Retaining What I Learned?

[GMAT_Ninja]

Help, my score dropped! I took the test once without studying much and I scored a 600 - 38Q-35V. I took it recently after studying a lot and it dropped down to 500!

I took a look at my MGMAT CATs and found a pattern. I have an issue with retaining all of the information. It is difficult for me to recall something I learned a month or so ago.

When I studied the number properties section, I had an accuracy rate of ~80% on that section according to my MGMAT CATs.

A month and a half later, while I was on the FDP book, the NP section dropped to ~20%, and the FDP section on my MGMAT CAT rose to ~85%.

I will randomize the problems and when I study from now on to keep the knowledge fresh.

Does anyone have any tips on a good way for me to retain what I learned more?

[GMAT_Ninja]

Ok so after doing some digging, I found this useful thread from Stacey Koprince.

http://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/retention-manhattan-gmat-roadmap-book-question-t16588.html

Stacey, if you are reading this I realized that I was studying the wrong way.

1. I read through the MGMAT books
2. I did the suggested OG problems
3. I reviewed my errors

However, I did not revisit my errors after that initial review and consequently did not keep them "fresh" in my mind.

After reflecting on what went wrong, I think I also studied for the GMAT too linearly. The GMAT guides are great but they also focus on one subject at a time. When I did problem sets of the same type I would get a high percentage of the questions correct, but it was because I knew what type of problem I would get. By studying the topics linearly, I didn't get to practice identifying the question type and its typical traps. In other words, I studied for it using my short-term memory.

Additionally, I did not take enough fully timed MGMAT CATs. I felt like I shouldn't take too many until I finished the guides since I didn't know what the GMAT tested yet.

I am going to re-tool my approach and will do the following:

1. Revisit my errors and will break them down more slowly. Not too different from a slow motion play by play of a basketball or football play.

2. Make flashcards to review the question types and typical traps (I will avoid putting whole questions in the flashcards, and I will go with Stacey's method of writing "When I see xyz" on one side of an index card and "I will think abc" on the other).

3. Take more MGMAT CATs to track my progress and perform steps 1. and 2. on those questions as well.

Stacey, one of my big challenges right now is knowing what to write down on the flash cards. I know it can't be too general because I'll lose the context of the traps and I know it can't be too specific or else I'd just be memorizing something specific to a problem. Can you provide an example of a flash card that you would make?

I was depressed after not gaining much ground after six months of studying. I think the most frustrating thing is, the concepts being tested are from grammar school.

The key here is that the questions are being asked differently. It's sort of like knowing how to run...and then entering a race where you are asked to run the whole thing backwards, sideways, or even on all fours. The GMAT is the same way and will test the basic concepts differently.

[StaceyKoprince]

Hi, I'm sorry I'm just getting back to you now. FYI to everyone, this is Crazy Season and everyone should expect a long wait for replies (through the end of the year).

I love that you kept searching for help and figured out what was holding you back.

Great analogy on the slow motion play by play. Yes, that's what you want! I also love your analogy about running a race backwards. Ever considered a career as an analogy-writer? The human race needs people who are good at that. :)

Good question about flash cards. Let's see. I'm just going to flip open my OG13.

Okay, SC problem #35. Wow, it was tough on this one to see what they were trying to do in the original sentence. The correct answer is pretty different.

After the fact, I realize that the underline started on the word "and," which makes me think parallelism. So I was looking for parallelism. The problem is, look at the other answer choices - they drop the "and" - that changes the whole structure. The other answers are comma -ing or comma -ed, which are both modifier structures.

So if I had compared the opening words of each answer, and thought about them all together, I might have spotted that faster.

So next time, if I see that the underline starts on a certain word that's a clear signal for something (and), I'm also just going to glance down the first word of each answer to see what the other possibilities are. There's no point in trying to "fix" the sentence in my mind - I can only use what they gave me.

Then I'd grab a flashcard and write
When I see __in the original sentence, a clear "marker" that signals a specific grammar issue__
I will think / do __glance at the equivalent word / location in the other answers before trying to figure out what the sentence is trying to say or do__

Quant could be more a straight rule, such as:
If I see n^3 - n, then I'll think 3 consecutive integers (why? I'll give you the answer down below, but think about it).

It could also be an interpretation rule, such as the one I discuss in this article:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -Problems/

For that one, I might make a card that says
When I see something ultimately asking about the factors between 1 and some number ("itself"), I'll think prime vs. composite and examine the problem accordingly.

Okay, that n^3 - n thing. Simplify it! n(n^2 - 1). That becomes. n (n+1)(n-1). If they've also told me n is an integer (and they will!) then that represents 3 consecutive integers. :)

Let me know how it goes!

[GMAT_Ninja]

I took a one month break but I'm back. Thanks, you rock Stacey!

-GMAT Ninja

[StaceyKoprince]

you're welcome!