2025 Latest: Must-Read FAQs for GMAT Beginners (Q&A)

Chapter One: Getting Started & Resources

Q1: What is the actual difficulty of each GMAT section?

• Q (Quant): Equivalent to Taiwan’s 11th-grade math level. 80% of the questions focus on clear fundamental concepts, with only 20% being traditionally complex problems requiring multiple steps. This is usually a strong suit for Taiwanese test-takers.
• V (Verbal): CR (Critical Reasoning) and RC (Reading Comprehension) are traditionally weak areas for Taiwanese test-takers. The difficulty lies in our education system’s limited training in US university-level academic English reading skills, as well as the critical thinking valued by business schools.
• DI (Data Insights): This is the deciding factor for high scorers on the new GMAT. It features a lot of text, much irrelevant information, and scattered data. Often, you’ll find that more than half the information in a question is useless! The problem-solving path itself isn’t difficult, but test-takers can easily get flustered and distracted by noise under time pressure. DI most requires a flexible problem-solving process.

Q2: If I have a good English foundation and want to prepare within a month, should I focus more on”rhetoric” and ”logic”?

I recommend you first try some questions from the Official Guide (OG) to get a feel for it. You might very well change your mind about having a “good English foundation” (as I did). The Verbal section of the GMAT, especially Reading Comprehension, has specific strategies for solving questions, but many people don’t grasp them, leading to the misconception that one can only “rely on Jijing” or “just give up.”

Q3: What are the essential resources for GMAT preparation?

Essential resources are OG (Official Guide) / Verbal Review / Data Insights Review (theoretically, you should buy the official version, but… you know), along with GMATClub forum (which offers a large number of free practice questions). Additionally, you can use AI tools to assist with review.

Q4: Is there a difference between used and new official materials like OG?

Personally, I don’t think there’s a difference between used and new books. I didn’t even buy physical books when I prepared. Using PDF versions found online, combined with practicing on a computer or iPad, better simulates the actual computer-based test experience. The official questions from OG/OQ/OV alone are enough for you to spend time studying multiple times.

Q5: What GMAT prep course options are available in Taipei?

More well-known options include A2, Meiga, Donz, Candice, and others. I recommend you compare them thoroughly, visit them in person, and then decide. Also, consider if you truly need a prep course. The benefits of a prep course are saving time and quickly finding direction. After all, the problem with GMAT preparation now isn’t too little information, but too much and too disorganized, so test-takers often don’t know which resources are suitable for their situation.

Chapter Two: Key Terminology & Mock Tests

Q1: What are the commonly heard terms “question change” and “JJ (Jijing)”?

These two are closely related. “Question change” refers to the GMAT official body regularly changing the question bank in use. The cycle is not fixed; it could be 7 days, 10 days, or longer. And “JJ (Jijing)” are fragments of questions recalled by enthusiastic netizens (mostly Chinese test-takers) after each question change. By piecing these fragments together, we can roughly reconstruct the GMAT question bank for that month.

Q2: What is the commonly heard term “PP”?

PP is the abbreviation for GMAC’s official mock test software PREP. You can download it for free from the official website mba.com. It uses the exact same interface as the actual test, the CAT adaptive testing mechanism, and official questions not found in the OG, allowing you to take the most realistic computer-based mock test. The PP1, 2, 3, 4 commonly referred to online are the complete question banks after being cracked by netizens.

Q3: How do I use the official free mock tests?

After creating an account on mba.com, you can access the free official mock tests. It allows you to choose your section order. However, I would advise beginners not to rush into a full mock test. Instead, you can start with the small Diagnostic Test on the official website to get a feel for the question difficulty and understand your weaknesses.

Q4: What are your thoughts on GMAT official paid online products?

I recommend you first search for relevant discussions and reviews on the ChaseDream forum before deciding whether to purchase. Link reference: http://forum.chasedream.com/thread-519351-1-1.html

Chapter Three: Test-Taking Strategies & Contingencies

Q1: After the test, do I have to “accept” my score to receive the report?

No. The new GMAT system no longer has a “Cancel” option. Every test score is automatically recorded and valid for five years, but each test is independent. Schools will only have access to the score you choose to send them, and they cannot view your other test scores.

Q2: My score is on the borderline; should I retake the test?

If your score is on the borderline, you need to consider your application deadline. We can do a scientific calculation:

• After the test, you will receive the official score report within 3-5 days.
• You have 48 hours to decide whether to send your score for free.
• Schools will receive your score within 5 business days after you send it (some say almost immediately).
• There must be a 16-calendar-day gap between two tests.

Therefore, the latest time schools will receive your next test score is approximately your “12 business days + 16 calendar days” after your current test. If your deadline is less than this time, it means you won’t have a chance to aim for a better score, so it’s advisable to send your current score without hesitation. However, sending scores at any time is beneficial, not harmful, see here.

Q3: What on-site issues might I encounter on test day?

Countless. The GMAT is a highly stressful adaptive test with a semi-opaque scoring process. Many test-takers become mentally unstable, paranoid, and constantly wonder if they’ve fallen into the low-score range, ultimately leading to a lack of focus. In addition, you might encounter unfriendly test center staff, malfunctioning computers, external construction noise, pens that run out of ink easily, and so on. Don’t overthink it; just focus on preparing for the test itself.

Q4: What if there’s a typhoon on test day?

1. Confirm typhoon path: Closely monitor typhoon updates on the Central Weather Administration website.
2. Monitor work/school suspension announcements: Pay attention to real-time announcements from the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration, Executive Yuan. These are usually released at 8 PM, 10 PM the night before, or 6 AM on test day. Also, be sure to call the test center (Taipei Test Center: 02-27567808) a few days before the test to confirm contingency measures.
3. If work/school proceeds as usual: Please go to the test as scheduled, be safe on the way, and use public transportation.
4. If work/school is suspended: GMAC customer service will proactively contact you afterwards (Note! This is usually a call from a hidden number). You can choose to (1) Refund or (2) Reschedule for free. If you don’t receive a call promptly, please proactively contact GMAC customer service.

Rest assured, GMAC will proactively protect test-takers’ rights.