From 395 to 695: My Comeback Story
GMAT Three-Attempt Journey: A Comeback from 395 to 695
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First Attempt (395): A Shocking Educational Experience
December 24, 2024, First Attempt: 395 (6th percentile) / Q82 (76th percentile) / V66 (1st percentile) / DI60 (6th percentile)
My first GMAT Focus Edition attempt was a mess. The day before leaving for Kaohsiung, I nearly forgot my passport. On exam day, I went to the wrong, old test center in Kaohsiung and barely made it to the correct location on time. During the exam, I didn’t grasp how critical finishing every question was. I left 5 Verbal questions and 6 DI questions blank, which really hurt my score because of the algorithm. As I walked out, the first thing I blurted out was, “Am I an idiot?!”
I felt completely defeated and started doubting myself. The fear of not finishing questions gnawed at me, worrying it would happen again. Then, I saw Dustin’s analysis of my score report online. He commented, “If this student can fix their question-answering efficiency, they have a strong shot at 675+ or even 705+!” That comment refueled my motivation. I decided to shift my mindset and push through.
Second Attempt (665): Significant Progress After Realigning
April 15, 2025, Second Attempt: 665 (93rd percentile) / Q89 (97th percentile) / V82 (76th percentile) / DI78 (70th percentile)
With Dustin’s help creating a study plan, daily practice, and strategy tweaks, my Verbal score saw a big jump. KH’s daily drills also steadily improved my math skills. I still ran into trouble with a tricky DI question where I couldn’t submit the last answer due to an option issue, leading to another penalty. Still, my overall score showed real progress.
Thanks to Dustin’s tailored study plan, daily practice, and strategic adjustments, my Verbal score saw remarkable improvement. KH’s daily drills also contributed to my gradual progress in Quantitative. While I missed submitting the final answer for a DI question due to an option issue, resulting in another penalty, the overall score reflected significant advancement.
Third Attempt (695): The Final Breakthrough with a Stable Mindset
June 17, 2025, Third Attempt: 695 (98th percentile) / Q90 (100th percentile) / V80 (57th percentile) / DI83 (96th percentile)
Before my third try, Dustin zeroed in on improving my DI. I specifically focused on time management, making sure not to get stuck on tough questions. The night before the exam, I finally slept for 6 hours. By ditching my old habit of wrestling with difficult problems and deliberately slowing down, and by sticking to Dustin’s advice on pacing, I boosted my score by another 30 points from my second attempt.
Section-Specific Preparation Strategies: How the Terminator Course Helped Me Break Through
CR (Critical Reasoning): Reflections Under Time Pressure
CR has always been the most engaging section for me during GMAT preparation, and this training not only prepared me for the exam but also sharpened my logical thinking. I used to think CR was my strong suit (scoring above the 90th percentile in previous exams). So, Dustin’s study plan started me with Medium difficulty questions in Plan/Construct categories, then moved to Hard and Advanced questions in Analysis/Critic types.
However, in my last two actual exams, my CR performance wasn’t what I expected. Looking at my score reports, I realized making a mistake on the first two questions probably shook my confidence. Combined with my slower pace in RC, this meant I couldn’t perform my best under time pressure for the remaining 8 CR questions, which hurt my overall score. This experience served as a crucial reminder: even if you feel confident during practice, poor time management and pacing can significantly hinder your performance on the actual test.
Throughout my preparation, Dustin’s instruction was incredibly helpful. I learned how to accurately interpret questions, systematic approaches for Argument Evaluation and Construction, and techniques for spotting tricky answer choices in tough questions. Even reading Chinese logic books helped me get a better handle on argument structures and fallacy types. Plus, Dustin’s detailed video explanations for every question in the OG and OV allowed me to systematically master various logical fallacies, almost like repairing an aircraft, and create a standardized way to tackle problems.
Ultimately, I believe that if I could have maintained a steadier RC reading pace and avoided feeling rushed in the CR section, my CR performance would have stayed strong. This is a key lesson I want to pass on to future test-takers.
RC (Reading Comprehension): The Necessity of Long-Term Training
GMAT Reading Comprehension has always been my weak spot. Those dense, information-packed passages, coupled with my usual reading habits, often left my brain feeling foggy and overwhelmed after trying to read them quickly.
In Dustin’s course, I learned how to predict passage structures based on his extensive experience analyzing GMAT articles. He customized my training based on my score reports and performance, focusing on specific weak question types. When preparing for my second attempt, the study plan included practicing high-difficulty OG and OV questions. Dustin also assigned daily practice with AI-generated GMAT-like passages to boost my reading speed. On top of that, I worked on GRE short passages to get better at summarizing after reading. This intense training led to a big improvement in my RC score, hitting the 94th percentile on my second attempt.
