If you’re wondering how to prepare for the GMAT, GMAT prep books are a great option, as they provide practice problems, strategies, and actionable tips. Check out these top five GMAT study books below and choose the one that best fits your budget and learning style.
Based on our expert team’s research and evaluation, we offer the following list of the best GMAT prep books available:
Keep reading for more information regarding our team’s picks of top rated GMAT prep books.
Touted as the all-in-one-solution to prepare for the GMAT, The Princeton Review GMAT Premium Prep includes a comprehensive GMAT study guide, free online GMAT resources, detailed topic reviews and six computer-adaptive GMAT practice tests.
This comprehensive GMAT prep book offers an in-depth review of all GMAT topics, including integrated reasoning skills, verbal, writing and math. You’ll also love the bulleted chapter summaries that serve as a quick reference GMAT study guide.
The Princeton Review GMAT prep book comes complete with six full-length GMAT practice tests that feature detailed explanations for each GMAT question and a score report so you can review your progress.
The Princeton Review GMAT Premium Prep also comes with video tutorials from the experts to help with time management and preparation plans for the GMAT.
Get all the GMAT practice you want and need with the diagnostic warm-ups and more than 120 GMAT practice questions that are sorted by difficulty. Each test section includes online drills covering each area of GMAT topic content.
Make use of the step-by-step problem-solving GMAT study guides that help students navigate more difficult questions. This GMAT prep book emphasizes strategies for working smarter, not harder. In my opinion, the premium online resources make this one of the best GMAT prep books available. Utilize the multi-week GMAT study guides and examples of GMAT essays to better prepare for the GMAT exam.
➡ RELATED: Read our review of the Princeton GMAT Prep Course
Offering an update from the previous GMAT prep book, the Manhattan Prep All the GMAT is an expanded GMAT study guide that has consolidated 10 GMAT study books into three GMAT prep books.
All the GMAT includes access to online bonus materials with a study syllabus to help you map out your GMAT study plan and score higher on the GMAT. Especially helpful for me was the online study syllabus which tracked my progress so I could better manage my time while studying for the GMAT.
As one of the best GMAT prep books, this study guide includes two exclusive e-books that cover more difficult content, as well as six full-length adaptive practice tests.
The online GMAT navigator included with this GMAT prep book includes a GMAT question navigator that features detailed solutions and explanations to each question. The computer adaptive GMAT practice tests provide hands-on experience with navigating the content and the question types so you have a realistic GMAT study guide that will help improve your overall score.
This GMAT prep book also separates the GMAT content areas with a quantitative guide, integrated reasoning and essay guide and a verbal guide. Enhance your GMAT toolkit and be more prepared for this graduate school entrance exam when arming yourself with one of the best GMAT prep books on the market.
Prepare for the GMAT at home or on the run with the GMAC GMAT Official Guide. This comprehensive GMAT prep book includes access to online GMAT resources and a GMAT mobile app for additional practice.
This comprehensive GMAT study guide includes 1,100+ questions that cover all GMAT topics such as integrated reasoning skills, math, writing and verbal. Each question offers detailed explanations to help you better prepare for the GMAT and customize your approach when taking the actual exam.
All GMAT questions in this prep book are organized by difficulty so you can begin with the easy questions and work your way up to the more demanding questions. This was actually a confidence builder for me. I felt good about answering the easier GMAT questions correctly before moving on to questions with more difficulty. I also liked that it provided me with an overview of the format of the exam and test-taking strategies.
The online resources with this GMAT prep book include flashcards to help students master key concepts. You also have the ability to create your very own practice tests, allowing you to track your progress as you go, using the performance metrics available. Study on the go or on your own time with the helpful tools available with GMAC GMAT Official Guide.
➡ Also Worth Reading: Target Test Prep GMAT Course Review
Learn all the secrets of scoring well on the GMAT with the Mometrix Test Preparation GMAT Prep Book. This premium GMAT study guide includes a comprehensive review of all GMAT test sections, including verbal, analytical writing, integrated reasoning and quantitative.
Mometrix offers critical advice and tips on time management, goal setting, and strategies for answering all types of GMAT questions in this prep book.
This GMAT study guide features a vocabulary section, as well as sections on procedures and principles of the GMAT. There are step-by-step video tutorials with the online resources, as well as a question bank feature that provides detailed explanations for each GMAT question.
I found these explanations to be particularly helpful, aiding in my understanding of what I did wrong, as well as providing opportunities for me to celebrate what I did right. For analytical writing, you’ll find tips on formal writing, argumentative and persuasive writing, how to prepare to write and tips on how to write a solid thesis.
The integrated reasoning section of this GMAT prep book reviews interrelated problems, clear and appropriate writing, logical organization and synthesizing information from graphics. You will learn mathematical operations, equations, functions, polynomials and probability in the quantitative section of this GMAT study guide. The verbal section reviews cause and effect, author purpose, types of passages and implications.
What makes Mometrix Test Preparation GMAT Prep Book one of the best, is that is provides links to online review videos where experts break down the concepts. I believe that having the video component in addition to the prop book is an added bonus. Study at your own pace and with the help of the experts with this GMAT prep book.
Kaplan’s GMAT 800 prep book is well-known for its thorough approach to GMAT preparation, particularly tailored for students striving for top scores. The books is crafted to assist students in mastering the most difficult aspects of the GMAT, concentrating on advanced strategies and concepts essential for achieving exceptional scores.
Kaplan’s GMAT 800 prep book offers extensive coverage of advanced topics, surpassing fundamental concepts to explore the intricacies of each GMAT section, such as quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning. Students can anticipate detailed explanations of intricate concepts, along with strategies for approaching the most challenging questions.
Additionally, Kaplan’s GMAT 800 prep book emphasizes practice. They contain a wealth of realistic practice questions and full-length practice tests that closely mirror the actual GMAT exam. By engaging with these questions, students can become accustomed to the exam’s format and refine their test-taking abilities.
➡ RELATED: Read our review of the Kaplan GMAT Prep Course
In order to do your best on the GMAT, it’s best to plan ahead. And part of that plan should include finding a solid GMAT prep book, especially if you plan to DIY your prep without a course.
With this list of comprehensive GMAT study guides, you can get a head start on preparing for the GMAT and review concepts and actual questions you’ll find on the GMAT exam.
One of the best ways to study for the GMAT is to identify concepts that you struggle with and ramp up your studying efforts. Create a detailed, realistic study schedule and stick to it. Take advantage of practice tests so that you are familiar with the testing format and question types.
If you find that you need a little more than books can offer, note that there are some good GMAT prep courses and GMAT tutors out there. Our team has reviewed a number of commercial prep courses and ranked the best GMAT prep courses here.
It’s important to understand that not all prep courses are super expensive (like the GMAT courses from Princeton Review and Kaplan). For example, Magoosh and PrepScholar both offer courses that cost below $350.
It takes hard work and determination to master the concepts needed to gain entrance into an MBA program. When armed with the best test prep books, you can learn more about test-taking strategies, content sections, time management and strategies to boost your confidence before you take the exam.
Find everything you need to know to fully prepare for the GMAT with these best test prep books. Achieve your goals and get into the top-tier MBA program you desire when arming yourself with the resources you need to prepare for the GMAT exam.
➡ READ NEXT: Our Analysis of the Best GMAT Practice Tests
After reviewing over 10 different GMAT prep options, our team thinks the prep books from Princeton Review and Manhattan Prep stand-out among the crowd.
Perhaps the best place to purchase a GMAT prep book is through an online retailer like Amazon, for example. Just be sure you select the most recent edition though when shopping.