The GMAT, or Graduate Management Admission Test, is required for admission into many business school graduate programs. Typically, preparation for the GMAT is easier in study groups, but that type of study isn’t possible for all prospective test-takers.

 

If you intend to appear for GMAT this year and want to come out on top with a good score, you need to learn how to prepare alone. It might seem challenging at first, but if you follow the tips and advice provided below properly, you should have no problem preparing solo. 

 

About the GMAT

 

If you plan to get an MBA after college, you need to appear for this particular pre-admission exam specializing in business school students. The exam is split into multiple sections to test an examinee’s analytical, writing, quantitative, verbal, and reading skills in English. The exam runs a total of three hours and seven minutes.

 

You will have thirty minutes each to answer the questions in the Analytical Assessment and Integrated Reasoning sections. The other two sections, quantitative and verbal, have sixty-two and sixty-five minutes time allotment, respectively.

Although most schools require GMAT, there are some affordable “No GMAT” programs available online.

 

Figure Out Your Timeline

 

The most important part of preparing for the GMAT is preparing your study schedule. Since you won’t have help from others in a group study session, it’s best to prioritize your weakest sections initially and allow the most time in your schedule for those. As a rule of thumb, you should allot twice the study time for your weakest sections as for other sections.

 

When making your study timeline, make sure you aren’t distracted and switch things up every day to keep your studies from getting boring. Also, make sure to incorporate a lot of breaks during your study sessions. 

  

Determine What Methods Work Best For You

 

Different people have different ways of focusing when they’re studying. Some like to read aloud, and some like to walk around, while others like to listen to music while studying. Providing a particular technique helps you concentrate on your studies. Use that method to boost your productivity. As long as it’s not leading you to procrastinate, using any technique to concentrate is fine.

 

Strengths and Weaknesses

 

Understanding your GMAT subject strengths and weaknesses is an important part of creating your study timeline and creating your exam strategy. To determine your strengths and weaknesses, you need to take multiple mock tests and see how you score. Focus on identifying which sections you’re scoring the lowest and the types of questions that are stumping you.

 

Not all questions have equal score value, so if you see that low-value questions in multiple sections are stumping you, try to answer the high-value questions first before dedicating time to the low-value ones. You’ll have a better idea if you know how the GMAT exam is scored.

 

Study Materials

 

Once you’ve determined your strengths and weaknesses, you should work on gathering the necessary study materials for preparation. Fortunately, there’s an abundance of GMAT study materials that you can easily get online. For the best GMAT prep when going solo, you should check different study and education websites and forums that provide free resources such as flashcards, test papers, notes, and so on.

 

Suppose you’re someone who likes studying the old-fashioned way, pouring through books and looking over notes from past successful GMAT examinees. Online resources can be extremely convenient, but many people prefer physical ones, and fortunately, you can find physical study books at bookstores and for purchase online. 

 

Know When To Ask For Help

 

Last but not least, never feel hesitant to ask for help if you need it. While there are many benefits to preparing solo, such as saving money, not getting bogged down by others, and studying at your own pace, at some point, you will need help.

 

If you hit a wall in your preparation for a particular subject or topic, you can ask your friend for help over a Zoom or Skype call. You can also sign up for online tutoring classes that you can use when you have trouble understanding something.  

 

Beat the Odds with the Right Preparation

 

Studying alone for a complex exam like GMAT is no easy task, but it is possible. With the right preparation, you can easily bypass the disadvantages of studying solo for your GMAT exam. So don’t get discouraged and give it your best shot!

 

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