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Magoosh Blog 12 Dec 2019, 11:01
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FROM Magoosh Blog: GMAT Practice Test Explanations
This post gathers all of the links to the Magoosh GMAT Practice test answer explanations (with video!). Before you look at these, though, be sure to first go through he answer key you saw at the end of the above-linked test, so you can check all your answers and score the exam.

Have you done that? Great! Now, let’s take a closer look at the questions you missed. And of course, these in-depth explanation pages can also clarify questions you answered correctly but still have some doubts about. Every single question from your practice test is here; just click the number of any questions you want to know more about.

These explanations are all taken from Magoosh GMAT Prep. To see a thousand more questions with explanations like these, sign up for Magoosh GMAT today.

Quantitative Reasoning
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30 / 31

Verbal Reasoning
32 / 33 / 34 / 35 / 36 / 37 / 38 / 39 / 40 / 41 / 42 / 43 / 44 / 45 / 46 / 47 / 48 / 49 / 50 / 51 / 52 / 53 / 54 / 55 / 56 / 57 / 58 / 59 / 60 / 61 / 62 / 63 / 64 / 65 / 66 / 67

If you have any questions about this free GMAT practice test, or about anything you saw on the answer pages linked above, feel free to email help@magoosh.com.

P.S. Are you ready to being your GMAT game to the next level? Sign up for Magoosh GMAT today!

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Magoosh Blog 02 Jan 2020, 12:01
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FROM Magoosh Blog: GMAT Practice Test Explanations
This post gathers all of the links to the Magoosh GMAT Practice test answer explanations (with video!). Before you look at these, though, be sure to first go through he answer key you saw at the end of the above-linked test, so you can check all your answers and score the exam.

Have you done that? Great! Now, let’s take a closer look at the questions you missed. And of course, these in-depth explanation pages can also clarify questions you answered correctly but still have some doubts about. Every single question from your practice test is here; just click the number of any questions you want to know more about.

These explanations are all taken from Magoosh GMAT Prep. To see a thousand more questions with explanations like these, sign up for Magoosh GMAT today.

Quantitative Reasoning
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30 / 31

Verbal Reasoning
32 / 33 / 34 / 35 / 36 / 37 / 38 / 39 / 40 / 41 / 42 / 43 / 44 / 45 / 46 / 47 / 48 / 49 / 50 / 51 / 52 / 53 / 54 / 55 / 56 / 57 / 58 / 59 / 60 / 61 / 62 / 63 / 64 / 65 / 66 / 67

If you have any questions about this free GMAT practice test, or about anything you saw on the answer pages linked above, feel free to email help@magoosh.com.

P.S. Are you ready to being your GMAT game to the next level? Sign up for Magoosh GMAT today!

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Magoosh Blog 10 Jan 2020, 20:01
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FROM Magoosh Blog: Common GMAT Math Mistakes




 

Learn the cluster of the most common GMAT math mistakes, mistakes that the exam regularly exploits so you can avoid these pitfalls.

 

Pattern-Matching,

Good and Bad
The human brain is, far and away, the best pattern-matching machine we have ever seen.  No computer comes close.  We match patterns for all kinds of things: facial recognition, movies, neighborhood, assessing whether someone is loony, assessing whether someone would make a good friend, etc.  Needless to say, because we do so much pattern-matching, our choices are not spot-on correct 100% of the time.

 

Mathematical Patterns
What’s germane to GMAT Math is that we also learn and understand math via patterns.  Like all things in mathematics, what’s mathematically true is absolutely precise, and even a slight change from that may be completely false.  That simply does in our pattern-matching right-brain, which likes to fudge to fit things.  Hence, there are a some very predictably mathematical patterns that people think are true, or suspect are true, even though they are blatantly false.  And, of course, dozens of GMAT Math questions are designed to probe exactly those areas!

 

Some True Patterns
First of all, let’s talk about two true patterns.  True pattern #1 is the Distributive Law, which says that multiplication distributes over addition & subtraction.



 

Incidentally, when you go from left to right, the action is called “distributing”, and when you go right to left, the action is called “factoring out.”  Those two are a complement pair of actions.  Factoring out is a move that is often helpful in solving the more algebraic GMAT problems.

The second doesn’t have a universally recognized name like the first, although it’s sometimes called the “Distributive Law for Exponents,” which says that exponents distribute over multiplication& division.





 

Two special cases of this are square-roots and reciprocals, which are really specific cases of exponents.  They both distribute over multiplication.

 


                

 

All of these are 100% percent true.

 

The Not-So-True Patterns
You can almost see where this is going. It’s absolutely true that multiplication distributes over addition and subtraction.  It’s absolutely true that exponents (including square-roots and reciprocals) distribute over multiplication and division.   BUT, it’s 100% false that exponents, square-roots, or reciprocals distribute over addition and subtraction at any time in any way.  The following red equations are examples of false extensions of the pattern.

 



Take a good look at these.  I encourage you to plug in numbers to verify that each one is false.  They are close to the correct laws above, but in characteristic mathematical fashion, “close” here means “dead wrong.” Questions that encourage you to make one of these mistakes simply litter the GMAT math sections.

 

Robust Errors
The pattern-matching function of the brain runs deep, as does our trust in it.  Just because you can identify the faulty pattern consciously in a lucid moment doesn’t mean you won’t fall into the same mistake again.

In math pedagogy, these are called “robust errors”: even when you understand clearly why these are false, it’s as if the pattern-matching machinery of the mind draws you back to making the same mistake.  If you less than 100% crystal clear about these mistakes, you will make them when you are tired, when you are less focused, and when you are stressed – for example, during the GMAT.  I highly recommend that you bookmark this page and reread this article, each time reacquainting yourself with why each mistake is mathematically unsound.  I highly recommend you start making a log of the GMAT practice questions that, in some way, solicited one of these mistakes – and whether you fell for it or not.

Taken as a group, these must be the single greatest source of algebra errors on the GMAT.  If, through practice, you can learn to catch yourself and prevent yourself from making one of these mistakes every time, this will phenomenally improve your GMAT Quantitative Score.

Dropping the negative sign
Suppose you are solving the equation

5 – 2x = 13

We want to isolate x.  One tactic would be to begin by subtracting 5 from both sides.  On the right, 13 – 5 = 8.  On the left, the 5’s cancel, but with what are we left?  It would be a mistake to subtract 5 and wind up with:



I have that in red, with an unequal sign, to emphasize that it is wrong.  Of course, the mistake is: when we subtract the 5 and get rid of it, the 2x term does not magically change from negative to positive.  It still has a negative sign in front of it.  Therefore, the next steps are:

-2x = 8

x = -4

Actually, if you notice any tendency toward making this mistake, I highly recommend: make your first step to add any subtracted variable to other side, to make it positive.  If your first step, automatically, is to make the variable positive, then  you will be considerably less likely to make this mistake.

 

Dividing by the numerator
Suppose you have this equation to solve:



Both sides are clearly divisible by 5, so one possible first step would be to divide by sides by 5.  On the right,
.  On the left, the 5’s cancel, but the question is: what is on the left side after dividing by 5?  Just x?  No!  That’s a very tempting mistake to make!  In the equation above, x is in the denominator, and “being in the denominator” is not a condition that goes away just because a number in the numerator is cancelled.  If we divide by sides by 5, the proper result is



You can multiply by x, and divide by 4 to solve —- or, you simply could take the reciprocal of both sides (always a completely legitimate move when you have fraction = number or fraction = fraction).  Either way, the answer is
.

 

Distributing a square
These next three mistakes are part of a broad category.  First of all, one of most fundamental laws underlying all arithmetic and algebra is a law called the Distributive Law.  Symbolically, it states



When read left-to-right, it is called distributing: we distribute A over (B + C).   When this same equation is read right-to-left, it is called “factoring out.”  See this post for a more extended panegyric to the Distributive Law, in a more advanced context.  That equation is 100% true, 100% of the time.  In words, we can say: multiplication distributes over addition and subtraction.  It’s one of the most fundamental laws in all of mathematics.

That pattern is very important, and has a wide variety of applications in elementary and advanced mathematics.  For some reason, though, this pregnant pattern is ripe for vast over-generalization.  The mind seems almost magnetically drawn to distributing all kind of things other than multiplication over addition and subtraction.

One example is: an exponent.  Suppose we are asked to expand algebraically the expression:



Be careful here, because unless you are a pro at math, your mind is going to be magnetically attracted to the wrong thing to do.  Here’s the wrong thing to do:



If you notice, this mistake involves following the Distributive Law pattern, but with an exponent rather than with multiplication.  That’s illegal.  What’s the correct procedure?  Well, squaring anything means multiplying it by itself, so the first step would be:



From there, you would FOIL out the expression.  That’s the step-by-step way to get to the answer.  It can be a very handy shortcut to have the following two patterns memorized.

The Square of a Sum:

The Square of a Difference:

Those formulas take into account the proper FOILing.  Memorizing these can be a time-saving shortcut and also might help you to remember to avoid Mistake #3 here.

 

Distributing a fraction
This is another mistake of the “over-extend the Distributive Law to regions that are not valid” variety.  Here is the succinct way to express this mistake.



In other words, you can neither combine nor separate fractions by additions in the denominator.  This one has far-reaching ramifications.  For example, in the following fraction …



… what can you cancel?  NOTHING!  If the 12 were over just the 3x, or if the 12 were just over the 8, then you would be able to cancel, but because you can’t separate the fraction, you can do absolutely no canceling.  BTW, in the fraction ….



… even though some cancellation is possible, you can’t do any while the fraction is still like this.  You have to separate it, by the addition in the numerator (a 100% legitimate move) and then you can cancel:



Another related mistake.  Suppose we have to solve the following equation.



While it’s true in general that you can take the reciprocal of both sides, unfortunately, you can only take the reciprocal of a single number or a single fraction, NOT a sum or difference of fractions.



The reciprocal of a sum is not the sum of the reciprocals.  How do you find the reciprocal of a sum?  You would have to add the two fractions, using a common denominator, combining them into a single fraction.  Here, by far the easiest solution would be to begin by subtracting 1/48 from both sides, and performing the fraction subtraction on the left side, so that you have a single fraction equals 1/x.  Then, you would legitimately be allowed to take the reciprocal of both sides to solve.

 

Distributing a root
The final mistake, yet another example of illegitimately over-extending the pattern of the Distributive Law, is distributing root signs.  Succinctly, this mistake says:



You cannot separate a square-root by addition or subtraction.  You can separate a root by multiplication or division: see this post for more on that.  You can see more about roots in general here.

If you have the equation…



… it is illegal to try to simplify that by taking a square-root of each term:



Think about it.  Mr. Pythagoras was a very intelligent individual.  If it were possible to simplify
to a + b = c, then that’s how he would have stated the famous theorem.  The fact is: he had to state it as
, because it is absolutely illegal to simplify that to a + b = c.

In fact, whereas the former is true for the three side of every right triangle, the latter is not true for the three sides of any triangle.  In fact, it constitutes a blatant violation of the Triangle Inequality, a law that is true for every possible triangle.

 

Practice Questions
1) Find the value of

(1)

(2)

  • Statement 1 alone is sufficient but statement 2 alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
  • Statement 2 alone is sufficient but statement 1 alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
  • Both statements 1 and 2 together are sufficient to answer the question but neither statement is sufficient alone.
  • Each statement alone is sufficient to answer the question.
  • Statements 1 and 2 are not sufficient to answer the question asked and additional data is needed to answer the statements.
 

2) Is
?

(1)

(2)

  • Statement 1 alone is sufficient but statement 2 alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
  • Statement 2 alone is sufficient but statement 1 alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
  • Both statements 1 and 2 together are sufficient to answer the question but neither statement is sufficient alone.
  • Each statement alone is sufficient to answer the question.
  • Statements 1 and 2 are not sufficient to answer the question asked and additional data is needed to answer the statements.
 

Practice Question Answers and Explanations
(1) E; (2) E

In both of those questions, I was bending over backwards trying to lead you into making one of those errors.

 

1)  Clear prompt: find the value of
.

Statement #1: We cannot take the square root of
to get
.  There’s no way to simplify
, and the equation
has an infinite number of pairs (a, b) that solve it, each with a different sum.  This statement does not allow us to answer the question.  Statement #1 is insufficient.

Statement #2: Again, there are an infinite number of pairs (a, b) that satisfy the equation
.  No conclusion can be drawn about
.  Statement #2 is insufficient.

Statements #1 & #2 Combined:  Now, we have two equations for two unknowns, so we can solve.

















Two solutions: {a = +7, b = -1} or {a = +1, b = -7}.

These two have different sums, so we cannot uniquely determine the value of a + b.  Even combined, the statements are insufficient.

Answer = E.

 

2) The prompt: Is
?

Statement #1: We cannot say that
is equal to
.  Like
,
is somewhere between 5 and 6.  When we add 1, it’s somewhere between 6 and 7.  If we know x is less than a number between 6 and 7, that’s not a guarantee that it’s less than a number between 5 and 6.  Statement #1 is insufficient.

Statement #2: We cannot say that
is equal to
.  Knowing that
doesn’t tell us conclusively whether or not x is less than
, a number between 5 and 6.  Statement #2 is insufficient.

Statements #1 & #2 Combined: Now, the combined conditions just amount to Statement #1, which was more restrictive than Statement #2.  We already know that Statement #1 is insufficient, so this means that the combined statements are also insufficient.

Answer = E

 

For more practice questions, sign up for Magoosh GMAT Prep, which offers hundreds of lessons and practice questions, all with video explanations!

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FROM Magoosh Blog: Complete Guide to GMAT Idioms


Maybe you’re struggling with GMAT Verbal or maybe English isn’t your first language–or maybe both. In either case, it’s likely that your struggling with GMAT idioms. With that in mind, Magoosh is thrilled to present our free GMAT Idiom ebook, available for download here!



We’ve just released the FREE Magoosh GMAT Idiom eBook, which includes detailed explanations and examples of 27 different types of idioms: idioms involving prepositions, conjunctions, infinitives, comparison, and many many more! All written by our resident GMAT grammar expert, Mike McGarry :).

How Should I Use the GMAT Idiom eBook?
You should use this eBook as a both a thorough guide to GMAT idioms as well a reference as you go through Sentence Correction questions where you might need some idiom-related help!

 

“No course explained idioms in such a lucid way.” Magoosh GMAT student, scored 730
 

 

Check out a GMAT general introduction and Integrated Reasoning eBooks for more free GMAT prep!

You can print it out or save the PDF to your computer/phone/tablet for reading on the go, and feel free to share with friends. We hope you enjoy it and find it helpful!

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FROM Magoosh Blog: Complete Guide to GMAT Integrated Reasoning
GMAT Integrated Reasoning giving you trouble? You’re not alone! That’s why Magoosh is excited to present you with the ultimate GMAT Integrated Reasoning eBook: Magoosh’s Complete Guide to GMAT Integrated Reasoning!





What is GMAT Integrated Reasoning?
The GMAT Integrated Reasoning section tests your quant-based and verbal-based reasoning in 4 parts: multi-source reasoning, table analysis, two-part analysis, and graphics interpretation.

This free ebook will explain each of these parts in detail.

What Will I Find Out in This GMAT Integrated Reasoning eBook?
We know that GMAT IR can be confusing. Our expert instructors have worked with thousands of students on GMAT Integrated Reasoning. They know exactly what questions you have–and how to answer them! How on earth is it scored? What can I expect to see on test day? How can I practice on my own? And they’ve put the answers in the Complete Guide to GMAT Integrated Reasoning!

That’s why Magoosh’s free eBook includes:

  • An overview of the section as a whole, including scoring
  • Overviews and strategies of/for each question type
  • Practice questions of each question type
  • Recommendations for what and how to study to do your best on this new section!
And it’s free! ? So feel free to print it out, share with friends, and use it on the go to read up on how to conquer Integrated Reasoning on the GMAT.

 

“I must mention that the IR sessions are just enough for what one needs to know so as to face IR in actual GMAT with confidence.” Magoosh GMAT student, scored 710


Enjoy!

For a more general introduction to the new GMAT (that goes beyond GMAT Integrated Reasoning), check out our “Complete Guide to the GMAT” eBook here.

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FROM Magoosh Blog: Magoosh GMAT Quantitative Diagnostic Test


Welcome to the Magoosh GMAT Quantitative practice test, with answer explanations. This is one of Magoosh’s two free GMAT practice tests designed to help you predict your GMAT scores. This diagnostic GMAT exam includes both Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving questions, and covers the most frequently tested GMAT Quant concepts. Our other free GMAT exam is the Magoosh GMAT Verbal Diagnostic. We recommend taking both of these together.

Take the Magoosh GMAT Diagnostic Test
For real GMAT exam-like pacing, give yourself 25 minutes to complete this GMAT practice quiz; this will help ensure that the GMAT scores on this diagnostic test are accurate. This GMAT practice exercise can be seen as a “micro test” version of the real GMAT test– fewer questions, but the pacing is the same. The mix of question formats and concepts is also the same as the real test from the Graduate management Admissions Council, with Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving questions that cover all of the major GMAT exam math topics. The answer explanations you see at the end will help you learn even more about these question formats and math concepts.

