If you decide to attempt the GMAT exam, then it is necessary that you begin your preparation well in advance. To ensure that you prepare well, you need to be thorough with the syllabus and this is possible when you have a good study plan in place, covering all the topics.
In this article we will talk about preparing for the GMAT exam with the help of mock tests and question papers and how beneficial they are. So read on.
How to Prepare for the GMAT Exam?
When you are preparing for the GMAT, it is important that you invest in good preparation materials since not everything available is of good quality. We would suggest that you opt to study from the Official Guides that you would find on the website. (Besides official guides, you can also look for other sources but make sure they are credible and add value). You will find questions that have previously been asked in the exam along with the solutions. It will also have sample essays, study material from all sections of the GMAT.
More so, you will also find diagnostic mock tests. This will help you to understand the difficulty level of the questions you are likely to encounter when you attempt the GMAT. You can also take the GMAT Mock test as it provides countless benefits. Some of them include becoming familiar with the structure of the GMAT exam, the various sections of the exam and the question types. Also, you will learn how to manage your time. In addition, you will get a basic idea of how much you might score in the actual exam.
Another crucial point to remember is that the GMAT is a computer-adaptive test. This means that the difficulty level of the next question changes based on how you have performed in the previous question. To become comfortable with this test pattern, you will need to attempt as many mock tests as possible as these tests simulate the actual test.
In addition to attempting mock tests, you can also practice solving GMAT question papers which are helpful with GMAT preparation. Let us see how you benefit from it.
GMAT Question Paper
The question paper of the GMAT exam consists of four sections – Verbal Reasoning, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Analytical Writing. To become familiar with the questions asked in these sections, it is important to practice solving question papers on a regular basis. Doing so will help you to understand how well you know the different kinds of questions asked from various topics, you would understand your strengths and weaknesses. Once you are aware of the same, you will be able to alter your preparations accordingly.
We have listed the types of questions and the time duration of each section of the exam below :
| Section | Duration | Types of Questions |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 62 minutes | Problem solving and Data sufficiency |
| Analytical Writing | 30 minutes | Analysis of an Argument |
| Integrated Reasoning | 30 minutes | Two-part Analysis, Multi-source reasoning, Table analysis and Graphics interpretation |
| Verbal | 65 minutes | Sentence correction, Reading Comprehension, Critical reasoning |
It is essential to solve questions from each section listed above with varying difficulty levels as you progress with your preparation. Solving sample GMAT question papers will also help you estimate how much time you take to solve each question so that you can improve your speed and answer all the questions asked in the exam. Remember, leaving out questions can impact your scores, hence, if you practice well enough, you will undoubtedly end up with excellent scores.
We hope that you now know the benefits of attempting mock tests and solving question papers. So, if you haven’t added them in your study plan, it is time you do so as both are important parts of your preparation.
Good Luck!
