EMPOWERgmat Blog

Monday Mail-Bag: Advice on Big Picture Issues That Impact GMAT Test Takers…

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.

Thoroughness on DS Questions
Hey Rich,

I’m having trouble with DS.

Is x > y?
2) |y - x| = x - y

I chose to do algebra. Therefore we have y-x=x-y => 2y=2x =>x=y

1=1 2=2 3=3 and thus x is not greater than y when tested against the question stem. So the answer is should be B. But it is NOT B and I don’t understand why.

This is simply not fair. Different techniques give us different answers, How is this possible? If I was writing my test today I would answer it as B. How does one get questions like this right? One technique may give you a totally different answer..

Goram

Hi Goram,

In DS questions, you have to be a bit cynical of the given information. There will ALWAYS be at least one result that you can "figure out"; however, DS questions are built to test your THOROUGHNESS, so keep your eyes open for OTHER possibilities.

In this prompt, we're asked "Is X > Y?" This is a YES/NO question.

IF X is greater than Y, then the answer is YES
IF Y is greater than X, then the answer is NO
IF X is EQUAL to Y, then the answer is NO

You have to consider all of the possibilities. If you DON’T consider them, then you might have an incomplete answer. That does NOT mean that it’s a ‘different’ answer – it means that it’s an INCORRECT answer.

TESTing Values is a great way to work through the various possibilities (and to make sure that you don't "miss" anything). As it stands, TESTing Values works well on most DS questions (and many Problem Solving questions); here, you can TEST VALUES and prove that X > Y is a possibility and X=Y is a possibility.

‘Symbolism’ Questions on the GMAT
Rich,

Please help me understand the following question:

For a finite sequence of non zero numbers, the number of variations in sign is defined as the number of pairs of consecutive terms of sequence for which the product of two consecutive terms is negative. what is the number of variations in sign for the sequence 1,-3,2,5,-4,-6 ?

a. one
b. two
c. three
d. four
e. five

Harvey

Hi Harvey,

The GMAT Quant section usually includes at least one "symbolism" question that will either "make up" a math symbol (and ask you to perform a calculation with it) OR make up a math phrase/concept and ask you to use the concept to answer a question.

These questions are essentially about following instructions.

Here, we're asked to take the PRODUCT of TWO CONSECUTIVE terms. If the product is NEGATIVE, then we have a "variation." So, given the included sequence of numbers, how many "variations" are there? To get to the correct answer, you need to work through every pair of consecutive terms (and you would find 3 "variations" – 1 & -3, -3 & 2, and 5 & -4)

These types of questions can sometimes take a little time to solve, but are some of the easiest "math" questions on the exam.

Verbal Note-taking and Pacing
Dear Rich,

How frequently should notes be taken in the Verbal section? In my last mock, when I realized that I was getting tired or couldn't understand the question, I did not take notes. Also, what should be the average time to read a passage and take notes?

Imelda

Hi Imelda,

I take some type of notes on EVERY question, even on SCs. It's the only way to make sure that I'm focused on the "right things" and catching the specific information that I need to answer the questions.

For CR questions, you should expect to spend 2 minutes, on average, per question. Keep in mind that some questions take more time and some take less.

For RC questions, each company/instructor has its/his/her own Tactics, but we teach that you should expect to read at a reasonable pace with the goal of ‘engaging’ with the prompt. Obviously, a longer prompt takes more time and a shorter prompt takes less time, but you’d be amazed how little time it actually takes to read a prompt and take some basic notes. About half the time, your notes will be enough to answer the question; the other half of the time, you'll need to go back and "hunt" through the original passage to find what you need.

This will take some time to practice. Focus on your accuracy first; speed and pacing only matter once you know how to properly handle the questions.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Monday Mail-Bag: Advice on Big Picture Issues That Impact GMAT Test Takers…

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.

Scaled Scores Usually (But Not Always) Lead to the Same Overall Score
Hi Rich,

I have a question. My friend took GMAT last month and got 700 (Q 48; V 37)

Is it always true that if I can get Q 48 and V 37 then my final score will be 700?
I know the percentile changes over time, but I’m gonna take GMAT next month and if I score Q 48, V 37 will my score be the same?

Jaxon

Hi Jaxon,

Scaled Scores tend to lead to a consistent result although there is a slight bell curve that can occasionally throw the overall result ‘off ‘ a bit (usually not more than 10 points in either direction though). This is meant to say that if you earn a Quant Scaled Score of 48 and a Verbal Scaled Score of 37, then you’ll likely get a 700, but it could be a 690 or 710.

DS “Design” Shortcuts
Dear Rich,

I am unable to comprehend the second statement in this DS question.

What is the value of n?

1. n is between 0 and 1
2. 7/16 is 3/8 more than n

Kedzie

Hi Kedzie,

DS questions are often built around certain patterns (Number Property Rules, etc.) that are useful to know. In that same way, there are ‘design’ patterns that can help you to avoid doing certain calculations. Here’s one particular rule that you'll find useful on DS questions:

"One simple variable, one equation… I can solve it"

For example, X + 4 = 10

Here, we have one simple variable and one equation, which means that we CAN solve it. In a DS question, we don't have to solve it to know that there is ONLY ONE ANSWER. By definition, with ONLY ONE answer, a Fact is considered SUFFICIENT, regardless of what the answer actually is.

In Fact 2, we're told that 7/16 = 3/8 + N

While this is a bit more complex-looking than normal, it is still just "one simple variable, one equation…", so you CAN solve it and answer the question. This is a SUFFICIENT piece of data.

Exam Pack CATs Provide Accurate Results When Used Correctly
Rich,

My question may sound weird but here it goes.
Over the last 2.5 months, I had consistently been getting scores in the range of 640 to 670 in the gmat prep and Mgmat exams since starting my prep 1 month ago. But last week I bought the exam pack 1 and have scored 710 and 700.. I don't understand this sudden increase in score. I have taken the exam under strict test conditions along with the AWA. So my question is "Is the difficulty level of the pack very less? or has my preparation really started to bring in the results?" My gmat is in 8 days.

Louis

Hi Louis,

It's possible (even likely) that you're starting to get comfortable with the "GMAT mindset" needed to score at a high level. You've seen enough material to know what to expect and your skills have improved/adapted to handle the rigors of a full GMAT CAT. As long as you've been taking the ENTIRE practice CAT each time (and not skipping any sections or doing anything else "unrealistic", then we can use those results as a reliable indicator of your ability.