Our diagnostic GMAT test assumes you are already familiar with the basic question formats. But if you need to, you can read a brief description of those two GMAT exam Quantitative question types before you start the quiz. (NOTE: This is one of two free GMAT practice tests from Magoosh; we recommend taking our GMAT exam Verbal diagnostic test along with this one.)

This quiz has 10 questions…. Take a deep breath and do your best.

And now… take the quiz!

Please go to Magoosh GMAT Quantitative Diagnostic Test to view this quiz

GMAT Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency: An Overview
There are two question formats on the Quant portion of the GMAT test: Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency. Problem Solving is just what it sounds like: you’re given a Quant problem and asked to choose the solution from the answer choices. Data Sufficiency is a little different, and is unique to the GMAT exam. Data Sufficiency is more oriented toward strategy and logical thinking than toward calculating a final answer. This format is unique to the GMAT exam, and contributes to 40% or so of your GMAT scores in Quant. (This ratio is also reflected on our diagnostic test.) So let’s quick take a closer look at Data Sufficiency.

What is GMAT Data Sufficiency?
Data sufficiency is an essential part of any GMAT study plan. When you include this type of question in your GMAT practice, bear in mind that GMAT exam Data Sufficiency questions have a much more predictable structure than Problem Solving ones. Data Sufficiency problems will always contain the following components:

1) An initial math question.

2) Two statements that give additional information related to the math question.

3) Answer choices that ask you to decide whether one or both statements gives you the information you need to answer the question.

Note that you don’t select the actual answer to the math problem. You just decide whether you have enough information– sufficient data— to solve the problem. That’s the nice thing about Data Sufficiency on the GMAT exam– often you don’t need to work out the entire problem step-by-step. You only need to figure out if you can solve the problem.

Although each Data Sufficiency problem presents a different math question, there is– in a sense– just one Data Sufficiency question: Can you solve this problem? Why or why not? This is ultimately a very strategy-oriented question, so be sure to check out the strategy tips for Data Sufficiency in the answer explanations that come with your diagnostic test results.

If you want to experience the GMAT exam’s Data Sufficiency question format in greater depth before you take the Diagnostic test, check out this set of Data Sufficiency GMAT practice questions, with answer explanations. Understanding this format is crucial to good GMAT scores, both during your study plan and on test day.

A Word on Word Problems
Word problems are by far the most commonly-tested math concept in GMAT Quantitative. Both Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving questions can also be word problems.

In fact, at least half of all Quant questions on a given GMAT exam are word problems, a statistic also reflected in our Quant Diagnostic test. (For more statistics on word problem frequency, see Magoosh’s breakdown of GMAT Quant concepts. Not that both of our free GMAT practice tests simulate real GMAT concept breakdowns.) You’ll see several word problems on the 10 question quiz above. Sharp word problem skills are great for your GMAT scores, so focus on word problems in your GMAT practice study plan.

And on that note… take the quiz!

Diagnostic GMAT Scores, Answer Explanations, and Study Plan Recommendations
After you take the quiz, enter your email [optional] to get a copy of your Diagnostic GMAT scores along with answer explanations and custom recommendations for your GMAT exam prep. The custom recommendations can also be found at this direct link to our main GMAT Diagnostic test page. These recommendations divide test-takers into four different “buckets,” based on their abilities in both Quant and Verbal. These buckets are labeled Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, and Group 4. Each group comes with its own special recommendations for GMAT practice.

The GMAT prep recommendations will include a recommended study plan and additional tips and advice, based on your performance on the free GMAT practice tests. The study plans we assign to each score group are all three months long. This, typically, is the amount of prep time that most test-takers need in order to get excellent GMAT scores. With that in mind, if you feel three months isn’t the right timeline for you, you can pick a different study plan from the Magoosh GMAT exam study plan page.

How to Use these Free GMAT Practice Tests
As mentioned above, this GMAT Quant quiz should be taken with the GMAT Verbal Quiz, and you should follow the recommendations for your score group.

Beyond that, these quizzes are a great way to start identifying your strengths and weaknesses on the GMAT exam. Rather than simply looking at your score on these free GMAT practice tests, you should carefully examine exactly which questions you missed, and why. The answer explanations in the summary you receive at the end of the test can really help you understand which concepts are in play for each question, and can give you insight into the kinds of things you should be studying. You may find you need to focus on Data Sufficiency, or on algebra, or integer properties, and so on.

Above all, remember that the GMAT scores you get today are not the GMAT scores you’re stuck with. If you scored low on this diagnostic test, don’t feel bad! This test is meant to be a starting point toward your best possible GMAT scores. And that road to better scores includes many additional materials, such as full-length free GMAT practice tests from the Graduate Management Admissions Council, and other materials, both official and unofficial. Good luck on your road to GMAT exam success!

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FROM Magoosh Blog: Magoosh’s Complete Guide to the GMAT eBook
When you’re prepping for the GMAT, it’s important to have the best possible resources. That’s why Magoosh’s experts are delighted to share the Complete Guide to the GMAT eBook with you! In this GMAT eBook, you’ll find everything you need to build a great foundation of knowledge and skills for the test.





This eBook is a compilation of the best of the Magoosh GMAT blog, and we’re happy to be able to share it with you for free, via PDF!

What Will I See in the GMAT eBook?
Magoosh’s Complete Guide to the GMAT includes:

  • An introduction to the format of the GMAT
  • General exam strategies (CAT, skipping, guessing, study strategies)
  • Overviews of each section (AWA, IR, Quant, Verbal)
  • Recommended strategies and practice questions
  • Links to all of our study plans
  • 100+ pages!
We hope you like it! Print it out, share it with friends, and use it as an introduction to the GMAT as you’re starting out, or reference it throughout your GMAT journey.

“Magoosh was amazing! It helped boost my quant score more than I could have ever anticipated. Although I was already pretty strong in the verbal section, Magoosh helped me to refine my skills even more. The video lessons as well as the videos attached to each practice question were immensely helpful. I couldn’t say enough good things about Magoosh. Thank you!” Magoosh GMAT student, scored 760
Is There Another GMAT eBook I Can Study?
Yes! You can learn more about the GMAT by downloading our other free eBooks:

 



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FROM Magoosh Blog: GMAT Canceled? You Can Soon Take it At Home


Due to coronavirus, many of you have had your GMAT exams canceled. Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), the makers of the GMAT, announced that they will soon be launching their Interim GRE Exam, which will let students take an online GMAT exam at home.

When Can I Take Interim GMAT Exam?
This interim online GMAT exam isn’t available yet but should be available by mid-April (exact date to be determined).

Who’s Eligible?
GMAC plans to release the interim GMAT option to anyone in a market impacted by COVID-19. The exception is mainland China, where they are working with the government to find a solution.

How Similar Is the Interim Exam to the Regular GMAT?
At the moment, we know of one change to Interim GMAT Exam: there will be no AWA section. That feels like a substantial change in that you have thirty fewer minutes of testing. That’s 16% of your total test-taking time! The test will still have the Quant, Verbal, and IR sections, though.

Otherwise, the GMAC has said, “The check-in and security protocols will be modified to accommodate online delivery and remote proctors will be used to manage test integrity.” While we don’t know the specifics, we do know how the GRE is approaching at-home testing: recording your face via webcam and your screen as well as mandating specific equipment and set-up requirements. I wouldn’t be surprised if the at-home GMAT requires similar measures and requirements.

Should I Plan to Take this Online GMAT Exam at Home?
It’s too early to tell, and we’ll know more info closer to mid-April. However, if you have a private space at home where you could take a test, you may want to consider it. You’ll potentially be able to practice in the exact same environment as that of test day, and you’ll have a test that is thirty minutes shorter than the actual GMAT (based on what we know now).

We’ll update you as we learn more, so keep an eye on this blog. In the meantime, if you’re still studying, you can use our GMAT prep product, which has been used by over 50,000 students.

You can also read the full announcement on the GMAC website here.

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FROM Magoosh Blog: GMAT Test Day Tips and Checklist: What to Bring to the Exam

 

This is the day: GMAT test day. After preparing for the GMAT for a few months, weeks, or—in some cases—days, now is the time to showcase your skills.

Walking into the test center is nerve-racking for most test-takers, so we created this guide on everything related to GMAT exam day!

What You Need to Know Before You Arrive to the Test Center
Before the clock starts ticking on your official GMAT exam, you’ll have to make some important decisions about your test. Of course, you could wing it and think on your feet.

But ideally, you’ll want to know certain things before your GMAT test day.

1. Make Sure That You Know the Time of Your Appointment and How to Get to the Test Center
What time is your exam? You will want to double check since you have to arrive at least half an hour before your scheduled time.

If you can, take a trip to the test center prior to your test day.

  • Bonus points if you go around the same time, on the same day of the week your exam is scheduled.
That way, you’ll get a sense of how much time it takes to get there and the amount of traffic to expect.

2. Decide Which Schools Will Receive Your Scores
When you registered for your GMAT, you paid a fee. Part of that fee goes towards the cost of sending your scores to five schools. Here’s the catch—you have to pick these schools prior to the exam’s start.

In other words, you want to know beforehand which five universities will receive your official score report.

After your test day, you can change your mind and send your scores to additional schools, for an extra fee. To avoid paying more money, make sure to choose the schools before the test date.

3. Decide What GMAT Section Order Is Best for You
After the navigational tutorial and selecting the schools to send your scores to, you’ll have an option to choose the section order of the test:

  • AWA + IR (Analytical Writing Assessment and Integrated Reasoning), Quantitative, Verbal
  • Verbal, Quantitative, IR + AWA
  • Quantitative, Verbal, IR + AWA
Pick the order that suits you best. For example, if you are a non-native English speaker who’s strong in Math, starting your GMAT exam with a Verbal section could work well for you to get the most difficult thing out of the way first. Read more tips about picking your GMAT section order.

What should I do the morning of GMAT test day?
Since you will have to focus your attention for several hours (3 hours and thirty minutes to be exact), make it your goal to relax as much as possible before your GMAT test starts. Try to get enough sleep the night before and several nights in a row beforehand. Eat a healthy, filling meal. But whatever you do, do not study!

Plan your morning routine to have enough time to prepare for your appointment without rushing. If your test time is later in the day, go for a walk, talk to supportive friends, or pick up a relaxing, stress-free activity.

GMAT Exam Day Checklist: What to Bring to the Test
Here is everything that you will need for the exam. Get all these things ready the evening before test day. That way, you will avoid unnecessary stress when it’s time for you to go and conquer the GMAT!

A Valid Government-Issued Photo ID
This is the most important item to bring to your GMAT appointment. Check the ID requirements beforehand.

Appointment Confirmation Letter or Email
The proctor at the test center may ask to see this paper when you are checking in.

Prescription Eyeglasses
You will be allowed to take the glasses with you to your computer.

Extra Clothing
You want to be comfortable as you’re taking your exam, and you don’t know the exact temperature of the test center. The solution is easy: dress in layers or bring a light jacket that you can wear indoors.

You will be allowed to bring your jacket in the exam room with you as you take the GMAT.

Water and Snacks
You won’t be able to take them to the testing room (unless you requested and were granted an accommodation). But you will be able to store these items in your locker. You can eat and drink during breaks.

What NOT to Bring on GMAT Test Day
Your bag (or purse, or backpack) is packed and you are ready to go. There’s one last thing to check: did you pack anything that will prevent you from taking your exam?

As per GMAC’s policies, you are not allowed to bring weapons to the test center. While it seems obvious that nobody should bring weapons to their GMAT appointment, sometimes people carry things that could be perceived as a weapon. Do you have a small letter opener attached to your key chain? Leave it at home!

Tips for GMAT Test Day
When you are in the test center facility, try your best to keep calm. Breathe. Many people have gone through this and so can you. To give you a heads-up on the test day experience, we created a list of tips from actual test-takers:

Read the GMAT Test Center Rules
Make sure you read up on the GMAT test center rules. You don’t want to break any test center rules and end up with a violation or your score canceled.

Be Ready to Get a Digital Photograph Taken
You’ll only get one chance to get your picture right. Since some schools will elect to receive your photograph along with your score, make sure you’re photo ready. Lights, camera, action!

Storage Space in Test Centers Can Be Limited
Even though you are allowed to bring various items to the GMAT test center facilities—you will be required to store it all in your locker. Leave home all the study aids that you used when you were preparing for your exam. We do not recommend any last-minute studying.

A Word About Bathroom Breaks…
You should stay hydrated and drink water during your breaks. However, if you need a bathroom break in the middle of an ongoing section, the clock will still be ticking. So, make sure to stay hydrated, but don’t drink too much.

During an official break, it is your responsibility to return to the testing room on time. If you fail to do so, the next section will start automatically and you will get less time to complete it.

Do You Want to Cancel Your Scores?
A variation of this question will appear on your computer screen after you finish the test, so be prepared to see this question at the end of your ordeal.

Time Management During GMAT Test Day
The clock makes a lot of test-takers nervous. To avoid this issue, practice with the timer when you prepare for the exam.

Read about more time management tips for the GMAT and check out our GMAT Plans to make your studying time more efficient!

Got any more GMAT test day tips? Let me know in the comments below!

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FROM Magoosh Blog: Harvard GMAT Scores

Photo by Florian Pilz

When you’re applying to business schools, shooting for a Harvard acceptance can feel like seeking the holy grail of MBA admissions. There are so many factors that go into business school admissions. Getting your GMAT score around the average Harvard GMAT score is difficult—but possible. After all, the admissions office did accept nearly 1,000 students in its class of 2021.

So what does this mean for you and your GMAT score? Take a look.

GMAT Scores for Harvard: The Range
The average GMAT score for admitted students in Harvard’s class of 2021 was 730. And, actually, the median GMAT score for Harvard’s incoming class of 2020 was also 730. Therefore, to get a good GMAT score for Harvard, you need to score a 730…right?

Not necessarily! Average scores can be misleading. Score ranges are more telling. Harvard Business School admitted—and has historically admitted—students with a huge range of scores. In this year’s class profile, students scored between 590 and 800.

Shocked? Surprised? Excited? Remember that 50% of students admitted to Harvard Business School got lower than the average score of 730. In fact, in previous years, students with 480 and 510 scores on the low end have gotten in, though in both cases, this was so exceptional that it was newsworthy.)

Harvard GMAT Scores: The Bigger Picture
With all of that said: It’s not unusual for Harvard to admit a very small number (we are talking a handful) of students in the 500s or low 600s; it’s done this consistently over the years. But these are students who are exceptional. The few success stories I have heard have come from students who have academic or career accomplishments so extraordinary they make me feel like I do when I watch 16-year-olds win Olympic gold medals: woefully inadequate.

So, the answer is yes, someone can get into HBS with a 510 GMAT score. Whether or not you can get in with a score in the 500s or 600s is a different matter. This is also true of other top programs. Wharton’s average GMAT score for the class of 2021 was 732, but the class had a range from 540-790. Stanford’s average was 734, with a range from 600-790.

But Harvard (and other top schools) can do this kind of thing because it’s Harvard (/are other top schools). Schools just a little bit further down in the rankings often won’t publish the full range of accepted student scores; presumably this helps preserve an image of high-scoring students. Harvard doesn’t need to worry about its clout. So it can gain some good PR by admitting a low-scoring student without damaging its reputation as one of the top B-schools in the country, giving us all the pipe dream that Harvard is saying “Hey, test scores aren’t everything here!”

So the 2021 range of Harvard GMAT scores, from 590-800, is slightly misleading. Admitted students’ scores aren’t evenly spread across that range. Instead, it looks more like a bell curve. The bottom half of admitted students are still mostly in the low 700 range—in other words, a score in the low 700s still puts you below half of new students that are above the golden 730-number.

So let me break it down with some score ranges to better answer the question about what GMAT scores you need for your Harvard dreams.

What’s a Good GMAT Score for Harvard?
The safe zone: 750-800. If your scores are in this range, as long as your work experience, GPA, resume and recommendations are on track with the average HBS hopeful, you have a good shot. A score in this range is a good score for Harvard. Keep in mind, though, that even an 800 doesn’t guarantee admissions; at a school with an acceptance rate of around 10%, students with perfect scores get rejected every year. Even in this range you need a dash of luck or some pull. You need to hope that you don’t turn the admissions committee off somehow or that there aren’t too many “yous” in the applicant pool.

The go-for-it zone: 690-740. You are definitely in range here for a chance at admissions, but other aspects of your application are going to need to also A) impress or B) help round out the diversity of the class. Will a higher score help? It depends–if you have one or more other stand-out factors in your application, there’s probably no need to re-take the exam. Otherwise, boosting your score above other test takers’ will probably help.

The questionable zone: 650-690. Your application is likely going to face some serious extra scrutiny. You must have something to offer HBS that no one else is bringing. Given the info that Harvard’s given us about that middle 80% range, you can expect that only about 10% of admission offers are doled out to applicants scoring below 690.

