GMAT Strategy

Hi all.

Unlike the majority of you here, I'm not applying to and aiming for a "top" business school. Therefore, I'm not aiming to score 700+ on the GMAT. In fact, the minimum score needed for the program I'm looking into (it's a specialized MBA in Europe) is 550. I was told by someone in the program that if English is my native language, scoring a 550 minimum is a walk in the park. She even went as far as to say that I barely even need to prepare. Thoughts on this?

Despite what I was told, I'm still nervous about the test, especially the quant section. I haven't taken a math class in at least 6 years AND it was never my strongest subject; these factors combined make me very nervous.

My "strategy" thus far, smart or not, was to study hard for the verbal section so that I can score as highly as possible to offset a much lower math score. I started studying for verbal in mid to late July, and up to now, I've been focusing on verbal. I've been feeling pretty good with my performance on the Official Guides practice questions.

Now I've started studying quant. Since math just doesn't come quickly and easily for me in the same way that verbal does, I'm not counting on an extremely high quant score even after months of studying.

The main questions I'm posing here are:
Is it realistic to brush up my math skills ENOUGH to score at least a 550 within a six-week time period (I'd ideally like to take the exam right before Thanksgiving)?
What are the crucial things to know about scoring decently on quant? In other words, are there things I should focus on while studying?

Thank you in advance to those who respond!

Hey janextine,

Thanks for writing - you know, I'm really glad that you wrote what you did. Boards like these are disproportionate with their "devastated at 680" and "how do I turn my Q50 into a Q51" posts that make it seem like nothing short of a 700 is worthy and that 550 is a cakewalk. But 550 is above average on the GMAT, a test that serves only those who have completed enough college to plan on a graduate course of study...and that overwhelmingly serves those who were quite successful in college and in industry. 550 is not "easy".

So you're right to put some time and effort into your preparation. And while you don't need to be perfect in the Official Guide quant questions, you'll want to be at least somewhat comfortable with a majority of them.

My advice is to get comfortable with the core skills upon which nearly all math questions are based:

-Algebra
-Factors/Multiples/Divisibility
-Properties of Numbers (even/odd, prime numbers, positive/negative)

If you can get to a point where you're not intimidated to see variables in equations; you can set up quick equations out of word problems to solve for unknowns; you see a number like 12 and recognize that it's even and a multiple of 3; then you're in pretty good striking distance of an average-or-so quant score.

Because at least a third (and probably around half) of your math questions will be in Data Sufficiency form, I'd also make sure that you understand that line of questioning (that the answer choices are static; that you can't use both statements together (for answer choice C) unless neither alone was sufficient; that a Yes/No question requires either "always yes" or "always no" in order to be sufficient and that a What-is-the-Value question requires one exact value to be sufficient).

And as a study tip, don't let yourself get too frustrated with math rules that don't come back quickly. Remember that no one "made up" math...the answers are correct because they're logically true. So slow down in your first 2-3 weeks of math study and try to work your way through problems even if the answer or the next step doesn't jump right out at you. I've found that a lot of the reason people don't feel comfortable with math is that they always felt they had to "do it fast", and didn't really take the time to think it through. Relax a little and appreciate that learning math is a lifelong skill that's actually easier if you let yourself absorb it without pressure.

Brian, that's a very useful post

I'm in a similar position and 'only' need to score around 600.

The maths is also beginning to intimidate me a bit, so your advice about slowing down and thinking through the problem as opposed to trying to solve it fast, is very useful.

The problem I have with maths is that in order to find the answer, I need to understand why the formula is at is it - I can't just learn formulas off by heart, I need to understand the reasons why it works!

I'm pretty much following your advice and am spending the first 4 weeks or so getting to grip with the basic maths and trying not to get too frustrated if I don't figure out the answers immediately. I'm hoping that eventually, when I see the same questions over again, I will begin to understand the logic behind them.

The problem I have with maths is that in order to find the answer, I need to understand why the formula is at is it - I can't just learn formulas off by heart, I need to understand the reasons why it works!

Not a problem at all, Andy - that's actually really good to hear. It's tough (if even doable) to memorize your way to success on this test. I remember blanking on a pretty standard exponent rule (x^y * x^z --> do you add or multiply the y and z?) during my test, and not feeling satisfied until I proved it: x^2 * x^3 = x*x * x*x*x, which is just x*x*x*x*x = x^5 --> you add them. It was much more my ability to prove that rule than my ability to remember it that helped me - I may have guessed right but I was already wondering whether I'd double-down on that same guess or hedge my bet by doing the opposite if I were to see that question again. Which is just a terrible decision to have to make - so why not have that ability to truly understand and prove those rules if need be?

I've found that it doesn't take much more time at all to understand something than to memorize it, and true understanding is so much more flexible and powerful. So you're doing the right thing...keep that up!

Hi Brian,

Thank you for your helpful response!

You mentioned:

If you can get to a point where you're not intimidated to see variables in equations; you can set up quick equations out of word problems to solve for unknowns; you see a number like 12 and recognize that it's even and a multiple of 3; then you're in pretty good striking distance of an average-or-so quant score.

I'd like to expand on this and ask you more about being able to set up quick equations out of word problems. At this point, I feel that this is one of my weaker points. Once I see the steps explained to me, I can more or less see how the equation was set up. However, when I try to set it up myself, I blank out a bit. Do you have any tips or strategies about how to quickly yet effectively set up equations? I'm assuming that this just comes with practice? A friend told me that with more practice I'll start recognizing patterns that will guide me in knowing how to set up equations. Do you feel this is true?

Thanks again!