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Preparing for the GMAT is not simple. While taking practice questions is important, it’s also crucial to practise things like your time management skills and test-taking strategies.
Luckily, there are many GMAT prep books available, which will help you ace the all-important business school admission exam.
Here are five of the best GMAT exam prep books that will help you achieve a top GMAT score.
1. The GMAT Official Guide
The GMAT Official Guide is the one book you can't do without.
SImply put, there’s no substitute for the genuine GMAT questions that you get in the Official Guide. There are patterns in real GMAT questions that are missing in those devised by test prep companies, so much so that a seasoned GMAT coach can often spot imitation questions.
With the official guide you’ll also be able to take mock exams that mimic the structure and time constraints of the real thing.
2. The Critical Reasoning Bible (PowerScore)
The PowerScore Critical Reasoning Bible is one of the best non-official GMAT prep books out there. It focuses on the second section of the GMAT, Verbal Reasoning, which is split into two parts: Critical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. The book mainly focuses on Critical Reasoning, but the concepts covered will also help you with the Reading Comprehension section.
Rather than giving you genuine GMAT questions to answer, the book focuses more on the underlying concepts behind Critical Reasoning. It’ll help you understand how to answer typical questions and the theories behind them, which you can then bring into the exam.
3. All the GMAT Strategy Guide Set (Manhattan Prep)
Manhattan Prep's updated All the GMAT set consists of two books: All the Quant + DI and All the Verbal. The first book centers around the Quantitative Reasoning and Data Insights sections, while the second focuses on the Verbal Reasoning section.
The books include a 12-week study planner, which you can use to map out your GMAT revision from beginning to end. You’ll also get access to online content that includes an e-book covering the most challenging aspects of the Quantitative section—perfect for those hoping to achieve a score in the top few percentiles.
The books have been updated to match the latest GMAT exam (Focus/11th edition), which replaced the Classic version in 2024.
4. Total GMAT Math (Jeff Sackmann)
While the Critical Reasoning Bible focuses exclusively on the Verbal Reasoning section of the GMAT, Sackmann’s Total GMAT Math is all about Quantitative Reasoning.
It covers math-based topics extensively, but you’ll need a solid foundation in math to get value from this title. If you are rusty with math, or you need to go over the basics, this book might be a little challenging to get your head around. Still, if you’re hoping to get a top score in the Quant section, this book may well help you do it.
It’s also worth pointing out that this book hasn’t been updated to reflect the new GMAT exam (Focus/11th edition). However, many of the underlying concepts outlined in this book still apply to the test.
5. Mometrix GMAT Prep Book
If you’re looking to improve your score across all sections of the GMAT, the Mometrix GMAT Prep Book is a comprehensive option.
Aside from detailed breakdowns of each section, the book also has a vocabulary section breaking down the words used in the exam, help in improving your time management skills, and links to online video tutorials by GMAT experts.
It’s also regularly updated, meaning the concepts in the book apply to the latest version of the GMAT.
This article was first published in April 2024 and updated in April 2025
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