Vivian Kerr
Test Prep Tutor & Writer
If you're looking to improve your GMAT score to get into grad school, there are a few things you can do. Here are my top five tips:
- Diversify your materials: Studying online with Kaplan, Beat the GMAT, Manhattan Prep, and other sites is vital to building your comfort level with the computer-based format of the GMAT.
- Study less more often: Do you keep a regular study schedule, or are you studying intermittently in long blocks that ultimately wear you down? Be sure to keep a strict schedule and abide by it, even if you’d like to squeeze in a few hours. Staying up all night to cram in yet another practice test is not always the best choice. Study in smaller bursts, take frequent mini-breaks, and give yourself simple, accomplishable tasks.
- Find your community: In addition to the friends you make through online resources, seek out a local in-person GMAT study group. Set goals with each other and see what advice they have. If you have a 600 and are eyeing a 700+ score, there are many people out there who have made that leap. Find out about strategies that are commonly used by 750+ students, what study plans they keep, and how they build their content knowledge.
- Review your old materials: Re-take quizzes and practice tests from the very beginning of your GMAT studies. Do you find yourself getting the same questions correct? This can be a sign that you haven’t learned the content you think you have. Are there gaps in your math or grammar knowledge that still need to be filled? Be honest with yourself about what's “sinking in” and what's not.
- Slow down and review: Are you rushing through your practice questions and not taking enough time to review incorrect answers? Consider making an error log to help you discipline yourself and use the 40/60 rule: 40% of your time should be spent actually answering questions, while 60% of your time should be spent reviewing at the minimum.
Find even more great tips with our full article on Improving Your GMAT Score: How to Overcome a Plateau.