Here’s How to Study with the Manhattan Prep GMAT App
Download now free!
Are you wondering where the Manhattan Prep GMAT App fits into your study routine? You shouldn’t just use it to work through lengthy sets of questions. There are better resources for that, such as the Manhattan Prep Strategy Guides and the Official Guide to the GMAT. Instead, think of the app as a way to turn down time into study time: every time you’d otherwise be idly surfing the Internet or playing mobile games, load up the app and do a few minutes of review. Or, add a quick 10 or 15 minutes of problems to your daily routine — think of it as the GMAT equivalent of flossing your teeth. With a little preparation and creativity, you can use the app to efficiently target critical GMAT skills.
Don’t go straight to the questions.
Once you download the app, start by reading the articles in the ‘How to Study’ tab under ‘The GMAT’. Also, read the articles listed under ‘Strategies: Optimize your Performance’ from the Home screen. Chances are, one or more of the issues described there will apply to you. If you read about how to study effectively right now, you’ll learn much more from the problems you do next.
iOS – ‘How to Study’ Screen
Android – ‘How to Study’ Screen
iOS – ‘Optimize your Performance’ Screen
Android – ‘Optimize Your Performance’ Screen
Now, check out some Quant problems.
On the Quant section of the GMAT, it’s much easier to memorize the content than to figure out how to use that content to solve a problem.
That’s why so many students tell me that they know the math and can solve single problems easily while studying, but that they seem to fall apart on test day or when doing longer problem sets. The GMAT App can help you practice approaching problems, though. Wait until you’re somewhere that you can’t take notes while working, like on the bus or waiting in line. Open a set of Quantitative Reasoning questions — the ‘Foundations of Math Skills’ drill is great — and just think through how you’d solve each question. Don’t worry about actually doing the math in your head, since calculating in your head on the GMAT is rarely a good idea! And don’t worry about getting the right answer. Just read the question carefully, check out the answer choices, and think through the logic involved in solving it. Then, use the explanation to confirm or change your reasoning. This will force you to slow down and think carefully about problems before you start doing math, which is a huge advantage on the GMAT.
iOS – ‘Questions Categories’ Screen
Android – ‘Questions Categories’ Screen
Try using random sets of Quant questions from the app to identify math concepts, too. Flip through a set of questions, and just categorize them, rather than solving: is this a rates & work question? Is it a weighted averages question? Is it testing inequalities, or positives and negatives? For a more advanced challenge, identify all of the problems that let you use Choosing Smart Numbers or Backsolving. To really hone your critical thinking skills, open up the ‘Basic Math Quiz’ under ‘Quiz Me’ on the Home screen and see how many problems you can solve with no scratch paper at all. This will force you to look for the simpler solution, which the GMAT really rewards! Every single problem in the Basic Math Quiz can be answered without scratch paper, and without doing an unreasonable amount of math in your head.
iOS – ‘Basic Math Quiz #1’ Screen
Android – ‘Basic Math Quiz #1’ Screen
The app is built to help you retain information.
Spaced Repetition helps you form longer-lasting memories in less overall study time. It works like this: if you’ve just learned
something new, revisit it frequently and test your knowledge. Once you know it well, revisit it less often. If you test yourself on topics you’ve studied after longer and longer periods of ‘forgetting’, you’ll get better and better at recalling that information when you need to. Here’s how you use the app to practice this approach.
As you do a question set for the first time, mark each question as ‘Know’, ‘Somewhat Know’, or ‘Don’t Know’. Every other day or so, review your ‘Don’t Know’ questions. Once you remember the information, upgrade that question to Somewhat Know. Review your Somewhat know questions about once a week, and if you still understand the question after a week, upgrade it to ‘know’ and study it once a month or so. Mark these sessions on your calendar ahead of time so you won’t forget to revisit old questions! You can also use the ‘Bookmark this Question’ feature to mark particularly interesting questions, and revisit them regardless of whether you know them well.
iOS – ‘Bookmark this Question’ Screen
Android – ‘Bookmark this Question’ Screen
It’s not all about Quant.
The GMAT App is a great excuse to spend a little time on Verbal every day. That’s true even if you’re already great at Verbal! Challenge yourself to really understand Reading Comprehension problems by reading the entire passage without taking notes, then answering the Main Idea question without looking back at the passage. Or do a couple of quick Sentence Correction problems while you’re waiting in line. Many of my students choose to prioritize Quant over Verbal, because they start out with a much lower Quant score. However, because fewer GMAT test-takers have excellent Verbal scores, a very high Verbal score really sets you apart from the crowd. The GMAT App can be a laid-back way to get a few minutes of Verbal practice on a regular basis, and move your Verbal score from ‘good enough’ to ‘awesome’.
iOS – Verbal Question Screen
Android – Verbal Question Screen
In conclusion, here’s a quick list of our best GMAT App study recommendations.
If you have ideas of your own, share them in the comments! ?
- Use the app for short, frequent, varied study sessions. Use other resources for longer sessions.
- Read the included articles and spend some time exploring the app before you start doing questions.
- Use the app to target specific skills. For instance, you can practice identifying Quant problems that let you use Smart Numbers or Backsolving, or practice doing Reading Comprehension without taking notes.
- Take advantage of the built-in categorization features to practice Spaced Repetition.
- Study a bit of Verbal every day, even if you already have a great Verbal score.
Download now free!
Chelsey Cooley
is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in Seattle, Washington. Chelsey always followed her heart when it came to her education. Luckily, her heart led her straight to the perfect background for GMAT and GRE teaching: she has undergraduate degrees in mathematics and history, a master’s degree in linguistics, a 790 on the GMAT, and a perfect 170/170 on the GRE. Check out Chelsey’s upcoming GMAT prep offerings here.