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For better or worse, your GMAT score likely will have a significant impact on both your business school candidacy and your long-term career path. The higher you score on the GMAT, the more MBA admissions options you’ll have available to you. Furthermore, in today’s competitive job market, some companies request that applicants submit their GMAT scores during the interview process. Thus, a high GMAT score can also make you a desirable hire.
So, a top-tier MBA or sought-after job should seem like enough GMAT motivation to study as hard as possible. However, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture, and thus lose the motivation to study. This article will present several ways to sustain a high level of motivation throughout your GMAT prep.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- Enjoy What You’re Doing
- Recognize the Importance of GMAT Skills
- Invest in Yourself
- Don’t Listen to the Naysayers
- Practical Strategies to Increase Motivation
- Anxiety Can Be a Big Source of Low Motivation
- Discipline Trumps Motivation
- Visualize Your Success
- Key Takeaways
- What’s Next?
To start, let’s discuss the importance of enjoying what you’re doing.
Enjoy What You’re Doing
Whether we are talking about your job, college classes, or GMAT preparation, one of the most effective ways to be motivated is to enjoy what you’re doing. Conversely, working hard and ultimately achieving your goals becomes almost impossible when you don’t enjoy what you’re doing.
If you can find joy in your studying, you’ll be significantly more motivated to put in the necessary study time, and thus give yourself a great shot at achieving your GMAT goal. If you are struggling to find that enjoyment, consider the fact that not only will a high GMAT score help get you into a top MBA program, but also the skills you learn will carry over to business school classes and everyday life.
TTP PRO TIP:
One of the most effective ways to be motivated is to enjoy what you’re doing.
So, instead of viewing GMAT studying as a drag, look at it as an opportunity to improve your skills. Let’s discuss this idea a bit further.
Recognize the Importance of GMAT Skills
Your GMAT skills transcend the exam and carry over into your daily life, which also should provide GMAT motivation. Without a doubt, these skills will help you in school, work, and beyond. For example, by preparing for Critical Reasoning questions, you can become a more decisive thinker, a person who is well-versed in logic, decision-making, and executive functioning. You can become “the smartest person in the room” with your Critical Reasoning skills.
And Reading Comprehension? Well, you’ll be reading for the rest of your life. Can you imagine how much more you can learn and apply if you are super skilled at comprehending written information?
Also, getting better at GMAT Quant has many benefits. Your mastery of quant improves your data-driven decision-making skills, which are critical in business and in life. When your math and quantitative reasoning skills are strong, a world of possibilities opens up to you.
Similarly, improving at the skills required by Data Insights will pay off in the future. For example, practicing DI develops strong skills in organizing and interpreting data and synthesizing information from multiple sources. Those skills will serve you well in business school and your future career.
So, why not embrace and enjoy the process of studying for the GMAT? Why not become motivated to get this process done well so that you can improve many areas of your life?
When your math skills are strong, and your quantitative reasoning skills are solid, a world of possibilities can open up to you.
Next, let’s discuss how motivational investing in yourself can be.
Invest in Yourself
Often, we think of investments as equities, property, or businesses. However, one of the best investments you can make is in yourself.
When you’re studying for the GMAT, you are investing in yourself. You are investing in your skills, abilities, and knowledge. Most importantly, the time and energy expended are an investment in your future. Unfortunately, most people in the world never get the opportunity to do what you are doing. Don’t let that fact get lost on you.
We already discussed how studying for the GMAT will help you improve your verbal and quant skills. However, the primary goal in scoring high on the GMAT is to gain acceptance to a top business school, so that you can land a great job and ultimately have greater earning power throughout your career.
The Return on Investment of Your GMAT Prep
According to the annual US News survey, the average starting MBA salary (with bonus) among the top 132 full-time MBA programs for 2023 graduates was $101,034, about $40,000 higher than the salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business. Even if we assume that your salary does not increase throughout a 30-year career (which is unlikely), that starting salary translates to roughly $1.2 million more in earnings, on average, with a top-130 MBA than without.
