Eric Vare, working at the New York office Deloitte and Touche, wanted to enter a business school. She ignored expensive courses and decided to be prepared to GMAT independently. She considered, that for this purpose only two books are enough.

«I thought, that I will be able to do it myself: I am not silly and I have time», - explains Vare. The desire was noble, however on two attempts one by one she  received 580 points. Questions from mathematical section appeared to be a weaknesses. Well, there was an occasion to sit down for books again.


Eric is a  representative of target audience of the companies which are engaged in preparation to GMAT. The quantity of wishing to enter business schools falls, that involves decrease in quantity taking GMAT. GMAC (Graduate Management Admission Council) notices, that in an interval between 2007 and 2009 years the quantity of the people who have passes GMAT, decreased on 15 %.

Gram Richmond, the founder of the consulting company concerning entrance to business schools ClearAdmit, declares, that despite the quantity of applicants decreases they have enough clients. Moreover, he notices, that students began to concern preparation even more seriously - they do not regret money for books and materials as they know, that these investments will lead to their top schools.

Unprecedented innovations

In the near future books will die out. At least, for preparation to GMAT. The  destruction of textbooks will happen on July, the 1st - when Princeton Review will start the program on wireless preparation to GMAT. How students would studied either in audience or via the Internet - henceforth during any time convenient for them they will receive questions on a mobile phone. Cost of a course plus such unusual additional service is $1,250 and $800 for audience classes and lessons via the Internet accordingly.

Additional services of Princeton Review include also essay check online. It happens in the following way: a student writes an essay, sends it by e-mail and within several hours receives an answer with correction of mistakes, an estimation and recommendations.

Small innovations

Kaplan also tries not to lag behind and satisfy the least displays of requirements of clients. Recently released book - GMAT Pocket Reference is a small, but smart one. It is hardly smaller than a crib, but in it it is possible to find  a large quantity of recommendations about passage of GMAT. The book is included in cost of a course which makes $1,300 for lessons in audiences and $1,150 for lessons via the Internet.

If regular attending of lessons frightens you, there are also other possibilities. QBank is the  second product of Kaplan. It is a program with a practical training which is easily started practically from any computer. Its difference from products similar to it is that a user can make tests himself. It is necessary to choose simply type of questions with which you have problems, and to "fill" with them the test. A unique lack is the price, $149.

Traditional innovations

Annually added and updated books on GMAT are released. Until recently they didn't let out anything super-new. However 11 edition of The Official Guide for GMAT Review certainly will surprise all. The book has a new section - about myths. Do not be frightened, we are not talking about  the Ancient Greece, it is as uaually about GMAT. The matter is that every year there are all new and new legends about the test and who can dispel them as not founders?

For example, there is a  belief that the first 10 questions play the most important role. Basically, it is, however the frightened students are too concentrated on the beginning of the test and sometimes do not reach the section's end. Authors of GMAT assert, that it is better to pass all the same up to the end of the test.

Among other myths is a necessity of studying of words. Competent persons declare, that at first it is necessary to gain the general level of English, and already then  to fill up the lexicon.

Not all agree with last myth, for this reason in July there is a program for studying and fast storing Memory Express: Business Words for Success. In it all is fine - both a set of words, and a technique, only theprice frightens: $595. Jerry Bobrow, one of authors of the program, notices, that excellent skills in reading is only half of success in GMAT. The main thing is to learn to read between lines.

By the way, after preparation on courses Vare has passed GMAT for 680, having raised the previous result on 100 points. She became a student of Emory University. «I would not advise to prepare GMAT independently», - she recommends.