Should i use OG questions again?

Question

Hi just a short querry. I had scored just Q32 in my first diagnostic test (Gmat prep) and after that i have been practicing questions from Official Guide and Official Quants review. As of now there are 50% questions that i have already done 3 to 4 times. But when i see my error log i still find many questions (10% to 15%) questions that i could never do within reasonable time or with good strategy.

Recently i just scored Q40 (manhattan CAT). Now i wanted to give a final push to Quants section. Personally i want to do all OG questions again. Can you guys tell me that would it be a good idea? or should i try to practice with new questions that i have not seen before.

Bunuel Can you please respond?

aeropower · Answer

Honestly, I haven't scored that well yet....

I would say the OG questions are fantastic. From my beginner's experience, I'd say that you may not be looking at the answers or your error logs extensively. I've been doing that and I've been having really good success thus far.

For each question you get wrong/took too long, really try to understand why that happened.

I categorize it to: Didn't know the theory, read the question wrong, chose the wrong letter (although got to the correct answer) or chose the wrong strategy.

After that, I repeat the question a few days later, and mark-off whether or not i was able to complete the question on-time correctly, after reviewing it a few days earlier.

If you do this, it'll build your theory knowledge and really bolster your Q score. I've been studying for about 3 weeks, in my practice kaplan CAT I scored a Q49, which surprised me, but at the same time, i'm making sure I can do and understand every single OG guide quant question.

Hope this helps,

mulhinmjavid · Answer

Thanks a lot.

KarishmaB · Answer

Focus on the 10-15% that you are still unable to do. Revisit the theory that they apply and then work on those questions again. Don't waste your time with questions you have already done 3-4 times. Move on to new questions. For new questions, check out our free question bank here: https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#-question-bank/

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi mulhinmjavid,

You ask a good question, but there's no way to answer it until you define your GOALS and your progress thus far.

1) What is your score goal?
2) How have you been scoring on your practice CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for each)?
3) Have you been taking the ENTIRE CAT (including the Essay and IR sections)?
4) When is your Official GMAT?

While I agree that re-doing a question that you've correctly answered 3-4 times before using the SAME methods would probably be redundant, there IS some value in re-attempting past questions using DIFFERENT approaches. To that end, you should remember that most questions on the GMAT can be approached in a variety of different ways, and the best Test Takers are flexible enough to change tactics depending on the "design" of the question. In that way, re-doing past questions can be quite valuable.

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

mulhinmjavid · Answer

Hi
Dear, 
Thanks for your response, here are answers to your questions:

1) Target score: 720 (V39, Q49).
2) CAT Scores: Attached (I was able to score V36 with very minimal effort therefore i have been focusing only on Quants)
3) No 
4)Official GMAT Date: Time is not an issue for me so i will take the date when i would start scoring in range of 670 to 690 (i will give final 15 days to convert that score into a 700plus score).

Following is my strategy for future preparation:
1) Focus on Quants till i get Q46 score.
2) I will take only Quants sections of CATs till i get hit Q46
2) I will practice with only official questions. 
3) I will read Manhattan Guides again, Improve the flash cards that i made previously and for each guide I will re do all those questions from "OG 13th" and "Quants Review" that i could not get right in first attempt (i will try to do them with different methods).
4) I will attempt all those question that i have done only 1 to 2 times so far. 
5) In my last encounter with verbal(Breakup is attached), SC was the weakest area and i believe that improving only SC would help me achieve my target V39, therefore after hitting Q46, i will go through Manhataan SC guide(have not done yet) and practice OG questions again.

I have also attached result of recent CAT (Q,40). 
 https://i61.tinypic.com/2ngyae1.png  
 https://i62.tinypic.com/ftk55y.png  
 https://i58.tinypic.com/aw7pkk.png

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi mulhinmjavid,

Right now, I think that your plan has some SERIOUS problems. Since you have not taken any complete CATS (WITH the Essay and IR sections), none of those score results is completely accurate. By taking a shorter Test, you're not dealing with the fatigue, endurance and pacing issues that will affect you when you take the FULL GMAT --> this almost always leads to an "inflated" score, making you think that you're performing at a higher level when you're actually not.

Using a CAT just to practice one section of the Test is a WASTE of a CAT. Taking a FULL-LENGTH CAT at regular intervals (1 every 1-2 weeks) is how you measure your improvement on the overall Test. These results will point out your weak spots in context of the Full GMAT, which is what you need to know. With that information, you'll then have areas to focus on, so you can continue to study, review, do practice problems, etc. then take another CAT to see how well you've improved. In this way, you'll have a much better idea of your readiness to face the GMAT.

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

GMATPill · Answer

You should definitely practice with OG questions -- even if you've seen them. Sure, memory can influence your choices -- but focus more on walking through the correct thought process as you approach these questions you've seen before. Do not dismiss questions you've seen before as "useless" -- because until you are able to get them all correct in a short amount of time, there is still something to learn from each and everyone of them.

We do recommend that you follow along GMAT PILL thought processes as conveyed through these videos here for OG: www.gmatpill.com/official-guide-gmat/

Should i use OG questions again?

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