The disparities are even more significant when considering starting salaries for graduates from the top 10 full-time MBA programs. The average starting salary (with bonus) was $172,265. So, you’re looking at an extra $3.2 million in earnings over 30 years. To see the return on investment, divide $3.2 million by the 400 hours you spent preparing for the GMAT. You’ll find that you “earned” $8,000 per study hour.
Keep in mind that, while the average cost of an MBA is around $65,000, not all MBA students pay the full cost (or any cost) for an MBA. Business schools offer various scholarships, which often come with the price tag of a high GMAT score. So, the next time you groan at the thought of sitting down to study, think about the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow: high GMAT score = acceptance to a great (maybe free) school = great job = great salary.
KEY FACT:
A student who studies for 400 hours for the GMAT, scores well, and gets into a top-10 school will, over a lifetime, earn about $8,000 per hour for those 400 study hours.
Next, let’s discuss how to handle people who are negative about preparing for the GMAT.
Don’t Listen to the Naysayers
In the process of studying for the GMAT, you may encounter a small yet vocal number of your peers disenchanted with the GMAT preparation process. You’ll see that they are angry and almost detest the idea of having to study for the GMAT. These people will say things such as, “I’m great at business, so why do I have to take the GMAT?” or “What does the GMAT even test?”
You’ll discover that these people have probably struggled with their GMAT preparation. They spend a lot of time complaining and not enough time preparing. Don’t let these people color your view of the situation and bring you down with them. In fact, you can use your motivation to perform well as a competitive advantage. If the competition is not motivated to study, and you are, you are more likely to succeed on the GMAT.
TTP PRO TIP:
Don’t let “negative Nancys” get in the way of your GMAT preparation.
Now that we’ve discussed some psychological aspects of staying motivated, let’s discuss some practical strategies for increasing your motivation.
Practical Strategies to Increase Motivation
To help stay motivated, you can put the following simple strategies into practice as soon as you begin your GMAT prep.
Strategy 1: Use Proper Study Materials
I can’t tell you how many students have come to Target Test Prep almost ready to give up on the GMAT, after months (or sometimes years) of ineffective and disorganized studying. Here is a common scenario:
A student decides she wants to go to a top business school and sets her GMAT score goal at 685. So, she picks up a few GMAT books and immediately dives into her prep without a plan. Unfortunately, she studies for 2 months, practicing a random array of GMAT questions, only to see no improvement.
While this student may be perplexed about her lack of progress, the reason for it is quite simple. Without following a detailed and organized study plan, it’s nearly impossible to succeed on the GMAT. This is true not only for the GMAT, but for almost everything we do in life.
So, before you dive into your GMAT studying, be certain that you have study materials that provide a detailed road map showing where you are and where you are going. For example, the TTP GMAT course is broken down into specific missions. Each mission has clear directions for what needs to be done and in what order. With that study plan, our students never have to think about what to study next. Everything is laid out for them!
Having this type of structured GMAT study schedule allows you to make consistent progress and see where you are in relation to your goal. Thus, you’ll be better able to keep up a high level of motivation to work toward your GMAT score goal.
TTP PRO TIP:
Following a detailed and structured GMAT study plan will help you stay organized and motivated.
Strategy 2: Join a Study Group or Be Active on GMAT Forums
Studying for the GMAT can be lonely. If you are lucky, you may have a coworker, friend, or relative who is also studying for the GMAT. For most people preparing for the GMAT, that is not the case.
Feelings of loneliness and isolation can lead to a lack of motivation to study. So, to keep yourself motivated, regularly interact with people who are also studying for the GMAT. If you live in a large city, you could join a study group and attend meetings with fellow GMAT test-takers.
Regardless of where you live, you can become an active participant on GMAT forums such as GMAT Club, Beat the GMAT, or the GMAT subreddit, or even join an online GMAT group on Whatsapp or Discord. By interacting with other like-minded GMAT test-takers, you likely will stay motivated and excited to achieve your target score. Additionally, consider watching motivational GMAT videos from GMAT Club members who put in the work and achieved their score goals. Seeing what others have accomplished can help inspire you to keep going!