Since you're scoring better now, you should stick to your routine. Don't try to do too much and don't take any full CATs too close to Test Day.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Monday Mail-Bag: Advice on Big Picture Issues That Impact GMAT Test Takers…

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.

Triage-ing Rare Question Types
Hi Rich,

In the math section, I strongly dislike mixture problems and in the verbal section, I strongly dislike the 2 part boldface questions. If time is an issue, would it be wise for me to skip these questions right away to save time? Test day is this Wednesday so instead of trying to get better at those question types, I would just keep on going through everything else.

Manos

Hi Manos,

For the sake of performing well on each of the overall sections, you would likely find it beneficial to dump a few questions that are "problematic", so that you can spend more time on the other questions (and on finishing the section on time). The categories that you mentioned are relative rarities on the GMAT – you’ll likely see just 1-2 Mixture questions and 0-1 Bolded Statement questions on the Official GMAT, so dumping those questions wouldn’t hurt your score much (if at all), especially if you’re using your time to correctly answer other questions.

GMAT Score Needed to Be Competitive at a Top Program
Dear Rich,

I plan to apply for the top 10 B-school in US and/or the top 5 of Europe. Kindly let me know the kind of score I should get to have a realistic chance of getting into any of them. Thanks.

Norrington

Hi Norrington,

Your questions are probably better answered by Admissions Consultants, so I'd recommend that you contact experts in that field (some of them post in the Admissions Forum on this site). The short answer is that the Top Programs have their pick of the best applicants every year, so those schools can be very selective and the application process is competitive. As such, you’ll need to have a competitive GMAT score, a strong OVERALL profile and you have to make sure that you’re properly ‘marketing’ yourself in your applications and interviews. "Realistic" is an interesting word in this situation, since the Top Business Schools can only accept a certain number of students; this means that 70% - 95% of applicants will be rejected. Most applicants will want to have a 700+ overall score with a high Quant Scaled Score, although there's some "wiggle room" if other aspects of your application are extraordinary (meaning that applicants get into Top Programs every year with GMAT scores in the 600s).

Retaking the GMAC CATs For Extra Practice Questions
Rich,

I was wondering how many repeats does it take to squeeze the GMATPrep1 dry? Meaning how many tries would it take to get all of the questions out of that test?

Ozzy

Hi Ozzy,

I'm a big fan of the free material that's available from https://www.mba.com (the practice CATs and problems), but I have to ask WHY you'd be focused on squeezing every available question out of the software? Plenty of fantastic practice material can be found elsewhere (and at a reasonable price). I imagine that your time is valuable, so you might be better served purchasing the OG (or the supplemental books) and practicing with those, rather than retaking and retaking and retaking those practice CATs. If you’re looking for suggestions for practice materials, then I'd be happy to recommend some additional resources. If you're looking for advice on how to put together a "plan of attack" for prepping for the GMAT, then feel free to contact me directly.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

You CAN Cement Your Future With the Choices that YOU Make in 2016

We’re now through the first full week of 2016 and this is a time of year when many people look to define their goals for the coming 12 months. The start of any year can be seen as representative of the potential for new opportunities, journeys and challenges and it can provide you with a great ‘leaping off’ point for some career-defining (and future-defining) work. Since you’re reading this article, you’re almost certainly considering Business School as part of that future. You might even be in the process of working on your applications, studying to take the GMAT or just beginning to gather information on the entire process. Regardless of what ‘step’ you might be on, now is the perfect time to make some big choices that will most certainly impact your future.

For those Working On Round 2 or Round 3 Application Deadlines:

At this time of year, application deadlines are certainly coming up fast. Many applicants become so ‘locked in’ to a particular set of deadlines that they miss out on the bigger picture issues. Business School Admissions Officers are savvy people – they know when an applicant ‘looks good’ and when an applicant doesn’t (or is just ‘so so’). Each applicant has one chance to make an amazing first impression - and if you don’t think that your application truly provides that impression, then something has to be done about that.

When applying to highly ranked, competitive Programs, the level of competition is remarkably high. Schools such as Stanford and Harvard typically accept just 6%-10% of applicants during any given year. It’s worth noting that almost all of the applicants who don’t receive an invite to those Schools ARE exceptional applicants, but something clearly could have been better in their applications. To that end, a higher GMAT score MIGHT be the issue, but it’s usually beneficial to consult with an Admissions Expert on your OVERALL application to be sure. While that service can be expensive, the expertise provided cannot be randomly found online for free.

For those Rushing to make a Round 2 Deadline:

Here’s a straight-forward question that should help you to prioritize your goals:

What’s MORE important… getting your application in for Round 2 OR greatly increasing your chances of getting into your first-choice Business School?

Business School is rarely a ‘right now or never’ opportunity. While it’s understandable that most applicants would rather get accepted to Business School sooner rather than later, rushing to try to make a deadline (especially to a competitive Program) is usually NOT a good idea. Applicants who rush often present an application that falls short of their potential and THAT is something that must be avoided. For practical purposes, it might actually be best for your FUTURE if you push back your application deadline to a later Round (in this case, Round 3) or to the next application cycle (which typically begins in September). While that choice usually doesn’t make applicants happy, the BIG PICTURE goal is what matters. Having an extra 6 months to put together an amazing OVERALL application with a fantastic GMAT score would almost certainly increase your chances of getting into your first-choice Business School (and would certainly be better than rushing forward at the last minute with a hastily assembled application).

For those Just Beginning their GMAT Studies:

The following article applies to you no matter when you begin your GMAT studies…

https://www.topmba.com/blog/5-important- ... at-studies

Remember that every part of this process is standardized and predictable, so you don’t have to stumble through it on your own. There are Experts at every point in the process who can help you to succeed.

To that end, we’re here to help.

GMAT assassins aren’t born, they’re made,
Rich

Monday Mail-Bag: Advice on Big Picture Issues That Impact GMAT Test Takers…

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.

The 2 Most Recent Official Guides
Hi Rich,

Is it important to buy official guide 2016. I already have OG 2015.
Are the questions in OG 2016 are different from OG 2015?

