You know you need to take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT™) seriously and prep for your test appointment day like you mean business if you want to pull out a top score at the end of your testing appointment.
How hard is the GMAT? Hard enough that your GMAT test preparation can really make a difference in your quest for a good GMAT score. There are a lot of GMAT resources out there, both free and otherwise – enough to leave you stumped on how to get started. Which GMAT study guide should you work with?
At The MBA Exchange, we’ve got the established alliances you can count on to chart a path through GMAT resources and the wider test prep world. Our admissions consulting expertise, paired with the test prep capabilities of the other service providers we partner with, combine to give you a fighting chance for total GMAT domination.
Read on to learn more about top GMAT test prep resources recommended by our b-school admissions experts, and how you could benefit from working with our team of top GMAT power players and other allies.
How to improve your GMAT score
Your GMAT score presents your strengths and weaknesses for adcoms to see and assess at a glance. Your test scores, GPA, essays, and interviews all play key roles in your b-school candidacy, getting you through doors that might otherwise stay closed.
A score of 730 or above is considered “good,” but a truly stellar percentile might require a score of 760 or more. It’s easy to see why a good GMAT score is such a sought-after victory! But improving a low GMAT score might be more of a challenge.
The computer-adaptive GMAT test format gets more difficult as you do better, challenging you to perform under more and more pressure. Approaching an exam like the GMAT takes time, focus, and expert know-how when it comes to handling the test’s twists and turns. You need a GMAT study guide to show the way.
Like many other parts of life, when it comes to achieving a high GMAT score, practice makes a difference. Still, figuring out how to improve your prep on your own might be too big of a lift. That’s where professional-level GMAT study guides and preparation support comes into the picture, from free GMAT prep resources to mass-market GMAT study products.
What the GMAT consists of
The GMAT consists of multiple sections, each separately scored out of a range of points. You score on each section and receive a cumulative score, as well. You’re also evaluated on your Quant and Verbal percentiles, comparing your scores with those of other recent test takers.
The GMAT contains these main portions
- The Quantitative Reasoning, or Quant, section counts big in terms of your b-school prospects, and is scored between 6-51 in 1-point increments
- The Verbal Reasoning section gives you a chance to increase your overall score, and is also scored between 6-51 in 1-point increments
You also have to deal with the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) and Integrated Reasoning (IR) portions, but your Quant and Verbal scores are the big drivers for a top-ranking achievement.
The GMAT takes 3.5 hours to get through in total. You can retest up to ten times, and adcoms will only focus on the highest score you manage to achieve. If you’ve previously tried the GMAT and not gotten the score you were hoping for, it might be worth trying again for this year’s deadlines!
How much work needs to be done
You can determine how much work you have to do to get ready for the GMAT by using a GMAT prep test or practice test to assess your current skills. Figure out how far you have to go to reach your goal GMAT score, and you’ll know when you should plan on taking the GMAT exam to be ready for your target admissions deadlines.
You might just need to brush up on your math basics or strategize for handling tricky IR questions. Or, you might find that you need to dedicate some real time to GMAT preparation and study. It all depends on your current skill level and the ambition of your goals.
At The MBA Exchange, we’re all about the maxim, “work smarter, not harder.” If you can hone your test prep strategy, you can get right to the point – and collect major points with a high final GMAT score.
About the GMAT Pill study method
The MBA Exchange proudly partners with GMAT Pill, and we find their approach to GMAT study deserving of your consideration as one of the best GMAT prep courses on the market. Here’s what you should know about the GMAT Pill study guide method, and how GMAT Pill can help you study smarter, not just for longer, with their unique GMAT resources.
Value proposition: less time, more points
GMAT Pill represents one of the best online GMAT prep outfits out there, as well as a great value for your money in terms of total GMAT resources.
The GMAT Pill video course is specifically designed for busy professionals who need a GMAT study guide, but have demanding day jobs and thus can do GMAT prep only on weekday nights and weekends. Such applicants often use the “1-month study plan” to grasp the unique strategies we teach.
We condense 3-6 months of GMAT study prep into just 28 hours, using our “thought-process videos” to facilitate flexibility and retention. You can watch our content anywhere, anytime. Just log on and tune in! You might be surprised at how much you can get done on your GMAT prep goals, and how quickly, with our more efficient mental approaches.
The GMAT Pill advantage
With GMAT Pill, you get the benefit of one-on-one test prep, without the expense of hiring a private GMAT tutor. Zeke Lee, Founder & Chief Instructor of GMAT Pill, say that you feel like you’re sitting next to an expert test prep instructor when you work with his GMAT study guide video course.
GMAT Pill provides a full range of GMAT resources. You work with the same instructor throughout your GMAT Pill experience, so you benefit from a personalized approach, as well as access to 24/7 support. Any questions that come up can be posted in video comments, and our team gets right back to you with personalized answers.
Zeke can definitely relate to your questions; he used GMAT Pill prep methods himself when sitting the GMAT to great effect, scoring the 98th percentile after just two weeks of intense and efficient preparation.
Is GMAT Pill the right Rx for you?
The GMAT Pill method gives you the flexibility to target areas of concern, purchasing a one-off “pill” to correct issues with math or language skills, or deciding to go for the full GMAT prep course. With our help, you can diagnose the weaknesses in your GMAT preparedness, and target those specific areas, giving you the best score improvement per time spent ratio possible.
Unlike other online GMAT resources and GMAT study guides, GMAT Pill trains you on how to handle GMAT questions, not just drilling you on knowledge, but helping you strategize for the big test day. We show you how to move your eyes over a GMAT problem, and warn you about the ways that GMAT questions often try to trick unwary test takers.
The GMAT test prep doctor is in!
Don’t leave your GMAT test prep to chance. And think twice about using mass-market products provided by other online GMAT preparation outfits.
What’s the best GMAT prep course for you and your ultimate MBA admissions goals? GMAT Pill video courses and personal support represent the best of online GMAT test prep – and doesn’t your candidacy deserve the best? Check out strong testimonials from past users, as well as free sample videos, from GMAT Pill today to learn more about the GMAT Pill advantage.
The extra points you can add to the top of your GMAT score with GMAT Pill could continue to help you out once you get your foot in the b-school door. If you need scholarships to help cover the costs of your degree, a top GMAT score can often qualify you for valuable merit-based scholarships and financial aid.
One size definitely doesn’t fit all when it comes to preparing for standardized tests like the GMAT. The MBA Exchange works with our clients to understand each person’s unique test prep needs, starting with the information you provide on your confidential, free Test Prep Evaluation. We’ll hook you up with the right “diagnosis” for your test prep situation, helping you study smart and get the most value out of your preparation.
To learn more about all the ways we can help you learn about GMAT test preparation and our partnership with GMAT Pill, get in touch with the team of experts at The MBA Exchange today.