How to Prep in 14 Days (If You Absolutely MUST)

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How to Prep in 14 Days (If You Absolutely MUST)

文章upl » 2009-12-05 21:53

Stacey is a GMAT Instructor living in Montreal. Click here to read more articles from Manhattan GMAT and to learn more about Manhattan GMAT's classes.


We’ve got a guest author this week, Chris Ryan, Director of both Instructor Development and Product Development at ManhattanGMAT. (In other words, a GMAT god. :) )

Here’s what Chris has to say about how to prep for the GMAT in 14 days – as long as you promise that you’re only doing this because you really don’t have any other choice!

You are under the gun. Maybe you’re on a waitlist, and the school wants a retake. Or you really need to apply this round, and you’ve been putting off the GMAT – but now you’re facing the music.
How do you prepare to take the GMAT in just 2 weeks?

Let me clearly state that more time would be much better. You can’t just “cram” for the GMAT, because you’re not just learning facts; you’re learning skills, and skills take time.

“That’s fine,” you say, “but my situation is this: I need to take the exam in 14 days. What should I be doing? Oh, and by the way – I’m still working during the week.”

Okay, I see you’re in a bind. So let’s lay out a detailed plan, starting on a Sunday. Give me 2 hours per weekday and 6 hours per weekend day. For simplicity’s sake, I’ll assume you’ve got these materials:

* The Official Guide (collectively, the 11th edition and the Quant and Verbal Supplements)
* The 8 Strategy Guides from ManhattanGMAT
* Access to ManhattanGMAT online materials, including our 6 adaptive tests
* The 2 GMATPrep practice exams, downloadable from mba.com (or sent to you on CD)
* A physical stopwatch with lap functionality

The Big Picture:

* Day 1: Take a practice test and analyze it.
* Days 2-6: Plug the holes in your biggest weaknesses.
* Day 7: Solidify those plugs and also do random timing drills.
* Day 8: Take another practice test and analyze it, in order to figure out where you’ll invest time and where you’ll cut your losses during the actual exam.
* Day 9-10: Plug some more holes but also work your strengths.
* Day 11: Take part of a third practice test and analyze it.
* Day 12-13: Drill a bit more and get ready for exam day.
* Day 14: Take the real exam!

Day 1 (Sunday, 6 hours):
1. Do a ManhattanGMAT practice test, timed.

Never pause the test, but do take two 8-minute breaks, the first between the 2nd essay and the quant section and the second between the quant and verbal sections.
2. Take a significant break (at least one hour)

Get lunch, take a walk, etc.
3. Review the test thoroughly – more thoroughly than you might want to.

This step is critical; in fact, you probably won’t finish today. I’m erring on the side of detail, so that you take this review seriously. You might think it’s overkill, but it’s precisely what the doctor ordered: you need to know what you know. And you need to redo problems. Here’s a link to another article that discusses overall review of practice test statistics (though note that you’ll need to cut down on some steps, because you don’t have a lot of time).

a) Review the problem lists from start to finish. Use the article to help you do this.

b) Turn every math problem into a flashcard. That is, rewrite the problem on one side of a 3x5 index card. On the back, put the best solution for you – something you can do fast, easily and accurately. Also note down the following:

* Topic(s) (any ways you would classify the problem)
* Alternative solutions, if only in outline
* Guessing strategies, as you would be able to apply them on this problem
* Traps and tricks built into the problem
* Takeaways (lessons, warnings, "so-what's")

Put a star on the front of any card you feel you should review later; this might include hard problems that you missed or problems you think you know… but you made a careless mistake.

c) Do the following in-depth review of any Sentence Correction problem that you got wrong or that took you longer than 1 minute and 30 seconds.

* Write the problem number and “Test #1” on the front of a flashcard (but don’t put down the whole problem)
* On the back of the flashcard, jot down the major and minor topics from the problem list. Next, write out the full sentence with the correct answer embedded.
* Note down the splits (the sets of variations among the answer choices). For instance, imagine that choices A, B, and D say “assume,” but C and E say “assumes.” Then you write "assume/assumes" as one split.
* For each split, underline or circle the correct option, and explain why. In this example, if the subject of the verb is the noun “president,” you might write something like this: “assume / assumes – subject (“president”) is singular”
* Finally, determine the most efficient approach to the problem - which splits to use first.
* Star any problem that you want to return to later.

d) Do the following in-depth review of any Critical Reasoning problem that you got wrong or that took you longer than 2 minutes and 15 seconds.

