Although, GMAT is not the only criterion for your selection, it is definitely among the most important. So, how to prepare for this test in a way that chances of scoring high and thus chances of securing a seat are multiplied ?

Decide your target score: First, you need to have a target score. If you have a few schools in mind, check out what is their minimum GMAT score requirement (if any). This will give you an idea of how much you should score to comfortably clear the requirement of the minimum score.

Book a test date: Next, you have to decide and book the test date. The number of test-takers is increasing and you may not get your desired test date if you delay booking the date. Booking well in advance will also help you stay focused.

Take a diagnostic test: Before you start your GMAT preparation, it helps to know where you stand. You can download the GMATPrep software from mba.com and install it on your PC. Take the full test. Once you complete, you will be given a score. If you are way off the target score, you know what you have to do; Work Hard !

Commit yourself: You can join one of the many commercial GMAT prep companies. You can, as many many others, study for GMAT on your own. What ever method of study you choose, you have to commit some time everyday for GMAT. This is very very important if you plan to score high.

Start with the basics: The best thing you can do is grab a high school text book and go through the concepts. Once you have got a fair idea of the basics, you can start practicing problems from the text book itself. You should feel confident with the problems.

Proceed to next step only if you are sure you have covered the concepts ( of both quants and verbal).

Get the official Guides : Buy the GMAT official guides(OG). These are the only books that contain real GMAT questions (though they are retired). This is the best GMAT investment one can make. Start working on this book only if you have reviewed the basics. Work out every problem in the OG.

Start taking practice tests: Make it a point to take at least one practice test every weekend. Of course, the more, the better. After you finish taking a test, review each and every question (even the ones you got right). You have to analyze your test and understand where you are making most number of mistakes, where you are slowest etc. Analysis of the test is extremely important.

Following are things to be done simultaneously with the above,

Maintain an error log: Maintain a log of mistakes you make. You have to maintain the list of questions you got wrong and the nature of the mistake. Over time, you will have a database of your mistakes and probably you will notice a pattern in your mistakes. Maybe you make a lot of careless errors. So you can start working on making your calculations more careful. This is a very effective method. Check my detailed post on GMAT error logs.

Make flash cards : Note down important formulas/rules into a separate notebook. Keep reviewing this notebook whenever you have the time. This will help you commit important stuff to your memory.

Participate in forums: There are a few great discussion forums on the net. You can find a short list of them on the best GMAT resources page. There are a lot of people who can help you understand tricky concepts and teach you things you never knew. Participate on these forums actively. Join the discussions, put across your point of view, ask questions etc. This is one of the best ways to learn.

Read online magazines and editorials : GMAT is a computer based test. You will have to do a lot of reading from the computer screen. So, it is a good idea to get used to reading from the computer screen. I have suggested few online resources in the post on the GMAT verbal section. Read and understand stuff which you generally find boring, this will help you in your Reading Comprehension.

And above all, stay tuned to gmatcafe.com

GMAT, like other standardized tests, requires rigorous practice. And when you practice hundreds of problems, you will make a few mistakes. An error-log is just a record of those mistakes. It can be in a notebook or on an excel sheet on your computer. The idea is to maintain the list of mistakes you made.

What to include in the error log ?

It is easier to maintain the error log as an excel sheet, but some of you may prefer pen and paper. What ever  your method of preference, your error log has to contain :

• the Source of question
• the question number
• the question along with the answer choices (if possible)
• what choice you chose
• what was the correct answer
• what kind of mistake was this (careless, conceptual etc.)
• explanation for the answer
• any notes that you might want to add

How to maintain the error log ?

When you practice problems (from OG or any other source), you may end up making few mistakes. So once you are done reviewing your mistakes, open up your error log and fill in all the columns for each mistake you made. If possible note down the question with the answer choices and the explanation. It is completely up to you how you want to maintain your error log, but including all the above mentioned details are recommended.

What is the use of GMAT error log ?

Maintaining a GMAT error log, might seem tedious at first, but comes in handy in your later stages of preparation. When you have maintained the list of mistakes you have made over time, you can see what are the kinds of mistakes you generally make and start working on the problem areas. These are the notes that you have written for yourself based on your problem areas.

Also, when you are in the last stages of preparation, you will find it frustrating to decide what to study and what to review. This is where you will find the true use of error-log. If you make a lot of conceptual mistakes, you know you have to review your concepts. For example, I noticed over time that I make a lot of careless mistakes. So, I started working on concentrating on my calculation steps. And I was able to reduce mistakes I was making, thus shooting up my accuracy.

Another way of maintaining error log :

Another way is, to use a practice grid. This is an excel sheet that you use during your practice sessions. First you choose the set of problems. As you solve each problem, mark the answer choice you think is right in the practice grid. After you are done with solving the problems, check if you have got any of the problems wrong. If you have, then note down the problems which you got wrong, the correct answer choice and the difficulties you faced while solving them.

You can find more details on the practice grid here.

Sample Error log :

I have attached a sample GMAT error log. This is just an illustrative error log. You can download it for free and use this one or create one for yourself.

To download free error log, click on the following link : GMAT Cafe – Error Log

The Verbal section of the test measures your ability to read and comprehend written material, to reason and evaluate arguments, and to correct written material to conform to standard written English. – The GMAT Information Bulletin 2008

The verbal section of the GMAT is the final section you will face on the GMAT exam. Since this is the last section, one tends to be exhausted and tends to lose concentration. This is where taking a lot of full length practice GMAT tests helps ( full length means taking all 3 sections AWA, Quants and Verbal). With enough practice, one can train his/her mind to stay alert for the full 4 hours of the test.

The verbal section consists of 41 multiple choice questions, which must be answered within 75 minutes. This section consists of a mix of three question types; Sentence Correction(SC), Critical Reasoning(CR), Reading Comprehension (RC).

Sentence Correction (SC):

Sentence correction questions present a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. This is followed by 5 answer choices. All the five choices present different ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these choices repeats the original underlined part of the sentence; the other four are different. If there is no error in the original sentence then choose Choice A (which repeats the original underlined part). If there is an error then, the correct answer would be one from Choices B,C,D or E.

Sentence correction tests on effectiveness and correctness of expression. The test-taker is supposed to give attention to the grammar, choice of words and sentence construction. The correct answer would be one that produces the most effective sentence; this answer should be clear and exact, without awkwardness, ambiguity, redundancy, or grammatical error.

Most test-takers believe that Sentence correction is the only question type in the Verbal section that can be mastered quickly. And they are right ! There are few commonly repeated question types and can be mastered with a fair amount of practice. One only needs to remember a few rules.

Critical Reasoning (CR):

Critical Reasoning questions require the test-taker to understand and analyze a brief passage (sometimes referred to as “stimulus”), this is followed by a question and then by 5 answer choices. The question may ask the test-taker to draw a conclusion, to identify assumptions, or to strengthen or weaken the argument.

Critical reasoning requires detailed analysis of the presented stimulus. Some suggest that one should read the question first and then the stimulus; some suggest reading the stimulus first is better. Try out both and figure out which works best for you.

The key to critical reasoning questions is reading closely and understanding the stimulus and the question. The advice to read closely may seem like an obvious thing, but GMAT verbal questions are known to play with the language. So one should get into the habit of reading very closely on the GMAT. This is essential because even the answer choices will be so close that if one misses the underlying meaning, he/she would end up choosing the wrong answer choice.

Critical reasoning questions can be mastered with a lot of patient practice. So develop the habit of reading closely. This skill will be helpful to you all your life.

Reading Comprehension (RC):

Reading comprehension is probably the most feared question type in the verbal section.As the name implies, it tests the ability of the test-taker to understand the substance and logical structure of a written selection. The GMAT uses reading passages of approximately 200 to 350 words, covering topics from social sciences, biological sciences, physical sciences, and business.

One has to read the passage, understand what the passage says, read the question, understand what the question asks, read the answer choices, understand them and then pick up the right choice. The challenge lies in managing to do all this in a short span of time. Obviously, one needs to have a lot of practice to manage to do all this in the stipulated period of time.

If one is strong in critical reasoning, then it is half battle won against Reading comprehension. If you have a long time before you face the GMAT, you can improve your reading by reading online magazines or editorials. Pick up stuff which you would generally not read. Get the habit of reading long articles on the computer screen.

Related Resources :

• Read the Economist Magazine
• Read the McKinsey Quarterly
• Read the Scientific American and the Nature magazine
• Read the University of Chicago’s online magazine

The Quantitative section of the test measures mathematical skills and understanding of elementary concepts, and the ability to reason quantitatively, solve quantitative problems, and interpret graphic data. - The GMAT Information Bulletin 2008

The section following the optional break after the AWA Section is the quantitative section. This is the first multiple-choice section you would face on the GMAT. This section has questions formulated from elementary mathematics concepts. One thing to remember is that the GMAT quantitative section is a test of quantitative reasoning rather than your regular math test. One does not need to be a math major to score high on this test. Just knowledge of basic concepts and a lot of common sense is required.

The quantitative section consists of 37 multiple choice questions, which must be answered within 75 minutes. There are two types of questions: problem solving and data sufficiency and the questions are mostly from Algebra, Geometry and Arithmetic. The quantitative section is scored from 0 to 60 points.

