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study tips to minimize stupid mistakes

Problem Solving — algebra and arithmetic (GMAT Focus Edition)
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study tips to minimize stupid mistakes

by jerseygirl » Sun Sep 05, 2010 12:01 pm
i've been doing the OG and QR. for the most part, i find the questions pretty straightforward and generally take less than 2 minutes to solve the problems with few errors. i've been logging my mistakes on flashcards, and getting a lot out of my study sessions.

HOWEVER, on the mgmat CAT exams, i find myself getting really flustered by the more verbose word problems and pos/neg/abs value problems, and i end up making dumb mistakes and having to skip questions i would normally get.

is anyone else running into this issue? and if so, should i expect the actual gmat to be as time-consuming as mgmat?

the OG has been great for me to get familiar with the concepts, but in terms of practicing timing, i'd like some tips. i've taken 5 mgmat cats, so i have one more mgmat and 2 gmat preps to practice more, but if there's other material, please share!
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by boysangur » Tue Sep 07, 2010 3:07 pm
jerseygirl wrote:i've been doing the OG and QR. for the most part, i find the questions pretty straightforward and generally take less than 2 minutes to solve the problems with few errors. i've been logging my mistakes on flashcards, and getting a lot out of my study sessions.

HOWEVER, on the mgmat CAT exams, i find myself getting really flustered by the more verbose word problems and pos/neg/abs value problems, and i end up making dumb mistakes and having to skip questions i would normally get.

is anyone else running into this issue? and if so, should i expect the actual gmat to be as time-consuming as mgmat?

the OG has been great for me to get familiar with the concepts, but in terms of practicing timing, i'd like some tips. i've taken 5 mgmat cats, so i have one more mgmat and 2 gmat preps to practice more, but if there's other material, please share!
I have the same problem. I haven't taken the Gmat yet but what helped me improve was to just read questions one info line at a time and jot down whatever math version of it I can immediately think of. Then I write down and underline the key words of the actual question, not to forget it, and look at what I have.

It seems like the most difficult part of GMAT is recognizing the math equations it tries so hard to conceal. Some questions look tough but are actually quite easy.
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by Tani » Wed Sep 08, 2010 11:55 am
I understand your frustration, but it sounds as though you are dealing with test anxiety. As strange as it seems, you should try slowing down. Keep an eye on the clock and accustom yourself to two minutes so that you know when it is time to pull the plug on a complicated question and move on. Getting a string of strong right answers up front and guessing toward the end will do more for you than having a spotty record throughout.

With complicated word problems, try seeing them as real world situations, not GMAT barriers. Often stepping back and asking yourself what you would do in a similar situation helps to clarify the steps. I also find that people who stumble over word problems are often missing key words in the stem (such as "even", "positive", or "circumference") I sometimes counsel my students to actually write down all the words that have math implications. This helps to ensure that you are not making a careless mistake. The simple fact of writing something ensures that you have noticed it, even if you never look back.

For number properties data sufficiency problems in particular it helps to keep a chart showing what you have tested and why, making sure you cover all the bases, not just positive and negative, but odd and even, prime and non-prime, zero, one, and fractions versus whole numbers. You often need to test several variations to resolve data sufficiency issues and keeping straight what you have investigated and what you haven't can be a big help.

Good luck,
Tani Wolff
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by jerseygirl » Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:06 am
thanks for your responses.

i've noticed that with the jitters, i mis-transcribe and that totally throws me off....

just gotta slow down and practice more i guess!
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by Tani » Fri Sep 10, 2010 8:05 pm
Slowing down is good - try to find your personal "relax" button - it might be picturing a beautiful sandy beach or a mountain view or a soothing piece of music - something you can focus on for 10 seconds to recover your equilibrium. Watch for physical signs of stress. Are you clenching or grinding your teeth? Are you neck and shoulder muscles tight? Consciously tightening and releasing tense muscles can help.

Practice wisely, not more. If you are pushing yourself to practice more than 2 or three hours at a time so that you are becoming tense during practice that is counterproductive.
Tani Wolff
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