GMAT study plan: 10 weeks for the Focus Edition
Last checked October 23, 2026 · Sources: format, timing, scoring and official practice from GMAC (mba.com). The week-by-week schedule is our suggestion; study length varies with your starting point and target.
A GMAT study plan should start with an official practice exam, because only GMAC’s exams use the real scoring algorithm. The Focus Edition has three 45-minute sections (Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and Data Insights), 64 questions in 2 hours 15 minutes, scored 205 to 805. The 10-week plan below balances all three and saves official exams for the end.
A 10-week GMAT plan (our suggestion)
Take GMAC's first free official practice exam under real conditions, then set your target from your schools' score ranges and choose a course.
Work through Quant fundamentals and problem types with your course, doing timed sets of questions as you go.
Critical reasoning and reading comprehension, practicing with real questions from the Official Guide.
Data Insights mixes tables, graphs and multi-source reasoning; give it dedicated time, since it's new to many students.
Take the second free official exam, then review every mistake by section and drill your weakest question types.
Use paid official practice exams (sold in a set of four) once a week, practicing section order and when to use your answer edits.
Light review, one final official exam early in the week, then rest and check your ID and test setup.
Pacing and exam tactics to practice
- Timing: 45 minutes per section is about two minutes per question, by our arithmetic.
- Section order: you choose the order on test day, so try different orders in practice and pick the one that works for you.
- Review and edit: you can bookmark questions and change up to three answers per section, so practice deciding when an edit is worth the time.
- Break: one optional 10-minute break; decide in advance when you’ll take it.
What to study with
Use GMAC’s free official exams and the $49.99 Official Guide for real questions. For teaching, e-GMAT (4.7 / 5) includes three live sessions a week from $249; Target Test Prep (4.3) is the deepest for Quant; Magoosh (3.8) is the cheapest. See best GMAT prep.
Common questions about GMAT study plans
How long should I study for the GMAT?
Many candidates study for two to three months; this plan assumes about 10 to 12 hours a week for 10 weeks. Adjust it to your baseline score and target.
How many practice exams should I take?
Six official exams exist: two free and four sold together. Save at least two for the final weeks, since they’re your most accurate guide to your likely score.
Which section should I study first?
Your weakest, as your first official exam shows; Data Insights often needs dedicated time because it’s the newest section.
Can I retake the GMAT?
Yes, up to five times in any 12 months. Leave time in your timeline for a possible retake before application deadlines.
See also GMAT format and scoring, GMAT exam day and free GMAT resources. MockTestPrep is independent and is not affiliated with GMAC.