GMAT is sure one of the most important competitive exams that can get you admission to a good College or University. "Good" is a subjective term. Every student, as well as college, consider a different score as good.
This the reason why you should take it seriously and leave no stone unturned while doing your preparations. You might think you have all the study material and you are ready to prepare for the examination, but you might not know how to get the perfect score.
Your total score is based on the Quantitative and Verbal scores. Analytical writing assessment and integrated reasoning scores don’t affect the total score. These scores can prove to be beneficial for you to assess your overall skills. Therefore, you should analyze them properly and take these scores seriously.
GMAT Quantitative and verbal scores:
The range of the total GMAT score is between 200-800. Most of the test takers have an average score ranging between 400-600. The quantitative and verbal section scores range from 0-60. The score below 9 and more than 44 for the verbal section and below 7 to more than 50 for the quantitative sections are very rare. Both of these sections score are fixed scale and maybe compared across all of the GMAT test administration.
But as these measure different criteria as they cannot be compared to each other.
If a student is not able to finish in the given time, the score will be calculated on the number of questions that have been answered as long as both sections have been worked on. Remember that your score is going to decrease with each unanswered question. Whereas in most competitive exams it is considered a good strategy to leave a question in case you are not sure about the answer, in GMAT this approach can get you in trouble.
Analytical Writing GMAT score:
This score is mainly based on one analysis of an argument essay. The essays are scored twice individually and then the average is taken out. The score for this section usually ranges from 0-6 in intervals of half-point. Every essay is given a rating twice, one of which can be performed by an automated essay scoring engine.
That has the capacity to check more than fifty linguistic and structural features. If in a case that the two ratings differ for more than one point, a third evaluation is done by an expert reader so that the final score can be calculated which will be considered as the final score.
It doesn’t matter whether you are a native English speaker or not. If you are appearing for GMAT you need to have an in-depth understanding of the English language. Although the expert readers are trained in a manner that they are fair and sensitive to the responses of candidates that don’t have English as their first language.
If you somehow feel that your score from the section has not been accurate you may always ask that you're essay is recorded using an essay rescore request form.
How to improve your GMAT score:
It can be very tiring to go through the same study and GMAT sample papers again and again. A student must take frequent breaks from the routine pattern of study. Here we give you the following tips that are going to help you with the preparation and will be a smart study pattern to get you through the exam.
Here are a few tips that are going to help climb higher in the GMAT score average:
Make a good strategy :
Before you actually start out with your GMAT preparations, you need to prepare a framework or a strategy. You must make a few rules that will make sure that you study in the right pattern. It will be beneficial if a timetable is made according to which you wake up and study at the same time each day.
This will prevent any laxity that might arise during studying. In equal increments practice and read as much as you can. Make sure you go to bed before you are too tired to absorb any more information or you will soon start to lose interest. Make sure you don’t make your study sessions monotonous.
Read more:
People that are following a GMAT preparation class or course, going through the study material is more than sufficient when it comes to sentence correction. It is a good habit to study each day. But when you develop a habit of reading more and more, much of the information will get stored in your brain without even putting much effort.
Try to read at least three thousand words per day and make sure you read good quality books. This step will also prove to be an effective one for improving the language of the non-English speakers.
Procrastination should be avoided:
GMAT is a very difficult exam and delay or postponement of any kind can be harmful. Each minute of preparation is important. It should also be noted that when it comes to taking the exam a general pattern is seen that the person is going to score better in the main exam compared to what they have been getting in their GMAT practice papers.
Understand the exam well:
This point is most important to consider just in time when you even think about giving the paper. Be aware of the format, concept, and the problems one might face while preparing for the paper. In simple language understand the test well and it will be good if you can join a class for preparation too.
The exam will test your Stamina:
The preparation takes months one of the main things is that the exam can be compared to a marathon. We all are aware that the preparation of the exam takes months and the test itself is of about 3 hours and 30 minutes.
