30 Day GMAT Success 2nd Edition
Brandon Wu
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2010 Brandon Wu. All rights reserved
How I Scored 780 on the GMAT in 30 Days...
and How You Can Too!
2nd Edition
30 Day Books, California 2011.
30 Day GMAT Success is designed to be used alongside The Official Guide for GMAT Review, which author Brandon Wu recommends using to practice the most official questions available.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted, with the exception of a reviewer who may quote passages in a review, without written prior permission from the publisher.
For information, contact 30 Day Books, 661 South Edenfield Ave., California 91723.
http://www.30daybooks.com
The book includes personal experiences as well as information from several sources. It is published for general reference and is not intended to be a substitute for independent verification by readers when necessary or appropriate. The manuscript has been prepared with utmost care and diligence and every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information contained. However we assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or inconsistencies.
Edited by Laura Pepper
2nd Edition February 2011
ISBN: 978-0-9831701-1-2
GMAT Test Preparation 2. Business.
Table of contents
My 30 Day GMAT Story
I had a hard time deciding on a major in college. I have always been a big fan of video games, so I started college majoring in computer science in the hope of getting a job at a video game company as a software engineer. However, after two years of studying advanced mathematics and programming, I decided that the major was not for me. I was more interested in people, culture, and social interactions than in math and coding. During my junior year, I took various courses ranging from geography to film to try to figure out what was right for me. Finally, I decided on economics and really enjoyed all of my classes throughout my final two years of college.
After college, I started my professional life as a financial consultant in a foreign currency exchange company. Little did I know that the company was a disaster, and it lost two-thirds of my client’s money within a month. I left soon after learning more about the company’s shady practices, and decided to give video games another try. I joined Electronic Arts, the largest video game publisher at the time, as a tester. I was paid a measly $10 an hour, not much more than what you get paid to work at McDonald’s. Soon after I joined the company, I was promoted to lead a small team of testers and worked on a product that eventually became one of the most popular PC games of all time. I worked on a couple more projects before deciding it was time to accelerate my career by pursuing a graduate degree. Although I really enjoyed my job, my low salary was putting pressure on me. I applied for a master’s program in computer science at Carnegie Mellon University and learned in December 2004 that I had been accepted.
In January 2005, I took a vacation and spent a month in my hometown visiting family and old friends before school started. Many of my friends asked me what I planned to do next, and I told them that I would be starting a master’s program in computer science.
However, after answering that question a couple of times, I began to lose faith in my answer. Hadn’t I switched my major in college from computer science? Was computer science really the right choice for me? All of these thoughts flew through my mind and I ended up spending the majority of my vacation pondering my future. One day, as I was walking through the financial district, I realized that an infinite number of possibilities existed in the world of business. Why limit myself to video games and software? I started looking into business schools and decided that, instead of going to Carnegie Mellon for the Computer Science program, I would try to get into a business school.
It was February when I decided to apply to business schools, and the deadline for the last rounds of applications was early March. I had exactly one month to prepare the application, get recommendation letters, finish all of the essays, and take the GMAT. The earliest deadline for the schools to which I was applying was March 5th, so I registered to take the GMAT exactly one day before the deadline, on March 4th.
Early morning on test day, with my notebook in a small shoulder bag, I headed out to the test center in downtown San Francisco. I arrived 30 minutes before the start time, so I sat in front of the building to review my notebook. I remember seeing businessmen walking on the street, street vendors selling pretzels and hotdogs, and a couple of tourists trying to find their way to Union Square. What a fine day, I thought, and I had to take this test instead of enjoy the beautiful weather!
The computers in the test centers were old, and the monitors flickered during the entire test. When I finished the test, I saw the score on the screen and couldn’t believe my eyes. 780?! I was hoping for above 700, but never expected to get 780! I was on my way out of the test center when the administrator congratulated me. “Wow, you did really well!” she said. I was still in shocked and replied, “Oh, nah I did just OK…” Hah, I still remember the confused look on her face after I said that.
A couple of months later, I entered the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business with a tuition grant. My work experience was much shorter than the average, but my high GMAT score helped my application. The hard work that I had put in during the month that I had prepared for the GMAT had definitely paid off.
I wrote this book to share my unique experience with you, and to help others get a high score in a short amount of time.
Where Am I Now?
Fast-forward five years. I’m doing what I love, everyday.
