GMAT FE 725 (QA 90, VA 85, DI 83) - a tumultuous journey!

Watch Tavishi's video debrief on YouTube
 

­Hi all,
Very happy to report a score of 725 in the GMAT FE on my first attempt!

I came out of the examination hall all ecstatic and overjoyed, only to receive a mail a few hours later saying my exam had been flagged for 'administrative review'. Naturally, I was scared out of my mind and surfed the web for hours trying to understand what this could potentially mean for my score. 
Thankfully, I received my official score report today, and all is well! Sharing my experience below in case it would help anyone that's just beginning their prep, or close to the finish line -
 
I had been flirting with the idea of prepping for GMAT since 2021. Many a time, I'd pick up a book or watch a video, stay driven for a day or two, and then lose interest and go back to my regular life. During this time, I'd watched the entire sentence correction series published by Gmat Ninja, and a couple of their quant videos as well. Geometry was something I was always terrified of - hence I watched multiple videos around GMAT geometry, solved questions, and tried to increase my comfort level - all in vain! Like a blessing from the gods, the Focus edition was introduced, seemingly tailor-made to accommodate my strengths and weaknesses. 

I knew that I needed a strong motivator to beat the urge to procrastinate (quite common when you have a full-time job alongside!) and so, I decided to book the exam in December 2023, without any prep whatsoever. I figured, having the date loom large in my head would push me to work harder and smarter - and it did!

I found the Magoosh FE prep course to be the most cost-effective (~11,000 INR for a full year of access) to supplement my existing prep with the official guides and the online question bank. I completed the course in about two months and devoted the rest of my time to giving mocks and solving as many questions as I could. I'd always been very strong with Verbal, but struggled with Math in a competitive format. I knew I had to increase my comfort level exponentially - hence, towards the end of my prep, I began solving 50-75 Quant questions per day (from the OG as well as Magoosh question bank). 

The GMAT tests not just your academic prowess or your quantitative ability, but also your psyche. Exam psychology is just as important, if not more, as prepping for Quant or Verbal. I gave an evaluative mock and realized I was always in a hurry to get done with the exam, sacrificing accuracy for speed, and scoring 585 in the first two Magoosh mocks I gave. Gradually, I trained my mind to approach every question like a marathon rather than a sprint, to enjoy the process, and to savor it all - achieving gradual mock scores of 625, 635, 655 and 675 in the official mocks.

Come D-day, I felt ready and confident. I solved some warm-up questions before leaving (data sufficiency and PS) and scored well - so I wasn't worried. I told myself that I could always give more attempts and that this was just another mock exam. Having that attitude helped tremendously - a girl that had scored a mere 75%ile back in CAT 2019, could now score a 100%ile in Quant, overcoming all her exam anxiety and achieving her dream score.

To anyone that's flirting with the idea of giving the exam - go for it! Believe in yourself, stay hydrated, and enjoy the exam. Identify your weak areas and practice the hell out of those questions - OVERDO it! I wish you all the best. 
Always happy to answer queries and help out! 
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