But looking back at that second attempt, even with the good score, I still spent more time on RC than planned. This signals a persistent time management issue. By the third attempt, I hadn’t kept up the reading habits I’d built during the second attempt, which caused my processing speed and focus to drop, hurting my RC score. This experience hammered home how vital consistent, long-term training is for RC to make good reading habits feel like second nature, rather than getting complacent after seeing short-term gains.
Q (Quantitative): Systematic Practice for a Perfect Score
KH’s course materials cover over 95% of the concepts and problem-solving methods you’ll see on the GMAT. The daily practice sessions, along with detailed video explanations, helped me systematically build my math knowledge. He advised students to track their mistakes during practice, identify weak question types, and use the consultation sessions and special live classes to sort out issues. For example, while preparing for my second attempt, I realized I wasn’t solid on absolute value inequalities. I found a specific session in the recorded live classes that helped me really grasp the logic behind different question types and learn to solve them without just plugging in numbers.
Dustin’s score report analysis also showed I made more errors and spent too much time on “Real Contexts” questions. So, he gave me targeted practice for those, plus resources from GMAT Club to shore up my weak areas. Leading up to my third attempt, I completed KH’s 80-day daily training, a 5-week plan for working professionals, and in the final 2-3 weeks, followed KH’s advice to power through over 500 rolling “jijing” (past exam questions). This thorough prep paid off with a perfect Q90 score on the official exam.
DI (Data Insights): Strategies from Unfamiliarity to Mastery
KH handled the DS and Graph & Table parts of DI, and his teaching and daily practice kept my performance steady there. Dustin focused on tutoring MSR, TPA, and text-based DS questions, which often trip up test-takers the most. He created standard solving steps for these question types, supported by special lectures, which helped me find the right answers even with complex information and tricky logic.
Thinking back on my prep, I especially recommend Dustin’s specialized live sessions for MSR and TPA. These lessons gave me clearer strategies for my third attempt, and I think they’ll help many future students get past these tough question types and perform at their best.
Since there aren’t many DI practice questions available outside of DS, I started with Easy difficulty OG and DI Review questions on GMAT Club when prepping for my third attempt. I gradually worked my way up to the medium-to-high difficulty questions Dustin assigned. This step-by-step method not only familiarized me with different question types but also helped me set up standard problem-solving procedures. Ultimately, my DI score went from the 70th percentile on my second attempt to the 96th percentile on my third.
A2GMAT Systematic Tutoring: Customized Plans and AI Tools
I think the Terminator course’s biggest strength is its systematic approach to teaching and tutoring. From diagnostic tests and questionnaires to score report analysis, this system helped me pinpoint my weaknesses and then systematically improve them following Dustin’s plan.
After each consultation, Dustin would create a study plan and practice schedule tailored to my situation, helping me manage the prep pressure at different stages. He also answered messages within 24 hours, allowing for quick feedback on execution and plan adjustments. He’d point out my mistakes when I was implementing the plan, like practicing too much and rushing the schedule or skipping in-depth review. That’s why the section-specific strategy discussions don’t focus on practice volume or recommended materials: as long as you trust Dustin’s plan and follow it diligently, it’s enough.
The Most Important Thing: Mindset Adjustment and Final Advice for Test-Takers
Beyond just getting a usable score, the biggest thing I gained from my GMAT prep journey was learning how to adjust my mindset. The support from the Terminator team was incredibly valuable, acting as a solid foundation throughout my studies.
In 2025, maybe due to too much stress, I kept getting sick and had to postpone my second attempt. I’m thankful to Emma for helping me extend my access to the Terminator course and to KH for giving voice feedback during Lunar New Year, which reassured me that consistent practice would lead to improvements in math.
If you’re a fellow test-taker still struggling with the GMAT, consider my perspective:
The GMAT really depends on your mental state on exam day, so managing your mindset is key. To help with this, and for overall stamina, I started jogging and playing basketball weekly in March, even at 30. This boosted my cardiovascular health, ensuring better oxygen flow and clearer thinking. When I felt intimidated by questions scoring above 805 in the weeks before the exam, I told myself: “As long as I can consistently answer the medium-to-low difficulty questions correctly, the scoring algorithm will accurately reflect my ability.”
Finally, I want to share a quote I saw on the morning of my third attempt:
Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.
I wish every test-taker the best in finding their own pace and taking each step steadily!
