BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

private tutor's ideas versus my own...

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Legendary Member
Posts: 1018
Joined: Tue Dec 12, 2006 7:19 pm
Thanked: 86 times
Followed by:6 members

private tutor's ideas versus my own...

by mayonnai5e » Sun Aug 19, 2007 1:54 pm
So I recently began private tutoring for the GMAT, but my tutor's strategic plan is different from my own. My original plan was to attack my weakest areas; in particular, my timing as well as certain areas of Q (geometry/number properties) and V (SC and RC). The reason why I wanted private tutoring was to help focus on those goals; however, my tutor has suggested a plan that boils down to doing every problem in each of the 3 OG books and reading every single solution provided. In addition, I would do one CAT a week. She has suggested no strategic plans/ideas for addressing my timing problems (timing comes naturally after doing so many problems and so many CATs according to her) and instead of focusing on specific categories of problems I should just do every problem of every type.

This seems counter to most study plans I've read about on this forum, but she's the tutor and she has a lot more experience than I do with the GMAT. What do you guys/girls think? Should I follow her advice or should I push back and try to change the study plan?

Thanks.
Top
Source: — GMAT Strategy |

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Site Admin
Posts: 6778
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Thanked: 1249 times
Followed by:994 members

Re: private tutor's ideas versus my own...

by beatthegmat » Sun Aug 19, 2007 2:38 pm
mayonnai5e wrote:So I recently began private tutoring for the GMAT, but my tutor's strategic plan is different from my own. My original plan was to attack my weakest areas; in particular, my timing as well as certain areas of Q (geometry/number properties) and V (SC and RC). The reason why I wanted private tutoring was to help focus on those goals; however, my tutor has suggested a plan that boils down to doing every problem in each of the 3 OG books and reading every single solution provided. In addition, I would do one CAT a week. She has suggested no strategic plans/ideas for addressing my timing problems (timing comes naturally after doing so many problems and so many CATs according to her) and instead of focusing on specific categories of problems I should just do every problem of every type.

This seems counter to most study plans I've read about on this forum, but she's the tutor and she has a lot more experience than I do with the GMAT. What do you guys/girls think? Should I follow her advice or should I push back and try to change the study plan?

Thanks.
As you know, effective study strategies depend on the individual--one person's study strategy could look remarkably different than another's but both could produce results.

That being said, if you feel uncomfortable with what your tutor is suggesting, then ask her why she is creating this particular strategy for you and also question her on what she thinks about your original strategy. Since you're investing good money into a private tutor, really take the time to drill her on her methodology.

Best of luck!
Beat The GMAT | The MBA Social Network
Community Management Team

Research Top GMAT Prep Courses:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/gmat-prep-courses

Research The World's Top MBA Programs:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/school
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 214
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:35 am
Thanked: 3 times

by beny » Sun Aug 19, 2007 4:32 pm
I used her strategy for my preperation and I did well on my GMAT (99th percentile). That being said, I am also naturally good at standardized tests. I got a 720 on my first GMATPrep with no preperation... so we are probably at different starting points.

One thing that definitely helped me with timing was just taking lots of MGMAT CATs... and I never had timinig issues before MGMAT. I agree with her that timing will come naturally w/ taking lots of CATs (especially ones that are more difficult than you are comfortable with).

MGMAT is so difficult that it forces you to move on when you can't get the answer. You should have the notion ingrained within you that the absolute worst thing to do is leave a section unfinished... MGMAT is so difficult that you won't complete the first 2-3 CATs. Soon you realize that you need to guess and move on, after quickly analyzing how long the problem will take you and how likely you can solve it correctly. Just keep reminding yourself: The absolute worst thing you can do is leave a section unfinished.
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 1018
Joined: Tue Dec 12, 2006 7:19 pm
Thanked: 86 times
Followed by:6 members

by mayonnai5e » Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:03 pm
beny wrote:I used her strategy for my preperation and I did well on my GMAT (99th percentile). That being said, I am also naturally good at standardized tests. I got a 720 on my first GMATPrep with no preperation... so we are probably at different starting points.

