ICON+

Preparation time

You have just been informed that you need to produce a GMAT score in order to qualify for an MBA program. Not to worry. The first thing you need to do is to devise a preparation plan. The most frequently asked question is “How much time do I need to prepare for GMAT?” There is no definite answer to this question. The amount of time required depends on a variety of factors such as:

• Educational background (how much you remember from your school days)
• How much time you are prepared to spend per day studying for GMAT
• Whether you prefer to take it nice and easy and enjoy the process or you are more inclined to proceed with a more study-intensive method in order to be done with the whole ordeal in the shortest time possible
• Individual level of focus and learning pace etc.

To be safe, set aside about 3 months to adequately equip yourself with the necessary skills to ace the GMAT test.

Resources

Many people think that by buying all available books, they will increase their chances of getting the highest possible score. In reality, this proves to be counter-productive as the inability to complete all of them in time for actual test may put unnecessary pressure on you.

From our experience, the most important book to start with is the Official Guide, which contains real GMAT questions. This book will allow you not only to familiarize yourself with the topics, but also have extensive practice to improve on each of them. After you’re done with the Official Guide, you should be able to clearly identify your weak areas. As different books tend to place emphasis on different areas, knowing your weaknesses will prove useful in the selection of the next book.

Study smart

When it comes to studying for GMAT, one should set aside as much time as possible. However, 2 hours per day (1 hour for Verbal and 1 hour for Math) should suffice for someone with a busy schedule. It would be a wise thing to do to split each hour into 2 segments. Spend the first 20 minutes going through questions under time pressure, and spend the next 40 minutes going though solutions.

Do remember not only to go through the solutions of the questions you got wrong, but also to scan through the explanations of those you got right. For Math questions, you may learn valuable shortcuts or even an alternative solution to a particular problem. When reviewing Verbal questions, it is more crucial to learn how to quickly spot typical traps among answer choices. Pay special attention to the questions that require more than 3 or 4 minutes to solve. They will help you identify your weak areas.
 

Mastering time pressure

Knowing the content of every topic on GMAT will not by itself guarantee a high score. Therefore, it is crucial to put yourself through the immense pressure of actual test conditions by taking timed adaptive mock tests. Aside from the 5 mock tests that ICON+ offers, there are 2 offered by MBA.com.

These mock tests will help you to gauge your performance and proficiency under time pressure. Also, this will not only boost your confidence level but also improve your mental focus and stamina. The only downside is that you may get upset with your score if it does not meet your expectations. This should never be an issue as the scoring system differs slightly from one test to another. The mock tests are there to encourage you to work harder and concentrate your efforts on your weak areas, and not a measure of your competence.