GMAT Strategy

1) Go to the MBA.com website and download the free GMATPrep software. This software contains the only two real CATs (computer adaptive tests) that are freely are made available to the public. After familiarizing yourself with the software using the Test Preview tool, take the first of the two practice tests. This is your baseline score. If your initial score is low, don't worry-you haven't started preparing yet. If for some reason you're not yet comfortable taking the first practice test, then switch steps #2 and #1. Save the other GMAT test and take it as your final practice test shortly before your test date.

https://www.mba.com/us/the-gmat-exam/pre ... tware.aspx

Or, if you have a little extra money to spend (GMAT prep is not cheap), then you should strongly consider purchasing the GMATPrep Exam Pack 1 for an additional $49.99. This contains two more official GMAT practice tests, giving you four real tests to work with instead of just two. While you're at it, you should also strongly consider buying the GMATPrep Question Pack 1 for an additional $29.99, which will give you plenty of questions you can practice on your computer, instead of just in a book (remember, the GMAT is a computer test and as such you should spend much of your time looking at questions on a screen). Speaking of iPads, there is also an official app for GMAT: the GMAT Review 2015 Mobile App. For $4.99, it gives you a measly 50 questions, but for another $29.99, you get access to 800 more questions. If you travel a lot, then it's nice to have a bunch of practice questions right there on your phone or tablet.

Yes, these materials from the test maker are on the pricey side. However, Official GMAT tests are invaluable, because although there are some companies out there who write realistic imitations of GMAT questions, they can never quite match the idiosyncratic nature of real GMATs. Moreover, only the GMAC has access to the precise algorithms that determine your actual GMAT score. Tests from other companies are fine for practice, and necessary in many ways, but the only scores you can fully trust are these official tests from the test maker. If you do in fact purchase the Exam Pack 1, then you could take the 4 tests at evenly spaced intervals throughout your preparation, which would provide you with twice as much information about your progress. Avoid the temptation to take all of these tests early in your prep, for the reasons discussed above.

2) Purchase one, preferably two (the second copy should be left blank) of the Official Guide to the GMAT. This book will become your new best friend. This book contains invaluable practice problems, and a diagnostic test. Start working through this book from front to back. If you get stuck on something, then just mark the page and move on. The idea is to get yourself familiarized with the test as much as you can before you start taking a class or working with a private tutor. Don't worry about timing yourself just yet, but you might want to record how long each question takes you. You get around 2 minutes per quantitative question, and 1.5 minutes per verbal question.

3) Set a score goal. GMAT student improvements are usually around 50-150 points per section (Verbal and Quant only), given time for sufficient preparation and dependent on the student's starting score. To state the obvious: the higher your starting score, the fewer points improvement you can expect. IR and Essay improvements are more difficult to predict, but are usually around 1-2 points. Check out this chart that shows you how GMAT Math and Verbal scores combine to produce a composite score: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... li=1#gid=0

https://www.mba.com/us/the-gmat-exam/gma ... kings-mean

4) If you're serious about getting the highest score possible, then you should purchase the following additional books (and consider buying 2 copies of each, one to mark up and one to keep blank):

The Official Guide for GMAT Quantitative Review 2016 with Online Question Bank and Exclusive Video - Additional Math Practice

The Official Guide for GMAT Verbal Review 2016 with Online Question Bank and Exclusive Video - Additional Verbal Practice

You should also know that these two additional books are available as part of a 3-book bundle, along with the official guide, on Amazon.

Khan Academy Free Math Videos: Please note: these correspond to the 11th edition of the GMAT book only, published way back in 2005. Sal hasn't updated his explanations in a while, but it might be worth trying to buy a used copy of that book for the purpose of reviewing these videos, since many of the questions from the current edition are still the same as the questions from the 11th edition. Some students lack the patience for these videos, because Sal's pace of explaining can be slow at times. However, they are helpful if you make liberal use of the "fast forward" button, especially since Sal is a brilliant guy. Did I mention that it's free?

https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/gmat

5) Since there are only four official GMAT CATs, You're going to want to find another source of CATs, since you need to take around 8 tests before you are fully prepared. My preferred company for this purpose is Manhattan GMAT.

You can either buy the entire series of books, which is helpful but pricey, or you can simply buy the books individually based upon your needs. Either way, you will gain access (through a scratch code on the back of each book) to Manhattan's 6 online GRE CATs, which are a bit harder than the real thing, and slightly different from the real GRE, but worthy imitations nonetheless. Add the 4 official CATS to the 6 Manhattan CATs, and you've got a solid base of ten practice CATs. Yes, the Manhattan tests are not quite the same as the real GMAT, but they are the closest imitations I've seen so far. If anything, they are somewhat harder, which is better than the other way around.

6) If you need lots of remedial help, or if you haven't taken a college math class in a long time, then it might make sense to take a GMAT classroom course, such as the ones at UCSD, where I am currently an instructor. But don't overpay for an "elite" course - most of these courses are the same, are taught by relatively inexperienced teachers, and focus on basic content and strategies. Instead, save your money for a qualified private tutor later on in the process.

