Study hours and technique

Expert replies

melguy: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 335; Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 11:31 pmFollowed by: 2 members; Location: Australia / India; Thanked: 37 times

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

Source: Beat The GMAT — GMAT Strategy | Sat Jul 27, 2013 10:40 pm

GMAT/MBA Expert

[email protected]: Elite Legendary Member; Posts: 10392; Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pmFollowed by: 511 members; Location: Palo Alto, CA; Thanked: 2867 times; GMAT Score:800

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]

GMAT Course Reviews

563 reviews

1168 reviews

431 reviews

359 reviews

147 reviews

5/5

5 Star (563 Reviews)

"Target Test Prep is the closest to the official version of the GMAT exam, about 99% accuracy in terms of the quality and quantity of information. The course has excellently created singular sets of focused lessons and tests for every possible topic that one could come across in the official GMAT exam."

"The TTP course maximizes the efficiency of the time you spend studying. It will take time and effort but I could almost guarantee that if you complete the course exactly as it is laid out you will get an amazing score. They also have a very responsive team willing to help with any questions you might have."

"TTP has two things that I think no other test prep company offers: A teaching approach that reinforces understanding and an attitude that will give you the mental preparedness needed to succeed on the test. TTP gives you a deep understanding of the concept you need to know while teaching you how to think."

Write a Review