Penelope

Hi Penelope,

Most of the questions in the GMAT2016 are also in the GMAT2015 (although approximately 25% of the content in the 2015 version has been replaced in the 2016 version). The relative cost of buying the newer book to get those new questions is relatively low though, so doing so is up to you. If you're interested in more "official material" that you don't already own, then you might consider purchasing the subject specific books (Quant, Verbal) and downloading the practice material from https://www.mba.com (2 practice CATs and practice problems).

Specific Vocabulary in DS Questions
Dear Rich,

Can you please assist with this?

The four sides of quadrilateral JKLM have equal length. What is the length of
diagonal JL?

(1) JK = 2
(2) KM = 2

When I tried to solve this problem I assumed that JKLM is a square but I guess it is a rhombus. I was wondering how can I decide whether it is a square or a rhombus given that the question says all sides are equal.

Qiara

HI Qiara,

This DS question, while a bit complex, serves as a great lesson that you can apply to ALL DS questions: be CAREFUL about your assumptions.

If the prompt wanted you to know that you were dealing with a square, then it would have used the word "square." By using the word "quadrilateral", you have to ask yourself what THAT word really means. I know that I'm dealing with a 4-sided shape, but I'm not sure what type (is it a square, rectangle, parallelogram, rhombus?). With the added information about how the four sides have equal length, that narrows it down to a square or a rhombus. Each of those shapes would have an impact on the answer to the give question.

DS questions often put an emphasis on the "thoroughness" of your thinking, so make sure that you are careful to consider more than just the obvious possibilities.

Minimal AWA Requirements at Most Schools
Rich,

Just got my official results... I’m very disappointed in my AWA score...

690
Q 48
V 37
IR 8
AWA 4

Will that affect my application??

Rothschild

Hi Rothschild,

With a 690/Q48, you've got a fantastic score (it’s just shy of the 90th percentile overall) to apply to Business School. Your AWA score is fine. The 4.0 “level” is the minimum acceptable level for almost all MBA programs. While it's not a particularly high "percentile", it does mean that your application won't be hurt by it.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

How to Proceed IF You’ve Been Invited To Retake the GMAT With the Sections in a DIFFERENT Order

Over the course of the last several days, there have been several posts from site users who have received an invitation to retake the GMAT under special ‘conditions.’ This is apparently a short-term ‘trial program’ that GMAC is using as something of an experiment (with the possibility of a long-term rollout at some point in the future). All invitees have already taken the GMAT before AND have canceled a prior score. Since the trial seems to be restricted to a roughly 2-week span (from late February to early March), and it is just an experiment, only a relatively small percentage of Test Takers have (or will) receive the offer to participate.

Test Takers will be allowed to choose from one of 4 new ‘options’ that include the following ‘ordering’ of sections:

1) Quant/Verbal/IR/AWA
2) Quant/Verbal/AWA/IR
3) Verbal/Quant/IR/AWA
4) AWA/IR/Verbal/Quant

Since many Test Takers see a drop-off in performance during the latter part of the Test, there's certainly something to be said for dealing with the more valuable sections (Quant and Verbal) earlier on - when you have more energy and before fatigue has set in. The big question for any Test Taker is whether you need a little time to 'warm up' or not before starting that first section (whether it’s Quant or Verbal). If a Test Taker were to start with the Verbal section BUT was not fully in 'test mode', then that Test Taker might end up making some mistakes in the early part of that section (and hurt his/her scores because of it).

Since all of the other standard Test Taking rules supposedly apply, the ‘worst case’ scenario is just ending up with another score that you might find unacceptable – so cancelling that score would be the ultimate result.

All things being equal, any option that pushes the AWA and IR sections to the ‘back’ of the Test is likely going to be beneficial for Test Takers. Of course, all of the other aspects of Test Day need to be planned for (getting a proper night’s sleep, eating breakfast, morning ‘routine’ and warm-up, strategic use of the two 8-minute breaks, etc.).

If you are one of those Test Takers who’s going to retest under one of these 4 options, then you’ll have to make some adjustments to your studies. Unfortunately, there are no CATs that currently allow for a Test Taker to ‘shuffle’ the sections around, so taking practice CATs in a new order will be tricky. You may have to ‘chop up’ two CATs and ‘glue’ the Scaled Scores to approximate an overall score. You could also potentially take a GMATClub Test for the Quant and Verbal sections, or take one ClubTest, then take the other section (Quant or Verbal, whichever would be second) from a standard Full-length CAT.

As tedious as this all might be, it does represent an interesting time to be taking the GMAT. If you are one of the few that tests under these conditions, then you should plan to post back in the Forums (the General GMAT Questions/Strategy Forum or Share GMAT Experience Forum) – it’s likely that many users would like to hear about your experience.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Monday Mail-Bag: Advice on Big Picture Issues That Impact GMAT Test Takers…

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.

Complex Math vs. Easier Approaches in the Quant Section
Rich,

How often will I see complex exponent questions like this on the GMAT:

If 4^a + 4^a+1 = 4^a+2 - 176, what is the value of a?

1
2
3
4
5

How much time should I spend learning to do this type of math?

Smithers

Hi Smithers,

While there are several ways to approach this type of question, I'd like to reiterate that the GMAT will rarely require that you do complex math to answer a given Quant question. As such, there is almost always another way to get the solution that will involve easier ‘work.’ Here, using the answers to your advantage can help you to solve this type of question relatively quickly.

We know that 4^a, 4^(a+1) and 4^(a+2) are three consecutive "powers of 4", so we could just "map out” the possibilities and find the option that fits the given equation.

4^0 = 1
4^1 = 4
4^2 = 16
4^3 = 64
4^4 = 256
4^5 = 1024

Now, which 3 consecutive "powers of 4" fit the given equation (hint: the "-176" is a specific value)?

It's got to be 2, 3 and 4….
4^2 + 4^3 = 4^4 – 176
16 + 64 = 256 – 176
80 = 80

…so a = 2. Notice how all I really did was some basic arithmetic to get to the solution. Keep a flexible mind and realize that learning how to do complex math is not a requirement to earn a high Quant Scaled Score on Test Day.

