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This is the success story of Apurva, with an amazing GMAT exam score of 715 (99th Percentile), and above all, she scored 90 in the verbal section. She has shared details of her preparation strategy for Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights. Apurva has also mentioned an effective strategy that helped her score 90 in verbal, and she has stressed a lot on practice for quantitative reasoning. She has given several other pieces of advice when it comes to time management, and she has also explained her struggle with DI.

Apurva, an Indian Air Force veteran, served for ten years and completed her services in 2022. After her service completion, she worked in corporate for one year and then figured out that she wanted to opt for Management roles, which is why she decided to do an MBA and considered GMAT. Read more about her exam prep and amazing GMAT exam score.

In this piece, we will be discussing:

  1. How did Apurva manage to score 90 in the verbal section, and what preparation strategy did she follow?
  2. What quant preparation strategy did she follow?
  3. How relevant were Jamboree’s questions and study material according to her?
  4. How much time did she give to GMAT mock tests after her exam prep?
  5. How did she manage her test-day mindset?
  6. Tips/Piece of advice for future test takers

How did Apurva manage 90 in the verbal section, and what preparation strategy did she follow?

I started my GMAT exam preparation with Jamboree in February 2024. I attempted the exam for the very first time on the 22nd of July. As far as scoring 90 on 90 in verbal is concerned, I got hold of one strategy, which is like finding four wrong answers. Initially, I was also looking for the right answer, was not paying attention to detail and was getting caught in the trap of answers. I later kind of shifted my verbal preparation strategy from finding the right answers to finding the four wrong answers. The moment I turned to this strategy I started to see a boost in my GMAT exam preparation and the mock tests I took. My number of incorrect answers was reduced significantly from 10 incorrect answers to like two wrong answers.

Another thing I would like to mention here is that don’t panic if some tough reading comprehension comes your way. Stay calm and pay attention to detail. During my GMAT prep, I brainstormed a lot with my verbal faculty, trying to find easier and shorter ways to solve questions. It’s about finding the smart way to get to the answer. I made a lot of mental notes about small things. Also, I maintained a chapter-wise error log of the questions that I was doing wrong. Once you are done with the verbal section, there is nothing much to revise, but you should always try to solve the wrongly attempted questions again.

What was her quant preparation strategy?

I was more confident in the quant section than in the verbal section, and for quant, one thing that is the most important is practice. OG questions are the questions one should aim to solve. While I was preparing for the GMAT, I started to find the questions very easy, and because of this, I was kind of scared. I thought that I was making too many mistakes, which is why I am getting easy questions.

I was very good with my time management skills. I completed the exam 5 minutes before and then revised the entire exam. For the Quant section, time management really helped me as I had time in hand, so I could solve the last two questions, which were tough. You will have to find your own ways of improving your time and of course your GMAT exam score.

What was her DI preparation strategy?

I would like to admit that I struggled with DI a lot, and I was not able to complete it on time. DI was never my strength. I completed quant, but I couldn’t answer the last two questions of DI.The challenge that I faced with DI is that apart from data sufficiency, which is already covered quite in detail in quant, there is nothing you can learn. At the time of giving the actual GMAT exam, I had the worst experience with DI. The third question was an MSR, which I had no idea about. I got my DI work reviewed with the faculty at Jamboree and he guided me through. He suggested not getting stuck on anything but rather pass it on as you have the review option, and this helped me. So, overall I did not have a very pleasant experience with DI.

How relevant were Jamboree questions and study material according to her?

In my opinion, if a student only focuses on the questions and study material provided by Jamboree, then it’s sufficient. If you are completing every question in there, then that is enough, especially the OG ones, as they are available on the portal. I finished the entire DI and quant, however, there were too many questions for verbal and sectional tests I was not able to complete.

As mentioned above, maintaining an error log is important because it is not possible for anyone to revise 500 questions, but I used to go back to questions that were there in my error log. The sectional tests given are very much sufficient. So, the material that Jamboree has provided is more than sufficient, and you do not need to take help from any resource outside Jamboree.

How much time did she dedicate to mock tests after her exam prep?

After my GMAT exam prep and between the classes, I religiously followed the post-class plan given by Jamboree. It was a two-month plan, which I could manage to cut down to one month according to my own preparation schedule and by reducing the timelines. I wrote down dates on the study plan and followed it thoroughly and strictly. Mock tests I started from the 15th of June till mid-July. I took all the mock tests that were prescribed, which made me feel extremely confident.

Jamboree’s course class plan is not that heavy as it does not need you to study four hours a day, except on the day you are taking a full-length exam. It is important to review your work after taking the exam. So, if you are targeting a good MBA college, then this much work is required.

How did she manage her test-day mindset?

I am a Netflix and Instagram person. However, I decided that one day before the exam, I would avoid all these things. I did not visit any social media platform for the entire day and had a good night’s sleep. Also, I went through a lot of questions in my error log. Went through the formula sheet of Jamboree and other resources, including RC tips and CR tips, etc. I kept checking my timing and stayed confident.

Tips/Piece of advice for future test takers

One important piece of advice I would like to give here is that the penalty for missing questions is higher than having a wrong answer. While giving mocks, I realized that if I am missing a lot of questions, my score was settling at 665, max 675; however, when I was completing all questions with an equal number of questions wrong, my score was touching 695. So, the bottom line here is that:

  • Don’t miss questions; rather, solve the complete paper. You can skip it, but then go back to them when you have time & attempt those.

  • For DI, you should know how to read graphs.

  • Finish those questions first which you find you will be able to answer quickly.

  • Consistency is the key. Be consistent if you are wanting to achieve a GMAT exam score above 700. Despite all your other commitments, which may include work, home, etc, you will have to put in consistent effort.

  • Prepare and practice; this will surely help in making you even more confident.

  • Don’t fall into any kind of trap for RC. Give time to RC by kind of reading it thoroughly.

  • For gmat Quant prep, I would say nothing can beat practice.

  • Stay in touch with your faculty, brainstorm together and find ways to manage your time.

  • Data Sufficiency is something that you should focus on. Focus more on questions with fewer parts. Graphs and tables are easier to understand than multi-source reasoning and two-part analysis.

  • Know your strengths so that you can bank upon.

  • At no cost, leave your exam.

  • Be confident & do not panic.

Ready to begin your GMAT exam preparation journey? Join our GMAT prep that gets you in the 705+ squad.

FAQs:

Q1: Do business schools in India accept GMAT scores?

Ans: Yes, most top Indian B-schools like ISB, IIMs, XLRI, SP Jain, and others accept GMAT scores.

Q2: In order to improve upon overall gmat exam score what should be the strategy?

Ans: The GMAT exam preparation strategy varies from individual to individual. There is no 1 plan that fits all. Students can brainstorm with the faculty and a personalized study plan designed based on their exam preparation levels.

Q3: How much time do I need to prepare for the GMAT exam?

Ans: The time actually depends on the test-taker. The total time duration for GMAT exam prep varies anywhere between 2 to 6 months.

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