While GMAT (or GRE) preparation is not EssaySnark’s primary expertise — we are EssaySnark not GMATSnark, after all — we obviously want to help you be successful in this important part of your application as well.
There are a wide range of test prep providers that you can research. However, just like with the market for admissions consultants, we don’t offer opinions on GMAT companies — there’s some good, some bad, and some ugly. You’ll need to do your own research. One tip though: When you ask your friends which test prep company is good, try to figure out if your friend’s personality and study style are similar to yours. If your girlfriend who landed a 3.8 in chemistry at Princeton says Company X is good, well, that might not be so relevant if you are an art history major!
The other advice we can offer is that if you’re trying for a top MBA program, you should probably take the GMAT rather than the GRE. We go into the reasons why in a variety of posts on the blahg; here’s a slightly more recent one from 2017.
Here’s some additional GMAT-related articles:
- ($) When informing the adcom about a new GMAT score (waitlist, optional essay)
- ($) Test-optional policies sound great! And…
- ($) Should you take the Executive Assessment if you’re trying for a top MBA program?
- More schools are loosening requirements for GMAT and GRE: Berkeley Haas statement of academic readiness
- ($) How to interpret feedback from the adcom
- ($) Who / what situations are greenlit for an MBA app in Round 3?
- ($) Just In Time MBA App Prep: What if you JUST decided to apply to bschool? Like, NOW?
- ($) How to get off the waitlist
- ($) “Is my GMAT score good enough?” Round 2 edition
- ($) When a 740 GMAT isn’t really a 740 GMAT
- Why testing is likely to stay a part of the MBA admissions ecosystem for some time
- ($) When to update the adcom after they have your app
- ($) GMAT/GRE waivers: Should you request one?
- ($) Do the schools look at all your scores?
- ($) So this is interesting… Since we’re talking about competition for MBA seats and what it takes to get in.
We’ve also published a few articles on other sites:
- 3 Truths about the GMAT on BusinessBecause (May 2013)
- How GMAT Prep Sets You Up for Success in Your MBA Essays on the Magoosh GMAT blog (April 2013) (which is not to say you can’t nail the test just fine with self-study!)
And some recommendations from BSers who’ve gone before:
- qshdz recommended the McKinsey Problem-Solving Test to study for Integrated Reasoning
- bschool2013 recommended GMATHacks , a free site with study tips
If you have free resources that have worked for you, please pass them along!