Advice with 15 Days to Go and Scoring in the High 600s
Dear Rich,

Please can you suggest what my strategy should be for the next 15 days – I’m trying to raise my score from 680 on my last mock to 730. I really really really want to improve my score and I understand that a 50 point improvement in 15 days isn't going to be easy. I have planned to do a series of 5 mocks before my actual exam, but apart from that what kind of questions should I focus on?

Travis

Hi Travis,

With a 680, you’re already scoring at a really high level overall, so you’ll have to nit-pick your performance when you review this CAT. What types of questions were you getting wrong and WHY. With only 15 days to go, you should be focused on honing your ‘precision’ – eliminating little mistakes, taking better notes, NOT doing work ‘in your head’, etc. You’d be amazed how quickly and easily you can pick up points once you remove the little errors from your work.

Your plan to take 5 CATs in 2 weeks is a TERRIBLE IDEA. You should plan to take 1 CAT/week at most (and be sure to take the ENTIRE CAT) and spend the rest of your time studying. Taking lots of CATs in a short period of time will NOT make you a better Test Taker.

The Reality of Answer A in Sentence Corrections
Hi Rich,

I am working on SC practice and have noticed that many answer choices in certain practice materials are A. If A is not eliminated off the bat, and I am stuck with a second choice, is it better for my odds to just choose A?

Ulysses

Hi Ulysses,

The GMAT tends to evenly distribute the answer choices throughout each section during the exam. As such, answer A will be correct about 20% of the time (since there are 5 answer choices to each question). Since you’re going to see approximately 15 SCs on Test Day, it stands to reason that about 3 of them would be fine the way that they're written. This doesn't necessarily mean that you have "better odds" by picking A, but you do have to be comfortable with the idea that there might not be any errors in the original sentence.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

3 Ways to Potentially Improve Your Overall Application (Even After You’ve Sent It In!)

During application season, most Business School applicants assume that once they’ve submitted their applications that the process of applying to Business School is ostensibly over. While they are certainly free to believe that (and can ‘rest on their laurels’), they’re missing out on several steps that they can take to potentially improve the strength of their overall applications.

Most Business Schools receive thousands of applications across the application Rounds. All of those applications take time to review – often weeks or even months can go by before an Admissions Committee has decided whom to invite to attend School. Forward-thinking applicants can use that time to their advantage in any of the following ways:

1 - Retake the GMAT and score higher – Every Business School has what it considers an acceptable ‘range’ of GMAT scores that the School expects each applicant to score in (and the lower end of that range for most Programs would likely surprise most applicants). If you have a concern that your current GMAT score is only ‘good enough’, then there’s the potential to retest and submit a higher score. With GMAC’s new retesting policies, you have the ability to take the GMAT every 16 days (but no more than 5 times in any 12 month period). You could potentially take the GMAT another 2-3 times while the Admissions Committees are reviewing applications. With the proper study materials and a little extra study time, you could replace a strong GMAT score with an amazing one.

2 – Request an Interview – Certain Programs require an interview as part of the application process, while others keep it as an optional part (they tend to interview applicants who they ‘like’ but are not completely ‘sold’ on) and others don’t do interviews at all. One of the subtle things that Business School AdComs look for in applicants is ‘degree of interest’ in that specific Business School. Every applicant clearly is interested in attending (since they all applied), but there is a marked level of difference between someone who just sends in the application and someone who reaches out to request an interview. Additionally, Schools often encourage an Applicant to visit the Campus and take a guided tour, sit in on some classes, connect with current students and meet members of the Admissions Committee. Each of these activities can go a long way in conveying how serious you are in attending that Program.

If you’re granted an interview, then that’s great – you’ll have the opportunity to go in and really ‘market yourself’ directly to the people who decide who to invite. If you’re not granted an interview, you might still get the subtle ‘credit’ that comes with asking for one.

3 – Report any significant accomplishments that occur (promotions, awards, etc.) – This one is generally a far rarer opportunity than the other two, but still has the potential to make a difference. All Schools (and especially the ultra-competitive ones) are looking for “leaders”, so anything that you can offer that proves your ability to lead (or achieve) can serve as an extra reminder of how fantastic an applicant you are. The fact that you’re also able to make big achievements while in the process of putting together your applications and/or immediately after applying has the added benefit of showing that you can succeed in multiple ways in the same general timeframe.

Much of the work that would go into these tasks comes down to the individual. However, it’s important to make sure that your efforts are respectful of the process. You can always communicate with the respective Admissions Office(s) to schedule a visit or if planning to submit supplemental information.

When it comes to improving your GMAT score though, there are almost certainly study materials that you haven’t tried and areas that you can still improve on. Considering the grand ‘scale’ of what goes into applying to Business School, the fact that you can still make a significant improvement with just a little more effort (and AFTER the application deadlines have passed) is something that every applicant has to consider. To that end, we’re here to help.

GMAT assassins aren’t born, they’re made,
Rich

Monday Mail-Bag: Advice on Big Picture Issues That Impact GMAT Test Takers…

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.

One CAT After 2 Months is NOT Enough
Dear Rich,

I am over 2 months into my preparation which included going through several books and I am currently doing OG 2016th Edition. Last week I took my first diagnostic test to gauge my level and scored a 620, but there were pacing problems in both the math and verbal sections. How do I improve my pacing?

Vivian

Hi Vivian,

Taking FULL-LENGTH CATs (including the Essay and IR sections) on a regular basis is essential to your overall improvement in ALL areas (not just your scores). There are aspects to your overall training that can ONLY be defined (and improved) by taking those CATs. Many Test Takers experience pacing ‘issues’ in either the Quant or Verbal sections (or both). One of the benefits of taking CATs is that you’ll learn to be more ‘efficient’ with the time that you have – and you’ll learn how to make ‘pressure’ decisions (such as when you get ‘stuck’ on a question and have to guess and move on). As such, instead of waiting so long before your next CAT, I'd suggest that you plan on taking one FULL CAT every 1-2 weeks. As you get closer to your Official Test Date, you'll want to increase the frequency to 1 CAT/week.

A ‘Stuck’ Verbal Score Often Means Too Much “Guessing”
Rich,

I just gave my GMATprep-2 and scored a 650(Q48, V31). My last 3 CATs were all V30-V31. I got in SC 12/17 correct, in CR 6/10 correct and in RC 5/13 correct. Please suggest what further can be achieved in the next 20 days. My goal is at least 700.

