TIMED SETS

[momo_666]

Hi,

I have finished the 9 session course and now I am a bit lost on how to study without the structure the homework/syllabus provided. I have more than a month left for my exam and I have been told I should do timed sets. Can you please explain what the timed set is? Should it have a mix of quant/verbal questions? Or just a mix or the sub sets like RC/SC? or different topics in quant? How many questions should a set have initially? Should I then build up a set to 37/42 questions? Does Manhattan GMAT have a list of timed sets for the 9 session prep class students?

[StaceyKoprince]

We don't have a specific list, no - the sets should just be random sets. Start off with smaller sets of either Q or V - say 5, 8, 10 Qs. These should be a mix of DS and PS or a mix of SC, RC, CR. (Remember for RC that the real test gives only 3 or 4 Qs per passage - not the 6 to 10 that commonly show up in the book.)

Pick randomly so that you don't know which topics you're about to see (just like the real test) and make sure to mix up the numbers a little bit - as the problem numbers get higher (in OG), the difficulty levels go up - so don't just do all the easiest or all the hardest problems.

For quant, you can also use GMAT Focus (www.gmatfocus.com), which is from the real test-makers. It's a 24-question, adaptive, mini-quant test. Don't start with this - build up to it. (Note: this does cost money - I think about $30 for 24 questions.)

For the sets you make, build up to about 20-question sets, but you don't need to go up to 37Q / 41V. If you want to practice anything longer than about 20, then it's time to take another practice test. :)

Also, you're using these sets to drive what you need to review. You do a random set, you check everything, you realize, oh, I'm weak at XYZ and then you go study that thing.

[akilahd]

Is there a way to set up the OG Archer to have it randomly select problems for you? Or should you just pick problems out of the book to do randomly?

[StaceyKoprince]

No, that'd be cool - but just set up your own sets from OG.

You can also download the new GMATPrep 2.0 software. In addition to the two practice tests (which are built for the new version of the test launching in June), there is a bank of official practice questions and you can choose a specific number and mix (just SC, SC+CR+RC, etc) and then you'll just get random questions.

That software also has a feature that lets you buy additional official practice problem sets if you want more.