On a side, did you see any combinatorics and probabilty questions in the exams? I've just completed my first pass through all the 5 Math and SC manhattan guides, but I also bought the Veritas Combinatorics& Probabilty textbook because of the good things I heard hear about it here. But now I'm so pressed for time, that I'm not so sure of the returns of spending the extra 8 or so odd hours reading another guide, focusing solely on a limited concept that may not appear on the exams. What do u think?
Comb/Prob did give me some issue, but you basically just have to know the classic permutation or combination formula (5 people, 3 spots, arrangement doesn't matter: 5!/(3!*2!); arrangement does matter: 5!/3!), and probability is (# of successful outcomes)/(# of total outcomes) and you should be fine.
I always tried to pace myself to give myself about 3-4 minutes to answer math questions I found more difficult than others (set theory, rates/work, VIC's, coordinate-plane DS questions), so I would be able to test answer choices, double-check my math, etc. Towards the end of my basics-building studies I was honestly getting a bit overwhelmed by all of the math shortcuts and rules—I'd review all 5 MGMAT books, and the more I'd learn on Geometry, the more I'd forget on Number Properties. I tried to rectify this by working on pacing and algebra word translations instead. Even if you forget the shortcuts, you can generally solve a problem in 4-5 minutes. The only problem is making sure that you're only stuck on 2-3 of those problems per exam.
To be honest, I don't recall seeing a comb/prob, but there could very well have been an easy one that I breezed through. If anything all of the ones I came across during my OG and GMATPrep were nowhere near as difficult as any of the MGMAT examples. I think the GMAT tries to leave these questions easy so somebody without any Comb/Prob practice can draw out all of the choices and determine these via longhand.
After finishing up the MGMAT, and doing several MGMAT CAT's, I went ahead and started the OG12. Up to this point, I'd only used the OG Quant and OG Verbal in my MGMAT practice studies, and I highly recommend this policy of leaving the OG12 last. You need some OG problems to work alongside the MGMAT books, but you also get better perspective of the GMAT when you're focusing on a full set of 50-100 questions.
Crap! I whish I had done that since the beginning of my preparation. I have now run out of all my OG12 problems, so if I use Quant and Verbal review I'll be exposed to easier problems.
Moreover I also think that doing 40 problems in a row helps something click in one's head. For me it was CR. I used PowerScore's book which has its own set of problems, then I attacked OG12 CR problems 40 by 40, and as I was advancing in the problems I began to see the light. Now I'm fairly good in CR when I used to be only average.
I wonder if OG Quant and Verbal could still be of any help? I have two and a half weeks left before test day.
I would recommend them. I think the OG Quant and OG Verbal were actually more similar to the GMAT than the OG12 in difficulty. At least half of the problems you'll face on the GMAT are not staggeringly difficult, so you should practice easy questions alongside the more difficult ones too. And difficulty is relative—some easy CR questions can have the dreaded "2 similar answer choices," and some difficult CR questions can have (to you) an obvious answer choice.
Practicing OG and GMATPrep questions were vital to me; in the last few weeks I largely dropped the GMATClub tests and the questions on these forums. People swore by the 1000SC or the various question banks they have floating around on here—I tried them and went back to OG/GMATPrep. I would score about 70% on non-officially sanctioned questions, but ~90% on the official questions.
I would recommend them. I think the OG Quant and OG Verbal were actually more similar to the GMAT than the OG12 in difficulty. At least half of the problems you'll face on the GMAT are not staggeringly difficult, so you should practice easy questions alongside the more difficult ones too. And difficulty is relative—some easy CR questions can have the dreaded "2 similar answer choices," and some difficult CR questions can have (to you) an obvious answer choice.
Practicing OG and GMATPrep questions were vital to me; in the last few weeks I largely dropped the GMATClub tests and the questions on these forums. People swore by the 1000SC or the various question banks they have floating around on here—I tried them and went back to OG/GMATPrep. I would score about 70% on non-officially sanctioned questions, but ~90% on the official questions.
Thanks, I will then order the books.
Pinali
Re: Discipline + Hard Work = Success! 770 (Q50, V46) [updated] [#permalink]
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 8:54 am
Intern
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2010 Posts: 23 Schools: SUNY at Stonyb Brook WE 1: 4 yrs Followers: 0
Excellent Post ! Congratulations and thanks a lot for the detailed debrief. Can you please share how was the verbal section compared to GMatPrep / MGMAT tests ? Thanks in advance
_________________ Consider giving Kudos if my post helped you in some way
srivicool
Re: Discipline + Hard Work = Success! 770 (Q50, V46) [updated] [#permalink]
Excellent Post ! Congratulations and thanks a lot for the detailed debrief. Can you please share how was the verbal section compared to GMatPrep / MGMAT tests ? Thanks in advance
Very close to GMATPrep. MGMAT was a little more convoluted than OG/GMATPrep/GMAC stuff, but in the end I did well on both. I go over this in more detail in the post.
Very close to GMATPrep. MGMAT was a little more convoluted than OG/GMATPrep/GMAC stuff, but in the end I did well on both. I go over this in more detail in the post.
Thanks for your reply and Good luck for your applications
_________________ Consider giving Kudos if my post helped you in some way
TwoThrones
Re: Discipline + Hard Work = Success! 770 (Q50, V46) [updated] [#permalink]
Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 6:02 am
Manager
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 Posts: 219 Location: United States (MI)
Concentration: Finance Schools:Sloan, Darden, HEC, Cranfield, Owen, Tulane, Boston U, HSG, Krannert, Olin GMAT 1: 660 Q49 V31
GPA: 3.6 WE: Management Consulting (Advertising and PR) Followers: 3
thanks a lot for some potentially great tips! and congrats on the fantastic score! good luck with your applications!
_________________ Read about my GMAT prep at http://gmatting.blogspot.com/ 1st Feb '11 -- Actual GMAT : 730 (Q48 V42) AWA 6.0
My Practice GMAT Scores 29th Jan '11 -- GMATPrep#2 : 700 (Q47 V38) 23rd Jan '11 -- MGMAT Practice Test #3 : 670 (Q45 V36) 19th Jan '11 -- GMATPrep#1 v.1 : 710 (Q49 V37) 15th Jan '11 -- GMATPrep#1 : 720 (Q47 V42) 11th Jan '11 -- MGMAT Practice Test #2 : 740 (Q47 V44) 6th Jan '11 -- Kaplan#2 : 620 (Q40 V35) 28th Dec '10 -- PowerPrep#1 : 670 (Q47 V35) 30th Oct '10 -- MGMAT Practice Test #1 : 660 (Q45 V35) 12th Sept '10 -- Kaplan Free Test : 610 (Q39 V37) 6th Dec '09 -- PR CAT #1 : 650 (Q44 V37) 25th Oct '09 -- GMATPrep#1 : 620 (Q44 V34)
If you feel like you're under control, you're just not going fast enough. A goal without a plan is just a wish. You can go higher, you can go deeper, there are no boundaries above or beneath you.
jonblazon
Re: Discipline + Hard Work = Success! 770 (Q50, V46) [updated] [#permalink]
Give yourself enough time to prepare. I'm a big believer in the latest trend of Outliers/Talent Code potential (again, something I'd be interested in researching), where they show evidence that, as long as somebody spends enough time on a skill, they can master it. The concept of being "naturally gifted" is flawed.
Great motivational quote, it's good to see that all your hard work paid off in the end. I hope I too can "master" the GMAT
heygirl
Re: Discipline + Hard Work = Success! 770 (Q50, V46) [updated] [#permalink]
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and thanks a lot for the detailed debrief. 
and Good luck for your applications 