TTP PRO TIP:
Interacting with fellow GMAT students in person or online can help keep you motivated.
Strategy 3: Create a Study Schedule and Reward Yourself for Sticking to It
I generally suggest that GMAT students study for 10 hours during the week and 5+ hours on the weekend. If you follow that GMAT study plan, you should be studying for about 15+ hours per week. While in theory it should be straightforward to study for 15+ weekly hours, actually doing so is not always easy.
So, to keep yourself on track, create a study schedule and stick with it. You likely have a busy schedule, so you will need to be disciplined and creative with your study time. The key is to find a GMAT study schedule that works for you.
Also, reward yourself for consistent studying. Give yourself a cheat day occasionally by taking a day off from studying to do something fun and relaxing. Go to the movies, splurge on a spa day, or hang out with friends. Do something that will give your mind a rest from your GMAT prep.
TTP PRO TIP:
Build in an occasional “cheat day” into your study schedule and do something that will allow you to relax.
Strategy 4: Keep the GMAT Front and Center in Your Life
Have you ever heard the phrase “out of sight, out of mind”? A big part of maintaining a high level of motivation while studying for the GMAT is not allowing yourself to take too many days off. Of course, taking a day off here or there is no problem. However, don’t allow one day off to turn into two, and two to turn into four, and so on.
To ensure that the GMAT does not become a distant memory, you need to prioritize things in your life and make frequent use of the simple answer of “no.” While you are preparing for the GMAT, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to do things other than study. Here are some common scenarios, and how you should respond to them:
- Happy hour on Thursday: “Thanks but no thanks. I need to study for my GMAT.”
- Brunch on Sunday: “Sounds yummy, but I need to study for my GMAT.”
- Weekend road trip: “Some other time. I need to study for my GMAT.”
- Binge-watching Netflix: “Nope! I need to study for my GMAT.”
Remember, the fewer nonessential and non-GMAT-related activities you partake in, the more time you’ll have for your GMAT studying. Thus, the smaller the chance you’ll have of losing motivation. Once you knock the GMAT out of the park, you’ll have plenty of time for dining out or ski trips.
TTP PRO TIP:
Maintain your GMAT motivation by prioritizing your studies over non-essential activities.
Now, let’s discuss how anxiety can affect your GMAT motivation.
Anxiety Can Be a Big Source of Low Motivation
A significant obstacle that GMAT students face is anxiety. If you’ve ever suffered from anxiety, you know that it can be paralyzing. If anxiety creeps in during your GMAT preparation, it will negatively impact your motivation to study. So, let’s discuss two of the most common causes of GMAT anxiety and how to overcome them.
Cause 1: You Have Not Given Yourself Sufficient GMAT Prep Time
I can’t tell you how often I speak with GMAT students who need a 200+ point score increase yet give themselves only 5 weeks to study. Unfortunately, obtaining such a score increase in such a short period is like trying to push a boulder up a mountain: it’s just not going to happen.
However, students still try to make these situations work, and in doing so, they get overwhelmed with anxiety. Thus, they find it very difficult to make any progress at all in their GMAT preparation.
If you find yourself in this situation, your path is simple: reschedule your GMAT for a later date. While you may be taking the GMAT at a certain time to meet an application deadline, that deadline won’t matter if you don’t hit your target GMAT score. So, by giving yourself more time to prepare, you reduce any potential anxiety that could derail your motivation.
TTP PRO TIP:
If the score increase you need simply cannot be achieved in the time you have, reschedule your GMAT.
Cause 2: You Expect Overnight Success
One misconception about the GMAT is that you can study hard for a few weeks and score high. However, this type of “overnight success” is impossible for most GMAT students.
So, if you’re just beginning your GMAT journey, don’t expect to increase your score by 200 points in 2 weeks. By believing that such a score increase is possible, you are setting yourself up for failure. Then, when that miracle does not happen, you will likely feel demotivated. So, rather than rushing the process, take a gradual, structured approach to your GMAT studying. In the end, you will be happy that you took the time to do things the right way.
TTP PRO TIP:
“Overnight success” is impossible for most GMAT students, so don’t set yourself up for failure with unrealistic expectations.
