GMAT 2025 Preparation Tips: How to Prepare for GMAT Exam?

Make sure to understand the GMAT pattern and the GMAT syllabus. Once you have understood how the exam works, you need to refer to authentic GMAT study material and prepare a study plan.

Those who are going to take the GMAT exam in 2025 can go through these top 10 GMAT preparation tips.

1. Learn about the GMAT sections

Before making a study plan, you should be well-versed in the structure of the GMAT exam. Understanding the GMAT exam pattern is the very first step towards GMAT preparation. Then, you can move on to understanding the GMAT exam syllabus. 

The GMAT Focus includes three sections:

• Quantitative Reasoning (Quant section): evaluates the test-taker's ability to solve quantitative problems and reason mathematically.
• Verbal Reasoning (Verbal section): it measures your editing abilities, reading comprehension skills, and critical reasoning.
• Data Insights (DI): This is a new section of GMAT which assesses the applicant's ability to analyse and interpret different types of data and apply it to real-world business scenarios.

The GMAT is scored between 205 and 805. The GMAT results or scores include all three sections of the GMAT (Focus). In the latest GMAT exam format, there is no writing assessment. 

2. Make a study plan before starting the preparation

Having a GMAT study plan early will help you choose a clear path for GMAT preparation. Mostly, students prepare a 12-week study plan that helps them know the tips and tricks needed to achieve their business school goals. Typically, students spend around 3-6 months on GMAT preparation. Here is a tip: before you decide how much time is required for the GMAT preparation, take a GMAT mock test. Depending on the score you get in the mock test, you can decide how much time you need to prepare for the GMAT.

3. Select GMAT prep material

The next step for GMAT preparation is gathering GMAT prep material online and offline. There are a lot of online GMAT prep materials that you can use to prepare for the GMAT test. You can also look at the GMAT official prep material. Select the material that has a similar scoring algorithm as the GMAT. Also, solve questions from past exams. Here is an overview of the GMAT preparation books:

• GMAT official study material
• Manhattan GMAT Guides
• Other resources from Veritas, Magoosh, Kaplan, etc.
• GMAT Club and Beat the GMAT forums
• Thursdays with Ron videos

4. Work on your weaknesses

Based on your past academic performance, identify your weaknesses and work on them first while preparing for the GMAT. After identifying your weak areas, make a plan and work on them regularly. Out of the three GMAT sections and sub-sections within them, check out the areas where you need improvement and give all your attention to strengthening your skills as part of your GMAT preparation plan.

5. Don't stick to one question

There will be a penalty if you don't complete each exam section. Also, unanswered questions will decrease your score. Don't spend too much time on solving a single tricky question; rather, give a limited time to each question. Do not spend more than two and a half minutes on one question. Thus, keeping these pointers in mind, devise your GMAT preparation strategy.

6. Focus on the time limit while preparing for the GMAT

With limited time, developing your speed is of utmost importance. Focus more on the area which is taking up too much of your time. For example, if you are taking too much time on the Quantitative section, then work on improving your Quantitative skills. Solve the GMAT practice exam every day and develop your speed. This way, you will gain confidence with GMAT preparation and not get overwhelmed in a real exam setting.

7. Use an elimination strategy

Don't spend too much time on a question you cannot solve. Do not get obsessed with giving the right answers. Whenever stuck with a tricky question, just mark the one which is nearest to the correct answer and move on to the next question. Using this strategy during your GMAT preparation will be beneficial when you appear for the main GMAT exam date.

8. Improve visual literacy while preparing for the GMAT

Learn to read charts, symbols, tables, and graphs to increase your efficiency while preparing for GMAT. GMAT exams have visual data questions, so, learning this skill will help you in better time management as well. This will help you in solving the GMAT Quant section.

9. Develop the right kind of skills

As it is a timed test, develop cut-to-cut skills that will be useful while taking the GMAT test. Find your weak area and work on it, so, it will not affect your performance on the entire exam. GMAT preparation should be solid, and one must not leave any stone unturned. 

