Hey
Could anyone help me with a strategy to review my practise tests. I have already taken 3-4 practise tests but I dont have a strategy to review them.
Also, it'd be very helpful if someone can suggest me a similar strategy for the sectional tests. It's very urgent as I have my test scheduled next sunday.
Thanks and Regards
GMAT Forum
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- StaceyKoprince
- ManhattanGMAT Staff
- Posts: 9361
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
- Location: Montreal
You don't mention which practice tests you're taking. How you review will vary a little bit because different tests give you different data from which to work. I'll assume, for now, that you're taking MGMAT tests. You can do some of what I discuss below with GMATPrep tests also, but GMATPrep doesn't offer any analysis, so your job is harder there.
First, go run the assessment reports and look at every piece of data on every page of the report. Keep a summary - where are you doing well and where are you doing poorly in terms of percentage correct, time, AND difficulty level - not just percentage correct! Also go look at problem list, which shows you (for every problem in the section, in order) what you got right vs. wrong and how much time you spent. Did you collectively spread your time pretty evenly? Or did you use more time earlier on and then have to rush towards the end? Do you have a bunch of wrong questions clumped anywhere? (4+ in a row or 7+ wrong out of 10 in a row?) Where? Why - were those problems all just too hard for you? Or did you get some wrong that you actually did know how to do? Why did you get them wrong? Were you rushing, or stressed out, or mentally tired, or all of the above? Figure out why so that you can actually do something about the cause!
For the different question types / content areas for which the data says you're struggling, go figure out why. Are you struggling with content, technique, timing, or all of the above? If content, what specifically is giving you the most trouble? (eg, in SC, modifiers and verbs) Include in this category the different types of questions for CR and RC (eg, find an assumption vs. weaken or inference vs. main idea). On what types of questions or content areas are you struggling with technique or timing? (Technique is knowing how to identify / categorize a particular type of question and knowing what you're expected to do / answer as you move through the problem.)
Are there certain errors you find you're making repeatedly? What are those errors? WHY are you making them? Then do something about that why - implement some new habit or way of doing things that will minimize the chances of making that mistake in future!
Next, go back through the individual problems (all of them, even the ones you got right). Answer these questions:
- Did I know what was being tested here? Did I understand the question being asked? Did I know the right process or technique to use to get to the answer? (If not, return to whatever books you're using to learn this content better.)
- Did I do the problem in the best way that it could be done? (Even when you get it right, the answer to this question is often no.) What is the best way that it could be done?
- How will I recognize different but similar problems, in the future, that could be done in this same "best" way?
- What are the traps / tricky things here? (Not just the ones you fell into - all of them!)? How did I or could I avoid them?
- For verbal: why are the wrong answers wrong? Which wrong answers are most temping and WHY are they so tempting? Why is it tempting to cross off the right answer?
- How could I eliminate some wrong answers here? (this is easier to figure out on problems that you got right, so don't just think about this on problems you got wrong; learn HOW to make an educated guess on problems you get right and use the same process on problems of a similar type when you don't know what to do)
Also keep an error log for the ones you got wrong. Answer these questions:
- why did I get it wrong? (as specifically as possible)
- what could I do to minimize the chance of making that error (or those errors) again? How will I make whatever that is a habit so that I really do minimize chances of making the same error again?
- what are the right /best ways to do it?
- of the right / better ways, which one is the best way for me (combining both efficiency and effectiveness) given my strengths and weaknesses?
- how will I recognize problems of similar type in future so that I can apply that "best way" to the problem?
Okay, that should keep you guys busy for a little while... :)
First, go run the assessment reports and look at every piece of data on every page of the report. Keep a summary - where are you doing well and where are you doing poorly in terms of percentage correct, time, AND difficulty level - not just percentage correct! Also go look at problem list, which shows you (for every problem in the section, in order) what you got right vs. wrong and how much time you spent. Did you collectively spread your time pretty evenly? Or did you use more time earlier on and then have to rush towards the end? Do you have a bunch of wrong questions clumped anywhere? (4+ in a row or 7+ wrong out of 10 in a row?) Where? Why - were those problems all just too hard for you? Or did you get some wrong that you actually did know how to do? Why did you get them wrong? Were you rushing, or stressed out, or mentally tired, or all of the above? Figure out why so that you can actually do something about the cause!
For the different question types / content areas for which the data says you're struggling, go figure out why. Are you struggling with content, technique, timing, or all of the above? If content, what specifically is giving you the most trouble? (eg, in SC, modifiers and verbs) Include in this category the different types of questions for CR and RC (eg, find an assumption vs. weaken or inference vs. main idea). On what types of questions or content areas are you struggling with technique or timing? (Technique is knowing how to identify / categorize a particular type of question and knowing what you're expected to do / answer as you move through the problem.)
Are there certain errors you find you're making repeatedly? What are those errors? WHY are you making them? Then do something about that why - implement some new habit or way of doing things that will minimize the chances of making that mistake in future!
Next, go back through the individual problems (all of them, even the ones you got right). Answer these questions:
- Did I know what was being tested here? Did I understand the question being asked? Did I know the right process or technique to use to get to the answer? (If not, return to whatever books you're using to learn this content better.)
- Did I do the problem in the best way that it could be done? (Even when you get it right, the answer to this question is often no.) What is the best way that it could be done?
- How will I recognize different but similar problems, in the future, that could be done in this same "best" way?
- What are the traps / tricky things here? (Not just the ones you fell into - all of them!)? How did I or could I avoid them?
- For verbal: why are the wrong answers wrong? Which wrong answers are most temping and WHY are they so tempting? Why is it tempting to cross off the right answer?
- How could I eliminate some wrong answers here? (this is easier to figure out on problems that you got right, so don't just think about this on problems you got wrong; learn HOW to make an educated guess on problems you get right and use the same process on problems of a similar type when you don't know what to do)
Also keep an error log for the ones you got wrong. Answer these questions:
- why did I get it wrong? (as specifically as possible)
- what could I do to minimize the chance of making that error (or those errors) again? How will I make whatever that is a habit so that I really do minimize chances of making the same error again?
- what are the right /best ways to do it?
- of the right / better ways, which one is the best way for me (combining both efficiency and effectiveness) given my strengths and weaknesses?
- how will I recognize problems of similar type in future so that I can apply that "best way" to the problem?
Okay, that should keep you guys busy for a little while... :)
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep
3 posts Page 1 of 1