How Much Should You Spend Studying for the GMAT?
© 2010 Graduate Management Admission Council*
The GMAC recently released some interesting charts on how much time GMAT students spend studying. Not surprisingly, those who spend more time studying tend to score higher – up to a point. But is it really all about hours you spend with your GMAT book open? How do you structure the time you spend studying so that you get the most out of it? Our instructors, Stacey Koprince and Dan Gonzalez, had some feedback about the GMAC’s report.
First and foremost, notes Stacey, whenever studying for the GMAT, you should always remember, “quality over quantity.” Poor studiers will find themselves speeding through questions, looking up the answers and moving on. Studiers who spend time learning about what to expect on the test and how to approach it, then do each problem with that foundation in mind, applying the lessons they learned and analyzing each problem, will find themselves absorbing more content.
As Stacey puts it:
Reflect on everything you do: what are you actually trying to learn here and are you working in such a way that you can do that as efficiently and effectively as possible? Remember that the real test will never contain a single one of your study problems, so your goal is not just to be able to do all of the practice problems. Your goal is actually to learn to think in the way the test-writers think (to some extent) and to be able to respond flexibly to whatever they throw at you (which includes guessing sometimes!).
In addition to quality studying, it’s important to structure the way you spend time studying. Dan suggests studying for the GMAT like you would practice a musical instrument:
If you try to cram all your practice into the 3 hours before your piano lesson, the lesson won’t go well. Better to practice .5 hours per day for 6 consecutive days. It’s the frequent repetition that drives retention. It’s also easier to motivate yourself for shorter study sessions.
Chris Ryan jumps in on Dan’s point to mention the difference between your “want” self and your “should” self (these terms are borrowed from Max Bazerman and Don Moore, business school professors at HBS and Carnegie Mellon, respectively.) Your “should” self will tell you to study, but your “want” self would rather go out partying. The key, says Chris, is to figure out how to satisfy the “should” self by giving concessions to the “want” self. So study, but then reward yourself with a treat, like time with your friends, or a piece of chocolate cake.
The bottom line: The GMAT is a difficult test and those who do best make sure to spend time preparing for it. However, as a GMAT student, you want to make sure that you’re spending your study time constructively, and not burning yourself out.
* Graphic reprinted from an article on GMAT The Official Blog titled “How much time should you spend studying for the GMAT exam”, on the www.mba.com/community/MBA_com/b web site.