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The GMAT isn\u2019t a college exam! Instead of ramping up the difficulty by testing harder material, the GMAT gets harder by making tougher demands on your <\/span>executive reasoning skills<\/b><\/a>. The way you study for the GMAT can\u2019t <\/span>just<\/span><\/i> be based on learning math and grammar. It also has to improve your executive reasoning skills and prepare you to take the test effectively.<\/span><\/p>\n 1. Decide when to take the GMAT<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n 2. Pick a GMAT goal score<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n 3. Learn how the GMAT looks and feels by reading the following links:<\/span><\/p>\n How is the GMAT organized?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n What types of questions are on GMAT Quant?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n What types of questions are on GMAT Verbal?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n 4. Take your first practice test<\/span><\/a> (for free!).<\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s not a mistake: it\u2019s fine to take your first practice test <\/span>before you start studying for the GMAT. <\/b>The point isn\u2019t to see your score! It\u2019s to help you understand what and how to study for the GMAT. <\/span><\/p>\n Your first practice test will take about 2.5 hours, if you skip the Analytical Writing and Integrated Reasoning sections. <\/span><\/p>\n 5. Create a GMAT error log.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n If you really want to know how to study for the GMAT effectively, this is it! Keeping an error log is the single best move you can make, and the earlier you start, the better.<\/span><\/p>\n 6. Learn the math and grammar basics.<\/span><\/p>\n The GMAT isn\u2019t a math test, and it isn\u2019t an English test. It only tests basic content in both of those areas. But part of studying for the GMAT is knowing that basic content inside and out. If you\u2019re rusty on math or grammar, start studying for the GMAT by working through these two books:<\/span><\/p>\n Foundations of GMAT Math<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Foundations of GMAT Verbal<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Not sure whether you need a GMAT math refresher? Take the 40-minute Basic Math Diagnostic in our Student Center. By the way, we offer <\/span>a course on the GMAT math fundamentals<\/span><\/a>, if you learn better in the classroom. Check it out! <\/span><\/p>\n Should you study for the GMAT by taking a course, or should you go it alone? What are the options, and which one is right for you?<\/span><\/p>\n For most of us, the <\/span>GMAT Complete Course<\/span><\/a> is the right choice. The course structures your studies, keeps you accountable, and makes sure you don\u2019t miss anything that could show up on the GMAT. You\u2019ll also learn how to study for the GMAT on your own after the course ends. <\/span><\/p>\n This takes the stress out of studying for the GMAT\u2014you\u2019ll never have to wonder whether you\u2019re covering everything or whether you\u2019re studying correctly. When you sign up for the course, you also get all of the books you\u2019ll need to study for the GMAT, plus access to a ton of online GMAT study resources. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you decide to do GMAT self-study instead, your options are to do a guided self-study program or to study entirely on your own. Our self-study program is called <\/span>GMAT Interact<\/span><\/a>. When you sign up for Interact, you\u2019ll get all of the books you need for self-study and a set of game-changing interactive lessons that cover the same material as the course. You\u2019ll also have a syllabus to follow, although you\u2019ll need to hold yourself accountable for sticking to it!<\/span><\/p>\n To do GMAT self-study without Interact, you should purchase the following books. <\/span><\/p>\n You should also sign up for an account at <\/span>mba.com<\/span><\/a>, and get familiar with the free practice problems and the two free practice GMATs available there. Finally, <\/span>purchase access to the full set of computer-adaptive GMAT practice tests here<\/span><\/a>. Start your self-study by going through the checklist at the start of this article, then creating a GMAT study calendar!<\/span><\/p>\n Another alternative is <\/span>GMAT tutoring<\/b><\/a>. You can also use tutoring alongside self-study, while taking a course, or after your course is over. Tutoring works best when you want guidance on a few specific aspects of how to study for the GMAT, such as guessing strategies, word problems, or Critical Reasoning. It\u2019s also an option if you\u2019d like to take a GMAT course, but you need more flexibility or a different timeline. (If you have a deadline coming up, you could also check out our <\/span>GMAT boot camps<\/span><\/a>!) <\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019ve met a lot of GMAT students over the years, and here are two that I\u2019ve spoken with over and over again. They\u2019re both putting a lot of time and energy into studying, but they both need to make a few changes to reach their goals. <\/span><\/p>\n Student 1: Problem-Solving Patricia<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cI did every practice problem in the Official Guide. Then I did every problem from mba.com. I can usually solve Quant problems in four or five minutes, and I\u2019m getting about 80% of them right. I also did every practice test twice. But I\u2019m still not hitting my goal score, and I\u2019m out of practice problems! Where can I find more GMAT problems?