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Last Updated on July 5, 2024
Are you wondering how to start studying for the GMAT? You probably realize the importance of getting your GMAT preparation started on the right foot. Doing so helps set you up for test day success and brings getting into your dream business school that much closer to reality.
In this article, I’ll give you 5 practical steps that every beginning GMAT student should take. These steps ensure that you’ll get started in the right direction on the road to GMAT success. From understanding exam content to creating your GMAT Focus Edition study plan, you’ll know how to achieve your goal.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- GMAT Focus Key Facts
- Step 1: Learn What is Tested and How It’s Tested
- Step 2: Try Some Practice Questions
- Step 3: Get Your Baseline Score
- Step 4: Select the Right Study Materials
- Step 5: Create a “Foolproof” Study Schedule
- How Long Does GMAT Focus Preparation Take?
- Key Takeaways
- What’s Next?
First, let’s review some key facts about the GMAT Focus that you should know before starting your GMAT preparation.
GMAT Focus Key Facts
As you may know, the GMAT Focus tests skills necessary for success in business school and the business world. These skills include critical thinking, data analysis, logical reasoning, and basic math and English skills. Because the GMAT tests skills that successful MBA students need, it is required for admission into most MBA programs. Admissions committees tend to look closely at GMAT scores as a way to make “apples to apples” comparisons between applicants with highly varied backgrounds.
Admissions committees tend to look closely at GMAT scores as a way to make ‘apples to apples’ comparisons between applicants.
Here are some key GMAT Focus facts every starting student should know:
- Run Time: About 2.5 hours, including 1 optional 10-minute break. Additionally, there is a roughly 15-minute check-in process for both the in-person and the online GMAT.
- Exam Content: 3 sections containing a total of 64 multiple-choice questions.
- Quantitative Reasoning: 45 minutes, 21 questions
A calculator is not allowed. The Quant section features multiple-choice Problem Solving questions. Each question may cover many different topics (Algebra, Number Properties, Rates, etc.).
- Verbal Reasoning: 45 minutes, 23 questions
Verbal questions fall into 2 categories: Critical Reasoning (CR) and Reading Comprehension (RC). A single RC passage may have 3 or 4 multiple-choice questions.
- Data Insights (DI): 45 minutes, 20 questions
DI questions involve both Quant and Verbal skills and may require more than 1 answer to a single question. An on-screen calculator is provided.
- Scoring: 205 to 805 score range (Total Score). GMAT scores are valid for 5 years from your test date.
- Section Score Ranges: 60 to 90
Your Total Score is calculated from your Quant, Verbal, and Data Insights section scores.
What Makes the GMAT Focus Unique
At first glance, the GMAT Focus may not seem too different from other standardized exams you’ve taken. However, it does have some “quirks” that set it apart. For one, the GMAT allows you to choose the order in which you see the exam sections. As you might guess, section order is a decision that should factor into your test-taking strategy. (When the time comes, this guide to GMAT section order will help you determine your best order).
Secondly, the Quant, Verbal, and Data Insights sections are question-level adaptive. Simply put, the computer selects questions based on your answers. For example, as you complete the Quant section, questions get harder or easier based on your performance. The same goes for the Verbal and Data Insights sections. Interestingly, your performance on each section determines your starting difficulty on subsequent sections. If you perform well on your first section, your second section starts with a more difficult question. If you perform poorly, it starts with an easier question.
Finally, you cannot skip questions, and you have limited opportunity to change previous answers. Because each section is adaptive, your answers determine the questions you see. So, you must answer each question as you face it. At the end of the section, you can review questions you bookmarked. However, you can only edit up to 3 answers.
TTP PRO TIP:
Familiarize yourself with the unique features of the GMAT Focus.
Now that you have an overview of the exam’s key features, it’s important to become familiar with the GMAT Focus in detail, so you know the “water you’ll be swimming in” before diving in. That brings us to step 1 of how to start studying for the GMAT: familiarizing yourself with the content and question formats of each section.
