The Graduate Management Admission Test, or GMAT, is a test that most business and management schools require for entrance. As such, a good score on this test is immensely important, and preparation is key. Check out these five books that are practically required reading before attempting the GMAT.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
To perform well on any test (and the GMAT in particular), you'll need self-discipline, determination, and the ability to set effective goals. Stephen Covey's bestselling masterpiece can help you attain all that and more. Covey's book contains the titular seven essential habits that you'll need to be effective, and he also includes insights and anecdotes that come from his vast experience. Definitely a must read for any major undertaking.
The Official Guide for GMAT Review, 2015
When it comes to the nuts and bolts information that you need to know for the test, there's no better guide than the 2015 edition of the Official Guide for GMAT Review. This guide is sanctioned by the Graduate Management Admission Council (also known as the GMAC), which is the body that develops the GMAT. This is the official study guide, and inside you'll find explanations and answers to actual GMAT questions written by creators of the GMAT. Even though there are many GMAT study guides out there, make sure that you prepare using the officially sanctioned guide.
Study Skills for Business and Management Students
Think of this book as a how-to guide for using the Official GMAT Review. The Official GMAT Review contains all the information that you need, and this book shows you how to best study and absorb that information. Written by Barbara Allan, it contains much more than just study skills. This book explains the entire scope of business and management school, from the types of subjects that you'll study to guides for independent studies, dissertations, and special projects.
Finding the Best Business School for You
If you're looking into taking the GMAT, then selecting a business school is also a high priority. This book, by Everette Dennis and Sharon Smith, can help you make that decision. It details how prospective MBA and Executive MBA (EMBA) students can go about selecting the right school for them, and how one can get the most out of the MBA and EMBA experience while in school. There are many online executive MBA programs for prospective business students to choose from, and this book can help make that decision.
The Open-Focus Brain
This book by Les Fehmi and Jim Robbins is a must-read for anyone looking to hone his or her focus. In it, the authors talk about the difference between the narrow-focus mind and the open-focus mind. The book contains practical exercises (and an audio CD) that will help to enhance focus and release tension. All that focus will definitely come in handy while studying for the GMAT.
The books listed above will help you to study for various aspects of the GMAT, and they can all aid success in different ways. The GMAT may be one of the most important tests that a prospective business student ever takes, so it definitely pays to be prepared.