Will Latin help me score higher on the GMAT?

Question

Hi I will enter my Junior year next fall at the undergrad level.
Personally, my weakest point in any standarized test is my vocabulary. It is what I struggle with the most.

So I was planning on taking a quarter or 2 of Latin. Will Latin help me at all in the Verbal section? How big of a factor is vocab in the GMAT?

topher · Answer

I doubt it. Maybe only very very marginally. The GMAT isn't a vocabulary intensive test. The GRE is, and when I took the SAT (under the old 1600 system), it was as well. But for GMAT I've yet to come across a word I didn't know the meaning of. I would say they use simpler words than normal college-level vocabulary, so if you are going to do Latin just for the GMAT, my advice is don't.

ssk13809 · Answer

The GRE is? That's a test I might end up taking as well.

But on the GMAT, having a strong vocab doesn't really help much? Or actually in my case, having a weak vocab doesn't really hurt too much?

topher · Answer

Well don't quote me on the GRE thing, but I believe it is. On the GMAT, a strong vocabulary won't help you. I took a practice test yesterday and I can't really think of one word that any normal college student wouldn't have known. GMAT "advanced" words are things like "significance," "acquire," "presuppose," "deleterious," or "endeavor." While you're reading, it doesn't even register that a word is difficult. I guess "deleterious" might be a somewhat more advanced word, but reading it in context would help you figure out the meaning even if you didn't know it.

I remember SAT "advanced" words were words you had never seen in your entire life outside of the test like polyglot, august (not the month), natatorium, shibboleth, or whatever. You don't need to know these.

My previous list is representative of advanced GMAT words. Trust me, strong vocab won't help much.

ssk13809 · Answer

That's good to know. So what makes the verbal section so hard then? I know the SAT verbal section was hard because of the vocabulary for me. And I know everyone considers the GMAT verbal section much tougher. Why is this? I mean, there is no hard vocab.

Av · Answer

The verbal section is very difficult for most test takers, but the vocabulary isn't the challenge. The verbal portion of the exam tests 3 areas: Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction.

Although I haven't taken the GRE, I remember people studying GRE vocabulary lists when I was still in undergrad. Vocabulary on the GMAT should be a non-issue for most native English speakers.

topher · Answer

Since it looks like you aren't going to be taking the test any time soon, just download the GMATPrep software and try taking an exam to see what it's like. Asking all these questions is like asking a bunch of questions before playing basketball. You need to experience it to really know.

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Will Latin help me score higher on the GMAT?

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