Wiggins

Hi Wiggins,

If your Verbal Scaled Scores are that consistent, then you have to look at your "mechanics." You're clearly doing certain things well (and consistently), but you're likely making the same mistakes consistently. I'd suggest that you go through the ENTIRE Verbal section of this last CAT. Count up the number of times that you "narrowed it down and guessed." How many times did you get the question right? How many times did you get the question wrong? THAT level of instability is one of the things that’s keeping you from 700+ right now. It means that you need to do a little bit more Tactical ‘work’ to hone in on the correct answer and eliminate some of the ‘guess-work’ from how you approach the Verbal section as a whole.

Questionable Practice Materials From Questionable Sources
Hi Rich,

How would you approach this question?

Is |x -y| > |x| + |y|?

(1) y < x

(2) xy < 0

Xavier

Hi Xavier,

There’s something interesting about this prompt – it has not been properly designed. GMAT prompts NEVER start you off with enough information to answer the given question. This prompt can be answered as “Sufficient NO” without any additional information (re: the information in either of the two Facts). As such, it is "faulty" and should not be used. If the source of this question is not well-known (re: reputable), then you might want to consider NOT using any other questions from this source – there are plenty of other sources for realistic (and accurately designed) GMAT prompts.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

The Top 10 EMPOWERgmat GMATClub Success Stories of 2015

The beginning of the new year rarely allow GMATers to rest for too long, as looming Round 2 application deadlines are on everyone’s minds. With the Round 2 deadlines now essentially complete for this application cycle, the Team at EMPOWERgmat took time to reflect on the various successes of our Clients. Here is a Top 10 list of stories, from GMATClub Members who raised their scores using EMPOWERgmat:

1) GMAT 750 – What it takes to break 700 by andyvsgmat
gmat-750-what-it-takes-to-break-198856.html

2) EmpowerGMAT course – excellent for retakers (VERIFIED REVIEW) by Engr2012/Forum Moderator
https://gmatclub.com/reviews/comments/em ... -345349945

3) 650 to 740 (VERIFIED REVIEW) by Species8472
https://gmatclub.com/reviews/comments/em ... -345349994

4) I asked for help and I got it! 750!!! by mycenae
i-asked-for-help-and-got-it-750-q50-v41-204299.html

5) 740 – I got to pick my best score by kennedy91
740-i-got-to-pick-my-best-score-206230.html

6) From 640 to 720 in 1 month by hhsdreamer
from-640-to-720-47q-41v-in-1-month-205865.html

7) 490 to 740, Verbal 45 – The GMAT Crush Fest by TheViceroy
490-to-740-verbal-45-the-gmat-crush-fest-200743.html

8) 720 GMAT from 470: Verbal Crushed! By marketingnut
720-gmat-from-470-verbal-crushed-196939.html

9) Highly recommend Empower for your GMAT studies! (VERIFIED REVIEW) by serendipityxt
https://gmatclub.com/reviews/comments/em ... -345350139

10) From Complete Disaster to Utter Joy.. 680 -> 660 -> 750 by optimusTR
from-complete-disaster-to-utter-joy-206597.html

To all those beginning their studies this year, or looking to improve on their existing scores, may 2016 be a banner year for GMAT Assassins everywhere!

GMAT assassins aren’t born, they’re made,
Rich

Monday Mail-Bag: Advice on Big Picture Issues That Impact GMAT Test Takers…

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.

Raising High-600s Scores to 700+ Scores
Rich,

I have been preparing hard for the GMAT for the last couple of months (worked about 170 hours total). My last few test scores look something like this- 680, 680, 700, 670, 690. I seem to have plateaued. I really wish to breach the 700 score consistently. What are the best options in the market that can help me tackle the 700+ level questions with much ease?

Yul,

Hi Yul,

To start, it’s quite likely that another book is NOT what you need. At your current scoring level, the GMAT becomes really ‘sensitive’ to silly/little mistakes. When reviewing your CATs, it’s important to define WHY you’re getting questions wrong. On any of these CATs, did you get more questions wrong because of a silly/little mistake or because the question was too hard? Working through another book will likely not help you in either case, but learning/practicing the proper Tactics likely would help you a great deal. If ‘your way’ of approaching questions allows for too many little mistakes to occur, then a 700+ score will simply be impossible to achieve. Investing in some non-book resources and learning/practicing those Tactics consistently will likely help you to increase your score well into the 750+ range.

Avoiding Calculations That The GMAT Would NEVER Expect You to Do
Dear Rich,

How am I supposed to answer questions that use these types of exponents/roots?

Is 4^(1/2) + 4^(1/3) + 4^(1/4), then value of M is?

1) less than 3
2) Equal to 3
3) btw 3 and 4
4) equal to 4
5) greater than 4

Zephyr,

Hi Zephyr,

The GMAT will NOT require that you calculate fractional "cube-roots" or fractional "quad-roots", so that's not what you should do here.

Notice how the answer choices are all "ranges"; that means that we can probably estimate the correct answer.

4^(1/2) = 2 (that calculation is easy)

By comparison, 1^(1/3) = 1 and 8^(1/3) = 2, so…

4^(1/3) is between 1 and 2

Also by comparison, 1^(1/4) = 1 and 16^(1/4) = 2, so….

4^(1/4) is between 1 and 2

So, adding these values up gives us…

2 + (a number between 1 and 2) + (a number between 1 and 2) =

A total that is greater than 4.

Final Answer: E

The Answer Choices Can Provide a BIG Clue in How to Answer the Question
Hi Rich,

I know how to solve this question with algebra. What can I do to speed up on questions that have so many steps though?

If 1/2 of the air in a tank is removed with each stroke of a vacuum pump, what fraction of the original amount of air has been removed after 4 strokes?
(A) 15/16
(B) 7/8
(C) 1/4
(D) 1/8
(E) 1/16

Anka

Hi Anka,

You would likely find it faster to NOT do algebra here. Since we don't know how much air we're starting with, the tank could technically have any amount of air – thus we can TEST a Value. Instead of randomly choosing a value though, you should take a quick look at the answer choices. Notice how the common-denominator is 16? THAT number will likely be the best choice for your starting value.

