When studying for the GMAT, you have to do so systematically.
Ideally, 12-15 hours of review a week for 6-8 weeks is seen to yield optimal results. Learning outcomes were observed to diminish when review dragged from 10 months and beyond.
Have the essential materials for your review
The following are important resources for studying the 2 types of test in the quantitative section, which are problem-solving and data sufficiency.
1. The Official Guide for GMAT Review – this is valuable in practicing math and verbal exercises.
2. GMAT Cheat Sheet – this offers additional math review and formulas memorizing to sharpen your skills.
3. Free GMAT sample tests – avail these free resources online and pretest your ability. The result here can be your benchmark with which you can compare your improvement later.
4. Free GMAT Flashcards – these flashcards can be downloaded free and they provide helpful hints to math exercises in the Official GMAT book. There are spaces on the flashcards where you can write the tips and hints to the problems that you solved.
5. Free 60-day GMAT Study Guide – this is a free online course from BeatTheGMAT. The website takes up the math section from the 4th to the 21st day of the course.
You may buy other references, but the Official Guide will have enough material to keep you working on your heels.
Assess yourself
Be aware of your own limitations, availability, resources, unique circumstances, and preferences.
1. Determine your initial GMAT score, this is your benchmark. Compare this with the competitive GMAT score required in your preferred school. The discrepancy between the 2 shows how much work is needed. This is also a factor when you decide how long your review should be.
2. What learning style is effective for you? Determine whether you study best late in the night or at midday. If you find it favorable to review with a group, you might need to join a GMAT review forum or organize group reviews. Reviewing with peers also helps reduce the risk of burnout and pick up the slack.
Ideally, 12-15 hours of review a week for 6-8 weeks is seen to yield optimal results. Learning outcomes were observed to diminish when review dragged from 10 months and beyond.
Have the essential materials for your review
The following are important resources for studying the 2 types of test in the quantitative section, which are problem-solving and data sufficiency.
1. The Official Guide for GMAT Review – this is valuable in practicing math and verbal exercises.
2. GMAT Cheat Sheet – this offers additional math review and formulas memorizing to sharpen your skills.
3. Free GMAT sample tests – avail these free resources online and pretest your ability. The result here can be your benchmark with which you can compare your improvement later.
4. Free GMAT Flashcards – these flashcards can be downloaded free and they provide helpful hints to math exercises in the Official GMAT book. There are spaces on the flashcards where you can write the tips and hints to the problems that you solved.
5. Free 60-day GMAT Study Guide – this is a free online course from BeatTheGMAT. The website takes up the math section from the 4th to the 21st day of the course.
You may buy other references, but the Official Guide will have enough material to keep you working on your heels.
Assess yourself
Be aware of your own limitations, availability, resources, unique circumstances, and preferences.
1. Determine your initial GMAT score, this is your benchmark. Compare this with the competitive GMAT score required in your preferred school. The discrepancy between the 2 shows how much work is needed. This is also a factor when you decide how long your review should be.
2. What learning style is effective for you? Determine whether you study best late in the night or at midday. If you find it favorable to review with a group, you might need to join a GMAT review forum or organize group reviews. Reviewing with peers also helps reduce the risk of burnout and pick up the slack.
Design your plan
Now that you have determined your benchmark score, goal score, weak areas, and optimal learning style, you may now decide on the number of review hours per week, the focus and duration of the study plan.
1. Prepare your monitoring tool or journal. It is important to keep track of your progress. There is a tool called GMAT Error Log in Excel form. It is one of the documents sent by BeatTheGMAT and it works with the GMAT Math Flashcards to help you monitor the exercises you have done, scores and errors.
2. Learn about the GMAT as a test, its components, structure, scoring system, time per test, breaks, number of times that you can retake, and all things pertaining to the test which are useful to you.
3. In your journal, list all the major sections of GMAT. Record your scores in the initial GMAT practice test and take note of the time it took you to complete it. Work on improving your pace. Remember that the actual GMAT math time is only 75 minutes.
4. Depending on how much work is needed to close the gap between your benchmark score and goal score, determine the duration of your primary review. This may run for 8 weeks and focus on your weak areas. Set aside 2 weeks for a comprehensive review. This covers all subject areas of GMAT and usually includes simulated tests.
5. Target a date for your GMAT exam. Check the calendar and move backwards 2 weeks for the comprehensive review. Move back further for 8 weeks for the primary review. Block off days when you will probably be unable to study, such as family days and special occasions. There will be sick days, too, so allow a couple of weeks for unforeseen review lags. After noting everything, you will have the start date for your review. The study hours, ideally 12-15 hours every week, must be spread throughout the week. It is best to devote 2 hours every day instead of cramming during weekends.
6. Start the first 3 weeks with special focus on your weakest math problems. Answer as many practice questions of that particular type as possible. Analyze your errors. Decide what lessons to take the following week. It will be good to take a CAT at the end of 3 weeks to assess if you have made headway. Compare results with your previously recorded scores to see how you are improving.
7. Do a healthy mix of the test types every week. Spend 3 to 4 days (6-8 hours) of math and 2-3 days of verbal every week. This way, you pep up your levels of ability in all areas and no GMAT subject matter is left behind at any point during the preparation.
Now that you have determined your benchmark score, goal score, weak areas, and optimal learning style, you may now decide on the number of review hours per week, the focus and duration of the study plan.
1. Prepare your monitoring tool or journal. It is important to keep track of your progress. There is a tool called GMAT Error Log in Excel form. It is one of the documents sent by BeatTheGMAT and it works with the GMAT Math Flashcards to help you monitor the exercises you have done, scores and errors.
2. Learn about the GMAT as a test, its components, structure, scoring system, time per test, breaks, number of times that you can retake, and all things pertaining to the test which are useful to you.
3. In your journal, list all the major sections of GMAT. Record your scores in the initial GMAT practice test and take note of the time it took you to complete it. Work on improving your pace. Remember that the actual GMAT math time is only 75 minutes.
4. Depending on how much work is needed to close the gap between your benchmark score and goal score, determine the duration of your primary review. This may run for 8 weeks and focus on your weak areas. Set aside 2 weeks for a comprehensive review. This covers all subject areas of GMAT and usually includes simulated tests.
5. Target a date for your GMAT exam. Check the calendar and move backwards 2 weeks for the comprehensive review. Move back further for 8 weeks for the primary review. Block off days when you will probably be unable to study, such as family days and special occasions. There will be sick days, too, so allow a couple of weeks for unforeseen review lags. After noting everything, you will have the start date for your review. The study hours, ideally 12-15 hours every week, must be spread throughout the week. It is best to devote 2 hours every day instead of cramming during weekends.
6. Start the first 3 weeks with special focus on your weakest math problems. Answer as many practice questions of that particular type as possible. Analyze your errors. Decide what lessons to take the following week. It will be good to take a CAT at the end of 3 weeks to assess if you have made headway. Compare results with your previously recorded scores to see how you are improving.
7. Do a healthy mix of the test types every week. Spend 3 to 4 days (6-8 hours) of math and 2-3 days of verbal every week. This way, you pep up your levels of ability in all areas and no GMAT subject matter is left behind at any point during the preparation.