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How to address weakness in a few quant topics?
* This post was from a user about a weakness in Math and how to overcome it. The user has requested us to delete this topic but since there is some good advice shared, I am going to change this to post to my name.
* This post was from a user about a weakness in Math and how to overcome it. The user has requested us to delete this topic but since there is some good advice shared, I am going to change this to post to my name.
31 Jul 2016, 05:08
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Hi,
I know how you feel. I am weak in math too and started in the low 30s on mock exams. After months of studying I am finally in the low 40s which most other people here would consider a horrific score in quant. I am hoping to improve it by a few more points on my next (and hopefully last) GMAT attempt. I would consider a score in the mid 40s fantastic and know I will never make a 50 or even 51.
I am not sure if I can tell you exactly how to overcome this math weakness because I feel I am still struggling although after 7 months of studying with most of my focus on quant I finally feel like I am making some improvements in some areas.
It took A LOT of effort. I used a lot of different materials and did LOTS of practice problems. I know it's not a lack of effort on my part, in fact I believe I probably belong to the group of people here who have invested the most time and financial resources in their GMAT preparation because nothing came easy.
I am working with a tutor now and kind of wish I would have done this much sooner. I have never had to work with a tutor before in my entire life because I have always been a great student. The GMAT on the other hand has been a real pain for me.
I think for people like me it's depressing to read that others only have to briefly review material for a month and then get a 700+ score on their first GMAT attempt. Don't get me wrong, I congratulate everyone here who does, but it's NOT the norm. Most people need more than one month of preparation for a decent score. I am probably the other extreme and taking way too long.
I am not sure if someone can learn to love math when they have always hated math. I believe someone is either great in math by nature because of the way their brain is "wired" or they are not.
You need to start with the fundamentals BUT what is so incredibly hard on the GMAT is that even if you are good with the fundamentals you still may not be able to apply them fast enough to problems on the actual GMAT because they word their problems in such a weird way that sometimes you can't figure out what exactly they want.
I was thrilled last weekend when I took my last GMAT and scored a 41 on the quant section because it was the first time ever I had scored above 40.
Best of luck to you.
When do you plan on taking the GMAT?
I know how you feel. I am weak in math too and started in the low 30s on mock exams. After months of studying I am finally in the low 40s which most other people here would consider a horrific score in quant. I am hoping to improve it by a few more points on my next (and hopefully last) GMAT attempt. I would consider a score in the mid 40s fantastic and know I will never make a 50 or even 51.
I am not sure if I can tell you exactly how to overcome this math weakness because I feel I am still struggling although after 7 months of studying with most of my focus on quant I finally feel like I am making some improvements in some areas.
It took A LOT of effort. I used a lot of different materials and did LOTS of practice problems. I know it's not a lack of effort on my part, in fact I believe I probably belong to the group of people here who have invested the most time and financial resources in their GMAT preparation because nothing came easy.
I am working with a tutor now and kind of wish I would have done this much sooner. I have never had to work with a tutor before in my entire life because I have always been a great student. The GMAT on the other hand has been a real pain for me.
I think for people like me it's depressing to read that others only have to briefly review material for a month and then get a 700+ score on their first GMAT attempt. Don't get me wrong, I congratulate everyone here who does, but it's NOT the norm. Most people need more than one month of preparation for a decent score. I am probably the other extreme and taking way too long.
I am not sure if someone can learn to love math when they have always hated math. I believe someone is either great in math by nature because of the way their brain is "wired" or they are not.
You need to start with the fundamentals BUT what is so incredibly hard on the GMAT is that even if you are good with the fundamentals you still may not be able to apply them fast enough to problems on the actual GMAT because they word their problems in such a weird way that sometimes you can't figure out what exactly they want.
I was thrilled last weekend when I took my last GMAT and scored a 41 on the quant section because it was the first time ever I had scored above 40.
Best of luck to you.
When do you plan on taking the GMAT?
31 Jul 2016, 06:17
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hey,
I'm no expert, and I haven't even written the exam yet, but I was in the same position as you when I started preparing.
I scored Quant 25 in my first practice test or something ridiculous like that, so I definitely understand how you feel about Quant. I haven't yet taken the exam (it's in less than a week) so take whatever I say with a grain of salt, but this is how I've been preparing for it.
My fundamentals were terrible. I didn't know how to approach a simple Word Problem or a Geometry question. The Manhattan Strategy guides really helped build my foundations in Math. I started with Algebra and worked through all the guides 1 by 1. The 1st time I skipped all the "Extra" and "Advanced" chapters and just did all the practice questions at the end of each session. I also did the corresponding "Easy" and "Medium" sets, with about 50-60% accuracy on the Medium ones. Once I finished that, I practice mixed problems on Magoosh, and eventually went back to the Strategy guides to work on the advanced sections and the "Hard" question sets. Manhattan definitely made my fundamentals extremely strong, from then I would atleast have an idea on how to tackle each problem, even if I didn't get it completely right, atleast my thinking was in the right direction.
Once the guides and all the question sets were done, I started doing mixed practice on Magoosh. The answer explanations and videos really teach you a lot of tips and tricks on how to tackle even the hardest questions. With this, I managed to score Q48 in my 1st CAT and Q49 in my second. I've been working on the GMAT Club practice tests since my first CAT.
This is just what worked for me, because Manhattan made me learn my concepts by doing "Non-GMAT" problems before I moved on to tackle actual GMAT ones. I also prefer learning by doing, so I found this to be extremely useful. If you are looking for a resource for Quant, pick up one of the books and give it a whirl. If you like it, you can always buy the others, if you don't you atleast get 6 free CATs to use!
Again, I'm no expert, and I haven't even written the exam yet, this is just based on my experience. Feel free to contact me if you need to know anything specific!
Good luck!
I'm no expert, and I haven't even written the exam yet, but I was in the same position as you when I started preparing.
I scored Quant 25 in my first practice test or something ridiculous like that, so I definitely understand how you feel about Quant. I haven't yet taken the exam (it's in less than a week) so take whatever I say with a grain of salt, but this is how I've been preparing for it.
My fundamentals were terrible. I didn't know how to approach a simple Word Problem or a Geometry question. The Manhattan Strategy guides really helped build my foundations in Math. I started with Algebra and worked through all the guides 1 by 1. The 1st time I skipped all the "Extra" and "Advanced" chapters and just did all the practice questions at the end of each session. I also did the corresponding "Easy" and "Medium" sets, with about 50-60% accuracy on the Medium ones. Once I finished that, I practice mixed problems on Magoosh, and eventually went back to the Strategy guides to work on the advanced sections and the "Hard" question sets. Manhattan definitely made my fundamentals extremely strong, from then I would atleast have an idea on how to tackle each problem, even if I didn't get it completely right, atleast my thinking was in the right direction.
Once the guides and all the question sets were done, I started doing mixed practice on Magoosh. The answer explanations and videos really teach you a lot of tips and tricks on how to tackle even the hardest questions. With this, I managed to score Q48 in my 1st CAT and Q49 in my second. I've been working on the GMAT Club practice tests since my first CAT.
This is just what worked for me, because Manhattan made me learn my concepts by doing "Non-GMAT" problems before I moved on to tackle actual GMAT ones. I also prefer learning by doing, so I found this to be extremely useful. If you are looking for a resource for Quant, pick up one of the books and give it a whirl. If you like it, you can always buy the others, if you don't you atleast get 6 free CATs to use!
Again, I'm no expert, and I haven't even written the exam yet, this is just based on my experience. Feel free to contact me if you need to know anything specific!
Good luck!