Getting my MBA was the best investment I ever made in myself. It certainly opened doors for me and got me much closer to the kind of life I had always wanted. During the MBA program I secured a job at the Sony headquarters in Tokyo which I enjoyed immensely for three years. The knowledge and skills I gained in business school certainly got me there, and I was earning more than four times what I did prior to business school. After I met my wife inTokyo (yet another door that was opened for me) we decided to move back to California and I had saved enough money to follow my passion...
You guessed it. I’m back to making video games. But I’m no longer working for the man. I started my own studio, set my own hours, and I work anywhere I like without having to worry about a two hour plus commute each day.
I believe that acing the GMAT and getting into a great MBA program will bring your dreams closer too, and that should be at the forefront of your mind this month. If I can do it, you can too.
Best of luck!
~~~~~~~~~
The 5 GMAT Success Principles
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”.- Eleanor Roosevelt.
I would like to introduce you to the five success principles I believe you should follow in the coming month. GMAT is not rocket science, even though the current GMAT market would have you believe that is was! Rather than spending months glued to your books and thousands of dollars on the preparation, I believe that the following principles are 90% of what you need to succeed.
Success Principle 1 - Start with HOW, not WHAT
Many people came to me while I was in business school to ask for my help and advice after hearing the story of how I scored 780 after one month of studying. People would pay more than $100 dollars for an hour’s lesson and I became a GMAT tutor unintentionally.
After tutoring several students, I found that students in general had a pretty good idea of what the GMAT is, and possessed plenty of books containing all the things they needed to know. However they still struggled with the actual test and couldn't do well on it even after months and months of reading, studying, and taking practice tests. I found again and again that students would focus only on what to study, and this turned out to be counterproductive.
The way they were preparing the test wasn't working for them at all. I soon realized that what most students really needed was not piles and piles of study materials, but a solid, structured, and customized study plan that told them exactly HOW to study for the test.
I spent most of my time coaching my students on building a study plan that works best for them to improve the effectiveness of their studying time.
What sets the best GMAT test takers apart from the rest is HOW they study for the test. The people who score above 700 know the best way to study for the test. They aren't necessarily smarter, and they don't go to better schools than others. They just know how to study better than the rest of the people who struggle to produce good results from their hard work. This is especially important for people who are taking the test within a limited time frame. If you are taking the GMAT next month, you don't have time for trial and error, and you can't afford not to have a well-thought out study plan.
A good understanding of the most useful techniques, access to quality GMAT sample questions, and most important of all, a proven study plan to maximize the effectiveness of the studying are all you need to achieve your desired score on the GMAT.
This is why "30 Day GMAT Success" was created - to provide people with the first and third points, while letting the experts at GMAC offer the best and most authentic GMAT test questions available. Studying for the GMAT involves strategy, not just brains. Keep this in mind and study smart!
Success Principle 2 - Avoid Information Overload
If simply thinking about the GMAT is giving you a headache now, you certainly wouldn't want to live with a 6-month migraine pain.
I found out (accidentally) that it is much better to have your mind stay laser-focused for a shorter period of time than spreading your attention over a long period of time. It is much better to see improvement everyday for a month, than to feel frustrated with slow progress over 6 months. Students often find themselves dedicated, even excited, when first starting to study for the GMAT in the first few weeks. However after the initial "honeymoon" period, students begin to feel anxious, exhausted, and frustrated, especially with the realization that they still have to study and suffer for another 5-6 months.
I am not going to lie to you and say that studying for the GMAT is fun. You will get tired from it, and you will want to spend your time somewhere else other than sitting at the desk looking at Sentence Correction or Word Problems. With a prolonged study time, you can never really relax when you go out, and you can never really focus when you study. Worse even, by the time you finish studying at the end of the 6th month, you might forget what you learned in the first two months!
This is why I believe (and others are starting to discover) that it is much better to study for a shorter period of time. If you dedicate yourself to a one-month study plan, you can be much more focused, knowing that after this month you'll be able to go back to having a normal social life. And because all you do in this one month is study for the GMAT, your mind is less distracted and is constantly in the "GMAT mode", instead of switching between "GMAT" and all the other things that are happening in your life. When you enter the test center, you will retain the knowledge and information you gained within the month much better.
However, simply shortening your study time from 6 months to 1 month alone is not going to help either. With a shorter time frame, you need to avoid the pitfall of "information overload". You want your brain to remember the most important strategies and nothing more. Learning too many techniques actually reduces your chance of success because it is confusing and lacks focus. It is extremely important to keep things simple.
