How to Best Use GMAT Club Tests Several new members have asked me this question recently and I wanted to address it with a comprehensive post. The goal of this topic is to maximize the time and value of the GMAT Club tests to make sure you take advantage of all of the features and also fit them best into your strategy for the maximum impact. Welcome your questions and suggestions about the best use of GMAT Club tests (or tests in general). What are GMAT Club Tests? The tests were created by a number of Moderators and Quant experts, including myself and Bunuel, over the years. As we have prepared for the GMAT and fell for various traps, we realized that it would be great to create a question or two that would illustrate those traps. Think about devious things - such as making sure you plugged -1/2 as an option or stumping you with a question pattern you have never seen before. The goal of the tests is to avoid a lot (but not all) of the simple and easy questions and jump straight to the interesting stuff. We also continuously improve these questions - we have feedback mechanisms built into explanations where users can flag them, improve the explanation, or bring a technical issue to our attention. Out of 1,500+ questions, about 3/4 are quant and only about 380 are verbal. All of these questions are unique, written by us, and generally harder (do not get surprised if you miss 10 and still get a Q49 score - the algorithm compensates for extra difficulty). These are not licensed, copied, or in any way copied questions - they are original. What can you do with the Tests? We call these GMAT Club tests and more accurately, we could probably call them GMAT Club Questions since you can take them in many forms: You can take these as CAT tests , obviously. The tests are adaptive (we use our own proprietary algorithm) and they are built to simulate the GMAT experience where test difficulty will change and jump around due to the experimental questions used on the real GMAT. The quant algorithm and scoring is very accurate (verbal is less so since the database of questions is small and verbal is harder to gauge in general). We evaluate the algorithm based on the comparison of user results in our tests and their final official scores (from debriefs, reviews, and other verifiable sources). We have found the results for quant to be very accurate for scores above Q40 (the lower ones we don't have as much data). Quizzes - you can custom built a quiz based on the topic, difficulty, or previous attempts. Thus you can take questions from DS Geometry for example that are 700+ level OR you can take PS Arithmetic that you answered wrong OR CR Weaken that took you more than 3 minutes to solve (whether answered correctly or incorrectly). The quizzes are a great way to refresh, review, and keep an error log. Important note: the "Incorrect" trigger is based on your latest attempt/result, so if you have taken 1 question 4 times and answered it I, I, I, C, the system will consider this question to be answered Correctly. If you want to keep a question in your error log even after you answered it correctly, you can use one of the options below or just answer it incorrectly later. Collections - you can create your own question collections or browse and attempt those created by other members such as Bunuel or Myself - Tricky DS questions or Hardest CR questions. This tool is useful if you want to build custom practice sets for yourself. Practice Mode - tests support what's called a "practice mode" where your practice is timed but not limited by the timer (your test or quiz won't be terminated when you get to 0 mins left). This mode also allows you to check explanation/question answer as you move through the test or quiz. You will receive a score even in the practice mode - the accuracy of the result will depend on you. Tests or quizzes taken in practice mode are clearly identified/marked. Error Log - whether you are taking tests or quizzes, you can mark questions in 3 ways: bookmarks, notes, and guesses. The quiz system has an option to filter questions based on these parameters and it is a quick and automatic way to segment or split up your previously attempted questions for a later review. Here is a screenshot of the quiz page with various options: 2016-06-23_0716.png When Should You Take/Use Questions? Unlike with GMAT Prep, you actually get quite a few CAT's, and Quizzes allow you to use up all of the questions as you need them. If you have not taken your first GMAT Practice test yet, then I would suggest you do, at least the quant one and use it to check your starting score In the middle of your prep, I would recommend focusing on quizzes and using them to work on each area/topic as you go through your books or a course. Please make sure you don't exhaust questions of a particular topic completely as that will limit the number of CATs you can take - the question database is shared between Quizzes and Tests. You can refer to the CAT page that will recalculate the number of remaining CATs based on your attempted questions. Throughout your prep, you should be working on your mistakes - organize them, track them, and make sure you won't make the same mistake if you see a similar question on your test (chances are you will). If you are coming to the end of your prep, start taking CAT's and doing reviews of your results (more on that below) How is question difficulty determined? The difficulty is determined by the collective user practice results. For example of more than 75% of users make a mistake on a question or take more than 2 mins to answer the question correctly, we identify it as a harder question (the actual algorithm is more complex). However, the difficulty is constantly updated, tweaked, and refreshed based on the attempts of the questions. How to Review Tests There are a few ways you can analyze your test performance. Including just test analysis and quiz analysis areas in My Performance as well as my favorite (screenshot below) - Best & Worst . You can also find some useful stats if you take a look at the Analysis by Time . best-worst_analysis.png Are there any Official Guide or GMAT Prep Questions in the GMAT Club Tests? I don't know why but we get this question at least weekly. The answer is short - "NO". There is no OG or GMAT Prep Questions in the GMAT Club tests - neither copies, "cousins" or anything that would compromise your scoring on the GMAT Prep. Hope this is clear enough.

Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 14:25

It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 14:25

Toolkit

General GMAT Questions and Strategies

GMAT Club Daily Prep

Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.

Go to My Error Log Learn more

Request Expert Reply

Confirm Cancel

Nov 20
UCR MBA Impact - Live Q&A with UCR AdCom & Student
07:30 AM PST
-
08:30 AM PST
Learn what truly sets the UC Riverside MBA apart and how it helps in your professional growth
Nov 22
GMAT RC Masterclass
11:00 AM IST
-
01:00 PM IST
Do RC/MSR passages scare you? e-GMAT is conducting a masterclass to help you learn – Learn effective reading strategies Tackle difficult RC & MSR with confidence Excel in timed test environment
Nov 23
Conquer Algebra on the GMAT Focus Edition
11:00 AM IST
-
01:00 PM IST
Attend this free GMAT Algebra Webinar and learn how to master the most challenging Inequalities and Absolute Value problems with ease.
Nov 25
Try OnDemand GMAT Masterclass
10:00 AM EST
-
11:00 AM EST
Prefer video-based learning? The Target Test Prep OnDemand course is a one-of-a-kind video masterclass featuring 400 hours of lecture-style teaching by Scott Woodbury-Stewart, founder of Target Test Prep and one of the most accomplished GMAT instructors.

Back to Forum

Create Topic

How to use GMAT Club Tests [Suggestions]

1 2

Founder

Joined: 04 Dec 2002

Last visit: 19 Nov 2025

Posts: 42,387

Own Kudos:

82,118

Given Kudos: 24,110

Location: United States

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

GPA: 3

Products:

Expert

Expert reply

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

Posts: 42,387

Kudos: 82,118

08 Dec 2017, 10:58

Kudos

Bookmarks

rperaalv

Hi bb ! Somehow I clicked on the botton "Finish test" while doing my test, so the final result appeared in the screen. It has happened to me a couple times, and is really anoying because I cant go back to the test to finish it and as a result I have less tests to do (from the 27 I initially bought). Is there any way I can go back to finish the tests?

Sorry about that. You can go back and finish the test later if you pause it, but you can't do it if you finish it and see the score.

P.S. I hope you are not planning to torture yourself with all 27 CATs... that's a lot of tests to take.

ShubhiChauhan

Joined: 19 Jul 2020

Last visit: 12 Nov 2020

Posts: 16

Own Kudos:

[1]

Given Kudos: 8

Posts: 16

Kudos: 32

[1]

26 Sep 2020, 22:24

Kudos

Bookmarks

How to Best Use GMAT Club Tests

Several new members have asked me this question recently and I wanted to address it with a comprehensive post. The goal of this topic is to maximize the time and value of the GMAT Club tests to make sure you take advantage of all of the features and also fit them best into your strategy for the maximum impact. Welcome your questions and suggestions about the best use of GMAT Club tests (or tests in general).

What are GMAT Club Tests?

The tests were created by a number of Moderators and Quant experts, including myself and Bunuel, over the years. As we have prepared for the GMAT and fell for various traps, we realized that it would be great to create a question or two that would illustrate those traps. Think about devious things - such as making sure you plugged -1/2 as an option or stumping you with a question pattern you have never seen before. The goal of the tests is to avoid a lot (but not all) of the simple and easy questions and jump straight to the interesting stuff. We also continuously improve these questions - we have feedback mechanisms built into explanations where users can flag them, improve the explanation, or bring a technical issue to our attention. Out of 1,500+ questions, about 3/4 are quant and only about 380 are verbal. All of these questions are unique, written by us, and generally harder (do not get surprised if you miss 10 and still get a Q49 score - the algorithm compensates for extra difficulty). These are not licensed, copied, or in any way copied questions - they are original.

