<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>how to use the holidays to get ahead – GMAT</title> <atom:link href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/tag/how-to-use-the-holidays-to-get-ahead/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat</link> <description>GMAT Prep Course, Best GMAT Class & Study Books | Manhattan Prep GMAT</description> <lastBuildDate>Thu, 05 Sep 2019 15:58:22 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.2</generator> <item> <title>Here’s how to use the holidays for GMAT prep (Part 2)</title> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/make-the-most-of-your-holiday-study-time-part-2/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stacey Koprince]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 17 Dec 2015 20:35:06 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Apps and Admissions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[How to Study]]></category> <category><![CDATA[MBA]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Taking the GMAT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[b-school]]></category> <category><![CDATA[business school]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[gmat study tips]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Graduate Management Admission Test]]></category> <category><![CDATA[holiday studies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[holiday study plan]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to study]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to use the holidays to get ahead]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/?p=10773</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Last time, we talked about how to use holiday downtime to get ready for round 2 GMAT admissions. This time, we’re going to talk about what to do if you aren’t applying for round 2 this year. We have two broad scenarios to talk about: 1. Do you work an 80-hour-a-week job or have some […]</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/make-the-most-of-your-holiday-study-time-part-2/">Here’s how to use the holidays for GMAT prep (Part 2)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-10775" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2015/12/blog-holidays2.png" alt="Blog-Holidays2" width="676" height="264" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2015/12/blog-holidays2.png 676w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2015/12/blog-holidays2-300x117.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px" /><em>Last time, <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/2015/12/15/make-the-most-of-your-holiday-study-time-part-1/">we talked about how to use holiday downtime to get ready for round 2 GMAT admissions</a>. This time, we’re going to talk about what to do if you aren’t applying for round 2 this year.</em></p> <p>We have two broad scenarios to talk about:<span id="more-10773"></span></p> <p>1. Do you work an 80-hour-a-week job or have some other significant commitments during non-holiday time such that your studying is suffering due to lack of time?</p> <p>2. Do you have some downtime around the holidays, or at least less-crazy time?</p> <p>If you answered “yes” to both of the above questions, then you’re going to use the holidays to give your studies a much-needed boost.</p> <p>If, on the other hand, you’ve been studying at least 10 hours a week (and really more like 15), and you’re generally keeping your studies on track during non-holiday time, then here’s your reward: you’re going to <em>slow down</em> during the holidays and give your brain a much-needed break, so that you will be fresher when you ramp up again after the holidays.</p> <h3>Scenario #1: My normal schedule is crazy but I have some breathing room around the holidays.</h3> <p>The bad news is that you haven’t been getting as much done as you need, but the good news is that you can use your downtime over the holidays to get more done. The driving concept: prioritization.</p> <p>You do <em>not</em> want to turn your 80-hour regular week into an 80-hour study week. Your brain can learn only so many new things at once; if you overload it, it will start to rebel and “drop” memories. (You’ve experienced this, right? You can’t remember what was decided at that meeting 3 days ago. Your significant other swears s/he asked you to pick up milk on the way home, but you have no memory of that exchange…until you find the evidence on your phone. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/263a.png" alt="☺" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />)</p> <p>You’re going to follow some of the advice that I discussed in the first installment of this article (<a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/2015/12/15/make-the-most-of-your-holiday-study-time-part-1/">so pull that up right now</a>), with a few differences. Pull out your calendar and follow the advice I gave with respect to scheduling study appointments with yourself. Since you don’t have a rapidly-approaching deadline to take the real test, though, plan to take only one practice test.</p> <p>If it has been more than about 4-6 weeks since your last practice CAT, plan to start your holiday study period with a CAT. If you have taken a CAT fairly recently, plan to end your holiday study period with a CAT.</p> <p>Either way, <a href="//tinyurl.com/analyzeyourcats">analyze your most recent test</a> and classify everything into your three buckets (you’ll understand what buckets are after you have read that article). You’re going to concentrate on bucket #2.</p> <p>Important note: bucket #3 is for things that are so hard for you that you’re going to blow them off right now—literally, just get them wrong fast. People hesitate to put things in bucket #3 because they don’t want to give up on that category forever. That’s not what you’re doing here! You’re just saying, “Right now, given my limited time, this isn’t worth my time <em>in the next few weeks</em>. I have other, better lower-hanging-fruit that I’m going to do first.” Later, you’ll revisit your bucket 3 and move some things to bucket 2 as bucket 2 items move to bucket 1.