Problem Solving (PS):

Problem Solving questions are designed to test mathematical skills, understanding of elementary mathematical concepts, and the ability to reason quantitatively and solve quantitative problems. The task is to solve the problems and choose the correct answer from among five answer choices. Some problems will be plain mathematical calculations; the rest will be presented as real life word problems that will require mathematical solutions.

The GMAT Problem Solving questions are formulated in such a way that there is almost always no need of lengthy computation. If you find yourself into a lengthy computation, you have most likely made a mistake.

Data Sufficiency (DS):

This question format was created especially for GMAT. More than quantitative capability, this question type tests the test-takers on abstract logical thinking. Data Sufficiency questions are designed to measure your ability to analyze a quantitative problem, to recognize which information is relevant, and to determine at what point there is sufficient information to solve the problem. Each Data Sufficiency question consists of a question and two statements, labeled (1) and (2), which contain additional information. You must decide whether the data given in the statements are sufficient for answering the question.

As with the Problem Solving questions, the Data Sufficiency questions do not require lengthy computation. Sometimes, one does not need to do even a single step of mathematical computation to solve Data Sufficiency questions.

Each data sufficiency question has the same given choices. So memorizing them will save some time on your exam. The answer choices are as follows.

• A. Statement 1 alone is sufficient but statement 2 alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
• B. Statement 2 alone is sufficient but statement 1 alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
• C. Both statements 1 and 2 together are sufficient to answer the question but neither statement is sufficient alone.
• D. Each statement alone is sufficient to answer the question.
• E. Statements 1 and 2 are not sufficient to answer the question asked and additional data is needed to answer the question.

Things to remember before you face the GMAT quantitative section :

1. Read the questions carefully. Missing one word (or mis-interpreting one word) in the question can prove to be dangerous.
2. You should NOT take more than 2 minutes per question on an average. If you find yourself taking more than 3 minutes for a question, make an educated guess and move on. This is extremely important.
3. You are not allowed to carry a calculator or any such device into the exam center. So practice your math !
4. Use the scratch paper provided. Try not to calculate mentally. This helps avoid careless mistakes that can creep into your calculations.
5. All numbers used in the GMAT quantitative section are real numbers.
6. The diagrams and figures that accompany the questions are for the purpose of providing useful information in answering the questions. Unless it is stated that a specific figure is not drawn to scale, the diagrams and figures are drawn as accurately as possible.
7. All figures are in a plane unless otherwise indicated.

Remember : Don’t under-estimate the GMAT. Practice your math.

This post deals with things you can do in your optional breaks to enhance your test experience. Any experienced test-taker or instructor would recommend taking the breaks. It is during these breaks you can freshen up, regain your mental stamina and prepare yourself mentally for the next section. These breaks can be very crucial to your GMAT exam.

Personal items such as cell phones, food, drinks, watches, purses, handbags etc. will not be allowed inside your testing room. After you check in, you will be asked to deposit all your personal items in a locker. During the breaks, you are allowed to access your lockers.

Once you complete a section, you will be presented with an option of taking a break. You can raise your hand, there will be a person who will assist you to sign-out of your test for your break. After you sign out, you cannot stay inside the testing room.

During this break

• You are allowed to use the rest room.
• You are allowed to access your locker.
• You are allowed to eat.
• You are allowed to go out of the test center.

It is advisable to carry some snacks, which you can eat during the breaks. Some people suggest carrying a bar of chocolate, or a banana. Also, carry a sugary drink. Try not to eat and drink too much.

The best thing you can do during the breaks is, wash your face (especially the temples) with cold water. Nature has taken some precautions to save us in case we, human beings, drop into water. This is known as the Diver’s reflex. When your face hits the water, the brain sends signals to the body to slow down metabolism. Thus freeing up more oxygen for the brain to use, and thus allowing us to stay under water longer. Now, this wont help you to score high on GMAT, but, this will help to alert you brain.

If you have the time, you can go out of the test-center and get some fresh air. Try not to think about how the previous section went. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and relax. Focus your mind on the next section. Get yourself mentally prepared to answer the questions of the next section.

Remember, your breaks are only ten minutes long. If you exclude the sign-in and sign-out time, you would be left with around 8-9 minutes. You have to return on time, if you want to avoid the risk of losing out precious exam time.

When you take your practice tests at home, try and simulate the exam conditions. Take the optional breaks and do the same things you plan to do on the exam day. This would give you a general idea of the things you can squeeze into your break time.

There are 3 parts of the GMAT exam.