The exam will drain out all your energy that’s for sure, so be prepared for that. When you are sure of answer about ninety percent attempt it and move on. It has to be remembered that if you are a hundred percent sure of the answer the chances are that you have spent too much time on the same question.
Be focused while approaching the study material:
The syllabus that comes in the GMAT exam is vast. It is important that when you choose your study material it is not just something random. You cannot learn everything written in a textbook.
Be conscious and smart of the study material that is chosen. Make sure you are studying in a focused and concise manner. When you are studying for say reading and comprehension, make sure you concentrate completely, you must not be thinking of studying another subject like math simultaneously.
Make the GMAT score aim of 700+:
You have to set your eyes on the perfect score. While practicing for the paper set goals that you will be able to achieve but always have your aim for more. If you feel as if you have studied way too much, to a limit that its exhausting take a day off from the studies.
The thing is when you are solving a GMAT sample question paper, the anxious moment just before the result, and then seeing the score of over 700 on the screen, just makes all the hard work and sacrifice worthwhile.
You need to keep calm and whenever you feel you are not able to achieve those goals relax for some time, it will help you in the coming days of preparation.
Detailed study:
When you do start studying, pay attention to every detail of the topic as much as possible. The questions might not be very difficult but do require in-depth knowledge of whatever you want to study.
While your preparation you might find some really important points in the form of intricate details that might be true or false, but in the exam, it can make your score go from a 700 to a 720 in an instant. In some cases, this small difference in the scores can act as a deciding factor when it comes to college allotment.
Avoid frustrations:
When it comes to GMAT preparation it does become obvious that you might lose your willpower along the way. Try your best to avoid such negative feelings. There will be days when you would want to give it up completely.
Then there will be days when you see other candidates just preparing for a month and clearing the exam with a high score, don't get disheartened, be aware of your capabilities, you might have to work harder than those students but that’s almost perfectly fine.
Do what will get you results, don’t compare yourself with your batchmates. If you fall, get back on your feet once more. This is an attitude that will get you through the test.
Practice for perfection:
When you want to reach ahead in the GMAT score chart, you have to practice as much as you can. Never be satisfied with the score you reach. Keep practicing more to keep getting a higher score constantly. This will become obvious as more practice will inevitably get you a bigger score.
Take breaks:
While preparing for the exam, make sure you don't go too hard on yourself with the real scores. You will have to manage your stress that will be induced with time. Put all of your hard work to solve the paper in the duration provided. As you keep on practicing you will notice an improvement in the score.
But when you are getting frustrated with the deadlines, pressure, and the studies, they will not lead you anywhere. So whenever you are drained completely, consider taking frequent short breaks like going for a walk outside, or just relaxing at home with some music. This will refresh your mind and you can get back to your preparation with a more focused mind.
The pre-prep advice:
You have to approach the course in a manner that you can get maximum benefits out of it. Before you start your preparation take time to focus how you will go about the whole learning process.
Make notes that are well written and detailed, identify your weaknesses, and how you will plan to work on them. Ask more and more questions, make a plan that works best for you, and study accordingly. In simple terms before your actual study plan, you will have to first learn about learning.
Be practical:
This point will come when someone has a high score aim of more than seven hundred. The strategy here is very simple, basically, you have to focus more on solving questions that will get you a higher score than trying to cover a broader number of questions.
This is the time to be as practical as possible, don't get tempted to attempt questions that you are not sure about, just for the heck of it, it will do more harm than good. Solving unnecessary questions might give you temporary satisfaction but it is actually of no use.
Restrain from self-doubt:
Never doubt yourself. There is a fine line between assessing, open to learning new things, and losing your self-confidence. Don’t have doubts in your mind that what if you answered a super easy question incorrectly or the thoughts on how you should have focussed on a certain subject more.
These thoughts will be harmful while solving the paper as your focus will be removed from the test and this might deprive you of positive marks that you could have achieved otherwise.
Take classes:
It is not always the case that only people that provide classes are standing for the fact that prep classes are important. In reality, these classes are a boon for the students preparing for the exam. They can help a student with a mediocre score to attain a score of the topper.
