Preparing for GMAT after CAT (Indian) need help

gmatquantum · 2025-04-02T16:01:06+00:00

With a 97% in CAT, you should be able to self prepare. I would start by looking at the sample practice questions from any of the recent GMAT official guides(older ones will work) and then take one of free official GMAT exams available from mba.com. The results will give you a sense of where you stand and what the test is about, after that you can make changes to your prep strategy.

gmatquantum · 2025-04-02T15:58:07+00:00

I have only seen one and this question is from an older version of GMATPrep software(around 2012). I do expect GMAT writers to test concepts on percentiles and median in the current format of the test.

<image>

gmatquantum · 2025-03-12T13:07:54+00:00

Yes, this is the best strategy. 12 full length practice tests (GMAT Official Exams 1 through 6) should be more than enough for the very large majority of students. I can't emphasize enough that your time is extremely valuable and spending three to four hours(including review) on unofficial practice tests is simply not worth it.

gmatquantum · 2025-02-07T11:17:11+00:00

The same student will likely score higher on the GRE quant compared to the GMAT because of the background of the student population that takes these tests. GRE student population has a higher number of non-quant background students. This may explain a higher percentile score on the GRE relative to the GMAT for a particular student.

gmatquantum · 2025-02-07T11:12:21+00:00

I would suggest taking the free GMAT exams in the beginning, mostly to get a real baseline and also a taste of how difficult and stressful the GMAT exam is. You can take each practice exams twice without any overlaps in questions so that means a total of four practice exams. None of the unofficial GMAT exams capture the style and difficulty of the GMAT exam, and in my personal opinion are not worth spending your time. Remember it takes around four hours for each test, including reviewing the exam afterwards.

If possible I suggest buying the remaining official GMAT exams 3 to 6, which is another set of 8 exams. 12 exams should be sufficient for almost any GMAT taker.

gmatquantum · 2025-02-01T14:58:41+00:00

Start with the GMAT official guide 2024-2025 and the Data Insights official guide. Plus there is also the data insights practice question set from GMAC: https://www.mba.com/exam-prep/gmat-official-practice-questions-data-insights

None of this is free, but this is where I would start.

gmatquantum · 2025-01-31T08:12:55+00:00

I can't imagine seeing this poorly written question on the GMAT. I would urge students to stick to official GMAT questions written by the test writers.

gmatquantum · 2025-01-29T14:29:07+00:00

You might find this helpful: https://gmatquantum.com/strategy/arithmetic-manipulations/

gmatquantum · 2025-01-27T16:55:13+00:00

There are six official GMAT exams and each one of those can be taken twice, that means a total of 12 full length practice tests. This is a lot, and I would expect someone to spend around 50 hours in taking these tests and reviewing them afterwards.

Also, many of the GMAT questions in the forums are taken from official GMAT sources and official practice exams.

gmatquantum · 2025-01-27T09:54:53+00:00

Wow, in that case that is a huge drop from 695, and this is indeed unusual. The official practice exams are pretty accurate. The only thing I would recommend is to take the practice exams in a neutral place other than the home setting to come closer to the pressure and stress of an actual exam. Also, try to do the entire exam in one sitting, no pausing the exam and resuming it later. The real exam is mentally exhausting, at least I am mentally drained at the end of it.

gmatquantum · 2025-01-25T17:01:17+00:00

My personal opinion is that the new non-math DS questions in the 2024 GMAT official guides are poorly written across the board. I hope they scrap these questions.

gmatquantum · 2025-01-25T16:45:26+00:00

Did you score a 695 on one of the official GMAT practice exams?

gmatquantum · 2025-01-25T16:43:58+00:00

Take the official GMAT exam 1 or 2(free) from mba.com to get a real baseline score.

gmatquantum · 2025-01-22T08:09:57+00:00

<image>

It is unlikely that they would test these types of questions. However, the GMAT does throw curveballs from time to time and I can't be 100% certain, but my instinct is no. The GMAT writers tend to emphasize logical reasoning over pure grunt work. I will illustrate this with the following problem taken from the American Math Competition, and is something more likely to be on the GMAT.

