GMAT Tips
Test tips from leading prep firms for applicants studying for the GMAT. If you know your strengths and weaknesses, browse by test section: AWA, Quant and Verbal.
Latest Stories About GMAT Tips
GMAT Tip: Assumption without Negation
Quick recap: we typically see four different question types on the GMAT – Strengthen, Weaken, Assumption, and Method of Reasoning. Many students find the assumption questions to be one of the toughest nuts to crack because of how difficult it is to discern what type of logic the author uses... Read more »
GMAT Tip: Precarious Prepositions
When offering up strategy for sentence correction questions, we often talk about “decision points” – understanding what type of error is being tested and what subtle changes exist between multiple-choice selections. One of the most common questions we see from students is “shouldn’t the answer be ______, because the subject... Read more »
GMAT Tip: Wait, I Need the GRE, Too?
When seeking out a dual MBA and Master’s program, many students are surprised to find they need to submit both GRE and GMAT test scores. “But wait, I already took the GMAT? And now I have to study for another exam!?!” No need to worry. Students often decide to take... Read more »
GMAT Tip: You’re right, the questions do get easier!
The Reading Comprehension section can be less tangible for test takers, because we don’t have the opportunity to practice the exact concept being tested in the same way as the quantitative section. The feedback we often hear is “fortunately, the passages were easy for me” or “I had no idea what... Read more »
GMAT Tip: Eliminate Out of Scope
Believe it or not, getting to the right answer for a Critical Reasoning question can be as simple at reading the prompt carefully and strategically eliminating answer choices that are out of scope of the passage. A lot of answer choices can “sound good” but really don’t do anything in... Read more »
GMAT Tip: Completing the Critical Reasoning Blank
While strengthen, weaken, and inference questions tend to make up the bulk of GMAT Critical Reasoning questions, another question Critical Reasoning type that appears often is those that require completing the blank, following the prompt: Which of the following most logically completes the argument below? These question types are asking... Read more »
GMAT Tip: Quantitative Intimidation
The biggest challenge that we hear from students is not necessarily how to factor algebra questions or solve for the area of a circle, but rather, even being able to figure out the first step in solving a data sufficiency or problem solving question. Once that first step is determined,... Read more »
GMAT Tip: Scan for the Obvious
One of the biggest differences between 500/600 and 700+ test takers is the ability to get around feeling like, at first pass, you have no idea how to answer a test question. Smart test takers recognize that the best place to uncover clues on how to answer a challenging question... Read more »
GMAT Tip: Focus on Sentence Corrections
GMAT test takers tend to get really focused on the quantitative section. Somehow, it seems like that in order to score a 700+ on the GMAT, we must work on endless amounts of algebra and geometry concepts, coupled with hundreds of problem solving and data sufficiency questions. The verbal section... Read more »
GMAT Tip: Three Tips for GMAT Integrated Reasoning
When the Graduate Management Admission Council introduced the Integrated Reasoning section a few years ago, it was in response to considerable business school feedback around evolving technology, changing student skill-sets and the need to continue adapting. Now with a few years of data available, schools are starting to determine how... Read more »
GMAT Tip: Don’t Apply Your Outside Knowledge
The way that we tackle the GMAT Critical Reasoning section (or, you know, most of the GMAT) requires we have the unique mindset of pretending we are totally clueless, but also a keen expert who can find the gap in assumptions made by a critical reading prompt. What do we... Read more »
GMAT Tip: Read It Right On The Screen
Many test takers get frustrated when they uncover that a point of weakness in their GMAT practice tests is the reading section. “But I have an English degree!” or “I read part of a book each day!” While reading difficult, dense reading material each day – like the Wall Street Journal, The... Read more »
GMAT Tip: The IR Matters
Many test takers spent the vast majority of their preparation working towards improving in the Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning sections, only taking a day or two to skim through the Integrated Reasoning sections, and almost always skipping the IR section on practice exams. Not giving the Integrated Reasoning section due... Read more »
GMAT Tip: 5 Things Current Undergrads Should Do Before Heading Back to School
As summer starts to wind down, many college students are frantically trying to squeeze in a few more weekends at the beach before heading back to the dorms and classrooms. But for anyone thinking about business school or a graduate management degree, there are some things you can do before... Read more »
GMAT Tip: Inequalities…and Then Some, Part II
In our last post, we talked about the challenges that inequalities can pose for GMAT test takers. While not as simple as they seem, inequality questions can be huge time wasters that keep scores back at the 600 level. As with any GMAT quantitative concept, there is always the possibility that... Read more »
