The GMAT tests analytical reasoning, critical thinking, and quantitative skills. The GMAT Syllabus consists of four sections: the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), Integrated Reasoning (IR), Quantitative Analysis (Quant), and Verbal Analysis (Verbal). The AWA comprises two essays that ask the student for analysis, evaluation, and argumentation skills; IR tasks include three different sets of questions with varying levels of difficulty; Quant includes several data sufficiency problems as well as statistical inference questions; Verbal has reading comprehension passages followed by multiple-choice questions or sentence correction problems.
10 ways to Cover GMAT syllabus fast
- Familiarize yourself with the content outline. The GMAT syllabus is organized into five main areas: analytical writing, integrated reasoning, quantitative analysis, verbal reasoning, and essay writing. Familiarize yourself with the topics that will be covered in each room so you can focus your studies on the most important concepts.
- Take practice quizzes. In addition to familiarizing yourself with the test content, it’s important to practice answering questions so you can become comfortable with the test format and question types. Try different types of practice quizzes to get various questions in your toolkit.
- Use prep materials wisely. There is a lot of GMAT prep material available online and in bookstores. Knowing how to use this material most effectively is essential. Use GMAT official materials when you are just starting out to familiarize yourself with the test structure and format. Use practice questions, whether authorized or unofficial, early in your studying process to get comfortable with question types. The more prepared you feel on test day, the better!
- Study for more extended periods than you think you need. Most students tend to underestimate how long it takes them to prepare for the GMAT—remember that scoring well requires both pieces of knowledge of content and familiarity with question-type formats, so don’t skimp on the time needed for proper preparation! Aiming for at least four months of study should ensure your readiness; 6-8 months is optimal.
- Keep practicing questions to a minimum in the days before the test itself. In the last few weeks leading up to your exam, you should be studying almost exclusively content and not doing any practice problems at all! This will allow your mind to absorb information without distraction and ensure that it’s still fresh on test day.
- Routinely review concepts you don’t understand well or keep forgetting. It can become frustrating when you don’t remember something important despite your best efforts in memorization. Still, problems like these are often due to lacking understanding of basic concepts rather than wasteful memory retention strategies. Reviewing concepts you don’t feel confident about again and again is necessary for success on the GMAT.
- Take practice exams under actual testing conditions. One of the best ways to simulate test day is to take full-length practice exams under timed conditions. This will help you become comfortable with the amount of time you have per question and also allow you to identify any weaknesses in your pacing strategy.
- Identify your strengths and weaknesses. Once you’ve taken a few practice exams, it should be relatively easy to identify which content areas you excel in and which ones need more work. Focusing on your strengths is important, but don’t forget that you still need to develop a strong foundation in all content areas to score well on the GMAT.
Conclusion
We hope that these tips will help you cover the GMAT syllabus quickly and effectively. Whether your goal is to get into a top business school or just want more confidence in your ability to take standardized tests, good preparation can make all of the difference on test day. We wish you luck with studying for this important exam!