If your fundamentals are weak, Target Test Prep will not disappoint!

I am a non-profit professional, and the last time I studied mathematics was in 2010. Fast forward 14 years to 2024, when I decided to pursue an MBA, I knew I had to prepare for the GMAT/GRE—a daunting realisation given my long disconnect from maths.

One thing was clear: I needed to go back to my basics. While GMAT and GRE don’t test high-level maths, they do require quick thinking, knowing formulas, and solving questions efficiently. Like most people, I started with free resources—GMAT Ninja’s YouTube series and GMAT Club—but quickly realised that wasn’t enough. This became even more obvious when I spent time on places like GMAT Club or GRE Club, where everyone seemed to solve problems in a snap, while I was still stuck trying to understand the question. I needed a structured, step-by-step approach.

That’s when I started comparing e-GMAT and Target Test Prep (TTP). While TTP was a little on the expensive side (especially for someone from South Asia), I took their 5-day trial—and honestly, I was blown away by how well-structured it was. One of the biggest advantages of TTP is that it removes all confusion about what to study next. The moment you sign up, they tell you upfront: “Follow the plan.” That’s exactly what I did.

I thought, why not try my luck, and messaged TTP to ask if they could offer a discount (since no flash sale was running at that time). And in less than 24 hours, they sent me a 20% discount code—no questions asked. With that, I purchased the 6-month plan in July 2024, knowing I could only manage 1.5 hours on weekdays and longer study sessions on weekends. Over the next four months, I only used TTP and my notes.

My GMAT Experience:
The step-by-step structure,
Mini quizzes after each section,
Comprehensive explanations with some humour sprinkled in,
A well-organised formula booklet,
…all of this made sure I wasn’t just memorising formulas—I was actually understanding the concepts.

I was finally getting comfortable with maths, and by the fifth month, I was scoring in the 650s on official GMAT mocks (DI still being my weakest). But when I took the actual exam, I choked. I panicked, wasted time on the tougher questions (exactly what TTP warned me against in their prep tips included in the subscription), and completely lost track of time. My score crashed below 620. It was a terrible feeling.

Pivoting to the GRE:
After discussing with my mentors, I decided to pivot to GRE, where I could leverage my verbal strengths. I reached out to TTP, and once again, their support team was fantastic—within 24 hours, they transferred my GMAT subscription to the GRE course, no extra charge. Now with just about one and a half month left on my TTP subscription, I focused on:

GRE-specific topics (especially geometry, which isn’t tested in GMAT)
Time management strategies
Revising quant concepts and using TTP’s error log to find patterns in my mistakes

On 4th January, I gave my first GRE attempt and landed with Q-155, V-161, AWA-5. It wasn’t as bad as GMAT, but I still repeated some of the same mistakes—mismanaging time and maybe getting a bit overconfident with verbal.

For the next 30 days, I buckled down:

Went back to TTP’s chapter-wise revision and targeted quizzes
Revised weak areas through the error log
Used GregMat for timed practice and test-taking strategies
Used Magoosh’s vocabulary flashcards because I wanted something quick and easy to review words on the go
On 7th February, I took my second GRE attempt and this time, I improved to:

Q-162 (60th percentile)
V-163 (91st percentile)
AWA-4.5

Almost every test prep platform, including TTP, claims that their students score 90th+ percentile. I didn’t. Does that mean TTP didn’t work? Absolutely not. Why do I still rate it 5 stars?

TTP is as exhaustive as a test prep platform can get—but your score still depends on your own effort, your natural strengths, and your relationship with maths/verbal. For me, 91st percentile in verbal, despite being a non-native English user wasn’t difficult because I use verbal skills at work every day. But quant was always my weak spot, and TTP helped me push past my limitations.

If you complete 85-100% of the course, you WILL see improvement.

One Feature That Would Make TTP Even Better
The only thing I wish TTP had is a strictly timed practice mode. Right now, even if your timer runs out, you can still finish the quiz. But for someone like me, who struggled most with time management, a forced stop would have been a very useful feature. I have shared this with the TTP team and they have acknowledged it as well. :)

TL;DR
If you need rock-solid fundamentals, TTP is a no-brainer.
If you follow their plan, you don’t need to waste time on other resources.
It’s not the cheapest test prep, but in terms of quality, structure, and effectiveness, it’s worth your investment.

I didn’t magically become a maths wizard, but TTP gave me the best shot at improvement. If you’re looking for structured, high-quality test prep, Target Test Prep is 100% worth it.