Step 1: Learn What is Tested and How It’s Tested
Ready to dive into your GMAT Focus study? Before beginning, you should have a solid sense of how that content is presented on the exam. Familiarizing yourself with the look and feel of the GMAT Focus has 2 main benefits. First, it gives you a broad view of the concepts and skills you’ll need to master during your studies. Second, it prepares you for a later step in the study process: taking your first practice exam. To use our earlier metaphor, you’ll be wading into deep GMAT waters over the coming weeks and months, so you should probably get your feet wet first, right?
You’ll be wading into deep GMAT waters over the coming weeks and months, so you should probably get your feet wet first, right?
To start, let’s examine the skills and concepts tested and the question types you’ll encounter in each GMAT section.
The Quant Section
The fact is, most business schools consider quantitative skills important to success in the business world. Thus, business schools generally pay a lot of attention to Quant performance when they evaluate GMAT scores.
For many students, the prospect of quickly solving tricky math problems without a calculator makes many test-takers nervous, particularly those who don’t consider math a strong subject. The good news? GMAT Quant questions are designed to be solvable in about 2 minutes or less without a calculator. How can that be possible?
Well, GMAT Quant questions are logic-based: they test your ability to use logic to apply your math knowledge efficiently. In other words, the GMAT isn’t a “number-crunching” test. Your ability to perform lengthy calculations by hand is not what GMAT Quant tests. In fact, GMAT Quant tests high school-level math concepts. To perform well, you must recognize what concept is being tested and apply logical skills.
KEY FACT:
GMAT Quant questions test your ability to use logic to apply your math knowledge efficiently, not your ability to perform lengthy, complex calculations by hand.
Now that we’ve established that you aren’t required to be a human calculator for the GMAT, let’s examine the format of GMAT Quant questions.
Problem Solving
If you’ve taken standardized tests, you’re familiar with multiple-choice problem-solving questions. So, the format of the Problem Solving questions in the GMAT Focus Quant section comes as no surprise. In each question, you are provided the information necessary to answer the question. Below the question, you have 5 answer choices, 1 of which is correct.
Here is an example of a Problem Solving question:
Problem Solving Example
At a dinner party, 40 percent of the guests wore both jackets and ties. If 50 percent of the guests who wore jackets did not wear ties, what percent of the guests wore jackets?
- 20 percent
- 40 percent
- 60 percent
- 70 percent
- 80 percent
In terms of content, you can expect to see questions covering the following major topics:
- Basic Arithmetic
- Linear and Quadratic Equations
- Number Properties
- Roots
- Exponents
- Inequalities
- Absolute Values
- General Word Problems
- Rates
- Work Problems
- Unit Conversions
- Ratios
- Percents
- Statistics
- Overlapping Sets
- Combinations and Permutations
- Probability
- Coordinate Geometry
- Sequences
- Functions
The Verbal Section
As mentioned earlier, the Verbal section consists of 2 types of multiple-choice questions: Critical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension.
Critical Reasoning
Critical Reasoning (CR) questions feature a short passage that presents an argument or set of statements. You are asked to evaluate some aspect of what is presented. For instance, a CR question may ask what assumption is required by the argument or which statement must be true based on the statements in the passage. For each CR question, you’ll need to select 1 of 5 answer choices. Here is a CR example question:
Critical Reasoning Example
Over the past three years, fees for parking automobiles in Shemerton’s central business district have increased, and the Shemerton Transportation Authority has improved Shemerton’s public transportation system, by adding bus routes and by increasing the number of trains that run per hour. Surprisingly, however, the number of people using public transportation to travel to and around Shemerton has decreased over the same period of time.
Which of the following does the most to explain the surprising trend in public transportation use in the Shemerton area?
- The new bus routes were added in areas in and around Shemerton in which the population densities are relatively low.