Now, all you have to do is the basic "math", removing half after each stroke (with 4 strokes total):

Start = 16
remove half = 16 - 8 = 8
remove half = 8 - 4 = 4
remove half = 4 - 2 = 2
remove half = 2 - 1 - 1

So, 1/16 is left and 15/16 is removed.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Monday Mail-Bag: Advice on Big Picture Issues That Impact GMAT Test Takers…

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.

Avoiding Unrealistic Training Materials
Dear Rich,

I took a mock test today and in Quant section there were 26 DS Qs. Normally OG'13 says that there will be 15-16 DS Qs. Is this a possibility in the real test?

Brutus

Hi Brutus,

It’s important to train with materials that are designed to match up with what you’ll face on the Official GMAT. This CAT might just be a fluke, but it might also be indicative of a program that isn't quite in line with the actual GMAT. I'd suggest sticking to the 4 CATs that are available from mba.com (2 for free, 2 others for $40) and any of the CATs from Kaplan, ManhattanGMAT and Veritas.

The Limits of Last Second Verbal Studies
Hi Rich,

I have been preparing for GMAT for 2.5 months now and my exam is in 5 days. I have prepared quite thoroughly, and have improved my quant skills a lot.. but I seem to have hit a plateau in verbal.. always scoring 35-36 ..and giving me total of 680-690 (Quant scores are stable). Is there any advice on how to overcome this in 3-4 days.. I'm targeting 730+ total and verbal seems to be holding me down.

Carver

Hi Carver,

Unfortunately, you don't have much time to really change your tactics, practice them properly and then use them on the GMAT with any consistently. What you CAN do is take a good look at EVERY Verbal question from your practice CATs (not just the ones that you're getting wrong) and do some analysis. Ask yourself HOW you go about getting a question correct and then do your best to repeat the steps/logic. Every time you've "narrowed it down and guessed" but still got the question wrong, ask yourself WHAT you missed. For SC questions, it's all about grammar and style. For CR and RC, it's all about notes, understanding WHY material is included in the prompt and linking ideas.

Breaking Complex Permutation Questions into Pieces
Rich,

How can we solve permutation questions that come with extra steps? How do you write out the equation to solve this:

Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby and Cindy go to a movie and sit next to each other in 6 adjacent seats in the front row of the theater. If Marcia and Jan will not sit next to each other, in how many ways different arrangements can the 6 people sit?

Dayna

Hi Dayna,

Since the GMAT tends to "reward" flexible thinkers, it's important to be comfortable thinking logically and in a number of different ways. I'm going to show you a way to think of this question that's more about logic and less about complex math formulas.

Since there are 6 people sitting in 6 adjacent seats, using permutation logic/math makes sense.

IF there were NO restrictions, then the total number of options would be: 6x5x4x3x2x1 = 720 arrangements.

BUT there is a restriction: Marcia and Jan CAN'T sit next to one other. That means we'll have to subtract some of the options away from the 720 that we started with.

Imagine if we put Marcia in seat 1 and Jan in seat 2. Then we'd have….

MJ4x3x2x1 = 24 ways with Marcia 1st and Jan 2nd.

If we flipped those two around, we'd have…

JM4x3x2x1 = 24 ways with Jan 1st and Marcia 2nd.

24 + 24 = 48 ways that DON'T WORK if we put Marcia and Jan in the first 2 spots.

We can use that SAME pattern throughout the row:

2nd and 3rd = 48 options that DON'T WORK
3rd and 4th = 48 options that DON'T WORK
4th and 5th = 48 options that DON'T WORK
5th and 6th = 48 options that DON'T WORK

In total, there are 48(5) = 240 ways that DON'T WORK. Subtract those ways from the total possible.

720 - 240 = 480 arrangements.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Monday Mail-Bag: Advice on Big Picture Issues That Impact GMAT Test Takers…

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.

Usefulness of Paper Tests vs. CATs
Hi Rich,

My schedule is very busy, so I’m thinking about using the official paper tests occasionally instead of taking regular CATs. Is there any link for the paper tests?

Erich

Hi Erich,

The GMAC paper tests are available from https://www.mba.com. While they are a nice source for formerly used Official questions, it's worth noting that a pencil-and-paper exam does NOT properly simulate what an Official Computer Adaptive Test will "feel" like. It doesn't adapt, doesn't physically "test" you in the same way that the CAT will and doesn't require the same level of psychological discipline that the real GMAT demands. I think of them as great sources for practice, but NOT for determining current level of ability. If you plan to use the GMAC Paper Tests, then you have to understand that the score results are not necessarily going to provide a realistic score result. To get those types of results, you have to take FULL-LENGTH CATs under realistic conditions.

Efficient Handling of Word Problems in Quant
Dear Rich,

How am I supposed to answer wordy questions in 2 minutes? I usually take 1.5 minutes just to understand what the problem is asking.

Franz

Hi Franz,

To start, you are NOT expected to answer each Quant question in under 2 minutes. Attempting to do so is really bad idea. Certain questions can be answered quickly (in less than a minute), while others are designed to take you 3 minutes to solve.

So instead of asking how you can answer those longer/tougher questions quicker, the better question might be "what were you doing for those first 1.5 minutes?" If you were just reading and re-reading, then that's the real problem. Another question would be “how can I be more efficient when dealing with wordy prompts?” Try taking notes (and/or drawing a picture) with just the information in the first sentence. Then deal with the next sentence, and so on. Pacing problems are NOT about intelligence, they're about how you choose to organize your work and how quickly you decide to do work.

2 Days Before Test Day
Rich,

My GMAT is in 2 days. Do you have any last minute tips/advice on what I should or should not be doing?

Guapo

Hi Guapo,

Since you're so close to your Official Test Date, it's probably better to think about the proper mindset for Test Day and not about any last minute changes to how you approach the exam. You can do a bit of light review, but not too much (and NO CATs). Try to get some extra rest and go into your Exam calm and ready to perform. Remember that the GMAT will give you the score that you EARN, so work hard throughout the exam and EARN IT. Take lots of notes, stay organized and THINK.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Monday Mail-Bag: Advice on Big Picture Issues That Impact GMAT Test Takers…

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.

Tactical Approaches vs. ‘Math’ Approaches
Hi Rich,

I read thru the backup strategies and seem to understand them well. Although, I do not have them memorized. Is it important that I have these tricks memorized at this point? Will I have enough practice problems to try these tips out as the chapters unfold?

