After an initial period of steady improvement, many students hit an unexpected wall: their scores stop going up. This plateau can feel frustrating, confusing, and disheartening—but it’s also common. The good news? It’s almost always fixable.
Hidden Reason #1: No Systematic Error Analysis
Most students review their mistakes—but very few analyze them deeply. They move on after identifying a wrong answer, without categorizing the type of mistake it was. Was it a theory gap? A strategic misstep? A silly error? Without understanding the source of each mistake, students risk repeating the same patterns.
At Merchant, we break down errors into three main categories:
- Silly: careless math errors or misreading the prompt.
- Theory: correctly interpreted but failed to connect ideas or execute strategy.
- Tough: a lack of conceptual knowledge or misunderstanding the content.
This categorization helps identify what’s truly holding back progress. It turns each mistake into a learning opportunity—not just a missed point.
Hidden Reason #2: Lack of Test Strategy that Matches the Algorithm
The GMAT isn’t just testing your math and verbal skills—it’s testing your ability to manage time, stress, and decision-making under pressure. Students who study hard but don’t learn how the adaptive algorithm works often find their score stuck at the same level.
That’s why we develop custom test-taking strategies for every student. These strategies address:
- When to guess and move on
- How to recover from a bad start
- How to pace across question types
- What accuracy level you need for your target score
The Role of Consistency and Coaching
Even with the right tools, improvement won’t come without consistency. A strong plan must be practiced often enough to become second nature. That's why we build study plans based on real student routines—with daily, weekly, and mock exam schedules designed for long-term retention.
Weekly coaching ensures progress is monitored, strategies are refined, and confidence remains high.
Score plateaus are common, but not permanent. The solution is never just “study harder”—it’s “study smarter.” By identifying the type of mistake, adapting your test-day strategy, and training consistently, you break through the plateau and continue progressing toward your goal.
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