What can you do with the Tests?

We call these GMAT Club tests and more accurately, we could probably call them GMAT Club Questions since you can take them in many forms:

You can take these as CAT tests, obviously. The tests are adaptive (we use our own proprietary algorithm) and they are built to simulate the GMAT experience where test difficulty will change and jump around due to the experimental questions used on the real GMAT. The quant algorithm and scoring is very accurate (verbal is less so since the database of questions is small and verbal is harder to gauge in general). We evaluate the algorithm based on the comparison of user results in our tests and their final official scores (from debriefs, reviews, and other verifiable sources). We have found the results for quant to be very accurate for scores above Q40 (the lower ones we don't have as much data).
Quizzes- you can custom built a quiz based on the topic, difficulty, or previous attempts. Thus you can take questions from DS Geometry for example that are 700+ level OR you can take PS Arithmetic that you answered wrong OR CR Weaken that took you more than 3 minutes to solve (whether answered correctly or incorrectly). The quizzes are a great way to refresh, review, and keep an error log. Important note: the "Incorrect" trigger is based on your latest attempt/result, so if you have taken 1 question 4 times and answered it I, I, I, C, the system will consider this question to be answered Correctly. If you want to keep a question in your error log even after you answered it correctly, you can use one of the options below or just answer it incorrectly later.
Collections- you can create your own question collections or browse and attempt those created by other members such as Bunuel or Myself - Tricky DS questions or Hardest CR questions. This tool is useful if you want to build custom practice sets for yourself.
Practice Mode - tests support what's called a "practice mode" where your practice is timed but not limited by the timer (your test or quiz won't be terminated when you get to 0 mins left). This mode also allows you to check explanation/question answer as you move through the test or quiz. You will receive a score even in the practice mode - the accuracy of the result will depend on you. Tests or quizzes taken in practice mode are clearly identified/marked.
Error Log- whether you are taking tests or quizzes, you can mark questions in 3 ways: bookmarks, notes, and guesses. The quiz system has an option to filter questions based on these parameters and it is a quick and automatic way to segment or split up your previously attempted questions for a later review. Here is a screenshot of the quiz page with various options:

Attachment:

2016-06-23_0716.png

When Should You Take/Use Questions?

Unlike with GMAT Prep, you actually get quite a few CAT's, and Quizzes allow you to use up all of the questions as you need them.

If you have not taken your first GMAT Practice test yet, then I would suggest you do, at least the quant one and use it to check your starting score
In the middle of your prep, I would recommend focusing on quizzes and using them to work on each area/topic as you go through your books or a course. Please make sure you don't exhaust questions of a particular topic completely as that will limit the number of CATs you can take - the question database is shared between Quizzes and Tests. You can refer to the CAT page that will recalculate the number of remaining CATs based on your attempted questions.
Throughout your prep, you should be working on your mistakes - organize them, track them, and make sure you won't make the same mistake if you see a similar question on your test (chances are you will).
If you are coming to the end of your prep, start taking CAT's and doing reviews of your results (more on that below)

How is question difficulty determined?

The difficulty is determined by the collective user practice results. For example of more than 75% of users make a mistake on a question or take more than 2 mins to answer the question correctly, we identify it as a harder question (the actual algorithm is more complex). However, the difficulty is constantly updated, tweaked, and refreshed based on the attempts of the questions.

How to Review Tests

There are a few ways you can analyze your test performance. Including just test analysis and quiz analysis areas in My Performance as well as my favorite (screenshot below) - Best & Worst. You can also find some useful stats if you take a look at the Analysis by Time.

Attachment:

best-worst_analysis.png

Are there any Official Guide or GMAT Prep Questions in the GMAT Club Tests?

I don't know why but we get this question at least weekly. The answer is short - "NO". There is no OG or GMAT Prep Questions in the GMAT Club tests - neither copies, "cousins" or anything that would compromise your scoring on the GMAT Prep. Hope this is clear enough.

Can people without subscription attempt quizes?

