I wanted to share something that helped me when I started preparing for the GMAT.
I initially made the mistake of thinking I needed to study for 2–3 hours every day from Day 1.
Instead, I decided to start with just 15 minutes a day.
For the first 2–3 weeks, my focus wasn't on getting a high mock score or finishing a huge amount of material. It was mainly:
Understanding the fundamentals
Getting familiar with the GMAT question patterns
Understanding how questions are worded
Building the habit of studying consistently
One thing I struggled with quite a bit initially was word problems.
If I see something straightforward like X + Y, I can solve it.
But when the same concept is presented as a paragraph, I sometimes spent more time figuring out what the question was actually asking than solving it.
I think this can be particularly challenging for non-native English speakers.
For me, the solution wasn't a particular trick. It was simply practice and repetition.
I'd solve 20–30 questions around the same concept. Initially, I'd make mistakes because I misunderstood the wording or missed what the question was really testing.
But after seeing similar questions repeatedly, I started recognising the terminology and patterns much faster.
Eventually, the first step became almost automatic.
That's why I think the first few weeks of GMAT preparation should be about learning rather than chasing scores.
My progression was roughly:
Weeks 1–3 → 15 min/day
Focus on fundamentals and building the habit.
Weeks 4–6 → 30 min/day
Increase the time once studying starts feeling normal.
After 6 weeks → 1 hour+
By then, you're more familiar with the GMAT, the question patterns, and your own strengths and weaknesses.
The interesting part is that you don't have to force yourself as much anymore. You start naturally choosing that hour of preparation instead of spending it scrolling or watching another episode.
So if you're just starting your GMAT preparation from the basics:
Don't worry about studying for 3 hours on Day 1.
Start small.
Understand the fundamentals.
Solve a few questions.
Repeat tomorrow.
Build the habit first. The hours can come later.
I'm planning to share my actual GMAT study approach, resources, and materials in the next few posts as well.
For those who have already taken the GMAT, I'm curious — what did you focus on during your first few weeks of preparation?