What a GMAT test-taker, from 500 to 605, wants to say to Dustin and fellow students
Alan | Third Attempt 605 (Focus Second Attempt) | Finisher Class
A Letter to Dustin
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Hi Dustin,
The day before yesterday (9/9) was my third GMAT attempt (second Focus Edition attempt), and yesterday (9/10) was my last day in the GMAT Finisher Class. These two days mark the end of my 4+1 month GMAT journey and a significant milestone for my application plan. While my final score of 605 isn’t outstanding compared to the top scorers at A2GMAT or Dustin GMAT, it at least symbolizes that I’ve overcome the GMAT, which has troubled me for two years.
I first learned about the Finisher Class after finishing the A2 comprehensive class four months prior and taking the GMAT 10th edition. I sought Kory’s advice, and Kory told me off, saying, “You went in unprepared as cannon fodder without even finishing the books. What you should be doing now is studying, not coming to me for advice,” and “You need someone to keep an eye on you, go to the Finisher Class and let Dustin supervise you.” I still remember those two sentences to this day; they’ve echoed in my mind for two years, constantly reminding me of the reality of running away from the GMAT.
This April, I officially decided to get back to the GMAT. Initially, I thought that with the new format removing SC, which I feared most, and increasing the weight of Quant, scoring 700+ would be easy. But then, during a reading comprehension exercise in the Finisher Class, Dustin’s remark, “Your machine translation means you weren’t reorganizing information,” woke me up. It turned out that the GMAT requires a deeper, more profound level of reading than I had thought at the time.
Phase 1 (Before Focus First Attempt)
Phase 1 (before my first Focus attempt) was, I must say, the most diligently I’d ever studied since college, but also the most lost. The “Dustin Style” honed by GPT made me doubt myself after every reading practice; the DS questions in the math homework often made me question everything. Not to mention every question type in RC and DI, I often wondered after finishing the day’s practice: Should I just give up on the GMAT? If I gave up, I could let myself off the hook, just like before, by saying, “Oh, I didn’t get this score because I wasn’t serious and just gave up.”
However, I was very grateful that Dustin, beyond being an instructor, was willing to offer emotional support from the perspective of a “GMAT test-taker”—something I had never expected. Afterward, whenever I saw Dustin’s posts on Instagram, Threads, or Facebook, I’d remember his words and persist in continuing my journey.
Phase 2 (After Focus First Attempt ~ Before Second Attempt)
During our interview in Phase 2 (after my first Focus attempt ~ before my second attempt), Dustin also gave me very practical advice: to check my PR after sending the scores before deciding whether to retake it. This made me more resigned when preparing for my second attempt, and I didn’t have thoughts like, “Oh, maybe my first attempt’s score would be enough for admission, and then I wouldn’t have to suffer so much.” As the AI platform matured during Phase 2 prep, I gradually adapted to the study rhythm. My messages with Dustin were also much fewer than in Phase 1, and my reflections were relatively reduced.
Finally, thank you, Dustin. Thank you, Dustin, for guiding me to overcome my GMAT nightmare. Thank you, Dustin, for making me realize that the GMAT isn’t just an exam; it’s linked to developing skills for business school. And thank you, Dustin, for teaching me not to deceive myself with “Oh, I just wasn’t serious,” but to frankly face my abilities, which allowed me to go from 500 (10th edition) → 605 (Focus).
I wish Dustin all the best in the future, whether as a developer, a GMAT instructor, or on any other path.
Passing on Experience to Fellow Test-takers
GMAT isn’t a battle; going “all in” is a huge risk. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prepare seriously for the GMAT, but rather try to balance GMAT prep with your life (though GMAT will tend to take priority). During the preparation process, exercise, diet, rest, and even socializing with friends or attending events (like MBA Tours) are, I believe, as important as the GMAT itself. Because if you burn yourself out and desperately fight to achieve a GMAT score today, you’ll likely face even more pain when confronted with equal or greater pressure in business school. Such a GMAT isn’t a hope for progress, but a shortcut to endless suffering.
Aggressive Planning [Personal Habit]: As an office worker, I’m used to dedicating all my “available time” to GMAT preparation. This kind of time management often makes it impossible for me to achieve my study plan’s execution rate, but I aim to meet at least the minimum threshold (70%).
Go easy on yourself and your body: When you’re short on time, start practicing the most fundamental and dependent skills. If you really can’t keep going, go rest (sleep). Never push your body too hard; your physical condition on test day is as important, if not more important, than how much you prepared.
Problem-Solving Technique Advice for Test-takers
I. Work-Rate Problems
The typical scenario for these problems is: A takes X hours to complete a task alone, and B takes Y hours alone. How long will it take if they work together?
Core Technique: Assume total work using the “Least Common Multiple”
Instead of setting the total work as an abstract “1,” set it as the “least common multiple” of each participant’s completion time. The benefit of doing this is that each person’s work rate (work completed per unit of time) will be a nice integer, greatly simplifying calculations.
Example: Suppose A takes 4 hours and B takes 6 hours to complete the same task. The least common multiple is 12, so assume total work = 12 units.
- A’s rate: 12 ÷ 4 = 3 units/hour
- B’s rate: 12 ÷ 6 = 2 units/hour
- Combined rate: 3 + 2 = 5 units/hour
- Time to complete: 12 ÷ 5 = 2.4 hours
II. Mixture Problems
Mixture problems typically involve mixing two or more substances with different concentrations (or ratios) and finding the resulting concentration or required ratio.
Core Technique: Visualize ratios using the “Area Method” or “Lever Principle”
When you see a mixture problem, don’t rush to set up equations. First, identify:
1. The concentration of the high-concentration liquid (H)
2. The concentration of the low-concentration liquid (L)
3. The target mixed concentration (T)
The ratio relationship: High concentration : Low concentration = (T – L) : (H – T)
Memory Trick: “Target minus low, ratio to high; high minus target, ratio to low”—which means “cross-subtraction.”