- Many people who live in the Shemerton area do not consider the cost savings achieved via using public transportation worth the hassles of using it.
- In the Shemerton area, people’s ability to afford to purchase and maintain automobiles was hampered by an economic recession that ended three years ago.
- The price of fuel for automobiles has not increased significantly over the past three years in Shemerton.
- While the number of trains that run per hour in Shemerton was increased over the past three years, the routes traveled and the stops made by trains were not changed.
Check the solution to this CR example here.
To answer CR questions, you’ll need to be able to identify the premises (evidence) and the conclusion in a passage. To analyze the logic of the passage,you’ll need to deduce how the latter follows from the former. It’s important to note that while CR questions may ask you to, for example, evaluate how a conclusion was reached or derive a conclusion based on the given facts, your task is not to evaluate whether the given facts are accurate. The facts in CR passages are always taken as true.
KEY FACT:
CR questions ask you to analyze arguments and interpret information, not to evaluate whether the facts given are accurate.
Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension (RC) questions present you with a passage and typically 3 or 4 questions about that passage. For each question related to a passage, you’ll select 1 of 5 answer choices. RC questions are designed to test how carefully you’ve read a passage and whether you understood the information presented. Accordingly, answering them requires accurately interpreting information and identifying relationships between ideas.
The topics and style of RC passages are similar to those of publications such as The Economist, Smithsonian magazine, and The New York Times. So, reading such publications is a good way to help prepare yourself for RC questions. You can find a sample Reading Comprehension question here.
KEY FACT:
The topics and style of RC passages are similar to those of publications such as The Economist, Smithsonian magazine, and The New York Times.
The Data Insights Section
Data Insights (DI) questions test your ability to analyze data presented in real-world scenarios. Depending on the question, you’ll also call on the skills tested in the Quant and Verbal sections. There are 5 different DI question formats: Multi-Source Reasoning, Two-Part Analysis, Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation, and Data Sufficiency.
Multi-Source Reasoning
Multi-Source Reasoning questions ask you to evaluate data presented in multiple formats. You may use charts, tables, and passages of text to answer a single question. In other words, you will see multiple sources of information, displayed on separate tabs, for each question. Based on that information, your job is to either answer 1 multiple-choice question or evaluate the validity of three separate statements, choosing 1 of 2 answers for each statement (yes/no, true/false, etc.). Here is an example of a Multi-Source Reasoning question. Don’t forget to click each of the tabs on the left side of the screen.
KEY FACT:
Multi-Source Reasoning questions ask you to evaluate data presented in multiple formats.
Two-Part Analysis
Two-Part Analysis questions present you with a scenario and 2 columns of answer choices. These questions can be very similar to Quant and Verbal questions. For example, you may encounter what is essentially a Problem Solving or Critical Reasoning question. The difference is that you’ll have to select 2 answers instead of 1. You will have to select 1 choice from each column (so, 2 choices in total) to answer the question. Here is an example of a Two-Part Analysis question.
KEY FACT:
Two-Part Analysis questions present you with a scenario and 2 columns of answer choices. You select 1 answer for each column.
Table Analysis
Table Analysis questions present data in a spreadsheet-like format that you can sort by column. You are then asked to analyze the data to evaluate 3 related statements. For example, you might have to analyze the data to determine whether each related statement is true or false. For each statement, you will have to select 1 of 2 choices, so a total of 3 selections per question.
The key to efficiently answering this type of question is strategic use of the “sort by” function. You can sort the data by any column in the table, much like you would in an Excel spreadsheet. Here is an example of a Table Analysis question. Be sure to test out the sort function located above the table.
KEY FACT:
Table Analysis questions ask you to evaluate statements based on data presented in a spreadsheet-like format.
Graphics Interpretation
Graphics Interpretation questions require you to analyze a graph or diagram in order to complete 2 statements. Each statement contains 1 blank for which there is a drop-down menu containing 3 or 4 answer choices. You will have to select 1 answer for each blank, so a total of 2 selections per question. Here is an example of a Graphics Interpretation question.