10. Practice as much as you can

Practice more and more! As they say, practice makes a man perfect. To prepare for the GMAT exam, apply this strategy, and then proceed to the free GMAT sample papers once you've completed your preparation. It will help you in finding how well you are prepared for the test. Also, keep the scope to retake the GMAT exam if the need may arise. 

If you choose to prepare for the GMAT through self-study, you'll find the best books for 2025 preparation, along with study materials and GMAT study plans, to help you. GMAC has its official study guide and free software. Refer to the following GMAT 2025 books and resources to help create a study plan:

• Premium GMAT Study Collection - Includes a comprehensive study material bundle along with 3-6 full length practice tests. Allows students to use this to understand the adaptive testing of GMAT Focus.
• GMAT Official Guide Qauntitative Review 2025-2026
• GMAT Official Guide Verbal Review 2025-2026
• The Official Guide for GMAT Review 2025-2026 – This exam guide includes more than 900 questions from past GMAT exams, a diagnostic section to help you assess where to focus your efforts, and invaluable test-taking tips and strategies to help you get the score you want. 

Apart from the official resources, there are other GMAT preparation materials which can be used for self-study:

• Kaplan GMAT 800: Advanced Prep for Advanced Students - Test-taking tips, proven strategies for getting a perfect score of 805, and focused guidelines for tackling each question type all combine for the ideal preparation tool for the most ambitious student.
• Manhattan Prep All the GMAT
• Manhattan GMAT Strategy Guides

Learn how to prepare for the GMAT and review the GMAT exam preparation tips section-wise. Learn about the GMAT exam pattern and syllabus and plan your routine strategically covering topic by topic. Making slow progress but continuous efforts will help you achieve a GMAT score of 645 or above.

GMAT Preparation Tips: Quantitative Section

• This section includes 21 questions and a time limit of 45 minutes.
• Cover questions related to Algebra and Arithmetic while practising.
• Memorizing the mathematical formulas used in these topics will help increase the speed.
• Practice both easy and tricky questions to cover the entire GMAT syllabus for the Quant section.

Read: GMAT Preparation Tips: Quantitative Section

GMAT Preparation Tips: Verbal Section

• 45 minutes are allotted for the Verbal Section of the GMAT test during which you need to solve 23 questions.
• This section tests your English language skills and usage. For the Verbal section enhance your grammar with grammar books and read newspaper editorials.
• The section will have questions from various topics like reading passages and inferring the main idea and its supporting ideas. 
• This section will also test the applicant's critical reasoning aspect, thus applicants should practice questions which challenge their critical thinking.
• Cover all these topics while preparing and using different guide books as this section will also test your reasoning and analytical skills.

Read: GMAT preparation tips: Verbal section

GMAT Preparation Tips: Data Insights

• A total of 45 minutes are allotted to the Data Insights Section for a total of 20 questions.
• Practice questions on data sufficiency, examining the interpretation of data from multiple sources.
• Understand and build your speed for table analysis and graphics interpretation.
• Solve as many questions as possible, source them from analysis through different media and simultaneously check your performance.
• This section is new on GMAT Focus, hence, you can source its questions and solutions either from the official website or from prep materials.  
• Try to increase your speed, so, manage time efficiently and be able to answer maximum questions on Data Insights on GMAT exam.

Note: The AWA or the writing section on GMAT has been scrapped for the new format of testing.

These preparation tips will help you understand how to improve your GMAT scores to get into better colleges. Getting a great score on the GMAT exam isn't a difficult task, and just requires proper planning and preparation.

Now that you have looked at the section-wise strategy of the GMAT 2025 exam preparation, it is time you understand, in brief, the 3-month GMAT 2025 study plan. Students can always tweak this plan as per their requirements. The best way to study for GMAT exam is as follows:

Check out: GMAT Study Plan for 3 Months

Now that you have understood the GMAT 2025 exam preparation strategies, you must implement them and follow them with dedication. For answers to more queries, you may read our GMAT 2025 Preparation FAQs.