Everyone is looking for ways to increase their GMAT score, right? Whether it’s through a rigorous Manhattan Review Jayangar GMAT prep course or countless hours at the library self-studying with various materials—prospective test-takers will do just about anything to see score progress. And why shouldn’t they? A high GMAT score opens doors; a high GMAT score paves the way for elite university admission and opportunities in an array of exciting industries and sectors. What steps are you making towards enhancing your GMAT score? Students can spend endless hours sharing tips, advice, and new strategies.
Well, no need to see a witch doctor for a voo doo curse, we have for you some verified sure-fire ways to see your score improve. While there may not be a magic bullet one-size-fits-all answer, there are certainly routes and avenues to take that will get you to that ultimate elite score. Let’s examine a few in an effort to help give you a leg up on test day and get you one step closer to the school of your dreams.
- Study, study, study.
In a recent poll taken, the majority of students study for the GMAT 51 hours or more. This may seem like a daunting task, but when you think about it—51 or more hours is really an amount of time where you can see significant improvement. Obviously, cramming GMAT verbal and quant strategies at the last minute will not get you very far, as many of the tactics and test-taking techniques need to be assimilated over the time span of several months. Ideally, you should allot four months, if possible, for an elongated course of study. That way, when you’re able to digest a little bit every day, you can walk into the testing room brimming with confidence and ease. Who wouldn’t want that when taking a test as important as the GMAT? A good guide to keep in mind for 50 or more hours students see a 0-50-point improvement; 100 hours facilitate an average of 51-100-point improvement; 150 hours or more pave the way for 101-150-point improvement. Clearly, the more time spent studying, the better off your score will be! - Set a target score.
How will you know how to track your progress unless you have a concrete score you’re working towards? This is important when looking at an elite score, because you need an aspirational number to attain. Sure, it can seem intimidating when you start far behind your projected score, but having that number in the back of your mind while you finesse your GMAT skills is imperative for test day success. More than likely, your ideal score will correlate with the average scores of your business schools of choice. - Take mock exams.
Truly—there is nothing like tracking your hard-earned progress than through a realistic diagnostic exam. These mock exams are widely available at a variety of test prep firms, be it Manhattan GMAT or other reputable worldwide companies, so you won’t find a shortage with which to practice. In addition to tracking your “score success,” diagnostic tests allow you to experience what we call “the test day experience,” where the constraints of time are very real and present. It’s highly recommended to try to take your mock exams on a computer, if possible, to really facilitate that exam day experience. Spreading these out over your course of study is highly beneficial and sure to bring about positive results. - Keep an errors log.
Okay, okay, this one may seem a little negative—after all, who wants to keep a journal or log of all their GMAT mistakes? However, we promise this will get you to improved scores for test day. When you’re able to make sense of your consistent errors—be they many or few—you’re able to consciously take the exam in a way that is focused around building up your strengths. Turning those weaknesses into ultimate strengths is what sets high scorers apart from lower ones, so take the time to track your progress as well as your mistakes. Being aware of them can only help bring you one step closer to remedying them. - Study GMAT writing prompts.
While you can’t necessarily memorize all the possible writing prompts there will be on the GMAT—which is truly a waste of your time and not terribly efficient in terms of strategy—you can in turn study the types of prompts likely to be featured. The AWA section asks you to respond to and assess a particular argument. Being able to examine similar prompts you’re likely to encounter will help you find the argument’s key points as well as its possible flaws in logic. Such prompts are widely available online.
Studying for the GMAT requires a lot of time, energy, and concentration. Learning what works for you in terms of effective strategies will ultimately pay off on test day; take time exploring the success routes and stories of others as you find your own. In the end, it’s about attaining your projected score, which we know comes only with hard with and determination.