KEY FACT:
Graphics Interpretation questions require you to analyze a graph or diagram in order to complete 2 statements.
Data Sufficiency
Data Sufficiency (DS) questions present a question followed by 2 statements that provide further information about the question. So, for instance, a DS question may ask you to determine the value of a variable. You would then see 2 statements providing additional information that may or may not help you determine that value. In DS questions, your job is to determine when you have enough information to answer the question. While the question stem in a DS question could relate to any of the math concepts tested on the GMAT — algebra, fractions, percents, etc. — you’ll recognize DS questions easily because the answer choices are always the same:
Data Sufficiency Example
Last Sunday, the Stewart Vineyard ran a price promotion in which it sold red wine for r dollars per case and white wine for w dollars per case. What was the ratio of the revenue from red wine to the revenue from white wine?
1) Last Sunday, the Stewart Vineyard sold each case of red wine for 3 times as much as each case of white wine.
2) Last Sunday, the Stewart Vineyard sold 2 times as many cases of white wine as it sold of red wine.
- Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
- Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
- BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
- EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
- Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Check the solution to this DS example here.
Here’s the thing: if you are thoroughly prepared for the Quant and Verbal sections, you’ll have a strong foundation for tackling DI questions. Performing well on the DI section does not involve learning and mastering new content. Instead, your DI prep will focus on getting comfortable with the question types and honing your data analysis strategies.
KEY FACT:
Data Sufficiency questions test your ability to use data to determine when you have enough information to answer the question.
So, did you try to solve any of the sample GMAT questions above before you read their solutions? You probably won’t be surprised to learn that the next step is to actually try some GMAT Focus practice questions.
Step 2: Try Some Practice Questions
Before we examine step 2 of beginning your GMAT Focus preparation, I want to make clear a very important point. This is not the stage to begin practicing dozens of random GMAT questions from every source you can find. Remember, you haven’t formulated your GMAT Focus study plan yet. Is it really a wise strategy to start studying without a plan?
If you dive head-first into trying to solve a ton of random practice questions without first mastering the concepts on which those questions are based, I can all but guarantee that that time will not help you get closer to your GMAT score goal. Trust me, you want to make sure to engage in GMAT Focus practice at strategic times to avoid wasting time.
At this early stage, you’re simply getting a feel for what GMAT Focus questions are. You’re not attempting to master answering them or to learn new concepts. With that in mind, give these realistic GMAT Quant practice questions and Verbal practice questions in Critical Reasoning (Question 1, Question 3) a shot, then read through the solutions to each of those questions.
See what it’s like to answer different types of GMAT Focus questions. Just don’t go down the rabbit hole of searching out every variety of GMAT practice question known to man. In fact, you should spend no more than about a week familiarizing yourself with the GMAT and practicing some questions. At that point, you’re ready to move on to step 3: getting your baseline score.
TTP PRO TIP:
Diving head-first into dozens of GMAT Focus questions without first mastering concepts or having a concrete study plan is not an effective way to begin your preparation.
Step 3: Get Your Baseline Score
Sometimes when I tell students that the next step is to establish a baseline by taking a GMAT Focus practice test, they express skepticism. After all, I just said that students shouldn’t dive right into dozens of practice questions. Why is an entire exam a good idea? Are you ready for that? What if you don’t perform well? Does that mean you’re doomed?
Remember, trying some GMAT Focus practice questions is for information, not mastery. Similarly, taking a practice test tells you about your current level of GMAT readiness. Think of it this way: you’re at the foot of Mount GMAT, and you need to know how high it is. You don’t want to start climbing only to realize that you lack either the tools or time to reach the summit.
