How to Use This Book: Step-by-step instructions to help you get the most out of your test-prep program.Congratulations! You’ve chosen the GMAT guide from America’s leading educational publisher. You probably know us from many of the textbooks you used in school or in college. Now we’re ready to help you take the next step—and get into the business school of your choice.
This book gives you everything you need to succeed on the test. You’ll get in-depth instruction and review of every topic tested, tips and strategies for every question type, and plenty of practice exams to boost your test-taking confidence. To get started, go to the following pages where you’ll find:
How to Use This Book: Step-by-step instructions to help you get the most out of your test-prep program.
Your GMAT Action Plan: Learn how to make the best use of your preparation time.
Getting the Most from the Interactive Practice Tests: Download the Premium Practice Test App to your tablet or smartphone or visit the companion website for extensive test-taking practice.
Information for International Test Takers: Find out everything you need to know if you live outside the United States and want to attend a U.S. business school.
Learn more. 
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To make the best use of your GMAT preparation time, you’ll need a personalized action plan that’s based on your needs and the time you have available. This book has been designed for flexibility; you can work through it from cover to cover, or you can move around from one chapter to another in the order you want based on your own priorities and needs. However, before you jump in, maximize the effectiveness of your preparation time by spending a few minutes to develop a realistic plan of action that focuses on the areas where you are weakest, takes into account the time you have, and provides the discipline you need to pace yourself and achieve your goals.
Make sure your action plan includes all the areas you need to cover. There are three broad areas you need to consider in any well-rounded action plan to master the GMAT.
You’ll need a combination of knowledge and skills to find the correct answers to GMAT questions. Chapters 4–14 give specific guidance on knowledge and skill areas required. Here is a broad summary:
Math skills: Basic mathematics, algebra, geometry, probability, etc. The GMAT covers everything from fractions to permutations and combinations.
Reading skills: Reading quickly, understanding what you read, scanning a passage for specific information, etc. You’ll need to be able to quickly read various types of passages with a good comprehension of what you have read.
Analytical skills: Identifying issues, understanding how evidence is used to support or weaken an argument, recognizing inferences, finding inconsistencies, etc. The Analytical Writing Assessment and the Critical Reasoning and Integrated Reasoning sections of the test require sound analytical skills.
Grammar skills: Word usage, sentence construction, punctuation, grammar, etc. There are more sentence correction questions in the GMAT Verbal section than any other kind of question.
Writing skills: Paragraph construction, clarity, organization, transition, etc. The first half hour of the test requires a written essay, so you’ll need good writing skills to do well.
The GMAT is both a sprint and a marathon. You have less than two minutes, on average, for each Verbal question and barely two minutes for each Quantitative or Integrated Reasoning question, so it is essential to develop the ability to work through these questions quickly and efficiently. Speed is not enough; at nearly four hours in length, the GMAT requires that you have extraordinary mental stamina so that you can stay focused throughout the test. The best way to prepare yourself is to take practice tests observing strict time limits.
To maximize your performance on the GMAT, you need to have a good understanding of the test, including all the question types you’ll encounter. In Chapters 4–14 there are tips and strategies for approaching each of the different question types. Before you take the test, be sure you know the instructions for each part of the test and have no confusion about the tasks you’ll be asked to perform. Knowing the instructions will save valuable time during the test.
You’ll also need a good guessing strategy. You must answer each question you’re given in order to move on to the next question, which means that you and all other test takers will have to guess at some point in the GMAT. What differentiates great test takers from merely good ones is the ability to guess in such a way as to maximize the chances for a correct answer. If you don’t know the correct answer, try to eliminate incorrect answers. You can increase your odds of guessing correctly from the 20 percent of a completely random guess to 25, 33, or even 50 percent, depending on how many answer choices you’re able to eliminate.
Every GMAT prep plan should devote some time to knowledge and skills, pacing and endurance, and test-taking strategies. But every action plan will be different since it depends on the needs of each individual test taker. Spend a few minutes to devise your plan of attack.