And this is exactly how 30 Day GMAT Success was created, by first giving you a study plan that lasts only 30 days to keep you sharp and focused, and secondly giving you only the most important techniques and strategies for the GMAT that worked for me. My brain can NEVER hold all the information from thick, 600-page books, and I don't expect students to be able to do that either. By keeping the book compact and focused, we can avoid information overflow and concentrate on the important part - to help you achieve your desired GMAT score next month.
Success Principle 3 - A Notebook is Your Best Friend!
Forget about iPhones, laptops, or online software, I believe that a simple notebook is the most important tool outside of studying materials. There is a reason why after countless technology revolutions and web 1.0, 2.0, 3.0...etc, the notebook is still the most trusted tool when it comes to learning. Studies have proven that writing things down helps you to remember them better. Visualization - seeing things on paper - is the best way for you to process the new information you are absorbing.
Besides improving your studies, the notebook serves another important purpose - to help you review and strengthen your weaknesses on the day of the test. Your notebook should be the only thing you bring to the test center on the test date. Do not bring all your study materials as they will only make you feel panicked and unsettle your state of mind. Just bring your notebook and let it do its magic. You need to know how to use this tool properly to maximize the value it brings to you. Here are a few points;
1. Write down only the things you found difficult to understand or to remember. Remember that "information overflow" is the enemy (see Principle 2), and that the last thing you want is to turn your notebook into another reference book. Keep it simple and effective.
2. Write clearly and write BIG. You need to be able to see your notes clearly to make it work. Visualization works best when the "visual" is clear and not clustered together. Don't worry about wasting paper or not have enough space to write. If you follow rule number 1, you'll be left with plenty of room for the important stuff.
3. Label each page with the section of the test the page is related to. If you write down notes on Sentence Correction, put a big "Sentence Correction" or "SC" at the top corner of the page so you know what the notes on a specific page is for. This helps you organize the information in your head and makes it easier to find particular notes.
4. Take the notebook with you as much as possible during this one month of studying. You want to be in the "GMAT mode" all the time, and having access to your notebook will remind you what you need to continue working on. It also makes sitting in the subway or waiting in line much more pleasant. You have one month to study for the GMAT, don't waste a minute!
5. Make notes on your existing notes. Don't be afraid to cross out existing notes or write over them. You will learn new things everyday and you might find better ways of doing certain types of questions. Personalize your notebook and make it uniquely yours!
You should keep it with you at all times when you are studying. It will be your best friend on test day!
Success Principle 4 - GMAT Correct Overrides Common Sense!
It is very important for you to understand the concept of "GMAT Correct". A correct answer on the GMAT could look very very wrong for people unfamiliar with the test. For example, compare the following two sentences taken from the Sentence Correction section.
"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been bought and read by millions of readers since it was first published in 1964. "
Vs.
"Millions of readers have enjoyed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory since it was first published in 1964."
Which one is "GMAT Correct"? At first glimpse, the first sentence might sound more professional, more eloquent. If you read it out loud, it also sounds quite natural, (this is particularly true for British English speakers whereby the passive tense is considered correct). However, the second sentence is actually the correct sentence in terms of GMAT correct, “has been” in the first sentence is in the passive voice and should be avoided in place of an active verb. This is one of the many sentence correction rules the GMAT sets forward.
You must forget what you see as ‘common-sense’ correct, and for one month only begin thinking like a GMAT tester. The list of GMAT idioms in this guide will help you to further understand this concept.
Success Principle 5 - Keep Your Motivation High - Remember Why You Want This.
Studying for the GMAT is hard work. It takes a lot of commitment, patience, focus and determination. Sometimes we aren’t going to feel pumped enough to sit down and study. There are days when we will think ‘what’s the point?”. Well, when studying for this important test, think about why you want to spend the energy, time, and money on getting a great score on the GMAT Keep this end goal in mind for your entire period of study.
It should be the first thing you think about when you wake up, the last thing you think about when you sleep, and you should remind yourself of it at least every hour that you study. Visualize every aspect of what you are hoping to achieve. Close your eyes. Visualize your ideal score on the computer screen in front of you. Imagine the emotions you would feel when this comes true. Imagine being in business school. All the amazing people you will suddenly have connections with, the opportunities that will automatically be presented to you. How do you feel? Enjoy that feeling.