The shot-in-the-dark zone: 450-650. In case you are wondering, the lowest score ever admitted to Harvard was a 480. Again, those admitted in this range are the superstars; the individuals whom Harvard is willing to let impact its published GMAT score median and ranges because they are that special. But you can bet there aren’t going to be too many people Harvard considers special enough to be in this category.

If your scores are in the “questionable” or “shot-in-the-dark” ranges, I highly recommend you do some serious GMAT prep or consider the GRE as an alternative, a test that is now well-accepted at HBS. Although statistics show there is still a slight bias towards GMAT applicants, if you can score much better on the GRE, that is without a doubt the way to go. Your extra laurels may be able to get your foot in the door, but why not make their decision easier by giving them scores that are going to raise fewer eyebrows?

Harvard Business School Class of 2021 Profile (Composition of Accepted Student Data)

WOMEN40343%

US ETHNIC MINORITIES25327%

INTERNATIONAL34737%

AVERAGE WORK EXPERIENCE (Years)4.7

GMAT SCORE RANGE 590–800

MEDIAN GMAT SCORE730

AVERAGE GPA3.70

GRE SCORE RANGEVerbal: 147–170

Quantitative:145–170

MEDIAN GRE SCOREVerbal: 163

Quantitative: 163

Sources:

Chart data from HBS website

Additional sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Some other Harvard programs that accept GMAT scores:

Harvard Kennedy School of Government

Harvard Graduate School of Education

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FROM Magoosh Blog: GMAT Circles: An Introduction


Are you prepping for geometry questions on the GMAT? Feeling confused or in need of a refresher on circles? Read on to get a rundown of GMAT circles terminology, concepts, and practice questions.

Basic Circle Terminology[/*]
[*]Chords[/*]
[*]Circle Formulas[/*]
[*]Circles and Angles + Arcs and Arclengths[/*]
[*]GMAT Circles Practice Questions[/*]
[/list]


and not this:



Photo by cliparts.co

In other words, the circle is only the curved round edge, not the middle filled-in part.  A point on the edge is “on the circle”, but a point in the middle part is “in the circle” or “inside the circle.”  In the diagram below,



point A is on the circle, but point B is in the circle.

By far, the most important point in the circle is the center of the circle, the point equidistance from all points on the circle.







By the way, the word “chord” in this geometric sense is actually related to “chord” in the musical sense: the link goes back to Mr. Pythagoras (c. 570 – c. 495 BCE), who was fascinated with the mathematics of musical harmony.

If the chord passes through the center, this chord is called a diameter.  The diameter is a chord.  A diameter is the longest possible chord.  A diameter is the only chord that includes the center of the circle.



The diameter is an important length associated with a circle, because it tells you the maximum length across the circle in any direction.

An even more important length is the radius.  A radius is any line segment with one endpoint at the center and the other on the circle.



As is probably clear visually, the radius is exactly half the diameter, because a diameter can be divided into two radii.  The radius is crucially important, because if you know the radius, it’s easy to calculate not only the diameter, but also the other two important quantities associated with a circle: the circumference and the diameter.



irrational number that goes on forever in a non-repeating pattern.

These two formulas follow from the definition of
, so basically every culture on earth figured out these.  By contrast, the area of circle was discovered by one brilliant mathematician, and everyone on earth has this one man to thank for his formula for the area of a circle.  That man was Archimedes (c. 287 – c. 212 BCE).  Here is Archimedes’ amazing formula:



  • This is a GMAT circle formula you need to know cold on test day.




The curved line from A to B, a part of the circle itself, is called an arc.  This corresponds to the crust of the pizza.

We can talk about the size of an arc in one of two ways: (a) its angle, sometimes called “arc angle” or “arc measure“, and (b), its length, called arclength.  The angle of the arc, its arc measure, is just the same as the angle at the center of the circle.  Here ∠AOB = 60°, so the measure of arc AB is 60°.

We find the arclength by setting up a proportion of part-to-whole.  The angle is part of the whole angle of a circle, 360°.  The arclength is part of the length all the way around, i.e. the circumference.  Therefore:



Here, let’s say the radius is r = 12.  Then, the circumference is
.  Since the angle is 60°, the ratio on the left side, angle/360, becomes 1/6.  Call the arclength x.



Cross-multiply:





In other words, since the angle 60° is one sixth of the full angle of a circle, the arclength is one sixth of the circumference.





  • In the shaded region above, ∠KOL = 120°, and the area of the entire circle is
    .  The perimeter of the shaded region is





[/list]

Show answer and explanation
1) The area
, so r = 12.  This means KO = 12 and OL = 12, so those two sides together are 24.  The remaining side is arc KL.  The whole circumference is
.  The angle of 120° is 1/3 of a circle, so the arclength is 1/3 of the circumference.  This means,
, and therefore the entire perimeter is
.  Answer = C.
 

[*]Given that a “12-inch pizza” means circular pizza with a diameter of 12 inches, changing from an 8-inch pizza to a 12-inch pizza gives you approximately what percent increase in the total amount of pizza?

[*]33[*]50[*]67[*]80[*]125[/list]
[/list]

Show answer and explanation
The 8-inch pizza has a radius of r = 4, so the area is
. That area is how much pizza you get. The 12-inch pizza has a radius of r = 6 and an area of
. When you change from 16 to 36, what is the percentage change? Well, that’s more than double, so it must be a percent greater than 100%. The only answer choice greater than 100% is answer E.
 

[*]What is the diameter of circle Q?
  • Statement #1 — the circumference of Q is
    .
  • Statement #2 — the area of Q is
    .
[/list]
 

Show answer and explanation
Statement #1: if you know the circumference, then you can use
to solve for the radius, or
to solve for the diameter. Either way, you can find the diameter, so this statement by itself is sufficient.

Statement #2: if you know the area, you can find the radius, and then double that to get the diameter. This statement by itself is also sufficient.

Both statements alone are sufficient. Answer = D.

 

Want more GMAT practice problems involving circles? Click here!

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FROM Magoosh Blog: GMAT Canceled? You Can Take it At Home


Magoosh will update this post as more information becomes available.

Latest update: April 14, 2020

Due to the new coronavirus, many of you have had your in-person GMAT exams canceled. Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), the makers of the GMAT, announced that they have launched their Interim GMAT Exam, allowing students take an online GMAT exam at home.

When Can I Take At-Home GMAT Exam?
The GMAT Online Exam is available for registration as of April 14, 2020! The online GMAT will be available to take 24 hours a days, 7 days a week, with available slots beginning April 20, 2020 until June 15, 2020.

Who’s Eligible?
GMAC plans to release the interim GMAT option to anyone in a market impacted by COVID-19. The exceptions are Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Slovenia, and mainland China due to IP and/or regulatory restrictions.

How Similar Is the Interim Exam to the Regular GMAT?
The at-home exam will be cheaper, coming in at $200 USD for registration, where the in-person exam registration costs $250 USD.

There will be no AWA section. That feels like a substantial change in that you have thirty fewer minutes of testing. That’s 16% of your would-be total test-taking time!

The test will still have the Quant, Verbal, and IR sections, with the same amount of questions and time available as the in-person exam. That is, there will still be:

  • 62 minutes for 31 Quantitative questions
  • 65 minutes for 35 Verbal questions
  • 30 minutes for 12 IR questions
The online test is expected to take approximately 3 hours with 2 hours and 37 minutes of online test-taking time. Test takers will receive 15 minutes to check into the online proctored system and have a 5 minute break before the IR section starts.

Taking the online exam will not count towards a student’s 12-month and lifetime GMAT limits. Usually, students are only allowed to take the GMAT no more than 5 times in a 12-month period, with a lifetime availability of 8 total GMAT exams possible. That said, students may only take the online exam once.

Regarding check-in protocols, the GMAC has said, “The check-in and security protocols will be modified to accommodate online delivery and remote proctors will be used to manage test integrity.” While we don’t know the specifics, we do know how the GRE is approaching at-home testing: recording your face via webcam and your screen as well as mandating specific equipment and set-up requirements. I wouldn’t be surprised if the at-home GMAT requires similar measures and requirements.

TL;DR

  • The online exam registration costs $50 less than the in-person registration
  • There will be no AWA section
  • There will be the same amount of Quant, Verbal, and IR questions and time available
  • You may only take the online GMAT exam once, no retakes or score cancelations, unless technical difficulties occur
  • Your online GMAT will not count towards your 8 total available GMAT tests
Should I Plan to Take this Online GMAT Exam at Home?
If you’re finding yourself with an interest in applying to business school, having more free time on your hands to take the GMAT, and you have a private space at home where you could take a test, you may want to consider it. You’ll potentially be able to practice in the exact same environment as that of test day, and you’ll have a test that is thirty minutes shorter than the in-person GMAT.

We’ll update you as we learn more, so keep an eye on this blog. In the meantime, if you’re still studying, you can use our GMAT prep product, which has been used by over 50,000 students.

You can also read the full announcement on the GMAC website here.

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FROM Magoosh Blog: GMAT Geometry Practice Problems


GMAT Geometry problems test your spatial reasoning ability. Can you look at a diagram of points, lines, and/or circles and extract the essential details that lead to a correct answer?

If you answered no, well, have no fear! After reading this post, learning the fundamental geometry formulas, and working through these practice geometry questions, you will have the tools you need to succeed on test day!

How to Use Geometry Formulas
[*]GMAT Geometry Practice (Problem Solving Questions)[*]Additional GMAT Geoemtry Practice (Data Sufficiency Questions)[/list]
memorize a bunch of formulas. By themselves, formulas cannot guarantee you a great score on the GMAT Quant section. You also need to know when and how to apply the formulas.

Furthermore, it’s rare that a problem would require only a single formula to solve it. Most often, you’ll need to put a few different formulas together like pieces of a puzzle. The best problem-solvers take a goal-oriented approach. In other words, start with what you need to solve. Then work backward, identifying what info would be useful to get to that goal. In addition, you need to keep in mind the given info, both from the diagram and also from the question statement. Use that to build a bridge to your goal.

This post walks you through the most important formulas for GMAT Geometry. The purpose here is just to help you review—so click on the links to learn more about the material.

Then, you can try out your skills on a set of geometry practice questions. Detailed solutions are given at the very end.

Ready? Let’s go!

geometry formulas. For example, this diagram shows all of the possibilities involving a line crossing two perpendicular lines.



 


For more review on lines and angles, check out our post on Angles and Parallel Lines on the GMAT and our video lesson Geometry: Lines and Angles.

 



Triangles – Part I[/b] and Right Triangles.

 

And even more resources can be found here:



Regular Polygons[/b].

 



GMAT Geometry: Circles and Angles[*]
Slicing up GMAT Circles: Arclength, Sectors, and Pi[/list]


GMAT Math: 3D Solids[*]GMAT Math: Advanced Geometric Solids[/list]




Geometry Data Sufficiency Problem 1[*]Geometry Data Sufficiency Problem 2
[*]Geometry Data Sufficiency Problem 3[*]Geometry Data Sufficiency Problem 4[*]Geometry Data Sufficiency Problem 5[/list]


Conclusion
GMAT geometry doesn’t require a huge number of sophisticated formulas. If anything, you should focus more on improving your geometry strategies, particularly how to use diagrams to your benefit.

What is the diagram is telling you: What assumptions can you make? What shouldn’t be assumed? Can you use estimation?


Our video lessons on geometry strategies and estimation will help you build those skills!

 

If you made it to the end of this post, then kudos! Hopefully, you can take what you’ve learned here and apply it to ace the GMAT Quantitative section!

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Magoosh Blog 18 Apr 2020, 16:01
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FROM Magoosh Blog: MBA Admissions in the Time of COVID-19


If you’re wondering what is going to happen to the application process when applicants can’t sit for exams or attend admissions interviews in person due to the new coronavirus, you’re not alone! The application process is changing quickly due to COVID-19. Programs are taking different approaches, leaving a lot of people wondering what to do.

You should pat yourself on the back for applying during a time when everything is changing! To help you create a game plan, we’ll highlight some of the biggest trends. Let’s go through some info to give you some more ideas about what to expect.


More of a visual person? We interviewed an MBA admissions expert with 15+ years of experience getting students into their dream schools. The video is coming soon, but we can give you a sneak preview! It will include these three key points:

  • Is now a good time to go to business school?
  • What if I’ve already been preparing for the GMAT exam?
  • General info on how schools have extended the round 3 deadline
GMAT/GRE Changes and Considerations
How can I take the GRE or GMAT if test centers are closed?
The GRE is online. ETS has been offering an at-home option for test-takers since early April and it’s available to all markets except China and Iran.

You’re in luck if you’re a GMAT-taker! The at-home exam went live on April 14, 2020. It appears that there are a few changes:

  • The exam will be available from April 20th, 2020 to June 15th, 2020.
  • Only one online test is allowed per person — however, it doesn’t count toward the lifetime limit of eight exams.
  • There is no AWA section, which means that the test is 30 minutes shorter!
  • The order of the sections is set in stone: Quant, Verbal, an optional five-minute break, and then IR.
  • It’s $50 cheaper than the typical testing center exam.
  • For more information, check out our blog on how to take the GMAT from home.
For students worried about whether admissions will look unfavorably on a test with no AWA score or not, know that no major university seems to have raised objections. It’s an interesting situation that shows that Verbal and Quant remain the key focus for GMAT scores!

What about those needing special accommodations?
If you require any special accommodations (usually medically related), be sure to call in to ETS or GMAC to reserve a testing date, rather than booking online.

What if my testing center hasn’t closed?
While it’s possible to schedule an online exam anyway, it would probably be ideal to sit down with a proper writing pad and 10-minute breaks in a test center (if safe, of course)! This is up to your personal preference as well. However, if the center closes and your test is canceled, then we recommend going online and booking the at-home exam.

Is one test preferred above the other?
The short answer: not really. There are some programs that only accept the GMAT, but they are becoming rarer by the year. COVID-19 has not changed this part of the admissions process.

Is the score requirement postponed?
For the most part, yes. Most programs will allow an application to be submitted followed by a score later. Be sure to utilize the essay in your application to mention that you will be sending the GMAT later.

However, on the finer details, we’re going to have to defer to “it depends,” which can be frustrating for someone when they’re trying to make a plan, but we’ll explain why we say this. Each program is going their own way and the changes are happening fast! For example, Kellogg is waiving the need for the GMAT/GRE altogether for Round 3 while other universities are extending the deadline for the test (or all of Round 3) into the summer. Conversely, some universities, like Stanford, are sticking to their original deadlines and not making exceptions.

At the bottom of this resource, we’ve linked to some of the most commonly-searched programs, which is a good starting point.

What if someone took the GMAT/GRE and didn’t like their score? Should they submit an application without mentioning it and just retake the exam?
It’s fine to just say you’ve taken the test before and submit your score. They’re going to see it anyway! You could indicate on the essay that you’re planning on retaking it to get a higher score. You can even indicate whether you’ve been testing higher on practice exams, showing that you’re reasonably expecting a better score. Then, of course, try your best to do so!

Can I take the EA (Executive Assessment) online?
GMAC is opening up registration for the EA at the end of April. If the GMAT registration is any indication, there will likely be multiple time slots from which you can choose.

Other Changes to MBA Admissions
We’ve listed some trends and topics that may be top-of-mind, but will defer to links to programs’ websites so you can get the most up-to-date information when it comes to their new requirements and information.

Should applicants consider Round 3?
The conventional wisdom has been to beat the GMAT and then ideally apply for Round 1 or 2, but COVID-19 has introduced a lot of exceptions to this rule.

Typically, anticipation of harder times in the jobs market (e.g., 2001 or 2008) has led to increased applications to graduate programs. Professionals who have lowered expectations of near-term career prospects often think about pursuing an MBA while they wait out the difficult times. Consider this time: if medical professionals are correct that a vaccine might be ready in 12-18 months, then a two-year program doesn’t seem like a bad idea for a lot of soon-to-be applicants! Now, at Magoosh we’re not medical professionals, so we have no idea whether that medical timeline is accurate or not, but we can reasonably expect Round 1 for 2021 entry to be more competitive than it would have normally been!

This means Round 3 (for 2020 entry) has become the exception; it’s looking less competitive than Round 1 or 2 in the autumn (for 2021 entry). Many applicants don’t prefer an online semester and are deferring their entry, opening up new spots in the process. On top of that, schools are extending their deadlines into the summer, and many are showing extra leniency when it comes to deadlines for the exams themselves. That doesn’t mean that you have to apply now, of course, but it means that those who are already in the middle of studying might want to weigh their options!

Virtual Events, Interviews, and (Possibly) Online Semesters
In the past year, interviews with alumni or staff (and accepted-student ceremonies and orientations) have been in-person. Most programs have found ways of doing this over the phone or virtually using video conferencing software.

There are only a handful of universities that have considered online semesters so far. We list a fair amount of links to universities below, but we encourage you to keep an eye on your chosen programs. University of Arizona, for example, has already made it clear they are going entirely online for the near future. We expect in the coming months to get a lot more clarity, as many universities would prefer not to do so unless it’s necessary.

