A 3-Step Approach to GMAT Prep

The GMAT is an important component of the MBA application.

How important it is, depends on how strong your score stands amongst other aspects of your application.

“If your GMAT is more than thirty points below your target school’s average GMAT, it could place you at a disadvantage and force the rest of your application to work overtime,” Linda Abraham, of Accepted, writes.

Ideally, you’ll want to score within the range of the averages at the school you’re applying for.

But that’s easier said than done. Chris Kane, the Head of Test Prep at Menlo Coaching, recently shared a few tips on MBA Crystal Ball for effective GMAT prep.

GIVE YOURSELF 10 WEEKS

Kane recommends giving yourself roughly 10 weeks in order to optimally study for the exam. That means if you need to take time off to minimize distraction, you should.

“The GMAT is a highly sophisticated test that requires mastery of content and subtle pattern recognition,” Kane writes. “Your GMAT studying is so much more effective and efficient when you are living and breathing the exam rather than struggling to stay awake while doing problems after a long day of work.”

To optimize your preparation, dedicate roughly 12 hours a week over a 10-week period towards studying. Since most people don’t have the luxury to take 10-weeks off, Kane recommends the following regimen:

• 2-3 hours on GMAT preparation during three of your workdays
• A big 4-hour study session on one of your weekend days
• A shorter 2-hour session on the other

TAKE THE 3-STEP APPROACH

When it comes to studying, you can apply Kane’s three step approach in order to improve over time: Refresh, Learn and Apply, and Practice.

Refreshing is all about understanding what areas you’re strong in and what areas need improvement.

“It is important to address any content weaknesses before you can focus on improving the baseline abilities described above in the context of the GMAT,” Kane writes. “You need well-made GMAT-specific drills that focus on exactly the skills required for the exam.”

Next, you’ll want to learn and apply. It’s best, Kane says, to utilize a well-organized curriculum to better understand and apply GMAT concepts to practice questions.

“To prepare effectively for this test, you want to avoid learning GMAT content in a vacuum, and instead focus on applying the content to solve hard problems,” Kane writes. “Most of the difficulty lies in understanding the question to know what math you need to use.”

Practice, the final and perhaps most important step, has little to do with understanding math concepts. Rather, it’s about understanding how you perform under time and pressure.

“This final step of GMAT studying involves practicing how to take the exam, namely by improving your pace and test-taking skills,” Kane writes. “Pacing and test-taking are vital to achieving a high GMAT score, and this means that after you have covered content, you must do lots of timed practice sets with official practice questions and then thoroughly review your performance.”

Sources: MBA Crystal Ball, Accepted

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