GMAT Study Plan

Week 1 — Diagnostic & prep setup (Official Practice Exam 1)~12h

• Take Official Practice Exam 1 under full timed, single-sitting conditions for a baseline total (205–805) and per-section (60–90) scores.
• Build your error log (question type, sub-topic, and why-missed: content gap / careless / misread / pacing / guessed).
• Set a target score and translate it into per-section targets.
• Rehearse the platform: bookmarking, Question Review & Edit, and picking a Select Section Order.

Week 2 — Quant: Number Properties & Arithmetic • Quant: Percents, Ratios & Statistics~12h

• Master divisibility, factors/multiples, primes, LCM/GCF, and remainder rules.
• Nail odd/even and positive/negative behavior and integer constraints.
• Drill fractions, decimals, exponents, and roots — without a calculator.
• Build mental-math and estimation speed; log every arithmetic slip.
• Master percent change, successive percents, and profit/discount/interest setups.
• Drill ratios, proportions, and unit conversions.
• Learn mean, median, mode, range, weighted averages, and standard deviation (conceptual).
• Do 40–60 mixed problems and tag recurring error patterns in the log.

Week 3 — Quant: Algebra • Quant: Word Problems & Applied Math~12h

• Master linear and quadratic equations, factoring, and systems of equations.
• Drill inequalities and absolute value — a frequent trap area.
• Handle functions, sequences, and algebraic translation of word phrases.
• Practice smart numbers and back-solving from answer choices as speed tactics.
• Master rate problems: distance-speed-time and work/combined-rate.
• Drill mixtures, ages, and overlapping-sets (Venn/matrix) problems.
• Translate dense prose into equations quickly and accurately.
• Do 50+ timed word problems, tracking “misread the question” errors specifically.

Week 4 — Official mock + full review~7h

• Take an official mock under strict test conditions (same time of day as your real test).
• Spend as long reviewing as you did testing — every wrong AND every guessed-right question goes in the error log.
• Convert recurring error categories into targeted re-drilling before the next mock.
• Track your score trajectory and reallocate time to the weakest of the three equally-weighted sections.

Week 5 — Quant: Combinatorics & Probability • Verbal: Critical Reasoning~12h

• Learn counting principles and permutations vs. combinations, and when to use each.
• Master basic probability, “at least one” / complement, and independent vs. dependent events.
• Cover the sets/counting edge cases the GMAT favors.
• Accept diminishing returns — these are lower-frequency; don't over-invest vs. core Quant.
• Deconstruct arguments into conclusion, premises, and assumption before reading choices.
• Master each question family: assumption, strengthen, weaken, evaluate, inference, flaw, boldface, paradox.
• Drill 30+ weaken/assumption questions, logging the exact trap (out-of-scope, reversal, extreme language).
• Build the habit of pre-phrasing the answer, then matching.

Week 6 — Verbal: Reading Comprehension • Data Insights: Data Sufficiency Logic~12h

• Read actively: map each paragraph's role and the author's tone, not the details.
• Practice the main-idea, detail, inference, and function question types.
• Train on longer, denser passages (science, business, social science) to build stamina.
• Log every wrong answer as “misread passage” vs. “misread question” vs. “trap choice.”
• Master the fixed five-answer DS framework until it's automatic.
• Decide whether you can answer — never actually solve fully.
• Attack classic traps: assuming integers, forgetting negatives/zero/fractions, and the “C-trap.”
• Do 40+ DS questions with an error log split by content area.

Week 7 — Official mock + full review~7h

• Take an official mock under strict test conditions (same time of day as your real test).
• Spend as long reviewing as you did testing — every wrong AND every guessed-right question goes in the error log.
• Convert recurring error categories into targeted re-drilling before the next mock.
• Track your score trajectory and reallocate time to the weakest of the three equally-weighted sections.

Week 8 — Data Insights: Graphics Interpretation & Table Analysis • Data Insights: Multi-Source Reasoning & Two-Part Analysis~12h

• Read scatterplots, bar/line charts, and unusual graph types; watch axis scales and units.
• Use the sortable table efficiently to answer multi-part prompts on medians, ratios, and filtering.
• Pull only the data a question needs and ignore the rest.
• Use the on-screen calculator (allowed only in this section) deliberately, not reflexively.
• On Multi-Source Reasoning, synthesize two or three tabbed sources and track which holds which fact.
• On Two-Part Analysis, solve problems with a two-column answer grid spanning quant and verbal logic.
• Drill switching quickly between tabs without losing the thread.
• Emphasize accuracy over speed — these multi-part items are all-or-nothing.

Week 9 — Official mock + full review~7h

• Take an official mock under strict test conditions (same time of day as your real test).
• Spend as long reviewing as you did testing — every wrong AND every guessed-right question goes in the error log.
• Convert recurring error categories into targeted re-drilling before the next mock.
• Track your score trajectory and reallocate time to the weakest of the three equally-weighted sections.

Week 10 — Timing, Pacing & Section-Order Strategy~12h

• Internalize per-question benchmarks (Quant ~2:08, Verbal ~1:57, DI ~2:15) and a checkpoint pacing plan.
• Practice flag-and-move, then use Question Review & Edit (max 3 edits per section).
• Test-drive different Select Section Orders in mocks to find your best sequence.
• Build guessing discipline — a smart 15-second guess beats a wrong 4-minute answer.

Week 11 — Error-log-driven targeted drilling~12h

• Review your error log for patterns and turn your top weaknesses into focused drill sets.
• Re-attempt previously-missed questions until the method sticks.
• Do timed mixed sets across all three sections, with extra Data Insights volume.
• Update the log and note which trap types keep recurring.

Week 12 — Final review & test week~7h

• Take a final full mock 5–7 days out (not the day before) under exact conditions and your chosen section order.
• Re-drill only your top error-log patterns and formula/CR-trap cheat sheets — no new topics.
• Taper: light review only in the last 48 hours; lock in your section order and pacing checkpoints.
• Confirm logistics (appointment, ID, and online-proctor or test-center setup).

Most people study 120–150+ hours over two to three months. Three months at about 10–12 hours a week is the most common GMAT study schedule and gives you time to cover Quant, Verbal, and Data Insights and take several official mocks.

A 1-month GMAT study plan is aggressive but doable for a retake or a focused score lift at ~15–20 hours a week. Diagnose right away, concentrate on your weakest area, and use your error log to avoid repeating mistakes.

Plan on 10–15 hours a week for a two- to three-month timeline, or ~8 hours for a six-month plan. Quality of review — especially your error log — matters more than raw problem volume.

The Focus Edition removed Sentence Correction and the AWA essay and added Data Insights (Data Sufficiency, Multi-Source Reasoning, Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation, Two-Part Analysis). Budget dedicated time for Data Insights — many test-takers underestimate it.