GMAT is a widely accepted score for admission in MBA, management, or business-related courses across the globe. Hence, there is immense competition for this exam. As a result, the preparation for the GMAT exam becomes the key to achieving a good score.
Though, given the format and the prominence of the examination, GMAT might seem a bit complex. If you can plan well and execute it with discipline, you would be able to achieve your desired scores.
We bring you a few best practices of GMAT preparation which would help you make a plan to prepare for GMAT from scratch:
Research
The first, you have to do as a part of your GMAT prep plan would be to do in-depth research. You don’t only need to gather information about the exam, but you also need information about the schools you would attend.
Keeping your destination in mind helps you shape the path of your planning efficiently.
It is good to have at least 5 to 10 business schools shortlisted. This should include a couple of b-schools that would make a stretch goal and a couple which is a safe option. You also need to consider the monetary aspects of education while shortlisting business schools. Don’t only account for the tuition fee and accommodation, research the cost of living in the place, and take into consideration when you create your budget. Also, look for education financing options that your shortlisted business schools provide.
Timeline
Now, the time you want to give for your GMAT prep would depend significantly on the familiarity you have about the exam and the subjects it includes. However, even if you are well-versed with the test pattern and the topics, you would at least need eight weeks to prepare for GMAT properly.
In case this is the first time you are writing the exam, and you are new to the subjects, then it is best to take at least six months to prepare for the exam. Hence, you need to evaluate yourself and find the best preparation duration for yourself, which would range between eight weeks to six months.
Scheduling
Once you have a timeline for your exam preparation, the next thing you do is to schedule your exam. Don’t wait until the last minute to schedule your exam. GMAT is a very in-demand examination, and slots are often booked months in advance. Hence, as soon as you have set your study timelines, it is recommended to schedule an exam. If you are unable to take the test at the desired time, it may also result in you missing an admission cycle of your choice. While scheduling the exam, you also need to consider the admission cycles of the colleges you have shortlisted.
Start with a Goal
By this time, you have a list of desired colleges, you know how much time you have, and you have scheduled the exam. Hence, before diving right into the prep, you need to set a target GMAT score. To can check the average GMAT score of your shortlisted colleges and set a goal, which is a bit higher than that. Setting a target will help you make an informed plan for your preparation.
Self-evaluation
GMAT has quantitative and verbal sections. Hence, it would help you in a big way to understand your strengths and weaknesses in this context. To understand your strengths and weaknesses better, you can take a sample test before you start your prep to know where exactly you stand. This will assist you in sketching out a plan where you focus on enhancing your strengths and working on your weaknesses.
Exam pattern and format
Even if you are great at one aspect of GMAT, you need to understand the format of questions and the pattern of the paper. Apart from brushing up the concepts of quants and verbal, you need to attempt a handful of questions every day. As your preparation progresses, you need to emphasize more on solving questions than just spending time on concepts.
Practice tests
You must test the level of preparation regularly by taking sample GMAT test. GMAT has a unique pattern, question types, and timings. Hence, it would take some time to get used to the pattern of the questions and the exam. Taking sample GMAT exams regularly would also help you understand your weaknesses and strengths better.
All the above best practices would help you design an efficient preparation plan for GMAT. Irrespective of your personal style of preparation, every step mentioned above is crucial and if any of the steps is/are missed, you might see the effect of it on your final score.
Hence, make sure you are thorough with your planning and get ahead of your competition to achieve your desired GMAT score and admission to the desired B-school.