Successful GMAT test takers invest about 100 hours studying and practising for the test. GMAT Tutor’s experts give you valuable hints how to begin your preparation.
If you’re new to the GMAT, you’ve probably heard every story, both good and bad, about others' experiences with the test. Each GMAT test taker has a unique story, which likely has you wondering where to even begin. Here are three tips we hope you find useful in drowning out some of the noise around you and helping to get you started towards your GMAT goals.
Start by taking a practice test
This might seem obvious, but the best way of getting an idea of what the GMAT looks like is to jump right into it. Not only will you have a better idea of what to expect, but once you’ve examined your first score breakdown, you’ll also have a better idea of where your strengths and weaknesses on the exam lie. From here, it should be clear which sections you’ll need to work on the most, making it easier for you to devise an effective study plan for the weeks to come.
Establish your goals
If you’re looking at GMAT prep resources, odds are you have a few schools in mind. Do a little research and try finding out what the average scores for your top choices are. If you’re one of the few whose practice test score lines up with what your top choices are looking for, congratulations. If not, the good news is that you’ll have a better idea of how much work you’ll have to put in to get to where you want to be.
Design your study plan
This is also fairly obvious, but if your practice score showed you that your math skills need improvement, spend the next month or two making sure you have a better grasp of what the GMAT will throw at you. If your verbal skills are not up to par, focus on improving your understanding of sentence construction, verb tenses and all the nitty-gritty that goes into making a passage convincing.
Sometimes, the first steps can be the most difficult. We hope these simple starting points can help you get started on the path towards GMAT success!
Read the original article on the blog of The Economist’s GMAT Tutor