* Write the problem number and “Test #1” on the front of a flashcard (but don’t put down the whole problem).
* On the back of the flashcard, jot down the category of problem (e.g., Find the Assumption). Next, write down the best notes that you could have taken while reading the argument – notes that would have captured the gist of the argument within a minute, and that would have been relatively easy for you to take.
* Explain why each answer choice is right or wrong, in just a few words on the back of the card.
* Star any problem that you want to return to later.

e) Do the following in-depth review of any Reading Comprehension problem that you got wrong or that took you more than 1 minute and 30 seconds (factoring out the time to read the passage).

* Again, write the problem number and “Test #1” on the front of a flashcard.
* On the back of the flashcard, jot down the topic of the passage and the type of question (as detailed in the problem list). As you did for Critical Reasoning, write down the best notes that you could have taken while reading the passage – notes that would have captured the gist of the passage in 2-3 minutes, and that would have been relatively easy for you to take.
* For specific questions, write down the key words from the question that link to the passage. Write down the “proof sentence” from the passage that contains the answer to the question.
* For all questions, explain why each answer choice is right or wrong, in just a few words.
* Star any problem that you want to return to later.

f) Finally, run the assessment reports on your practice test. These reports will tell you how well you did (accuracy, speed, difficulty) by problem format and topic. Use the article link from above to help you do this, too.

You might ask, why not just run these assessment reports and be done with the analysis? The answer is that doing an analysis isn’t just printing out results. By redoing all these problems, categorizing them, reworking the solutions, etc. , you will become much more aware of your true weaknesses and strengths. Moreover, you will be making progress in the limited time you have.
Day 2 (Monday, 2 hours):
1. Finish the analysis of your practice test.
2. Using this analysis, prioritize your work.

a) For the math, go through the Table of Contents in each of our 5 math Strategy Guides. Classify each topic (chapter heading) in one of the following 3 categories.

* High Priority
o You missed the most questions, or
o You took way too long, or
o You had no idea how to approach the problems, or
o The average difficulty level was low.
* Medium Priority
* Low Priority

Force yourself to give approximately equal numbers of A’s, B’s, and C’s.

b) For the verbal, first prioritize the 3 formats (Sentence Correction, Critical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension) by looking at your accuracy, your speed and your comfort level with each format.

Go through the Table of Contents in the Sentence Correction Strategy Guide and prioritize the topics as A, B, or C. Do the same for Critical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. In addition, prioritize the following 4 general topics in Reading Comprehension (physical science; biological science; social science/history; business).
3. Pick one A-level math topic – the one that worries you the most.

Read the Strategy Guide on this topic and do 3 In-Action problems at the end of the chapter (pick some low-numbered and some high-numbered). Also do 3 Problem Solving (1 easy, 1 medium, 1 hard) and 3 Data Sufficiency problems from the Official Guide on this topic. First, do these problems timed, using your stopwatch. Stop after each problem and if necessary, make a detailed flashcard of it, using the instructions above. Star any problem that you’d like to revisit.
Days 3-6 (Tuesday-Friday, 8 hours total):

1. Hit each of the other A-level math topics in the same way.
2. Do all A-level Sentence Correction topics in much the same way: read the Strategy Guide, do 5 In-Action problems of varying difficulties and up to 6 Official Guide problems.
3. Read Chapters 1-3 of the Critical Reasoning Strategy Guide. Do 3 In-Action problems from each of the first 2 chapters. Read the chapter on one of the A-level topics and do 3 In-Action problems from that chapter, under timed conditions. Finally, do 3 Official Guide problems related to that topic, again under timed conditions (stopping after each problem).
4. Read Chapters 1-5 of the Reading Comprehension Strategy Guide. In Chapter 6, pick one passage that has a topic you don’t like. Do the passage and the associated questions under timed conditions (not stopping after each problem).
5. For any verbal problem that gives you trouble, do the same review steps that you did for the practice test.

