GMAT Strategy

hi, this is my first post and i have a few questions.

1) i keep hearing 5 min breaks, and 10 min breaks... is it 5 min breaks between each section or 10 min breaks between each section? (i.e. intro, 5/10 min break, AWA, 5/10min break?, quant, 5/10min break?, then verbal!??!)

2) what exactly does the "clock" do? does it just display the minutes counting DOWN? from 75 or counting UP from 75? and does it display ANYTHING else?

thanks,
-chris

You get 10-minute breaks, but since they have to scan your fingerprint before letting you in at your desk, you can't spend the whole 10 minutes on a break. People usually come in earlier because they don't want to risk having the test start without them!

The clock displays the amount of time you've got left (i.e. 75 counting down). It doesn't display anything else...

You definitely want to be careful with the breaks. I took a break between essays and quant and I over stayed on the break and the exam began without me... I only had 73 mins for the quant.... I still finished on time but it added enormously to my stress levels and as a result I think I messed up on some of the early questions and it made it harder for me to recover...

Also remember there may be others taking a break at the same time you are so you may have to wait in line to be keyed in which may mean that you can be delayed further.

My advice, take a 6 minute break max.

zuleron wrote:
My advice, take a 6 minute break max.

That is good advice. I personally recommend that you DO take your breaks, but simply use them as an opportunity to stretch, get sip water, or eat a very small snack. If you need to access your locker, I would explicitly ask the proctor if it is ok so that you aren't accused of looking for notes.

Plan your liquid consumption ahead of time so that you don't have to use the bathroom.

Intro (5 min)
AWA 1 (30 min
AWA 2 (30 min)
Break (10 min)
Quant (75 min)
Break (10 min)
Verbal (75 min)
Personal Details & Score (5 min)

I would take a break of like 6-7 minutes, have some water and just clear your head.

One thing I did, and I thought it was very useful, was to do some light exercise during the break. I took a sip of water (don't take more or you may have to pee mid exam!) and then did pushups and jumping jacks. That got the blood flowing, lowered the stress and pressure out of my head and let me refocus again.

mayonnai5e wrote:One thing I did, and I thought it was very useful, was to do some light exercise during the break. I took a sip of water (don't take more or you may have to pee mid exam!) and then did pushups and jumping jacks. That got the blood flowing, lowered the stress and pressure out of my head and let me refocus again.

wow that is some excellent advise right there. simple but profound, thanks, i will def do that

and thanks all for answering my questions. i've been reading this forum like crazy even tho i dont really post much haha.