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<\/h2>\n<\/h2>\nLast fall, the average GMAT score was 732 for the incoming classes of Stanford GSB, Wharton and Kellogg, and for HBS it was 730. And while your GMAT score is just one component in your broader narrative, it\u2019s clear why the exam has taken on obsessive importance for so many applicants: It captures a comparable data point that schools use both to predict your academic success for the MBA and measure you against other candidates.<\/p>\n
Sure, there will be outliers \u2013\u00a0not everyone admitted to a top 10 school posts 700+ on the GMAT \u2013 but by publishing scores achieved by the mid 80% range of incoming students, top schools are giving you a sense of where they\u2019re setting the bar.<\/p>\n
So how should you prepare to maximize your effort? And what strategies are the most efficient and effective for increasing your score? As an expert coach at Fortuna Admissions\u00a0<\/a>and a former GMAC insider with an uncommon affection for standardized tests, I\u2019ve distilled my best advice into seven top tips:<\/p>\n 1. Quality over quantity time.<\/strong>\u00a0Surveys show that applicants who scored over 700 report studying at least 80-100 hours for the exam \u2013\u00a0but don\u2019t be misled by the numbers. Imagine it this way: You can\u2019t credibly train for the marathon by only running 20 miles on Saturdays. Just like it\u2019s unwise to slot data sufficiency into one marathon cram-session on the weekend and expect to gain mastery. Instead, create a study schedule and chunk your time into bite-size sessions to build the mental muscle that\u2019s needed to go the distance at exam time.<\/p>\n 2. Self-study or hire a coach? Know thyself.\u00a0<\/strong>It might be encouraging to know that roughly two-thirds of candidates say they self-study, according to self-reported data from GMAT\u2019s annual survey, and that statistically there\u2019s no difference between the GMAT score of a candidate who self-preps and one who shells out money for a coach or test prep course. To set yourself up for success, what\u2019s essential is knowing whether you have the self-discipline to self-prep diligently. The very type A among us will set up a study schedule (imperative) and put ourselves through the paces without fail. Others thrive with the extra accountability of having to show up to class.<\/p>\n 3. Minimize distracted prep.<\/strong>\u00a0Many of us are hardwired to multitask \u2013 especially if you\u2019re a millennial \u2013 and do so with pride. But multitasking is deathly for your GMAT prep. \u2018But I\u2019ve studied 16 hours this week!\u2019 a frustrated client will lament, \u2018why isn\u2019t my score improving?\u2019 When I ask what his prep sessions look like, I see that he\u2019s cramming 45-minute study sessions on the metro while answering work emails and using an app on his iPad to order dinner for the family. But sitting down and giving the GMAT your undivided attention is the key to making meaningful gains. So silencing your phone for 30 minutes of focused effort is the kind of productive prep in which you\u2019re more apt to absorb the material and move the needle on your score, as opposed to two \u201cstudy\u201d hours when all your devices are firing.<\/p>\n 4. Create specific, targeted goals.<\/strong>\u00a0There should be a learning objective every time you sit down to study. Such as, decreasing the amount of time from 2 minutes to 1.45 for answering easy data sufficiently questions, refreshing sentence structure or reviewing exponent rules you can apply to problem solving. Having a very clear learning objective will go a long way in terms of helping to create structure and focus as well as opportunities to measure your progress. It\u2019s also gratifying to look back at the end of the week and see how many things you checked off the list. Having those small, measurable successes will fuel your endurance. And if you\u2019re not about to focus or you miss a session, you can go back and hold yourself accountable.<\/p>\n 5. Recreate the test-center environment.<\/strong>\u00a0It can be shockingly difficult to sit down in a quiet room and take a test for four hours. This is especially true if you\u2019re accustomed to snacking, listening to music, padding around barefoot, putting your feet up on the chair \u2013 all of this being taboo at the test center, of course. Try to create an environment as close to the test center as possible: Get rid of your music, water bottle and snacks. Practice waiting a few minutes before getting up to use the bathroom on a whim. Think of ways to make yourself a little less comfortable.<\/p>\n 6. Have a \u201cbreak strategy.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0You\u2019ll get an optional break between sessions, but know that it\u2019s not terribly long. Practice by setting a timer, getting up, getting a drink, using the bathroom \u2013 really go through the motions. The time will pass quicker than you think. Once you begin your exam, it\u2019s on a test driver, so if you\u2019re late you\u2019re losing precious minutes.<\/p>\n 7. Connect with other candidates.<\/strong>\u00a0Not only does misery love company, but finding others suffering through data sufficiency creates accountability and community. There\u2019s no shortage of Facebook groups or forums which can also help you stay on task and commiserate with others. I wouldn\u2019t call it a good time, but you\u2019re more apt to persist when the going gets tough \u2013 and even find some humor in it all \u2013 if you\u2019re alongside others who are suffering through the same.<\/p>\n Fortuna Admissions coach Joanna Graham<\/a> is <\/em>former Director of the Graduate Management Admission Council. For a candid assessment of your chances of admission success at a top MBA program, sign up for\u00a0<\/em>a\u00a0free consultation<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Business schools have reported a significant rise in GMAT averages over the last 15 years. Last fall, the average GMAT score was 732 for the incoming classes of Stanford GSB,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":160,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"1","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,1831,775,243],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mba","category-fortuna-admissions","category-admission-consultants","category-blog","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46241","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/160"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46241"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46241\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46241"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46241"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46241"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}