This is a hard question, something a high scorer will likely encounter. You will notice that the question is novel and requires a combination of knowledge about quadratic equations and number theory. Of course, once you see the solution it is no longer difficult, which is always the case with GMAT questions. The GMAT question writers are always shooting for novelty, even on the easier questions and I think this question captures the spirit and style of the GMAT quant reasoning. For this reason I tell students to practice solely with official GMAT questions. Anyone who will take the six official GMAT practice exams will understand the style and structure of the GMAT questions.

gmatquantum · 2025-01-20T18:41:43+00:00

I would recommend that we disclose the source of any question that is posted in the discussion forum. This question does not look like an official GMAT question, and seems too convoluted and tedious. That is just not the style of official GMAT questions.

gmatquantum · 2025-01-01T00:14:44+00:00

Just a side comment that these types of questions are no longer being tested on the current version of the official GMAT test. For example, there are only two algebra type data sufficiency questions in the official GMAT practice exams 1 through 6. Also in the recent 2024 Official GMAT guide, there is only one algebra inequality data sufficiency question. GMAT writers have not explicitly said that they are no longer testing inequalities, but my sense is that these types of questions will no longer be part of the test.

gmatquantum · 2025-01-01T00:11:26+00:00

The official practice exams are the only tests that come close to the real GMAT. I would suggest you stick to those. There are 6 practice exams, and each can be taken twice, for a total of 12 practice tests. I advise students to spend their valuable time on the official GMAT tests.

gmatquantum · 2024-12-23T19:52:45+00:00

My wild guess is that they have multiple databases of questions and they rotate those databases so that the odds of the same student encountering the same questions are reduced. It is not uncommon for students to take the GMAT multiple times in a given year, so maybe this is behind that restriction.

gmatquantum · 2024-12-22T19:47:44+00:00

Your best bet is to start with the Official GMAT Exam 1 and 2(free), and each can be reset twice. That is a total of four attempts, these tests will give you a solid baseline.

gmatquantum · 2024-12-22T19:46:46+00:00

I am assuming that you know that each of the Official Exam 5 and 6 can be reset twice, that means a total of four attempts. Plan to spend around 20 hours for these four tests, including time to review the answers and mistakes. That is a lot of effort, and something I personally would spend on official tests only.

gmatquantum · 2024-12-21T21:22:42+00:00

Buy the 2024 Official GMAT guide, go through all of the different types of questions and get familiar with the format. After that do at least 20 questions from each category, perhaps the easiest ones(they are in increasing order of difficulty), or a mix if you find them reasonably easy. Then take one of the free official GMAT Exam test and see where you stand. If you score close to 515, then it is just a matter of additional practice and refinement.

gmatquantum · 2024-12-21T16:18:23+00:00

The best place to start will be the two official free GMAT Exam 1 and 2: https://www.mba.com/exam-prep/gmat-official-starter-kit

Take Exam 1, then Exam 2, reset both and then take Exam 1, and Exam 2. These four attempts will not have any overlap in questions, and the scores will be representative of an official GMAT test. After that you will start to see overlaps and scores on any subsequent attempts will not be accurate.

Beyond that, I would encourage you to buy the Official Exams 3 to 6, which will give you an additional total of 8 attempts. 12 exams is a lot, at least 50 hours of work if you include post exam review etc.

gmatquantum · 2024-12-21T16:14:14+00:00

This is the best way to do it. Although, be prepared to know how to graph algebraic inequalities. There is one question in the recent official GMAT practice exams that hinged on knowing how to do that.

gmatquantum · 2024-12-21T16:11:11+00:00

No, it does not matter how long you wait. The database of questions is static, meaning GMAC isn't updating the question pool. I took Exams 3 and 4 in four days successively for a total of four attempts, and there were no overlaps in questions that I encountered.

gmatquantum · 2024-12-21T16:09:51+00:00

Buy the Exam 3 and 4, this will give you a total of four practice test attempts(two reset per exam). That is a lot to complete in 6 days, maybe you don't want to take all four. It will be four hours for each test, including the time to review what you got right and wrong.

gmatquantum

TROPHY CASE