MGMAT - How important/necessary are the Advanced Topics?

Question

Hi all,

I've just finished going through the General sections of the MGMAT strategy guides... but I've skipped over the Advanced topics for the time being. Considering how it took me nearly 8 weeks to finish the General sections, should I bother trying to go through the readings and In Action's for the Advanced Topics in each of the guides? How necessary is the material, and how much focus should I place on these sections? My goal is 700+ on the GMAT.

Thanks!

snkrhed · Answer

If your goal is 700+ you should definitely review the advanced topics at least.

If nothing else, they teach you shortcuts for solving some problems, which, for me, has saved me an extra 15 seconds per problem.

gurpreetsingh · Answer

At least for number properties and sentence correction do all the sections thoroughly.

DAYNE · Answer

Its a mixed review, however you should go over them once your comfortable with the content and the OG problems of part 1

kdub09 · Answer

Thanks all. Dayne, what do you mean by it's a "mixed review"?

DAYNE · Answer

this guy scored 750 and he advocated not putting much attention in the advanced sections of the MGMT 550-to-690-to-750-my-key-points-for-gmat-success-91926.html I've read other sites where people did go over the advance section and had success. It depends on your comfort level of the material of part 1, if you come to a point where your breezing through the part 1, go ahead and take a look at part 2. I made a thread asking the same thing: the-advanced-sections-in-the-manhattan-math-books-94889.html

kdub09 · Answer

Gotcha. Thanks for the clarification!

bb · Answer

I have used Kaplan books from a while ago that did not have probability/combinations/permutations/statistics, etc and I did Ok as well. I got one probability question and bombed it on the GMAT- spent 4 minutes solving and did not find the answer. It was a fairly simple one I later realized. I have to say, I wish i answered it but I guess I'll settle with Q49

My opinion would be that if you are short on time, absolutely put all the time into Arithmetic - half the questions rely on it. If you have time, harder subjects are worth it as well since they often rely on easier concepts to solve, thus you are practicing on several levels, but that's me. I tried to do everything I could to prepare.

gurpreetsingh · Answer

Yes, I do agree with BB. Gmat preparation should be smart. No point of practicing topics which are out of scope.

Improve your weakness and nourish your strengths. That's all required.

Important topics such as percentage, ratios, number properties, inequalities are must.
But do spend 1 day on probablity etc topics.

n2739178 · Answer

Hi all

So you're recommendations are definitely to nail the number properties section and be absolutely comfortable with it over and above everything else for Quant.?

As in, to spend the most time with number properties/arithmetic guide even at the expense of prep. time in other areas?

thanks

LoveTheGMAT · Answer

If you have time, go through Advanced section of all books - sometimes they discuss shortcuts.
Do NP for sure, as others said.
Do Advanced from Book #3 (Equations/VICs) - I found it very helpful
You can skip Book #2 and #5 if you don't have time

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MGMAT - How important/necessary are the Advanced Topics?

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