Links to Commonly-Searched MBA Programs’ COVID-19 Responses
Remember when we said that programs and their requirements are changing rapidly? We recommend bookmarking the pages that are most relevant to your applications. Here are the official links to their information pages.

There are definitely more programs that have COVID-19 response pages, so we encourage you to use what you need from here and add to your own list!

MBA Admissions During COVID-19: Conclusion
Programs are often changing requirements and shifting deadlines, so it’s not going to be easy to apply in these times. However, the fact that you’re researching this right now means that you’re willing to try to find a way to develop in spite of the difficulties. Pat yourself on the back!

Are you applying for business school right now? What challenges have you encountered? Comment below!

The post MBA Admissions in the Time of COVID-19 appeared first on Magoosh GMAT Blog.
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Magoosh Blog 25 Apr 2020, 15:01
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FROM Magoosh Blog: GMAT Data Sufficiency – Tips and Practice Problems


The GMAT Quantitative section contains two types of questions, Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency. On the GMAT, the format of each Data Sufficiency problem is the same: you’re given a question and two statements. It’s up to you to decide whether the statements give you enough information to answer the question.

You don’t need to give the answer to the actual question. You just have to decide whether either statement (or both statements) gives data that is sufficient for finding an answer—hence the term data sufficiency!

What is GMAT Data Sufficiency?
The Data Sufficiency (DS) section is extraordinarily apt for the GMAT, as it tests uniquely managerial skills. It’s often more about logic and critical reasoning than deep mathematical knowledge or ability.

On the GMAT Quantitative section, you get 62 minutes for 31 questions—of these 31 questions, approximately 11-13 will be Data Sufficiency questions. Furthermore, there are two kinds of data sufficiency question: Yes/No and Value questions. We’ll see plenty of each type in the practice problems below. Each practice problem illustrates an essential tip for success.

So let’s get started! The following six tips will help prepare you for these uniquely challenging problems.

GMAT DS Tip #1: Memorize the Answer Choices
The answer choices always consist of the same five options in the same order. You should memorize these now!

  • A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but Statement (2) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
  • B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but Statement (1) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
  • C. Both Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question asked; but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
  • D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.
  • E. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data specific to the problem are needed.
Just remember, it’s “One, Two, Both, Either, or None.” Got it?

GMAT DS Tip #2: Consider the Statements Separately
For GMAT Data Sufficiency problems, you first have to consider whether each statement, by itself, is sufficient. Only if both statements are not sufficient separately would you consider the sufficiency of the information in the combined statements.

One common mistake is to carry over information from Statement (1) into Statement (2). You have to “wipe the slate clean” after looking at Statement (1).

Helpful strategy: Consider whichever statement is the simplest first. That’s because the GMAT loves making Statement (1) a huge, complicated, juicy statement and Statement (2) something incredibly brief. If that’s the case, consider Statement (2) first.

Practice Problem
If \(x^2(y – 3) = 0\), then what is the value of \(y\)?

(1) \(y^2 – x= 0 \)

(2) \(x= 7 \)

A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but Statement (2) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.

B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but Statement (1) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.

C. Both Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question asked; but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

E. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data specific to the problem are needed.

Click here for the answer
 

B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but Statement (1) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.

While Statement (1) is not really that complicated, Statement (2) is as simple as it gets. So let’s start there. If you know that \(x = 7\), which is of course nonzero, then \(x^2\) is also nonzero. Thus, the other factor \((y – 3)\) must be equal to 0. From there you can find the value of \(y\) (which will be 3; not that you really need that value to answer the problem).

So, Statement (2) is sufficient. That helps you to eliminate a bunch of choices (see GMAT DS Tip #3).

Now let’s go back to Statement (1). Forget any values of \(x\) or \(y\) from the previous work. If \(y^2 – x= 0 \), then \(x = y^2 \). Substitute this expression into the given equation:

\( (y^2)^2(y-3) = y^4(y-3) = 0 \)
So, does that tell you what \(y\) is? Well, not exactly. Here, \(y\) could be either 0 or 3. So Statement (1) is not sufficient by itself.

GMAT DS Tip #3: Smart Elimination
GMAT Data Sufficiency problems test your logic skills as well as mathematics. Let’s look at a flowchart to help land on a correct answer. This is based on examining Statement (1) first, but a similar flowchart would apply if you looked at Statement (2) first instead.



So let’s talk about the choices, starting at Statement (1).

  • Case 1: Statement (1) is sufficient. That means the correct choice is either A or D. From there, it’s a simple check: Is Statement (2) ALONE also sufficient? If yes, then pick D; if not, pick A.
  • Case 2: Statement (1) is NOT sufficient. Now the correct choice is one of B, C or E. It can be a bit trickier to find the right choice in this case. Move to Statement (2).
    • Case 2A: Statement (2) is sufficient. Great! Choice B is correct.
    • Case 2B: Statement (2) is NOT sufficient. Ok, so we can eliminate B, but that still leaves C and E as contenders. Now you have to figure out if BOTH statements taken together could solve the problem. If so, then C is your answer; if not, then select E.
Notice that in either case, the first choice eliminates either two or three choices right off the bat! If you had to guess from that point onward, then your chances have improved greatly.

Here’s a Magoosh video that you might find useful: Data Sufficiency: Eliminating Answers.

Practice Problem
Let’s try out our elimination strategy! Click on this practice problem from Magoosh. The solution follows.

Click here for the answer
 

D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

Consider Statement (1) first. Suppose there are \(x\) widgets, and the price of each one is \(p\). From the given information, then we know that \(xp = 480\). Statement (1) can be interpreted mathematically as follows:

\(x(p-2) = 480 – 160\), or

\(xp-2x = 320\)
 

Since we know the value of \(xp\), the above equation can be used to solve for \(x\), and then you can derive \(p\) directly from the fact that the product is 480.

Ok, so Statement (1) is sufficient. Thus, we can eliminate three choices, B, C, and E!

Next, look at Statement (2). This one can be translated into mathematics as follows:

\(x(p+1.50) = 480 \cdot 1.25\), or

\(xp+ 1.5x = 600\)
 

It’s a similar situation, and we’d easily be able to solve for both variables. This is enough to narrow down the correct answer.

GMAT DS Tip #4: Avoid the Temptation to Calculate the Answer
GMAT Data Sufficiency is all about the question, “Could you find the answer?” Suppose the prompt is “What is the value of \(x\)?”, a standard DS problem. Now maybe in the course of solving this problem, you get to a step like \(23x^3 + 144 = 5670\).

The apprentice problem-solver with poor managerial instincts will dutifully work through the several steps necessary for finding the actual value of \(x\)—without access to a calculator, mind you.

On the other hand, the master GMAT test-taker would realize: “From that equation, I could solve for the unknown if I wanted to.” That, in and of itself, answers the sufficiency question right there, and that’s all you need to do! The actual value of \(x\) is irrelevant.

Practice Problem
Try your hand at this question.

Click here for the answer
 

D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

First, the given information is very helpful. If we let \(x\) stand for the number of visitors on day 1, then on day 2 we’d have \(x + 3\), and day 3 would be \(x + 6\), etc. By the time day 7 rolls around, there would have been \(x+18\) visitors.

Statement (1) tells you the total number of visitors. Avoid the temptation to solve an equation here. All you need to know is that \(x + (x+3) + (x+6) + \cdots + (x+18) = 126\) is an equation in a single variable. Even better, it’s a linear equation, which is guaranteed to have a solution. It doesn’t matter what the solution actually is; Statement (1) is sufficient.

Similarly, Statement (2) boils down to the equation, \(x+18 = 3x\)—also quite solvable.

Both statements are sufficient individually.

GMAT DS Tip #5: Focus on Sufficiency
On the GMAT test, Data Sufficiency problems may be quite misleading, especially those of the “Yes/No” variety. As discussed above, you’re not looking for the answer, but rather could you find the answer? And sometimes that answer is “no.”

Practice Problem
Is \(t < 0\)?

(1) \(4^t\) is an integer

(2) \(4t^2 + 8t = 0\)

A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but Statement (2) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.

B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but Statement (1) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.

C. Both Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question asked; but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

E. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data specific to the problem are needed.

Click here for the answer
 

A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but Statement (2) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.

Statement (1) would imply that \(t = 0, 1, 2, 3, \ldots\) (remember, negative exponents would give fractional values). In others words, \(t\) is decidedly NOT less than 0. But that shows Statement (1) to be sufficient to answer the question.

For Statement (2), let’s do a little factoring.

\(4t^2 + 8t = 4t(t + 2) = 0\)
 

So we can see that \(t=0\) or \(t = -2\). Since there are two possibilities, one of which is less than zero (-2[/latex]), and the other not less than zero (0), Statement (2) is insufficient.

GMAT DS Tip #6: Testing by Plugging in Numbers
Caution: There are more numbers than just the natural numbers, a.k.a. the counting numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on. People often forget that a “number” could be positive or negative or zero, could be a fraction, could be a square root, could be \(\pi\) or some other decimal, etc. The possibilities are literally uncountable!

The GMAT loves to test number properties, and one of the greatest pitfalls you could make is to think of “\(x\)” as only a natural number when you go to answer the question.

Practice Problem
Is \( x \geq \dfrac{1}{x} \) ?

(1) \(x\) is positive.

(2) \(|x| \geq 1 \).

A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but Statement (2) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.

B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but Statement (1) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.

C. Both Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question asked; but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

E. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data specific to the problem are needed.

Click here for the answer
 

C. Both Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question asked; but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

This one is definitely tricky! Don’t try to solve anything algebraically; that may lead you astray. Instead, let’s pick some good numbers to plug in each statement.

Let’s start with Statement (1). Plugging in a typical positive number such as 1 or 2 results in a correct inequality. For example, \( 2 \geq \dfrac{1}{2} \). But be careful! What about numbers that are positive fractions? What about \( x = \dfrac{1}{3} \), for instance?

\( (1/3) \geq \dfrac{1}{(1/3)} =3\) would yield an untrue statement!

Therefore, Statement (1) is not sufficient to answer the question.

Ok, so what about Statement (2)? The absolute value gives it away. Think about both positives and negatives here. You already know that a positive number like 2 leads to a true inequality. What about \(x=-2\)?

\( (-2) \geq \dfrac{1}{(-2)} = -0.5\)
 

This is a false inequality! So we have two opposite conclusions, meaning that Statement (2) is also insufficient.

Well, if you’re following along using the flowchart from GMAT DS Tip #3, you may realize that we still need to check one more thing. Are the two statements TOGETHER sufficient?

If \(x\) is both positive (Statement (1)) AND has absolute value \(\geq 1\) (Statement (2)), then there is enough to prove the given inequality to be true for all such \(x\).

Conclusion and More Data Sufficiency Practice!
GMAT Data Sufficiency problems can be very challenging. However, if you keep the six tips above in mind, you’ll be well on your way to higher and higher GMAT scores on test day!

Try out these additional practice problems from Magoosh!

The post GMAT Data Sufficiency – Tips and Practice Problems appeared first on Magoosh GMAT Blog.
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Magoosh Blog 26 Apr 2020, 22:01
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FROM Magoosh Blog: 3 Month GMAT Study Schedule (Verbal Focused)

If you want to prepare for the GMAT in three months and you need to boost your verbal score, you’ll need a strong GMAT verbal study plan to help you get there. With that in mind, Magoosh’s experts have put together this plan to help you figure out how to study GMAT verbal!

Not only will this GMAT verbal study plan help you to get organized, but it will also take you through the major content areas of the test in depth, from Critical Reasoning to Sentence Correction to Reading Comprehension. Ready to dive in?

Getting Started
[*]The GMAT Verbal study plan:
[/list]

GMAT Diagnostic Test.

  • 3 Month GMAT Study Schedule for Beginners: Help! Math and verbal both scare the living bejeebers out of me! I need all the help and support I can get! Help!
  • 3 Month GMAT Study Schedule (Math Focused): I have a natural affinity with the verbal, but the math is far less intuitive for me. I would like to focus more there.
  • 3 Month GMAT Study Schedule (Verbal Focused): Me a math nerd. Me think all math easy. Me have big verbal problems. One day, me will talk good.
  • Version D (For Advanced Students): I actually feel reasonably comfortable with math & verbal; if I took the test today, I’d get around 600-650. I’m interested in refining my understanding, and getting into the upper 700s region in the next twelve weeks.

FAQ: Will this study plan prepare me for excellence in both Verbal and Quant on the GMAT?
Because I am assuming you have a strong math background already, this verbal study plan covers all the Verbal lessons in Magoosh twice. It also includes, as an essential part, a significant amount of reading. If you follow all parts of this plan diligently, all the information you will need for an elite score will pass before your eyes.

How well you do will depend on everything you bring: how quickly you learn, how deeply you remember, how well you assimilate and integrate, how astutely you discern connections, how diligent you are, how conscientious you are, and how dedicated you are. See this blog for more about getting the most out of the GMAT verbal study plan.
 

  • Do you need to adapt this GMAT verbal study plan to meet your needs? Check out this blog post for adjustment tips!
 


OG2020. If you are going to buy a new guide, get that one.

 

If you happen to own either the OG2019, OG2018, OG2017, or even the previous OG2016, then it would be no problem using either of those with this study guide. 

  • Don’t write in the official guide or any prep books. Do all your work on separate paper or on a computer. If you need to look at a problem again, it is still fresh and unmarked.
 

  • The code in the back of the OG will give you access to GMAC’s Integrated Reasoning website with 50 IR practice questions; you’ll also need these.
 

[*]A Premium subscription to Magoosh 

[*]The Magoosh mobile app for your iPhone or Android 

[*]The Magoosh GMAT eBook 

[*]The Magoosh GMAT Math Flashcards 

[*]The Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards 

[*]Three volumes of the 10-volume Manhattan GMAT series. These books are about the best material available in hard-copy print form. The volumes you should get for this GMAT verbal study plan are: Critical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, or Sentence Correction.

 

The primary reason you are getting this volume is to get the code in the inside back cover: that code will give you access to one MGMAT online GMAT CAT, which you will take later in this GMAT verbal study plan. 

  • Once again, it is important not to write in these books, as you will go through them twice.
[/list]

[*]A journal or notebook (yes, a physical hard copy item) 

[*]The one online forum: GMAT Club

 

These are great places to ask questions about anything GMAT related, or simply to check out the discussions and see how others are preparing. 

[*]Outside reading material: We recommend outside reading, over and above any GMAT-specific materials, because a habit of reading is one of the best ways to improve your GMAT verbal score across the board. In particular, for non-native speakers, a habit of outside reading is essential for mastering the GMAT Verbal section. It’s very important for non-native speakers to push themselves to read material as sophisticated and challenging as they can handle.

 

Read the Wall Street Journal and the business section of sophisticated newspapers such as the New York Times and the Washington Post. Force yourself to read articles discussing topics with which you are unfamiliar. Read periodicals, such as the Economist magazine and Bloomberg Businessweek; the Economist magazine is a particularly sophisticated source and it would be good to read this at least a few times a week. For more suggestions on what to read, see: GMAT Reading List.

 

For more on how to use outside reading to prepare you for the GMAT, see: How to Improve your GMAT Verbal Score 

[*]Magoosh’s Complete GMAT Guide: This comprehensive web-based guide to the GMAT gives you the quick but useful overview you need to understand this test. You’ll see how the GMAT is designed and scored, what skills it tests, how to find and use the best GMAT prep, and how to study for GMAT test sections. 

[*]A guide to GMAT Practice Test Resources: This page includes instructions on where to find good full-length GMAT practice tests, and how to take practice tests and incorporate them into your studies.[/list]
Optional Material
Nova’s GMAT Math Prep Course: As explained in this review, this book is purely a collection of practice problems. Because the individual days in this GMAT verbal study plan are already busy, I did not assign any problems from this book.

If you find you have some additional time, and would like to challenge yourself with more math practice, then by all means, get this book, and you will have math practice problems to your heart’s content. If you can do everything in this book, in addition to all the math problems included in this GMAT verbal study plan, you will able to handle anything the GMAT Quant section throws at you.



whole set of MGMAT books: I would recommend this if you imagine that you will have a great deal of extra time and would like to devote that time to studying more high-quality resources. A quicker and cheaper way to get the six MGMAT practice tests would be to pay $50 to buy the 6 MGMAT Practice GMAT CATs by themselves.[/list]




 

the test-maker’s website and read about the structure of the GMAT. Click on each subsection on that page to read about the individual sections.[*]Take the Diagnostic Test, found toward the beginning of the OG. Grade it, but you don’t have to read through all the explanations today. If you did much much better than you expected in either math or verbal, you may choose to re-evaluate which version (A, B, C, D) you are following.[*]In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, start learning the cards in the first deck, the Basic I deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.[*]Read the blog article GMAT English.[/list]

Week One, Day Two
  • For the Diagnostic test you took yesterday, go over the explanations. For questions you got right, simply skim the explanation to verify that you go the question right for the right reason. If you got the question wrong, read the explanation carefully, writing in your journal any math/verbal concept you didn’t know or understand, as well as anything about the question type that you didn’t understand. (If you got many questions wrong on the Diagnostic, you may have to spread this step out over the next few nights)
  • In the OG
    • Read the introduction to the Problem Solving section, and do 16 PS
    • Read the introduction to the Reading Comprehension section, do 3 RC passage with all the associated questions
    Whenever you do OG questions, always check your answers when you are done with the batch, and read the explanation of anything you got wrong. Take notes in your journal on anything you need to remember from the solutions. Note that not all the OG explanations are of high quality, and some are not good at all. As an alternative, for all the questions in the OG, you can see much better explanations in our video solutions.

