Choosing the right time to study for the GMAT Focus Edition is crucial for success. Over 16 years of preparing students for this test, I’ve observed that many individuals unnecessarily prolong their preparation, never fully committing to the required study time. They start their GMAT prep schedule but often:
- Distract themselves with other commitments.
- Take long breaks from studying, which disrupts their focus.
- Lack a structured plan, leading to inefficiency.
This approach is not conducive to an effective GMAT study plan. You will achieve much better results if you dedicate most of your time to GMAT preparation over a defined period, avoiding distractions and extended breaks. Set aside a roughly 10-week period (see our proposed GMAT study schedule below!) and adhere to these golden rules:
- For College Students – if you’re about to enter a demanding job in fields like investment banking or management consulting, where an MBA is likely in your future, consider taking the GMAT at the end of your college semester. You’ll be in “study-mode,” making it easier to prepare than when you’re working 70 hours a week. Remember, GMAT scores are valid for 5 years, so even if you’re not applying immediately, preparing now can be beneficial.
- For Working Professionals – if you must prepare while working full-time, choose a period in your job when your workload is lighter, and you can take some days off. Communicate your MBA plans with your supervisor to possibly adjust your work schedule. For instance, you might start work later on certain days to fit in study sessions. Make a defined study schedule and stick to it, using weekends for studying and avoiding extended trips or work travel. Studying intensely over a 10-week period is less painful than sporadically over a year.
If you haven’t studied for the exam before, consider starting with our 5-week GMAT prep course or a one-on-one GMAT tutoring package. Self-studying for this complex exam is generally inefficient and often more expensive and time-consuming than starting with professional help. Set aside the right time period, follow the right preparation, and aim for a 90th percentile score in the shortest possible time frame.
With a full-time job, plan on spending 2-3 hours on GMAT preparation during three of your workdays, with a big 4-hour study session on one of your weekend days, and a shorter 2-hour session on the other. Ideally, you should put in at least 12 hours a week over the 10-week period. Avoid short study sessions where you can’t delve deeply into topics and train both focus and pattern recognition. If you’re not working full-time, you can condense this GMAT study plan into 5-6 weeks.
To get a feel for the real exam, consider taking access to one full-length GMAT online test.
GMAT Study Schedule
| Week | Focus |
| 1 | Arithmetic and Critical Reasoning |
| 2 | Algebra and Reading Comprehension |
| 3 | Word Problems |
| 4 | Statistics |
| 5 | Data Sufficiency and CR/RC Review |
| 6 | Timed Question Sets, Quant Diagnostic, and Practice Test |
| 7 | Timed Question Sets, Quant Diagnostic, and Practice Test |
| 8 | Review Weak Areas |
| 9 | Timed Question Sets, Quant Diagnostic, and Practice Test |
| 10 | Advanced Timed Question Sets, Practice Test, Official Test |
Week 1: Arithmetic and Critical Reasoning
Refresh all core arithmetic content areas (calculations, percents, ratios, factors/multiples) and apply that knowledge to specific collections of official sample GMAT problem-solving questions. Completing large batches of problems within one content area is essential for learning all the different wrinkles and strategies associated with that type. For all the question batches in the first five weeks, primarily use the official guide but add in questions from the supplement guides as needed.
Learn important strategies for critical reasoning problems and apply them to a collection of official sample GMAT critical reasoning questions. Having specific, regimented strategies for critical reasoning is key to success, and most students who self-study do not develop a systematic approach.
Week 2: Algebra and Reading Comprehension
Refresh all core algebra content areas (calculations, inequalities, exponents/roots, quadratics, common algebraic equations) and apply that knowledge to specific collections of official problems testing the same content area. The standard for algebra on the GMAT is high, so ensure you have complete mastery of this content.
Learn important strategies for reading comprehension and apply them to a collection of official GMAT reading comprehension practice questions and passages. Success in reading comprehension depends on both your reading approach and your ability to recognize patterns and tricks related to specific types of questions.
Week 3: Word Problems
Learn strategies and best practices for attacking the common word problems used on the GMAT. It is essential that you master these word problems, as they are part of almost every test: Venn Diagram, Work/Rate and Distance/Rate, Mixture, Weighted Average, Conversion, etc. Do large sets of each type of word problem to see every trick and wrinkle used to make these staple GMAT questions.
Week 4: Statistics
Use this week to focus on the “secondary” but more difficult quant content area of statistics. Ensure you have mastery of the basic descriptive statistics—mean, median, mode, range, and standard deviation—and a solid foundation in basic probability and combinatorics. Do large collections of questions testing each of these difficult content areas.
Week 5: Data Sufficiency and CR/RC Review
Do a large collection of data sufficiency questions and learn how to apply optimal strategies to sample data sufficiency GMAT questions. Most students do not properly leverage the numerous hints present in DS questions, so it is essential that you learn best practices for this fundamental quant question type. In this collection, you will also get to review all the different quant content areas used to make the different questions.
Focus on a large collection of harder CR and RC questions. The strategies and skill sets required for these two question types are quite similar, and you will see that more clearly as you do sets during this week and as you review core strategies.
Week 6: Timed Question Sets, Quant Diagnostic, and Practice Test
Using the official GMAT exam prep resources offered by GMAC (official practice questions 1 + 2 and the supplement guides), do 3 to 4 timed sets of medium and hard questions: 31-question sets for quant (½ problem solving and ½ data sufficiency) and 36-question verbal sets (roughly 1/3rd of each type).
Do the first of the three 24-question quant diagnostic tests in the official quantitative practice bundle.
Do the first official practice test.
Week 7: Timed Question Sets, Quant Diagnostic, and Practice Test
Using the official resources (official practice questions 1 + 2 and the supplement guides), do 3 to 4 timed sets of medium and hard questions: 31-question sets for quant (½ problem solving and ½ data sufficiency) and 36-question verbal sets (roughly 1/3rd of each type).
Do the second of the three 24-question quant diagnostic tests in the official quantitative practice bundle.
Do the second official practice test.
Week 8: Review Weak Areas
Use your results from the previous two weeks of timed sets and tests to determine weak areas and do a deep dive back into those question types and content areas. Maybe on the quant side, you find that questions testing inequalities, work/rate scenarios, factors, and multiples are causing problems. Revisit those content areas and do additional sets of those question types. Maybe on the verbal side, you find evaluating CR questions is causing problems. Use this week to shore up weaker areas and create a solid foundation going into the final two weeks.
Week 9: Timed Question Sets, Quant Diagnostic, and Practice Test
Using the official resources (official practice questions 1 + 2 and the supplement guides), do 3 to 4 timed sets of medium and hard questions: 31-question sets for quant (½ problem solving and ½ data sufficiency) and 36-question verbal sets (roughly 1/3rd of each type).
Do the final of the three 24-question quant diagnostic tests in the official quantitative practice bundle.
Do the third official practice test.
Week 10: Advanced Timed Question Sets, Practice Test, Official Test
Using the Advanced Question Book online bank, do 3 to 4 timed sets of hard questions: 31-question sets for quant (½ problem solving and ½ data sufficiency) and 36-question verbal sets (roughly 1/3rd of each type).
Do the fourth official practice test.
Crush the official GMAT with a 90th percentile score!
If you don’t get the score you want, order the enhanced score report (ESR), only available for in-person tests, and take the exam again. You can use the remaining practice tests and resources to prepare in this period, focusing on the weaker areas shown by the ESR.
Our 5-week GMAT prep course, put together by experts, will help you come up with the perfect study plan to ace the GMAT.
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Remember, GMAT sample questions from GMAT Club can be a valuable resource for additional practice and understanding the exam format.