As you might be aware, a good GMAT score is often a result of efficient GMAT preparation. Although, a commonly asked question by most GMAT candidates is, how long should they spend on preparing for the GMAT exam? Let us explore the answer to this question in this article.
How Long Must You Prepare for the GMAT?
Before we delve into how much time you require to prepare for the GMAT, let us start by taking a look into the factors that influence your GMAT preparation process. To begin with, the date of your GMAT exam has a significant influence on when you should begin preparing for the exam. Another factor that influences your GMAT preparation process depends on the pace at which you learn and process new concepts. If you are a quick learner, you will take less time to prepare for the GMAT. However, if you are a slow learner, you will take longer to prepare for the GMAT. The third factor is your occupation that might influence your preparation process. If you are a student or a fresh graduate, you have plenty of time to prepare for the GMAT and can afford to draft a GMAT study plan that lasts 3 months to even 6 months. If you are a working professional, owing to your work schedule, you might have the liberty of extending your GMAT study plan more than 2-3 months.
Owing to factors such as your exam date, your learning capabilities, and your occupation; you can roughly chart out an estimate that will be required for you to prepare for the exam. Some GMAT candidates take 2 months to prepare for the GMAT efficiently and some even take close to a year. Hence, there is no ideal GMAT preparation time as it varies from person to person. However, you can modify and alter your GMAT study plan to efficiently make the best use of the time available to you. Let us take a look at some tips for drafting a productive study plan.
Tips for Drafting the Ideal Study Plan
As mentioned above, there is no ideal GMAT preparation time. Similarly, there is no standard GMAT study plan for all GMAT candidates to follow. It varies from person to person and is highly individualistic. There are a few things to keep in mind while drafting your study plan, let us have a look at them below:
Learning Pace
Before you begin drafting your study plan, you must identify the pace at which you can learn and process new concepts. Once you have identified the pace at which you learn and synthesize information, you can accordingly alter your study plan according to your pace.
Identify Your Weaknesses
To make an effective study plan, you must make note of your strengths and weaknesses. Identifying your weaknesses helps you allow yourself extra time to focus and work on areas you struggle with the most. You can take a free mock test for GMAT online to analyze which sections you struggle with the most. Once you identify your weaknesses, you can modify your study plan accordingly.
Realistic Goals
Last but not the least, when drafting your study plan make it a point to set realistic goals. Setting unrealistic goals will only leave you feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. Additionally, working towards an unrealistic goal might lead to early burnout. Hence, set realistic goals which align with your pace.
While preparing for the GMAT is not an easy task, an effective study plan will ease the process. If you incorporate the tips we have provided while drafting your study plan, not only will the preparation process be effective but you will also ace the GMAT with much ease.