  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos:
    • Intro to the GMAT: all ten videos
  • In The Magoosh GMAT eBook, read
    • from the beginning of the book up to, but not including, the AWA section
    • from the beginning of the Quantitative section up to, but not including, the DS section
    • from the beginning of the Verbal section up to, but not including, the CR section
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue learning the cards in the first deck, the Basic I deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • Read the blog article Overcome GMAT Anxiety

Week One, Day Three
  • In the OG:
    • In the Math Review, read the first twenty pages, taking notes in your journal on anything new, rusty, or unfamiliar
    • Read the introduction to the Data Sufficiency section, and do 16 DS questions
    • Read the introduction to the Critical Reasoning section, and do 16 CR questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos:
    • Math: skim through the 8 videos of the General Math Strategies module
  • In The Magoosh GMAT eBook, read
    • DS to the end of the Quantitative Section
    • CR section to the end of the eBook
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue learning the cards in the first deck, the Basic I deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • Read the blog article Beating GMAT Stress

    • Week One, Day Four
    • In the OG, read the Math Review, up to the end of the Algebra section, taking notes in your journal on anything new, rusty, or unfamiliar
    • Watch Magoosh lesson videos:
      • AWA: all five videos
    • In Magoosh
      • Do 12 PS questions
      • Do 13 CR questions
       

      Whenever you do Magoosh questions, if you get a question wrong, watch the video right then, and take notes in your journal about what concepts tripped you up.

      NOTE: In all Magoosh practice, from the “Start a Practice Session” page, in Section choose the question type; for subjects, clear all, so that no subject is checked; for difficulty, choose “Adaptive;” and, at least at the beginning, select “Unanswered” questions.

       

      NOTE: When you do Magoosh practice questions, do not select individual topics that are familiar. When you learn a particular lesson, resist the urge to practice that material right there and then. This GMAT verbal study plan is based on the philosophy that you should see a random mix of topics every time you practice as you move through the OG. Yes, this means you will make some mistakes in the beginning, especially with topics you haven’t learned thoroughly yet, but if you study those mistakes carefully, that will prime your mind for understanding these ideas more deeply when you get to them in the lessons. Also, it’s important to get accustomed as soon as possible to the random mix of topics you will see, one after the other, on test day.
    • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue learning the cards in the first deck, the Basic I deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
    • Read the blog article The GMAT, Business School, and You: the Big Picture

    Week One, Day Five
    • In the OG, read the Math Review, up to the end of the Geometry section, taking notes in your journal on anything new, rusty, or unfamiliar
    • In the OG
      • Do 16 PS questions
      • Read the introduction to the Sentence Correction section, and do 16 SC questions
    • Watch Magoosh lesson videos:
      • Math: skim the five videos in the Intro to Data Sufficiency Module
    • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue learning the cards in the first deck, the Basic I deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
    • Read the blog article Zen Boot Camp for the GMAT

    Week One, Day Six
    • In the OG
      • Finish reading the Math Review, taking notes in your journal on anything new, rusty, or unfamiliar
      • Read the introduction to the AWA section; skim the question prompts to get a sense of the variety
    • In The Magoosh GMAT eBook, read the AWA section
    • Read the following blogs about the AWA section:
      Now, you are going to write a practice essay. From the Argument AWA prompts in the OG that you just read, pick one at random (or have someone pick it for you), and take 30 minutes to write an essay on the computer. (If you can turn off spellcheck and autocorrect, do so, as you will not have that feature on test day.)

      Now that you have this essay, what do you do with it? If you have a friend or mentor who is a gifted writer, see whether they would read the essay for you and critique it. Some folks hire a writing tutor specifically for this. If they are willing, you can show them the assessment criteria in the OG, and ask them to follow it. Alternately, you can upload your essay in the online forums and ask for feedback. See this blog for other options.
    • In the Magoosh GMAT Math Flashcards, drill the first three decks: Algebra; Fractions, Ratios, and Percents; and Geometry.

       

      NOTE: If you are strong in math, then you probably will breeze through these cards, knowing just about everything. Note the few cards that you didn’t know right away.

     



     

    Week Two

    Week Two, Day One
    • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
      • Verbal: the first five lesson videos
      • NOTE: In this GMAT verbal study plan, after the intro videos, no further math lesson videos are assigned, because it is assumed that you are strong at math. As you practice problems and find math concepts that you would like to understand better, dip into the math lessons videos on those particular topics. This plan leaves it entirely to your discretion how much math you want to learn or review.
    • In Magoosh
      • Do the Quiz at the end of the Arithmetic & Fractions lesson module
      • Do 12 PS questions
      • Do 3 RC passage with all the associated questions
      NOTE: In lieu of watching the full math lessons, this GMAT verbal study plan will assign the quizzes at the end of the math modules. If you do well on the quiz, then you probably know most of the math in the module. If you “fail” the quiz, review a few of the videos, and take the quiz again until you can pass it.
    • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue learning the cards in the first deck, the Basic I deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
    • In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning read Chapter 1, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
    • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice; once again, see this blog article for suggestions of what to read. Reading is the very best way to develop instincts for the way writers use language in the business world. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

    Week Two, Day Two
    • In OG
      • Do 16 PS questions
    • Do 3 RC passages with all the associated questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue learning the cards in the first deck, the Basic I deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning, read Chapter 2, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Two, Day Three
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos:
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do the Quiz at the end of the Percents & Ratios lesson module
    • Do 12 DS questions Do 13 CR questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue learning the cards in the first deck, the Basic I deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning, read Chapter 3, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Two, Day Four
  • In OG
    • Do 16 DS questions
    • Do 16 CR questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue learning the cards in the first deck, the Basic I deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning, read Chapter 4, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Two, Day Five
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
    NOTE: as you finish with verbal lesson modules, you will see quizzes at the end of the module. Take each quiz, and if you don’t pass, keep restudying and retaking the quiz until you can pass it.
  • In Magoosh
    • Do the Quiz at the end of the Integer Properties lesson module
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 11 SC questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue learning the cards in the first deck, the Basic I deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning, read Chapter 5, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Two, Day Six
  • In the OG, read the Integrated Reasoning section
  • In The Magoosh GMAT eBook, read the IR section
  • Read the entire Magoosh IR eBook.
  • Write another practice essay. From the Argument AWA prompts in the OG, pick another at random (or have someone pick it for you), and take 30 minutes to write an essay on the computer. (If you can turn off spellcheck and autocorrect, do so, as you will not have that feature on test day.)

     

    Now that you have this essay, what do you do with it? If you have a friend or mentor who is a gifted writer, see whether they would read the essay for you and critique it. Some folks hire a writing tutor specifically for this. If they are willing, you can show them the assessment criteria in the OG, and ask them to follow it. Alternately, you can upload your essay in the online forms and ask for feedback.
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Math Flashcards, drill the next three decks: Number Properties I & II and Statistics & Probability. Note any cards you didn’t get right away.

 



 

Week Three

Week Three, Day One
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do the Quiz at the end of the Algebra, Equations, and Inequality lesson module
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 3 RC passage with all the associated questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, start learning the cards in the second deck, the Basic II deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning, read Chapter 6, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Three, Day Two
  • In OG
    • Do 16 PS questions
    • Do 16 SC questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Integrated Reasoning: the first eight lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue learning the cards in the second deck, the Basic II deck. Review cards from this and the previous deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning, read Chapter 7, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Three, Day Three
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do the Quiz at the end of the Word Problem lesson module
    • Do 15 DS questions
    • Do 13 CR questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the second deck, the Basic II deck and from the previous deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning read Chapter 8, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Three, Day Four
  • In OG
    • Do 16 DS questions
    • Do 3 RC passages with all the associated questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Integrated Reasoning: the next seven lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the second deck, the Basic II deck and from the previous deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 7: Reading Comprehension, read Chapter 1, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Three, Day Five
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do the Quiz at the end of the Powers and Roots lesson module
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 11 SC questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the second deck, the Basic II deck and from the previous deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 7: Reading Comprehension, read Chapter 2, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Three, Day Six
  • Go to GMAC’s official IR practice questions: Use the access code given in the back of the OG, logging in here. This site contains the online version of all the questions in the OG, in case you want to practice the identical questions online instead of on paper; in addition, the official IR practice questions live here. Uncheck everything else and do all the Multi-Source Reasoning questions, questions #1-18, setting yourself a 45-minute time limit. When you are done, go back and read carefully the full explanation for each question. Take notes on anything you need to remember.
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 15 IR questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Math Flashcards, drill the next three decks: Mixed Practice I – III. Note any cards you didn’t get right away.

 



Week Four

Week Four, Day One
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do the Quiz at the end of the Geometry lesson module
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 3 RC passage with all the associated questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the second deck, the Basic II deck and from the previous deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 7: Reading Comprehension, read Chapter 3, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Four, Day Two
  • In OG
    • Do 16 PS questions
    • Do 16 CR questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Integrated Reasoning: the last five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the second deck, the Basic II deck and from the previous deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 7: Reading Comprehension, read Chapter 4, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Four, Day Three
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do the Quiz at the end of the Coordinate Geometry lesson module
    • Do 12 DS questions
    • Do 13 CR questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the second deck, the Basic II deck and from the previous deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 7: Reading Comprehension, read Chapter 5, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Four, Day Four
  • In OG
    • Do 16 DS questions
    • Do 16 SC questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the second deck, the Basic II deck and from the previous deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 7: Reading Comprehension, read Chapter 6, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Four, Day Five
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do the Quiz at the end of the Statistics lesson module
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 11 SC questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the second deck, the Basic II deck and from the previous deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Appendix B, the Glossary. Most of these terms should be familiar from the Magoosh lesson videos, but take notes on anything that you don’t remember.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Four, Day Six
  • Go back to GMAC’s official IR practice questions: Use the access code given in the back of the OG, logging in here. Once again, this site contains the online version of all the questions in the OG, in case you want to practice the identical questions online instead of on paper; in addition, the official IR practice questions live here. Uncheck everything else and do the remaining 38 IR questions, in three batches, with the following times: six Table Analysis (15 minutes); ten Graphics Interpretation (25 minutes); and sixteen Two-Part Analysis questions (40 minutes). When you are done, go back and read carefully the full explanation for each question. Take notes on anything you need to remember.
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Math Flashcards, drill the next three decks: Mixed Practice IV – VI. Note any cards you didn’t get right away.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

 



 

Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, start learning the cards from the third deck, the Advanced I deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.[*]In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 1, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.[*]Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.[/list]

Week Five, Day Two
  • In OG
    • Do 16 PS questions
    • Do 3 RC passages with all the associated questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the third deck, the Advanced I deck and from the previous decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 2, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Five, Day Three
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do the Quiz at the end of the Probability lesson module
    • Do 12 DS questions
    • Do 13 CR questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the third deck, the Advanced I deck, and from the previous decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 3, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Five, Day Four
  • In OG
    • Do 16 DS questions
    • Do 16 CR questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the third deck, the Advanced I deck, and from the previous decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 4, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Five, Day Five
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 11 SC questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the third deck, the Advanced I deck, and from the previous decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 5, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Five, Day Six
  • Using the code in the back of the MGMAT volume you bought, log into the MGMAT website and take the first online MGMAT CAT test.

     

    That software does not include an AWA question. To simulate a full GMAT, begin by selecting randomly a prompt from the back of the OG, and then take 30 minutes to write the essay in a word processing program. Then, take the rest of the GMAT using that software.

     

    Go through the entire solution after you are done, reading carefully the solutions of anything you go wrong. If you have questions that are not clarified by these solutions, you will often find MGMAT questions posted on the GMAT Club forum. Take notes in your journal on anything you got wrong and anything you need to remember. The essay you will either share with a trusted friend or mentor, or post in the online forums asking for feedback.

     

    As much as possible, try to mimic the GMAT conditions during practice tests on this GMAT verbal study plan. Give yourself relatively short breaks in between sections. Only eat the kinds of snacks that you are planning to bring to the real GMAT. Note how your sleep the night before affects your work. Note how what you had for dinner the previous night and what you had to eat earlier that day affects your energy level and concentration. Write any observations in your journal.
  • Magoosh Flashcards: Take some time to review any Idiom flashcards and any math flashcards that you haven’t mastered yet.

 



 

Week Six

Week Six, Day One
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 3 RC passage with all the associated questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the third deck, the Advanced I deck, and from the previous decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 6, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Six, Day Two
  • In OG
    • Do 16 PS questions
    • Do 16 SC questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the third deck, the Advanced I deck, and from the previous decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 7, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Six, Day Three
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 PS questions Do 13 CR questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the third deck, the Advanced I deck, and from the previous decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 8, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Six, Day Four
  • In OG
    • Do 16 DS questions
    • Do 3 RC passages with all the associated questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the third deck, the Advanced I deck, and from the previous decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 9, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Six, Day Five
  • Take a day to watch any Magoosh math videos that pique your curiosity.
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 11 SC questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the third deck, the Advanced I deck, and from the previous decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 10, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Six, Day Six
  • Take the next online MGMAT CAT test.

     

    Once again, this software does not include an AWA question. To simulate a full GMAT, begin by selecting randomly a prompt from the back of the OG, and then take 30 minutes to write the essay in a word processing program. Then, take the rest of the GMAT using that software.

     

    Go through the entire solution after you are done, reading carefully the solutions of anything you go wrong. If you have questions that are not clarified by these solutions, you will often find MGMAT questions posted on the GMAT Club forum. Take notes in your journal on anything you got wrong and anything you need to remember. The essay you will either share with a trusted friend or mentor, or post in the online forums asking for feedback.

     

    As much as possible, try to mimic the GMAT conditions. Give yourself relatively short breaks in between sections. Only eat the kinds of snacks that you are planning to bring to the real GMAT. Note how your sleep the night before affects your work. Note how what you had for dinner the previous night and what you had to eat earlier that day affects your energy level and concentration. Write any observations in your journal.
  • Magoosh Flashcards: Take some time to review any Idiom flashcards and any math flashcards that you haven’t mastered yet.

 



 

Week Seven

Week Seven, Day One
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the first five lesson videos. NOTE: Last week, you should have finished all the verbal lessons. Now, you are going to watch the entire series again from the beginning. Pay very close attention to what points you didn’t remember from the first time or that you understand better upon hearing them for a second time.
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 3 RC passage with all the associated questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, start learning the cards from the fourth deck, the Advanced II deck. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 11, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Seven, Day Two
  • In OG
    • Do 16 PS questions
    • Do 16 SC questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the fourth deck, the Advanced II deck, and from the previous decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 12, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Seven, Day Three
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 DS questions
    • Do 13 CR questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the fourth deck, the Advanced II deck, and from the previous decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 13, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Seven, Day Four
  • In OG
    • Do 16 DS questions
    • Do 3 RC passages with all the associated questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the fourth deck, the Advanced II deck, and from the previous decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 14, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Seven, Day Five
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 11 SC questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from the fourth deck, the Advanced II deck, and from the previous decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Appendix A, the Idiom List. Many of these will be familiar to you from the Magoosh Idiom Flashcards, but take note of any you have not seen before.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Seven, Day Six
  • Take the next online MGMAT CAT test.

     

    Once again, this software does not include an AWA question. To simulate a full GMAT, begin by selecting randomly a prompt from the back of the OG, and then take 30 minutes to write the essay in a word processing program. Then, take the rest of the GMAT using that software.

     

    Go through the entire solution after you are done, reading carefully the solutions of anything you go wrong. If you have questions that are not clarified by these solutions, you will often find MGMAT questions posted on the GMAT Club forum. Take notes in your journal on anything you got wrong and anything you need to remember. The essay you will either share with a trusted friend or mentor, or post in the online forums asking for feedback.

     

    As much as possible, try to mimic the GMAT conditions. Give yourself relatively short breaks in between sections. Only eat the kinds of snacks that you are planning to bring to the real GMAT. Note how your sleep the night before affects your work. Note how what you had for dinner the previous night and what you had to eat earlier that day affects your energy level and concentration. Write any observations in your journal.
  • Magoosh Flashcards: Take some time to review any Idiom flashcards and any math flashcards that you haven’t mastered yet.

 



 

Week Eight

Week Eight, Day One
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 3 RC passage with all the associated questions

  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning, read Chapter 1, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.

