| Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... |
The best GMAT study hacks are things you can do to learn faster and remember more. They’re not exactly shortcuts, but ways to study smarter and make the most of your time.
To implement high-yield study hacks, build a weekly plan that timeboxes study blocks, focuses on high-yield topics, and trains pattern recognition with targeted Quant and Verbal drills. Then, track your mistakes in an error log and regularly review flashcards made from your own misses. Read on for proven strategies that align with how the GMAT actually works and how people actually learn.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- What Are GMAT Study Hacks — and Which Ones Actually Work?
- How to Build a GMAT Study Plan Around High-Impact Hacks
- GMAT Quant Study Hacks for Faster, More Accurate Math
- GMAT Verbal Study Hacks to Read Faster and Understand More
- Review Hacks: Error Logs and Flashcards
- Focus and Productivity Hacks for Busy GMAT Students
- GMAT Hacks to Avoid: Shortcuts that Hurt Your Score
- In Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What’s Next?
What Are GMAT Study Hacks — and Which Ones Actually Work?
When people are looking for GMAT tips and tricks, or study “hacks,” typically what they want are ways to save time and optimize their studying.
For some others, hacks mean “shortcuts that bypass learning.” On the GMAT, we can’t really use that approach! Those kinds of shortcuts just won’t work because this exam is designed to reward mastery.
That said, there are some GMAT study shortcuts that work, and they all share a few important characteristics:
- They’re based on how people learn best.
- They build mastery.
- They create reliable habits for test day.
TTP PRO TIP:
If a “hack” skips actual learning, it might seem efficient — but it won’t move your GMAT score in the right direction.
GMAT study hacks are most effective when you use them from the very beginning of your prep. So next, let’s talk about how to incorporate these types of “hacks” into your GMAT study plan.
How to Build a GMAT Study Plan Around High-Impact Hacks
If you’re looking for ways to optimize your studying, the first thing you’ll want to do is make sure you have a structured study plan. Having a concrete strategy is far better than trying to wing it as you go! This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many students begin with a scattershot approach only to realize it’s not as effective as they’d hoped.
Once your study plan is locked in, the next step is to structure your studying in a way that boosts your retention and minimizes wasted time. This brings us to our first hack: timeboxing.
Hack #1: Timebox Your Study Blocks
Timeboxing is a productivity technique that means assigning a specific task to a specific block of time before you start studying. Most successful GMAT test-takers study somewhere in the range of 15–20 hours per week, so making those hours as focused and productive as possible is key. That means, instead of sitting down with a vague goal such as “study Quant,” try to decide in advance exactly what you’ll work on and for how long.
For example, a timeboxed study session might look like this:
- 45 minutes reviewing linear equation strategies
- 30 minutes practicing Critical Reasoning problem sets
- 20 minutes reviewing mistakes and updating your error log
Timeboxing is also useful for preventing topic fatigue, which can make it harder to stay motivated and consistent — key for busy people who are balancing GMAT prep with work or school.
TTP PRO TIP:
Deciding what you’ll study and for how long before starting leads to more productive study sessions.
Hack #2: Study Skills in the Right Order
Especially when it comes to GMAT prep for beginners, a strong study plan is built on mastering foundational concepts before moving on to more advanced topics. This approach prevents skill gaps and supports pattern recognition (a hack we’ll get into shortly).
So, a smart progression for studying would be:
- Learn the underlying concepts.
- Practice applying them accurately.
- Review mistakes to identify gaps.
Oftentimes, new students have trouble deciding which topics to start with and which foundational skills to build. If this is the case for you, you can consider a guided GMAT study plan. A guided plan will take you through your GMAT prep topic by topic, in the right order, so that you make the most of your time and effort.
TTP PRO TIP:
Studying skills in the right order prevents knowledge gaps and makes later practice more effective.
Hack #3 Don’t Introduce Timing Too Early
Early on in your prep, you might feel tempted to do timed drills to increase your speed. However, it really only makes sense to time yourself after you’re through the learning phase.
Here’s why:
- First of all, timing yourself before you’re ready will only frustrate you. Without the proper understanding of topics, you’ll undoubtedly answer more slowly than you expect to.
- Secondly, it makes understanding your mistakes more difficult. Was your incorrect answer due to a skill gap or pacing anxiety?
