Beating the GMAT - Structured Approach - What's helping me

[T_A_M]

Hey all,

In my opinion the best way to “beat the GMAT” is to take a structured approach. I know it sounds obvious, but what I have found really useful is dissecting the beast! Focus areas should be number properties, inequalities, word translations and VIC’s in the Quant section. Only once you have true “mastery” in these, you should move on to combinatorics, probability and geometry.

People get caught up into using many, many books. But I firmly believe OG 11 really is the bible for the GMAT. By "mastery" I mean, the ability to solve every questions in 2 minutes. To be able to quickly spot traps. To know all the rules; if the question changed, to able to apply knowledge from previous questions; to have the confidence to anticipate the traps; to have a number of approaches to solve one type of question. To be able to recognize within seconds what the question is testing and the corresponding rule to apply.

The majority of the GMAT quant questions relate to number properties, so you should focus on these first. Typically in one study sessions, I will tackle a particular type of problem. Today for example I did rates and work and algebraic translations. I know these are favorite areas of the GMAT. I do the review from the MGMAT guides, the in-action problems from the same guide, and then attack the relevant questions for that topic from OG 11 (or now 12). This has really helped me cement my knowledge in a particular area. I then revise what I have leant in the week and do a full-practice test (official one from mba.com) on Sunday.

This is my approach. It is working for me. You may find it helpful too.

[VP_Jim]

I completely agree that the OGs (orange, green and purple) are probably the only resources that you need. The questions in these guides are the most representative of the actual exam that you can find (after all, they were used in previous tests), so they're hard to beat in terms of study materials.

Quite a few students are bogged down in trying to get through as many problems (in as many books) as possible, but this may actually hurt the students' prep. Studying for the GMAT is not about quantity of problems that you can get through (or not get through), but about whether you took the time to really try to understand why the problem is the way it is (as in, why the correct answer is right and the wrong answer is wrong).

[T_A_M]

Thanks for replying VP_Jim!

So do you think if one has mastered how to do every question in the OG guides (Orange, Green, Purple) you can achieve a 650+ score?

I am aiming for "mastery" of each question in OG 11 as a start. Not moving on to the next question, until I have annihilated each question.

Not just memorising the answer / solution, but knowing exactly what the question is testing and having a robust approach (maybe several approaches) to solve any of the problems.

So OG guides enough to get 650 mark if I carry on with this approach?

[VP_Jim]

I think that's an accurate statement. Be careful, however, since a lot of the math problems in the OG are explained/solved using the "official" method, when there may be a much easier "trick" method to solving. If math tricks aren't intuitive for you, you might want to pick up a prep guide.

[changingcourse]

what the question is testing and the corresponding rule to apply.

The majority of the GMAT quant questions relate to number properties, so you should focus on these first.

I couldn't agree more

[changingcourse]

what the question is testing and the corresponding rule to apply.

The majority of the GMAT quant questions relate to number properties, so you should focus on these first.

I couldn't agree more