     

    NOTE: Just as this GMAT verbal study plan had you watch all the Magoosh Verbal lesson videos twice, so it also has you read the MGMAT Verbal books twice. On this second time through, pay close attention to what slipped your notice the first time.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Eight, Day Two
  • In OG:
    • Do 16 PS questions
    • Do 16 CR questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning, read Chapter 2, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Eight, Day Three
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 DS questions
    • Do 13 CR questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning, read Chapter 3, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Eight, Day Four
  • In OG
    • Do 16 DS questions
    • Do 16 SC questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning, read Chapter 4, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Eight, Day Five
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 11 SC questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning, read Chapter 5, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Eight, Day Six
  • Take the next online MGMAT CAT test.

     

    Once again, this software does not include an AWA question. To simulate a full GMAT, begin by selecting randomly a prompt from the back of the OG, and then take 30 minutes to write the essay in a word processing program. Then, take the rest of the GMAT using that software.

     

    Go through the entire solution after you are done, reading carefully the solutions of anything you got wrong. If you have questions that are not clarified by these solutions, you will often find MGMAT questions posted on the GMAT Club forum. Take notes in your journal on anything you got wrong and anything you need to remember. The essay you will either share with a trusted friend or mentor, or post in the online forums asking for feedback.

     

    As much as possible, try to mimic the GMAT conditions. Give yourself relatively short breaks in between sections. Only eat the kinds of snacks that you are planning to bring to the real GMAT. Note how your sleep the night before affects your work. Note how what you had for dinner the previous night and what you had to eat earlier that day affects your energy level and concentration. Write any observations in your journal.
  • Magoosh Flashcards: Take some time to review any Idiom flashcards and any math flashcards that you haven’t mastered yet.

 



 

Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.[*]In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning, read Chapter 6, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.[*]Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.[/list]

Week Nine, Day Two
  • In OG
    • Do 16 PS questions
    • Do 3 RC passages with all the associated questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning, read Chapter 7, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Nine, Day Three
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 DS questions
    • Do 13 CR questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 6: Critical Reasoning, read Chapter 8, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Nine, Day Four
  • In OG
    • Do 16 DS questions
    • Do 16 CR questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 7: Reading Comprehension, read Chapter 1, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Nine, Day Five
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 11 SC questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 7: Reading Comprehension, read Chapter 2, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Nine, Day Six
  • Take the next online MGMAT CAT test.

     

    Once again, this software does not include an AWA question. To simulate a full GMAT, begin by selecting randomly a prompt from the back of the OG, and then take 30 minutes to write the essay in a word processing program. Then, take the rest of the GMAT using that software.

     

    Go through the entire solution after you are done, reading carefully the solutions of anything you go wrong. If you have questions that are not clarified by these solutions, you will often find MGMAT questions posted on the GMAT Club forum. Take notes in your journal on anything you got wrong and anything you need to remember. The essay you will either share with a trusted friend or mentor, or post in the online forums asking for feedback.

     

    As much as possible, try to mimic the GMAT conditions. Give yourself relatively short breaks in between sections. Only eat the kinds of snacks that you are planning to bring to the real GMAT. Note how your sleep the night before affects your work. Note how what you had for dinner the previous night and what you had to eat earlier that day affects your energy level and concentration. Write any observations in your journal.
  • Magoosh Flashcards: Take some time to review any Idiom flashcards and any math flashcards that you haven’t mastered yet.

 



 

Week Ten

Week Ten, Day One
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 3 RC passage with all the associated questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 7: Reading Comprehension Read Chapter 3, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Ten, Day Two
  • In OG
    • Do 16 PS questions
    • Do 16 SC questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 7: Reading Comprehension, read Chapter 4, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Ten, Day Three
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 DS questions
    • Do 13 CR questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 7: Reading Comprehension, read Chapter 5, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.

     

    NOTE: Since you already did the practice RC problems in Ch. 6 of this book, this GMAT verbal study plan does not assign them again. If you want to do them again for extra practice some time, fit that in where you can.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Ten, Day Four
  • In OG
    • Do 16 DS questions
    • Do 3* RC passages with all the associated questions
    *If you are using the OG2015 or OG13, do only 2 RC passages on this day.
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 1, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Ten, Day Five
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 11 SC questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 2, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Ten, Day Six
  • Take the last online MGMAT CAT test.

     

    Once again, this software does not include an AWA question. To simulate a full GMAT, begin by selecting randomly a prompt from the back of the OG, and then take 30 minutes to write the essay in a word processing program. Then, take the rest of the GMAT using that software.

     

    Go through the entire solution after you are done, reading carefully the solutions of anything you go wrong. If you have questions that are not clarified by these solutions, you will often find MGMAT questions posted on the GMAT Club forum. Take notes in your journal on anything you got wrong and anything you need to remember. The essay you will either share with a trusted friend or mentor, or post in the online forums asking for feedback.

     

    As much as possible, try to mimic the GMAT conditions. Give yourself relatively short breaks in between sections. Only eat the kinds of snacks that you are planning to bring to the real GMAT. Note how your sleep the night before affects your work. Note how what you had for dinner the previous night and what you had to eat earlier that day affects your energy level and concentration. Write any observations in your journal.
  • Magoosh Flashcards: Take some time to review any Idiom flashcards and any math flashcards that you haven’t mastered yet.

 



 

Week Eleven

Week Eleven, Day One
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the next five lesson videos
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 13 CR questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 3, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Eleven, Day Two
  • In OG
    • Do 16 PS questions
    • Do 16 CR questions
  • Watch Magoosh lesson videos
    • Verbal: the last five lesson videos
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 4, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Eleven, Day Three
  • In OG
    • Do as many as 12 DS questions, or however many are left
    • Do 11 SC questions
  • Watch any five Magoosh lesson videos an additional time
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 5, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Eleven, Day Four
  • In OG
    • Do the remaining DS questions
    • Do 16 SC questions
  • Watch any five Magoosh lesson videos an additional time
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 6, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Eleven, Day Five
  • Watch any five Magoosh lesson videos an additional time
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 15 PS questions
    • Do 13 CR questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 7, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Eleven, Day Six
  • Go to the test-maker’s website, download the free GMAT Prep software.

     

    Take the first full-length GMAT on the GMAC software.

     

    This software also does not include an AWA question. To simulate a full GMAT, begin by selecting randomly a prompt from the back of the OG, and then take 30 minutes to write the essay in a word processing program. Then, take the rest of the GMAT using that software.

     

    Go through the entire solution after you are done, reading carefully the solutions of anything you go wrong. If you have questions that are not clarified by these solutions, you will often find GMAT Prep questions posted on the GMAT Club forum. Take notes in your journal on anything you got wrong and anything you need to remember. The essay you will either share with a trusted friend or mentor, or post in the online forums asking for feedback.

     

    As much as possible, try to mimic the GMAT conditions. Give yourself relatively short breaks in between sections. Only eat the kinds of snacks that you are planning to bring to the real GMAT. Note how your sleep the night before affects your work. Note how what you had for dinner the previous night and what you had to eat earlier that day affects your energy level and concentration. Write any observations in your journal.
  • Magoosh Flashcards: Take some time to review any Idiom flashcards and any math flashcards that you haven’t mastered yet.

 



 

Week Twelve

Week Twelve, Day One
  • Watch any five Magoosh lesson videos an additional time
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 10 CR questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 8, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Twelve, Day Two
  • In OG
    • Do 16 PS questions
    • Do 6 CR questions
    • Do 2 RC passages with all the associated questions
  • Watch any five Magoosh lesson videos an additional time
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend one hour with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 9, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least 30 minutes on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Twelve, Day Three
  • Watch any five Magoosh lesson videos an additional time
  • In Magoosh
    • Do 12 PS questions
    • Do 11 SC questions
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 10, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Twelve, Day Four
  • In OG
    • Do 16 PS questions
    • Do 6 CR questions
    • Do 12 SC questions
  • Watch any five Magoosh lesson videos an additional time
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 11, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Twelve, Day Five
  • Watch any five Magoosh lesson videos an additional time
  • In Magoosh
    • Do as many as 12 PS questions, or however many are left
    • Do as many as 6 SC questions, or however many are left
    • Do as many as 6 CR questions, or however many are left
  • In the Magoosh GMAT Idiom Flashcards, continue reviewing the cards from all four decks. Spend 10 minutes with these cards.
  • In the MGMAT Volume 8: Sentence Correction, read Chapter 12, doing any practice problems in that section and taking notes on anything new.
  • Spend at least one hour on the outside reading of your choice. Pay attention to sentence structures. Pay attention to arguments. Pay attention to main ideas & roles of paragraphs.

Week Twelve, Day Six (if this is NOT the day before the real GMAT)
  • Take the second online official GMAT practice test.

     

    Once again, this software does not include an AWA question. To simulate a full GMAT, begin by selecting randomly a prompt from the back of the OG, and then take 30 minutes to write the essay in a word processing program. Then, take the rest of the GMAT using that software.

     

    Go through the entire solution after you are done, reading carefully the solutions of anything you go wrong. If you have questions that are not clarified by these solutions, you will often find MGMAT questions posted on the GMAT Club forum. Take notes in your journal on anything you got wrong and anything you need to remember. The essay you will either share with a trusted friend or mentor, or post in the online forums asking for feedback.

     

    As much as possible, try to mimic the GMAT conditions. Give yourself relatively short breaks in between sections. Only eat the kinds of snacks that you are planning to bring to the real GMAT. Note how your sleep the night before affects your work. Note how what you had for dinner the previous night and what you had to eat earlier that day affects your energy level and concentration. Write any observations in your journal.
  • Magoosh Flashcards: Take some time to review any Idiom flashcards and any math flashcards that you haven’t mastered yet.

 



 

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FROM Magoosh Blog: Algebraic Equations with Fractions on the GMAT


Algebraic equations with fractions, more formally known as “rational expressions,” appear in some of the most challenging GMAT algebra questions in the Quant section. These are called “rational” in the sense of “having to do with a ratio”, as the word is used in the phrase “rational numbers“.

Click here to go straight to the practice problems.

Thoughts on Algebraic Equations with Fractions
First of all, to understand this stuff, you should be clear on the basic rules of fractions: how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide them. If you can’t do this basic arithmetic with numerical fractions, it will be very hard to do it with algebraic rational expressions! Some further tips:

1. Suppose you have an equation involving one or more algebraic rational expressions. Suppose you are asked to solve for values of the variable. It’s important to note that any value of the variable that makes any individual denominator equal to zero cannot possibly be a solution of the equation. This can be a powerful tool in “which of the following could be a solution” question, because usually you can immediately eliminate a few answers right away, which sets you up very well for backsolving or solution behavior.

2. When adding or subtracting rational expressions, as when adding or subtracting ordinary fractions, we must find a common denominator to combine. We must do precisely the same thing with rational expressions. Here are a couple examples of this process.

Example #1



Example #2



3. Whenever you have just one algebraic fraction on one side of the equation equal to just one algebraic fraction on the other side of the equation, then you can cross-multiply. If either side has more than one fraction, added or subtracted, you would have to combine them, via the previous hint, before you are ready to cross-multiply.

4. If the whole equation has only one or two denominators, you also can simply multiply every term on both sides by the denominators. That can be a very efficient way to get rid of all the fractions in one fell swoop. For example, the equation:



can be simplified by multiplying each term by (x – 2) —- with the fraction, it cancels the denominator, simply leaving the numerator.

x(x – 2) = 2(x – 2) + 1

If we were to multiply this all out, we would get a quadratic that we could solve.

5. One could always use a direct algebraic solution: that may be efficient or that may take several steps and be time-consuming, even if you know you are doing. Remember that backsolving may be quicker. For a compound fraction (a big fraction with a little fraction in the numerator or denominator), it may well be quicker to step back and perform a more holistic solution, looking at what must be true about each piece: I demonstrate this in the solution for practice problem #2.



The two sides are not equal, so (B) can’t be the right answer. At this point, we pretty much know that (C) must be the answer, but it’s always good to verify that it works.



Both sides are equal, so x = 0 satisfies this equation. Therefore, answer = (C).

 



Show Answer and Explanation
Rather than do a ton of algebraic re-arranging, let’s think about this. We have 3 divided by (something) equals 1/2. This means, the “something” must equal 6. That immediately produces the much simpler equation:



Answer = (A)

 



    (A) zero

    (B) one

    (C) two

    (D) a finite number greater than two

    (E) infinitely many

Show Answer and Explanation
Multiply all three terms by x and we get



This equation is unfactorable. It is not a perfect square. Think about its graph, which is a parabola:



When x = 0, y is negative, and when x = 2, y is positive. Therefore, the parabola intersects the x-axis twice, which means the equation has two real solutions.

Answer = (C).

BTW, this is a special mathematical equation. One solution is the Golden Ratio, and the other solution is the negative reciprocal of the Golden Ratio.

 



Show Answer and Explanation
This is an easy one to solve. Subtract 2 from both sides:



Now, add 3/y to both sides. Because the two fractions have the same denominator, y, we can just add the numerators:



Answer = (E)

 

5. As y increases from y = 247 to y = 248, which of the following decreases?



    (A) I only

    (B) II only

    (C) III only

    (D) II and III only

    (E) I, II, and III

Show Answer and Explanation
As y gets larger, what happens to each one of these?

For statement I, as y gets larger, the 2y gets larger. Since the subtracting 100 stays the same as the value of y changes, that makes no difference. This one increases as y increases, so it is not a correct choice.

For statement II, as the denominator of a fraction increases, the value of the fraction overall decreases. When y increases, 50/y has to decrease. Again, adding 80 remains the same as y changes, so this doesn’t make any difference. This is a correct choice.

For statement III, as long as y > 3, then y^2 – 3y will increase as y increase. That means the entire fraction decrease. We are subtracting 100 minus the fraction, and if the fraction gets smaller, then we are subtracting something smaller and therefore are left with more. This means the entire expression, the difference, gets bigger as y increase. This one increases as y increases, so it is not a correct choice.

Answer = (B)

 

You’ve reached the end of practice round 1! Grab a snack, get up and stretch, then get ready for practice round 2 for algebraic equations with fractions.



 

Practice Round 2: Manipulating Algebraic Equations with Fractions
This next set of practice problems and explanations takes you through a range of scenarios you might encounter on GMAT Math. If you’re looking to practice specific areas, feel free to jump around. But if you’re still struggling to apply what you’ve learned about algebraic equations with fractions to actual problems, be sure to tackle the problems and explanations in order.



Show Answer and Explanation
Expressions
Let’s begin with “Do what’s mathematically sound.” When you multiply through by a common denominator, you’re changing the value of every single term (except when the term is equal to zero or the denominator is equal to one). That’s okay when you’re dealing with an equation, so long as you do exactly the same thing to both sides of the equation, but it’s not okay when you’re asked to evaluate an expression.

It may be tempting to multiply through by 10, the least common denominator, but that will yield an answer ten times too great. Instead, take a look at the answers to see what form they take, and manipulate the expression toward answers of that form. It looks as though we’ll want to get the m and n denominators together. We can accomplish this by giving them a common denominator. In this case, that means multiplying the term \( m/5 \) by \( 2/2 \), to get \( {2m}/10 \). Notice that this effectively multiplying \( m/5 \) by 1. The single most commonly useful way to manipulate an expression is to multiply it by 1.



Since the two terms now have the same denominator, we can join the numerators.



If it not clear how to translate that further, then rewrite it as,



Since 1/10=0.1, you can finally rewrite the expression in the useful form.

0.1(2m+n)

Before we turn to the more interesting cases, let’s be reiterate explicitly the lessons we can draw from this example:

  • You can’t multiply through by a common denominator unless you have an equation.
  • It’s often useful—especially when you’re asked to evaluate an expression—to see what form the answers take.
  • The single most commonly useful way to manipulate an expression is to multiply it by 1.

 



Show Answer and Explanation
Expressions Pt. 2
Because this is an expression rather than equation, we don’t have the option of multiplying through by a common denominator. What could we do? Well, as we saw in our last post, the single most commonly useful way to manipulate an expression is to multiply it by 1. But wait! Isn’t there a standard way to manipulate a compound fraction? Should we use that instead?

Yep, and as we’ll see, that standard way to manipulate a compound fraction is just one way to multiply the expression by 1.

You may remember that the standard way to divide by a fraction is to multiply by the reciprocal of that fraction; lots of American students learn this as “invert (the denominator) and multiply (by that inverse).” That mnemonic works well enough, but it may obscure the underlying logic.

Let’s go ahead and manipulate for now, and then double back and tackle the underlying logic. Let’s rewrite the problem so that we’re multiplying the numerator (x/5) by the reciprocal of the denominator:

\({x/5}/{10/y}\) becomes \({x/5} x {y/10}\) which in turn becomes xy/50.

As with the problem from my last post, we’d better take a look at the answer choices to see what form our expression should take. We’re going to want it in the form of answers C, D, and E: a decimal fraction multiplied by the expression .

If you can’t translate automatically, do it in stages:

xy/50

\( {(1/50)}(xy) \)
\( {(2/100)}(xy) \)
(0.02)(xy)

0.02xy

Remember that I wrote above that multiplying by the reciprocal (or “inverting and multiplying”) is just a special way of multiplying by 1? Let’s see why.

