Jun 09, 2001 12:06 PM
19850 Views
Successful preparation for GMAT
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)® is a standardized test, which is used for the purpose of admissions to the M.B.A and Ph.D. programs offered by the Business Schools (B-Schools).
Ok now that was a formal definition of GMAT.
If you are planning to do an MBA in US/UK/Australia and other countries GMAT score is very essential to determine your admission prospects.
About the test:
The test comprises of three main sections- analytical writing, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning.
Data sufficiency and Problem Solving questions are mingled throughout the quantitative section, and Sentence Correction, Reading Comprehension, and Critical Reasoning questions are mingled throughout the verbal section.
The verbal and quantitative sections are multiple-choice and computer-adaptive.
What is computer Adaptive?
The GMAT is administered only on computer. Earlier though it was a paper based test. Computer adaptive means that when you are taking the test the questions given to you will be according to your calibre or level of difficulty.
The funda is, if you get 1st question right, you will be presented next question which is more difficult. If you get 2nd question wrong the third one will be of lesser difficulty.
The computer selects questions according to your level of competence.
Dont be mistaken:
As if the computer is beng very nice to you by giving you questions which you can solve.
Every wrong answer damages your score. Infact, the scoring in the test is so wierd that if you get the first few questions wrong then take a word from me you cant by any damn chance get a score above 550. It is impossible.
If you get first few questions right and then you goof up in the following few still its OK. You still stand a chance to get a decent score of 650 or above by doing well in the rest of the questions.
The GMAT is nearly 4 hour long and its pretty exhaustive.
I have chanced upon some of the tips that can help you if you are planning to take a GMAT
Find out A to Z about the test. Go to official GMAT site https://gmac.com. or order a GMAT bulleting from https://ets.org. Students in India canm order the GMAT bulletin from https://ipem.org/ets.htm
After you have registered for the test, start preparing for the test. The people who are weak in verbal part tested (mostly engineers and people with technical qualifications face difficulty in verbal n English tested ) should start memorizing the dictionary. Make your word power very competent.
Polishing writing skills and presenting views is extremely important as in GMAT 2 essays are asked. One is Analysis of an issue and other is Analysis of an Argument.You are given half an hour for each topic. The topics asked are usually such that you will be sracthing your head thinking of what to write and in the mean time your time gets over.
People with difficulty in Quantitative skills should pay more attention to their Maths.
The best way to prepare is join a GMAT coaching program. Or get books and CDs that coach you for GMAT.
- You have to take a simulated GMAT before the actual test. You need to practice the GMAT on computer to get pally with the computer based format of the test and get the hang of the test.
From https://gmac.com you can download the diagnostic test for practice which is free.
- You have one chance. As You cannot give GMAT more than once in any calendar month. Its a rule thats why. Also the number of times you take a GMAT is on the record. Its not that the latest GMAT which you have taken only that will be shown.
And one more valid reason is that its an expensive affair. The GMAT fees are $190 (USD) and other fees for other purposes like reporting of scores or rescoring of essays and the like follow which makes it really heavy on pocket.
I think 2 or 3 months of a dedicated preparation with 3 hours of studies put in daily, for an average person, is enough to get a good score in the test. But Hey! not for all. Some may require more time and some may require just 3 days. Depending on their grey cells.
So! Who's planning to go to Harvard/Stanford/MIT...... et al.....
Mail me if you have any more queries or clarification.
I have taken the diagnostic GMAT and some other GMAT preparatory tests, Please DONT ASK MY SCORE.Apart from that I can tell you everything on GMAT.
