Fiosama wrote:
Hey i have bought
the Official Guide Bundle 2021 with all six official practice exams. Is this enough or should I get the Manhattan 7 edition with the online access and the CATs in addition?
Hi,
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 advises. Let me share my insights here on what could be the best plan for you.
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
| 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 |
Why do I emphasize so much on using the right methodology?
GMAT is a one such test which focuses mainly on application of concepts rather than just concepts. So, to score well on GMAT, it is really important to use the right methodology to solve questions. If you have a misconception that GMAT just gives you questions which test your conceptual knowledge and remembering few formulae would help you solve them, then let me tell you the harsh truth. GMAT questions are very tricky and one would require a strong conceptual knowledge and right strategies to solve them. One has to perform a certain pre-analysis on the question stem to understand what is it that the question actually requires you to do. Only learning the right methodology to solve questions will help you do this process effectively. The same goes with Verbal. Each module on verbal (SC, CR and RC) has to be approached in a certain way.
For example, there is a misconception that SC questions test your knowledge of grammatical rules. But what GMAT actually tests is the ability to convey the right meaning without any ambiguity. So, it is really important to approach them from a meaning stand-point. Grammatical rules are helpful but only to some extent. You can find a few answer choices which are grammatically correct and also convey a logical meaning. But there is only one answer choice, which conveys the intended meaning. So, it is important to understand the meaning the sentence is trying to convey and identify the errors and then eliminate the answer choices which do not convey the intended meaning.
What differentiates an ordinary and extra-ordinary resource?
Way of teaching:Even though, the concepts taught my most online courses are more or less the same, what differentiates them is the way they teach the concepts. There is a particular way of teaching concepts by which students learn the concepts along with the methodology required to solve the questions. And once they learn, it is important to apply that learning on a few GMAT like questions to solidify that learning.
Adaptability:And not all students are capable of learning in one go. Students falter in a few topics and it is important to identify those areas and work on them. The course has to help students identify their weaker areas and provide a few improvement modules to work on them.
Study plan:The most important thing that makes a course extra-ordinary is its ability to provide a personalized study plan. Students find it difficult to organize things and plan their studies accordingly. In their busy life, balancing work and studies becomes a hectic task. So, the course has to provide a proper study plan with clear deadlines so that students can focus just on finishing those weekly tasks assigned to them.
So, while looking for a course, make sure that you choose a course which provides you with all the above features. 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
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Updated on: 02 Aug 2020, 14:47
