Only 2 hours a day: How could Phuong achieve a breakthrough IELTS 7.5?

Phuong Do, a final-year Law student, needed an IELTS certificate to graduate and prepare for future job opportunities. Her starting point was 5.5, and with a packed internship schedule during the day, finding time to study was already a challenge. Then her friend recommended Prep Edu, and her journey toward her target IELTS score began.

Studying late at night, but not alone

During her preparation, Phuong often had only 1-2 hours each night to study after the internship. Having a comprehensive IELTS prep platform that could respond instantly made a big difference. With Prep Edu, instead of waiting for someone to review her work, Phuong could practice and receive feedback immediately. 

For Writing skill, Phuong and a close friend created a small study routine together. “We practiced with Prep Edu’s Forecast test sets, about 50 topics. Each of us prepared outlines and key ideas before discussing them together.” She shared, “I used Virtual Writing Room so AI could check and then correct my grammar and vocabulary in detail with high accuracy.” For Speaking, she turned to the Virtual Speaking Room. “Talking with AI helped me feel less shy and allowed me to practice anytime.” 

Surprise insight from Prep Edu’s AI scoring

While practicing, Phuong noticed something interesting. “When I compared the scores between practicing on Prep Edu and my actual results, I noticed some differences, especially in Writing and Speaking,” she said. 

She also praised the accuracy of AI scoring, “In the Virtual Rooms, AI and teachers usually scored me around 6.0-6.5. But in the real test, I felt I did better, and my scores were higher. I think Prep Edu grades are quite strict to make students more careful.” 

Reading strategy that led to a perfect 9.0

One of Phuong’s most impressive achievements came from the Reading section. Instead of relying on common techniques like skimming or scanning, she chose a method that worked better for her. 

“When practicing Reading tests on Prep Edu, I didn’t use techniques like skimming or scanning because they didn’t work well for me,” she explained. “I carefully read each passage and answered all related questions before moving on. This helped me understand the content better and avoid traps.” Her approach paid off, she scored 9.0 in Reading - a perfect result.

The beyond-expectation result came

On test day, Phuong admitted she still felt nervous. “Honestly, I was a bit nervous on test day, especially with Writing and Speaking because it was my first real test experience,” she said. But instead of putting too much pressure on herself, she tried to stay calm.

“My university required only a 7.0 for graduation, so I didn’t pressure myself to achieve an extremely high score. That helped me stay more relaxed during the test.” In the end, Phuong didn’t just reach her target; she achieved an overall IELTS score of 7.5.

“Prep Edu exceeded my expectations.”

Looking back on her preparation journey, Phuong felt the experience gave her more than she initially expected. “If I had to estimate, Prep Edu met 100% of my expectations,” she shared.

“I chose Prep Edu because it is convenient, affordable, and the AI system provides instant, accurate feedback, which is ideal for self-study. At first, my biggest expectation was to find a platform that could automatically correct my Writing and Speaking. But after studying, I realized Prep Edu offers much more. The course provides a solid foundation, especially the 6.5+ courses that helped me systematize my knowledge.”