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GMAT Preparation Tips to Ace the GMAT Score

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Rituparna Nath

Content Writer at Study Abroad Exams | Updated On - Feb 9, 2023

GMAT preparation tips are important for a candidate’s focus and clarity of action. GMAT preparation tips help achieve a high score on the GMAT, a key factor in determining admission to a top business school. Business schools use the GMAT preparation to assess candidates’ skills in critical reasoning, problem solving, and data analysis, which are essential for success in graduate-level business programs. A high GMAT score can demonstrate to admissions committees test-takers commitment to and readiness for business school and can set them apart from other applicants. Therefore, GMAT preparation can give you the best chance to showcase candidates’ abilities and achieve the score needed to reach your educational and career goals.

Detailed GMAT Preparation Tips

The GMAT preparation tip is to familiarize oneself with the test format and content. This means understanding the types of questions they will encounter on the GMAT, the time limits, and the scoring system. This will help to approach the test with confidence and clarity, allowing test-takers to focus their efforts effectively on areas where they need to improve. Following are the best GMAT preparation for beginners to cover the GMAT test prep course:

1. Research about GMAT Exam Pattern

Before creating a study plan, candidates need to be familiar with the GMAT exam structure.
The GMAT exam pattern is divided into four sections:

  • Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA part) - this assessment assesses your ability to think critically and explain your thoughts.
  • Integrated Reasoning (IR part) - assesses the ability of the test-taker to analyse data and interpret information presented in various formats.
  • Quantitative Reasoning (Quant section) - assesses the ability of the test-taker to solve quantitative issues, GMAT maths preparation, and comprehend visual data.
  • Verbal Reasoning (Verbal part)- GMAT verbal preparation assesses your editing talents, reading comprehension skills, and ability to understand written arguments.

2. Create a Study Plan

Creating a 3-month GMAT study plan early on can assist you in charting a clear route for GMAT preparation. Students often create an 8-week study plan to assist them understand the tips and techniques required to attain their business school goals.

3. Choose GMAT Study Material

Gather GMAT preparation materials both online and offline. There are several online GMAT prep course available to help you prepare for the GMAT exam. You may also check at the official GMAT preparation resources. Choose material with a scoring mechanism similar to the GMAT. GMAT study materials comprise the previous year’s questions that help the aspirants better prepare. GMAT test prep provides the candidates with an idea about the question pattern and the difficulty level.

4. Work on the Weaker Section

Identify your weak points first, and then work on improving them via frequent practice. Our sub-parts within the four divisions look for areas where you need to improve and devote all of your attention to enhancing your talents. For GMAT English preparation, candidates can read novels, magazines, and more to improve their skills.

5. Don't Limit Yourself to One Inquiry

If you do not finish all sections of the exam, you will be penalised. Unanswered questions will also lower your score. Don't spend too much time on a single difficult question; instead, give each question a fixed amount of time. Spend no more than two and a half minutes on any one question. GMAT time management tips will help to balance time with questions. 

6. Keep Time Restriction in Mind

With little time, improving your speed is critical. Concentrate more on the issue that is eating up a significant portion of your time. For example, if you are focusing too much on the GMAT quant, focus on strengthening your quantitative abilities. Use the GMAT Preparation Time to improve your speed.

7. Employ an Elimination Strategy

Don't spend a lot of time on a problem that you can't solve. Do not become preoccupied with providing correct replies. When you are stuck on a tough question, just mark the one that is closest to the correct answer and go on to the next one.

8. Increase your Visual Literacy when Studying for the GMAT

To improve your efficiency, learn to understand charts, symbols, tables, and graphs. Because GMAT prep exam contain visual data questions, developing this ability can also aid you with time management. This will aid you in your GMAT Quant section preparation.

9. Acquire the Necessary Skills

Develop abilities that will come in helpful while delivering the test, as it is a time-limited test. Find your weak point and practise on it so that it does not effect your overall performance on the exam.

10. Practice and Take Mock Tests

Target GMAT preparation for a specific section of the exam, using GMAT Official prep AWA Practice, GMAT Official IR Practice, and GMAT Official Quantitative Practice Papers. Candidates can get GMAT preparation online free practice papers in any website. The GMAT preparation tips for working professionals and GMAT preparation tips for beginners would be different. Managing both work and studies can be tiring. Keeping calm is one of the best GMAT preparation that keeps the aspirant going.

Best GMAT Preparation Books

GMAT preparation books are considered the best study material for GMAT.  Candidates can follow books from magoosh GMAT prep, Kaplan and more. The following are the best GMAT preparation books for GMAT prep strategy:

  • GMAT Official Guide 2022 – Check PDF
  • Manhattan Prep GMAT – All the VerbalCheck PDF
  • Kaplan GMAT Prep PlusCheck PDF
  • GMAT Official Guide Quantitative ReviewCheck PDF
  • Manhattan Prep GMAT foundation for Maths – Check PDF
  • McGraw Hill’s GMAT Practice TestCheck PDF

GMAT Preparation Coaching

Candidates get best online GMAT prep, exam strategy, practice papers, tailor-made prep courses, flexible timings, video explanations, doubt-clearing sessions, and also personal interaction with experts in most GMAT coaching centers in India. These institutes provide both GMAT classes online and classroom classes.

