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How to prepare for Quant

Problem Solving — algebra and arithmetic (GMAT Focus Edition)
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How to prepare for Quant

by Tapas Gupta » Tue Jul 18, 2017 5:52 pm
Hi,
Please advise on how to prepare for Quant section.
I am good in quant. I have scored 46 score in veritas prep practice test without even studying for quant. I have completed OG and Verbal review about a month ago. I have focused more on verbal section for past month. Now I have to start all over again for quant. Please advise from where to start :(
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by [email protected] » Tue Jul 18, 2017 6:07 pm
Hi Tapas Gupta,

Before I can offer you the specific advice that you're looking for, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

Studies:
1) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for each)?
2) When was the last time you took a FULL-LENGTH CAT (with the Essay and IR sections)?

Goals:
3) What is your goal score?
4) When are you planning to take the GMAT?
5) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
6) What Schools are you planning to apply to?

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by Tapas Gupta » Tue Jul 18, 2017 6:15 pm
Hi
Thanks for the reply

Studies:
1) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for each)?
Ans- CAT 1 - 570 (V-22, Q-46)
CAT 2- 530 (V-25, Q-36)
2) When was the last time you took a FULL-LENGTH CAT (with the Essay and IR sections)?
Ans -07/15/2017

Goals:
3) What is your goal score?
Ans - 700+
4) When are you planning to take the GMAT?
Ans - Next Month
5) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
Ans- Next Year
6) What Schools are you planning to apply to?
Ans- ISB, IIMs,
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by Tapas Gupta » Tue Jul 18, 2017 6:20 pm
My verbal scores didn't increased this time because I made consecutive mistakes in the CAT.
And I am not able to do 700+ level questions in verbal.
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by [email protected] » Wed Jul 19, 2017 8:08 am
Hi Tapas Gupta,

Raising scores in the mid-500s to a 700+ will take some serious effort - and you will need to make significant improvements to how you handle BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections. Unfortunately, all of that work will likely take at least another 3 months of consistent, guided study - so you might want to push back your Test Date. Since you're not planning to apply to Business School until next year though, you appear to have plenty of time to continue studying and improving.

Right now, you do NOT need to be focused on "700 level" questions - you need to be honing your skills and learning/practicing proper Tactics (that you can use on ALL 'levels' of questions). From what you have described, your studies appear to have been 'book heavy', so you might want to consider investing in some new, non-book study materials.

1) Going forward, how many hours do you think you can consistently study each week?

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by Tapas Gupta » Wed Jul 19, 2017 8:39 am
Hi,
I can give 6-8 hours a day..
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by [email protected] » Wed Jul 19, 2017 4:40 pm
Hi Tapas Gupta,

After taking each CAT, it's important to put in the proper 'review time', so that you define WHY you got questions wrong. Depending on the reasons behind those missed questions, we can better plan out what you need to work on going forward.

After reviewing each section of this recent CAT, how many questions did you get wrong....
1) Because of a silly/little mistake?
2) Because there was some math/verbal that you just could not remember how to do?
3) Because the question was too hard?
4) Because you were low on time and had to guess?

The more specific you can be with the answers to these questions, the better. Thankfully, the GMAT is a predictable, standardized Test, so you CAN train to score at a higher level.

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by Tapas Gupta » Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:52 pm
Hi,
Thanks for the advise.
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by Tapas Gupta » Wed Jul 19, 2017 8:03 pm
Hi,
Can you advise me on some non-book study materials.

Thanks,
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by [email protected] » Thu Jul 20, 2017 10:36 am
Hi Tapas Gupta,

We can certainly discuss additional study materials for you, but it would help to have answers to my prior questions first. There's a big difference between 'fixing' little errors in your work and having to learn material that you don't know yet. You can also feel free to contact me directly (via email or PM) if you'd like to discuss any of this privately.

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by Dukemm » Thu Jul 20, 2017 8:08 pm
Looking through some of the quant qns for GMAT here, it seems like i need to brush up on my high sch math. Would you guys suggest i start digging up my old textbooks or should i buy one of those exhorbitatn GMAT guidebooks? :roll:
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by [email protected] » Fri Jul 21, 2017 9:31 am
Hi Dukemm,

From a content-standpoint, it's important to note that many of the math subjects that you might have learned in High School are NOT on the GMAT (Calculus, Trigonometry and Algebra 2 are NOT a part of the Exam). Algebra, Geometry and broad Arithmetic are though, and while the Quant section of the GMAT is NOT a 'math test', you will end up doing lots of little calculations as you work through that section (and through the IR section) - so knowing how to do all of that math 'by hand' will help you to score higher.

For free general math practice and help, I recommend that you set up an account at Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org). The site is completely free and makes the learning a bit more fun and 'game-like' (as opposed to the dry academic approach taken by most books). While the site is vast, you should limit your studies to basic Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry. If you wanted to spend a little time re-building those skills before you start your GMAT studies, then that would be fine.

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by Matt@VeritasPrep » Sun Jul 23, 2017 2:41 pm
Dukemm wrote:Looking through some of the quant qns for GMAT here, it seems like i need to brush up on my high sch math. Would you guys suggest i start digging up my old textbooks or should i buy one of those exhorbitatn GMAT guidebooks? :roll:
If you just need to work on your arithmetic and algebra, I would start with some proper math books. They're not any different from the GMAT material, but they tend to be cheaper. There are also *so many* of them that there are bound to be a few that are much much better than any test prep material, just by the law of distributions.

Personally my favorite intro to thinking like a mathematician is Art of Problem Solving's Prealgebra. I've used this book with mathphobic kids and adults for years and the success rate is tremendous. Their other books are tremendous too -- as well they should be, since they constitute the curriculum that trains most of the future mathletes in the English speaking world -- but they pretty quickly go beyond the math required for the GMAT.
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by Matt@VeritasPrep » Sun Jul 23, 2017 2:42 pm
Tapas Gupta wrote:Hi,
I can give 6-8 hours a day..
Just a little piece of advice: 2 hours with full energy and attention is better than 6 hours tired after work! (I don't know your situation, but that is just my experience.)
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by Tapas Gupta » Sun Jul 23, 2017 6:05 pm
Hi Matt,
Thanks for reply.
I said so because I have switched my job. I have about 1 month to join the new job.
Can you please advise on how to study for Quant so that I can take full benefit for the upcoming month.
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