter Kit first.

It currently includes two full-length official practice exams and 70+ real GMAT questions with review tools.

Take the first mock seriously. That score tells you where you are actually losing marks.

Step 2: Build basics for 6–8 weeks

Use free YouTube explanations for weak topics.

Focus on:

• Quant: arithmetic, algebra, number properties, word problems
• Verbal: Critical Reasoning question types, RC structure, option elimination
• Data Insights: tables, graphs, multi-source reasoning, data sufficiency

Do not try to master all three sections in one week.

Step 3: Use GMAT Club carefully

GMAT Club can be useful for extra practice and doubt discussions.

But do not solve hundreds of random questions just to feel productive.

Use it mainly for:

• Topic-wise practice after learning a concept
• Reading explanations for mistakes
• Timing discussions
• Comparing approaches only after you have tried the question yourself

Step 4: Keep an error log

For every wrong or slow question, write:

• What did I misunderstand?
• Why did I choose that option?
• Was it a concept issue, timing issue, or careless mistake?
• What will I do differently next time?

This matters more than counting total questions solved.

Step 5: Take mocks less often, review them more

A basic schedule:

• First 6–8 weeks: no need for weekly mocks
• After that: one mock every 10–14 days
• Final phase: one mock per week, only if you have time to review it properly

One well-reviewed mock is better than three rushed mocks.

A realistic weekly plan

• Weekdays: 60–90 minutes a day
• Weekend: 3–4 hours for timed practice and review
• Every week: one weak topic from each section
• Every 10–14 days: one official-style mock

Can free resources take you to 700+?

For some disciplined students, yes.

But a 700+ score needs more than free videos. It needs strong basics, proper mock review, timing control, and the ability to follow one plan for months.

The free resources are available. The harder part is staying consistent.

What is your biggest issue right now: Quant basics, Verbal accuracy, Data Insights, or mock review?

Hi everyone

I have scored 595 (QA-81, DI-82, VA-75) in my latest mock, this was my third attempt to mba.com free mock. My best scores across QA is 89, DI-82, VA-79. How to improve from this, please give tips.

Can I improve to 680-700 within a month, I am planning to appear in August.

Please help.

It’d be great if someone could recommend gmat prep resources for someone studying in a budget with reliable quality and starting just now? Also how much time/ months should I allocate before I do my first attempt?

So guys, I just gave my GMAT. I felt it was going horribly. Got I believe 5 fucking RC passages in Verbal. All >1 para ones. The first 3 RC passages were back to back starting from Question 1.

Basically massively struggled with time management in Verbal which was my first. Was already demotivated. Then I had DI which actually went pretty well. Finished just in time but I had to pee soo bad during DI that I was counting down questions in the end. Took my break, peed, fealt better.

Then I had my nightmare of quant. Quant was way harder than I had in any mock. Time management was out the window. Took me 10 minutes on the first 3 questions. At every question I felt so much behind in time. In mocks I've usually finished quant 6-8 minutes ahead of schedule with a Q90 or Q89. In the actual exam was just struggling. Skipped a question that I felt would be long to just catch up on time.

Actually ended up doing like 4 straight questions in 6-7 minutes so that helped.

I thought I had done horribly but then the provisional score flashed 795. I was in disbelief. The invigilators could see me shaking. The column next to it was percentiles. 100, 99, 100. This is what I remember reading. I was shaking so hard and in such disbelief, I actually closed the window.

Got out of the centre, and then based on my previous performances where I've felt so much under pressure in verbal, with there literally being questions I had no time on and basically choosing answers where I wasn't a 100% convinced, I think I've convinced myself that it was a 695 and that I hallucinated the rest. I don't remember the sectional scores at all.

Waiting for the actual result with my fingers crossed. Hoping for the best.

And hey, considering maybe I did get a 795, if there are any GMAT coachings that would like to buy me as a student. Hit me up in DM. I did not actually take up any coaching, was all gmatclub, YT and OG.

Hi, novice here, no guidance whatsoever, will really appreciate if someone could help answer my doubts

1. do i need to buy the physical official books and if yes, how? the 2026-27 edition with online bank show it will be released on July 31, on amazon India.
2. is it okay if i buy the 2205-26 edition?
3. i am aiming for the 2027 intake and i am very late already, R1 is out of the question, are chances slimmer in the case of r2 ( aiming to submit applications to a few T7, HEC, INSEAD)
4. Do i need to get a consultant? the ones that review ur profile, essays and all that given i have very short amount of time.
5. Please please recommend budget friendly courses I can take or any youtube playlists that are available that are a must.
6. realistically speaking, do u recommend i wait for 2028 intake or is it pragmatic to aim for R2.
7. how do i start, i am seeing not much material online, its pretty overwhelming. it would be really helpful if i can get some tips on this

tysm!!

Happy 4th of July! GMAT Club Tests will be completely free for one day - July 4th (12:01 AM to 11:59 PM PST).

Here’s what you get:

• Full access to all 1,400+ questions
• Up to 15 full adaptive tests (including GMAT Focus-style tests)
• 30 Quant & 10 Verbal sectional tests
• Custom test builder to help target only your weak areas
• Adaptive analytics similar to the real exam

One catch: reviews only work until midnight. After that, access closes. So if you’re planning to test, make sure you leave time to go over mistakes before the day ends.

