How to Score 735+ in the GMAT With a Proper GMAT Study Plan

GMAT Study Plan 2026: To score 735 in GMAT, you need a five-step plan tailored to your baseline performance. Begin by taking a diagnostic test to see where you stand. This will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Then, take a “Learn First, Practice Later” approach, spending 12 to 20 hours every week learning. Approach sections sequentially. For instance, approach Verbal sequentially, targeting Sentence Correction, Critical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension. Read diverse literature to address some of the toughest Reading Comprehension question. Focus on Quant by understanding and building concepts. Maximise your score by taking more frequent mock tests in the final month. While taking the tests, master the art of strategically eliminating wrong answers.

The five-step GMAT Study Plan 2026 to score 735+

Take a GMAT mock test

Before you even begin to design your study plan, take a GMAT diagnostic mock test first. This will be your first introduction to the GMAT – the sections, type of questions, pattern, and processes. You’ll also get a chance to work with the computer-adaptive feature of GMAT. 

This mock exam will form the foundation to support your GMAT and business school ambitions. 

Diagnose your baseline score

Don’t just look at the overall score of your diagnostic mock. Break your score down across sections, types of questions, and difficulty levels. The goal is to establish a baseline score for each part of the GMAT test. Measure the gap between your baseline and target scores across all sections and identify areas where you can make quick strides and areas requiring longer sustained effort. 

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Identify areas that require improvement 

According to general calculations, a 10-point improvement in the GMAT score requires a minimum of 7 hours of work. With this equation in mind, we can estimate the amount of time to be devoted to each topic. Based on the gap between your baseline and target scores, allocate hours to all the topics, ensuring you address your weaknesses first. 

Build a smart strategy to shore up your approach 

Now that you have a handle on your weaker areas and the estimated time and effort required to improve, it’s time to design a smart GMAT study plan 2026 that generates the results you need to get into your dream business program. 

GMAT study plan: Your strategy should align with the ‘Learn First, Practise Later’ methodology. 

Learn first – Begin by understanding the underlying concepts of the different kinds of questions. Then move on to studying the most optimal approach to each question. Last, do a few practice questions and review the official explanations to see if you can apply what you’ve learned. 

Practise later – Fit in ample practice questions to drill into the concepts. Attempt GMAT mock tests and quizzes to see how you’ll fare in exam conditions. 

Create a study calendar for accountability 

You must study for the GMAT test for at least 12-20 hours per week. But finding the time to study can be hard for people with busy schedules. That’s where your accountability calendar comes in. Mark your calendar with the topics you want to cover that day. Holding yourself accountable to the calendar will help you push yourself to study more. 

Also, add the days you’ll be giving your mock tests to the calendar. Block the hours required to dedicatedly give the mock, analyse it, and correct your errors. 

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GMAT Study Plan 2026: What should your GMAT action plan look like? 

Your action plan should focus on boosting your scores on the two most relevant sections of the test – verbal and quant. 

Improving verbal score

• Types of questions – Follow a sequential approach that begins with sentence correction, moves on to critical reasoning, and ends with reading comprehension. 
• Topics – Pick up your weakest topics from the list you created in step 2. Revise these topics weekly and take sectional tests to check your improvement. 

Improving quant score

• Types of questions- In quant, your study sequence should begin with number properties and then proceed to algebra, word problems, geometry, and advanced problems. 
• Topics – In the topics where your accuracy dips below 60%, you’ll need to focus on building up your conceptual knowledge. Whereas in topics with accuracy greater than 70%, your attention should be on refining your approach to the questions. 

Tips and tricks to buff up your GMAT study plan and prep strategy 

• After the first diagnostic GMAT mock, give the next four weeks into your study plan and then every two weeks until only 30 days before your GMAT. In the last month, increase the frequency of mocks to one every four days leaving enough time to analyse your errors and ways to correct them thoroughly.

• Allocating the same hours to each topic is not the direction your GMAT study plan 2026 should take. Instead, strategically give significantly more time to your weaker areas to bring them up to mark. But remember to regularly brush up on and practise the topics you are good at.

• It is not possible to know all the answers during your GMAT test. With no negative marks for wrong answers, students should consider this an opportunity to score better. Guessing is a strategic capability that can be honed and practised over time. Learn how to eliminate wrong answers based on four factors – distortion, out-of-scope, irrelevant, and opposite.

• People underestimate the difficulty level of the reading comprehension questions in the verbal ability section. Apart from doing practice questions and mocks, you should also read good literature on a wide spectrum of topics. Summarise them in your own words and see if you can accurately capture the key information the writer wanted to send across.  

• The goal of the GMAT isn’t to confuse students unnecessarily. This means that their grammar-related questions are linked to everyday academic usage. You can discern the most commonly tested grammatical errors by studying the pattern keenly. Make it a point to practise these grammar topics frequently to ensure they don’t ever stump you. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 735 a good GMAT score?

A 735 score in GMAT is not only good but excellent, and it corresponds to 100th percentile. 

What percentile is 735 GMAT Focus?

A 735 GMAT Focus Edition score corresponds to 100th percentile. 

Can I score 705 in GMAT in 3 months?

Yes, you can score 705+ in GMAT in 3 months if you have a good foundation or spend 20+ hours every week to practice. But most GMAT students need 3-4 months for a good score.

Does BITS Pilani accept GMAT score? 

BITS Pilani accepts CAT, GMAT, and GRE scores. 

Is GMAT tougher than CAT?

GMAT is considered tougher in Verbal Reasoning and Data Insights. CAT is considered tougher in Quantitative Ability. 

Can I crack GMAT if I prepare for a CAT?

Yes, CAT preparation can form a good foundation for GMAT preparation, but you will need more practice in Verbal Reasoning and Data Insights.