Spending Too Much Time on CR Questions (MGMAT Approach)

Question

Hello guys,

I am currently preparing for the GMAT (31st of August) and struggling with my timing on CR questions. I went trough the MGMAT Guide for CR and as recommended there, I always diagram each argument. With this approach I reach a stable accuracy of 80% on easy and middle questions out of the OG 12, but I also spend on average 30 sec more on these questions than the 120 sec limit.
How do you attack CR questions, is there an alternative approach?

Thanks for your help!

Regards from Germany

DonQuixote · Answer

Hi there!

With regard to improving your timing on CR questions - practice may be your best friend here. I do not have personal experience with MGMAT's CR diagram (the T-diagram thingamajig?), but I have heard that employing it means that you start out relatively slowly and gain a little steam as you gain experience with their method.

How long have you been practising for?

BM · Answer

Perhaps my advice will seem a little too simple, but have you tried answering CR questions without relying on diagrams? Diagrams may be a useful tool at first, but it appears that this approach is acting more as an impediment now. It might be uncomfortable at first, but you should be able to adjust and answer questions without diagrams.

Zynga · Answer

Many people on this forum would recommend Powerscore CR for CR questions. Powerscore doesn't use the diagramming method

rocketscience · Answer

Hello and thanks for your replys! I have more or less exhausted all of the CR questions out of the OG 12 and would continue with the verbal book. I will give bmillan01's advice a try, but my feeling is that it is not the action of drawing the diagram that takes me longer, I think it's more a general problem. Does the Powerscore CR introduce new methods?

Regards!

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Regards!

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BM · Answer

The Powerscore CR Bible is similar to its Manhattan counterpart, so there probably isn't much value in using both books. With that said, the Powerscore CR Bible is generally considered the best in the market.

Also, don't worry about running out of practice questions. You still have the OG Verbal, GMATClub's  CR Forum , and LSAT question banks.

crackgmatfun · Answer

Even i am facing the same problem, my accuracy is around 90%, but i am taking too longer, and unable to finish the section. Anyone please help me on timing part for verbal section in general, in spite of spending so much time for preparation, i am unable do all the questions in the section.

CA88 · Answer

I just bought the MGMAT CR book. Should I go exchange for the Powerscore CR or is the MGMAT adequate?

BM · Answer

Here is the  link . But be aware that LSAT LR questions are generally considered more difficult than GMAT CR questions and cover more material not tested on the GMAT.

If you haven't read Manhattan CR yet and can get a full refund for store credit, then go ahead and exchange it for the Powerscore CR Bible. Also, factor in how much time this transaction will take. You don't want to sacrifice too much study time waiting on a CR guidebook. I would stress (again) that purchasing and reading both book probably isn't the best investment in your time and money. You should be fine with either one.

Why do you think that you're taking too much time answering the question? Are you having trouble retaining the information from the passage? Are you rereading the passage and questions? Are you hesitating when choosing between two answer choices? Or does it just take awhile to work through the problem?

Just keep practicing often and time yourself with each question. Estimate your average time per question (don't get too technical, just make it reasonable) and gradually knock off time and set that as your goal. For example, if your average is 120 seconds per question, set your goal at 105. Once you reach that level, try to go down to 90 seconds. If you fail to answer the question in time, finish it anyway, but mark it as incorrect and reattempt the question later that day or the next morning. And always fully read the explanation for each and every practice question that you answer - even for the ones that you answer correctly. Assuming that you have enough time, another helpful tool is to reread whatever guidebook that you used earlier. Also, see this  thread  for more comprehensive and detailed strategies.

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Spending Too Much Time on CR Questions (MGMAT Approach)

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