Study hours and technique

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Study hours and technique

by melguy » Sat Jul 27, 2013 10:40 pm
Hello

I would like to get some insight on how the successful candidates study for the exam. I have read that experts suggest to study 2-3 hours during the weekdays and 5-6 hours during the weekends. So how much material does one covers in those 2-3 hours.

When I study RC I can do 5 questions in approx 2 hours (10 mins per Q on average i.e. 50 mins + thorough review take at least another hour).

When I study SC I can do approx 15-20 Q's in 2 hours including thorough review.

Am I too slow or other too study at the same rate? Reason I ask is my old tutor gave me mountains of work (OG 13, VR 1,2 + heaps of custom made notes from several sources) and said it should take 30-45 days to finish it all. But at this speed it will take lot longer. I am planning to finish the GMAT and apply for a program by mid Sep.

Any ideas please?? Thanks
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by [email protected] » Sun Jul 28, 2013 2:21 am
Hi melguy,

There's no "magic formula" for studying, as each person has his/her own strengths and weaknesses and will have to study accordingly.

If you were starting from scratch, the general advice I would off is this:

1) Plan on the overall time commitment to span roughly 12 weeks, putting in 10-15 hours per week.
2) You DO NOT need to study every day, and I actually advise against it. Take 1 day (or more at your discretion) "off" per week from studying.
3) Most people will do more effective studying in "small chunks" (2 hours or so at a time) and early in the day (as opposed to at night). Don't emphasize volume, emphasize quality.
4) Studying all day on a Saturday or Sunday is rarely a good idea.
5) Practice CATs area "measuring devices"; they don't make you a better Test Taker; they do point out your "weak spots." As such, you should never take more than 1 CAT/week. The bulk of your time should be spent studying.
6) Speed/Pacing will improve with time and learning/practicing tactics. Just because you know 1 way to get a question correct doesn't mean that you know the fastest way. Be open to practicing new concepts.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Contact Rich at [email protected]
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