Just like different people have different natural proclivities, not every student is naturally equipped to do well on tests such as the GMAT. For example, some people are just naturally athletic, and others are good at a myriad of different things like math, music, poetry etc. So, what about the average student who wasn’t always at the top of their class but wasn’t at the bottom either? Can an average student crack the GMAT, and what is required to achieve this goal?

Is GMAT challenging for average students?

In the traditional sense, yes, GMAT is a tough test but what makes it challenging isn’t really what you think. For starters, although GMAT has a challenging quant section, the math tested on this section is basic school level math. You have probably learned all the various GMAT math topics in school, so it’s only a matter of brushing up on those topics.

Secondly, what makes GMAT a tough test is shortage of time and the exam pressure. Like I said earlier, the quant section only tests school level math, and the good news is that an average student can put in the effort to practice and ace the GMAT.

The GMAT is a test of your nerves and how you manage time than anything else. The secret here is a disciplined study routine and plenty of practice, and there is no reason that you can’t achieve a 700+ score.

Next, it is more apt to describe the test as tricky than to say it is difficult.

Why? Because the test makers have used a team of Psychometricians to trick you into selecting a wrong answer choice. This is the biggest reason why the GMAT is challenging.

However, the good news is that getting familiar with the question types and the various traps the GMAT uses is all it takes to crack it. Fortunately, anyone can learn these tricks. Think of GMAT as a game that you have to navigate by avoiding the different obstacles.

Hence, while the GMAT is a “difficult” test, it is nothing that a few months of diligent study and practice cannot solve. If you are an average student, you can crack the test by studying and practising routinely.

How do you prep if you are an average GMAT student?

If you are starting your GMAT prep, then DO THE FOLLOWING in the given ORDER:

1) Take a Free GMAT Diagnostic Test

This is one of the most important things you can do for your GMAT prep. Start by taking a diagnostic test before doing anything else. Why? Because not only would you get familiarized with the test and its structure, you would also get a clear idea of your base level and your worst possible score, lol.

Here is the crucial bit – make sure that you treat the diagnostic test as taking the actual test. This means it would be best to observe the time restrictions and not rely on any help. Also, take the GMAT diagnostic in a single sitting.

Moreover, a diagnostics test will also tell you which section or question types you have the most difficulty with. Knowing this can be helpful so you can prioritize your studies accordingly.

Keep in mind the following thumb rules:

• If you score less than 600 on your diagnostic, you should keep in mind that it takes 120+ hours on average to improve your score by 100 points.
• If you score between 600-650 on your diagnostic, it takes 80+ hours to touch and surpass 700.
• If you score between 650-700 on your diagnostic, it takes 40+ hours to surpass 700.
• If you score between 700-750 on your diagnostic, it takes 20+ hours of effort and a LOT of LUCK to cross 750.

So, where can you find an accurate diagnostic test? By far, the best free Official GMAT diagnostic test is available on mba.com. Not only is it official, but there are two of them. So, all you’d have to do is sign up for a free account and then access the software.

2) Learn the Basics

The basics are simply the various math and verbal topics that the GMAT tests you on. You only need to understand them to begin solving the questions. Don’t spend too much time on the theoretical stuff. A basic understanding is good enough. You will learn and revise these topics as you move on to the practice questions.

A stellar resource for learning the basics is Manhattan’s foundation quant and foundation verbal guides. This books are incredibly beginner-friendly and covers every aspect of the test with a few basic drill exercises to consolidate your learning. If you an average GMAT student, you can get done with these two books in a matter of 25-30 hours of prep time.

I recommend 2-3 hours of daily prep, 6 days a week. Keeping that in mind, you should be done with the basic guides in 10-15 days.

The foundation guides will not teach you the GMAT shortcuts, tricks or techniques for time management, but they will give you a nice foundation to build upon.

For the more GMAT relevant stuff, you would want to explore the Manhattan’s GMAT books called GMAT All the Quant and GMAT All the Verbal. These books covers all the relevant GMAT strategies that you would need for the exam day.

3) Practice easy to medium (500-600 level) questions

Once you have gone through the foundations guides and All the GMAT guides by Manhattan, there isn’t much else to do but start practising. Begin by solving easy-medium level questions. The ideal place to start is to get GMAT Official Guide.

This books contain 1100+ official GMAT Math and Verbal questions that are taken from the past tests. Moreover, the answer explanations provided are highly detailed and easy to understand.

4) Identify your weaknesses

Once you have solved all the 1100+ questions on the GMAT Official Guide, take another diagnostic test. However, make sure you don’t retake the one solved at the beginning of your prep. Instead, use the second one.

The reason you should take the diagnostic test at this stage of your prep is to pinpoint your weak areas and check your current level. From here onwars, whatever you do, you must keep track of your progress. If you don’t meet your goal score on this diagnostic test, then you need to work further.

The best way to move forward from a less-than-ideal diagnostic score is to get the GMAT official Math Review or GMAT official Verbal Review, depending on which section needs improvement. Each of these books has an additional 340+ practice questions different from the ones in the main official guide that we already did.

5) Keep timing yourself

Remember, the actual GMAT is a timed test, and you only have a little under 2 minutes to solve a question. Therefore, you must know how fast you can solve questions and get the correct answers consistently. The only way to do this is to time yourself by taking full-length practice tests.

Once you begin with your official math review or the verbal review, make sure that you keep taking 1-2 diagnostics every week. Once you start closing in on your goal score, now is the time to register and take the exam.

6) Additional tip for an average student

Don’t stay stuck on a GMAT question.

Don’t make the mistake of getting fixated on a question when you are taking the actual test. If you can, tell the correct answer, just go with your gut and make a guess. Remember that GMAT penalizes unanswered questions, and you don’t want to run out of time and miss a bunch of them. This could quickly decrease your score.

Pick Your GMAT Resources Wisely

Keep in mind that not every book is made alike. There are good books, and then there are low-quality books. To get the best learning experience possible, always go for reputable brands like Manhattan Prep or GMAT’s official guides. I also like Kaplan, so you can also replace the Manhattan prep books with Kaplans GMAT books.

Bonus tip for a super high GMAT score

Solve harder questions (700+ level)

Jump to more complex questions once you feel comfortable with your prep and consistently get the easy-medium questions right. You don’t necessarily have to do this, but if you aspire to get 700+, it will certainly raise your chances.

The perfect place to start is to get the GMAT Official Advanced Questions book. This book contains 300 advanced verbal and quant questions that are carefully curated to reflect the most challenging GMAT questions.

Once you are done with Official Advanced Questions, consider Manhattan Prep’s GMAT Advanced Quant. However, Manhattan’s Advanced Quant is strictly optional.