1st practice 650 - "only" 42 in quant - can I get

[topperdoggle]

As per the subject. I got 650, which I was pleased with as a first effort, but only 42 in quant. The schools I'm looking at only look at the quant score, and I need around 47 to get in.

I have a month to go and I can revise every evening and all day weekends. Is it likely that I can make the improvement I need in that time, and if so, how should I concentrate my studies? Just practice questions?

I have the OG and Magoosh as question sources, by the way.

[Jim@StratusPrep]

It is possible, but that is a large jump in a short time. How was your timing?

[topperdoggle]

Hi, thanks for the response.

Timing was okay, I rushed my answer to the last question.

I have a UK A-Level in Maths in which I got a good grade - the problem is that it was nearly 20 years ago! So I'm not incapable, it's just a very long time since these brain cells have been exercised. When I see solutions to questions I get wrong, 4/5 times I think it's something I "should" have known, not something that I am clueless about.

It's very difficult trying to find the balance to study enough to learn, but not so much that the brain gets overloaded. Especially after a day's work.

Any tips, strategies gratefully appreciated.

[Jim@StratusPrep]

My biggest suggestion is to try not to rush the process. Is there a reason it must be done in a month?

[ceilidh.erickson]

It's important to learn the strategies as well as simply practicing the questions. Some of those strategies will become apparent as you're practicing, but it's hard to develop a holistic picture of a certain topic simply by doing questions in random order. You can buy strategy guides from any of the major prep companies (you can search on BTG for advice on which ones to buy, since I'm biased!), or you can simply search online for strategies.

In addition to tracking your work (which I mentioned in an earlier post to you), try to study topic-by-topic. If you get an exponents question wrong, for example, go find 8-10 more exponent questions to do in a row, so you have a complete picture of how the topic is tested. This will add a lot more depth to your understanding than simply doing random questions will.