Maybe your GMAT mountain isn’t that high, or maybe you have a ways to climb. Either way, without a baseline, you won’t know whether you’re 50 or 150 points from your goal. Thus, you’ll have trouble determining how long to study for GMAT Focus. You can see why an initial practice exam is essential to creating an effective GMAT Focus study plan.
GMAC, the maker of the GMAT Focus, provides 6 official practice exams, 2 of which are free. Spend some time using the exam tutorial tool to see how the test screens look and how to navigate, and review the instructions for each section. Then, take the first free exam. The results will give you a good idea of the GMAT-taking experience and show how far you are from your score goal.
(Looking for a more comprehensive picture of your current Quant skills? Try TTP’s free 64-question GMAT Focus diagnostic.)
An initial practice exam is essential to creating an effective GMAT Focus study plan.
Take the Test Under Realistic Conditions
In taking the first practice test, your goal is to get the most accurate baseline score possible. To create an effective GMAT Focus study plan, you need to know how far you are from your goal. So, when you take your first practice exam, replicate GMAT Focus testing conditions as closely as possible.
Take the exam in a private, quiet space where you won’t be interrupted. If you’re taking the exam at a test center, use a private room at the library, for example. If you’re taking the online GMAT, take your practice exam in the location where you will take the actual exam. Make sure to prepare the space just as you would for the actual exam.
Either way, turn off your phone and put it out of sight. Complete all sections of the exam. Use only the allotted time. And, of course, try your best on every question! Do not do anything that is not allowed during the actual GMAT Focus. This includes pausing, taking extra breaks, texting your friend, and even drinking coffee at your desk. If you do, you risk basing your GMAT study plan on an inaccurate score. As a result, you may miss the mark when test day arrives.
TTP PRO TIP:
To get an accurate baseline, make your first practice test as realistic as possible.
Manage Your Score Expectations
It’s important to remember that, while you should do your best, you shouldn’t expect a certain score. The GMAT Focus requires not only conceptual knowledge but also well-honed timing strategies and mental and physical stamina. The majority of GMAT test-takers need months of studying and practice to master content and refine skills.
To illustrate, let’s consider the time limits for each GMAT Focus section. On average, a test-taker has a bit more than 2 minutes per Quant question, a bit less than 2 minutes per Verbal question, and 2.25 minutes per DI question. However, different questions naturally take different amounts of time. Part of hitting your score goal is knowing how much time you can spend on different question types.
A Reading Comprehension question, for example, may require more time on average than a Critical Reasoning question. Pacing yourself appropriately can significantly affect your GMAT Focus score. Even if you are already knowledgeable about GMAT content, don’t be surprised to encounter challenges during your first practice test.
Although it’s natural to hope to perform well, it probably isn’t realistic to expect a bullseye on your first shot. Furthermore, that expectation creates a lot of pressure. So what if you’re 100 points away, or 200, or however many? You’re new at this! That’s what a smart study plan is for!
Remember, this is the informational phase: what you need is an accurate baseline score. The important thing is that you have the information to create a strategic, efficient, and realistic GMAT study plan to reach your goal.
TTP PRO TIP:
Don’t add pressure to your first practice test by expecting a fantastic score.
Of course, reaching your goal is much harder (if not impossible) without the right GMAT Focus study materials. Let’s talk about that next.
Step 4: Select the Right Study Materials
One major mistake that students often make when studying for the GMAT Focus is bouncing around between study resources. There’s no real order or method for how and what they’re learning on any given day. This type of patchwork GMAT study can feel like “covering all the bases” and taking advantage of every resource available for learning the GMAT. In truth, students taking this approach likely will learn a few unfamiliar concepts and skills at first. This is particularly true if they’re starting without much knowledge of GMAT Focus content. The problem is that students who cobble together their GMAT preparation by ping-ponging between study materials invariably find that their gains stop short of their goals.
