Hi archit!
First off it would for you to answer the questions EMPOWERgmatRichC asked you - there's no one answer of how to prepare for the GMAT, it varies for different people.
However, here are some general preparation tips:
- Quality versus Quantity:
It’s the question everyone asks: How much time to set aside to prepare for the GMAT? The optimal amount of time to study for the GMAT in general is 6–8 weeks - provided you study right. But what does ‘studying right’ mean? The mistake many people make is substituting quantity for quality. Many people study more than this (3–4 months) but this isn’t necessarily better - if we study too long we can start to forget what we learnt in the beginning.
- Be Honest About Your Abilities: Adapt Your Study Habits to Areas that Need Improvement.
Focus more practice time on your areas of weakness. If it helps, keep a learning diary. Consistency is important, so it’s preferable to have short, daily training sessions rather than cramming on the weekend. If you can, give yourself more time to prepare in the period leading up to the test. Set time milestones so that you can see that you are in line with your practice schedule.
- Be Informed About the Programs You’re Interested In.
Decide which schools you want to apply to, and check their application deadlines and admission requirements (test scores, GPA, essays, interviews, etc.). In order to reach your required GMAT score, your preparation should target a score of at least 50 higher than you ‘need’ as many of those taking the test score around 30 points more or less than they were expecting.
- Get the Information You Need.
Check out the official mba site for information on schools and programs, the GMAT exam, and prep materials. Download the free GMAT® Handbook to learn everything you need to know before sitting for the exam.
- Register for the GMAT Exam.
Register for the exam with school application deadlines in mind. Set up your GMAT exam ahead of time so that your scores are reported prior to application deadlines. The further in advance you register, the more choice of available exam dates you’ll have. Search for a convenient testing location that has available seats.
- Develop a Study Plan
Your study plan should list when and what you need to study. Also, think about how you can best prepare, given your discipline levels, motivation, and preferences. Do you prefer one to one tutoring or are study groups best for you? Do you need prep courses or can you self-study?
- Familiarize Yourself with the Test, its Structure and Types of Questions
It pays to be familiar with the GMAT exam and know what it measures. It’s not about memory recall, it’s about measuring the reasoning skills needed to succeed in business school. This includes quantitative, verbal, analytical writing, and integrated reasoning. The GMAT has questions that other exams do not. For example, for Data Sufficiency, you just need to determine if there is enough information to answer the question. If you’re unfamiliar with this question type, you could waste lots of time trying to solve the problems.
- Learn about the GMAT exam structure and get an overview of the four sections: Quantitative, Verbal, Integrated Reasoning, and Analytical Writing Assessment.
Study for the GMAT exam until you are comfortable with the question formats and timing. Plan a strategy that gives you the right amount of time to feel prepared and addresses your challenges. That way, your exam result with reflect your ability and not your lack of knowledge about the test.
- Try to Find the Best Path to the Right Solution
Take practice exams. After spending time practicing each exam, test yourself again. How well did you do? Do you need more time? Did you improve in your weaker areas and maintain your strengths? But don’t bombard yourself with practice exams. Instead, try to find the best path to the right solution. Train your mind to move from one approach to another, quickly. The website examPAL can help you find your best solution approach by monitoring each and every answer you give, seeing all the answers that thousands of other students have given, and finding the perfect match between your way of thinking and what proved effective for others.
Hope this is helpful.
- Avi