• Analytical Writing Assessment (60 minutes, 2 essays)
• Quantitative Ability ( 75 minutes, 37 questions )
• Verbal Ability (75 minutes, 41 questions)

Analytical Writing Assessment: The GMAT begins with Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA). The test-taker is required to write 2 short essays. The GMAT provides a simple word-processing program for this purpose. Each essay has to be completed in exactly 30 minutes.

The first is the Analysis of an Issue, in which you need to analyze the issue presented and explain your views on it. The second essay is Analysis of an Argument, in which a given argument has to be critically analyzed and evaluated. For both the essays, the emphasis is on the “Analytical” part, and not on the “Writing” part.

Quantitative Section: As the name suggests, this section contains questions on mathematics. This section begins after an optional (in my opinion,recommended) 10-minute break.  The 37 questions in this section comprise two kinds of questions : Problem Solving (PS) and Data Sufficiency (DS). These two types are intermingled, with no fixed number for each type.

Verbal Section: After another optional (again, recommended) 10-minute break, the verbal section begins. The verbal section in GMAT tests basic English skills coupled with reasoning and analysis. The 41 questions consist of three types : Sentence Correction (SC), Critical Reasoning (CR), and Reading Comprehension (RC). The three types are intermingled, with no fixed number for each type.

Computer-Adaptive format

The GMAT is a Computer Adaptive Test (CAT). The essays are not adaptive. The quantitative and verbal sections, however, are adaptive. By adaptive it means the difficulty level of every question (barring a few experimental questions) apart from the first question depends on whether you got the previous question right or wrong. In other words, if you answer a question right, the next question presented will be of higher difficulty and if you get a question wrong, the next question will be from easier levels.

Few points to remember (in no particular order):

• Reading from a book and paper is different from reading from a computer screen. Get used to reading questions from a computer screen.
• Pacing is extrememly important. There is heavy penalty for questions left unanswered.
• Due to the adaptive format of GMAT, your score will reduce drastically if you have a string of wrong answers.
• Practice at least one full length test from the two free GMATPrep tests provided by www.mba.com. Of course, the more you practice, the more equipped you are to sit through the four hour grueling session.
• Time is the most expensive resource even on GMAT. If I say every second counts, I am not exaggerating.

Related Resources:

• Official writeup on the Test Structure and Overview.
• Free GMATPrep Software

What is the GMAT ?

It is a standardized test conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). This test tries to assess and predict your academic capability to undergo the MBA (Master in Business Administration) programs.

The GMAT exam is a standardized assessment, delivered in English, that helps business schools assess the qualifications of applicants for advanced study in business and management. -

This test is delivered as a Computer Adaptive Test (CAT). It is only administered via computer on many pre-determined locations around the world.

Who uses the GMAT scores ?

The scores are used as one of the criteria for selection in graduate business schools. More than 1500 business schools around the world use the score as a predictor of an applicant’s academic capabilities.

What is the history of this test ?

In the early 1950s, a small group of schools got together and started an assessment test (now GMAT) to select candidates for its business programs. In the first year, the assessment test was taken by hardly 2000 times. Now it is taken at least 200,000 times annually and that number is set to grow. It used to be a paper-based test. From January 1 2006 GMAT became computerized and the paper-based test is no longer offered. Despite the change in the way the test is offered, the format of the test remained the same.

What exactly is GMAT out to test?

This exam measures basic verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills that you have developed in your education and work. – GMAC

The GMAT is not a pass/fail test. As the name clearly shows, it is a management aptitude test for graduates. It tests on the following 3 broad areas.

• Analytical Writing Assessment (two 30-minute essay sections)
• Quantitative Ability (one 75-minute multiple choice section)
• Verbal Ability (one 75-minute multiple choice section)

A separate score is awarded for each of the three abilities listed above. A combined quantitative/Verbal score (scale of 200-800) is also awarded.

More importantly, GMAT is an endurance test. This test can be a grueling experience if the test-taker is not mentally trained for the test.

How long is the test?

It consists of 150 minutes of multiple-choice testing(quantitative and verbal) and 60 minutes of 2 analytical essays (30 min each). The test taker is allowed to take two 10 minute breaks(optional). Add all this and the time taken for administrative procedures, the test-taker spends around 4-hours at the test center.

So apart from the academic side of preparation for the test, one needs to be prepared for the mental pressure that the format of the exam poses.

How much does the test cost?

The cost to take the GMAT exam is US$250 globally.

How long is the GMAT score valid?

The score is valid for 5 years from the day you take the test. You can take the test as many times as you like. But, your score card will show all your attempts for the last five years. Graduate Business schools take only the latest score on the score card.

Do you need to take the GMAT?

If you plan to apply to a business school, chances are that you will be required to take the GMAT. Around 1800 business programs in over 1500 business schools require the applicant to take this exam. Almost all top (or best) schools mandate the GMAT.