GMAT, short for Graduate Management Admission Test, is an entrance exam that tests your critical thinking, verbal reasoning, communication, and strategic planning skills. Many recognised institutes use this test to identify the most deserving students for postgraduate courses.
Think of GMAT as your gateway to an MBA and other management programs at prestigious institutes. The number of students taking the GMAT has increased exponentially in India over the last few years. Of 120,000 students taking the test in 2023-2024, 35,000 were Indians.
Passing the test requires proper strategy, knowledge, focus, and time management. You can learn all of these through mock tests. In this post, you will learn a practical GMAT mock test strategy that can help you pass the mock and actual exam effortlessly.
Let's take a look at the best way to practice for the GMAT.
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Understanding GMAT’s Adaptive Format
The GMAT differs from typical pen-and-paper-based tests, which present a series of questions in the same order to all students. For its quantitative and verbal sections, you need to take the computer-based test.
The algorithm asks questions based on your capability. Your answer to the first question, for example, determines the next question. If the first question is of a moderate difficulty level and you answered correctly, the next one will be slightly harder.
The nature of the question will be different for each student. This adaptive format of the test makes it tricky.
Also Read:- What is the Guaranteed Scholarship Benefit under AONSAT?
GMAT Mock Test Strategy for Adaptive Format
GMAT doesn’t just test your knowledge. So, memorising the core concepts won’t be enough. The test assesses your time management, adaptability, and ability to perform under pressure.
Start with a Diagnostic Mock
Before you start learning or practising for the GMAT, take a diagnostic mock test. It can determine how much you will score if you were to take the test today. It’s mainly used for identifying your strengths and weaknesses, so that you don’t waste time revising the topics you are already good at.
The GMAT diagnostic mock test familiarises you with the exam pattern, i.e., the types of questions asked, the three sections, and your pacing strategy.
Take Adaptive Mock Tests
The GMAT adaptive test format differs significantly from the traditional linear sets. Here’s how the mock tests can help in your preparation:
- You learn to switch between easy, moderate, and hard questions.
- You learn strategic guessing, which can significantly affect your final score.
- You learn how to keep calm when the difficulty level fluctuates.
GMAT adaptive mock tests help you understand the actual exam format.
Analyse Your Performance
Mock tests help you know the concepts you need to improve. When analysing your performance, don’t just check the correct and incorrect answers.
You must also check other metrics, such as the concepts that took considerable time and the sections where you scored low.
Practise Mocks Like an Actual Exam
Your biggest challenge on the actual exam day is attempting all sections of the GMAT in one sitting, in a quiet environment, and under pressure. If your mocks do not help you with these, they are useless.
An important strategy of mock tests is GMAT exam simulation. Practice like you are sitting in the exam hall.
GMAT Time Management Tips & Structure
Let’s understand GMAT’s structure first.
- Exam Time: 2 hours 15 minutes.
- Total Number of Questions: 64.
- Number of Sections: 3 (Quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning, and data insights).
Each section contains approximately 20 questions, and you have 45 minutes to complete each. There’s an optional 10-minute break, which you can take at any point.
Start Gradually
Mocks must be solved in the same manner as real exams.
For GMAT, the pattern is quite lengthy and time-consuming. It’s normal to get tired and lose focus initially. The best strategy is to start slow. Solve one section at a time and take a short break before moving on to another. This should build your stamina gradually.
For instance, if you cleared four sections in 4 hours with three breaks, try solving it with a single break and within 3 hours the next day.
Don’t Spend More than 3 Minutes on a Question
If you are wondering how to crack GMAT mock tests within 2 hours, your best bet is to allocate a specific amount of time for each question. Avoid spending more than 3 minutes on one question. If a question seems tricky or you’ve already spent 2-2.5 minutes on it, make an educated guess and move on to the next one.
Do Not Skip Questions
The worst mistake you can make on the GMAT exam is leaving questions unanswered. You don’t get a negative point for incorrect answers. However, if you skip them, the result score will be negatively impacted.
Instead of skipping, follow these simple steps:
- Eliminate wrong options first.
- Make an educated guess from the remaining.
- Do not overthink.
- Avoid spending unnecessary time double-checking for accuracy.
Don’t Check Time Frequently
Checking the time after each question may not work for everyone. Besides, it can cause unnecessary stress. You can rather set a time for 10-20 questions. For example, finish 10 questions in 25 minutes.
Don't Re-Read the Passage for Every Question
For the reading comprehension section, take 2-3 minutes to read the passage carefully. Once you have finished reading, attempt all the questions. Repetitive reading will leave you with fewer minutes for calculation-based questions.
Why are Mock Tests Important for GMAT?
Mocks are an essential part of GMAT preparation. They don't just test your conceptual knowledge, but also build mental stamina to sit for a prolonged period and solve three lengthy and tricky sessions without breaks (except for the scheduled ones).
Topic-wise preparation will only equip you with bookish knowledge. In an adaptive test format, question sequencing and difficulty level can fluctuate significantly based on your performance. You can't understand how it works until you take the GMAT mock test that replicates the real exam. You will also learn the importance of accuracy for each question and how it affects your final score.
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Conclusion
Unlike typical tests, the GMAT isn't for rote learners. If you want to study MBA and other business-related PG courses at Amity Online, you need to master time management and adaptive format algorithms. Mock tests can help you with that, allowing you to score well in the competitive exams.