</p> <p>Next, you’re going to work intensively on your bucket 2 items over the holidays.</p> <p>Use the process described <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/2012/10/24/how-to-minimize-careless-errors-when-taking-the-gmat/">here to minimize careless mistakes</a>.</p> <p>For holes in your foundation (easier problems that you’re missing), start with the relevant chapters in our Foundations of Math (FoM) or Foundations of Verbal (FoV) strategy guides (or equivalent study materials from other companies). First plug any holes in your foundational knowledge. When you’re ready, move up to the equivalent chapters in the main strategy guides (or, again, equivalent materials from others). Finally, test your new knowledge and understanding by trying problems from the Official Guide.</p> <p>For example, if you’re struggling with exponents and roots, start with those chapters in FoM. Make flash cards for anything you need to memorize. Use the end-of-chapter and online problem sets to drill your skills. Then move into the Algebra strategy guide and dig into the more advanced exponent and root material there. Again, make flash cards and use the end-of-chapter and online problem sets to drill. Finally, try a few (2-3) OG problems from these areas, and make sure that you’re <a href="//tinyurl.com/2ndlevelofgmat">analyzing these problems at the 2<sup>nd</sup> Level</a>.</p> <p>This is important: do NOT do all of the OG exponent problems at once. Half of the battle on the GMAT is figuring out what a new problem is testing; on the real test, you’ll never know that you’re about to get an exponent problem. So most of your OG study needs to be done in timed sets of mixed questions, where you’re having to jump around, figure out for yourself what each new problem is, and decide how to allocate your time and mental energy among the questions.</p> <p>After 2-3 weeks, work will ramp back up again. Take another CAT to gain experience and gauge your progress. Analyze using that same article linked earlier and revisit your buckets to see what you can move from bucket 2 to bucket 1 and whether you want to move anything from bucket 3 to bucket 2. (Note: some things really should stay in bucket 3 forever. For me, combinatorics and 3-D geometry will always be bucket 3.)</p> <h3>Scenario #2: My regular study time is already pretty productive.</h3> <p>That’s great! Now here’s your reward. Yes, you’re going to study some over the holidays, but you’re actually going to give your brain a pretty substantial break. I wish that I could recommend this to everyone, but the realities for some (crazy jobs, looming deadlines) make this impossible.</p> <p>Pull up your calendar. Block out around 5 days completely; you aren’t even going to <em>think</em> about the GMAT on these days. Seriously! You’ve been working and studying hard for a while now, and your brain is becoming fatigued. This break is going to allow you to come back super fresh and re-energized in January.</p> <p>If you feel guilty when those days come along, say to yourself, “Stacey said not to think about the GMAT today!” and go merrily about your day. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/263a.png" alt="☺" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></p> <p>What you are going to do on some days during this break is organize. Do you have notes all over the place about SC rules? Consolidate them into one file or notebook.</p> <p>Are you not quite sure which lessons you’ve done thoroughly and which weren’t done as well the first time around? Are you not sure what you need to review? Take some time to look over previous lessons just with an eye towards classifying them: this one is good; this other one could use some light review; I need to re-do this lesson from start to finish. You don’t actually have to do them now; you’re just figuring out what you’re <em>going</em> to do when you ramp back up again after the holidays.</p> <p>Here’s the one substantial thing you can do: if it’s been more than a month since you’ve last taken a practice CAT, take one over the holidays and <a href="//tinyurl.com/analyzeyourcats">analyze it</a>. Also <a href="//tinyurl.com/2ndlevelofgmat">analyze the individual questions</a> (you might analyze just the ones you got wrong now and save the other ones for later). Altogether, this assignment might take you around 8 to 15 hours, depending on whether you analyze everything now.</p> <p>Use this analysis to help you figure out what you need to prioritize after the holidays; don’t actually start studying now.</p> <p>If you find yourself falling between two of these categories, mix and match the advice from each one.</p> <p>Good luck, happy end-of-2015, and see you in the New Year!</p> <hr /> <p><em><strong><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-9719" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2015/06/stacey-koprince-150x150.png" alt="stacey-koprince" width="150" height="150" />Stacey Koprince is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in Montreal, Canada and Los Angeles, California.</strong> Stacey has been teaching the GMAT, GRE, and LSAT for more than 15 years and is one of the most well-known instructors in the industry. Stacey loves to teach and is absolutely fascinated by standardized tests. <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=GMATBlogSKHolidayStudy2BioFB&utm_campaign=Stacey%20Koprince%20GMAT%20Blog#instructor/86">Check out Stacey’s upcoming GMAT courses here</a>.