15 best GMAT books that can help you ace your exam!

GMAT books | The resources you need!

A typical MBA path starts with referring to the right GMAT books and preparing well for the exam. However, before taking the GMAT, there is one step you must take that will have a long-term impact on your career. This blog has compiled a list of the best GMAT books to help you prepare. 

But first, let us examine some critical factors in determining GMAT books and resources.

Why should you use GMAT books?

One should plan to study for the GMAT for an average of 120 hours for about 2 to 3 months. The best GMAT books teach students useful test-taking strategies, common question types they will face on test day, and best practices for making the most of their study time. Therefore, it is essential to invest in the resources and buy the right GMAT books that can take you closer to success by helping you score well in exams.

Key factors in determining the right GMAT books

The following factors can help you determine the right GMAT books for you:

• It is not just about solving complex questionnaires; after going through the book, you should frame a successful strategy to stay ahead of others. 
• If you feel the GMAT books will help you gain the skills to get through exam time, go for it. You can also follow GMAT preparation tips given by experts to utilize your time effectively. 
• The GMAT exam is based on a specific pattern, so it is always important you practice the right set of questions, which can help you in clearing the exam with a decent score.
• The GMAT preparation material and GMAT test books must offer answer keys, so one can understand the correct method to solve different ‌questions. 
• The answer keys should give detailed explanations of the correct answer so the aspirant can understand its concept.

Best GMAT books for you!

Here’s a list of the 15 best GMAT books for you to refer to and prepare well for the exam.

GMAT Official Guide 2022 Bundle

This official GMAT prep book bundle includes a general exam guide as well as guides for the exam’s verbal and quantitative sections. The well-reviewed bundle includes over 1,900 practice questions and answer explanations. You’ll learn how to think critically about questions to develop effective testing strategies, and you’ll be able to track your progress.

Manhattan Prep’s All the GMAT Bundle, 7th Edition

This popular, albeit pricey, GMAT resource condenses content from the 10-book Complete GMAT Strategy Guide Set into just three books. Students can find a variety of strategies to help them on test day, as well as hundreds of practice questions covering both the quantitative and verbal sections.

Kaplan’s GMAT Prep Plus 2022-2023

This new GMAT prep book includes over 350 expert-prepared practice questions and is an effective solution for students who want to learn and practice test-taking strategies. Users can access six computer-adaptive GMAT practice tests and detailed answer explanations online. Kaplan even guarantees that the book will improve your GMAT score or give your money back.

Mometrix’s GMAT Prep Book 2022-2023

The latest GMAT prep book from Mometrix covers the most important concepts, terms, and rules underlying the writing, logical organization, math, and verbal sections of the exam. This book includes a lengthy practice test as well as in-depth answer explanations.

The Mometrix GMAT study guide is laid out logically and organized so that one section flows naturally from the one before it. You won’t get lost in dense academic language because it’s written with an eye for both technical accuracy and accessibility.

GMAT Official Advanced Questions

This official GMAT prep book, geared toward high scorers, focuses on only the most difficult questions from previous exams. It includes 300 difficult verbal and quantitative reasoning questions and answers, explanations, and strategies written by subject matter experts with decades of combined experience writing and editing GMAT exam questions.

Manhattan Prep’s GMAT Foundations of Math, 7th Edition

Manhattan’s GMAT Foundations of Math, 7th Edition, covers everything you need to know to prepare for the GMAT math exam. Every chapter in the book starts with the basics and then moves on to explain how that concept will be applied in the GMAT. Several chapters cover GMAT Algebra, GMAT Geometry, GMAT Arithmetic, and so on.

Students who want to improve their GMAT quantitative performance can get help from experts who have personally scored in the 99th percentile. This book teaches test-takers the fundamental concepts underlying GMAT math questions as well as key test-day strategies.

Manhattan Prep’s GMAT Advanced Quant, 3rd Edition

This go-to GMAT prep book assists students who want to put forth their best effort to achieve a perfect quantitative section score. The guide features more than 250 of the most difficult GMAT math problems. Test-takers who’ve already scored at least a 47 on Quant should find this detailed prep book especially beneficial.

Kaplan’s GMAT Math Workbook, 10th Edition

With over 300 practice problems, this useful prep book provides an in-depth rundown of the GMAT’s major math concepts. Test takers learn how the quantitative section is scored and critical problem-solving and data-based strategies. You will also receive drills on commonly tested topics such as algebra, data analysis, and geometry, as well as detailed answer explanations.

PowerScore’s GMAT Critical Reasoning Bible, 2021 Edition

With its LSAT Critical Reasoning Bible, PowerScore established itself as an LSAT company. For those who are unfamiliar with the distinction between the GMAT and the LSAT, the LSAT is the GMAT Critical Reasoning section on steroids.