Now envision where these opportunities could take you- the many paths that simply having an MBA and the network you achieved in business school could unfold for you. Even though preparing for the GMAT is a lot of hard work, remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel. And the tunnel is leading you to a much better place where you can fully enjoy your life and pursue your dreams. An MBA degree not only helps you financially, it also opens doors for you and gives you endless career possibilities.
Suddenly, the work you are putting in to your GMAT preparation no longer seems like such a waste of time does it?
If lack of confidence in yourself is what is hindering your motivation, this needs to change! Having confidence in your ability is just as important as your ability itself. This means that NO MATTER WHAT, you need to have faith in yourself. It is one of the best tools in your arsenal. It is free and it doesn’t take much effort. Simply raise the belief in yourself, and you will study more efficiently and confidently.
~~~~~~~~~
Introduction:The GMAT
Congratulations! You have decided to take the time to learn how to master one of the most important tests that you will ever face in your life, the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). The GMAT is designed to measure how successful one will be in business school. Business schools use the results of the GMAT, along with recommendation letters, essays, and other application materials, when making decisions on admitting applicants to their MBA programs. The test is administered on a computer in North America. In some areas of the world outside of North America, it is a paper-based test given at test centers.
The fee to take the test is $250 regardless of where you are taking it. You can schedule a GMAT online at http://www.mba.com/. The GMAT evaluates the verbal, math, and writing skills that you have developed through your educational and professional experiences. The GMAT does not measure your business knowledge or professional skills, nor does it measure other skills such as creativity, motivation, and interpersonal skills.
The GMAT is designed to allow a person who does not have English as his or her first language to still perform well. That said, it may not always reflect accurately the abilities of a person whose first language is not English.
Registration
You can register online at MBA.com and pay your registration fee by credit card, or you may call one of the following numbers to schedule an appointment at a test center: (correct at time of going to press)
North Americas
Telephone (toll-free within the U.S. & Canada only):
1-800-717-GMAT(4628)
Telephone: 1-952-681-3680 (not toll-free)
Victoria, British Columbia
Telephone: 1-866-442-GMAT(4628)
South America
Telephone: +1 410 843 8160
Asia Pacific
Telephone: +603 8318-9961
Southeast Asia
Telephone: +60 3 467 8610
India
Telephone: +91 (0) 120 439 7830
China
Telephone: +68 10 62 798877
Taiwan
Telephone: +886 2 369 1154
Europe/Middle East/Africa
Telephone: +44 (0) 161 855 7219
Australia
Telephone: +61 2 9478 5430
New Zealand
Telephone: +61-2-9323-5555
GMAT scores are valid at most institutions in the country for up to five years from the date that you took the exam.
Test Structure
The GMAT is divided into three sections: the Analytical Writing Assessment, the Quantitative Section, and the Verbal Section.
The exam starts with the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA). You need to write two different types of articles, an Analysis of an Issue and an Analysis of an Argument. You have 30 minutes to write each article.
The Quantitative Section starts after an optional ten-minute break and contains 37 multiple-choice questions. You have 75 minutes to complete this section. The questions are categorized into two groups: Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency. We will talk about both types of questions in more detail.
The Verbal Section starts after another optional ten-minute break, and contains 41 multiple-choice questions. You have 75 minutes to complete this section. The questions are categorized into three groups: Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction. We’ll also talk about these questions in detail.
Analytical Writing Assessment
This section consists of two essays, an Analysis of an Issue and an Analysis of an Argument. You have 30 minutes to finish each essay, and you are marked on a scale from 0 to 6. Two readers read an essay and grade it in half-point (0.5) increments. If the two scores from the readers are within one point of each other, then the average of the two is used. If a more than one-point difference exists, then a third reader grades the essay.
Now, when we talk about readers, we are not only talking about humans. The first reader is Intellimetric, a computer program that analyzes your writing and syntax abilities. The second and, if needed, third readers are humans who evaluate the quality of your ideas, your organizational ability, and how you develop and express your ideas.
The evaluators understand that English is not always the first language for test takers, and minor errors and mistakes are often expected. There is no need to worry about your essay being grammatically perfect. You will also find that most of the business schools that you apply to do not care much about this portion of the test. For them, the verbal and quantitative sections are the most important. Therefore, focus the majority of your preparation time on these two sections.