Consider the general form \({a/b}/{c/d}\). We could simplify this fraction by multiplying by a special form of 1, \({d/c}/{d/c}\):



Of course, that’s the very same result that you’d get by going directly to “invert and multiply.” Fortunately, if you’re well-practiced with that maneuver, you don’t need to worry about the underlying logic during the test.

 



Show Answer and Explanation
Equations
This is where we turn from “Do what’s mathematically sound,” to “Do what’s useful.”

When you’re solving an algebraic equation, what’s generally useful is to clear away all the grouping symbols, that is, the parentheses, division bars, and radical signs. Doing so allows you to move around the variables and constants in whatever way you like. There will be exceptions, but your default move when you see an algebraic equation with fractions should be to multiply every term by the least common denominator to clear the fractions, thus clearing grouping symbols.

A Nice Efficient Solution
Multiply each term by the least common denominator, 12x.



Next simplify each expression.



Once you’ve cleared the grouping symbols, you’re much more likely to be able to solve the problem. In this case, we’ll transpose, subtracting 3x from each side of the equation.



Finally , we’ll divide each side by 7 to get,



 

A Messy Solution that Invites Error
I’ve often seen students tackle problems like this by treating the expressions on each side of the equal sign as inviolate. That is, many students begin by adding:



This might work out alright for you in the end—there’s certainly nothing in these operations—but it’s just not very useful.

Another Solution that’s Not Quite As Messy
The same is true to a lesser extent for the method that begins by transposing to isolate the x term:



If you followed this step by immediately clearing the fractions, no harm done. Unfortunately most people who begin this way instead proceed to simplify the left hand side of the equation:



Again, this could work out alright, but a surprisingly large number of people who start this way choose answer

Take-Aways
  • If the question gives you an equation, it’s almost certainly easiest to do the same the thing to both sides of the equation, rather than to simplify the expressions on each side of the equation.
  • If that equation includes grouping symbols—parentheses, division bars, radical signs—it’s usually simplest to begin by getting rid of those grouping symbols.

 

4. Little Texas Drilling Company has three wells, each producing oil at a constant rate. Well A produces one barrel every two minutes. Well B produces one barrel every three minutes. Well C produces one barrel every four minutes. How many hours does it take Little Texas Drilling Company to produce 195 barrels of oil?

(A) 2

(B) 3

(C) 4

(D) 18

(E) 180

Show Answer and Explanation
Word Problems
All the problems we’ve so far considered have presented as algebra. However, quite a few word problems translate into algebraic equations with fractions. In particular, some of the hardest work-rate problems become very easy if you can correctly translate them into algebraic equations with fractions, and then correctly solve those equations.

A combined rate problem that asks about simultaneous action allows a nice shortcut. If every worker starts and stops at the same time or is working continuously for the duration of the story, we can simply add the various work rates together to determine the combined work rate. Be sure to express work rates as work/time, and be careful to use the same units throughout the problem.

In this case, the rate for Well A is 1/2 (one barrel/two minutes), for Well B 1/3, and for well C 1/4. The combined rate is 195 barrels in x hours, which we can express as 60x minutes.

All that remains is to solve for x.

Multiply through by 60x to clear the fractions.

30x + 20x + 15x = 195

Combine like terms.

65x = 195

And divide each side of the equation by 65.

x = 3

The answer, therefore, is (B).

 



(A) statement 1 alone is sufficient, but statement 2 alone is not sufficient to answer the question

(B) statement 2 alone is sufficient, but statement 1 alone is not sufficient to answer the question

(C) both statements taken together are sufficient to answer the question, but neither statement alone is sufficient

(D) each statement alone is sufficient

(E) statements 1 and 2 together are not sufficient, and additional data is needed to answer the question

Show Answer and Explanation
System of Equations
Things can get a little more complicated in the Data Sufficiency format, because questions in that format often present us with systems of equations.

It’s tempting to suppose that the correct answer is D, since the “if” statement provides one equation and each of the numbered statements provides an equation. However, it’s not the case that just any pair of equations yields values for two variables. The rule is that to solve for two (or n) variables requires two (or n) distinct linear equations. In this case, the equation xy=10 is not linear.

Let’s suppose that you decided to start with Statement (2). Before solving algebraically for the values of the variables (which approach would require first constructing and then solving a quadratic equation), check whether simple integer values fit both Statement (2) and the “if” equation. After all, the GMAT usually uses pretty manageable values, and there are too many possibilities for the two relevant simple equations.

In fact, it looks as though x and y could be 2 and 5. But which is which? Since y -x could be either 5-2 or 2-5, Statement (2) is not sufficient. Eliminate answers B and D.

Statement (1) is more interesting still. In the last post in this series I wrote that when faced with an algebraic equation involving fraction, you should generally multiply through by the least common denominator to clear all the fractions. Questions which ask you for the value of an expression with more than one variable are sometimes exceptions. In this case, for instance, it’s likely easier to solve for y – x

directly than for y and x separately.

This means that rather than multiply through by 10xy to clear the fractions, we should manipulate the equation to isolate y – x.



Cross multiply the terms on the left-hand side of the equation.



Multiply each side of the equation by xy to clear the fraction on the left-hand side.



It looks as though our question, “What is y – x?”is equivalent to the question, “What is xy?” Since Statement (1) provides and answer to that question, Statement (1) is sufficient.

The correct answer is (A).

It turns out that many Data Sufficiency problems with systems of equations work just as this one did.

If you want to try a practice question with explanation from our Magoosh GMAT product, give this a shot.

https://gmat.magoosh.com/questions/137

Other than that, that’s all the practice questions we have for you! If you would like to express anything or ask for clarification, please let us know in the comments section below.

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FROM Magoosh Blog: GMAT Math – What Kind of Math is in the Quantitative Section?


What’s the biggest secret to GMAT math success? It’s simple! Identify and study the correct quantitative concepts, strategize for problem solving, and leave rote memorization at home. As you may already know, the two types of GMAT math problems are Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency, but what are the GMAT math topics you’ll see on test day? And which ones are the most important?

The GMAT Quant section consists of 31 questions in 62 minutes. It’s an adaptive test, meaning that if you correctly answer a few questions, then the next one may be more difficult. Don’t let that worry you though! This is just how the test finds your math ability level.

Furthermore, you’ll never encounter any questions that require more than a basic high school understanding of quantitative concepts. Generally speaking, the GMAT Quant section tests your abilities to analyze and problem-solve rather than any advanced knowledge of mathematics. Emphasis is placed on data interpretation, critical reasoning, and word problems.


Here’s a great introduction to get you started – Intro to GMAT Math[/*]
[/list]
 

What kind of math is on the GMAT?[/*]
[*]GMAT Quant Section Breakdown[/*]
[*]GMAT Math Tips and Practice Problems[/*]
[/list]
Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency. Problem Solving problems are by far the more familiar: just work out the question and choose the correct final answer.

But Data Sufficiency problems are at a higher level, literally! Instead of seeking an answer to the problem, you have to decide whether there is enough information to answer the problem in the first place.

The Four GMAT Math Areas
The quantitative knowledge necessary to ace the GMAT consists of basic high school mathematics.

  • Arithmetic: Number sense, operations on numbers, etc.
  • Algebra: Basic manipulation of expressions and solving equations
  • Geometry: Angles, lines, and circles (and a bunch of other things)… oh my!
  • Word Problems/Applications: Includes things like basic statistics. But in some ways, many of the problems on the GMAT Math section are word problems anyway. In fact, all of the word problems use arithmetic, algebra or geometry in some way. But the emphasis here is on critical reasoning and understanding how to apply what you know from other areas of math.
Here is just a small sample of video lessons from Magoosh providing helpful tips and strategies related to the four GMAT Math areas:



official GMATPrep tests 3 and 4, and the Official Guide for the GMAT Review so you don’t have to!

Note, of course, that the figures below are estimates based on a large number of questions, and may not reflect the exact proportions on an individual test.



GMAT Quant conceptPercentage frequencyWhat's it about?

Word Problems58.2%Interpreting the math in stories and descriptions

Integer properties and arithmetic31.1%Interpreting the math in charts and tables

Algebra16.3%Includes both “pure algebra,” and algebra as applied to other GRE quant concepts

Percents, ratios, and fractions13.7%

Two dimensional geometry10.6%Shapes, lines, and angles on the coordinate plane

Statistics6.3%Shapes, lines, and angles not on the coordinate plane

Powers and roots6.3%

Probability and combinatronics5%Mean, median, standard deviation, etc…

Inequalities4.7%

Sequences3.2%

Coordinate geometry2.9%

Data interpretation0.9%

Three dimensional geometry0.8%

Functions0.4%

Note: Some questions tested multiple concepts and were thus counted more than one time in more than one category. As a result, the percentages in the chart above add up to more than 100%.



Here’s a video walking you through the solution.[/list]
 

As you can see, this problem requires nothing but arithmetic and a little bit of critical reasoning. Since it’s a Data Sufficiency problem, don’t worry about trying to solve all the way to a numerical final answer. Instead, let’s go through each of the two statements one by one.

First, what is given? There are 42 freshmen and seniors, but we don’t know exactly how many of each. Two unknowns, and one relation (equation). So we are looking for the statement(s) that can help to set up another equation if possible.

Statement (1): Be careful, as the wording is tricky here. To say that the group has more than four times as many seniors as freshmen only allows you to set up an inequality (not an equation). It could be that there are zero freshman and 42 seniors, or 8 freshmen 34 seniors, or anything in between.

Statement (2): By itself, this doesn’t narrow the field down either. Just saying that there are more than 7 freshmen leaves open all possibilities from 8 to 42 freshmen!

But now look again at the conclusions of the two statements. Statement (1) gives you a maximum of 8 freshmen. That’s because 9 freshmen would leave 33 seniors, which is more than four times 9. And Statement (2) gives you a minimum of 8 freshmen (the first whole number more than 7). Thus, together Statements (1) and (2) are sufficient.

Answer: C Both are sufficient, but neither one alone is sufficient.

Tip #2 — Arithmetic Problems: Use Your Number Sense
The key to arithmetic problems is to rely on your number sense and avoid common pitfalls.

It takes 1 pound of flour to make \(y\) cakes. The price of flour is \(w\) dollars for \(x\) pounds. In terms of \(w\), \(x\) and \(y\), what is the dollar cost of the flour required to make 1 cake?

\(\frac{xy}{w}\)

\(\frac{y}{wx}\)

\(\frac{w}{xy}\)

\(\frac{wx}{y}\)

\(wxy\)
[/*]

Click here for the answer!
This is a typical problem dealing with units and ratios. Let’s use our number sense to quickly tackle this one.

First, the fact that the price of flour is \(w\) dollars per \(x\) pounds, means that whatever the final answer is, the \(w\) and \(x\) need to be on opposite parts of the fraction. That’s because \(w\) per \(x\) means \(w/x\). So either that, or its reciprocal will be in your final answer.

So that narrows it down to just two choices without much work! Either \(\frac{xy}{w}\) or \(\frac{w}{xy}\).

Finally, the question is asking for the cost of making one cake. So let’s what happens if we allow \(y\) to vary. Suppose \(y\) is small, like \(y=1\). Then it takes a whole pound of flour to make just 1 cake. But if \(y\) is larger, say \(y=4\), then that same one pound of flour goes much further, bringing the overall cost down per cake. As \(y\) increases, the cost per cake has to decrease. That tells you immediately that \(y\) must be on the bottom of the fraction (in order to get that kind of inverse relationship).

Answer: \(\frac{w}{xy}\)

See, that wasn’t too hard, right? There are certainly other ways to work this kind of problem out. If you want to see more on this topic, here’s an excellent refresher for GMAT Quant: Rates and Ratios.

Tip #3 — Algebra Problems: Try Backsolving or Picking Numbers
Common strategies for algebra problems include backsolving and picking numbers. These techniques make it possible to solve a problem without actually solving it. In other words, you can avoid some of the heavy lifting of algebra if you can leverage the answer choices to your favor.

Backsolving works by using the answer choices to work backwards. Often this means plugging in each numerical answer choice into given equations, but it can also sometimes be useful when the answers themselves are equations.

Line \(k\) is in the rectangular coordinate system. If the \(x\)-intercept of \(k\) is \(–2\), and the \(y\)-intercept is 3, which of the following is an equation of line \(k\)?

\(–3x + 2y = 6\)

\(3x + 2y = –6\)

\(3x – 2y = 6\)

\(2x – 3y = 6\)

\(–2x – 3y = 6\)
[/*]

Click here for the answer!
The usual way you’d have to work this out in a high school math class would be to use a formula that gets you the equation of a line from the given intercepts. But we don’t have to remember any kind of formula if you simply backsolve from the answer choices.

Take each answer in turn and see if it works. Very quickly you’ll see that \(-3x + 2y=6\) has the correct intercepts, and so it solves the problem!

Answer: \(-3x + 2y=6\)

Picking numbers is precisely that! It’s when you pick values for some or all of the variables in a problem, and work the problem with your choices. This often requires you to plug in your numbers into answer choices or Data Sufficiency statements to help eliminate choices.

If \(3xm + 2ym − 2yn − 3xn = 0\) and \(m ≠ n\), then what is the value of \(y\) in terms of \(x\)?

\(–\frac{2x}{3}\)

\(–\frac{3x}{2}\)

\(\frac{3x^2}{2}\)

\(\frac{2x}{3}\)

\(\frac{3x}{2}\)
[/*]

Click here for the answer!
Want to avoid the algebra? Let’s pick some convenient numbers for the variables. Keep in mind that \(m \neq n\). So, let’s start with \(m=2\) and \(n=1\). Plugging those into the given equation, we get:

\(6x + 4y – 2y – 3x = 0\),

which simplifies to:

\(3x + 2y = 0\)
Now we could even plug in a number for \(x\) and work out \(y\) from that (to compare with the answer choices), but there’s no need on such a simple equation.

\(2y = -3x \implies y = \frac{-3x}{2}\)
Answer: \(-\frac{3x}{2}\)

Tip #4 — Geometry Problems: Be Goal Oriented
The hardest part about geometry problems is just knowing where to start. It helps to identify the goal and then try to work to fill in the gaps from your given information toward the goal. Think about these questions as you work out geometry questions on the GMAT Math section:

What information do I have? Where do I need to end up? What info would be useful to bridge the gap? Are there any formulas that could help?



In the diagram, JKLM is a square, and P is the midpoint of KL. Is JQM an equilateral triangle?

(1) \(∠KPQ = 90°\)

(2) \(∠JQP = 150°\)

A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but Statement (2) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.

B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but Statement (1) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.

C. Both Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question asked; but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.

E. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data specific to the problem are needed.
[/*]

Click here for the answer!
What is given? JKLM is a square; P is the midpoint of KL.

Where do I need to end up? Determining whether triangle JQM is equilateral or not.

What info would be useful? Knowing all the angles, of course!

Helpful formulas? We’ll probably need the fact that all angles in a triangle add to 180 degrees and properties of parallel lines cut by a transversal, because frankly those concepts seem to be important in almost every one of these kinds of problems.

Let’s look at Statement (1). If angle KPQ is 90 degrees, then PQ would be parallel to KJ. That’s a great start, but doesn’t give enough info by itself to solve the problem. For instance, the angle JQM would vary depending on how long PQ is.

Now consider Statement (2). By itself, having angle JQP is nice, but just not sufficient. What if point Q is left or right of the midline? We’d have no definite way of finding the angles of triangle JQM.

However, if both Statements (1) and (2) are taken together, then you have KJ parallel to PQ, and angle JQP = 150. Then angle KJQ is equal to 30 (same-side interior angles). That makes angle MJQ equal to 60. But then because PQ is centered on the midline of the square, the other side is a perfect mirror image. And that gives you angle JMQ — 60 degrees as well. Finally, angle JQM must also be 60, and the triangle is guaranteed to be equilateral!

Answer: C Both Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question asked; but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

Tip #5 — Word Problems: Don’t Get Lost!
Word problems tend to overlap with the other categories. These kinds of problems test your ability to assess a given situation, set up proper steps, choose the correct mathematical tools to solve the problem, and finally to obtain the best answer (or determine if it’s possible to do so, in the case of Data Sufficiency questions). It’s crucial that you don’t get lost. When you read a long word problem, jot some things down as you go. Pay attention to constants and constraints given in the problem. And identify your goal.

When a large municipal water tank is empty, it takes a Type JQ pump, working alone, 72 hours to fill the tank, whereas as Type JT pump, working alone, would take only 18 hours to fill the tank completely. If the tank starts at half full, how long would it take two Type JQ pumps and a Type JT pump, all three pumps working together, to fill the tank?

4

6

9

12

24
[/*]

Click here for the answer!
Both are sufficient, but neither one alone is sufficient.

There’s a lot to keep track of here, and some info is just not that important. For example, you don’t need to know that one pump is a “JQ” and other other is a “JT” pump, just that there are two types and they run at different rates. They could have been called “A” and “B” or “1” and “2” for all we care. But it is a good idea to jot down “JQ” and “JT” on your scratch paper to start organizing the rest of the data.

