Books or video lessons?

Question

Hi everyone, I want to ask you for advice, in your opinion is better to study the theory with video lessons ( I have Magoosh) or is it better with books like the Manhattan guides? Thank you!

GMATinsight · Answer

I think it's more engaging for a student to study with Videos. In addition, an expert and express himself better in a video than a book can explain. For example, In my P&C and Probability problems videos I have shared minimum 2 to 3 different methods (4 methods in some great problems) to solve the problems but books can't do that. Check free videos as per topic in the topic-wise playlist BEST On-Demand QUANT Course: Topicwise Modules | 2000+Qns | Official Qns. | 100% Video solution . Two MUST join YouTube channels : GMATinsight (1000+ FREE Videos) and GMATclub

IanStewart · Answer

I can't even guess what you mean by this -- of course a book can explain more than one method to solve a problem.

To the OP: I think test takers often focus too much on medium, and too little on the quality of the material they're using, which can vary a lot. Great videos will be a better choice than mediocre books, and great books will be a better choice than mediocre videos. If you find material that explains math in a way that you understand, and that material is relevant to the test, that material is probably a good choice for you. If you don't find the material you're using easy to follow or understand, that's a sign you might try something else.

That said, for a few test takers, medium might matter a lot; some people are much better with books, which you can get through at your own pace, and some learn best in a more conversational setting, which videos can emulate. So it depends mostly on the quality of the material, and to some degree on your personal preferences.

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi Alesssandro,

Since you seem to be figuring out which GMAT prep resources to use, in addition to seeking advice in this thread, take a look at the GMAT Club reviews for  the best quant  and  verbal courses , and also read through some  GMAT success stories  to see what materials have worked well for other test-takers.

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

Some free quick video lessons on this blog: https://www.gmatknight.com/blog

User131220 · Answer

The easy to comprehend format on the online platform is a good way to have a comprehensive preparation. You have access to a rich content followed by Chapter tests that can be customized. The personalized error logs are absolutely helpful for your preparation process. The most important aspect would be the video explanations to the questions that re-instill the concept and helps with the most apt methodology for attempting a question.

GMATWhizTeam · Answer

Hi Alesssandro,

Is there a reason why you specifically wish to study from books? The reason I'm saying so is Books are not interactive and they can't give you feedback as to where you're weak and what you should next to improve your scores. Moreover the recall from a book is not that great. There are much better methods of learning than learning from books.

ReedArnoldMPREP · Answer

I would advise a combination of books and video approach.

I think videos tend to be more entertaining. However, there's a risk with videos in that it's very easy to watch  passively . You can watch the video, see the instructor work through problems or explain concepts... and it FEELS educational. But if you don't force yourself to get engaged actively... It's like watching someone play the piano really well, and thinking "Oh man I'm getting really good at piano! I've watched 60 hours of people playing!"

Make sure when you watch a video you're working the problems yourself, taking notes, PAUSING! When something is done that you hadn't thought of, pause the video and stop and understand how the instructor got to that point, and where they might go next (I advise similar things for reading an answer explanation, by the way).

When you're reading, make sure you're not just consuming words without turning them into THOUGHTS. Into logical objects. To really understand what you're reading requires work.

So I guess my point: do either, or both. But make sure you're reading *actively*.

IanStewart · Answer

This is simply untrue, and there's a lot of academic research about this question. Recall from books is better than from other media: https://theconversation.com/why-we-reme ... deo-159522

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