</em><em><strong><br /> </strong></em></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/make-the-most-of-your-holiday-study-time-part-2/">Here’s how to use the holidays for GMAT prep (Part 2)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Here’s how to use the holidays for GMAT prep (Part 1)</title> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/make-the-most-of-your-holiday-study-time-part-1/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stacey Koprince]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 15 Dec 2015 22:50:22 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Apps and Admissions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[How to Study]]></category> <category><![CDATA[MBA]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Taking the GMAT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[b-school]]></category> <category><![CDATA[business school]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[gmat study tips]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Graduate Management Admission Test]]></category> <category><![CDATA[holiday studies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[holiday study plan]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to study]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to use the holidays to get ahead]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/?p=10763</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The holidays are fast approaching and all of my students are asking me how best to use their extra downtime over the next few weeks. I have some different recommendations, depending upon your circumstances. In this installment, we’ll talk about what to do if you’re aiming for the second round (in other words, your applications are due in […]</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/make-the-most-of-your-holiday-study-time-part-1/">Here’s how to use the holidays for GMAT prep (Part 1)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-10764" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2015/12/blog-holidays.png" alt="Blog-Holidays" width="676" height="264" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2015/12/blog-holidays.png 676w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2015/12/blog-holidays-300x117.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px" /><em>The holidays are fast approaching and all of my students are asking me how best to use their extra downtime over the next few weeks. I have some different recommendations, depending upon your circumstances.</em></p> <p>In this installment, we’ll talk about what to do if you’re aiming for the second round (in other words, your applications are due in January 2016—soon!). In the next installment, we’ll talk about what to do if this circumstance does not apply to you.<span id="more-10763"></span></p> <h3><strong>I’m aiming for Round 2 admissions (early January 2016)</strong></h3> <p>If you’re aiming for round 2, then this is obviously going to be a busy holiday season.</p> <p>Let’s see if we can’t find a way to lessen the stress a bit while still allowing you to accomplish what you need.</p> <p>You’ve got two broad tasks at hand: taking the GMAT and finishing your applications. You’re going to have to balance your time well so that one of these aspects doesn’t suffer unduly.</p> <p>Task #1, then, is to take a good hard look at your goal GMAT score. Sure, it would be unbelievably fantastic if you could score a 720, but you have to ask yourself whether that’s a realistic goal in the few weeks that you have left, particularly given that you still have essays and other aspects of your applications to finalize. So what do you think is a realistic goal, given everything you have to do?</p> <h3><strong>Cut your stressful commitments</strong></h3> <p>Next, pull out your calendar. You’re going to have to work on some aspect of this stuff every single day. (As if the holidays weren’t stressful enough. Sorry.) Can you reduce any stressful commitments? Are there holiday parties or family events you really don’t want to attend? Don’t—you have the perfect excuse. Send your regrets right now. Can you “work” from home a couple of days or take time off? Use up some of your sick days? Schedule it. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/263a.png" alt="☺" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></p> <p>Do not, though, skip events that you’re looking forward to; you will need some breaks in the coming weeks. If you burn yourself out, you won’t do very well on the test, so remind yourself that I ordered you to go to your best friend’s awesome annual party and have a great time.</p> <p>Is the craziness of everything really getting to you? <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/2013/05/09/stressed-out-meditate-to-lower-your-anxiety-and-boost-your-gmat-score/">Try meditating</a> to help manage the stress of holidays + GMAT + applications.</p> <h3><strong>Schedule study appointments with yourself</strong></h3> <p>Okay, now start blocking off chunks of time every day from now until your applications are due: 30 minutes here, an hour there, 2 hours over there. Give yourself good breaks between sessions; your brain will thank you. You’re probably going to need a total of 15 to 30 hours a week, depending on how many applications you’re doing and how much you want to lift your GMAT score.</p> <p>Plan to do some GMAT study and some work on applications every day. This is better than doing all-GMAT today and all-essays tomorrow. Your brain will stay fresher if you mix up your activities.</p> <p>Plan to take 1 or 2 practice tests. Block off 4 hours and start at the same time of day that you will start the real test. Take the tests at least one week apart. Don’t take a practice test within 5 days of the real test. Make sure you take your tests under 100% official conditions, including the essay and IR sections. (I know you don’t care as much about those scores. But you do care that your practice mimics the real test.)</p> <h3><strong>Fix your timing</strong></h3> <p>The single biggest thing that people consistently mess up on the GMAT is timing. I would bet that almost anyone can pick up 20 to 30 points on the GMAT simply by getting better at knowing what NOT to do. I’m 100% serious!