GMAT prep
GMAT Focus Flashcards for MBA Admissions
GMAT Focus Edition (launched November 2023) is the exam you'll take. Shorter, denser, and section-adaptive. Ellie decks are built for the Focus format.
The GMAT Focus Edition replaced the classic GMAT in November 2023 and is the only version now administered by GMAC. It runs 2 hours 15 minutes across three 45-minute sections: Quantitative Reasoning (21 questions, no geometry, no data sufficiency), Verbal Reasoning (23 questions, Reading Comprehension + Critical Reasoning only — sentence correction was removed), and Data Insights (20 questions, combining old Integrated Reasoning + Data Sufficiency). It is section-adaptive rather than question-adaptive: within each section you can review and change answers on up to 3 questions.
The Focus Edition scoring scale is 205–805 in 10-point increments — deliberately different from the old 200–800 scale so schools don't confuse the two. Median score is around 545. Section scores run 60–90. Most top MBA programs are targeting Focus scores of 705+ for competitive admits, which converts roughly to the old GMAT 720+.
Ellie generates decks aligned to the Focus Edition sections and question types. The card format matches the section: formula cards for quant, argument-structure cards for Critical Reasoning, and framework cards for the Multi-Source Reasoning subset of Data Insights.
What actually changed in Focus Edition
If you studied for the classic GMAT and are pivoting, know the deltas:
- Sentence Correction removed — no more idiom/grammar drilling
- Analytical Writing Assessment (essay) removed
- Geometry removed from quant — no more triangle inequality or coordinate plane questions
- Data Sufficiency moved from quant to Data Insights
- Question review/edit allowed within a section (up to 3 changes)
- Score scale shifted to 205–805 (mean ~545, so a 645 is roughly 75th percentile)
Quant — the flashcard-friendly subset
Focus Quant is now Problem Solving only (no Data Sufficiency, no geometry). This tightens the flashcard target: arithmetic patterns, algebra manipulation, number properties, and word-problem archetypes.
- Divisibility rules (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11)
- Prime factorization templates (least common multiple / greatest common divisor)
- Exponent and root rules (aᵐ · aⁿ = aᵐ⁺ⁿ etc.)
- Quadratic factoring templates and the classic (a+b)², (a−b)², (a+b)(a−b)
- Rate + work problems: combined rate = 1/(1/t₁ + 1/t₂)
- Mixture problems: weighted average formula
- Combinatorics: nCr, nPr, and the 'circular arrangement' identity
- Probability of at least one, mutually exclusive vs independent
Verbal — Critical Reasoning is the deck target
Verbal is now Reading Comprehension + Critical Reasoning. Reading Comp is passage reasoning — flashcards don't help. Critical Reasoning is question-type recognition, and cards on each type produce clear score gains.
Card the 11 canonical CR types (Strengthen, Weaken, Assumption, Evaluate, Inference, Paradox, Bold-Face, Method-of-Reasoning, Complete, Main Point, Fill-in-the-Blank). Front: canonical stem language. Back: what the correct answer must do + the two most common wrong-answer traps for that type.
Data Insights — the section that decides top scores
DI is the differentiator at the top of the score range. It combines Data Sufficiency (the classic 'is statement 1 alone sufficient?' format), Two-Part Analysis, Multi-Source Reasoning, Table Analysis, and Graphics Interpretation. GMAC has explicitly said DI performance predicts MBA quantitative-course readiness.
Flashcards help most on Data Sufficiency: the 5 canonical answer choices (AD/BCE grid) and the traps in each. For Multi-Source Reasoning and Table Analysis, drill Official Guide problems — the reading-speed component doesn't flashcard.
A 12-week Focus Edition plan
Target: 545 → 655 (roughly old-GMAT 570 → 690). Adjust based on diagnostic.
Weeks 1–4: Content. Manhattan Prep Focus Edition guides + Official Guide 2024. Two hours daily. Diagnostic at week 4.
Weeks 5–8: Question-type mastery. Drill Critical Reasoning by type, Data Sufficiency by pattern. Flashcards from every miss.
Weeks 9–11: Full sections at pace. Two full 45-minute sections per day. Freeze new material.
Week 12: Two full-length official practice exams (GMAC Official Practice Exam 1 and 2). Freeze new cards. Rest 24 hours before test day.
How Ellie fits the workflow
Ellie's edge on GMAT prep is generating cards from your error log. After each Official Guide session, paste the questions you missed with the correct answer explanation. Ellie produces a card for the underlying quant identity, a card for the CR trap you fell into, and a card for the DI framework you didn't apply. That targeted addition compounds over the 8-week middle stretch when most stalled preppers plateau.
Frequently asked questions
Should I take the GMAT Focus or the GRE for MBA admissions?
Both are accepted at essentially all top MBA programs, with no reported bias in admissions outcomes. GMAT Focus is more quant-heavy in reputation and structure — Data Insights is a differentiator. GRE is more verbal-friendly and cheaper. Take a diagnostic of both. If your quant skills are strong, GMAT often produces a stronger percentile. If you may apply to non-MBA programs too, GRE is more portable.
How does Focus scoring convert to old GMAT scoring?
GMAC does not officially convert, but concordance tables from prep companies suggest: Focus 545 ≈ old 570, Focus 645 ≈ old 690, Focus 705 ≈ old 720, Focus 755 ≈ old 750, Focus 805 ≈ old 800. The percentile is what matters for admissions — a Focus 655 is about 75th percentile, comparable to what old 690 represented.
Is sentence correction really gone forever?
Yes. Focus Edition removed sentence correction and GMAC has not signaled bringing it back. If you have an old sentence-correction Anki deck, retire it. Idiom drilling is no longer worth the study time.
How much does Data Insights matter?
A lot for top scores. DI has its own reported subscore (60–90) that some MBA programs are starting to look at explicitly, particularly for analytics or finance concentrations. If you're targeting 705+, you cannot ignore DI. If you're targeting a mid-range score for a mid-tier program, focus on quant and verbal first.
How long to prepare for the Focus Edition?
Median committed prep time for a 100-point improvement is 100–150 hours over 2–4 months. A 200-point jump (e.g., 500 → 700) typically requires 250+ hours over 4–6 months. The shortened format has not meaningfully reduced prep time.
Which prep resources are updated for Focus Edition?
Official: GMAC's Official Guide 2024 and 2025, Official Practice Exams 1–6. Third-party updated for Focus: Manhattan Prep Focus Edition guides (2024), Target Test Prep, e-GMAT. Older Manhattan Prep 5th/6th editions still teach relevant content but contain retired question types.
Can I import an old GMAT Anki deck?
Yes, and you should — quant fundamentals and Critical Reasoning content transfer directly. Import the deck, then use tags to hide the sentence correction subdeck. Ellie accepts .apkg and .csv imports.
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