Retaking test strategy

[DM]

Hello,

In March I finally took the GMAT and I did not do well. I wrote about the test taking experience in this post.

I a received a reply from Ron Purewal (thanks Ron) suggesting I learn the backup methods. My question is: how do I learn these and how do know what to focus on? I did use OG Archer while practicing for the test so I have an idea on things that I should work on. And I did find the TH with Ron study hall and the accompanying videos. However, while I see videos for several topics I see that others are not covered such as positives and negatives.

I am putting together a strategy for picking up the pieces and I could sure use some advice on how to move forward. For example, do I focus on beginner problems or do I move on to more difficult ones? Do I review the basics again or just dive into new problems? Any advice would certainly help. Thank you.

Best,

Daniel

[StaceyKoprince]

I took a look through your original post and Ron's reply - lots of good advice there.

I'm going to start with the issues you describe relative to time management. This really involves the idea of your test-taking mindset, and that's the place to start - until you get the right mindset, you're not going to make much progress. Once you do get the mindset, that's going to help everything (I do mean EVERYthing) you do from now on.

Start here:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... to-win-it/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -to-do-it/

Print those two articles out, if need be. Read them every day for a week. Solidify the mindset!

Later, go through this very extensive article on time management, and start implementing the concrete strategies it describes:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... nt-part-1/

I'd also recommend that you look through this article:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -the-gmat/

It links to a bunch of other articles; read them, too. Don't worry that you're going to spend several days - maybe even a week - going through all of this stuff I'm giving you. You need to learn HOW to study before you start studying again. :)

In the last article I linked, pay particular attention to the section on how to learn / how to study.

Ron also mentioned what we generally call "test-taking techniques" or "test-taking strategies." These are NOT the way you learned to do math in school; instead, they involve things like just trying some real numbers instead of doing algebra:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... rithmetic/

Or plugging numerical answers back into the problem (or solving backwards). Or testing various numbers on "theory" problems until you understand what's going on. Or estimating to get to the answer without doing every last step of the math. Etc.

You need to know both how to use these kinds of strategies and when to use them.

Strategies like these are discussed in the "Strategies" chapter of every one of our quant guides. We also try to use them whenever appropriate in our explanations for our CAT questions, or in our articles, or in our videos, etc. So start reading / watching such explanations wherever you can and learning these alternate approaches. When you learn these things, always ask yourself:
(1) WHEN can I use this approach? How will I know when it's a good idea to try this?
(2) WHAT steps do I need to take? How does this approach actually work?

Then go practice on some new problems.

Note:

while I see videos for several topics I see that others are not covered such as positives and negatives.

Stop looking for topics. You've already got everything you need topic-wise in the books. You're looking for solution methods, different ways of setting up and thinking about problems. For instance, the article I linked above about turning algebra into arithmetic - you can use that on ANY topic, as long as the details of the problem match the requirements discussed in the article. :)

Go take a look at all of that and then come back here with questions!