So you can bet that PowerScore understands one of the most challenging question types on the GMAT. We recommend it to supplement those looking for a more academic approach to critical reasoning. It also appears to be consistently accurate compared to Manhattan’s critical reasoning resources.

The chapters explain how to easily disassemble arguments by recognizing their various parts (premises and conclusions) and how to choose strategies for attacking each type of question. The book will also show the most commonly used ‘wrong answers’ that GMAC uses to fool test-takers. If you don’t mind a more academic approach to CR strategy and prefer to learn by dissecting problems rather than trial and error, this book will be extremely useful in your test prep journey.

Nova’s GMAT Prep Course

The most recent edition, published in 2021, appears to be nearly identical to the edition published in 2019. We can’t tell the difference even after comparing both GMAT books. The GMAT testing requirements before April 2018 are still listed in the 2021 edition (it says that there are 37 questions in the math section, but this number was reduced to 31). This book adheres to the same study philosophy as Manhattan’s resources: it prefers to present test-takers with marginally more difficult questions than their apparent difficulty.

Manhattan Prep’s GMAT Foundations of Verbal, 7th Edition

This popular book Manhattan Prep outlines foundational verbal concepts found on the GMAT. The resource is especially useful for new English speakers. Online GMAT practice tests and interactive tutorials will help test-takers. In addition, you’ll learn the fundamentals of reading comprehension, critical reasoning, and sentence correction.

The Critical Reader: The Complete GMAT Sentence Correction Guide

Erica L. Meltzer, a well-known verbal and test prep expert, shares her best advice and methods for answering questions about sentence correction in the GMAT Verbal section. Students learn how to identify different question types and the best ways to approach them through drills and 150 practice questions. This book covers a wide range of grammar topics and is intended to be used in conjunction with the official GMAT Verbal guide.

Manhattan Prep’s GMAT Integrated Reasoning & Essay, 7th Edition

Not many GMAT books cover the Integrated Reasoning (IR) and Analytical Writing sections of the GMAT. Fortunately, Manhattan Prep has put together a comprehensive guide that covers all the important details about these two sections. This book will teach GMAT test-takers crucial time-management and problem-solving strategies for the GMAT’s IR and essay sections. Online practice is also available to students.

Manhattan Review’s GMAT Analytical Writing Guide, 6th Edition

This book is one of the few comprehensive GMAT books available that focus solely on the Analytical Writing section, and it covers everything you need to know to write a compelling essay on test day. You’ll learn about the various argument types that appear on the GMAT and helpful strategies for writing a compelling response. Students will also read numerous sample essays as well as critiques explaining what makes them solid or weak.

Veritas Prep Complete GMAT Course Set

The Veritas Prep GMAT Set is suggested for people who want to understand each topic better. Each subject is covered in detail, and the books are well-written.

The practice questions in the books are challenging in addition to being original. One drawback of this set is that it only comes with one complete online practice test in contrast to other publishers. Hundreds of practice questions are available online from Veritas to help candidates improve their scores.

Tips for scoring well in GMAT 

Most students that prepare for the GMAT dream of scoring a 700+ in the exam to enhance their chances of admission to good universities. But, scoring such a high score requires proper planning, which we are going to help you with within this section. 

1. First, go through the GMAT exam syllabus and pattern to understand the exam better. Once you know the format, it will be easy for you to create a study plan. 
2. Appear for a GMAT mock test and analyze the same after completing it. You will be able to gauge your strengths and weaknesses and learn about the areas in which you need to focus more. 
3. Research the resources available for nailing the exam and choose the right ones. If you need more assistance with your GMAT prep, you can reach out to experts who can help you prepare better for the exam. 
4. Take as many mock tests as you can and keep an improvement sheet to track your progress. 

Key takeaways

• Never forget that even the best GMAT books are ineffective if you lack the patience and self-control to create a solid GMAT study schedule and follow it through.
• The best GMAT books must contain actual GMAT practice questions. By answering actual exam questions, you can get ready for the test.
• The best GMAT books should not only increase your knowledge base but also give you test-taking techniques you can use on test day. 
• These books teach you time management, speedy elimination of incorrect answers, question type identification, educated guessing, and other abilities.

Was this blog informative? If so, please share your thoughts in the comments below. If you have any queries, you can always reach out to us for more information on the best GMAT books. We would be happy to assist you with your queries! 

If you liked this blog, then you can read: IELTS Writing Task 1 | How to score a band 8 or above?

FAQs

Q1. How much does the GMAT cost?

Answer – The GMAT test registration fee is $275. However, the fee will vary for different countries.

Q2. How long does the GMAT exam last?

Answer – The GMAT exam lasts 3.5 hours, including breaks and test instructions.

Q3. How difficult is the GMAT exam?

Answer – The GMAT assesses higher-order reasoning abilities. Over 200,000 people take this exam every year, and the average score at top business schools is 720+. Furthermore, only 6% of GMAT test-takers achieve a score of 720 or higher.