If you are planning to take the GMAT exam, then you need to prepare each section of the exam thoroughly and regularly to get a good score. The exam comprises four main sections — Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Analytical Writing Assessment and Integrated Reasoning. The questions in each section are designed to test your logical reasoning, critical thinking and writing skills. The questions asked in each section can be difficult, but if you have studied everything given in the syllabus during your preparation, you can do very well.
As mentioned, preparation is key to scoring well in the exam, hence, in the section below we will tell you some points to keep in mind while preparing for the exam.
- Come up with a smart study plan and make sure all the topics of each section are included.
- Select good quality study materials and books like the official guide from the GMAC (the official creators of the GMAT exam)
- Solve sample questions. Doing so will acquaint you with the exam pattern and the difficulty level of the exam.
- Take up mock tests. This is a vital step as it familiarizes you with the adaptive testing method ( the level of difficulty level of the next section increases or decreases based on your performance in the previous section).
There is an abundance of benefits associated with practicing sample question papers or attempting mock tests. You understand where you stand with regards to your preparation. You are able to figure out where your strengths and weaknesses lie, which subjects/topics you should focus more on, whether you are able to manage your time, etc. GMAT question papers or mock tests help you in this regard. So the more you practice, the better you get each time.
The types of questions asked in each section of the examination are given in the following table:
Section | Types of Questions |
Analytical Writing | Argument based essay and Issue Topic |
Verbal | Sentence Correction, Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning |
Integrated Reasoning | Two part Analysis, Multi source reasoning, Table analysis and Graphics interpretation |
Quantitative Reasoning | Problem solving and Data sufficiency |
So if you are preparing for the GMAT, the above mentioned points should be kept in mind. If the GRE is your choice, then this exam also requires the same level of preparation because this exam is also difficult, provided you study well. In the section below, we will talk about how to prepare for the GRE.
GRE Preparation
It is essential that you invest sufficient time towards preparing for the GRE since it is considered one of the most competitive exams as well. It also acts as a gateway to gain admissions into Masters programs at some of the top universities in the world.
The GRE exam has 3 main sections — Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and Analytical Writing. Like the GMAT, questions of these three sections are also designed to test your critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical writing skills. So, if you want to do well in this exam, you need to ensure your GRE preparation is thorough. To make your preparation easier, you can either choose to take up classroom coaching or online coaching classes. Considering the current situation due to the pandemic, we suggest you take up online coaching classes.
There are many benefits of preparing for the exam online. We have listed a few of them below :
- Access to unlimited study material – There are innumerable sources from where you can study. However, you must be careful while selecting your study materials since not all of them are from credible sources.
- One-on-one training – In a classroom there are usually around 40 or 50 students and this makes it difficult for the trainer to pay equal attention to all. On the other hand, if you take up an online coaching class, you get the opportunity to have a one-on-one session with the trainer. This is where you can clear all your doubts.
- Study plan customization – Unlike a classroom coaching class where you have to follow a preset timetable set by the teachers, online classes allow you to change the study plan as per your requirement.
- Ease of learning – Everything is available to you online, all you need to do is click on a particular link. Moreover, you can learn anything from the comfort of your own home and at any point of the day.
- Performance tracking and access to mock exams – You have the option to measure your performance periodically and check which topics you are faring well in and which topics you need to improve on. Once you have figured this out, you can accordingly alter your preparation strategy. Also you have access to as many GRE mock tests as you want. These could be either free or paid. So depending on your requirement, you can take as many mock tests as you want.
We hope these preparation tips helped you!