What happens if you just use whatever study materials you find instead of researching what will be most effective? In truth, you’re probably going to waste a lot of time on GMAT Focus materials that don’t work for you. Moreover, rather than covering all your bases, you could end up with significant gaps in your GMAT knowledge. With a piecemeal approach, it’s easy for important concepts and skills to slip through the cracks.
TTP PRO TIP:
Bouncing around between GMAT study materials typically leads to disorganized, inefficient studying, knowledge gaps, and stalled progress.
So, how can you determine what the “right” study materials are?
Cover All the Bases With Topical Learning
First and foremost, keep in mind that GMAT Focus questions cover a huge range of concepts. Thus, you can’t know exactly which concepts will appear on your GMAT. So, how do you give yourself the best shot at a high score? Preparing for anything the exam could throw at you.
With so much content, how can you learn everything necessary about each GMAT Focus topic? The key is following a linear, topic-by-topic approach. Learn one topic, then practice numerous questions about it. Revisit the concepts covered by the questions you answered incorrectly. Only once you feel that you’ve mastered those concepts would you move to the next topic.
I can’t overstate the benefits of linear, topical learning. In fact, we’ve organized the Target Test Prep course in this way precisely because it is effective for GMAT Focus students of all levels.
First, topical learning allows you to start with easier concepts and advance to more difficult ones. By working your way up, you increase your knowledge regardless of your starting level. Crucially, you don’t waste time on problem sets covering GMAT Focus concepts you haven’t learned.
Second, learning each GMAT topic individually and practicing with realistic questions ensures that you truly master each topic before moving on. Furthermore, you uncover and fill any knowledge gaps. With a less methodical approach, these gaps may go unnoticed.
Third, linear learning keeps your GMAT Focus prep organized and efficient. By not randomly switching topics, you ensure each topic gets your full attention. As a result, you don’t run the risk of skimping on practice questions on certain topics, or missing fundamental concepts in wide-ranging topics, such as Number Properties.
TTP PRO TIP:
Taking a topic-by-topic approach to your GMAT prep helps you master each topic efficiently and fill any knowledge gaps.
Read Student Reviews
In choosing GMAT Focus study materials, you want a resource that allows for learning each topic individually and provides topic-specific practice questions, ideally 50+ per topic. Now, there are many GMAT study options available: everything from books to classes to tutors to self-study courses. Within each category, there are many alternatives. So, choosing the best one for you can seem overwhelming.
Fortunately, you can learn from test-takers who have been in your shoes. A great way to research study materials is to see what successful GMAT-takers have done. Websites such as GMAT Club, Beat the GMAT, and MBA Insight feature verified GMAT course reviews from real students, including test-takers who earned top scores on the GMAT. Reading reviews can help you make an informed decision about your GMAT materials.
For instance, many students have earned high GMAT scores with an online self-study course. However, not all self-study courses are created equal. An effective self-study course offers a structured, linear approach to learning and practicing GMAT Focus content as outlined above. This is crucial to consistent, efficient progress. Of course, a robust self-study course provides much more.
Chief among the “perks” of a great GMAT Focus course is a detailed study plan taking you from start to finish. The TTP Course, for example, provides a customized, step-by-step road map guiding you through the process and tracking your progress. Every time they study, our students know what to do and when to do it. Consequently, they don’t waste time deciding what to learn next or using slow, haphazard methods. That personal road map is one key reason that TTP students consistently earn impressive GMAT scores.
TTP PRO TIP:
Use student reviews to help you choose the best GMAT Focus study option for you.
Look for Analytics and an Error Tracker
The right GMAT Focus self-study course should include analytics that track your progress and performance. At any moment, you can clearly see how far you’ve progressed and easily pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. For instance, the TTP course provides an online dashboard showing important stats such as
- accuracy percentages for each topic
- accuracy by question type
- average time per question
- strongest and weakest topics
- percentage of the course completed
and more.
In addition, a good GMAT Focus self-study course should track the errors you make when answering practice questions. Having a handy log of your common errors makes it easier to correct them. For example, the TTP error tracker logs the questions you answer incorrectly, why you answered them incorrectly, and how often you make each type of error.
