Data Sufficiency

I've been working on some D/S questions but it's just not clicking and it shows in my scores. I'm getting the easier questions wrong and when I sit down to review it, I think: Of course! Why didn't I think of that?

I know it's a matter of shifting my way of seeing things but is it just a matter of doing enough problems, drilling, and reviewing problems again and again to really get it?

Thanks!

Ancilla wrote:I've been working on some D/S questions but it's just not clicking and it shows in my scores. I'm getting the easier questions wrong and when I sit down to review it, I think: Of course! Why didn't I think of that?

I know it's a matter of shifting my way of seeing things but is it just a matter of doing enough problems, drilling, and reviewing problems again and again to really get it?

That's pretty much what I did, and it worked.

The ones with the seemingly simple math are often the ones that get you.

Also, I use things like meditation to find any resistance I might have to seeing what there is to see or any desire I might have to get problems wrong. That can help A LOT. If a person has unconscious reasons for getting them wrong or not scoring high on the test, the wrong answers can just keep showing up. More generally, performance can change dramatically with just a little change in psychology, attitude, confidence or patterns of response to challenges.

There are patterns to how they trick you, by the way. For instance, they often set it up in such a way that C seems like the right answer. This is often called a C trap. Once you become aware of the possibility of a C trap, you are less likely to be sucked in.

Another common pattern is two statements looking different and actually giving the same information, which may be sufficient or insufficient in both cases.

Another thing that can be useful is noticing that one of the statements gives a specific piece of information that is obviously not sufficient for answering the question. Generally that is a tip off of some sort, often that that information is a key piece of information that is necessary for answering the question.

Often you can get clues from the statements, so that before you see the answer at least you don't jump to the wrong one.

So basically, doing what you said should pretty much do the trick. Enough of that and DS becomes natural. At the same time you might be able to speed up the process by doing an online search for more of the kinds of patterns and tips I mentioned above, and by becoming more self aware and doing some things to adjust your patterns of response to challenges you could turbo charge your performance.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I am currently using the Manhattan Prep to help me with D/S so I do ascribe to a system for eliminating answers. I just wanted to know what the general process is to get better. I did a pratice CAT test today and my D/S score jumped just be doing more questions and reviewing D/S questions more. I will have a look at the all the resources posted.