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How to improve performance in DS

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How to improve performance in DS

by purnimaksingh » Thu Jan 06, 2011 8:28 am
Hi,
I am almost reaching the end of my GMAT preparation.
I still have to do probability, Stats, rate and work and geometry remaning
I recently gave a mock GMAT test I scored as I expected but in DS I did 3 mistakes out of 14.
I think in quant this is my weakest area. How should I counter this problem?

Another problem that I have and I really need advice on is that I am done with verbal.
Everyday I practice SC from https://thousandsc.blocked/ (around 50)
I do 14 to 15 CR problems
4 RC from RC 99.
But my problem is it leaves me exhausted and I am ignoring math.

I have almost 30% left in math and I have to do OG verbal and quant review, OG book, Princeton Review practice book. I have to give 2 test prep exam, 5 MR review exam and 2 Kaplan exams also before I go for GMAT (which is in a month from now or may be a max of month and a half).

I on an average have 6 hours a day for studies. Can anyone help me to set a timetable? Please!

Regards,
Purnima
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Source: — Data Sufficiency |
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by Brian@VeritasPrep » Thu Jan 06, 2011 5:48 pm
Hey Purnima,

A couple of suggestions for you:

1) Because quant comes before verbal on test day, and because you know you need to do at least some DS work, I'd suggest taking 30-45 minutes at the beginning of each study session to do some DS problems. That way you don't neglect it, and you're also going to get yourself warmed up but also a little worn down before you start Verbal...just like you'll do it on test day. You'll get in the habit of transitioning your mind from math to verbal, and that can be a really helpful transition.

2) It sounds like you're doing pretty well on math overall - with DS, because the format is such a tricky thing, I suggest taking each DS question and then once you're done asking yourself "how can I make one small change to change the answer?". Often by flipping an inequality from > to <, or adding the word "integer" before a variable, or changing the word "positive" to "nonnegative", you can change the correct answer entirely.

By doing this, you learn to think more like the testmaker. Often those who are really good and really fast at Problem Solving problems find themselves vulnerable to the assumptions and quick associations they make when doing math quickly on Data Sufficiency problems. If you train yourself to think of the many ways that a statement can be phrased, you'll learn to look more for exactly how the question you're facing is phrased, and that can be particularly helpful in slowing yourself down and avoiding silly mistakes.

I hope that helps...
Brian Galvin
GMAT Instructor
Chief Academic Officer
Veritas Prep

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by purnimaksingh » Fri Jan 07, 2011 1:47 pm
Thanks Brain. I am sure this will help.
Thanks a lot.
Regards,
Purnima
Brian@VeritasPrep wrote:Hey Purnima,

A couple of suggestions for you:

1) Because quant comes before verbal on test day, and because you know you need to do at least some DS work, I'd suggest taking 30-45 minutes at the beginning of each study session to do some DS problems. That way you don't neglect it, and you're also going to get yourself warmed up but also a little worn down before you start Verbal...just like you'll do it on test day. You'll get in the habit of transitioning your mind from math to verbal, and that can be a really helpful transition.

2) It sounds like you're doing pretty well on math overall - with DS, because the format is such a tricky thing, I suggest taking each DS question and then once you're done asking yourself "how can I make one small change to change the answer?". Often by flipping an inequality from > to <, or adding the word "integer" before a variable, or changing the word "positive" to "nonnegative", you can change the correct answer entirely.

By doing this, you learn to think more like the testmaker. Often those who are really good and really fast at Problem Solving problems find themselves vulnerable to the assumptions and quick associations they make when doing math quickly on Data Sufficiency problems. If you train yourself to think of the many ways that a statement can be phrased, you'll learn to look more for exactly how the question you're facing is phrased, and that can be particularly helpful in slowing yourself down and avoiding silly mistakes.

I hope that helps...
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by dilipbobby » Sun Jan 16, 2011 12:13 am
HI Poornima,
It would be great help for me if you can forward the Soft copy of RC99 to my email ID: [email protected]

Thanks in advance

Dilip
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by ankur.agrawal » Sun Jan 16, 2011 3:43 am
dilipbobby wrote:HI Poornima,
It would be great help for me if you can forward the Soft copy of RC99 to my email ID: [email protected]

Thanks in advance

Dilip[/quote

Hey wud be of gr8 help if u can forward me a soft copy of RC 99 to me as well at [email protected].

Thanks
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