So, if 25% of the time you fall for a trap, 18% of the time you run out of time, and so on, you have the data to correct those tendencies and become a stronger test-taker.
Aside from these benefits, online GMAT self-study courses are typically less expensive than tutors and classes. Additionally, they provide flexibility and accessibility, making fitting GMAT study into your schedule relatively hassle-free. Furthermore, most self-study courses offer low-cost trials. You can test out different courses to find the one that fits your needs. In fact, why not start with a $1 full-access trial of the TTP Course?
TTP PRO TIP:
Look for a GMAT Focus self-study course that offers a personalized study plan, detailed analytics, and an error tracker that helps you pinpoint your most common mistakes.
Got your baseline score and the right GMAT Focus course in hand? You’re ready for the final step in starting your studies: creating a schedule.
Step 5: Create a “Foolproof” Study Schedule
Students are often taken aback when I tell them to shoot for 15+ hours a week of GMAT Focus prep. Although that seems like a lot, as I’ve already discussed, there is A TON to learn for the GMAT. Accordingly, most students need to devote a good deal of time to their prep. Writing down a daily GMAT Focus study schedule (or using a calendar app) makes holding yourself accountable and putting in the necessary study time much simpler than trying to track everything mentally.
It’s extremely easy — sometimes even unavoidable — for an hour here and an hour there to slip away. Then, days go by when you’re simply “too busy” to study for the GMAT Focus. You can see how quickly you can fall behind schedule and become discouraged or overly stressed about your GMAT situation.
Of course, it’s natural to assume that you would never allow yourself to get into that kind of predicament. Unfortunately, time can slip away from even the most dedicated students. Why not err on the side of caution and make your study schedule “foolproof”? If you schedule your daily GMAT Focus study hours, you avoid the stress of having to “make time.”
Even if you can study for only 1 hour each day, schedule that hour! GMAT preparation is a long haul. To be successful, you have to be consistent. Studying for the GMAT has to be a top priority, regardless of the countless other responsibilities, events, to-dos, and last-minute changes of plans that pop up and threaten to derail your day.
TTP PRO TIP:
To hit your weekly GMAT Focus study target, write down a schedule to hold yourself accountable.
Weekly Study Guidelines
Studying for 15+ hours per week is an ambitious schedule. So, how do you get there? A good starting point is to aim for 10 hours during the week and 5+ hours on the weekend. Of course, you may need to adjust that schedule, either at the start or as you go along. For example, if you have a demanding full-time job, perhaps you can study for 1 hour before work and complete longer weekend sessions. If your work or school schedule changes periodically, you may need to plan a couple of weeks at a time.
However you can fit in your GMAT prep, a concrete schedule helps make studying a “non-negotiable” part of your day. With your schedule written down, you can more easily and accurately keep track of the time you’re putting in. This allows you to catch yourself quickly if you start skimping on study hours.
TTP PRO TIP:
Make studying for the GMAT Focus “non-negotiable” by scheduling your daily study hours, aiming for 15+ hours per week.
To illustrate, let’s look at a couple of sample schedules for one week of GMAT Focus study. Schedule A could be for a person who works at a fast-paced office job from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, while schedule B could be for a student in her senior year of college.
GMAT Focus Study Schedule A: Working 9 to 5
During the week, GMAT Student A studies before work from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. He fits in another hour during his lunch break from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. This way, he’s not studying in the evenings when he’s tired. Depending on his commute (say, public transit), he may be able to fit in some extra studying or flashcard quizzes.
On each weekend day, he does a longer morning session and has the remainder of the day to relax and spend time with family and friends. Each week, he gets in 16 hours of study time.
