740+ Study diary

@startsnowing: In a way, you're right! Maybe one should just try to have a structured approach, which helps identify the weak spots! Nothing more is needed in the end of the day!

With me it's more or less the same - I just want to have a structure in terms of sequence of the problem areas with error log and notes, and then just practice a couple of questions per day/week from the previous areas I have studied, in order to preserve them in good condition. Sounds simple!

Let's see how many points I can improve from those 610! To be honest, I expected something around 450

Regards,

Just a small update! Currently studying the MGMAT SC book. Although still in the beginning, I somehow like it very much! I have the feeling that those book, although they are shorter that the Foundation books, will expect more time due to the OG12 and OG Verbal and OG Quant problems. Have done today about 20 easy SC problems with very good hit rate on meaning and concision. I try to take 60 secs per question on SC. Where I currently stand, I still have the feeling that I solve SC-questions more on feeling/ear, but not on the exact principles, but hope this will improve towards the end of the week, when I'll try to have finished. I darely want this V45+

Maybe someone would help here with an opinion or suggestion: What are the most important things one wants to include in the error log?
- wrong answers
- guessed answers
- section
- subsection

but what about:
- right questions
- time for answering

Thanks for the help!

Regards,

Thanks for the kind words and the suggestion, buddy! Hope you're right!

I downloaded a couple of the error logs, but they seem to be very complex. I'll stick to awesome error log or the gmatclub error log by spoilt, but will try to incorporate additional info for these details, mentioned by you.

How is your preparation going? Everything fine? Can I help you in a way?

Maybe some other opinion on the discussed issue.

Regards,

Pls. provide me the link for Gmat prep Questions. ( CR, SC,PS and DS)

Hey Guys,

I started my preps for GMAT almost a month back. I am currently enrolled in the MGMAT Online Course as well. We are half way in our 9 weeks class. Till now, I have been focusing primarily on the homework and have not been venturing other avenues like forums or other study material. Strictly stuck onto MGMAT material. I am looking to give GMAT towards the end of June, if not any earlier.

Till now, the preps have been like this

Week 1 -
Number Properties Guide (General) + In Action Problems from guide + OG 12 + Quant 2nd edition problems
Foundations of GMAT Math Chapters 1, 2, 3.
Week 2 -
Equations , Inequalities & VICs Guide (Chapters 1, 2, 3) In Action Problems from guide + OG 12 + Quant 2nd edition problems
Foundations of GMAT Math Chapters 4,5,6,7
SC - Subject Verb Agreement In Action Problems from guide + OG 12 + Quant 2nd edition problems
RC - Short Passages + In Action Problems from guide + OG 12 + Quant 2nd edition problems
Week 3 -
Equations , Inequalities & VICs Guide (Chapters 4,5,6,7) In Action Problems from guide + OG 12 + Quant 2nd edition problems
Foundations of GMAT Math Chapters 8 + Drill Sets
RC - Long Passages + In Action Problems from guide
SC - Parallelism In Action Problems from guide + OG 12 + Quant 2nd edition problems
Week 4 -
Started with Word Translations Guide. We are supposed to finish off almost all the chapters 1,2,3,6,8,9 + Inaction problems
Foundations of GMAT Math Chapters 9 + Drill Sets
SC - Pronouns In Action Problems from guide + OG 12 + Quant 2nd edition problems
CR Guide - Chapters 1 & 2 In Action Problems from guide + OG 12 + Quant 2nd edition problems

Sorry for this complete compilation, but there is a reason I posted this here. I am from India living in the US. So far, I was fine with all the homework, but starting this week, I feel very difficult. I am not able to grasp the concepts explained in RC and CR. After going through this thread, there are certain things I felt: There is someone out there with whom I could link with in this preparation. And, I seem to be doing the same mistakes as most of the typical exam takers (at least in terms of Verbal Section). I am having a hard time answering CR, RC questions, leave alone understanding them. I think I get it in my head, but when I see the questions, I am completely perplexed.

