Once you decide to pursue an MBA, the next step towards reaching your goal is to clear the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). However, achieving a good score in the GMAT exam requires proper planning and preparation. The process of GMAT preparation is a lengthy one, not to mention the several hurdles that you might encounter. However, you can improve your chances of getting a good score by attempting mock tests and solving GMAT sample questions.
Through the course of this article, we’ll guide you about how to use sample questions to clear the exam, along with some best GMAT book recommendations that will help you in your GMAT prep journey.
GMAT Sections and Sample Questions
As a first-time GMAT applicant, you might be wondering where and how to start your preparations. So the first thing to do is to familiarize yourself with the syllabus, then start learning the concepts and soon after begin solving the question papers. GMAT sample questions are extremely useful as it helps you analyze the level of your preparedness for the actual exam. For this, you can periodically include a sample paper in your preparation plan, as a way to measure your progress. Solving sample questions also lets you keep track of your strengths and weaknesses.
The GMAT exam is 3 hours 30 minutes long with two 8 minute breaks. The paper is divided into four broad sections — Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), Quantitative Reasoning (QR), Verbal Reasoning (VR) and Integrated Reasoning(IR). Below is a brief overview of each section.
- Analytical Writing Assessment – The section assesses your critical thinking and written communication skills. The score for AWA ranges from 0-6. Even if you are good at written English, it is important to practice writing constantly to improve speed and clarity. For this, we recommend that you solve as many AWA sample questions as possible.
- Integrated Reasoning – The IR section tests your reasoning and analytical skills as well as your ability to evaluate data given in different formats. The section consists of 12 questions that have to be completed in 30 minutes. The four types of questions asked in the section are — Graphics Interpretation, Multi-source Reasoning, Table Analysis, Two-part Analysis. The questions asked in the section could be verbal or quantitative or a combination of both. Hence, it is imperative that you get acquainted with the types of questions asked in the section by solving the sample question papers. This will help track your progress and preparation and most importantly help avoid making the same errors during the actual test.
- Quantitative Reasoning – The quant section tests your ability to solve mathematical Practice problems and analyze graphical data. The section comprises 31 questions from two question types to be completed in 62 minutes. The math section could be slightly challenging for you, if your math basics are not strong. To do well in the quant section, you must know how to apply your basic math knowledge to reasoning questions, which can be a little tricky. However, you can give your best in the exam by practicing sample questions from past exams.
- Verbal Reasoning – The Verbal Reasoning tests how well you evaluate and comprehend a written passage, identify grammatical errors, and correct them. You need to complete the 36 MCQ questions asked from three types of questions in 65 minutes.
A good grasp of basic English grammar is required for answering the questions from the verbal section, and this can be achieved through constant practice. Solving sample questions is the best way to improve your basic grammatical skills and understand your weaker areas in grammar.
GMAT Books
To ace the GMAT, you have to use the best preparation resources, and one of such resources are GMAT books. Here are some GMAT Books that you can refer to during the preparation.
- GMAT Official Guide 2021
- The Critical Reasoning Bible by PowerScore
- Jeff Sackmann’s Total GMAT Math
Solving GMAT sample questions is a great way to familiarize yourself with the types of questions asked in the GMAT exam. Hence, without wasting the time, start solving the sample questions and ace the GMAT with a high score.