Specific strategy to improve stamina?

[catennacio]

Hi,

I'm weak at Verbal so I practice it a lot, esp. CR. I use 1000 CR, which has many 20 questions-30 mins tests. My hit rate is usually 14/20 (70%). I notice that after question 12, I get a lot of questions wrong, i.e. 5, 6 of them, hence my hit rate is reduced significantly.

So the problem is when I'm still fresh, I basically sail throu the questions, but when I'm tired, I usually have many wrong answers, in a row. I want to improve my hit rate to 80-85% (i.e. 16/20 or 17/20).

I know that to build up stamina, you need to do practice tests. Since the number of practice tests is limited (I purchased the 6 CAT pack), and since it is suggested that you should not take many practice tests before the test day (my test day is approaching in 2 weeks), is there any other specific strategy to keep focus, improve mental stamina and have a clear mind when doing Verbal section?

I would love to hear your advice. My aim is 700+.

Thanks a lot.

-Caten

[StaceyKoprince]

You can practice stamina even when not doing CATs or practice questions. When you sit down to do a 2-hour study session, plan out EVERYthing. Then GO for one hour. Don't check your email. Don't talk to anyone. Don't even get up to get something to eat or to go to the bathroom. Pretend it's the test!

Then take a 10-minute break and do it again for another hour.

Then take a substantial break (at least one hour) before studying any more that day. (You don't want to tire yourself out too much while studying - if you do, then your brain won't be able to make good memories, so your study will be wasted.)

What do you feel like when doing those questions? Do you start to lose concentration and find yourself thinking about something other than the problem in front of you right now? Do you start to get tired of the test and wish it were over already?

You may want to read this and think about how you can change the way you study and the processes you use to answer questions in order to help you build mental stamina:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... you-crazy/

Finally, don't neglect the physical. Make sure you have had something to eat and drink somewhat recently. When you do take breaks, get up and walk around, stretch, do some jumping jacks. Etc.

[catennacio]

Hi Stacey,

Thanks for your response. I read the article you mentioned and it's helpful to understand how our brain works in order to not tire it prematurely to the real test. I like the part that says "plan out everything in advance so you don't have to make decisions on the test day".

About how I feel like... I start to lose concentration and thinking of something like a movie I watched, so I need to wipe the movie images off my mind and re-read the CR argument again. This costs me time. Sometimes it costs me lots of time when I'm in the process of eliminating answer choices up to D or E: I need to re-evaluate A, B, C again provided that the stimulus is still in my mind. If not, I have to start over.

And when I check the remaining time (I tend to do this 4 or 5 times during a test session in order to pace myself), I use it as an encouragement that the test only has x questions to go, so not sure this is the same as what you said (wishing the test over soon).

I also realize that when I study, it's hard for me not to check emails and other things, mainly because I'm an Internet guy. So I turned off my cell phone and it helped a bit to concentrate.

[StaceyKoprince]

It's fine to think "I'm encouraged that I'm moving through the test and getting close to the end." It's problematic to think "Ugh, when is this going to be OVER already? I just want to go home!!" :)

For verbal, go through the answers twice. The first pass is fast and is strictly to find the "No way, I'm never looking at that answer choice again" answers. Cross them off and that's that. Then compare whatever answers remain.

Make sure you're eating and drinking energy food on the breaks. Stretch out your legs below the table, roll your neck around. Loosen up. If you get distracted by something, tell yourself, "Oh, I can think about that as soon as I'm done with this problem. Just a minute more, concentrate on this last one." If you're still thinking about the movie on the next question, tell