Study Guide - Stage 2

Practice Tests and Strengthening Weaknesses

In Stage 2 of the Study Guide, you covered all of the content tested on the GMAT.  Now it’s time to identify areas of weakness and start building the stamina required for this 3.5-hour test.

In Stage 2, you'll:

  • Take regular practice tests to gauge your progress
  • Work on your timing and endurance
  • Identify and strengthen areas of weakness
  • Continue developing the proper mindset for maximizing your score

Let’s begin Stage 2.

Determining the Distance to your Target Score

At this point, you may already have the skills necessary to reach your target score.  Let’s find out.

Take GMATPrep test #2 

Enter the results of GMATPrep practice test #2 in your Improvement Chart

So, did you reach or exceed your target score?

If so, then you’re almost ready to take the official GMAT.  Before you schedule your test, however, you should take some more practice tests on the GMATPrep software.  Your goal should be to exceed your target score on at least 2 of the remaining practice tests, since you want to be certain that you will reach your target score on test day.

If you have not yet reached your target score, you will need to identify and strengthen areas of weakness.

Strengthening Areas of Weaknesses

From this point on, your learning activities will be guided by your areas of weakness.  Below, you will find a variety of suggested activities to strengthen any weaknesses.

 

Learning from your GMAT Prep Now Improvement Chart

Review your Improvement Chart to identify areas of weakness (e.g., Geometry, Sentence Correction etc.). For each area of weakness:

Review the videos related to that topic

Re-answer the Official Guide questions related to that topic (be sure to carefully review the full solutions to the questions you answered incorrectly)

Ask, review and answer questions on GMAT Club's many discussion forums.

Learning from your Full-Length Practice Tests

You can take the official GMATPrep practice tests up to 3 times each.  Just remember that, when you see a repeated question, wait about 2 minutes before answering it.  Otherwise your score will be inflated.

 

Analyzing your Practice Tests

When analyzing your practice tests, there are four types of weakness to watch out for:

1. Specific quantitative skills/concepts (e.g., algebra, standard deviation, etc.)

2. Specific Verbal skills/concepts (e.g., verb tenses, assumption CR questions, etc.)

3. Test-taking skills (time management, endurance, anxiety etc.)

4. Silly mistakes

For the first two weaknesses, the fix is straightforward: find the related lesson(s), learn the concept/skill, and answer practice questions to strengthen that weakness.

If your test-taking skills are the issue, then work on those. For example, you'll find videos on time management and anxiety reduction in the General Strategies module.

Finally, if silly mistakes are hurting your score, then you must identify and categorize these mistakes so that, during tests, you can easily spot situations in which you are prone to errors.  For more on this, read the article, Avoiding Silly Misteaks on the GMAT.

 

Additional Resources

If you need additional materials to help you prepare, consider the following options:

Full-length Practice Tests

Math

  • The Official Guide for Quantitative Review
  • GMAT Focus (a tool from the test-makers for evaluating your quantitative proficiency)

Verbal

  • The Official Guide for Verbal Review

Integrated Reasoning

Reaching your Target Score

Keep taking practice tests until you reach your target score on at least two attempts

Schedule your test

Get inspired by reading success stories in GMAT Club's Share your GMAT Experience forum. 

Avoiding Surprises on Test Day

Before your test, travel to the test center to ensure that you know how to get there 

Take a video tour of a GMAT Testing Center

Test Day!

Walk into the test center and do your very best

Keeping in Touch

Send me an email and tell me how you did. I’d love to hear from you! Even better, how about a video review?

Free “Question of the Day” emails!