The GMAT is often the most difficult hurdle for MBA aspirants on the long road to business school. Despite the fact that most institutions now accept the GRE, admissions staff still see the GMAT as the cornerstone of any successful MBA application. Hence, to that end every student aspires to score 700+ on the exam and breaking the barrier of 700 is an achievement on its own.
GMAT preparation can be exhausting hence it is always wise to go for a methodical approach where you can build an ability to not only master the concepts but can also focus on learning the systematic application of those concepts. Besides from question-solving skills, you’ll also need to acquire a few supporting skills, such as how the GMAT works as an adaptive test and how to manage your time. Keep on reading the article to learn all the tips for an effective prep.
To start with you should first –
Set your Baseline
The first step should be assessing your starting ability or your baseline score. And the best way to do that is to start with taking GMAT mock test. It will tell you how much difference there is between you starting and target scores. And if you’ve already taken the GMAT, you can use your last score as a starting point.
Find a resource that fits according to your preferred learning style
There are surfeits of GMAT books and study resources available that it can be overwhelming and confusing to choose the right study resources. Your study resources should provide you in depth coverage of all concepts that will come in play on your problems. You can also enroll yourself in a GMAT online coaching where you can customize your plans and resources according to your learning style and weaknesses that you need to work upon.
Time Management
While efficiency is the key time management is also very much important. The GMAT is a time sensitive exam so keep it in mind without correct strategies for time management your hard work will go in vain. Although there is a fine line between being aware of the clock and allowing it to stress you. However, whatever you do don’t ignore it. Be brute about your time on each question and stick to it even during your prep and use practice test to simulate exam conditions.
Create a sequence of study and allocate hours
Allocate a week or two focusing on each section that is Integrated reasoning, Analytical Writing, Verbal and Quantitative.
You might choose to start with the exam’s quantitative section. While GMAT math is quite basic and time consuming, you may discover that you need to re-learn what you’ve forgotten, which could take some time if you’ve been out of school for a while. Investing in a specific GMAT book could be a valuable investment.
Do not overlook the verbal sections. Examine your performance on the practice papers and determine which questions were the most challenging for you to answer. Was it sentence correction or critical thinking? Whatever it is, try doing a few of problems a day, focusing on the sections where you have the greatest difficulty.
Take as many practice tests as possible in the weeks leading up to the exam to familiarize yourself with the format. Review your errors to figure out what went wrong and prevent making the same mistakes again!
Master content before solving practice problems
Too many students make the error of solving a large number of practice questions without first learning the essential skills that are being examined. Rather than wasting time solving questions without first mastering the principles, use the time necessary to mastering the foundations. That is, you must first develop your conceptual understanding. Once you’ve honed your conceptual understanding, it’s time to put it into practice by solving a variety of realistic GMAT mock test.
Hence practice alone won’t always make you perfect if you are lacking necessary understanding of the concepts. To better understand the statement Golf provides us with a great analogy. Imagine hitting golf balls all summer at the driving range without a coach or anyone to help you understand how to improve your swing and technique. Will you have improved your golf game by the end of the summer? Most likely not. Your mistakes will most likely have been engrained in your swing. However, if you know how to swing a golf club and put that knowledge into practice with each swing, you can significantly improve. Hence mastering the concepts is equally important as practicing it.
Review the Study Materials often
Knowledge and skills deteriorate over time. That is to say, unless you nourish your knowledge, you cannot expect it to remain indefinitely. We have frequently seen students who put in a lot of effort to grasp some GMAT material and then excel at it. Then they move on to mastering new material with glee. They eventually discover they have forgotten the learnings and concepts from the previous study material. While during your GMAT preparation, plan to review the concepts thoroughly for at least good 2-3 hours.
Try to Master the Algebra
Who can blame students for seeking for methods to save time? And hence they rely on the art of picking numbers and back solving for algebra. They usually focus on mastering these approaches at the expense of actually learning the underlying arithmetic. If you put in the effort to learn the fundamental concepts of math, you’ll develop a set of techniques that you can use on issues where back solving won’t produce a valid answer. With these techniques You’ll find it much easier to recognize how to fix a problem and then put that solution into action. Although having said that there is a time when back solving and picking numbers can come in handy. For instance, it can greatly simplify the solution of exceedingly tough data sufficiency problems. They can also assist you in solving some problems that need advanced algebra.
So, even if you want to practice back solving and number picking make a deal with yourself that you will learn first how to solve each problem algebraically that way you can learn more quickly and have a better understanding of the content and on the exam day, you’ll have a tremendous array of methods at your disposal to tackle whatever the test throws at you quickly and confidently.
Read more Carefully
Being a good reader would benefit you a lot on the GMAT in all sections. Make an effort to read everything slowly and systematically. When you’re reading, pay attention. Make sure you comprehend each sentence’s major premise as well as the key elements in each problem. While this will sound unusual but Visualization can also help you pay attention to what you’re reading. Imagine what you’re reading unfolding as if you’re seeing a movie as you read. Picture what you’ve read. You can assist your brain better integrate and connect information by engaging in this visualizing process.
Make sure you are answering exactly what is asked
Before selecting an answer, read attentively and double check what you’ve read. Consider a complicated problem which includes two Shiba Inus, Blaze and Molly. What if you solve for Molly’s age which also happens to be an answer option, but the question actually asks for Blaze’s age? Make sure you’re genuinely responding to the question.
And lastly
Focus on getting better before you focus on Getting Faster
One of the most difficult aspects of the GMAT is the time limit per question. It’s typical for students to be concerned about time constraints, and pacing must be taken into account when studying for the test. The manner a student prepares for these time limits, on the other hand, can make or break a student’s ultimate score.
Students frequently train as if there were some miraculous methods for increasing their speed. In fact, getting better is the best way to get faster! Don’t waste your time looking for a quick fix because one does not exist. Rather, plan your GMAT preparation where you are devoting your efforts to properly understand the content. Allow yourself to become accustomed to the techniques. Make sure you have all of the necessary facts, statistics, and calculations at your fingertips. Practice these concepts, tactics, and procedures as much as possible.
Closing Remarks!
Finally, keep in mind that many people score 700+ on their first GMAT test, and you can be one of them if you approach your preparation properly. So, get started on your preparation and make sure you don’t fall for any shortcuts. Maintain a steady study schedule and you will pass the GMAT with flying colors.
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