Quantitative Section
This section contains 37 multiple-choice questions and you have 75 minutes to complete the entire section. You will find two types of questions: Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency. You can score between 0 and 60 points on this section.
Problem Solving
This type of question measures your quantitative reasoning ability (arithmetic, algebra, and geometry) by presenting a series of multiple-choice problems in either plain math format form or more complex word / sentence form. Sometimes, the questions use diagrams, but be careful as they are not always drawn to scale.
Data Sufficiency
Data Sufficiency questions test your ability to analyze and identify the information required to solve a quantitative problem. It starts with a question and two statements that contain information related to the question. You have to decide whether the two statements are sufficient to solve the question. The answers to this type of question are always presented as follows.
* Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) is not sufficient.
* Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) is not sufficient.
* BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
* EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
* Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Verbal Section
The verbal section contains 41 multiple-choice questions and you have 75 minutes to complete this section. You will find three types of questions: Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction. You can score between 0 and 60 points in this section.
Sentence Correction
This part of the test focuses on correct expression (grammar and structure) and effective expression (clarity and concision), and evaluates your grammar and logic skills, and ability to craft an effective sentence. The questions consist of a sentence and five associated answers. You choose the best way to restructure the sentence to express the same meaning, and you want to choose the answer that creates the clearest and most exact sentence without changing its meaning.
Critical Reasoning
Critical Reasoning questions test your reasoning skills. Understanding the logic behind the assumptions and conclusions is crucial for these questions, as is your skill in evaluating the strengths and weakness of the argument. For some of the questions, you may find that more than one answer is correct, and you need to select the “best” answer out of all of the “correct” answers.
Reading Comprehension
This section tests your ability to read critically and answer questions related to the passages presented. The passages are on a range of topics, from sociology and sciences, to business. The questions test how well you understand the passage and the information presented. No specific knowledge about the topics is required to answer the questions.
Typically, passages in this section are up to 350 words, with three or more questions based on their content. This section evaluates your ability to:
Understand expressions, statements, and sometimes quantitative concepts in the passages;
Understand the logic and arguments presented in the passages; and
Infer facts and statements based on the information contained in the passages.
Your Score
Now we come to what really matters: your score. Your GMAT score is calculated from the quantitative and verbal sections, and does not include the Analytical Writing Assessment section. Your score will fall between 200 and 800.
Questions are dynamically selected as you take the test. The GMAT is called a computer-adaptive test, as it uses your answers to questions to determine the next questions to present to you, allowing you to obtain a score that reflects the level of difficulty of the questions that you answer correctly. If you answer a question correctly, the next question will be harder. If you answer a question incorrectly, the next question will be easier. The strategy here is to spend a little more time on the earlier questions so that the system places you at a higher rank, and continues to give you harder questions. This will, in the end, give you a better chance of getting higher scores.
REMEMBER TO SPEND MORE TIME ON THE EARLIER QUESTIONS!
An important thing to remember that cannot be stressed enough is:
LEAVING A QUESTION BLANK WILL HURT YOUR SCORE MORE THAN IF YOU ANSWER A QUESTION INCORRECTLY!
This is very important to remember. The GMAT is not like the SAT, which has a penalty for answering questions incorrectly. Always guess if you don’t know the answer to a question, or if you are pressed for time.
Retaking the Test
If you need to retake the GMAT, you may do so once every 31 calendar days and no more than five times within a 12-month period.
~~~~~~~~~
Study Schedule
Let’s take a look at how we will efficiently use the time you have to study over the next 30 days. The goal of this study schedule is to help you plan your preparation to make the best use of your limited time. I will keep everything simple, short, and easy to digest. Information overflow is never efficient or effective, and reading a lot of words doesn’t mean that you are absorbing what you need to know.
I also recommend allocating 3-4 hours a day for your GMAT studies if possible. I studied four hours a day when I was preparing for the GMAT, and I strongly recommend that you try to study for at least four hours a day. Of course, this might be unrealistic with your current job and other commitments. But try to spend at least three hours a day studying. With only 30 days to prepare, this intense study is necessary. Decide on how much time each day you can spend studying and set aside a fixed period during the day for this. You should be studying roughly at the same time each day to help you stay focused and on schedule with your study plan. Use a stop timer to make sure that you put in the amount of time that you have committed to.
What Else You Need
1) Official GMAT Guide. Try to practice with official questions as much as possible. Although questions from other sources may be good, using the official questions will:
* Help you understand exactly what to expect on test day.
