If you want to get your MBA or similar master's degree, you need to master the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) first. If you though the SATs were hard, just wait until you take your GMAT test. This may not do wonders for your self-esteem, but it does prepare you for the challenge of getting the score you need to get into a top school. You'll need at least 620-700 to get accepted by most schools. If you're aiming at a more competitive school, you need 700 or higher. It's not an easy task, but it is an achievable goal.

What Not to Do

Preparing for the GMAT isn't something you do during a late night cramming session. Serious preparation is required. You're going to have to study. There's no way around it, but there are some techniques that tend to make studying for the GMAT more productive. To find out what works, it helps to see what doesn't work. The top GMAT study mistakes include:

• Going for quantity over quality - You'll find plenty of books and study guides when preparing for the GMAT, many with sample questions. While you can find a wide selection of questions, you shouldn't waste your time trying to memorize answers. Take some time to really look at the question to determine how the answer was determined. A better understanding of how you get to an answer is more valuable than just memorizing answers. This allows you to approach all questions with the same mindset.
• Putting off taking the GMAT - You need at least two months of preparation before taking the GMAT. It's usually best to take the GMAT while you are still in school since you will have peers to study with and more time to devote to the studying. If you wait until you get a job or until you graduate, you're going to have a busy schedule and other priorities.
• Studying everything at once - Long cram sessions don't work when studying for the GMAT. It's best to mix up your study sessions. Do some quantitative topics and take a break and then work on some verbal problems during your next study sessions. Do some sample problems and then review your work.
• Not considering the time factor - It's one thing to be prepared for the 41 verbal questions or 37 quantitative questions, and another to forget that you have 75 minutes to answer such questions. Any practice test you take should be timed. This gets you used to answering questions within the time allotted.
• Only doing the problems you're good at - Avoid the temptation to only focus on the problems you're good at it. It may not be the most pleasant experience, but tackling the areas that are hardest for you will be more beneficial to you when taking the actual test.

Read Blogs By Previous Test Takers

There is something to be said for learning from the experiences of others. You'll run across some horror stories of techniques that didn't work and some tips from proud peacocks boasting about how they ended up with stellar results on their GMAT. Read posts with examples from both camps. Remember that what works for one person, won't necessarily work for you. Take a few tips to heart here and there, but don't try to duplicate what someone else did exactly. The most useful blog posts are usually the ones that tell the tales of mistakes and what was learned from them. Don't be afraid to be interactive and post questions and get advice specific to you.

Start by figuring out what study methods work best for you. Typically college study techniques such as cramming and marathon study sessions aren't that effective when preparing for the GMAT. Focus on how questions are answered, not just what the answer is. Finally, take timed practice tests. MBA.com has two free practice tests you can download. The rest is up to you. Good luck!

Josie Warner writes full-time for education blogs nationwide. She writes for www.bussinessmba.org where you can find out more about business school rankings. View the ranking here.