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What is the best book or method for studying for the GMAT?

verdict - 2010-03-04 02:01:55 - Other - Education

I am starting to study for the GMAT, but I don't know where to start. I just graduated in Information Systems and there are so many books to help with GMAT. Is there a better book or method?

Best Answer:

I just took the GMAT three weeks ago and found the Official GMAT Review to be the biggest help. It really outlined the principles that were to be tested and then gave you plenty of questions to practice with. However, it didn't give you a ton of practice tests. In addition to the Review I also bought the KAPLAN review which had 2 in book tests, 4 tests on a CD and then 1 online test. Just so you are aware, I always scored low on the KAPLAN tests, I was worried that I wasn't doing well but the tests on the CD and online were more difficult than the actual test. Lastly, check out the website called beatthegmat.com, it has some pretty good resources that helped me a lot.

Answers:

First, go get all three GMAT Official Guides. There is the general one (12th edition), and then the smaller ones for quantitative and verbal. They each have different questions, and you need to get as many different questions as possible. All the questions in each book come from actual, former tests. Next, buy some study guides. I like the Manhattan GMAT books (http://www.manhattangmat.com), but they are a bit short at times, and not necessarily written in the easiest way for self-study. Powerscore (http://www.powerscore.com ) has sections on sentence correction and critical reasoning that really helped me. Here's how I'd break it down in terms of what to get: Verbal: The Powerscore GMAT Bible that covers this topic Math: Manhattan GMAT guides for these subjects As far as tips, study hard and set aside time daily to to look at techniques and to work through problems. Do not try to cram for the test! Also, visit some of the popular forums like http://www.beatthegmat.com and http://www.gmatclub.com to see what other people are doing and to get some help and support. http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/ is great for researching schools.

...different people find different ones easier to use. If you ask me, go to a bookstore and browse through all of the major books. See which ones fit your workstyle. Then, if you can only afford one, buy it. If you can afford more than one, and they offer additional practice tests and different test taking strategy tips, buy two. Some people are excellent test takers. If you are decent, buy these books and prep diligently, remembering to get a long night's sleep beforehand. Also remember to review your checklist of items to bring to the test. If you struggle with these standardized tests, you may wish to consider an affordable GMAT prep course.

Having just graduated from a Top 10 b-school I can relate to the pain of being admitted. Gmat is indeed important in the admissions process and the exam could be tricky. My advice would be to go for a formal training program such as Kaplan: (http://www.kaptest.com/Business/Business-School/BU_home.html). It is definitely not cheap but it will increase your score. Unless you're really disciplined or are not interested into getting into a Top 20 b-school, I would not recommend a book only.

I just took the GMAT three weeks ago and found the Official GMAT Review to be the biggest help. It really outlined the principles that were to be tested and then gave you plenty of questions to practice with. However, it didn't give you a ton of practice tests. In addition to the Review I also bought the KAPLAN review which had 2 in book tests, 4 tests on a CD and then 1 online test. Just so you are aware, I always scored low on the KAPLAN tests, I was worried that I wasn't doing well but the tests on the CD and online were more difficult than the actual test. Lastly, check out the website called beatthegmat.com, it has some pretty good resources that helped me a lot.