BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

How to take notes effectively?!

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 12:47 am
Thanked: 3 times
Followed by:1 members

How to take notes effectively?!

by gander123 » Thu Sep 27, 2012 1:14 pm
My dear GMAT community,

Im currently preparing for the GMAT test in January 2013 in order to be admitted to a "better" European Business School. I'm aiming at 650-700 points. However, I frequently find myself left alone with some serious questions on the GMAT. So here's one of them:

Especially when I take the medium / hard questions on the GMAT Prep software, I really benefit from taking notes on a sheet of paper. However, I realized that you easily run out of time if you elaborate for too long on your paper.

So what do you think, how much note taking is advantageous ?! What harms your performance?

Awaiting your response.


Cheers from Germany !
Top
Source: — GMAT Strategy |
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 646
Joined: Mon May 21, 2012 7:08 am
Thanked: 322 times
Followed by:143 members

by Kasia@EconomistGMAT » Thu Sep 27, 2012 3:28 pm
Taking notes is a very good idea and it definitely can save you a lot of time. What I would recommend is to compile your own code - to use symbols instead of phrases and to substitute words with their abbreviated versions.
Note-taking is definitely indispensable when dealing with RC and CR.
Kasia
Senior Instructor
Master GMAT - the #1 rated GMAT course

"¢ If you found my post helpful, please click the "thank" button and/or follow me.

"¢ Take a 7 day free trial and find out why Economist GMAT is the highest rated GMAT course - https://gmat.economist.com/

"¢ Read GMAT Economist reviews - https://reviews.beatthegmat.com/economis ... mat-course
Top

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pm
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
Followed by:1268 members
GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Fri Sep 28, 2012 6:08 am
I agree with Kasia. Taking notes is a good idea.
However, rather than take our word for it, I think it's a good idea for students to convince themselves that this is a worthwhile strategy. Take a practice test without taking many note and see how you do.

If you're interested, I wrote an article for BTG about the advantages of slowing down (taking notes, etc.) when taking the GMAT: https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2012/05/ ... owing-down

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Top
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 234
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 8:50 am
Location: Bangalore
Thanked: 47 times
Followed by:60 members

by arun@crackverbal » Tue Oct 02, 2012 11:34 pm
Here is a way in which you can see "note taking":

The brain can do one of 2 things: take in the data, and process that information. So when you are reading it you are really reading stuff like "In Verland last year there was a decrease in blah blah....HOWEVER, blah blah....... Therefore, blah blah". The brain is trying to take in the information so it can build a context around it. It is when you make a quick diagram or write a few words to summarize that you read it helps assimilate the information.

The analogy is chewing food (reading information), and digesting food (understanding the info).

Don't make it an elaborate exercise. You are just giving your brain time to "breathe" so it should be short of doodling.

Arun
Founder of CrackVerbal - India's fastest growing GMAT Prepration and MBA Admissions Consulting Company. https://gmat.crackverbal.com

Free Ebook on GMAT | GMAT Scoring, Study plan, top study mistakes etc
Download here: https://gmat.crackverbal.com/15-minute-gmat-guide

Good enough to get into Harvard? Or would be it ISB? Get a free profile report PDF mailed to you: https://applications.crackverbal.com/fre ... valuation/
Top
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1