GMAT is one of the highly competitive exams; therefore, preparing for it might seem a daunting task for most test takers.
Even though there are several online resources to prepare for the GMAT, the GMAT Prep books have a different place in the canon of preparation materials.
There are dozens of Best GMAT Prep Books available in the market, but to help you opt for the best ones, we have provided a list of the top nine books that you can check out.
Before getting into the details, here is the list of the 9 best GMAT prep books that you can glance through.
Top 9 GMAT Prep Books: In A Nutshell (2024)
| Sr.No. | Name of Book | Price |
| 1 | Kaplan GMAT Prep Plus | $61.43 |
| 2 | GMAT Premium Prep by Princeton Review | $33.59 |
| 3 | GMAT Official Guide Quantitative Review 2023-2024 | $15.98 to $20.95 |
| 4 | GMAT Foundations of Maths | $16.19 to $17.99 |
| 5 | The GMAT Official Advanced Questions | $18.05 to $29.49 |
| 6 | All the GMAT by Manhattan Prep | $131.99 |
| 7 | Mometrix GMAT Prep Book | $17.84 to $21.84 |
| 8 | GMAT Critical Reasoning Bible | $34.99 |
| 9 | Total GMAT Math | $17.11 to $59.95 |
Following is the complete overview of the 9 best GMAT Prep Books that you can check out.
1. Kaplan GMAT Prep Plus
Kaplan GMAT Prep Plus is one of the most comprehensive as well as efficient GMAT preparation books packed with in-depth concepts, new drills, and a customizable question bank with 200 questions.
The book is crafted by the proven faculty of Kaplan so as to help you master the strategies and concepts to enhance your GMAT score.
It is an effective solution, especially for those who want to brush up on their GMAT practice skills, as the book features more than 1200 practice questions along with detailed explanations for all the sections.
Overall, Kaplan GMAT Prep Plus is the best study book to get started with your GMAT preparation journey.
| Author | Kaplan Test Prep |
| Price | $61.43 |
| Ratings | 4.4/5 |
Key Learnings
- You can access six full-length practice tests.
- Six computer adaptive practice tests.
- Provide drills for all the maths concepts and topics.
- A detailed explanation of all the concepts from each section.
2. GMAT Premium Prep By Princeton Review
Being one of the gold standards for GMAT preparation, The Princeton Review’s GMAT Premium Prep is one of the extensive books.
The book also features a step-by-step problem-solving guide to help you navigate complex questions. All the sections of the book comprise online drills covering all the areas of the GMAT content.
Along with the theoretical material and practice tests, you can also access the video tutorials conducted by the experts that focus on preparation plans and time management for GMAT.
| Author | The Princeton Review |
| Price | $33.59 |
| Ratings | 4.4/5 |
Key Learnings
- The book offers a complete content review so that you will get a clear understanding of all the concepts.
- It also provides six realistic computer-adaptive tests.
- You can also access two additional diagnostic tests.
3. GMAT Official Guide Quantitative Review 2023-2024
With GMAT Official Guide Quantitative Review, you can start your GMAT preparation right from the basics.
It is an all-in-one study material that comprises a book, digital flashcards, an online question bank, and a mobile application. You can create your custom practice sets on the basis of difficulty level, types of questions, and several other categories.
You can also analyze your performance so that you can access your focus areas and track your improvement.
| Author | Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) |
| Price | $15.98 to $20.95 |
| Ratings | 5/5 |
Key Learnings
- Attain mastery of reasoning skills with a detailed explanation of all the concepts.
- You can also access several flashcards.
- It provides additional quantitative questions.
4. GMAT Foundations Of Maths
If you want to ace the quantitative section, then the GMAT Foundation of Maths by Manhattan Prep is the perfect one to go with.
The book provides a user-friendly review of all the basic mathematical concepts that are essential and are tested on the GMAT.
It covers all the topics, including Algebra, Geometry, fractions, exponents, divisibility, inequalities, and many more.
| Author | Manhattan Prep |
| Price | $16.19 to $17.99 |
| Ratings | 4.4/5 |
Key Learnings
- You will get an insight into effective GMAT strategies and learn from the 99th Percentile instructors.
- Easy-to-follow instructions for all fundamental mathematical concepts.
- It provides more than 900 practice problems online and in the book.
5. The GMAT Official Advanced Questions
The GMAT Official Advanced Questions is one of the excellent supplementary resources, including 300 additional verbal and quantitative questions, and is specially crafted for the one who wants to ace GMAT with top scores.
You can create your practice sets online with questions similar to that of GMAT Official Advanced Questions.
It also provides a mobile application through which you can access the online question bank. The book’s practice questions are grouped according to the fundamental skills.
| Author | Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) |
| Price | $18.05 to $29.49 |
| Ratings | 4.6/5 |
Key Learnings
- Get a clear idea about the types of questions from past GMAT exams.
- It provides online access to track your performance.
- Practice questions along with detailed answer explanations.
6. All The GMAT By Manhattan Prep
“All the GMAT” by Manhattan Prep is a comprehensive set of three GMAT books that are composed of condensing content from 10 different GMAT study books. Below are the three books that comprised the set.
- GMAT integrated reasoning and essay guide
- GMAT all the Quant Guide
- GMAT all the Verbal Guide
The test takers can also access two exclusive e-books covering complex verbal and quantitative content. This book set is packed with a unique one-time use code so that you can access the online resources.
