I have been kinda of busy...after neglecting all my work for last two weeks...
...First things first...This forum is one of the best ones ..as quality minds wonder here.
Thank all ...previous and present members for their insights...
I would like to share two aspects which as per me are the 'key determinants' in doing well in GMAT.
What to study + How to Study...
* GMAT is a special world.During the course of preparation I understood that GMAT qs are peculiar ones.Remember they have been tested statistically for their difficulty level.They are designed to test 'fundas'-difficult qs tests fundas but might require a bit of 'lateral thinking'.As lateral thinking is not common ...it becomes 'a difficult Q'.
The most difficult Q in GMAT might look impossible for a hard core GMAT buster ...but invariably involves only a slight twist...
BottomLine...Basics need to strong ..extra strong..
Quant:
I learned Quant by : Completing OG 11,OG 10...As I am an engineer ...quant is strong point for me.But as a mentioned above GMAT is a statistically tested bunch of Qs..so I needed to learn 'lateral thinking'...Super easy Qs,moderate Qs I just solved and moved on...Medium-Difficult Qs in OG ..I tried to 'figure out' how GMAT is making it difficult.
The real learning came from doing GMAT Preps Qs in this forum and **another** forum ...When in doubt I always went back to basics...google for a good site...which neatly explains the concept.I noted as most of the folks here in PS I wasn't making much hurried choices --but in DS I was making 'hurried choices'-
I came across the best principle (as per me) for DS---Be 100% sure what the q is asking and how to solve that Q ( maybe what all info is needed) then start looking at the options..
To improve my ‘lateral thinking ability’ in Quant –I solved almost all GMATPrep Qs,Qs from Sets …this strategy of ‘getting basic concepts –embedded in my mind + ‘lateral thinking gave me ‘good confidence’.
I did all these practice b4 doing GMATprep Test bcoz for me I needed to get into the ‘lateral thinking’ mode …and there wasn’t any large number of resources of Qs which I trusted.
Verbal: SC initially was ‘bit of headache’ till I got Manhattan SC book.Also visit Manhattan website you will get a free ebook –this two will help you in understanding the basics.I completed OG 11,OG10 a couple of times.Learning SC was a continous process .
I think you need to patient with yourselves if you want to ‘really understand’ what GMAT wants.In SC my overall process was somewhat like this ---Covered Manhattan Guides + 1/2 Good GMATish websites To understand the basics…
(An aside: When I started …I was not even very clear what was a ‘noun’..!)---Did OG 11, ---Started OG 11,without timing the Qs---once I reached a comfortable level ---I started timing it…Which led to fact that I needed an ‘approach’ to complete SC….
After doing OG 10---a couple of times ..I knew the types of errors tested by GMAT…So my final approach was : Read the sentence carefully ---Try to understand the meaning of sentence---Locate the SV ---Locate any errors ---(All these in relaxed manner only ).If I could locate the errors I removed Answers Choices having those errors.If I wasn’t sure I used POE ..remember the errors might become clear also when we go thru the choices..So basically it is a iterative process of elimination which I think works well atleast for those of us –who are non-native speakers ….
But SC is ‘surprisingly’ one section where you can improve ur Scores from where u have started.In SC in difficult Qs GMAT again uses ‘lateral thinking’ –Grammar + Logical Meaning is tested i.e remember difficult Qs are statistically proved difficult…in GMATLAnd…and doesn’t necessarily mean advanced Grammar concepts…Also I practiced GMATPrep SC Qs posted in forums…
CR: In started my GMAT Prep last year Aug ..and due to lack of time good ended in Dec06….During this time I had completed Powerscore’s CR guide--.Please note this guide is a ‘dangerous guide’ it took two month’s of mine ---but CR become ‘real easy ‘ for me after this .A word of caution just bcoz I have mentioned don’t lay ur hands on this book..since you just can’t rush thru this book and in hindsight maynot be reqd for GMAT in real sense.Here OG 11,10 and LSAT papers ( latest ones ) I used for practice.
RC: OG 11,OG10,LSAT Papers are good sources.Also OG 11 explanations are the best way to learn to the strategy of answering RC Qs.
Also I would advise stop being in ‘learning mode ’ atleast 10 days b4 G-day.I keep practice Gprep –if possible 4-6 times …workout timing + approach during this time..
BTW …GPrep …740 ( Q51, V 36 ),G Prep 740 (Q50, V 40 )
Once again thank to all….and all the best..
Apr 27
Apr 28
06 Aug 2007, 13:22