Hans

Hi Hans,

Since the Quant section of the GMAT is not, strictly-speaking, a “math test” – referring to Tactical approaches as “backup strategies” is not correct. Many questions on the GMAT can be approached in a variety of ways, so it's beneficial to you if you know more than one way to approach a question. To that end, Tactical approaches are often easier and faster than the standard ‘math approaches’ that you might choose to use.

In simple terms, you have two goals for any question that you're going to attempt to answer:

1) Get the question correct
2) Do so as quickly as possible

You can certainly use a "math" approach to answer most Quant questions, but in many cases, THAT way of thinking takes too much time to implement. So you should keep an open mind to all of the various Tactics that are available to you and you should plan to practice them sooner rather than later. Sufficient practice (including re-attempting past questions using different tactics) should help you to gain familiarity with all the options (and help you to figure out the right approach for any given question).

General Advice If Your First CAT Score is Low
Dear Rich,

I am very concerned about what I made on my first test score. I went through GMATPrep test 1 and I received a 280!!!!!!!!! My target score is a 710 or better. Is this normal to have a score this low?!?!?! I have 3-4 months to study but I’m starting to feel defeated before even studying. Is there any general advice before I begin?

Inego

Hi Inego,

You've given yourself plenty of time to study, which is good. Try to keep the proper positive attitude and keep your eye "on the prize." Look to improve in "small chunks" over the next 3 months. Your next practice score is NOT going to be close to 700, but it should be better than your first score. Review is a big part of this process, so make sure that you factor in the time that it takes to go back and fully review each practice CAT that you take as well as prior homework problems, drills, etc.

General Advice After Choosing to Reschedule the GMAT
Rich,

I'm scheduled to sit for the exam in 12 days, but I am planning on rescheduling. I took a practice test a couple of weeks ago and scored a 460. Quant was rough, and I ran out of time during Verbal with 12-14 questions left. I’ve been studying for just 1 month. I know my weak areas, and I think I can devote about 3 hours/day during the week and maybe 3-6 hours on the weekends. I have given up on the idea of applying this round, but I want to put the test behind me and would like to take it as soon as possible. Ideally I would love a 680, but what is realistic timeframe for me to score around 650?

Jarvis

Hi Jarvis,

First off, I want to compliment you on your ability to realize that you needed more time to prepare and that you are taking the necessary steps to adjust your timeline and improve your chances of success. Based on what you've described, you might have tried to learn a lot in a very short period of time and you have a significant pacing problem. The good news is that all of these problems can be fixed. Since I don't know all of the details about your situation, I'm going to give you a rather broad piece of advice to begin: many Test Takers spend 3 months (or more) on their studies to achieve their "peak" performances. You could very well score in the high 600s in the future, but you haven't put in enough time yet to do so.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Starting TODAY, You Have Enough Time to Build an AWESOME Round 1 Application

Many Business School applicants enter into the overall process of taking the GMAT and applying to Business School without realizing how much time and effort everything actually requires. Whether you’ve just recently decided that you want to earn an MBA or you attempted to rush through everything and just couldn’t make the application deadlines, you’re in the perfect position for this year’s Round 1 deadlines. Since many Round 1 deadlines are in September or October, you have the perfect amount of time to build an awesome application and hit the Round 1 deadlines.

Let’s Start With the Obvious: The GMAT

The immediate issue for most applicants is the GMAT score. Beyond the obvious value of that score (the higher the score, the greater the ‘range’ of Business Schools that you can reasonably apply to), there are some benefits that you might not even be considering right now: scholarships and career opportunities later on. While scholarships vary from Program-to-Program, they almost all involve a GMAT-score ‘component.’ With a high GMAT score (along with whatever other prerequisites are required), you could receive a scholarship worth tens-of-thousands of dollars (and possibly a hundred-thousand dollars or more). Some companies (notably high-end financial-services firms) are known to partially assess job applicants on their GMAT scores, so if you plan to go into that sector, having a higher GMAT score is a must.

Considering the importance of your GMAT score, any inkling that you might have to ‘limit’ your studies (to just books, for example) is remarkably short-sighted. The 700+ score (which is what many Test Takers are after) is approximately the 90th percentile, meaning that 90% of Test Takers either CAN’T or WON’T do what it takes to score at that level. Investing in the proper resources and planning out a reasonable, consistent study routine can get you to your ‘peak’ performance in about 3 months. Since we’re still in the first quarter of 2016, you HAVE the necessary calendar time to commit to that task.

Assembling the Necessary ‘Pieces’

Each of your applications will require a number of different components, including undergrad transcripts (GPA), Letters of Recommendation and Essays. Each of these pieces requires a certain amount of time and effort to assemble/create, so you have to give yourself enough time to gather them all. Letters of Rec can often take weeks or months to acquire (since you have to give the ‘writers’ enough time to write those letters – remember that you’re asking those people for a favor). The type of well-written essays that you will want to craft will also take time… and brain-storming…, and rewrites. You certainly don’t want to have to ‘juggle’ working on all of these items while you’re studying for the GMAT and dealing with all of the other areas of your life (work, family, etc.), so it’s important to plan ahead and set aside the necessary time to work on each of these areas later on.

The Value of Admissions Expertise (and the Best Time to Seek it)

Given the competitive nature of many MBA Programs, every applicant should seek out admissions advice (even if it’s just ‘general’ advice) from a reputable source. If you plan to apply to a highly competitive Program (a Top10 School or M7 School, for example), then the level of competition is SO high that you absolutely have to consider working with an Admissions Expert on your applications.

Schools such as Harvard and Stanford receive so many high-quality applications that the Admissions Committees can really only accept about 6%-10% of applicants. Now imagine if you were perfectly qualified to attend one of those Schools, but you made an error on some part of your application and were rejected as a result…

To be fair, this type of admissions service is NOT cheap, but you have to decide if spending that money is worth the improved chance of receiving an invite to a top-ranked Program. While no Admissions Expert can guarantee success in that regard, they can genuinely help you to craft the most effective applications possible.