These GMAT prep books are accompanied by interactive video lessons, scheduling tips, and six GMAT computer-adaptive Practice tests. The expert instructors with a 99th percentile GMAT score have crafted all the practice problems and lessons.
| Author | Manhattan Prep |
| Price | $131.99 |
| Ratings | 4.5/5 |
Key Learnings
- You will get a clear idea about different reading strategies.
- Additional practice problems, along with interactive video sessions.
- Complete explanations of all the problems.
7. Mometrix GMAT Prep Book
Mometrix GMAT Prep Books is a premium GMAT study guide that is packed with a comprehensive curriculum that is essential to ace GMAT.
All the concepts and principles are explained with detailed information; the book provides a complete review of all the GMAT sections.
Most of the concepts of the books link to the online review videos. The book features several full-length practice exams with detailed explanations of the answers.
The quantitative section of the book covers all the fundamental mathematical concepts, including equations, polynomials, probability, functions, and more.
| Author | Matthew Bowling |
| Price | $17.84 to $21.84 |
| Ratings | 4.7/5 |
Key Learnings
- Step-by-step video tutorials to help you master complex concepts
- Provide access to full-length practice tests
- You will learn argumentative and persuasive writing
- Synthesizing information from the graphics.
- Strategies and tips to solve problems.
8. GMAT Critical Reasoning Bible
With a major focus on the concepts of critical reasoning, the GMAT critical reasoning bible is one of the extensive guides that will help you to hone your critical reasoning and reading comprehension skills.
It is one of the perfect guides that will help you to determine the type of GMAT questions and how to separate correct answers from incorrect ones.
GMAT Critical Reasoning Bible is one of the highly reviewed GMAT preparation books that is supplemented by the website comprising additional study resources, study plans, and answers to frequently asked questions.
The book is carefully designed to help you attain mastery over the critical reasoning section. Also, the approaches discussed in the book will help you understand the reading comprehension section.
| Author | David M. Killoran |
| Price | $34.99 |
| Ratings | 4.4/5 |
Key Learnings
- You will get additional tips and guidance for the exam.
- Access to several practice problems and mini drills.
- Get a clear understanding of the Grammatical concepts.
- Reinforce the basic understanding of argumentation.
9. Total GMAT Math
If you want to brush up on your basic mathematical skills or get an understanding of some fundamental concepts, then Total GMAT Math is a good option to get started with.
It is the all-in-one resource to get fully prepared for the quantitative section of the GMAT and contains several tutorials explaining different types of questions that are most likely to see in the exam.
The book comprises over 500 exercises, with all the sections accompanied by many realistic practice problems.
It is also packed with 300 brand-new practice questions, out of which 100 questions are designated as complex challenge questions.
| Author | Jeff Sachmann |
| Price | $17.11 to $59.95 |
| Ratings | 3.8 |
Key Learnings
- You will easily learn several effective, proven techniques essential in solving quantitative sections.
- Different Maths Strategies with drills for mental maths.
- A detailed explanation of all the answers.
GMAT Preparation Tips
To help you achieve your dream GMAT score, the following are a few GMAT preparation tips and tricks that you can go through.
- Familiarize yourself with the test format
Before getting started with the exam preparation, it is essential to understand the exact format of the exam as it will help you to get a clear idea of what to expect on the exam day and how to approach different sections of the exam.
- Identify your baseline score
Before preparing the study schedule, take the GMAT mock test to determine which sections of the exam require more focus. Plan your study schedule accordingly so that you allot more time and focus on the areas you are weak in.
- Explore different GMAT preparation materials
There are several study resources available both online as well as offline. Explore all the resources and opt for the best ones as per your academic needs. You can also take a GMAT prep course so as to learn under expert guidance.
- Focus on Time Management
Time is the most crucial aspect when it comes to appearing for exams. So it is necessary to practice time management skills. You can do it by using a timer where you can take the mock tests within the estimated time.
- Keep track of the performance
Keeping track of your performance will help you to get an overview of the improvements in your scores and also assess the efficiency of your study techniques. You can monitor your performance on a daily or weekly basis.
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Conclusion: Best GMAT Prep Books for 2024
Opting for the best GMAT prep books might seem a challenging task with so many viable options present in the market.
All the above-listed books are the best ones for what they offer, but coming to the top ones, then here are our recommendations.
- Kaplan GMAT Prep Plus
- The Princeton Review’s GMAT Prep Plus
- GMAT Official Guide Quantitative Review 2023-2024
Along with GMAT preparation books, make sure that you supplement your studies with other resources, such as tutorials and online practice tests, for more effective results.
So avoid the traps and beat GMAT with the Best GMAT prep books.
Happy Learning!
FAQs
Following are some of the best GMAT books for beginners.
GMAT Foundations of Verbal by Manhattan Prep
GMAT Prep Plus by Kaplan
Mometrix’s GMAT Prep Book
GMAT Premium Prep by Princeton review
A GMAT score above 700 is considered competitive to get admission to a top Management college. A score of 650 and above is also considered to be a good one to get into a top Business school or college.
Factors such as quality and the number of practice tests, curriculum, overall user experience, learning style, and affordability are the essential ones that help you to narrow down several options and pick the best ones as per your academic needs and goals.