So, it’s important not to think too much about how fast you’re working until you have a solid understanding of a topic. And don’t worry! Working quickly will come naturally with mastery. Then, at the right time, you can layer in timed quizzes and implement your GMAT practice test strategy.
TTP PRO TIP:
Speed will follow naturally once your skills are solid, and your timed practice will be more productive and far less frustrating.
Next, we’ll break down a few specific GMAT study hacks to use with the above advice, starting with Quant.
GMAT Quant Study Hacks for Faster, More Accurate Math
Effective GMAT Quant study hacks revolve around practice that develops accuracy, speed, and confidence. Part of this kind of practice is to repeat targeted drills of specific question types.
Hack #4: Train Pattern Recognition Through Targeted Practice
As your familiarity with different question types grows, you’ll start seeing similar problems repeat in different disguises. That recognition is part of what eventually leads to faster solving.
For example:
- Problems about people working together or jobs per hour are often work rate questions, and you’ll need to use work = rate × time.
- Questions involving mileage and travel time tend to be distance–rate–time questions, requiring the distance = rate × time formula.
Essentially, targeted drills train your brain to recognize specific question types. Then, you can quickly determine the path you’ll take to solve, which is a pretty valuable time-saving method.
TTP PRO TIP:
Targeted Quant drills of specific question types will help you recognize them quickly and point you in the right direction to solve.
Hack #5: Practice Estimation and Backsolving
Many students wonder if techniques such as estimation and backsolving are worth doing. The answer is that estimation and backsolving can be useful if you know when to use them. For example, estimation is often appropriate if the question stem uses terms such as “closest to” or “approximate,” or when the answer choices are far enough apart to make rounding reasonable. Likewise, backsolving may work to save time when the answer choices are simple integers.
However, these methods work only when you’ve practiced enough to know when they won’t backfire. For example, when a question isn’t a good fit, backsolving can take longer than setting up and solving an algebraic solution.
Therefore, during practice:
- Try identifying which questions are good candidates for estimation.
- Experiment with backsolving and note when it helps and when it slows you down.
Practicing these strategies and reviewing the results will help you learn when they’re worth using and when you’re better off with a direct approach.
TTP PRO TIP:
Certain Quant techniques become useful only after you’ve practiced enough to know when to use them.
Let’s now turn our attention to some GMAT Verbal hacks.
GMAT Verbal Study Hacks to Read Faster and Understand More
For many GMAT test-takers, the Verbal section can feel the most intimidating. One reason is that Reading Comprehension (RC) passages are dense and contain a lot of information. They can be especially daunting if you don’t think of yourself as a fast reader.
However, if you’re looking for hacks that allow you to skip reading the passages, you won’t find them here! Reading the passage is always a must.
The good news is that when you know what to focus your attention on, your reading becomes more efficient. This leads us to a key GMAT Verbal study hack: focusing on the main idea.
Hack #6: Focus on the Main Idea Instead of Memorizing Every Detail
When practicing RC questions, train yourself to ask:
- What is the main point of this passage?
- Why did the author write it?
- Can I briefly summarize the passage in my own words?
This is a far better method than trying to remember every fact, name, or example. After all, those details may not even come into play when it comes time to answer the question! And remember, you can always go back to the passage to find the specific details you need.
For more in-depth Verbal strategies, read our article on GMAT reading comprehension tips.
TTP PRO TIP:
As you read a passage, focus on the main idea and purpose, and don’t try to memorize every detail.
Review Hacks: Error Logs and Flashcards
Just as important as initial learning is reviewing what you learned — and what you need to work on. Let’s start with reviewing your errors.
Hack #7: Keep an Error Log
If your goal is to raise your GMAT score fast, a well-maintained GMAT error log is one of the most powerful time-saving hacks in your prep.
As you collect data from practice sets, quizzes, and practice tests, adjust your plan based on what the data shows. For example, if a topic continually shows up in your error log, it deserves more attention. If a skill becomes consistent, you can shift your focus to something else. Essentially, your error log ensures that your time is always being spent where it matters most.
Hack #8: Sneak Flashcard Review Into Your Day
One of the reasons this is such a powerful study hack is that it turns otherwise wasted minutes into learning gains. So, keep your flashcards handy when you’re out and about so you can review a few cards whenever you have a spare minute.