</p> <p>Knowing what NOT to do is related to <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/2015/09/14/this-mindset-will-make-you-feel-good-about-skipping-problems-on-the-gmat/">business decision-making</a>: both while studying and during the test, where do you want to spend your scarce time (and mental energy) and where don’t you? You don’t invest in every last idea that your employees brainstorm; you pick out the most promising ones and allocate your scarce resources accordingly. By the same token, on the GMAT, you can’t do it all; if you try, you won’t maximize your score on the test.</p> <p>Got that mindset? Here’s how to <a href="//tinyurl.com/GMATTimeManagement">put your best foot forward with respect to timing</a> on the test.</p> <h3><strong>Focus on the lowest-hanging fruit</strong></h3> <p>You can’t study it all, either. You have limited time and a split focus (applications!).</p> <p>You need to prioritize: work on the easiest-to-improve stuff first and just get as far as you can before you run out of time and have to take the test.</p> <p><a href="//tinyurl.com/analyzeyourcats">Analyze your most recent CAT</a> or your performance on recent practice problems.</p> <p>Where were you almost there? Use that data to drive your study and review.</p> <p>The lowest of the low-hanging fruit is careless mistakes. You already know how to do this stuff! You just need to figure out how to minimize whatever types of careless mistakes you’re tending to make. This might be, “Hmm, I solved for the wrong thing on a couple of problems. What am I going to do on every problem from now on to make sure that I solve for the right thing?” Or it might be, “Oh, I used to know how to do that, but I haven’t looked at it in 6 weeks and I’m starting to forget. I need to review that.”</p> <p>Don’t just tell yourself, “Ugh, don’t do that!” That’s not enough. Figure out <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/2012/10/24/how-to-minimize-careless-errors-when-taking-the-gmat/">why you made that careless mistake and what new habit you can implement</a> to reduce the chances of a repeat of that specific kind of mistake.</p> <p>Another low-hanging area has to do with holes in foundational-level material. Did you mess up that weird problem with negative exponents and fractions and you’re still not 100% sure what the thing was talking about? Whatever. That’s too hard anyway; blow it off.</p> <p>But did you mess up that problem that required you to solve a pretty straightforward linear equation? You know, the one where you read the explanation after and thought, I didn’t know that before, but I get it. That’s not that hard. Okay: practice so you can do it next time!</p> <p>Also take a look at problems that you know how to do, but that tend to take you about 30 to 60 seconds longer than the average expected for that question type. Are there any shortcuts you can learn to shave 15 or 30 seconds? If so, practice implementing them so that you can save up some time to spend elsewhere or just take the timing pressure off a bit.</p> <h3><strong>Find someone to commiserate and motivate</strong></h3> <p>Know anyone else who’s studying right now or working on applications? If you’re both studying, get together two or three times a week to study (even if you’re both mostly working on your own stuff). If you aren’t in the same city, meet via Google Hangout or similar. Tell your friend what you did since the last time you met and what you plan to do until the next time you meet. That’ll help keep you on track, since you know you’ll have to fess up if you don’t do anything!</p> <p>Even if your friend is already done with the test, you can still ask him or her to be your “keep me on track” study buddy: you say what you’ve done and what you’re going to do each week. He or she went through the GMAT too and will understand.</p> <p>Get together for happy hour or brunch once a week to decompress and commiserate (again, even if that’s both of you bringing a drink to your couch while you’re on video chat or a phone call).</p> <h3><strong>Do your best in the time you have left.</strong></h3> <p>Give it your best shot. Time is limited and it’s possible that you might not make everything come together by round 2—but at least you’ll know that you’ve really tried. You can always decide to postpone your application and try again. Good luck and happy studying!</p> <p>Join us next time, when we’ll talk about <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/2015/12/17/make-the-most-of-your-holiday-study-time-part-2/">how to make the most of your holiday season if you’re not planning to apply during round 2 this year</a>.</p> <hr /> <p><em><strong><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-9719" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2015/06/stacey-koprince-150x150.png" alt="stacey-koprince" width="150" height="150" /><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/instructors/stacey-koprince/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=KoprinceBioLinkGMATBlog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog">Stacey Koprince</a> is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in Montreal, Canada and Los Angeles, California.</strong> Stacey has been teaching the GMAT, GRE, and LSAT for more than 15 years and is one of the most well-known instructors in the industry. Stacey loves to teach and is absolutely fascinated by standardized tests. <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=KoprinceCoursesLinkGMATBlog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog#instructor/86">Check out Stacey’s upcoming GMAT courses here</a>.</em><em><strong><br /> </strong></em></p> <p> </p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/make-the-most-of-your-holiday-study-time-part-1/">Here’s how to use the holidays for GMAT prep (Part 1)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel> </rss>