The JQ pump fills the tank in 72 hours. How much water is that? We don’t know. But you can say it’s 1 tank worth. So write “1 tank in 72 hrs.” in your JQ column.

Similarly, put “1 tank in 18 hrs.” in your JT column.

Now, it goes on to ask about filling up a half-full tank. So, alone the JQ would take 36 hours. But we have two JQ’s, which by themselves would cut that fill time to 18 hours.

Finally, the trickiest part, what happens when you add in the JT? By itself, it takes 9 hours to fill half the tank. Let’s bring in our number sense. Every time unit, the JQ’s are going to fill only half as much water as the JT, because the JT is pumping twice as fast. When the tank fills, two-thirds of the water was pumped in by the JT, and only a third of it by the two JT pumps.

So either way you look at it, 6 hours are needed — either one third of 18 hours, or 2/3 of 9 hours.

Answer: 6



Wrapping it All Up
So now you know what topics to expect on the GMAT Math section! A few final words of advice: Know your fundamentals. Don’t try to do everything in your head, but instead write out your scratch work during the test. Lastly, be sure to get in plenty of practice, and learn from your mistakes. Official tests can be found here: Official GMAT Prep Tests 3 and 4.

Good luck on test day!



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FROM Magoosh Blog: What’s Tested on the GMAT Verbal Reasoning Section?


The GMAT Verbal section consists of 36 multiple-choice questions. Each question presents you with five answer choices. You’ll be tested on three areas: Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction.


Want to learn more? Start with this video – Intro to the GMAT: The Verbal Section[/*]
[/list]
 

How long is the GMAT Verbal? What is the timing of each Verbal section?
The total time for GMAT Verbal is 65 minutes. With 36 GMAT Verbal questions to contend with, you’ll have between one to three minutes to complete each question, so pacing yourself is key!

Here’s what we suggest for timing for GMAT Verbal:

  • For Reading Comprehension questions, allow 6 minutes for a set of 3 questions, or 8 minutes for a set of 4 questions, plus 2-4 minutes to read the passage.
  • For Critical Reasoning questions, give yourself 90 seconds to 3 minutes.
  • For Sentence Comprehension, aim for 60 to 90 seconds.
Like GMAT Quant, the questions are adaptive, so you might see more and more challenging ones if you’re doing well.

What are the GMAT Verbal questions?
Reading Comprehension
These questions start with reading a passage about social sciences, physical or biological sciences, or business. Luckily, you don’t have to be an expert in these topics before taking GMAT Verbal. There are six question categories, from finding the main idea of the passage to identifying the author’s tone. To prepare for this question type, check out How to Study for Reading Comprehension.

Critical Reasoning
Critical Reasoning questions also start with a passage, but this time you’ll be analyzing an argument—specifically, which answer choice makes the argument stronger, weaker, flawed, and more. There are eight question categories. For a breakdown of this question type and categories (plus additional practice!), read our Introduction to Critical Reasoning article.

Sentence Correction
Instead of a passage, you’ll see just one sentence with an underlined phrase. Your task will be to replace the underlined portion with an answer choice that makes the most sense grammatically or logically. To try this out on your own, see these top grammar tips for Sentence Correction questions.

The Basics of GMAT Verbal Scores
The max score you can achieve for GMAT Verbal is 800. This will be combined with your GMAT Quant score (also out of 800), and the average of the two forms your overall GMAT score.

If you’re not sure how you’d do on Verbal, you can get a baseline score by taking a diagnostic test. After taking steps to improve your score, you can re-take the diagnostic test later to measure your progress, and find any remaining weak spots to focus on.

Once you have an estimated Verbal and Quant score, you can plug them into a GMAT score calculator to see if you’re close to reaching your target score.

How do I prepare for the GMAT Verbal?


With the GMAT Verbal score counting towards one of the more important scores that business school admissions consultants are looking at, make sure you’re prepared to see the three types of questions on test day. If this all sounds like a lot, don’t worry! We’ve compiled our practice questions and top tips to help you get ready.

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FROM Magoosh Blog: GMAT Analytical Writing: All About the GMAT Essay and How to Prepare For It


Yup, the rumors are true: you’ll encounter a 30-minute GMAT analytical writing section on test day. But while analytical writing can seem tough at first, finding out exactly what’s expected and how to attack it for a maximum score will do a lot to make the GMAT essay feel manageable! In this post, we’ll take a look at what you need to know to master the GMAT AWA.

Introduction to GMAT Analytical Writing[/*]
[*]What to Expect for GMAT Analytical Writing[/*]
[*]How to Approach the GMAT AWA (Strategy and Tips)[/*]
[*]Breakdown by Section[/*]
[*]Example GMAT Essays[/*]
[*]Scoring for GMAT Analytical Writing[/*]
[*]GMAT AWA and Business School[/*]
[/list]




The first bullet point tells us: a good AWA essay is well-organized, has a natural flow from point to point, and is clear and unambiguous about what it is saying. Those are all important points to keep in mind.

The second bullet point reminds us: what they present will be, in all likelihood, a flawed argument, but what you must create is a cogent and clear argument, and that will necessarily involve providing clear and relevant support. It’s not enough simply to assert something badly: you must provide justification for what you are saying.

The final bullet points may appear enigmatic: “control the elements of standard written English.” What does that mean?

Well, first of all, it means no grammar or syntax mistakes. It also means varying the sentence structure—some simple sentences (noun + verb), some with two independent clauses (noun + verb + and/but/or + noun + verb), some with dependent clauses, some with infinitive phrases, some with participial phrases, etc. Finally, it means choosing the right words and the right tone: the tone should be skeptical toward the prompt argument and persuasive toward the points you are making, but not arrogant or dogmatic in any way.

The following paragraph always appears after the argument prompt. This is the real meat-and-potatoes of the AWA directions:



First of all, notice it give you one clear task: “Be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument.” Then, it lists several strategies that you might employ in your analysis. Don’t feel compelled to use every one of these in every AWA essay, though you should be using most of them in most essays.

 



Recognizing assumptions is essential for the Critical Reasoning questions, and it will also serve you well on attacking the prompt argument in your AWA. [/*]
[*]Know the Directions: This a matter not only of knowing what they say but also, more importantly, understanding the various options you have for analyzing the argument. This list of analytical strategies is always given in the paragraph that follows the prompt argument. It’s important to get familiar with this “analytical toolbox”, so it is yours to employ on test day.[/*]
[*]Recognize the Common Flaw Patterns: GMAT AWA prompt arguments often contain one of six types of flaws. Learn to spot these patterns, so you are ready on test day.[/*]
[*]Plan Before You Write: This is obvious to some test-takers. Your first task is to find objections to and flaws in the prompt argument. Create a list of flaws. Then, select the 2-4 of those that are most relevant, that would be the most persuasive talking points. Once you have your list of insightful flaws, then you are ready to write.[/*]
[*]Use a Template: Many test takers find it helpful to have the basic structure of the AWA essay already planned out and practiced, so it’s just a matter of plugging in the specific details on test day. Here’s an example of a possible GMAT writing template. Feel free to adapt this template as is, modify it, or create one of your own.
  • Paragraph #1: State that the prompt argument is flawed. Briefly enumerate the flaws you will examine, in the order that you will discuss them.
  • Paragraph #2 (or #2 & #3): Sticking to that same order, analyze each flaw in detail, explaining your reasoning why each is a serious weakness of the argument.
  • Last Paragraph: Suggest improvements, which are the reverse of the flaws (i.e. “This argument would be considerably stronger if it did such-and-such to remove flaw #2.”). Close by restating that is it a weak argument.
[*]Write with Variety: First of all, vary your sentence structures. Here are some examples of different structures:
  • Simple sentence, one independent clause: Jack went to town.
  • Sentence with two independent clauses: Jill went to town and Jack stayed home. (Two independent clauses can be joined by “and”, “or”, “but”, “yet”, “so”, etc.)
  • Sentence with an independent clause and one (or more) dependent clauses: Jack went to the town where Jill lives.
  • Sentence with an infinitive phrase: Jack went to that town to see Jill.
  • Sentence with a participial phrase: Hoping to see Jack, Jill went to town.
A good essay should not have two sentences in a row with the same structure.

In addition to variety in sentence structure, strive for variety in word choice. Of course, you will want to echo words that appear in the prompt argument. But in your own analysis, vary the descriptive words, never using the same word twice. Don’t say “weak … weak … weak” when you can say “unpersuasive … untenable … questionable.” Well-chosen synonyms can make an essay shine.[*]Avoid Common AWA Errors: There are a few common flaws that can pull your GMAT analytical writing score down. As you practice the AWA, make sure you avoid the following:
  • Vague Language: The words “few”, “many”, “more”, “less”, and “some”, by themselves without numerical qualification, can be vague. Always consider the range of possibilities contained in vague words comparing quantity or size.
  • Inappropriate Comparisons: This form presents a premise and conclusion for Thing #1, which is often quite clear and undisputable. Then, it argues, Thing #2 is very similar, so the premise and conclusion should apply to Thing #2 as well. Depending on the situation, the comparison may not be apt, and pointing out Thing #2 differs from Thing #1 in ways relevant to the argument can expose an essential flaw.
  • Cause/Effect Errors: Many arguments want to make the case that “A causes B.” Whenever the argument “A causes B” is presented, some alternative interpretations to consider are (1) the reverse, “B causes A”; or (2) “A and B are both caused by new thing C”, or (3) “A and B, for a variety of reasons, often appear together, but one does not cause the other.” (This last interpretation is summed up succinctly in the sentence: “Correlation does not imply causality.”) Learn to spot arguments that draw conclusions of causality, and questions whether that’s the correct relationship.
  • Overconfident Conclusions: Confidence = good. Overconfidence = bad. If you read the NY Times or the Wall Street Journal or the Economist magazine, you will notice the kind of tone the GMAT favors: thoughtful, balanced, and measured. Extreme conclusions are seldom correct on the GMAT. Any AWA prompt that presents a conclusion with God-given certainty is too strong, and this is a flaw that needs to be addressed.
[*]Proofread! Proofread! Proofread!: When you proofread, you have to consider several levels simultaneous: Is every word spelled correctly? Is every structure grammatically correct? Does the argument logically flow? Unfortunately (or fortunately!) you are not allowed to read your essay aloud in the testing center. What I do recommend, though: silently mouth the words, as if you are carefully pronouncing each word, even though you are not making any sounds. When you move your mouth & tongue, you are engaging more of your brain than when you are simply reading silently with your eyes, and you are more likely to catch subtle mistakes.[/list]


AWA brainstorming. As you brainstorm, list the argument’s flaws; then evaluate those flaws to find which objections are the strongest.

Write an Introduction
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel with each GMAT AWA introduction. Start by stating where the passage is from. Then, focus on two main tasks: summarizing the argument and stating why it’s flawed. Keep it short and sweet; three sentences are enough to get your main points set up!

Construct Your Body Paragraphs
These will make up the lion’s share of your essay, so you’ll spend most of your time writing body paragraphs. Here’s how to go about doing that:

 

  • Identification: Focus on a Premise: The first thing you will need to do in your paragraph is to identify what part of the argument you intend to analyze. The best way to do this is by simply summarizing the premise in the argument. You can state that it is flawed at this point, but it is not necessary. You’ll have plenty of time to do that, and the reader already knows what will happen from what you told them in the introduction. Paraphrase, summarize, and use synonyms to present the premise—don’t copy word for word—and this is a great way to lay the groundwork for your analysis.
  • Name Calling: Describe the Flaw: Now that you have summarized the premise and presented it to the reader, time to name the flaw and describe it. You might not always able to name the flaw in the argument and are not required to know the name of logical fallacies, but do it if you can. This is a great way to signal to the reader that you know what is going on in the arguments, and it will focus your mind on how to expose the flaw. Argument flaws are flawed for different reasons and each requires a certain approach when analyzing and attacking. Here is afun, engaging resource that goes through some common, everyday logical flallacies, which you are bound to see some of on the test.
    If you can’t name the flaw, then you can at least talk about what the flaw is. You can begin to describe what makes it a flaw, which will lead nicely into your next point in the paragraph.
  • Why It’s a Flaw: Explain by Way of Example: The flaw is exposed, now time to show the reader why it is a flaw. To do this, you need to talk about it by way of example. This can involve hypothetical, yet real-world, examples drawn from the argument, or it can involve real-world examples that you are familiar with. We can’t expect our reader to understand the ramifications of the flaw, so this is the time to really spell it out for the reader. Give them something tangible that reveals what the argument is missing or what might happen as a result of the flawed premise. One note, this will be the bulkiest part of the paragraph, containing the most sentences.
    If done well, this discussion will flow nicely from the specific premise and flaw into a broader discussion of the argument and its conclusion.
  • State the Obvious: Flaws Hurt Arguments: This is a common step skipped in student essays. We must return to the larger picture. Students assume that everything will make sense once the flaw is exposed, but this is far too brash. We can’t just expect our reader to “get it.” We need to speak plainly and directly about how the flaw weakens the argument, and more specifically, the recommendation, plan, or conclusion of the argument. Not all flaws weaken arguments in the same way so be specific about what aspect of the conclusion is questionable.
  • Do Good: Improve and Strengthen the Argument: Now that you’ve taken the time to analyze the argument, break down a flaw, and explain the result of that flaw to the conclusion, time to build it back up. Approach the essay as a concerned and interested party, responding to the argument with sympathy. Don’t just be destructive. Give suggestions for improvement. And if you don’t like the conclusion, peer into the heart of what it is trying to accomplish and recommend a way to get there.
Conclude the Essay
First of all, keep in mind that you should not dwell in the conclusion. The heart of your essay, what really matters toward your score, is in the body paragraphs. These should be bulky and in-depth, but the conclusion should be short and to the point. Wrap things up in a timely manner so that you can get to the business of editing and revising your essay.

To keep things manageable and short, don’t go into the details. You only need to recap the major problems in the argument. Sometimes it is enough to say that there are major problems in the argument. Ignore the desire to repeat all the main points that you covered in the body paragraphs. This will only take extra space and waste precious time.

Finally, recommend a way to achieve the goal stated in the article. It is important to approach the analysis of the argument as an interested party. You don’t want to be wholly negative. For one, you will write a better analysis if you imagine yourself tied to the argument in some way, and two, the prompt asks you to strengthen the argument. Find some general evidence that will make the argument more convincing or make it irrefutable. Suggest a change so that the logic stands on firmer ground.

examples of analytical questions for the GMAT, look no further!

Once you’ve read few a through sample AWA prompts, read through the third prompt on page 31 of the PDF. Magoosh GMAT expert Mike McGarry has written a great GMAT AWA Example essay in response to this prompt, including analysis of why it works well and why it would receive a 6.

 



GMAT AWA scoring rubric you can use for this purpose.

But if you’re not certain about how your essays measure up to the GMAT scale, there are other ways to get your GMAT essay scored. These include GMAT Write, an official (paid) service from GMAC; friends; and forums. Take a look and see what option works best for you.

 



recent evidence suggest that adcoms also rely on the IR score significantly more than the GMAT essay score.

But while it’s true that, in your GMAT preparation, Quant and Verbal and even IR deserve more attention than the AWA, it’s also true you can’t completely neglect AWA. The difference between a 5 or 6 as your GMAT Analytic Writing score will not make or break a business school admission decision, but having an essay score below a 4 could hurt you.

The purpose of the AWA is to see how well you write, how effectively you express yourself in written form. This is vital in the modern business world, where you may conduct extensive deals with folks you only know via email and online chatting. Some of your important contacts in your business career will know you primarily through your writing, and for some, your writing might be their first experience of you. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and when this first impression is in written form, the professional importance of producing high-quality writing is clear.

While you don’t need to write like Herman Melville, you need to be competent. A GMAT Analytic Writing score below 4 may cause business schools to question your competence. That’s why it’s important to have at least a decent showing in AWA.

For Non-Native English Speakers
In particular, if English is not your native language, I realize that this makes the AWA essay all the more challenging, but of course, a solid performance on the AWA by a non-native speaker would be a powerful testament to how well that student has learned English. Toward this end, non-native speakers should practice writing the AWA essay and try to get high-quality feedback on their essays.

Devoting 30% or more of your available study time to AWA is likely unwise, but devoting 0% to AWA might also hurt you. Between those, erring on the low side would be appropriate. If, in a three-month span, you write half a dozen practice essays, and get generally positive feedback on them with respect to the GMAT standards, that should be plenty of preparation.



Conclusion
The GMAT analytical writing can feel like a slog when you first encounter it: it requires deep focus and analysis, and it’s not what most students have spent their prep time working on. But with a bit of preparation, your GMAT essays can take your admissions file to the next level by boosting your AWA score significantly!

By including GMAT writing in your overall GMAT prep schedule, you’ll ensure that this section of the test doesn’t become a drag on your application—and helps, rather than hurts, your shot at your dream school. Good luck!

The post GMAT Analytical Writing: All About the GMAT Essay and How to Prepare For It appeared first on Magoosh GMAT Blog.
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