You probably already have a pretty good idea what areas you feel are your weakest ones from previous standardized tests you’ve taken. But the GMAT is unique and has some question types you may never have encountered before. So it’s a very good idea to take the book’s diagnostic test, find out exactly what the GMAT entails, and see on which areas of the test you’ll need to focus your preparation.
How many weeks do you have before the test? Whether you have months or only a couple of weeks, you can develop an action plan to improve your score. If you have only a few weeks, try to work some serious prep time into your schedule. But whether you have months or only weeks, it’s a good idea to plot out specific time periods each week and reserve them for GMAT prep.
Where and when do you study best? Assess when and where you can study most effectively. You know what will work best for you. If you like flash cards, make some. If you work best alone in the library, go there. Whatever you do, make a concrete plan and assess your progress frequently.
This book has the content review, practice questions, practice tests, and strategies you’ll need for your personalized action plan. However, in addition to using this book, be sure to take advantage of the free materials available at www.mba.com, the official website of the organization (GMAC) that creates and administers the GMAT. While preparation tools available on this site are limited, be sure to use the two practice tests provided. These use the actual test delivery software and real previously used GMAT questions. In addition, you’ll get accurate GMAT scores for these practice tests so you can see exactly how well you are doing. However, no explanations are provided, so you’ll have to figure out on your own why you missed the questions you did.
The one thing that limits you is time. Your GMAT preparation strategy will depend on how much time you have to prepare. The more time and energy you devote to preparation, the better your odds are of achieving your goals. The following pages show two sample action plans—one if you have two months to prepare and one if you have only two weeks.
Sample Action Plan 1—If You Have Two Months to Prepare
Two months is an adequate time for most people to prepare for the GMAT, but the time you’ll need depends on how busy you are with work or personal commitments and on how much of an effort you’ll need to reach your target score.
Two months until test day
Take the diagnostic test in this book. Evaluate how you did on the different content areas and the different types of questions. Since you have two months to prepare, you can probably focus on each area of the test in depth, but you should start with your weaknesses. Reading Comprehension in particular tends to require longer-term work, so if this is an area you have identified as a weakness, it may be a good idea to start working on the Reading Comprehension chapter (Chapter 12). If there is any math content that consistently gives you trouble—geometry, perhaps, or quadratic equations—start brushing up on it as well. Similarly, certain question types may be problematic; Data Sufficiency and Integrated Reasoning questions are unfamiliar to most test takers before taking the GMAT, so they may be a weakness. Identify three key areas to work on first.
Schedule time over the following month to work on the chapters in this book that correspond to those three key areas. Be sure you read and review each whole chapter, in addition to working the drills at the end of the chapter. For best retention, read the chapter and work half of the practice problems in one study session, then review the chapter and work the remainder of the practice problems in the next study session.
Set aside time to take another of the practice tests sometime during this first month. Take the entire test in one sitting, if possible. Review the explanations not only for the questions you missed, but also for the questions you got right but found difficult.
One month until test day
Take another GMAT practice test to check your progress. Chances are you’ve improved in your weaker areas, but there are still areas in which you need to do more work.
Schedule time in the next three weeks to complete the chapters you have not worked on and take two more practice tests. For chapters that cover material with which you are already proficient, start with the practice questions at the end of the chapter. Do half of them and check your accuracy. If you’ve made any mistakes, review the explanations and use the chapter to brush up on your skills. Then complete the rest of the end-of-chapter questions.
Two weeks until test day
Take another GMAT practice test and check your progress. If needed, re-evaluate your study schedule for this week to accommodate any additional areas you need to review or practice.
One week until test day
Take at least one more GMAT practice test to check your progress and practice your pacing; taking additional practice tests is optional, depending on how confident you feel.
Keep your mind focused and ready by doing some review work each day, but don’t cram. Above all else, don’t get stressed out. Visualize yourself succeeding and try to relax.
Make sure you’re not in for any surprises on test day. For example, it’s a good idea to actually go to the test center location so you know exactly how to get there.
Sample Action Plan 2—If You Have Only Two Weeks to Prepare
Successfully preparing for the GMAT in just a couple of weeks is an ambitious—and often stressful—project, but it has been done. You’ll have to prioritize; focus on your weaknesses and take at least two or three practice tests. The more time and energy you can carve out for preparation for the GMAT, the better.
Two weeks until test day
Take the diagnostic test in this book. Examine your performance and really home in on your weaknesses. You probably are not going to have time to study every chapter in this book in depth; you’ll make the best use of your time by focusing on shoring up your weak areas. Decide what areas you need to focus on and prioritize.
Schedule time over the next week to go through the chapters of this book that deal with the weak areas you have identified based on your performance on the diagnostic test. Work through no more than one chapter in a sitting. For best retention, read the chapter and work half of the practice problems in one study session, then review the chapter and work the remainder of the practice problems in a later study session.
One week until test day
Take a GMAT practice test to check your progress.
Schedule time over the several days to address the remaining chapters that you have not yet covered. Try a few questions from the practice problems at the end of each chapter and review what you need from the chapter to clear up any questions you might have.
Above all else, don’t get stressed out. Visualize yourself succeeding and try to relax.
Make sure you’re not in for any surprises on test day. For example, it’s a good idea to actually go to the test center location so you know exactly how to get there, how long it might take, and where you will park (if you are driving).
Three days until test day
Take one more practice test to build your confidence level and practice pacing.
No matter what preparation schedule you’ve chosen, your plan for the day before the test should be the same.
Try to schedule some relaxing activity so that you keep the stress level low. A brisk walk or other physical activity is great for relieving stress. The goal is to keep the stress from building so that you get a good night’s sleep. Visualize yourself succeeding on the test and try to avoid getting stressed out.
Don’t cram and don’t stay up late. Eat healthy foods and don’t do anything to dehydrate yourself. Obviously, drinking a lot of alcohol is not advisable even if it might help reduce stress.
Ready or not, the day for your face-to-fact encounter with the GMAT will arrive. Your test-day strategy should include the following:
Stick to whatever routine will make you most comfortable before you walk into the test center. For example, if you have coffee every morning, have it on the morning before you take the test.
It is a good idea to eat a healthy breakfast, but don’t eat too much, especially if you don’t usually eat a substantial breakfast. You don’t want to get hungry, but you don’t want to feel sluggish either. Bring a snack that you can eat during your two five-minute breaks.
Keep track of your pace during the test. Pace yourself and do not spend too much time on any particular question. If you don’t know an answer, try to quickly eliminate answer choices, make a selection, and move on. Remember that about 20 percent of the questions you see will not affect your score at all; they are used as experimental questions to help in developing new tests. So don’t waste time on a question; it may not even count.
Remember, it is acceptable to budget more time for the first four or five questions. These questions, since they start you on a scoring trajectory, have a disproportional influence on your score for a computer-adaptive test like the GMAT.
As far as whether you should guess on the GMAT goes—given that it’s computer-adaptive—the best favor you can do for yourself is to focus on finishing each section on your practice tests in the given time limits so you can do the same on test day.
Read each question carefully and completely. This will help you avoid silly mistakes on questions that you should get right.
McGraw-Hill Education: GMAT 2016 gives you a number of options to practice for the exam. You can practice using this book, your tablet or smartphone, or your laptop or home computer. Whether you use a PC or a Mac or a tablet or smartphone with the Apple, Android, or Windows platform, you’ll be able to practice on the device of your choosing.
In addition to the diagnostic test and two practice tests in this book, six more practice tests are available as part of the Premium Practice Test App and on the companion website, MHE Practice Plus.
The interactive practice tests found on the mobile app and the companion website offer a number of features that will help you meet your study goals:
The app and website include six additional practice tests that will enhance your preparation for the exam.
You can choose whether to take a test section timed or open-ended, depending on your practice goals.
When you finish a section of a test, you will immediately receive a score that shows the percentage of correct answers.
Your scores will be saved so you can refer back to them and follow your progress.
Review mode allows you to see your answer and the correct answer together. (We hope they’re the same!) Here you’ll find a concise and clear explanation for the answer. Moreover, you’ll still be able to see the original question for reference.
If you exit a test section before finishing it, you can simply return to where you left off at a later time.
If you take the six practice tests on your tablet or smartphone, you will find the Premium Practice Test App to be the ideal companion to your study plans. Depending on the device you have, go to one of the following:
Apple → iTunes
Android → Google Play
Windows → Apps for Windows
Once you are at the appropriate app store, search “McGraw-Hill Education GMAT Premium Practice Test App” and download.
Visit MHPracticePlus.com/GMAT to access the online version of the practice tests. Click on “Begin Practice Tests” and you will have access to the six practice tests to use on your laptop or home computer.
More and more people taking the GMAT do not live in the United States. In fact, in the 2007–2008 academic year, 120,825 of the 246,957 GMAT test takers were citizens of other countries. That’s nearly 50 percent. The largest numbers of non-U.S. citizens taking the GMAT came from India, China, Korea, Canada, and Taiwan.
Everyone—whether taking the test in the United States or some other country—has to register for the test in advance. The test is administered by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), and information about the test and registration procedures is available at its site, www.mba.com.
With permanent testing centers in 98 countries, most applicants should not have trouble finding a place to take the test. If there are no centers near your home, you will need to travel to one. When you register for the GMAT, you will need to schedule a test appointment at specific testing center. Go to www.mba.com for a complete listing of testing centers worldwide. The testing fee is the same at all test centers worldwide.
When registering, be sure to enter your name and birth date exactly as they appear on the identification you will present at the test center. You may register online, by telephone, by fax, or by mail. You will need to pay the testing fee by credit or debit card if registering online, by fax, or by phone. If you want to pay by check or money order, you must register by mail. To register online, you must sign up as a registered user at www.mba.com. If you wish to register by telephone, you may do so by calling the number provided below for your region. To register by fax, download the appropriate form from www.mba.com and fax it to the number for your region listed below.
The Americas
Email: GMATCandidateServicesAmericas@pearson.com
Telephone (toll-free within the U.S. and Canada): +1 (800) 717-GMAT (4628), 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time
Telephone: +1 (952) 681-3680, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time
Fax: +1 (952) 681-3681
Asia and Pacific Region
Email: GMATCandidateServicesAPAC@pearson.com
Telephone: +852-3077-4926, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Australian Eastern Standard Time
In India: +91 120-439-7830, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Indian Standard Time
Fax: +91-120-4001660
China
Email: gmatservice@neea.edu.cn
Telephone: +86-10-82345675, Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. China Standard Time
Fax: +86-10-61957800
Europe, the Middle East, and Africa
Email: GMATCandidateServicesEMEA@pearson.com
Telephone: +44 (0) 161 855 7219, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time
Fax: +44 (0) 161 855 7301
It is important to register well in advance—especially good advice if you plan to take the test outside the United States. In some countries the number of people wishing to take the test may sometimes exceed test-center capabilities, resulting in a wait of three to five weeks. Also, keep in mind that you will want to start taking the GMAT early enough so that you have the option of retaking the test before submitting your applications. In nearly all cases, business schools will use only your best score. Thus many people—especially international students—take the test more than once.
Testing centers around the world are similar and implement the same testing procedures. Everyone takes the test on a computer—gone are the days of the paper GMAT—but the computer skills required of test takers are minimal. You need to be able to use a mouse and word processor, enter responses, move to the next question, and access help. Keep in mind, however, that using the help function could steal valuable time from you during the test.
On test day, you will be required to present proper identification in order to take your test. Your government-issued ID must have the following:
Valid date (unexpired), legibility, and your name shown in the Roman alphabet exactly as you provided when you made your test appointment, including the order and placement of the names
Your date of birth (must match the date provided when you registered for your test appointment)
A recent, recognizable photograph
Your signature
In most cases, the following are the only forms of identification that will be accepted at the test center.
Passport (or green card if you are a permanent U.S. resident taking the test in the United States)
Government-issued driver’s license
Government-issued national/state/province identity card
Military ID card
Before you go to the test center, check online at www.mba.com to verify the latest requirements for identification. Note that if you are taking the GMAT in Bangladesh, China (including Hong Kong), India, Japan, Pakistan, Singapore, or South Korea, you must present your passport as identification.
