5 ways to improve your GMAT score - Part 5/5 - Create an error log

Create an error log (data base of questions where you went wrong in)

After doing a test, collect the questions which you went wrong in. Revise the incorrect questions once a week. See if you can recollect the errors and the right approach. In my 12 years of experience, some students would collect at least 1,500 questions and went over them the week leading up to the exam.

Feel free to ping me with your GMAT queries

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5 ways to improve your GMAT score- Part 4/5

4. Develop speed.

Month 1 of your preparation: Work on developing accuracy by doing un-timed section tests. Evaluate the sections and work on the weak areas. Review the type of errors , which you repeat. Recapitulate the weaker sections and practice questions specific to them. This will help you retain and recall the necessary strategy much more naturally.

Month 2 of your preparation: focus on speed. Do timed tests. Develop your reasoning skills.Try various strategies like substituting the answer options/ plugging in numbers/ eliminating options. Especially when the question is too tedious and lengthy to work out or when you have insufficient data.

Feel free to ping, if you need a GMAT study plan

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5 ways to improve your GMAT score - Part 3/5

3. To ace the Quantitative section, work on math reasoning also

It is imperative that you know an array of basic math concepts, like, difference of squares, number properties, rules of divisibility, Venn diagrams, and combinatorics. To perform well, however, you need to far surpass basic competency in using these concepts. You need to be able to recognize patterns, hypothesize and check inequalities/equations, diagram complex problems, develop a sense for numbers (understanding numbers and their relationships) and visualize your calculations and methodologies freely. So work on building math concepts and math reasoning parallely.

5 ways to improve your GMAT score - Part 1/5

1. Work on un-timed and timed practice tests

Practice exercises to highlight your strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to work on specific areas, skills . Master the question types, which you find most difficult.

Work on un-timed section tests to improve your accuracy.
Focus on accuracy first. Give yourself as much time as possible to come up with the answer on your own. You are bound to remember and recall the strategy required for that question-type much easily.

Then, work on timed sections tests to develop speed.

Take periodic full length tests and track your performance. Adequate number of full length tests is required to build what I would like to call “exam stamina”. Exam pressure/tension/nervousness drains your mental energy faster, therefore you need to do numerous un-interrupted tests to raise your capacity to maintain focus throughout the duration of the exam. hashtag#GMAT, hashtag#GMATprep, hashtag#GMATpreperation hashtag#MBAabroad, hashtag#MBAprep hashtag#MBA

5 ways to improve your GMAT score - Part 2/5

2. Do extra - extra reading

GMAT verbal section asks you to read and analyze short and long complex passages, It is imperative you familiarize yourself with a variety of texts.

Reading articles on the humanities, business, law, and the natural and social sciences will help you better understand subjects and vocabulary relevant to GMAT .

Useful articles can be found in the New York Times, Nature, The Atlantic, and New Yorker. Academic journals aren’t a bad place to go, either.

Create a log book. Enter the words, which you encounter for the first time. Understand the words properly instead of being satisfied with a partial/vague understanding of them. It is crucial to develop an extensive vocabulary, so that you can use the right word in the right context.

Feel free to ping me if you have queries regarding GMAT/MBA prep..

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GMAT preparation tips - 5 tips to keep in mind

 

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What is your reading style? Different content different styles.

For GMAT preparation, which style would be effective?

English is interesting

 

5 tips to keep in mind while you prepare for the GMAT

Aiming for 650+ in the GMAT focus edition?

In the  in the first attempt?

If yes, keep in mind these 5 tips while preparing

1.Be realistic

Take a GMAT diagnostic test. If your score is 300 - 400, set a target of a 100 point jump in 2-3 months. Once u reach 500+ then aim for a 50 point jump in 1 month.

If you get a 300 in your diagnostic test, then aiming for a 200 point jump in a few weeks is tough.

Set small term goals. Achieve them. Then move on to the next goal.  

Make study goals like “I will do 20 questions daily”. Make goals specific and doable.

2.Be consistent

10 hours of study spaced out over 5 days is more effective than 20 hours of study in 2 days. Aim to be consistent.  Study daily for an hour or 2. Don’t cram yourself with concepts.

Accumulation of small wins over many days is the mantra.

Repetition of concepts to helps you to  solidify the basics.

3.Focus on high quality study vs high volume study

A "high quality study" refers to a study with rigorous methodology, prioritizing accuracy and reliability of results, while a "high volume study" refers to a study that involves mindlessly doing a large number of questions without  trying to learn from mistakes. Essentially, a high quality study aims for deep, well grounded insights while a high volume study aims for broad coverage.

High quality GMAT prep involves

• following a structured study plan
• In-depth study of concepts. Repeated revisions of concepts/rules
• Developing strategies or following recommended ones for each question type
• Repeated testing - sections-wise tests/mock tests
• Identifying weak areas and making a remedial plan

Feel free to approach a GMAT tutor if you find the preparation overwhelming.

My contact link is here:

LinkedIn profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeanand/

Facebook learning group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/semanticsGMAT/

GMAT course details: https://semanticslearning.com/gmat/

4.Focus on time management

Time management requires discipline.