Few questions I have is

1. As some of you have hinted, I seem to be doing Word Translations before even covering the underlying math concepts. And, I do find it a little difficult to solve them as opposed to what I have been doing so far. So, do I stop worrying about my homework and may be go on a different approach. If I do, what should that be?
2. bgpower - You seem to have a very systematic approach. I did give my CAT (MGMAT) first test and got 560 (Q38 V29) during my first week of preps. Thanks for this thread! I did not do my fundamentals in verbal book yet. Will that be helpful and may be help in performing better in RCs and CRs? I also have not been maintaining a error log and Flash Cards. I do have my notes, but can you share your flash cards and may be a template of error log so I can also start maintaining mine? We can, then, may be periodically share the Flash cards and may be we will together come up with a better output.
3. I get the idea of reading GMAT Fiction. Would anyone of you suggest a book to begin with? I did read the GMAT fiction thread, but there are a lot of books listed there, there is no way I shall be able to finish all of those in say 3 months' time. I used to read Jeffrey Archer novels, but not real fiction types. Along with work, it becomes difficult to put in 2-3 of hrs of study every day (though I try and somehow fit in) reading a GMAT fiction is goanna need more time now. How many hrs a day do you put in reading this - bgpower? Also, in my last 1 month preps, I have not read anything, I need to start only now.. I hope its ok!
4. I am thinking may be I need to stop worrying about completing my Home work from MGMAT and start digging into verbal really well and get the basics strong. I mean, I really am not getting a good feel about Verbal just as yet.

Its very encouraging to see people suggest almost a study plan for cracking this thing. I thought I can list down the thoughts/concerns I have right now and may be get some advice on things I could do to better in verbal sections and also in math.
But my primary concern at this point is RC and CR. I am kind of stuck now between MGMAT schedule and this 'sounds like' systematic approach for GMAT. Can you please help me sort things out and may be direct me in the right direction?

Appreciate your time and support.

Thanks!
Cs

Hi ShreeCS,

sorry for the late reply. I just noticed that you've been posting here I've been so involved in this d*mn MGMAT SC Strategy Guide that I completely missed your post.

Concerning MGMAT Verbal Foundations - I think it is definitely useful. The point is just - I don't know how much time you have. This book can take about 10 days, but provides a very good basis for tackling afterwards SC, RC and CR. Now that I complete MGMAT SC I see some repetitions, but they are rather minor. What I notice is that the MGMAT Verbal Foudations has definitely helped me understand the concepts and even some terms. Latter allow me to be faster in the completion of MGMAT SC.

Talking about the Error log and Flashcards - while I completed both Foundation book I did not maintain an error log. The kind of problems, which you have in those books is slightly different from the real GMAT problems, so I decided to have an error log just for the 8 strategy guides. Now that I'm almost finishing MGMAT SC (the review should be online at the beginning of next week) I see that keepeing the error log, without loosing too much time for this process is very problematic. Currently, I just write all questions/answers/time, needed compared to my 1 min goal/Guessed on a piece of paper and wait to have some time to put all this information into one of the error logs, downloaded here from GMATClub. The only benefit from having an error log are just the statistics. But as bb says - better have one, even on a napkin than loose too much time.

Concerning GMAT Fiction - although I bought 3-4 books from the ones, mentioned in the GMAT Fiction thread, I still am not able to dedicate that much time to reading. It's just the case - if I have energy I prefer completing some pages from the GMAT study materials, and if I don't I just read a couple of fiction pages and that's it. Try to organize your approach better than me.

Will be happy to answer more questions.

Regards,

Hi guys,

now that I've almost completed SC (I believe I'll have to do this another time), which book should I continue with? Continue with Verbal or start the Quant part? I'll still be doing as much as possible SC questions from my error log daily/weekly.

Please, refer to my post from 22.03, where you'll see detailed results from my first, and only, CAT - 610, q40, v34

Thank you sooo much! Kudos guaranteed!

Regards,

hi,
welcome to this forums site
here we can find much more solutions
please click on this

Thanks bgpower. Sure I will be active on this thread and we can share our learning.

OK guys! I've finally incorporated the answers from ym previous "paper version error log" to the OG Tracker of the GMAT Toolkit (RECOMMEND IT!!!!!) and it turns out that in both OG12 and OG Verbal 2 my hit rate on SC is about 72-75%. This should improve, once I start working on my error log, but I just wanted to know if SC questions in those two resources have a lower/higher level than 700+ level questions on the actual GMAT?

