How to get a perfect GMAT score, from someone who did

The exam costs nearly $300 and takes over two hours to complete—not to mention months of studying and preparation. Of the nearly 600,000 individuals who have taken the most recent GMAT edition, the average student only scores around 550 out of 805. For context, the median score for fall 2023 entrants to schools on Fortune’s MBA ranking was 665. 

Only a few dozen test takers have ever scored a perfect score.

But Julia Shackelford is one of them.

“It was very surreal,” Shackelford tells Fortune of when she first saw their 805 score. Their initial thought was it had to be an error. However, Shackelford had just spent 10 arduous months preparing for the graduate business admissions exam—and it had paid off.

Shackelford, who earned a bachelor’s in finance from the University of Arkansas about a decade ago, decided last year it was time for a career upgrade after years working in consumer lending at a local Arkansas credit union. She had an interest in international business and moving abroad, so pursuing an MBA became her plan.

How long should you study to get a perfect GMAT score?

Shackelford expected to be able to study for a few weeks and be ready to take the GMAT, but she quickly realized that her short timeline was too ambitious for someone also working full-time.

Instead, for the next 10 months, Shackelford spent her weekends and evenings strategically studying for the GMAT. She utilized free and paid resources from websites like MBA.com and Target Test Prep. She created a study plan with the highest target score in mind—which enabled her to conduct in-depth preparation for all three GMAT sections: quantitive reasoning, verbal reasoning, and data insights.

Shackelford also took all six MBA official practice exams that are available with retired questions and later reviewed all of her answers with the correct ones.

What is the best advice to get a perfect GMAT score?

Their…