It is strongly advised that a person opts for such preparation courses. Of course, it has to be the child’s decision but it will always be beneficial, this is a sure thing. These classes are guided by experts in the field. And you can get good advice from them on how the whole preparation must take place.
These classes do most of the study management work for you like providing study material, taking tests timely. Lectures make topics easier to understand and much more.
Learning Calculation techniques
Even though it might seem like elementary school all over again, you should recreate a strong base for mathematical calculations and be as quick as possible. Memorize math tables, cubes, squares, cube roots, square roots, etc. to save up some time.
When you are in the middle of solving a question, you can't afford to take forever in doing mathematical questions. Most of the questions, as it is, are tricky. You can't afford to divert your focus on long and tedious math calculations.
When you are engrossed in enormous calculations you tend to lose track of the answer you are supposed to find and you might have to start all over again. This would waste a lot of time and in turn, will have an adverse impact on your scores.
Knowing where to approximate
Precision is good when it comes to your GMAT preparations. But make sure you don't go overboard with this strategy when you are answering questions or solving math problems in your examination.
If the value is a few points above or below the exact value, that doesn't mean your answer is wrong. So, instead of wasting time trying to get an accurate answer, in some cases, you just have to go with the nearest value.
Know what is enough
Some students think that the more books and guides they study from the better their preparation is. Well, the truth is that the more you burden yourself with multiple study material the more confused you will get and end up making a mess on the day of your exam. Before purchasing GMAT guides, perform detailed research as to choose the best one.
Stick to less and precise material for your preparation and cover all of it with the utmost attention. If you have joined some good GMAT preparation classes or an online course for GMAT then the study material provided by them is sufficient in most cases. There is no point in digging further. It will just leave you puzzled at the end of the day.
Mock tests:
It is said that hard work is the key to success. But this phrase undergoes some modification or up-gradation considering the level of the GMAT exam. Appearing for mock tests while being fully prepared is basically the key to achieving a perfect score in GMAT.
The more tests you appear for, the better you get. Although merely appearing for mocks is futile if you don't learn from each experience. Avoid any repetition of mistakes and appear for the next practice test only when you are through with your preparation and have fixed all the bugs encountered in the previous tests.
Appearing for practice tests back to back just for the sake of it will only waste your time. Instead, make this experience as fruitful as possible.
Smart Studying:
This is a concept that has been taking the world by storm lately. Wherever we see, it is all about smart work outperforming hard work. But there is a common misconception regarding this approach which is rampant among students.
They think that smart studying is a shortcut to getting good scores, something which can replace traditional methods of studying.
While it is true to some extent that smart studies make us learn faster and cover more syllabus in a short time span, but students should not consider it as a way of escaping long study hours and practice.
On the other hand, studying on and on for long hours without learning anything meaningful won't do you any good either. The bottom line, a perfect blend of using smart techniques and hard work will bear fruit.
Customization of learning:
This step is important as each student studies at his or her own pace and comparisons are out of the option. You need to customize your preparation according to what you already know and how much time you take to grasp new concepts.
Some students can successfully study on their own with the help of guides and test papers whereas some require extra assistance in the form of GMAT coaching classes or online GMAT tutoring.
Take some time to figure out these factors and adopt a learning technique according to your preferences. It is okay to make some extra efforts but make sure you don't step too far away from your comfort zone.
If possible talk to your teachers for some extra classes or doubt clearance sessions. You can also hire a home tutor if you are the kind of student who can flourish with some extra attention.
In conclusion, the GMAT exam is also a mind game in itself. GMAT is an exam that requires perseverance and loads of practice. The above tips will surely benefit you if you are just starting up with your GMAT prep.
Just remember that you have to be focused on the goal in a relentless way to get admission to the top business schools in the world. You have to realize that this will eventually get your career and life to just another level. Make this outcome act as a fuel to your desire for getting an admission to the top business schools.