GMAC makes sure that the GMAT is not biased against international test takers. The test makers pre-test all questions by including them in “experimental” test sections given to both U.S. and international test takers. If statistics prove that any of the new questions put international test takers at a disadvantage, those items never appear on the test. Still, international test takers face certain challenges.
The most obvious difficulty for non-native English–speaking test takers is the language barrier. The entire test, including instructions and questions, is in English. Much of the test is focused on verbal skills, and part is a writing test, which requires not only an understanding of the language but a command of it. Your writing, reading comprehension, and grammar skills are directly tested on the GMAT.
Most experts advise non-native English speakers to read as much in English as they can in the months leading up to the test. Financial and business articles are particularly useful to get used to the business terms that might be on the exam.
Other activities that might help you are creating and using flash cards with difficult English words on them and practicing your English by communicating with others who speak the language. To improve your understanding of spoken English, you can watch American TV shows (often now available online). Keep a journal and express your thoughts about what you’ve read and seen in writing. Your goal should be to practice presenting evidence in a cohesive and interesting way to support your arguments in the writing section of the exam. When you read items from American publications, pay particular attention to how the writers gather evidence and present it because there are often subtle cultural differences at play. Remember that the quantitative part of the GMAT is also in English, so it’s a good idea to review math formulas and glossaries in English.
Getting acquainted with standardized tests is another must-do for international test takers. This type of exam is a part of the average American’s educational experience but is not necessarily a cultural norm in other parts of the world. Some people outside the United States may be unfamiliar with multiple-choice questions. These are questions in which you are given from several choices for the correct answer. There are strategies for choosing the best one when you’re not sure. For example, you can eliminate answers that you know are incorrect and then choose among the remaining choices. This is called “taking an educated guess,” and it can improve your chances of picking the correct answer.
Timing is a very important part of standardized tests. Keeping calm is the first step to overcoming the pressure. Taking practice tests is key to learning how to pace yourself to maximize your performance in a limited time period. Taking practice tests will also help you become familiar with the test format. Understanding the instructions for each part of the test in advance can save you time during the exam because you won’t have to spend time on the instructions in addition to the other reading you have to do.
If you received your undergraduate degree from an institution in a country whose official language is not English, the MBA program to which you are applying will likely require you to submit proof of your English proficiency along with your GMAT scores. Most institutions accept scores on either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System); many now also accept scores on the newer PTE (Pearson Test of English). Check with the programs to which you are applying for information about their test requirements. There is no specific passing score on these tests; graduate institutions set their own requirements.
TOEFL: The TOEFL iBT is an Internet-based test administered on 30 to 40 dates a year at more than 4500 sites around the world. A paper-based version (TOEFL PBT) is still used but only in a few locations where Internet access is not reliable. For more information including the format of the test, scoring, and registration, visit www.ets.org/toefl. The TOEFL iBT captures the test taker’s speech and uses this to measure English speaking ability in a standardized manner. Multiple-choice questions are used to measure reading and listening abilities. Two essay questions are used to measure writing abilities.
IELTS: The IELTS is a paper-based test created at Cambridge University in the UK. It consists of four modules—Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Question types include multiple choice, sentence completion, short answer, classification, matching, labeling, and diagram/chart interpretation. The Speaking test is a face-to-face interview with a certified examiner. IELTS has two versions: Academic and General Training. The Academic test is for those who want to study at a tertiary level in an English-speaking country. The General Training test is for those who want to do work experience or training programs, enroll in secondary school, or migrate to an English-speaking country. For more information, visit www.ielts.org.
PTE: The PTE was developed by Pearson, an international educational testing and publishing company. Like the TOEFL iBT, it is administered at testing centers on a computer (there is no paper version). Visit www.pearsonpte.com for more information about the PTE and updated lists of the schools that accept it and the locations where it is given. Like the TOEFL, the PTE uses multiple-choice questions plus essay questions to measure reading, listening, and writing skills. A 30-second audio clip of the test taker’s speech is sent to schools along with the test scores.
There are many products available to help you prepare for the TOEFL; the most reliable is ETS’s own book, The Official Guide to the TOEFL® Test (published by McGraw-Hill Education), which includes a CD-ROM and sample tests. The TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE websites offer free test samples and, for a fee, additional practice materials.
The best preparation for English proficiency exams is simply to improve your abilities to communicate in English. (See “Improving Your English” above. Since the TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE are standardized tests characterized by time limits and multiple-choice questions, see also “Becoming Familiar with Standardized Tests” above.) If you need to take dramatic steps to get your English up to the level you need to attend an American university, a number of companies offer English-immersion courses, including courses in the United States and other English-speaking countries.
People who live outside the United States but are considering American business schools often have lots of questions about the application process. The following box shows some issues that come up frequently.
Most American business schools require applicants to interview with someone from the school, usually a graduate or an administrator trained to conduct applicant interviews. Sometimes an interview may be optional. Every school is different, so you should look into this when you’re filling out your application, so you know what to expect.
You already know how important it is for non-native English speakers to gain fluency before applying to business school in the United States. Knowing the rules of a language or even having a good vocabulary is not enough. You also need to be able to carry on a conversation with native English speakers. This is particularly important when you are interviewing with business schools. Many of the interviews are behavioral, which means the school will be asking you questions about yourself, your experiences, and how you have handled particular situations. There are usually no trick questions. The interviewers simply want to know a little more about you and get a sense of the type of personality you will be bringing to campus.
To prepare for the interview, you should practice answering questions in English, preferably with an English-speaking person. You should probably think about specific examples of your leadership, management skills, and values. Seriously consider what drew you to this particular school, what its culture is like, why you would fit in there, and how the school can help you achieve your career goals. Also, come up with intelligent questions to ask about the school. Seize the opportunity. Refrain from asking questions whose answers will appear on the school’s website, such as how many credits do I need to graduate, or what are the core requirements? Instead, ask about the workload you should expect or the events the school offers to unify the community.
Schools tend to prefer face-to-face interviews, but those are not always possible for international applicants. Sometimes, applicants from abroad have to participate in the interview via telephone. If, however, you are planning a campus visit anyway, then you can try to schedule a face-to-face interview. For an in-person meeting, you should plan to dress in business attire. Keep it simple and conservative.
Nonresidents of the United States will need to obtain a visa to live in the United States. In the years following the September 11 terrorist attacks, there have been lots of rumors about who gets visas and who does not. The biggest change has been that every student must be officially cleared by the government before receiving a visa. This does not change the process for you, but you will need to give yourself plenty of time. Once you have been accepted to business school and have chosen an institution to attend, the process of obtaining a student visa must begin. At the very least, you should get started three months before you need the visa. Besides needing time to complete the requisite forms, you will also need to schedule an appointment for the required embassy consular interview, and waiting times for this vary and can be lengthy.
During the student visa process, you are expected to prove that you have adequate financing to study in the United States, ties to your home country, and a likelihood that you will return home after finishing your studies. In addition, you will have to participate in an ink-free, digital fingerprint scan and provide a passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay. The school will provide you with an I-20 form to complete. Your school will use this to register you with the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), an Internet-based system that maintains accurate and current information on nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors and their families. You’ll also need to submit a completed and signed nonimmigrant visa application with Form DS-160 and photo that meets the requirements outlined on the website. You’ll find information on all this and more at the U.S. Department of State website:
http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/study-exchange.html
Transcripts, diplomas from previous institutions, scores from standardized tests such as the GMAT and TOEFL, and proof you can afford the school (such as income tax records, original bank books and statements) are things you should have on hand. If you have dependents, you will also need documents that prove your relationship to your spouse and children (think marriage license and birth certificates).
Dealing with a bureaucracy can get frustrating. It is important to stay calm and do your best to follow the instructions. Remember to call on your business school if you need help. Although meeting deadlines, starting early, and turning in all the paperwork does not guarantee that you will receive a visa, it does increase your chances of having an easier time. Anything you can do to streamline the application and entrance process into business school will serve you well as you move your life from one country to another.