7) If you can afford it, find a GMAT tutor and schedule some lessons. Otherwise, take a classroom course (I recommend Manhattan Prep) or perhaps just work through super-helpful sites such as GMAT Club. Before purchasing time with your tutor, we suggest that you first schedule a phone consultation to discuss strategies and scheduling, and to see if your personalities would make a good fit.

8) Study, Study, Study. Practice, Repeat, Forget, Practice, Repeat, Forget, Practice, Repeat...Remember. Subscribe to Beat the GMAT and/or GMAT Club (online GMAT forums) in order to join forces with those around you who are also trying to conquer this test, and to access free GMAT advice from a variety of sources. (Of course, as with anything else, consider the source before trusting the information provided.)

9) When you're ready, decide on a test date and register for your GMAT.

10) Take periodic practice CATs in the lead-up to the actual GMAT. I recommend that you take at least 8 CATs total. So if you are preparing for 24 weeks, for example, then you should take a full practice test every 3 weeks.

11) You're ready. Good luck! Get detailed directions to the test center and get there ahead of time. Be prepared and remember that you will get your verbal and quant scores (although not your essay score) immediately after the test, unless you decide to cancel your scores. Don't lose the paper that contains your "unofficial" score-there is a code on there that you will need to view your official score report in about two weeks.

I do not recommend canceling your score unless it went far worse than you had planned-if you cancel your score you will have no way to know how you did, and you may have done better than you thought. Remember that most students do better the second time they take the GMAT.

Update 7/16/15: if you do choose to cancel your score, then you no longer have to worry about the dreaded "C" showing up on your score report: the GMAT has discontinued this policy. In addition, if you cancel your score you will be allowed to retake the test after a 16-day time period instead of the usual 31-day period. (You can take the GMAT up to five times per year.)

Don't forget that the test itself costs $250. There are fee waivers available for those who qualify, and you can now cancel your score without your schools knowing, but unfortunately, in most cases there is no way around having to pay the GMAC an arm and a leg to take this test, which is why you want to be prepared the first time you take it.

Homework and Practice Tests - Rules, Tips and Suggestions (and the art of Blind Repetition)

The best way to prep for the GMAT is simple on its face, yet complex in its execution.

On the face, it's simple: work through the Official Guides, the Question Packs, the Practice Tests and the Math/Verbal Guides from front to back. Take all 6 Manhattan CATs. Practice whenever you get a chance, and vary between timed and untimed exercises. Try 40 questions at a time--that's the average length of one section on the GMAT.

However, the question is exactly *how* to work your way through the books and other materials.

The problem is that we often fool ourselves into thinking that we've resolved our issues with a question, because we have read the explanation and now understand why the correct answer is correct. In other words, because I now know that the answer is A, and can put together the reasons why after the fact, I can move on to other questions, in the belief that I've learned my lesson and will not make that mistake again. It's often a mistaken belief, however.

The problem is that *understanding* the correct answer is not the same as being able to execute the question from scratch and find the correct answer. The same applies to learning vocabulary, for example. Just because you're looking at the definition of a word, and you know it's meaning in the moment, doesn't mean that you'll be able to access it's definition under real test conditions. As the saying goes, "everything is obvious once you know the answer." Of course you think you know the meaning to a word in the moment that you're reading the definition. It's only when the answer is taken away, and we are given time to reset our short-term memory, that we can truly determine our level of understanding.

The second problem is that once we remember the answer to a question, it loses much of its utility. If I know that the answer is B before I start a question, then I am going to be biased toward that answer, which affects my response and makes it much different from the process of taking a test where the answers are undetermined.

Thus, we need to do things:

1) Blind Repetition. This means that when we repeat a question, we do not look at our previous work, or check the correct answer beforehand. This is much easier with a blank copy of the book at your disposal.

2) Wait until you've forgotten it. Don't repeat questions whose answers you still remember. Complete enough new questions in the meantime so that when you return to a question, you can evaluate it impartially.

This is where the second, blank copy of the book will prove its worth. It prevents you from "spying on" your previous work, or the correct/incorrect answer, and serves as a way of truly telling whether you understand a question. Your tutor will also help keep you honest, of course.

- 2:1 ratio: You should spend at least two hours on homework for every one hour you spend with your tutor. Ideally, the ratio is closer to 3:1. That means, for example, that if you buy a 25-hour package with one of our tutors, that you will be spending at least 75 hours on self-study, which of course adds up to 100 hours of preparation. We have found that GMAT scores will continue to improve past 100 hours of prep, but you will likely see diminishing returns after that point.

-Vary the length of time that you study and work on practice questions. Sometimes you might study for 2 hours, sometimes for 1 hour, sometimes for 30 minutes and maybe even just for 15.

-Make sure to take a full CAT at least once a month to track your progress.

Good luck! The GMAT is a very difficult test but it can be conquered, and even mastered, with perseverance and the right guidance.

You may also find it helpful to read our GMAT Informational Document, with recommended books and other resources, as well as our GMAT Test-Day Tips.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BqW ... edit?pli=1

https://www.mcelroytutoring.com/blog-post.php?id=4066

(This page is updated frequently and I am always open to input or questions.)

Regards,
Brian