GMAT Focus Study Schedule B: College Student
On weekday mornings, GMAT Student B does 2 hours of GMAT study, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. By studying before her afternoon classes, her mind is fresh for her GMAT Focus prep. Additionally, she has the evenings for classwork and social engagements. On the weekends, she keeps roughly the same schedule but puts in 3-hour study sessions, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. She can then spend the rest of the weekend doing classwork and relaxing with friends. Each week, she gets in 16 hours of GMAT study time.
Make Your Schedule Work For You
These are just 2 examples of how to fit in GMAT Focus study time even with a busy schedule. If you’re a night owl with evenings free, you may choose to do your studying in the evening hours. If, on the other hand, you have free afternoons, you may schedule your GMAT Focus prep for midday. If you’re in school, your schedule may vary each weekday, but you can consistently get in long weekend study sessions. Plan out a schedule that is realistic for you. Remember, aside from responsibilities that you can’t forgo (such as work, family, or classes), GMAT prep should be a TOP priority.
TTP PRO TIP:
Customize your GMAT Focus schedule based on your own needs, but make sure to make your prep a priority.
At this point, you know the 5 steps to start studying for the GMAT Focus. Wondering exactly how long you’ll need to study to reach your score goal? Let’s discuss that now.
How Long Does GMAT Focus Preparation Take?
GMAC advises that, based on self-reporting, “successful business school candidates gave themselves 3-6 months to prepare” for the GMAT. GMAC also acknowledges that “the time you should spend preparing to take the GMAT exam is unique to you.” This is an important point to remember. Some test-takers need 6+ months to reach their goal, while others may need less than 3. How far you are from your goal and how many hours you can devote affect your GMAT Focus prep timeline. Keep in mind that it’s not uncommon for students to need 300+ hours of study. Let’s examine a couple of scenarios.
Scenario 1
Baseline Score: 545 (47th percentile)
Score Goal: 595-615 (72nd-80th percentiles)
Increase Needed: 50-70 points
Study Time Needed: 4 months (280 hours)
A realistic plan would be to study for 2 hours each weekday and 3 hours each weekend day. This gives you a total of 16 GMAT study hours per week. At that pace, most students could realize a score increase of 50-70 points in 4 months.
Scenario 2
Baseline Score: 545 (47th percentile)
Score Goal: 645-695 (89th-98th percentiles)
Increase Needed: 100-150 points
Study Time Needed: 6 months (420 hours)
A realistic plan would be to study for 2 hours each weekday and 3 hours each weekend day. This gives you a total of 16 GMAT study hours per week. At that pace, most students could realize a score increase of 100-150 points in 6 months.
Now, your situation may be quite different. Perhaps you are 20 points from your goal, or you can study for only 10 hours per week. Regardless, these scenarios should give you a sense of how to calculate the GMAT preparation time you’ll need. Just keep in mind that these calculations are estimates. There is no way to predict with 100% accuracy when you’ll be ready to hit your score goal.
TTP PRO TIP:
Use the number of weekly hours you can study and the difference between your baseline score and goal to estimate how many weeks of GMAT preparation you’ll need.
Key Takeaways
In this article, I’ve covered 5 key steps to help get your GMAT Focus prep off to a strong start:
- Step 1: Familiarize yourself with the GMAT Focus format, section, and question types.
- Step 2: Try some GMAT Focus practice questions to get a feel for what you’re facing.
- Step 3: Establish your baseline score by taking an official GMAT Focus practice exam under realistic conditions.
- Step 4: Research and select the right GMAT Focus study materials for you.
- Step 5: Create a GMAT Focus study schedule based on your schedule and score goal.
By taking these steps, you give yourself the best chance of achieving GMAT Focus success!
What’s Next?
Looking to make your Quant prep more effective? Check out our top 10 tips for preparing for GMAT Quant.
Need some tips for studying for the Verbal section? Learn some strategies for achieving a high GMAT Verbal score.
Interested in taking your GMAT Focus prep to the next level? Sign up for a free consultation to see how working with a GMAT expert can help you reach your goals.