While preparing for exam - Study 1 or 2hrs daily for 1 month or more.Setting daily study targets and having a dedicated time for practice will help you ace the GMAT.

While taking the exam- The first 5 questions take 20 minutes. The next 5 questions take 15 minutes. The remaining questions take 10 minutes.  This time split will ensure that you spend maximum time answering the initial questions. This will ensure a high score.

5. Lean to tackle test anxiety

Few tips to tackle test anxiety

1. Start your GMAT prep early. - This gives you ample time to lay a sound foundation.

2. Over-prepare- Work on hard level questions, so that you can tackle any question type. Do timed tests. So that you can learn to manage time and not get stressed when u see the timer.

3. Do as many as mock tests as you can.Prepare yourself thoroughly, try to complete a practice test in the same conditions you will experience during the real thing.

4. Try breathing or mindfulness exercises -One simple exercise you can try is breathing in through your nose for the count of four, holding your breath for a count of seven. Exhaling slowly for a count of eight. Repeat a few times. Deep breathing is a simple way to deal with test anxiety

5. Talk to a coach/tutor. Experienced tutors would have helped other students overcome test anxiety with effective tips

6. Go to the test centre early. Be mindfull of what you eat and drink that day.

Happy Learning

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How to get over math anxiety , while preparing for GMAT

 

Having a “math attack”?

Math anxiety:

Also known as numerophobia or arithmophobia, this is an anxiety disorder that makes it difficult to do math problems or work with numbers. It can cause people to feel tense and worry about their math abilities, even if they are strong. Some causes of math anxiety include feeling pressured to answer quickly or taking an exam.

 
How do we get over this anxiety?

 

Let’s get one thing straight

 “Doing math” and “Understanding math” are not the same..

 If you are preparing for competitive exams like GRE or GMAT, you will need to ace the math section to get a high score in the exam.

 If you have a non-math background, then your journey towards acing the math section is going to be tedious.

 The problem

Every math sum seems different.

You might be able to recall the formula, but you might be confused about how to apply the formula in the sum.

 Solution: How to study math

How will you study math, so that you can ace this section?

My 2 cents.

While working on math,you need to focus on two things..

1. Procedural fluency

2. Conceptual understanding

Procedural fluency builds on a foundation of conceptual understanding, strategic reasoning and problem-solving.

 To solve each sum, you need to follow a procedure

Once you do many sums, you will need to remember many procedures. So taking notes will help.

You need to make a note of the formulae and also make a note of the procedure

  Let’s take a sum

 In a cricket tournament, George scored 50,65,75 and 30 runs in the first four games. To qualify for the next round, he must average 56 for the 5 games. What is the least he should score in his final game to qualify?

 Most students will solve this problem like this..

 Step 1: recall a formula

Average runs=  total runs scored / number of games played

Total runs = average runs x number of games

 Step 2: Target total score for the 5 games =  5 x 56 = 280 runs

 Step 3: Find George’s score for 4 games = 50+65+75+30 = 220 runs

 Step 4: Find the minimum runs  required for the 5^th game = 280-220 = 60 runs

 You need to recall the formula, then you need to prepare a mental road map on how you will solve the problem. After that then start the calculation.

 If you follow this way of ‘math thinking’, then you have procedural fluency.

 As a student with a non-math background, focus on developing procedures like this for each chapter. If you remember these procedures before the exam date, then there is a high probability, you will ace the math section.

 If you are finding it difficult to develop procedures like this.. feel free to ping me. We can have a discussion.

  My contact link is here:

LinkedIn profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeanand/

 

Another approach to solve this problem:

 Without using procedures and just with conceptual understanding you can solve the sum.

 Let’s take the same sum

 In a cricket tournament, George scored 50,65,75 and 30 runs in the first four games. To qualify for the next round, he must average 56 for the 5 games. What is the least he should score in his final game to qualify?

 The concept for the sum above is ‘average’.

 You can compare George Runs with the required mean and understand the following

  Target mean = 56

George scored 50. That means his score is 6 less than the mean. I.e. 50-56 =-6

George scored 65. That means his score is 9 more than the mean. I.e. 65-56 =+9

George scored 75. That means his score is 19 more than the mean. I.e. 75-56 =+19

George scored 30. That means his score is 26 less than the mean. I.e. 30-56 =-26

 Adding the results = -6+9+19-26 = -4

The average of the first 4 games is 4 less than the total average.

So

The runs scored in the last game should be 4 more than the average.

Hence runs scored in the last game is 56+4 = 60.

 

The first approach involves procedures.

The second approach involves conceptual understanding without procedures.

 The second approach saves time. Ideal for competitive exams.

 

So if you have a non-math back ground, I as a math tutor will first teach you approach 1, then teach approach 2. So you will be exposed to both thinking styles.

 When we work on more sums like the one discussed above, you will gain the ability to devise multiple solution strategies rather than follow a standard procedure.

 In this way, you will understand math rather than just do math..

  If you need help in test preparation, Feel free to ping me..

My contact link is here:

LinkedIn profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeanand/

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https://www.facebook.com/groups/semanticsGMAT/

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