akpotdar
I'm starting to prepare for GMAT, would be taking the exam in early 2021 and confused to choose from books between Manhattan / Kaplan
Could anyone please guide which would be best material to prepare. Thanks in advance.
Posted from my mobile deviceHi akpotdar,
First of all, it is good that you started seeking suggestions right before you start your preparation. This will save you a lot of time and effort. Most students generally start self-study using random resources and realize half-way through that they need to have a proper study plan and use a standard resource to score well on GMAT and then start seeking advices. Let me share my insights here on what could be the best plan for you.
As you are in the initial stages of your preparation, an ideal study plan for you should be to:
- Learn the concepts. (Start with your stronger topic which you can identify once you take the mock)
- Learn the right methodology to solve the questions of that topic.
- Take sectional quizzes of that topic and make sure to move to the next topic only if you got easy-medium questions right.
- If you feel there is a scope for improvement, make sure to work on the weaker areas and then move to the next topic.
Follow the above steps for every topic and once you are done with all the topics, start taking mocks once a week. Analyze the score pattern and identify the weaker areas. Work on the weaker areas and make sure you master them before you take the next mock. Once you see a consistent score pattern, you are good to book a slot.
What should you focus on while preparing?
Looking at your scores, I feel there is a scope of improvement in both quant and verbal. Before starting out your preparation, it is important to know what is really tested on GMAT. Knowing this will help you focus on what exactly is needed to score a 700+ on GMAT.
GMAT quant tests only specific types of questions from each topic. Knowing the question types and understanding the right methodology to solve questions will help you score well on quant.
Coming to verbal, Verbal questions can be very tricky and test makers set a lot of traps to confuse students. They use similar words in the answer choices and there are high chances that you will be stuck with two or more choices. To answer them perfectly, it is really important to have a strong understanding of the concepts and to use the right methodology to solve questions. Let me explain it to you from the perspective of individual modules of Verbal.
- To solve SC questions, it is important to approach them from a meaning stand-point because it is the meaning which is tested not the grammatical rules. You can understand the gist of the approach by watching the following video.
- To solve CR questions, it is really important to develop the ability to pre-think. And to do that, you need to have a strong understanding of the underlying framework. This will help you pre-think the underlying assumption before jumping into the answer choices. Refer to the following video to understand the same.
- To solve RC questions, you have to read the passage with an open mind, leaving all the unnecessary baggage. You need to read the passage in an inferential manner so that you can draw the right inferences and understand the intention behind writing the passage. There is a process called “Involved and Evolved Reading” which helps you read a passage effectively. You can refer to the following video to understand the strategy of “Involved and Evolved Reading”.
Is it better to rely on random resources or a standard resource?
Most students start their GMAT preparation using OG and a few other study materials. While these are great resources for GMAT like questions, it is really important to ask whether just practicing questions would help you get a good score on GMAT. Most students realize it very late that GMAT is not just a test of concepts but a test of their application. To apply the concepts well, you need to learn the right approach to do that.
Below is the comparison of what you’ll probably do when you prepare using random resources and a standard one
| Course Options |
| Random resources | Standard resource |
| Solve “N” number of questions | Learn the concepts and the methodology |
| Refer to vague solutions | Refer to detailed solutions |
| No change in approach and will be stuck at the same score | A significant improvement can be achieved by referring to the step-by-step solutions and there by learning the right methodology |
As it is really important to use the right methodology to solve questions on GMAT, I think you might have understood the importance of using a standard resource. The best way to select the course is to check the free trial of the course and then decide whether it is suitable for you or not. There are plenty of online courses available, so, I would recommend to check the free trial of the courses you feel are suitable for you and then decide.
If you are open to suggestions, I would like you to take a check at the course of
GMATWhiz.
- It is one unique course which offers you the best quality content and employs an artificial intelligence driven learning.
- It offers you a personalized study plan which is integrated with the course.
- The concept booster and practice quizzes after every concept video help you solve GMAT like questions using the right methodology.
- It offers you real time improvement modules so that you can work on your weaker areas right away.
There are many more exciting features offered by the course. I would recommend you to check the free trial of
GMATWhiz before taking the decision. Hope it helped! If you have any more concerns regarding the GMAT preparation or wish to know more about study strategy, you can always write back or a better way would be to discuss over a call. You can schedule a free consultation call using the below link.
Click here to schedule a call
May 06
14 Sep 2020, 11:08