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Patricia is making two big mistakes. First, she\u2019s not paying nearly enough attention to <\/span>GMAT timing<\/span><\/a>. A lot of GMAT problems have a fast solution and a slow solution. When you give yourself four or five minutes to do a problem, you\u2019re allowing yourself to practice the slow solutions, instead of learning to find the faster ones. Patricia should <\/span>time herself whenever she does practice problems<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n She\u2019s also doing a lot of problems, but she isn\u2019t doing them thoughtfully enough. <\/span>Blasting through a ton of problems is really satisfying, but you don\u2019t learn <\/span>while<\/span><\/i> you\u2019re doing it<\/span><\/a>. Learning happens afterwards, when you review and reflect on how you solved those problems. Patricia is probably making the same mistakes over and over without realizing it. She should <\/span>start a GMAT error log<\/b><\/a>, <\/b>identify areas she\u2019s weak in, and use <\/span>GMAT Interact<\/span><\/a> or the <\/span>GMAT Strategy Guides<\/span><\/a> to study those areas in-depth. She should also do each problem more than once and spend more time reflecting on what to take away from those problems. <\/span><\/p>\n Student 2: Studious Shannon<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cI took a GMAT class, read all of the Strategy Guides, and did all of the Interact lessons. I have a whole binder of notes on all of the math and grammar rules, and I\u2019ve been studying my flashcards every day. But I\u2019m still not hitting my goal score! What should I study next? Should I read the Advanced Quant book?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n If the GMAT was a college exam, Shannon would get an A+. On most exams, the more you know, the better you score! On the GMAT, knowledge is great, but <\/span>performance<\/span><\/i> is even more important. And in order to improve your performance, you have to practice performance. Here\u2019s the advice I\u2019d give Shannon: <\/span><\/p>\n Shannon also might be thinking quantity, not quality. When she does poorly on a practice test, she assumes that there\u2019s some topic she hasn\u2019t learned about yet. But Shannon\u2019s probably already studied all of the GMAT material she needs. She just needs to apply <\/span>overlearning<\/span><\/a> to the topics she\u2019s already studied. <\/span><\/p>\n Looking for more GMAT study principles? Here are some links to check out: <\/span><\/p>\n Here\u2019s an outline of how to study for the GMAT the right way. When you study, you\u2019ll spend most of your time doing three things: <\/span><\/p>\n Learning about a topic or strategy is an ongoing process. Don\u2019t assume that you\u2019ll read the Geometry Strategy Guide once and never miss a Geometry problem again. That\u2019s not how your brain retains info! You\u2019re better off learning a new topic in small chunks, not all at once. Even then, you\u2019ll need to periodically review what you\u2019ve learned.<\/span><\/p>\n Here are your best resources for learning about a new topic. If you\u2019re taking a GMAT course, you can add \u2018go to the class session on the topic\u2019 to this list!<\/span><\/p>\n By the way, if you\u2019re wondering which topics to start with, try taking and <\/span>reviewing a practice GMAT<\/span><\/a>. If you work through the full review process, you\u2019ll walk away with a list of topics to prioritize. You can also check out this article on <\/span>high-value GMAT Quant<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n There are two different ways to do practice GMAT problems, and both of them play into the right way to study for the GMAT. You can practice problems on a specific topic (or a specific type of problem), or you can do mixed practice problem sets, to work on your general problem-solving skills. Here\u2019s where you can find great GMAT practice problems for either of these goals: <\/span><\/p>\n This type of practice also includes taking practice tests. Throughout your GMAT studies, you should take a practice GMAT <\/span>every two to three weeks<\/b>. Taking practice tests regularly will keep you informed about your progress. But taking them too often will wear you out and waste your practice tests without teaching you much. There are more efficient ways to study for the GMAT than taking practice tests\u2014like doing targeted, timed sets of Official Guide problems. <\/span><\/p>\n Finally, review is a critical part of learning. To review what you\u2019ve learned from class, from Interact, or from the Strategy Guides, consider making \u201ccheat sheets\u201d for each topic you\u2019ve studied. Choose a topic, and based on your notes and your own recollection, write down the most important tips and rules for that topic. Then, do a few new problems on that topic, to confirm that you didn\u2019t miss anything! \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You can also review by creating and studying \u201cGMAT code\u201d flashcards. Read this article on <\/span>cracking the GMAT code<\/span><\/a>, and start making flashcards based on problems! (If you\u2019re not up for making your own, the <\/span>Manhattan Prep GMAT app<\/span><\/a> \u00a0is a little like a great set of flashcards. <\/span>Here\u2019s some guidance on how to use the app.<\/span><\/a>) \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nStart to Study for the GMAT: A Checklist<\/b><\/h4>\n
How to Choose a GMAT Study Strategy<\/b><\/h4>\n
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How to (Not) Study for the GMAT<\/b><\/h4>\n
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How You Should Study for the GMAT<\/b><\/h4>\n
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