Wanderer4

Joined: 13 Jun 2021

Last visit: 27 Oct 2024

Posts: 11

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 56

Location: India

Concentration: Technology, Marketing

Schools: Anderson '24 Kelley '24 Kellogg '24

GMAT 1: 750 Q50 V42 Verified score

Schools: Anderson '24 Kelley '24 Kellogg '24

GMAT 1: 750 Q50 V42 Verified score

Posts: 11

Kudos: 3

17 Jun 2021, 12:05

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi,

While analysing the tests, I am unable to see the options I marked for the questions with incorrect answers. I am trying on a macbook air. Is this specific to me? bb nightblade354

Founder

Joined: 04 Dec 2002

Last visit: 19 Nov 2025

Posts: 42,387

Own Kudos:

82,118

[1]

Given Kudos: 24,110

Location: United States

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

GPA: 3

Products:

Expert

Expert reply

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

Posts: 42,387

Kudos: 82,118

[1]

17 Jun 2021, 12:12

Kudos

Bookmarks

Wanderer4

Hi,

While analysing the tests, I am unable to see the options I marked for the questions with incorrect answers. I am trying on a macbook air. Is this specific to me? bb nightblade354

Hi. This is a Feature

This is to allow you to attempt that question again during the review process.

If that is not something you want to do (some people try 2 chances), You can see the OA and the choice you made if you click "Show Explanation" at the bottom of the screen, it will show you your last answer and the OA.

You also click one of the 5 answer choices and in that case it will show you the correct OA. It will not show you the mistake you made, only the current choice. To see the recorded mistake, click Show Explanation

Here is a quick video:
https://www.screencast.com/t/998xsL57Jw

Wanderer4

Joined: 13 Jun 2021

Last visit: 27 Oct 2024

Posts: 11

Own Kudos:

[1]

Given Kudos: 56

Location: India

Concentration: Technology, Marketing

Schools: Anderson '24 Kelley '24 Kellogg '24

GMAT 1: 750 Q50 V42 Verified score

Schools: Anderson '24 Kelley '24 Kellogg '24

GMAT 1: 750 Q50 V42 Verified score

Posts: 11

Kudos: 3

[1]

17 Jun 2021, 12:37

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hey bb Thank you for the prompt response. I somehow missed it even though I glanced through explanations, but didn't pay attention to this. This saves me a lot of time. I was getting anxious.

P.S. Amazing to see a response from you. Very humbling!

Founder

Joined: 04 Dec 2002

Last visit: 19 Nov 2025

Posts: 42,387

Own Kudos:

82,118

[1]

Given Kudos: 24,110

Location: United States

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

GPA: 3

Products:

Expert

Expert reply

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

Posts: 42,387

Kudos: 82,118

[1]

17 Jun 2021, 12:41

Kudos

Bookmarks

Wanderer4

My pleasure. This was a good and specific question and I could quickly reply. Glad I was able to help.
Good luck with your GMAT progress. If you have any other questions/suggestions, feel free to post them here and try to tag me (I get a lot of replies and sometimes miss 1 or 2

)

1 2

Moderator:

MBAACCOUNT2025

General GMAT Forum Moderator

444 posts

Prep Toolkit

Announcements

Combinatorics Explained Step-by-Step (in 20 Mins)

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for New Videos on GMAT Strategies

Master in Management, Finance, Business Analytics and more Master’s Programs!

Live Profile Evaluation Chat Session with ARINGO

Wednesday, November 19, 2025
09:00 am PDT | 10:30 pm IST
Location: GMAT Club Chat

Top GMAT Focus Debriefs

	Magoosh increases your score, guaranteed - 15% off ALL Magoosh GMAT plans with code GMATCLUB15 + Free GMAT Club Tests.
	Manhattan Prep: $79 Bonus Score Higher on Your GMAT Exam. Guaranteed.
	Target Test Prep - Save up to $325 $200 Discount + $79 Bonus GMAT Club Tests
	e-GMAT: 60% Off on GMAT Focus Get to 735+ from any starting point
	Experts' Global - ~~$1720~~ $960 End-to-End GMAT Prep + App Support: 150+ Videos, 2000+ Questions, 15 FLTs +
	GMATWhiz - $299 ~~$499~~ Experience the course through a free trial.
	GMAT Club Tests - Free Included with every course purchase of $149+ View all deals

How to use GMAT Club Tests [Suggestions]

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards