<p>What would be the best way to prepare for the GMAT?
I understand Kaplan and Princeton review have good prep programs but some people have said you can do just as well purchasing their books and studying on your own. Obtaining a high score is important as far as I understand but I know work experience is extremely important. What are some of your opinions on the best way to prepare for the GMAT?</p>
<p>The friends and counselees of mine who have been the most successful preparing for the GMAT did the following:</p>
<p><a href="1">B</a>** Buy a paper book which gives basic strategies and several practice tests. Barron's makes a good one I think. Read the relevant prep sections, start taking the practice exams. You can do it section-by-section if you like, but try to get through a whole exam once per week. This is your warmup.
<a href="2">B</a>** Go to 800score.com and buy their 5 online GMAT exams, it's like $24. Best $24 you'll spend. Those are 5 real-style computer-adaptive exams, and they are ball-busters. Theirs is the only set of practice GMATs I have come across which are harder than the actual exam, which means it's designed extremely well. These are your workouts. As you do this you'll become more accustomed to the types of mistakes you make, you'll pay closer attention to what you need to focus on, and it'll fortify you against errors you might make on the real test.
<a href="3">B</a>** A few days before your exam, take the practice GMAT offered on <a href="http://www.mba.com%5B/url%5D">www.mba.com</a> . It's roughly the same difficulty as the real GMAT, and it's free.
<a href="4">B</a>** Get 2-3 good nights' sleep the 2-3 days before you take the exam. Eat breakfast the morning of.</p>
<p>That's my recommendation. Two people I worked with who did this were getting 640-700 on the 800score.com exams, and were freaking out... and then walked into the exam on test day and both got 780s. It's anecdotal, but anecdotally it prepares you very well.</p>
<p>[edited for courtesy]</p>
<p>OP: Get the official GMAT guide the GMAT people publish. And Kaplan's 800. Finish both books. That's all you need. But if you can afford it, take a prep course.</p>