GMAT audio study material and prep

Many people are looking to boost their chances of passing the GMAT with a high score. And this is not an easy task. The test is rather difficult, and it will take you a while to prepare. But fortunately, there are ways to make the entire experience a bit simpler.

You can find great audio study materials that will help you along the way, and it is one of the easiest ways to improve efficiency and save time.

What is the GMAT

Before we go through all the preparations and materials you can use, it is fundamental to explain what the GMAT is. The GMAT or the Graduate Management Admission Test is a standardized test for business and management programs.

It is a form of computer adaptive test, and the candidates will get multiple-choice questions. As with any other test (LSAT, GRE, and others), the idea behind it is to show readiness and to accept only the best students in the class.

The test was developed by the Graduate Management Admission Council or GMAC, and it covers several areas. You would need to know grammar, statistics, algebra, arithmetics, and geometry.

As you can probably expect, these tests are timed, and they are separated into four sections.

• Verbal
• Quantitative
• Integrated Reasoning
• Analytical Writing Assessment

Those that decide to take a test can choose the order of exams, and there are three possible combinations. Quantitative and Verbal are the most important sections of the GMAT, which is why many test takers start with these two sections.

The integrated reasoning section has twelve questions, and it lasts thirty minutes. The idea behind it is to test how well participants can synthesize and analyze various formats from different sources.

Having to take the GMAT is quite common for Master of Business Administration programs, and the competition can be quite tough. Which is one of many reasons why you should prepare for the exam as best as you can.

Is GMAT hard?

The short answer is yes. Each year, over 200,000 people take these tests, and only 6% of them are able to score over 720. The score on the GMAT goes from 200 to 800, which only shows how challenging it is.

If you take a look at top-business schools, the average GMAT score is 720. Essentially, GMAT is designed as a test of reasoning skills, and many people in the industry believe that these are crucial for success.

Additionally, several studies suggest how scores are quite a good indicator of success in further education, especially for business schools. So, it is more than logical for the test to be hard. Otherwise, everyone would be able to get high scores.

Those that are looking to score high on the test will need to prepare for the test. And this can include a lot of work. So, anyone that wants to get good test results on the GMAT should prepare to spend a lot of time working on it.

How to prepare for the GMAT

The first thing you should know is that there is no easy way around it. If you want to prepare for the GMAT, there is only one way to do it – studying. And you will need to study a lot. People report studying for ten or even fifteen hours per day preparing for the GMAT.

Those that are willing to spend half of the day studying will probably need to do it for a couple of weeks. Many people spend between six and nine weeks preparing for the exam, and it is possible as long as you follow the study plan.

At the same time, some people will need more (or less) time to prepare for the GMAT. The only thing that is constant is that you will not be able to avoid studying. Of course, since you can really plan for unexpected things, you should always have some spare time.

This will give you the chance to go through everything again and double check it. Generally speaking, people spend around three months preparing for the GMAT, and the entire process will be challenging.

Besides time, you will need appropriate tools and learning materials, and there are plenty of different options you can check out. If you decide to go for learning materials designed for the GMAT, it will increase your chances of successfully completing the exam.

Top audio study material for the GMAT

Now that you understand the basic idea behind the GMAT, you should start thinking about tools and methods you can use to prepare for the test. Many people prefer audiobooks, and using them can save you so much time.

In fact, over fifty-percent of all people would rather listen to an audiobook than read a physical one. Since time is crucial and you will need to be as efficient as possible, audiobooks seem like the best possible option.

Here are some of the options you might want to check out, and materials that will help you get high results on the test. Keep in mind that these materials are just a stepping stone, and they are designed to assist you along the way.

But you will still need to dedicate time and attention to the test, and the only way to pass it is to study.

Official GMAT prep

The first option on the list is the book called Official GMAT Prep. As the name suggests, this is an official book designed to help you prepare for the test. As the creators claim, it will increase your chances of success, and it contains everything you need for the preparation.

And this course covers it all. It goes through content review of quantitative, verbal, and analytical writing sections of the test, and it is designed to assist you understand the idea behind each and every part of the test.

