GMAT Cafe

The number of GMAT registrations was around 3 million in 2008 alone. Last year, almost all universities saw record number of applications. The applicant volume is so high that there are hundreds of applicants per seat.You have to compete with so many people for that one seat of yours.

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