Most of the coaching classes are also providing GMAT online coaching along with the best GMAT prep course. Candidates can get best suited online GMAT courses for themselves from the above institutes.

GMAT Practice Papers

Along with GMAT preparation online and GMAT online practice tests need to have practice sessions regularly. GMAT practice papers offer free GMAT prep through numerous practice questions and free PDFs. From the GMAT practice papers, candidates get an idea of question types. The following are a few of the GMAT practice papers that can help to get best GMAT preparation online to ace GMAT score:

GMAT Verbal Practice Papers 

Reading Comprehension Passage Samples

GMAT Sentence Correction Samples

GMAT Critical Reasoning Samples

GMAT Quantitative Practice Papers 

GMAT Problem Solving Questions

GMAT Data Sufficiency Samples

GMAT IR Practice Papers 

GMAT AWA Practice Papers 

AWA GMAT Samples

Candidates can start preparing for GMAT by practicing numerous sample questions, taking GMAT exam preparation online, consulting preparation books, and taking preparation classes. Additionally, taking practice tests and reviewing sample questions can help you develop strategies for tackling the different types of questions on the GMAT and increase your familiarity with the test format.

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.

Ask your question

Answered Questions

BS

Bhavya Singh

18 Mar 21ISB Hyderabad

Several factors affect the chance of a candidate getting a seat in ISB Hyderabad. Not only the GMAT score, but also the application profile, essays, and performance in the interview combined together decides whether a candidate should get a seat or not in such an elite institute. The points listed below are some important aspects to consider for admission to such institutes.

  • There is no fixed cut-off for ISB Hyderabad, as declared by the institute. There are examples of people with a GMAT score of 720 not getting a seat from the interviews. On the other hand, there are candidates with a score of 700-710 but are successful in getting a seat in ISB Hyderabad.
  • GMAT score is not the only criteria for getting a seat, but the door to get an interview call. The quality of essays written by the candidate, his/her application/ profile, and the performance in the interviews are also considered.
  • For candidates with an average profile, a GMAT score of 720+, along with a complete application and a good essay can be considered to have high chances to receive an interview call. After having a call, the rest depends on how the candidate will perform in his/her interview.

This is the overall scenario for admission in ISB Hyderabad, for a student with an average profile.


MN

Mahak Nigam

30 Jun 22Master of Business Administration Degrees & Finance, Aditya Institute of Management Studies and Research

More than 140 Business Schools in India accept GMAT scores. Here is a list of popular B-School that accept GMAT scores.

IIM Ahmedabad (PGPX) IIM Bangalore (EPGP) IIM Calcutta (PGPEx)
IIM Indore (EPGP) IIM Kozhikode (EPGP) IIM Lucknow (IPMAX)
XLRI Jamshedpur MDI Gurgaon IMT Ghaziabad
IIFT Delhi FMS Deli ISB Hyderabad/Mohali

Many other reputed B-School across the country also accept GMAT scores.


AV

Arvind Verma

30 Jun 22Studied at Indian School of Business

ISB Hyderabad accepts both examination scores. So, you can opt for either of GMAT or GRE. Your chances of selection or rejection will remain the same. Go through the examination pattern and syllabus and choose the one in which you feel that you will be able to score better. Ultimately having a good score is what matters during admission. As per the recent trends, ISB Hyderabad cutoff for GMAT is 600, while for GRE it is 311. 


AS

Aditi Sen

12 May 21PGDM from Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad (2019)

There are many business schools in India that require GMAT scores at the time of admission.

Some of the top business schools with requiring GMAT scores in India are:

Institute Name

GMAT Score

ISB, Hyderabad & Mohali

730 or higher

S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai

550

IIM Ahmedabad

711

School of Management, NMIMS Mumbai

600

IIM Bangalore

710

Great Lakes Institute of Management

600

IIM Calcutta

701

XLRI Jamshedpur

710

IIM Lucknow

680

IMT (All campuses)

720

IIM Indore

700

ICFAI Business School (Hyderabad & Mumbai)

700

IIM Kozhikode

700

A few other institutes include - MDI Gurgaon, FMS Delhi, Sunstone Business School Noida, ISB Indore, and more.


NM

Nishad JK Makol

10 Mar 23PGDM Marketing & Consulting, S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (2017)

I see that you already have more than 50 months of work experience. My suggestion for anyone with such work experience is to opt for the 1-year PGPM Program rather than the 2-year PGDM Program. Keep working for another year and earn your fee for the 1-year program. This way you will save time. Money and even be spared from investing additional efforts when the same could be done in lesser time. The cutoff for both the programs is

Program

Cutoff

PGPM

660

PGDM

85 Percentile