That might be while you’re:
- commuting
- waiting for a meeting to start
- standing in line
- taking a coffee break
These extra minutes add up surprisingly fast over the course of a week. And, reviewing flashcards that target the weak areas you pinpointed in your error log can be especially effective.
TTP PRO TIP:
A few minutes of daily flashcard review here and there adds up faster than you think.
Of course, having flashcards on hand only helps if you can actually stay focused and motivated. Next, we’ll look at focus and productivity hacks for busy GMAT students,
Focus and Productivity Hacks for Busy GMAT Students
Hack #9: Get Enough Sleep
This isn’t so much a hack as it is common sense! However, it’s common sense worth emphasizing: It’s important to make time for a healthy amount of sleep. Reasoning and focus break down when you’re tired, so aim for 7–9 hours of sleep per night.
Hack #10: Don’t Skip Meals
There’s nothing as distracting as an empty stomach, so don’t skip meals. However, sometimes this is easier said than done. After all, the act of planning and cooking a meal after a busy day at work or school can be extremely time-consuming. One solution is to meal prep dinner for the week ahead. Also, try to keep easy, healthy snacks on hand for mid-study session breaks. Finally, on a similar note, don’t forget to hydrate! Research shows that even a low level of dehydration leads to a drop in cognitive performance.
TTP PRO TIP:
Plan meals and snacks ahead of time so hunger or dehydration don’t derail your study sessions.
Hack #11: Create a Study Ritual
Most people know how important a dedicated, distraction-free study area is when it comes to productivity. In fact, some students take it a bit further by creating a study “ritual” that includes using specific materials (special pens or notebooks) or lighting a candle. These focus triggers can be especially helpful when you’re switching from a busy day into study mode. In a sense, they can make you feel like you’re mentally “clocking in” for your study prep.
Bonus Hack for When You’re Not Motivated
When you come home from a long day at work, hitting the books can be the last thing you want to do! We’ve all been there. One trick to push past that reluctance is to forgo your usual long study block and commit to only a 10-minute session. Chances are that once you start, you’ll be motivated to keep going. And even if you’re not, 10 minutes of study is better than none.
TTP PRO TIP:
On low-motivation days, commit to just 10 minutes to get past your initial reluctance.
GMAT Hacks to Avoid: Shortcuts that Hurt Your Score
Now that you know a few helpful study techniques, here are some gimmicks that don’t work:
- studying inconsistently and then cramming
- memorizing study “tricks” without understanding/foundational learning
- relying heavily on guessing strategies
- focusing only on what seems like “the important parts” of topics
These approaches may give you the illusion of saving time, but they don’t tend to hold up or lead to score improvement.
TTP PRO TIP:
If something feels like a shortcut around learning, it’s probably not helping your score.
In Conclusion
- At the end of the day, GMAT study hacks are about building simple systems that help you study smarter and use your time better.
- The strategies presented here are based on proven study methods, and they can be effective no matter what score you’re aiming for, whether that’s a 650 or a 730+.
- If you plan your study time intentionally and regularly learn from your mistakes, your prep will feel more manageable and more productive.
- While selective studying of topics and gimmicks that promise shortcuts may be tempting, they usually don’t deliver the results students hope for.
[CALL TO ACTION]
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How far in advance should I start using GMAT study hacks?
As early as possible. These hacks are most effective when used consistently from the start.
Do GMAT study hacks change for different score goals?
You can use these study hacks for any score goal, but the intensity and frequency of your study will likely need to increase if you have a higher target.
How many hours per week do successful GMAT test-takers study?
Most students study 15 or more hours per week.
What should I do if I’m feeling burned out during GMAT prep?
When you’re feeling burned out, make sure you’re not hungry or tired. Planning meals and snacks ahead of time and getting enough sleep will help with this. Also, you can schedule short study sessions to spark your motivation.
Can GMAT study hacks really help raise my score faster?
Used properly, these hacks can reduce wasted time and make your studying more productive, which can lead to score gains.
What’s Next?
Looking for even more ways to make the most of your GMAT studying?
Check out our articles on GMAT study tips and GMAT learning tips.
