OG Problem Review Process - Tips?

[alexjohnhumphries]

When studying OG problems, I cruise through the problems quickly in doing each week's homework, but it takes me a painful amount of time to review. You guys recommend to spend twice as long reviewing as answering problems. But I don't even see how that little amount is possible when you recommend reading MGMAT/OG explanations and there are video explanations.

On average, I would say I'm spending at least 15-20 mins reviewing each SC when it's all said and done (MGMAT written expl, MGMAT vid explanation, then skimming the OG explanation). CR takes about 5-10 mins. Quant is a lot faster to review, but the SC are taking entirely too long and I'm afraid it's keeping me from getting through as many problems as I need to before my test date. I'm looking for advice on how to cut down review time b/c at this rate I'm finding it hard to muscle through the material. Any help is appreciated.

[alexjohnhumphries]

Those times I just mentioned are probably on the shorter end too. SC is basically taking way too long to get through reviewing. Should I skip reading some of the explanations?

[StaceyKoprince]

I would say I spend a *minimum* of twice as long reviewing a problem. I've easily spent 30 minutes on a single problem before. :)

For SC, I would cut the OG explanation entirely. It's rare that I find something there that I can't find more easily and clearly explained in our own materials, and often the OG SC explanations are...indecipherable.

You want to make sure that you are checking the following things*:
(1) I got it right for the right reasons (ie, I didn't make a careless mistake and get lucky).
(2) I know why the wrong answers are wrong.
(3) If I got it wrong, I now understand why the answer I picked is wrong and why the right answer is right.
(4) If I got it wrong, I now understand how they got me to think that the answer that I picked was better than the correct answer (ie, I understand the trap they set for me; this trap could have to do with the wrong answer, the right answer, or both).
(5) If I got it wrong and I think it's just too weird / nitpicky / hard to understand or remember, how am I going to know next time to just guess on something similar?

*You do NOT need to use the official grammar terms for things. As long as you know what it is and how to spot it, that's fine.

On some problems, you may be able to articulate that before going to the MGMAT written or video explanation. Then skim either the written or the video explanation (whichever form you like best) just to confirm your thinking.

If you can't figure it out yourself or if your skim of the explanation reveals that you missed something, then dig in more carefully. (Again, you do not need to match the exact, formal grammar terminology as long as you do know what's going on!)

You don't need both the written and video explanation unless you're struggling to understand something and you hope the other explanation explains that part better.