Now, let’s discuss a few other key points to keep in mind in order to keep your GMAT motivation high.
Don’t Burn Yourself Out
We have already discussed the importance of making GMAT prep a top priority and sticking to a study schedule. Of course, we also need to be mindful that “GMAT burnout” is real. Naturally, every GMAT student wants to complete the GMAT preparation process as quickly as possible. However, studying for 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, is likely not the answer.
Remember, the human brain is an expensive organ for your body to maintain. There is a reason why studying for the GMAT for 3 hours will leave you more drained than binge-watching 8 hours of Netflix.
If you were studying for the GMAT in a vacuum, maybe you could study for 8 hours a day and be fine. However, you’re not in a vacuum. You’re studying for the GMAT in addition to other mentally draining activities such as a full-time job or school. So, to keep from burning out, try studying in 1- to 2-hour spurts rather than 4+ hour marathons. It’s better to avoid GMAT burnout than to have to figure out how to overcome GMAT burnout.
If you plan to have long study sessions, do those on Saturday or Sunday, when your brain is fresh and well-equipped to handle an extended period of GMAT studying.
TTP PRO TIP:
Save long study sessions for the weekends, when your schedule is less hectic and your brain is fresh.
Discipline Trumps Motivation
There will undoubtedly be times when you are not motivated to study. However, if you are disciplined, even on an “off day,” you will not skip your GMAT studying. In other words, discipline trumps motivation.
All GMAT students occasionally have a bad day such that the last thing they want to do is study. They may even ask themselves, “Does one day off really matter?”
The answer you need to tell yourself in that situation is YES, one day matters! When you lack motivation, force yourself to study even if it’s the last thing you want to do. Trust me, your future self will one day thank you for having had such discipline.
Remember, discipline breeds motivation, and motivation drives GMAT success.
TTP PRO TIP:
If motivation is waning, let self-discipline drive you to keep making progress.
Visualize Your Success
Another important way to stay motivated is to visualize yourself walking into the GMAT testing room with a sense of preparedness, head held high and fully confident that you are ready to rock the GMAT. Then, imagine the well-prepared you the moment before you see the screen displaying your score at the end of the exam, knowing that you rocked the exam.
At that moment, you’ll understand all those months you committed to your preparation. You’ll appreciate all those weekends you spent studying when your friends were out having fun. And you’ll get a well-deserved reward that will pay dividends for the rest of your life.
TTP PRO TIP:
To maintain your motivation throughout your GMAT prep, visualize yourself walking into the GMAT test center and rocking your exam.
Key Takeaways
- One of the most effective ways to be motivated is to enjoy what you’re doing.
- Don’t let “negative Nancys” get in the way of your GMAT preparation.
- Following a detailed and structured GMAT study plan will help you stay organized and motivated.
- Interacting with fellow GMAT students in person or online can help keep you motivated.
- Build in an occasional “cheat day” into your study schedule. Do something that will allow you to relax and rejuvenate.
- Maintain your GMAT motivation by prioritizing your preparation over non-essential activities.
- If the score increase you need simply cannot be achieved in the time you have, reschedule your GMAT.
- “Overnight success” is impossible for most GMAT students, so don’t set yourself up for failure with unrealistic expectations.
- Save long study sessions for the weekends, when your schedule is less hectic and your brain is fresh.
- If motivation is waning, let self-discipline drive you to keep making progress.
- To maintain your motivation throughout your GMAT prep, visualize yourself walking into the GMAT test center and rocking your exam.
What’s Next?
Curious about how to stay focused while studying for the GMAT? Check out this article about GMAT preparation strategy to keep you on track from your first day through test day.
For more about how to get motivated for the GMAT, check out our guide to staying positive while studying.
Many GMAT students struggle with their GMAT confidence. Check out these GMAT study tips to develop the confidence to perform well on test day.
Working with an expert GMAT tutor can help you stay motivated and figure out how to deal with GMAT anxiety and stress. Schedule a free consultation to learn how working with a TTP tutor can help you achieve your GMAT score goals.
Happy studying!
