5 GMAT Prep Mistakes I Wish I’d Avoided (And How You Can Skip Them)

Let’s be honest—GMAT prep can feel like stumbling through a dark room, tripping over furniture you didn’t know was there. I know, because I’ve been there. After months of trial and error (and a few tantrums), I finally cracked the code with a 715 (99th percentile). Looking back, here are the five biggest mistakes I made—and how you can avoid them to save time, money, and sanity.

Mistake 1: Picking the Wrong Study Materials

I made the classic mistake of choosing my prep resources based on popular opinion instead of personal fit. I committed to a highly recommended course without testing it first, only to realize weeks later that its teaching style didn’t mesh with how I learn.

What to do instead:

✔ Take advantage of free trials—most major prep companies offer them.

✔ Ask yourself: Does this explain things in a way that makes sense to me?

✔ Mix and match— There is no need to study quant, verbal, and DI from the same source. Mix and match as your need arises! 

Mistake 2: Practicing Without a Purpose

Early on, I thought that more questions = better score. Wrong. Well, at least not entirely correct. I burned through hundreds of problems without analyzing why I got them wrong, which meant I kept repeating the same mistakes.

The fix:

✔ Use an error log religiously (you can either make your own or use the template from GMAT Club).

✔ Focus on weaknesses, not comfort zones—if Data Insights is dragging you down, don’t hide in Quant.

Mistake 3: Overdoing Practice Tests

In a panic, I took six full-length tests in two weeks before my first exam. Result? Burnout and a score plateau (and running out of official mocks to do before my second exam).

What I learned:

✔ Use mock exams correctly —they’re for building stamina and refining test-taking strategies, not learning new content.

✔ Detailed performance analysis after each mock exam — this includes not only seeing what you got wrong, but also recognizing why you got them wrong and noticing test-taking patterns that could help/hurt your performance in the real exam. 

Mistake 4: Ignoring My Error Log (Until It Was Too Late)

For months, I avoided tracking my mistakes because it felt tedious. Big mistake. Once I started, I saw patterns I’d been missing—like rushing through CR questions without a crystal clear view of the conclusion or misinterpreting DI graphs.

How to start today:

✔ Log every mistake—not just the answer, but why you got it wrong.

✔ Review weekly—spot trends and adjust your prep.

Mistake 5: Letting Doubt Win

After months stuck at ~625 on my mocks, I nearly gave up. But refining my approach (especially my error log strategy) got me to 715.

The truth? The GMAT isn’t about being "smart"—it’s about strategy, discipline, and trusting the process.

Your Next Steps

1. Audit your prep—are you making any of these mistakes?

2. Need help? [Book a 15-minute call]—I’ll help you find the fastest path to your goal score.

   
   

Remember: Everyone plateaus. The difference is what you do next.