* Help you focus on real questions from past exams by reducing information overflow.
You won’t find many practice questions in this book. I see little value in trying to emulate these questions or to create “GMAT-style” questions here when you can get authentic questions directly from the source that creates the actual GMAT questions. Instead, we will focus on planning your study schedule and on what you need to learn. I recommend the three official GMAT books. You should get the first one. Then, decide whether you need more practice and get the other two.
* The Official Guide for GMAT Review
* The Official Guide for GMAT Verbal Review
* The Official Guide for GMAT Quantitative Review
2) A notebook, preferably one with a calendar. This is one of the most important tools that you will use throughout your preparation. Find a notebook that is easy for you to write in and easy to carry around, as it will be central to your studying. Make sure to get a notebook that you like because you will spend the entire month with it. It will also be the most important test preparation material that you bring to the test center on test day. I recommend that you find a larger notebook so that you can write clearly; a larger notebook will also be easier to read.
3) A stop timer. This serves two purposes:
* Measures your test taking time;
* Keeps you on schedule with your study plan and makes sure that you are putting in enough hours both studying and getting rest.
4) Relaxation tools. Video games, TV/DVD/Blu-ray, hot baths, etc. Anything that can help you relax within 30 to 60 minutes. You will need some kind of entertainment tool to help you relax during this one month. Non-stop studying without taking a break will result in diminishing returns on your efforts. Get yourself a relaxation tool as a reward for completing sections of your preparation.
5) Determination. Determination. Determination! The GMAT is not easy, and even if you have all of the help that the world has to offer, you still need to put in the hours studying for it. Starting today for one month, all of the books that you read should be related to the GMAT, and the only information that you absorb into your head should be related to the GMAT. Give up your social life for the next four weekends, turn off your cell phone, and forget about watching TV everyday. This will be one of the toughest months of your life. You will live and breathe the GMAT. You will get tired and feel stressed. But when you come out of the test center one month later, you will thank yourself for making these sacrifices. Committing yourself to prepare for the GMAT this month will be one of the best investments that you make in yourself. A high GMAT score opened a wealth of opportunities for me, both in terms of career and self-growth. And it can do the same for you!
Everyone is different and so should his or her study plans be. To customize a study plan for you, I have structured the book into several parts. You will jump back and forth among chapters and study according to the study plan we create together.
DO NOT READ THIS BOOK FROM THE FIRST PAGE TO THE LAST!
Follow the instructions and study accordingly.
There is also a bonus Mind and Body section at the end of the book to help keeping you mentally and physically strong for the tough month ahead. Preparing for the GMAT is not only a challenge on your intelligence, but also on your mind and body. You need to pay careful attention to them during this period to make sure you are in the best shape possible for the test!
Phase I - Self Evaluation
Here is the schedule for phase 1 - the first 10 days of the month. The group names will make sense to you later on in the chapter.
DAY 1
My first mistake when preparing for the GMAT was not knowing what to study. Like most people, on the first day of studies, I opened a study guide and started reading. At the end of that day, I felt clueless and lost, and had no idea what I had just learned and what I should study the next day.To avoid confusion and wasting time, let’s first define our direction before starting our journey.
Before you do any studying, take a practice test today. The goal here is not to get a high score – great if you do, but that’s not the point. The goal here is to find out your weaknesses. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. You may already be good at parts of the test and need more time preparing for other parts. Today, the goal is to identify what you find most difficult and plan your study accordingly. This will maximize your study return on investment (ROI). Don’t worry about not knowing anything about the GMAT yet. The more problems and difficulties that we can identify today, the better. So get out your stop timer and the Official GMAT Guide, set aside 75 minutes for the verbal section and 75 minutes for the math section, turn off your cell phone, and find a place where you will not be interrupted.
Constructing the Test
If the practice question material you have contains fully constructed tests, you can skip this paragraph. The Official GMAT Guide series of books (which I recommend using for your practice questions) have many practice questions but do not come with full tests, and you will need to construct full sets of practice tests yourself with the questions supplied in these books. It’s fairly straightforward - simply pick the number of questions according to the test structure:
37 Quantitative questions:
* 24-25 Problem Solving questions
* 13-14 Data Sufficiency questions
41 Verbal questions:
* 14-15 Sentence Correction questions
* 4 paragraphs - 12-14 Reading Comprehension questions
* 14-15 Critical Reasoning questions