Respect the GMAT: Being Well-Prepared For the Exam

Talk to just about any MBA applicant and they will give you an earful about the GMAT – about the studying, the time commitment (it can take over your life) and the stress. Oh the pesky GMAT. I always say – it’s not the most important part of your MBA application, but the GMAT is the most important part to get out of the way as early as you can. Studying for the GMAT takes a lot of time so it can be hard to manage preparation for it while also working on the rest of your MBA application. So if you are planning to apply to business school next fall, then you should prioritize the GMAT now.

For most candidates, this will be the most that you’ve studied for a single test in your life. Do not underestimate the sheer amount of work required to score your best on the GMAT. Respect the test and you can do well.

Prepare with Zeal

My first piece of advice on preparation is to learn the material. You might be thinking, “um, yeah. That kind of goes without saying!” Well, uh, no, it doesn’t just go without saying. So many candidates that take the test try to game it, cutting corners to learn the tips and tricks instead of putting in the effort to understand the underlying concepts and content (before moving to the test tips and tricks).

If you want to score well on the GMAT you must be well prepared. Respecting the test means preparing with zeal and all the commitment and dedication that you can muster. Know that some concepts you already know so you only need a refresher. Others you will learn quickly. And still others will be a challenge to grasp. Commit to mastering the content tested on the GMAT.

Understand How You Learn

I am a visual learner, not an auditory learner. This means I learn from seeing not from hearing. When I take a prep course, whether for a standardized test or the bar exam which I took in two different states, I have to read the material before attending the class for a lecture to be valuable to me. If I was to take a three-hour GMAT prep class today, I would likely need to read for one or two hours before the class. That’s five hours just to get a general understanding of the concepts, determine what I don’t know and begin to ask questions to figure it out. Five hours in and I haven’t yet studied the material for mastery or begun to practice sample test questions. Studying for the GMAT is a lot of work, but studying won’t get you the best score. Studying effectively will. Figure out how you learn.

Maximize your Resources

If you are taking a test prep course or using a tutor to prepare for the GMAT, find the method that best fits you and will support you achieving the highest possible GMAT score. Then leverage every bit of it during the process. Never go to a tutoring session unprepared – that’s just wasted resources and time. If you are in a test prep course and you aren’t getting what you need, then raise your hand in the class or go to the instructor outside of class to get help. You are paying for it, so get what you need from it.