This series of emails and PMs focuses on situations that many Test Takers face during their studies. The names of the original posters have been changed to protect their identities.
Frequency of Certain Tough Quant Categories
Dear Rich,
How often will permutations, combinations and probabilities be tested on my GMAT? I’ve been scoring 41s and 42s on my practice tests and tend to get these types of questions wrong.
Pi
Hi Pi,
Permutations, Combinations and Probability questions can be some of the toughest questions that you see on the GMAT, although they're not all tough questions (sometimes they're rather straight-forward). As a general rule, you'll likely see 1 of each on Test Day, BUT as you do better and better in the Quant section, the Randomizer is likely to throw you a few more of them. As such, you could end up seeing up to 3 of each in the Quant section (although this is at the rarer end of the spectrum). Make sure that you know the basic concepts, so that you can answer the standard/straight-forward versions of these questions, but don't worry about the crazy versions of these questions (especially if subjects criss-cross, such as a permutation criss-crossing with a probability question).
Non- GMAT Sources to Help Build Up Basic Skills
Rich,
I’m wondering if there are any alternative sources to gain general knowledge in the study process for the GMAT. Since time is always limited, is effort put towards the aforementioned just taking away from problem solving and analysis? Thanks in advance for any feedback!
Rho
Hi Rho,
Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org) is a fantastic resource for people who want to practice the basics without spending any money. We actually have specific recommendations from that site to all of our clients who are concerned about their basic math skills. What those types of sites do NOT typically offer though is real "expertise" in the given exams. No insider tips. No analysis. No pattern matching. If your goal is 700+, then a site such as Khan Academy will probably not be enough to get you there. I will say that the site does have a fantastic design, is fun to use and will certainly help you to improve if your immediate problems are with basic concepts.
Concerned About Low First CAT Score
Hi Rich,
Just started with the GMAT and did my first GMAT prep test, I got a 300; I have not even started with studying and I’m already wondering if I have what it takes to get to 600 or 700. As a start it’s already demoralizing. Any advice would be appreciated.
Sigma,
Hi Sigma,
Don't let your initial CAT score demoralize you; the GMAT has some unique aspects that you've probably never seen before (such as Data Sufficiency questions). The good news is that the GMAT is standardized, so it's going to look the same and ask you the same types of questions every time you take it. As such, you can prepare for what's coming. If these types of Tests are difficult for you, then you'll likely find it helpful to enroll in a GMAT course. You can decide how much time and money you'd like to spend on this process, but you should look around, try out some of the freebies that are offered by the various companies (hint: we have a variety of free resources at our site - www.empowergmat.com) and enroll in the one that best fits your personality, timeline and budget.
If you have any questions, then you can always feel free to contact me directly.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