Day 7 (Saturday, 6 hours):

1. Math: Deal yourself a set of 10 random flashcards and do them over again under non-stop timed conditions. Use the Official Guide Stopwatch on our website to time yourself on a longer set like this. Fix your flashcards if necessary. Deal yourself another set of 10 and do the same thing again.
2. Revisit the starred math flashcards and redo each one.
3. Do two random sets (one Problem Solving, one Data Sufficiency) of 6-8 new Official Guide questions, i.e. questions that you haven’t seen. Start in the middle of the OG numbering, and do the problems in order without skipping any. Do each set timed, using the OG Stopwatch. Review every problem and make flashcards of any that gave you trouble.
4. Take a significant break (at least one hour).
5. Redo 10-15 Sentence Correction problems, using your flashcards to deal yourself a random set.
6. Revisit any starred verbal flashcards and redo each one.
7. Do one random set of 10 new Sentence Correction problems from the Official Guide. Review as before.
8. Do one random set of 6 new Critical Reasoning problems from the Official Guide. Review as before.
9. Do one random Reading Comprehension passage and the associated problems from the Official Guide. Review as before.
10. Relax and get some sleep!

Day 8 (Sunday, 6 hours):

1. Take another practice exam. This time, it will be a GMATPrep exam. You don’t get the analytics from GMATPrep, but you get problems retired from the real GMAT: those problems are worth the lack of analytics. Time yourself on each question, though, using your stopwatch’s lap functionality.
2. Take a significant break (at least one hour).
3. Analyze the test generally as before, except that you should go more quickly. Also, you won’t be able to run assessment reports. Be sure not to end the session in GMATPrep, so that you can continue to revisit the problems.
4. Reprioritize your A's, B’s and C’s (remember: you must have equal numbers of each!).
5. For each A-level topic, determine whether a little more work will help you nail down an approach. If so, then put in more time right now with the Strategy Guides and the Official Guide. If not, then come up with your “game-day” strategy: when the actual GMAT gives you a problem like this, how will you eliminate some choices, take a shot and move on quickly?

Day 9-10 (Monday-Tuesday, 4 hours):

1. If you still have A-level topics left, finish those. Then, hit 3-4 of the math B-level topics: skim the chapter, skip the In-Action problems, and do 3 Official Guide problems.
2. Do 3 Official Guide problems from a math C-level topic, under timed conditions.
3. Do two random sets (one Problem Solving, one Data Sufficiency) of 6-8 new Official Guide questions, as before.
4. Go through 2 of the Sentence Correction B-level topics quickly. Do 3-5 Official Guide problems in each of those topics.
5. Do one random set of 10 new Sentence Correction problems from the Official Guide.
6. Likewise, do one random set of 6-8 Critical Reasoning problems from the OG, and do one additional Reading Comprehension passage.

Day 11 (Wednesday, 2 hours):

1. Take one section only of a ManhattanGMAT practice test. Choose either math or verbal, whichever area is your weakest.
2. Analyze that section, as before, and pick 1 super-high-priority topics to go back to in that section. These topics are ones that you feel you can fix with just a little more work. Do not pick the hardest thing. Also pick 1 super-high-priority topic from the area that you did not do (eg, if you did a math section of the test and picked 1 math topic as a result, then also pick a verbal topic that you think you could fix with a little more work).

Day 12 (Thursday, 2 hours):

1. For your 2 super-high-priority topics, reread the relevant chapters in the Strategy Guides. Using both In-Action and Official Guide problems, practice a solid approach for the “typical” problem.
2. Do one additional math and one additional verbal drill of random problems from the Official Guide. Keep making flashcards and forcing yourself to hone your solution pathways.
3. Get lots of sleep!

Day 13 (Friday, 2 hours):

1. Do one additional math and one additional verbal drill of random problems from the Official Guide. Choose different formats from the ones you chose yesterday. Keep making flashcards!
2. Deal yourself out short sets of flashcards (3-5 at a time) and redo the problems – both math and verbal. Time yourself, as always.
3. Review your game-day plan, especially how you’ll effectively cut and run on certain types of problems.
4. Get lots of sleep!

Day 14 (Saturday):

Game Day! If you have time before your exam, review your flashcards. Don’t do any new problems. Do NOT, however, bring any flashcards or GMAT materials into the testing center with you.
That’s the plan, folks! Remember these points:

* You can’t do it all, so you must prioritize.
* It’s better to master a few problems in a topic than “sort of” know a lot.
* You must know what you know, and what you don’t.

Good luck on the exam!
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陳琦語錄
好好背詞,重新做人
GRE 單詞是步入美國上流社會的必要條件


UPL: 看來我做畜牲很久了
:cry:
upl
中級會員
中級會員
 
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註冊時間: 2009-08-10 18:37

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