Hope this helps a few of you squeeze in some quality prep. Happy studying!

- BB

Linked my original post above. Quick update: got diagnosed with ADHD, now medicated, employed full time, and actually ready to prep properly this time.

Retake planned for late August.

Targeting 705+. Still can't afford another structured coaching program.

My 595 scores were 43rd percentile Quant, 66th Verbal, 89th DI, but honestly those numbers are misleading. I did significant guesswork throughout, so I wouldn't call Verbal or DI "solved." In the brief stretches I actually prepped consistently, I felt most comfortable with Quant improving first, then DI, then Verbal felt the shakiest under real prep conditions.

So the whole test needs work, but Quant is where I want to start since it feels most responsive to study.

OG 2024-25 in hand, official mocks available. Looking at Udemy as a budget supplement specifically for Quant foundations.

Anyone used Udemy for GMAT Focus Edition? Which instructors are actually good? Open to other budget-friendly resources too.

I'm aware of ADHD accomodations and will definitely look into it, but need guidance for prep nonetheless

Thank you,

Grateful for this community!!

I’m looking to buy the official GMAT guide (all four books + online question bank) to supplement my GMAT prep. In India the 2026-27 edition bundle + online question bank is selling for 6349Rs and the 2025-26 edition bundle + online question bank is selling for 4739Rs (Amazon sale offer). I’m having following questions:

1. If anyone has gone through the 2026-27 guide and also the prior guides is there any significant difference or should I go for the older version for the deal? (Please take into consideration the differences in online question bank as well while answering this question).

2. Is the online question bank access forever or for only for a limited time? If limited time then what’s the duration?

3. Is there a way to practice the questions that are there on the book through online mode as well? I’m saying this since the test is online and I prefer doing questions online rather than solving them on books. (Yes this affects my test day performance as I’m more comfortable solving from books or papers rather than screens). Also not buying official ebooks as 115USD translates to 11k INR which is almost double the price of hard copy.

4. What is the difference between the OG guide and the sectional guides? Is buying the OG guide solely sufficient or should I buy the three sectional guides only? Basically suggest which combination should be bought and why?

Got a 775 after taking the gmat online (90Q/89V/86DI). Took 6 mocks and got a 715 (timing strategy was wack), 795 (got a bunch of repeat qs), 775, 755, 795, and a 755.

Personally (and maybe irrationally) feel disappointed with this score. I feel like I could have gotten a 785/795/805 if I got luckier with DI/Q questions that were less calc heavy. Generally took mocks after a workday.

Asian male, big 4 consulting, interesting/decent ish EC, 3.3 UG gpa in engineering, personally think I will have good essays. There is a moderate chance my stats/profile could improve from this baseline. Assuming I'm gunning for H/S/W/Columbia mba/dual degree program- should I retake GMAT to attempt for a 785+? Is there any value in establishing an even stronger gmat score as a spike given the relative average-ness of the rest of my app?

I have an Experts Global package with 15 full-length GMAT mock tests, valid until 12 August 2026. (Unused)

Due to a change in my GMAT timeline, I won't be able to make full use of the remaining validity and am looking to pass it on to someone who can.

PSA: This is a paid transfer/sale, not a giveaway. Please DM only if you're genuinely interested in purchasing the access.

I've been browsing GMAT forums for a while, and I've started wondering if there's a bit of selection bias going on. It seems like people who have a bad test experience are naturally more motivated to post about it, seek advice, and discuss what went wrong, while those whose exams go smoothly are less likely to share.

That said, I've noticed a growing number of recent test-takers describing the Data Insights (DI) section as the biggest wildcard on the exam. Many say it felt significantly different from what they practised (lengthy, complex, and whatnot) or that it ended up being their toughest section.

For those who've taken the GMAT recently—or tutors and mentors who've worked with recent test-takers—how accurate is this perception? Is the "DI disaster" narrative being exaggerated because of reporting bias, or have you genuinely seen DI become more unpredictable or challenging on the actual exam?

I'd really appreciate hearing your experiences and insights. Thanks in advance!

I want to practice only OG (Official Guide Questions) for GMAT. Can you tell me the best source for this to get latest topic and segment wise questions of OG?
I tried searching for GMAT Club but did not get. Can someone share link?

https://preview.redd.it/hlcra7qk61bh1.png?width=1462&format=png&auto=webp&s=8e1a481d746b76ed69837bf502dff8441ec2de09

https://preview.redd.it/xquta2ap61bh1.png?width=1367&format=png&auto=webp&s=d70b958fe92272f7b195da256a2ea3a0939519fd

Struggling in Data Insights section, Unable to cross the Q80 Mark. Gave a sectional test in GMAT club, i did 3 medium and 2 hard questions wrong i did not cross even a Q80. Some guidance will be of real help. I am trying not to over solve DS questions forming relationships in TPA, In Table analysis i struggle with questions that require to make an inference based on data set provided and i jump to make long calculation and trying to find that one ratio amongst the 15 rows that's lower than mine when the figures are in millions.

Hi everyone,

I’m an M.Com student with an 8/8/8 academic record. I’m planning to start preparing for the GMAT from the second week of July and aim to take the exam in December. My target score is 700+.

Which mock tests would you recommend Also, if you have any suggestions for books, study guides, preparation strategies, or YouTube channels/videos, I’d really appreciate your recommendations.

Thank you!!!