Beat The GMAT

General Primo · Tue Oct 06, 2009 2:24 pm

Greetings All,
I have just recently undertaken the daunting task of starting my GMAT prep. I'm writing to see about tailoring a 740+ strategy to my lifestyle.

As a licensed Merchant Mariner, I spend months aboard ship during which most of my time is spent staring blankly out of the windows on the bridge. That being said, there is AMPLE time alloted to studying. As a Service Academy Grad, we were taught never to train but to educate ourselves in a subject. The proverbial "million-dollar question" is, "Does this philosophy still ring true with the GMAT?"

Recently, I have been engulfing myself in the theory behind the topics covered in the GMAT and I feel as if I may be barking up the wrong tree. This process has not only been long-winded, but also quite overwhelming. So, my question is this, "Should I just start hammering out practice problems to start with or continue on the road less traveled by?"

I should also mention that I am not looking to take the GMAT until this time next year. Should I even start studying now? Please advise as all opinions are both wanted and appreciated.

Thanks

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dmateer25 · Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:42 pm

Just solving 100's of problem is not very useful unless you really understand the theory behind the question. You should continue to study the theory for each section of the GMAT. With the amount of time you have to study, you should be fundamentally sound by the time you take the GMAT. Are you using any guides to study?

I would recommend picking up one of the guides from a reputable testing company and working your way through it.

I used the following books:
Manhattan GMAT (all the math guides)
Manhattan SC
PowerScore CR bible

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General Primo · Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:22 am

I have purchased some E-Books called the Winner's Guide that are pretty helpful on the theory and such. As for the guides you mentioned, they are on order.

Should I start ticking away at the GMAT info now or wait until I am 4 months out and then hammer it then?

My current strategy is to hit the high notes on the theory for all the topics and then take a diagnostic test before I hit the guides and practice problems. What do you think?

Thanks Again for your Help

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DanaJ · Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:10 am

I personally used strategy guides before going for practice problems. I studied something like one section per week/two weeks. I'd read the strategy tips first and then go for the practice problems.

Here's the post I used to develop my strategy, maybe it will help you as well.

As far as diagnostics tests, maybe it would be useful for you to take one now, to know which section is your weakness. You could target your weaker areas better, I think.

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zuleron · Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:11 am

With the 9 or so months you have you can really do well on this exam.

The GMAT is a "bottom up" exam i.e. you gotta pass the easy stuff before you pass the intermediate stuff before you pass the hard stuff. Basically, you have to be fundamentally sound. You shouldn't focus on tough questions until you are fundamentally sound because you will NEVER see a tough question if you get easy ones wrong. In regular exams you can tank the 2 point easy questions and still ace the exam if you get the monster 30 point super hard one correct. The GMAT is NOT like that because, again, you will NEVER see a tough question if you get easy ones wrong.

A good strategy, bearing in mind all the time you have, would be to take a diagnostic test to get a feel for what the GMAT is about and to and find out where you are weak. For most people it is number properties. Buy study guides. I personally am using Manhattan GMAT prep guides and they are excellent. Learn each section and then try the questions at the end thereof. This is the hardest part of the prep coz it can drag on and on and it requires discipline and focus.

After going through all the books (or the ones/sections you think you need) do another diagnotic test and really focus in on your weak areas. Go back to those sections and redo the questions and really find out what about the question keeps stumping you. Make copiuos notes and then flashcards from those notes and look at them everyday or as often as you are able to.

At some point you will feel ready to begin working on your speed (probably 6weeks before the test) This part will reveal how well you know the stuff coz if you can't answer the qustion in 2mins or less then you really don't know the stuff. you will prolly have to go back to the materials and drill the sections in which you are weak. Repeat as necessary till test day.

Again, the key is learn the stuff first and then go for speed. the learing part is hard and boring wheras working on speed is challenging and interesting but you've gotta go through the pain of discovering in detail what type of questions you are weak in e.g. manipulating radicals and exponents with variables rather than numbers etc. to really gain. But you have the time you just have to stay focused.

Good Luck!

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