As we all know GMAT comprises of 3 broad sections: Quantitative, Verbal and Analytical Writing Assessment.
The quantitative section in turn consists of "Problem Solving" and "Data Sufficiency". This section is considered easy to score when compared to the Verbal section. The reason for this is that most of the questions appearing in the quantitative section are very basic and are based on basic principles of Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry: which are subjects taught at school. Many aspirants taking the GMAT test have on average about 2-3 years work experience and it is very easy for them to forget the basics of what have been taught at school. This is where the diagnostic tests come to help.
Giving the correct direction:
Diagnostic tests can help you in measuring your current preparedness for the test. Sample questions corresponding to all sections of the GMAT are included, which will aid you to pinpoint your strong points and weakness both in your basic understanding of concepts and your aptitude levels. In the case of quant and specially problem solving, the diagnostic test gives you in black and white, what you need to focus on and which are the basic concepts that you are missing. This is basically telling you to get back to the reference book of your choice and start from the basics.
To prepare and score well, it is better to do a thorough preparation for approximately 2 months, of which, a month should go into preparing, understanding and recollecting the basic principles of all the areas of the test. The unconsumed one calendar month should be entirely dedicated to giving as many GMAT practice tests as possible.
In order for your preparation to be competent and streamlined, you need to be absolutely careful of which areas to stress more on and which areas to just scan through without wasting much time. The GMAT assessment test gives you an accurate picture of your current preparation levels and therefore, points you in the right direction. This is to ensure that you first month of preparation time is spent on the right areas.
Setting Appropriate Targets:
Setting a target score right before you begin your preparation is absolutely imperative. Without a aim, there is a high possibility of wandering aimlessly and not achieving a truly good score that you deserve.
These diagnostic tests also present you with a potential GMAT score (out of 800) and with this score as a benchmark, you can set yourself an appropriate target score. With proper planning and preparation, there is a high possibility of getting an improvement of about 13%-18% over your initial levels. So if in your initial assessment test you get 600, you can set yourself a target of 700 and start preparing for that score.
Considering the importance of the above mentioned points, whether or not you take a GMAT diagnostic test can make or break your overall score. Having said that, you need to choose the right assessment tools. There are plenty of free GMAT practice tests available online. All you need to do is choose the one which can provide you with those details accurately and thoroughly.
Author is a GMAT Educator for over 8years. He is instrumental in training and educating several thousand students for the GMAT exam. He writes regularly on GMAT related topics, discussion and is now the force behind GMATLive, an online educational portal dedicated to GMAT online education.
visit the site at http://www.gmatlive.com
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