Naturally, people hope to pass the test on the first try, which often means that they are not aware of what to expect from it. With the Official GMAT Prep, you will get a chance to see the version of the test before it’s too late.

The book was written by experts in the field, including tutors and professors who know everything about the GMAT. The full-length guide is a bit over thirty hours, and you can easily go through it on the go.

It is one of the best options for those looking to prepare for the test, and it can be more than helpful for other similar versions. The audio version of the book is perfect for auditory learners, but anyone can benefit from it.

GMAT audio crash course

GMAT Audio Crash Course is another audiobook you can check out, and it is tailored for this exam. With it, you will get the necessary information on what to expect when it comes to GMAT, as well as how to prepare appropriately.

This crash course covers the most important elements of the GMAT test, and helps you understand what to expect from it. Most importantly, the materials and topics covered in this audiobook are up-to-date and they are accurate.

The entire book is separated into chapters for easier learning, and it ends with a practice test. This quiz has 100 questions, and it is rather similar to the original GMAT you will be taking in the future. This practice exam can help you test your knowledge with ease.

Another exciting feature you will find is that GMAT Audio Crash Course has a vocabulary course in the end. It covers 500 words you will need to know before your test, and it will help you master pronunciation, spelling, and even synonyms and definitions.

Since it is an audiobook, you will have an easier time learning about pronunciation and words, and it will be more than helpful for your upcoming test.

Finally, the prep book offers a PDF that allows you to follow the plan while listening to the book, and it includes necessary graphs and charts.

GMAT audio study guide (Unabridged)

The last entry on the list is reserved for the GMAT Audio Study Guide. As you can guess from the name, this is another audiobook designed to help you prepare for the GMAT. You can listen to the content of this audiobook while in your car, shopping, or anything else.

It can help you save so much time, and it will be more than helpful based on the difficulty of the task. The book includes practice questions with detailed explanations, and it covers every single subject necessary for the GMAT.

Considering that the competition is quite rough for these exams, every single bit of information you can find will help you along the way. After all, hundreds of thousands of people apply for the GMAT each year, and only a handful are able to go further.

The most important thing you need to understand is that none of these books will be enough if you don’t study. They will provide an excellent basis, but you will still need to put in some time into studying. It is the only way to achieve results, and score high on the GMAT.

Another option: Speechify

If you are interested in exploring other options, you can always check out Speechify. But what is Speechify? It is a text-to-speech tool or voice generator that will allow you to turn any type of text into an audiobook.

Speechify is one of the most popular text-to-speech apps you can find on the market, and the quality is exceptional. It is also available on every platform, which means that you can use it regardless of the device you own.

You can choose to install the app on your smartphone or you can use it as a Google Chrome extension. Either way, you will get access to incredible and realistic-sounding voices in just a few clicks.

Within the app, you will notice numerous settings when it comes to voices. You can choose different accents, languages, and even types. Of course, the selection of English voices is the most impressive one, and there are a couple of interesting options to choose from.

One of the most impressive ones is Gwyneth Paltrow, and the AI voice is currently in the beta version. Another great addition is that Speechify offers OCR functionality, which is perfect if you own physical books for the GMAT.

With it, you will be able to snap a photo of the page, and OCR will convert it into text so you can use any of the AI voices to read aloud.

Text-to-speech tools

Text-to-speech or TTS tools have been around for quite some time. Companies have been looking for ways to improve accessibility, and versions of this software were available even on earlier versions of Windows.

Today, almost everyone owns a smartphone or a mobile device, and having this type of software is essential. It is one of many ways to improve accessibility, and many of these apps are designed to help people who struggle with reading.

Additionally, you can always use text-to-speech tools along with speech-to-text apps, and avoid having to type anything. You can dictate your text, and then double check everything using a TTS tool.

It is a great option for those who struggle with dyslexia, or even blindness, and it is a way for them to still continue using these devices.

Why Speechify?

Speechify is an excellent tool for e-learning, especially if you are someone who prefers audiobooks and podcasts. The tool is easy to use, and the UI is quite intuitive. This means that anyone can use it even if they are not an IT expert.

