GMAT Studying Tips: A Guide for Business School Applicants

What Are the Best GMAT Studying Tips?

The key to successful GMAT prep is to use personalized prep strategies. Every student has different ways of learning and studying, and the GMAT Focus Edition is not a one-size-fits-all challenge.

By personalized prep strategies, we mean the best GMAT prep is to use the studying methods that work best for YOU. Some students learn best by using prep books or watching webinars. Other students might prefer a GMAT prep course or one-on-one GMAT tutor. Maybe you prefer reading test questions aloud to yourself to reason out the answer. Or you might enjoy working in study groups to bounce ideas off of each other.

There is no secret recipe to ace the test, and there is no guaranteed strategy to approach its different sections. Conquering this exam means employing the prep strategies that work for you and applying them to the GMAT’s unique format.

The format of the GMAT is one of the things which makes this test so hard to master. Fortunately, the skills required to ace the test are skills you can learn and improve. And with a personalized GMAT prep plan, you can develop these necessary skills in a way that works for you.

How Hard is the GMAT?

Just how difficult is the GMAT Focus Edition? It is one of the most difficult graduate level entrance exams out there. It is often compared to the LSAT for law school admissions and the MCAT for medical school admissions. Although not as long as the grueling MCAT or unique as the LSAT, the GMAT is undeniably tricky.

This is because the GMAT does not require subject knowledge or memorization of content. It tests your ability to reason and problem-solve more than anything. The GMAT questions are complex and intentionally tricky to understand. Very few students can go in and ace the GMAT on their reasoning ability alone, since this is a skill that takes time to develop and needs to be sharpened before the test.

The GMAT is also an adaptive test throughout, meaning that with every question you answer, the next question’s difficulty will change. If you answered a question correctly, the next question will be more difficult. If you answered wrong, the following question will be easier. So theoretically, every right answer increases the difficulty level of your test, making earning a good GMAT score progressively harder.

Do GMAT Studying TipsMatter?

Absolutely. GMAT studying tips are crucial if you are aiming for a top-tier MBA program. Your GMAT score plays a significant role in admissions decisions, particularly for competitive schools in the US and Canada. Many programs rely heavily on these scores to evaluate academic readiness and potential for success.

Leveraging proven GMAT studying tips can give you a real advantage. A strong score not only improves your chances of getting noticed by admissions committees, but also makes you eligible for scholarships and advanced placement. Preparing strategically ensures you're performing at your best on test day.

Since business schools make admissions decisions based on past accepted GMAT score averages, the GMAT score you submit in your application can determine whether you move ahead in the MBA admissions race or not. Put simply, if you don’t meet the average score of past students, you risk being rejected from a program. For example, the average accepted GMAT scores at Harvard Business School and Kellogg Business School are 740 and 733, respectively, out of 805!

If your goal is to get accepted to a top MBA program, you stand a better chance of acceptance with a very competitive GMAT score. And your best chance of earning this excellent score is through effective GMAT prep.

Do I Need to Take the GMAT?

The difficulty of this test can intimidate students hoping to get into business school. While there are MBA programs that don’t require the GMAT, even online MBAs with no GMAT requirement, the vast majority of business schools do require and use the GMAT to evaluate applicants. Some allow you to choose between the GMAT vs GRE, but the test is still one of the most common MBA requirements.

Thousands of programs, from the best MBA programs in the world to the easiest MBA programs to get into look to the GMAT as an indicator of your academic ability and ability to succeed in a graduate level business program.

If you do need to take the GMAT to get into your top choice business school, know that it is possible to prepare for the GMAT and earn a good score. The test IS hard, but it’s not impossible to master.

To help you with your GMAT prep, we’ll dive into everything you need to do to get started and the strategies you can use to ace it.

How to Start Your GMAT Prep

To get the right start on your GMAT prep, there are a few steps to take before you buckle down and start studying. We’ll cover each of these steps you need to take so you can set yourself up for success on GMAT test day.

#1 Learn what’s on the GMAT

The first step to effective GMAT prep is, you might have guessed, knowing what’s on the test. While the different GMAT sections and question types might be familiar to you, giving them a thorough review will ensure there are fewer surprises.

Here’s a look at the entire GMAT, including the different sections and time limits, as well as the score ranges. It’s a good idea to review how the GMAT is scored and the GMAT percentiles so you can understand how you are being evaluated in each section.

The GMAT Focus consists of 3 sections, each 45 minutes long:

#2 Take a diagnostic test

The easiest way to become acquainted with the GMAT is to take a diagnostic test. This is an initial practice test, so you can better gauge what your weaknesses on the test are, what your strengths are and give you an overall impression of the GMAT’s challenges.

There are official practice tests you can use for your diagnostic test, offered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), the organization that administers the test.

A GMAT Focus Edition diagnostic test will be the best way for you to make a self-assessment. You can find out which question types were most difficult, or which sections you disliked the most. It’s the same strategy as using an MBA mock interview to prepare for MBA admissions interviews. A practice test is the closest simulation to the real thing, just as a mock interview is a way to rehearse your interview before the real deal.

#3 Choose your GMAT prep resources

Once you have a better idea of what the test is like and how well you scored on your diagnostic test, you can start preparing your GMAT prep resources. This might be decided by your own study preferences and how you study best.

Again, personalized prep is the key here, so use the studying materials that work best for you. If a studying strategy isn’t working for you halfway through your study schedule, you’ll be losing out on valuable prep time and won’t be effectively preparing yourself for the GMAT.

