How to Get a 720 on the GMAT
In order to get into the business school of your dreams, you’ll likely need to score well on the GMAT, or Graduate Management Admission Test. Although there are plenty of good resources out there for getting ready for this standardized test, choosing the best gmat prep can be tricky because of the many options available and the fine line between adequate preparation and over-preparation. Here are some helpful tips to help you choose the best gmat prep program that’s right for you.
Best way to begin studying
In order to get yourself properly prepped for success, you’ll need to develop an effective study plan. To do so, first decide when you’re going to take your exam and apply for admission with your target school. Next, determine how much time you have until test day by setting deadlines at various points during your study plan. This will help keep you motivated and prevent procrastination in later stages of your studying. Last but not least, make sure you understand what types of questions are asked on each section of the GMAT so that you can customize your studies accordingly. And remember: it’s important to work through as many practice questions as possible! The more practice tests and exams you work through, especially closer to actual test day, the better prepared you’ll be come exam day.
Best way to set your schedule
This will be different for every student, but you should try and set a schedule in which you spend three to four hours studying each day. You’ll want to get that time as close to your class times as possible—for example, if you have classes from 7pm to 9pm, try and study from 9pm to 11pm. This will help prevent burnout, increase your retention of information, and make sure that you’re getting enough rest during your limited study time. If there are days where you won’t be able to fit all of your required studying into that short period, make sure you squeeze it in wherever else you can; early mornings or late evenings are often best. When I say study, I mean really work hard at it. Don’t just breeze through content mindlessly thinking about what you’re going to eat when you finish up. Give yourself actual assignments and take notes, forcing yourself to pay attention 100% of the time until you finish them.
Best course strategy
Many students want to know what’s most important when studying for their upcoming GMAT test. Unfortunately, there is no one answer that applies universally. In fact, each student has his or her own needs and strengths that will impact what course of action is best for him or her.
That said, there are some general rules that can help even the most timid student get through exam day with flying colors! It’s a good idea to assess your weaknesses and strengths so you can tailor your study plan accordingly. The following tips address many common concerns about taking—and doing well in—the GMAT:
- What are my chances of getting a 720? (hint: really good)
- What should I spend my time on if I have limited time to study?
- Where do I find practice tests? • Should I use an online class instead of private tutoring? (hint: it depends)
- How much time should I spend preparing outside of class?
- Will cracking open a book guarantee me high scores? Let’s discuss this with us.
Best use of practice tests
As you get closer to your exam date, take as many practice tests as possible. Ideally, take at least one practice test every week until you are within two weeks of your exam date. If possible, make sure that these tests come always from the official gmat test prep company — you want to see how well you’ll do when facing questions from the official source with varying difficulty levels.
Best Quant Strategy
Quant is one of four sections in which you can score points. In order to succeed in quant, you need to be comfortable with basic math operations and formulas; however, there are still ways you can boost your score. One of these methods involves studying some of the highest- scoring GMAT quant questions—which means that it’s time for some scoping! The best way to identify high-scoring questions is by checking out breakdowns of recently released official tests. These breakdowns show you how each question breaks down (how many multiple choice questions there were, what level of difficulty they were at, etc.). If you find yourself consistently scoring well when answering an especially difficult type of question, then chances are there’s something you could learn from studying other questions like it.
Best Verbal Strategy
If you’re aiming for an 800-level score, your verbal section should be easy. You can coast through it by sticking with one or two strategies and learning them inside and out. First, though, you need to identify your weaknesses—what types of questions do you have trouble with? Second, try not to underestimate any part of your test. The most common mistake is to devote all your energy to improving one area (usually math) while ignoring other areas. In other words, pay as much attention to detail in critical reasoning as you would in sentence correction or reading comprehension.