There are two most important factors about this app. Firstly, it works on any type of text, and secondly, it sounds natural. Even though the AI voice will read the text to you, it feels natural and realistic.

It is one of the most versatile apps you can find on the market, and it allows you to seamlessly move through different types of content with ease. You can use Speechify for web pages, PDFs, epubs, physical books, and anything else.

And it is one of the most popular text-to-speech tools. If you want to experience accessibility on a whole new level, Speechify is the perfect option for you.

How to get started with Speechify

Using Speechify is quite easy, and you’ll be ready to convert text to speech in no time. The first thing you will need to do is download the app for your platform. You can use it on browsers through Chrome or Safari, or you can download it on your device.

The app works on both iOS and Android, and you can use it on anything from iPhone and iPad to smartphones or PCs. Once you download the app, you should pick the voice you like.

Speechify allows you additional settings when it comes to speech rate and language, and you can experiment with it as you please. Of course, you should match the language with the one from texts you are reading at the moment. And that’s it.

Once everything is set up, you can just start the app and enjoy the experience. The bottom of the screen will look like any other music playing app, and you can just click on the “play” button to start listening to the text.

Speechify converts text to audio in real-time, so you won’t need to spend a lot of time waiting. Furthermore, you can easily export audio into wav or mp3 files, which will allow you to use it even if you don’t have the internet at the moment.

Benefits of text-to-speech

Of course, the most obvious benefit of text-to-speech apps like Speechify is that they improve accessibility. For those that didn’t know, one in five people have dyslexia to a degree.

And Speechify can easily solve this problem. People no longer need to struggle reading the page, when they can get an app to do it for them. The app is also excellent for e-learning, and one-third of all people are auditory learners.

This allows them to convert any type of book into an audio one, and they can even multitask while listening to the content. Thanks to improvements in the past couple of years, the quality of AI voices is exceptional and almost indistinguishable from real human voices.

There are also plenty of different options you can find, and most major companies offer their own text-to-speech tools. This includes Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and many more.

FAQs

What does the author think about GMAT prep?

The author of the Official GMAT Prep is the Official Test Prep Content Team. The narrator is Danielle Forness, and the audiobook is published by AudioLearn content team. And as you can imagine the creators of the book are in charge of making the GMAT exam.

This will give you a nice head start and help you understand rules and how the test works. And with that, you will be able to prepare a bit better and score high once you go to the real test.

What is the title of the study material?

There are numerous different books you can find if you plan on preparing for the GMAT. Of course, you can always go for the GMAT Official Guide, and there is a new edition available each year.

Other options are Official GMAT Prep, GMAT Audio Crash Course, and GMAT Audio Study Guide. Each of these options can be good based on your preferences.

What is the GMAT’s maximum score?

Total score on the GMAT varies from 200 to 800. But the majority of test takers have between 400 and 600. In fact, 66% of all participants will have this score. The final score is based on five different things.

It counts total, analytical writing assessment or AWA, verbal, and quantitative. The results will appear on a fixed scale, and they are reported along participant’s contact and demographic information.

Scores for verbal and quantitative range from 0 to 60, AWA goes from 0 to 6, and total ranges from 200 to 800.

What is the name of the company that publishes the GMAT audio study material & prep?

This mostly depends on the book of your choice. The official tests are designed by GMAC, and there are books designed by the Official Test Prep Content Team. You can also find books written by Kaplan, Graduate Management Admission Council, and others.

It is up to you to find the one you like the most, and you can always get a couple of different books and focus on the one that suits you the best. Joshua Alexander offers a couple of different books on the topic, and it can be good for various MBA programs.

How many hours of audio are there in GMAT audio study material & prep?

The Official GMAT Prep is a bit over 30 hours long, GMAT Audio Crash Course is over 10 hours, and the Official Guide is currently available in paperback format. So, it mostly depends on the book of your choice.

If you plan on getting a physical edition of the book, you can easily turn it into an audiobook using Speechify. The built-in OCR will assist you with this task, and the process is quite simple.

Since the books mentioned here are mostly audiobooks, they are available on audible.com, and it is great option for those that already use this platform.