Decide if you’d rather self-study or if you think extra help might be worth it for you. Gather all the study materials you’re going to use, so they are close by and on hand when you start studying for the test.

#4 Choose a GMAT test date

Test dates open 6 months in advance. Choose a time that fits your study schedule and application deadlines. When choosing your GMAT test date and registering, you’ll need to consider:

• What testing location you prefer (testing center or at home)
• Your MBA application deadline
• When your GMAT scores will be released
• How long you need to study for the GMAT
• If you’ll need time for a retake

GMAT test dates for the online version of the test open 6 months ahead of time. This essentially gives you a 6-month study period if you choose the earliest available date. If you feel like you need more prep time, you can choose a later date. You can also schedule an online GMAT up to 24 hours before the available testing slot, but you may not be able to cancel without a fee.

When selecting a date, you’ll also factor in when your MBA applications are due and when you can expect scores to be released so you can send them to MBA programs on time.

Many MBA programs accept your highest score in the event of multiple test attempts, so if you’re unhappy with your score or concerned you won’t score high enough, give yourself enough time to schedule a retake and time to study with an improved strategy.

There are hundreds of GMAT testing locations, but there may not be a convenient one near you. If there isn’t, you can opt to take the test at home, so long as you have a suitably quiet location and meet all the technical requirements. If you do plan to take the test at a testing center, review the test day requirements so you’re prepared and don’t forget to bring anything vital on the day of your exam.

#5 Review test day requirements

This might seem like a straightforward GMAT prep step, but it can eliminate surprises and reduce stress!

Checking in at a test center for the GMAT involves a fairly intensive security screening process. You’ll need to provide an acceptable, valid ID, sit for a digital photograph, provide a digital signature and even have your palm vein scan, in some cases.

The GMAC provides a full test day checklist, including acceptable forms of ID and prohibited items at the testing center, so review these instructions carefully!

If you’re taking the test online at home, you’ll need to review the system requirements and regulations ahead of time. If you don’t follow testing regulations, your test date or scores may be canceled.

#6 Create a detailed study schedule

Creating a detailed study schedule will give your GMAT prep some structure and purpose. It will keep your studying organized and keep you accountable for your set studying hours.

To create a schedule, you’ll have to determine how many hours per week you can block off for studying and how many months your schedule will be. The recommended number of study hours is around 100-120 hours. Most students take 2 or 3 months to study for the GMAT, but this schedule can be shifted to accommodate your own schedule and the number of hours per week you have free to study.

A majority of your studying time will be taken up by taking practice tests or completing practice questions, rather than straight content review or memorization. Take into account when you’re building your schedule that it will likely take several hours to complete and review a practice test or set of practice questions.

When taking timed practice tests, you’ll want to simulate the real test environment as closely as possible, which means eliminating distractions and blocking off a solid 2 hours and 15 minutes to write it uninterrupted. Give yourself flexibility when creating your study schedule and set realistic weekly studying goals.

Step-by-Step GMAT Studying Tips Guide

Now that we’ve covered the initial steps of GMAT preparation, let’s explore the most impactful GMAT studying tips that will help you sharpen your skills, optimize your time, and improve your overall test performance.

1. Content Review

Content review is a key GMAT studying tip that builds familiarity with the structure and logic of the test, rather than rote memorization. While subject-specific knowledge isn't heavily tested, understanding the question formats and common concepts in each section is crucial.

2. Personalized prep strategies

Once you understand what’s on the test and the types of questions to expect, you can better implement your personalized prep strategies. As we’ve mentioned, these are the key to acing the test.

You may choose to join a study group, use question banks and flashcards, create quizzes for yourself or explain test concepts or arguments to someone else. It can also help to read questions and answers aloud and explain your reasoning verbally or on paper.

3. Practice tests and questions

Taking practice tests and completing practice questions are the best way to practice using your personalized prep strategies. Essentially, repeat, repeat, repeat until you are consistently getting the score you want on practice tests.

The reason why practice tests are so useful and important is because they are a simulation of the real GMAT. Use the official practice tests if you want the closest simulation in both difficulty and format, but practice questions can help, too.

It’s a good idea to practice with both timed and untimed practice tests. When you’re taking a timed practice test, try to simulate the real testing environment, too, by finding a quiet place free of distractions and using only the materials permitted in the testing center.

4. Test stamina building

The GMAT is a long test, and the ticking clock can cause some anxiety for test-takers. With the level of difficulty and the 2 hours and 15 minutes time limit, this can lead to mental fatigue and burnout if you’re not used to it. It’s a good strategy to build your “test stamina” with timed practice tests so you can essentially practice staying focused for many hours at a time and staying sharp.

It also takes some time to puzzle out the answers to the different questions, read carefully and check your work. Practicing your time management and improving your test speed are essential to your GMAT prep.

GMAT Studying Tips: Practice Questions and Answers

To familiarize yourself with each GMAT Focus Edition question type, it’s essential to practice using official sample questions. You can find examples from all three sections: Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights, on the official GMAT website.

Who Can Help with GMAT Studying Tips?

When it comes to GMAT studying tips, leveraging the right support system can make a major difference in your performance. Whether you’re seeking structured guidance from professionals or relying on free self-study tools, there are a variety of resources available to help you craft the most effective prep strategy for your learning style.

FAQs

To your success,

Your friends at BeMo

BeMo Academic Consulting

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