Will be still happy to receive some opinion on the question - Which book to start after MGMAT SC?

Regards,

But I've already completed 70 or 80% of all OG12 and OG Verbal 2 SC questions? Do you mean that I should do some practice from the above three resources prior to re-doing my error log including questions from the OG12?

Regards,

OK, AbhiJ! I get your point!

Then I may have done it in an wrong way, but I have done all OG problems until chapter 10 in MGMAT SC. I aim to finish the book, and then maybe have a look at the three books you suggest (I already had the Aristotle SC in my mind). Which one would you suggest most by the way? Do you have a favourite one? Once I have practiced problems with just one error I'll try my error log, containing the ones I've guessed (high number) and the ones I've had wrong. Does this sound reasonable to you?

I generally think to finish SC withing the next days and then complete all 5 Quant Guides in a row. Hopefully until the end of April. Meanwhile, I'll still do new SC problems (preferrably Aristotle SC) and my old SC questions from the error log.

Regards,

Thanks a lot for the helpful reply! I'm really going to have a look at Aristotle SC Grail and Manhattan Review SC. Questions don't seem to be that many. Just today I did about 35-40 I concider ordering OG13 for the additional 130 new questions, but still await some feedback on that.

It's totally ridiculous, but I somehow enjoy this s*it I hope to boost my Verbal score (currently v34) to let's say around 40 only by improving SC. RC and CR are also difficult, but I'll keep them for the end, and put in between all Quant stuff (currently at q40).

If someone has suggestions on my strategy or other useful SC books - just reply! KUDOS ARE GUARANTEED

Regards,

@kapac: You name it! I tried to understand the logic behind every questions I solved (correct/guessed/wrong), but sometime the OG12 just was written in an ambiguous manner. Do I understand you right that, in your eyes, it's better to first re-do the SC problems from OG12 (when needed a couple of time) and then move to other resources?
Which other resources have you used?

@hellscream: I don't know how it was with all of you, but in fact now, that I've almost completed one time the entire MGMAT SC I have mixed feelings. It's just the fact that there are many SC topics which I understand, but just can't memorize resp. just don't see their pattern when solving the questions under the 60 sec time limit. I think I grasped above 90% of the theory in the book and am looking for the best way of developing my SC skills. I

I guess, today I would do fewer mistakes on SC in Verbal, but am still not perfect. At first, I planned to re-read the entire SC book, but currently more and more get the feeling that it would be better to re-read just my notes(about 20 pages) and then just do more SC problems, because only this training allows you to get familiar with a particular problem within this small time frame. How did you improve SC?
a) more theory?
b) more practice?

It's then another question which material to use until my second time with the OG12/error log. I should buy some practice questions, but which? OG13 (if it has some new SC practice problems), Aristotle SC Grail, SC1000, Manhattan Review SC. To be honest, I'm quite unsure about this.

Thank you ver much for your help!

Regards,

SC is my favorite part compared to RC or CR. In my opinion, you should do OG first , move to other resources and return to OG after you have exhausted other material ( or G-day is in front of you :D). There is no point in redoing OG then moving to other resources as you will remember the answer from previous experience. I use Og 10+11+12, Verbal review, mgmat CATs, SC1000. If you can, find SAT tests and do their writing section. SC is waiting for u right there :D and I get to this point ( average SC <60s) thanks to a lot of experience from SAT.

About MGMAT SC, you should only review your notes , do more SC and review your mistake. Why do you need to re read all the book when you have your notes in hand, right :D. It's much more concise and it's your knowledge .

Hi guys,

It seems - I should find the approach that works for me. What I can conclude is - it's all about the questions, not that much about the theoretical foundation. After a certain level, it all comes down to practicing. I'll try both things - work on the OG12 questions, which I've put wrong, and also look for new SC question sources. I'll be thankful, if you share your experience. If 1000SC is free than I can't loose anything. It's jsut the thing that I want to stick mostly to questions, which accurately represent the ones, I'll face at the exam. They should better be hard than easy ones. Nothing more

Out of the topic question: Which exact date will you take the test? I'm on 2nd of June =). Maybe we are on the same boat....