One thing that definitely helped me with timing was just taking lots of MGMAT CATs... and I never had timinig issues before MGMAT. I agree with her that timing will come naturally w/ taking lots of CATs (especially ones that are more difficult than you are comfortable with).

MGMAT is so difficult that it forces you to move on when you can't get the answer. You should have the notion ingrained within you that the absolute worst thing to do is leave a section unfinished... MGMAT is so difficult that you won't complete the first 2-3 CATs. Soon you realize that you need to guess and move on, after quickly analyzing how long the problem will take you and how likely you can solve it correctly. Just keep reminding yourself: The absolute worst thing you can do is leave a section unfinished.
I normally save myself 2 minutes to guess randomly on any questions left over at the end of the exam. My timing has improved a lot though - my first time included roughly 12 guesses on Q and 14 on V; my second test was about the same; my third had 7 guesses on Q and 10 on V; my most recent had 5 on both. But yes, I definitely do not leave any answers blank. Oh, and nice work on the 99th %ile score.
Top
Community Manager
Posts: 111
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2007 5:57 pm
Location: San Jose CA
Followed by:2 members

Private tutors

by GCHall840 » Mon Aug 20, 2007 8:39 am
Hi Mayonnai5e,
I have had my share of personal tutors, so I thought that I would make a few comments about my experiences with them.

I think that a private tutor should be working with you and with what your needs are for the problem or problems that you have. I can honestly say that the private tutors that I have had, already had predetermined plans of action, that didn't really work with what I wanted and needed them for. Or, I had one tutor who had no plan of action at all. In fact, one of the personal tutors who I hired, made it very clear to me, that we were going to do the tutoring his way and not my way. That ended that, right away. Truthfully, I think that it is very hard to find a really good tutor who can zero in on all of the right things when it comes to the things that you need help with the most, too.

I think that it is great that a personal tutor has a planned way of doing things to help you with your problem or problems with certain parts of what is tested on the GMAT. However, I really wouldn't like it much if the private tutor that I hired, had a completely different study strategy from the one I had. I think that I would think seriously about whether your private tutor is the right person for you with all of the right attributes that you need to help you succeed on the test? I would not settle for anything less than that, especially when I know how expensive private tutoring is or can be, too.

Greg
Top

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2228
Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:28 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada
Thanked: 639 times
Followed by:694 members
GMAT Score:780

by Stacey Koprince » Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:26 pm
Agree with the above posts - you need to feel comfortable with whatever plan you and your tutor come up with. On the one hand, please be open to other ideas from your tutor, though your tutor should also be able to explain why s/he thinks you should approach things in the way s/he does. On the other hand, ultimately, if you are not comfortable with your tutor, for whatever reason, you may want to find another tutor. It will negatively affect your ability to learn if you find yourself doubting or resenting your tutor.

My 2 cents below.

I have certain things that I do with any tutoring student, no matter the starting level or individual strengths and weaknesses, but I definitely do not have a "one size fits alL" approach. I need to see a student's initial test results and also work through problems with him or her for a couple of hours before I can actually figure out a comprehensive plan. And, even then, I know the plan is going to change over time, because the student will make faster progress in some areas and slower progress in others, and I will have to adjust the program as necessary. (Note: one thing I noticed from your initial post is that you mostly wanted to work on your weaknesses. It's often easier to improve in your stronger areas, so find a good balance there - lift both.)

Also, this is personal preference and different tutors can obviously do things differently and still be successful, but I strongly do not approve of taking a CAT every week, nor do I approve of doing every single problem in OG. (That's 1,400 problems between the three books! Quantity is not a substitute for quality of study.)

Also, in my experience (13 years and counting...), timing does not come naturally for most people simply as a result of doing many problems - most people can get better, certainly, by simply doing lots of problems, but few people will maximize their scores simply by doing this. (Really, only people who are already naturally good at standardized tests typically fall into this category - and we aren't the ones who need tutoring.)
Please note: I do not use the Private Messaging system! I will not see any PMs that you send to me!!

Stacey Koprince
GMAT Instructor
Director of Online Community
Manhattan GMAT

Contributor to Beat The GMAT!

Learn more about me
Top
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1