Crafting a Reasonable Timeline

If you were prepared to commit the next 3 months (or so) to studying for the GMAT, then you could conceivably be done with that part of the process by the end of May or early June. THAT time of year is actually a great time to work with an Admissions Expert, since those Experts likely won’t be too busy yet (by the time August and September occur, most Admissions Experts have a full slate of clients, so those Experts will be spread somewhat ‘thin’). By engaging that service earlier than most of the other applicants who’ll want it, you can likely save some money and receive a more dedicated experience. Over the course of a couple of months, you would create a well-crafted overall application without feeling the stress of trying to rush to complete everything before the Round 1 deadlines.

It’s important to remember that EVERY part of the application process is predictable, so they can all be planned for. Finding the proper Experts to work with is essential though, so you shouldn’t wait too long to contact them. To that end, we’re here to help.

GMAT assassins aren’t born, they’re made,
Rich

Monday Mail-Bag: Advice on Big Picture Issues That Impact GMAT Test Takers…

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.

Strong Performance on OG Questions is NOT Enough Practice
Hey Rich,

I did all the questions related to the quantitative section in the GMAT2015 (PS-DS).
I had on average 20% wrong on the first attempt. Is that a good performance?

Kalan

Hi Kalan,

80% correct is a strong performance. The next step is to review how you approached certain questions so that you can repeat those Tactics later. You'll also want to review what you got wrong, so that you can determine WHY and what you could have done differently.

Next, you have to see how these skills translate over to a CAT. There’s a big difference between answering random questions out of a book and performing at a high level on a FULL-LENGTH CAT taken under realistic conditions.

Don’t Get “Hung Up” on Combinatorics/Probability
Dear Rich,

I find the 700-800 level Combinatorics and Probability stuff really hard. For someone to get a 700+, do they have to ace those areas. How do I go about this?

Leonid

Hi Leonid,

The simple answer to that is: NO – you can get all of those questions wrong and still score 700+. Sometimes Combinatorics and Probability show up at the high levels, but they're not the only categories that can appear at that level. Imagine if you were to become perfect at those categories, but you only saw a handful of questions from them on the GMAT? For practical purposes, emphasizing those two minor math categories during your studies is not a good use of your time. You should first put your emphasis into the "big" categories - the ones that lead to lots of points - DS questions, algebra, arithmetic, number properties, geometry, math formula questions, etc. Until you're great at those big categories, AND really good at Verbal too, then a 700+ won't be possible.

Does Length Matter in an RC Passage?
Hello Rich,

Is the GMAT now starting to make all RC passages into short passages? Isn’t there always at least one long passage?

Maurice

Hi Maurice,

Of your 4 RC passages on Test Day, you'll likely see at least 1 prompt that you would consider "long." Of course, there's some "bias" in this point because what you might consider "long", others (including the GMAT writers) might actually consider "medium." The truth is that the length of the prompt can sometimes mean nothing in terms of its difficulty. For example, some of the wordiest questions that you'll see in the Quant section are actually quite easy – in those situations, you're really being tested on your ability to stay organized and take notes. The same applies to questions in the Verbal section. The process for dealing with RC passages and their questions is essentially the same, regardless of the length of the prompt, the content, etc., so don't get too distracted by the length. You'll likely need a bit more time to read and take notes, but that's not really a big deal.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

The Lazy Thinking Behind the “2 Minutes Per Question” Plan

If you’re familiar with the format of the GMAT, then you know that the Quant section of the Test consists of 37 questions that must be completed in 75 minutes. At some point in the history of the GMAT, someone thought to him(her)self “37 questions in 75 minutes is about 2 minutes per question, since 75/37 = a little over 2 minutes… therefore, I should plan to spend no more than 2 minutes per question…” That concept was the beginning of one of the laziest thoughts in the history of the GMAT: the idea that one of a Test Taker’s “goals” should be to answer every question in under 2 minutes. Beyond being a huge logical mistake, that type of thinking can be especially harmful to your overall performance on Test Day.

To start, certain questions can be solved relatively quickly – some in under a minute (and potentially in under 30 seconds). However, others are designed to take upwards of 3 minutes of solid work to solve (and that’s if you KNOW what you’re doing). It’s important to note that some of those ‘longer’ questions aren’t necessarily all that difficult, but the ‘set up’ time requires a lot of reading and note-taking, so the prompt naturally takes longer to answer correctly. If you were to try to rush through such a question (because your ‘goal’ was to answer it in under 2 minutes), then you could potentially make any number of little mistakes and get the question wrong. Knowing that certain questions can be answered quickly – and would thus allow you to ‘bank’ some extra time - it’s worth asking WHY you would still try to speed through a longer question and get it wrong?

Most of the ‘work’ that you’ll have to do in the Quant and Verbal sections is really about taking notes and ‘linking’ ideas. Yes, there will be some ‘math work’ too, but much of that work is fairly low-level (arithmetic or algebra). Test Takers who try to rush through the note-taking part of the process end up taking fewer notes and have to go back to reread the prompt (sometimes multiple times); THAT part (the reading and re-reading) can cause a severe pacing problem. In those situations, it’s ironic that the problem the Test Taker was trying to avoid (not spending too long on a question) is actually CAUSED by the manner in which that Test Taker chose to rush through the prompt in the first place (and ended up spending too much time anyway). The goal in these individual situations is NOT to be ‘fast’ – the goal is to be ‘efficient.’ By extension, you should stay calm, work diligently, take good notes, and take advantage of the proper Tactics and patterns that are applicable on the GMAT.

Some of the worst offenders in the realm of GMAT Test Prep will offer pacing advice that essentially tells you to spend “10 minutes on every 5 questions.” This type of blanket advice is generic and causes problems for many Test Takers. There are certain areas of each section of the Test that tend to frequently offer up a larger number of wordier/longer prompts to deal with. Any Test Taker who’s trying to follow the lazy ‘2 minutes per question’ advice will end up losing out on a lot of ‘gettable’ points and will almost certainly see a lower GMAT score than he/she wanted.

To maximize your overall performance, and avoid the pacing issues that the “2 minutes per question” thinking actually CAUSES, you have to train correctly to face the GMAT. The good news is that the GMAT is the same consistent, predictable Exam that it’s always been, so you CAN train to score at a higher level. One of the initial steps in that overall training process is to ignore the advice that 2 minutes per question should be a goal. The rest of the training involves working with the proper materials practicing Tactics and following advice that is actually useful. To that end, we’re here to help.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich