GMAT study material- how do I begin my preparation?

Question

so I've just started taking gmat coaching and while i do have resources and material from this coaching centre, I was wondering how I can boost my prep from gmat club and basically what material I should use to practice questions, etc given that I am a beginner. Can someone suggest me the resources for the same.

entaryde · Answer

Hey! For a beginner, I suggest starting with the OG questions and then using GMAT Club’s quant and verbal question banks sorted by difficulty. Additionally, check out their sentence correction and reading comprehension strategy threads. 
If you ever want a quick brain break between study sessions, try playing  Escape Road  — it’s a cooperative puzzle game where you solve riddles and challenges to "escape" a locked room. It’s a great way to sharpen your logical thinking and teamwork skills, which can actually help your GMAT prep too!

EducationAisle · Answer

I really hope that your coaching is providing you sufficient material and you really should not be needing to look anywhere outside.

So, I would just suggest official guide(s) outside of the material that your coaching would already be providing.

Good luck!

pintukr · Answer

Suggest to start with Manhattan Prep books alongwith Official Guide 2024-25..

All the Best..

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

If you're new to the GMAT, consider taking an Official Mock after getting a bit familiar with the material and structure of the exam. Could help to give a sense where you currently stand (including on the 3 sections) and you decide how to structure your prep going forward. The Share GMAT Experience subforum could help provide some insight regarding which resources to include in your prep. Fair to say including the official-guides/official mocks into a prep path would be a solid choice.

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi tan1sha,

When it comes to test prep resources, it’s important to find the one that best suits your learning style.

This article explains the different prep resources you can use:  GMAT Focus Study Resources: Your Guide

This article explains what to look for when choosing a prep course:  Best GMAT Focus Edition Prep Courses Online: What to Look For

Finally, in addition to chatting with folks here, you can check out GMAT course reviews on GMAT Club. Most courses also offer free or low-cost trials so that you can give a few a test drive. 
 
If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out.

esperanzany · Answer

I recommend utilizing the GMAT Club's extensive resources, including their forums for discussions and strategies. Additionally, consider using the Official GMAT Guide for practice questions and the GMAT Club's question bank for targeted practice.

yc168 · Answer

Hi  tan1sha ,

I'd suggest that you go through the following post. It provides an overview of the GMAT Prep Process, lots of wisdom and insights, as well as direction to additional resources:

The Definitive GMAT Study Plan - 2025 Edition

ManifestDreamMBA · Answer

Solve quant and verbal questions from GMATClub forums—start with easy and medium-level ones. You can search any OG question on GMAT Club to see detailed explanations from experts, which is helpful for learning concepts and shortcuts.

harumarchitecto · Answer

The GMAT Club forum provides helpful beginner resources and personal advice for starting GMAT prep, with direct recommendations like OG questions and quant/verbal banks. The community shares not just book lists, but also insights into maintaining motivation and planning successful study paths—which can be daunting for newcomers. As you explore materials here, remember that breaking up study sessions with challenging games like Level Devil can actually sharpen your thinking and perseverance. Mastering its tough platformer stages mirrors how you must tackle GMAT prep: step-by-step, learning from each mistake and adapting quickly to new challenges.

ManifestDreamMBA

Solve quant and verbal questions from GMATClub forums—start with easy and medium-level ones. You can search any OG question on GMAT Club to see detailed explanations from experts, which is helpful for learning concepts and shortcuts.

bb · Answer

Get the official guide and decide if you want to use books (Manhattan Prep) or a course (many options). This is the fastest way.

kapoora10 · Answer

I would recommend giving a cold mock and understanding where you stand currently in term of scoring (make sure you are familiar with the exam pattern and timing and number of questions etc.)

Based on that I would say you can gauge if you need to subscribe to any courses or not (courses and professional help can boost prep though).

I would say that if you are scoring anywhere above ~450 then you can (not SHOULD) do it independently without a course - gauge which section is your weakest and start working on that. The official guide and manhattan are good resources to start with basics. Get familiar with topics and PRACTICE as you learn (GMAT club forum quiz is one of the best places to practice).

Once you're confident on the ability - make a mock routine (get a mock subscription ) and follow and keep working on 3 things:
1. Gauging your best section (Quant, DI or verbal) and setting your preferred order of sections in tests.
2. Anxiety management during less time.
3. Analyzing your scores and mistakes IN DEPTH - painful but the most beneficial for improving scores.

Also do not take mock scores to heart. Only the one you get in GMAT attempt matters

.

All the best for your preparation!!

. All the best for your preparation!!

annakylie · Answer

I would suggest that you make use of the wide variety of tools that are offered by the GMAT Club, such as the forums for strategy and discussion. In addition, it is recommended that you use the Official GMAT Guide in order to receive practice questions and the question bank from the GMAT Club in order to get targeted practice.

NupurNeha123 · Answer

In addition to this start with a cold mock and check your strength and weakness section by section . GMAT club has enough resources if utilised to its full extent . Lastly while practicing stick to OG questions.

RoadBeach · Answer

The best way to begin GMAT preparation is by understanding the exam format and taking a diagnostic test to identify your strengths and weaknesses. mknecraft free Create a realistic study plan, use reliable study materials, practice consistently, and review your mistakes regularly. With discipline and the right resources, you can steadily improve your score and build confidence for test day.

huanmarry · Answer

For those just starting out with GMAT preparation, the GMAT Club forum is a great resource full of personal advice and links to useful resources like OG questions and quant/verbal banks. It might be intimidating for newbies to join a group where members offer not just book recommendations but also advice on how to stay motivated and create a successful study path. Make sure to break up your study sessions with hard games like Level Devil to improve your thinking and tenacity while you examine the subjects here. Completing its challenging platformer levels is similar to preparing for the GMAT: methodically, with the goal of learning from your mistakes and swiftly reacting to new obstacles.

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

The main thing at the start is to not spread yourself across a dozen sources. You already have your coaching material, so make that your main track and actually work through it, rather than piling more stuff on top. Beginners tend to grab a course, some YouTube videos, and a few question banks, then bounce around without finishing any of it. It feels productive, but it doesn't build skills that hold up on test day.

Work one topic at a time. Learn the concepts and techniques for that topic, then drill only that topic,  untimed , until you're getting questions right consistently before you move on. Don't chase speed early. Once a topic feels automatic, the speed shows up on its own.

Then review your misses closely. When you get one wrong, pin down why: didn't know the concept, misread the question, made a careless error, or got pulled into a trap answer. Each points to a different fix, and that review is what links the concepts you studied to the questions you practice.

As for GMAT Club, it's a great supplement. You can filter the question bank by topic and difficulty, so once you've studied a topic in your coaching material, you can drill just that topic here and push into harder questions. The explanations are handy when you miss something and want to see how others approached it, after you've reviewed it yourself. Treat it as a place for extra reps and explanations, and let your coaching material do the teaching. If you try to learn everything from scattered threads, you'll end up with the fragmented prep you're trying to avoid in the first place.

Save the free official tests on mba.com for later, once you've got real content under your belt. They're for measuring where you stand near test day, and there are only a couple of free ones.

Here's a fuller walkthrough of how the phases fit together:  GMAT Preparation Strategy .

You're starting the right way. Keep it focused and you'll build momentum fast.

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