Preparing for the GMAT is a serious ordeal and it is necessary to have an effective GMAT study strategy. This ensures that you stay on track during your entire GMAT preparation journey. In this article, we have listed some important study strategies to prepare for the GMAT exam. So, keep reading!

Effective GMAT Study Strategies

  • Allocate time to prepare for the exam: Ideally, you should start preparing for the test 3 months in advance. It is necessary to dedicate 3 hours to preparation each day. Try splitting the time slots into 1 and half hours each. Allocate each time slot for a different section of the GMAT exam. Although you might feel motivated to complete studying at a stretch, we would recommend you take breaks in between since this will increase your efficiency and concentration. The study plan which you form must include all topics from the GMAT syllabus. This is also an effective method to ensure that you don’t miss out on any important sections of the GMAT exam. 
  • Select your study materials after careful consideration: This is an important step which should be part of your GMAT Study Strategy. While there are an abundance of study materials available online and in shops you must be cautious before you select the resources. This is because not all of the content available is good and therefore, we would recommend using only official GMAT guides from GMAC (the creators of the GMAT exam). Since it is from GMAC you will be able to practice sample questions which have previously been asked in the GMAT exam. Additionally, an advantage would be that the scoring algorithm for mock tests that you take will be the same as on the actual GMAT exam. Besides this, in case you find other sources, make sure they are credible. 
  • Attempt GMAT mock exams: As mentioned above, attempting GMAT mock exams and solving sample question papers should definitely be a part of your study plan. They help you to understand the structure of the GMAT exam, the different sections of the exam (Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Integrated Reasoning), the scoring pattern, the duration of each section and much more. You will be more familiar with the pattern of the exam and also know where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Remember, taking mock tests are an important part of your GMAT study strategy. 
  • Join online study groups: While the internet may be the cause for many distractions, it is also a place to find a lot of helpful information. In fact, to make your GMAT prep more interactive, you can join online study groups or forums. Here you will be interacting and studying with other students and you will get different insights about a wide range of topics. You are likely to find useful tips and strategies to solve questions in a quicker and more concise manner.
  • Use elimination strategies to answer questions: You may come across questions on the GMAT where you are uncertain of the answer or spend too much time trying to arrive at the answer. Both of these are sure to cost you precious time and affect your score. In such situations you could try using the process of elimination to rule out the incorrect answers. Doing so will help you get closer to the correct answer. 
  • Work on topics that you are weak in: When you attempt mock exams or solve sample questions you get to understand which are your areas of weakness. You should dedicate more time towards solving the questions that you are not confident about. Additionally, you could also practice solving questions of varying degrees of difficulty so that you are well versed with answering them. This will essentially assist you towards achieving your target score.
  • Keep track of the time when you attempt the GMAT exam : It is imperative that you track the time you take to attempt the GMAT exam. Pacing yourself plays a significant role towards the test-taking experience. To help you in this process you can attempt mock exams and time yourself while you answer questions.

We hope this GMAT study strategy article helped you understand how to go about your preparations.

Good Luck!

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