suwarnapatel

I would say 8-10 hours / week.

GMAC publishes 3 official guides: Official Guide: OG (Also OG11) Verbal Review Guide (VR) Quantative Review Guide (QR)

"Reason for exceeding >2.5 mns in SC --> AGAIN AND AGAIN READING " have you tried the 3/2 split?

Have you tried using the "Identify the Pattern" approach? Most SCs and CRs fall into one of the 6 or 7 categories. Can you try and just concentrate on identifying which block these questions belong to when you are guessing? eg: Comparison, SV Agreement, Tenses, Idioms etc. And how inaccurate are you? Is it the next best choice or is it all out of proportion?

From what I have read, the actual test contains almost 1/3 unrated questions. These questions do not add up to your score. They are simply shown to test for the questions' validity and to gauge its difficulty level. Now logically, due to the nature of the test (adaptive); it is wise to think that these questions are more likely to be in the mid part of the test (there is no official or unofficial proof for this statement; and so please do not take this as a final word); and therefore I figure that it is best to take your chances in the mid than at the first or the last part of the test. One strategy that I used during my mock tests was to divide the test into 4 parts: I divided Q into: Part 1: 7 Questions = 15 minutes Past 2: 10 Questions = 20 minutes Part 3: 10 Questions = 20 minutes Part 4: 10 Questions = 20 minutes and I kept a track of the parts and not the full. I made sure that I NEVER spend more than 4 minutes; you will have to work on this psychologically to let go after 4 minutes or your part time is over. One thing we all must understand is that it is not required for you to solve ALL the questions. Try this on the GPrep and you will see that even if you have about 3-4 questions wrong (i.e. after you have reached a higher degree of success in the beginning) you may still be able to score a 51; but if you miss out on solving even 1 question in your stipulated time; you are severely penalized. GITG to answer your question, it is still possible to score a 50 even after you have 4-5 wrong. Your best test will be to try this on the GPrep. Verbal time management is a bit more difficult. Firstly it gives you far less than 2 mins per question; then again you cannot divide this into parts; for if you are hit with a RC around the border of one of the parts you end up in panic :) I divided this section into 3 parts instead: Part 1: 15 Questions: 30 minutes Part 2: 15 Questions : 25 minutes Part 3: 11 Questions: 20 minutes The general rule I had at tha back of my mind was: I should not spend more than 1:30 per SC (14 Q = 21 minutes) I should not spend more than 2:00 per CR (14 Q = 28 minutes) I should not spend more than 3-4 minutes in reading any RC I should not spend more than 1 minute per question on any RC after i have read it. (13 Qs = 26 minutes - 13 minutes for 3 RC reading and 13 minutes to answer) Let me know if you have any further questions.

(x+y)/xy = 1/x + 1/y =1/4 + 1/16 =1/4 (1+1/4) = 1/4 *(5/4) = 5/16 sqrt (5/16)= 1/4 * sqrt(5) = 1/4 * ~2 = ~1/2

I am not sure if they are "ScoreTop"; these are the sets that are available on the net. I saw on one of them a URL to scoretop; and therefore thought that they were from ST. I might have misrepresented the materials.

Hello Everyone, Thank you very much for all the best wishes following my earlier post. I have been overwhelmed by various queries about the test and the preparation as a whole; and while I try to answer all of them diligently, I am certainly not able to justice to the questions. Some of these questions are repetitive, and also what would be categorized as “Urban Legends” or “Myths” about the GMAT tests. I am starting this thread to answer any of the questions you may have. I am sure that the general availability of the answers will benefit one and all. I am no authority on these tests, but having taken them twice, I believe I have a tad bit more information about them than most other first time aspirants :) I will also other “Test Alumini” to feel free to answer these questions and correct me if I am wrong. Regards, SP Todays Question: I have heard that every GMAT test has a minimum of 4-5 Probability/Permutation/Combination Question; and most of these questions are very hard (700+ level) how do I prepare for these questions? I believe, P&C and Probability is an overrated subject :) In the 2 tests I gave; I encountered less than 3 of these questions. All of them which I would categorize as 600-700 questions. I could’ve solved all these questions, if I just went about counting (although it would’ve taken me > 2 minutes). I think the best approach is to keep the basics clear and not fret about things like binomial probabilities :)

I think there is a simpler way of doing this. Total number of arrangements = 6! = 720 Now logically, for every "arrangement" where GR is ahead of NH, there has to be one where NH is ahead of GR. Therefore just split 720 into 2 parts and you get the answer 360.... Whadya say?

Hello Fiver, I would highly recommend a second try. From what I know of you; a 50 in math is easily assailable. -SP

Total Games = 3 total points to be won = (6-1)*3 Total teams = 3 Max score of team 1 = 6 points Max score of team 2 = 6 points Min possible score of team 3 = 15- (6+6) =3

1996: Car Sale Revenue = x 1996: Truck Sale Revenue = y Total Revenue = x+y 1997: Car Sale Revenue = .89x 1997: Truck Sale Revenue: 1.07y 1997: Total Revenue = (x+y)*1.01 .89x + 1.07y = 1.01x + 1.01y .06y=.12x x:y :: 1:2

Thanks flex_manny!

Hello abhasjha, I went through your CRs on the night before my exam, and distinctly remember them :) Thanks for that.

Hi Samal, From what I have heard, seen or read; if you think you scored 50 points or so lesser than your ability, then you should definitely take the test again. I have heard though however that a plateau is often not for the best; i.e. if you now score a 700 again, the then adcomm is sure to think that your best ability is around that level. This however is not substantiated by any evidence. For all we know the adcomm may not even look at the pattern at all. :)

Bose, From what I understand, the OG10 was much more comprehensive. It has since been split into OG11 + QR + CR, not literally but somewhat. VR and QR have more focus on their individual subjects, thats all. The OG11 should trump it all. Having said that, I must admit that I went through all the 3; if you have a few $ to spare, why not :) rather than repenting at a later hour.

Yes, it is the Kaplan book; I dint remember the exact name when I wrote that post .... shows how much time I spent on it :) Amazon.com: Kaplan GMAT 800, 2008-2009 Edition (Kaplan Gmat 800): Kaplan: Books

Thanks everyone, for such great feedback, and BTW I found that link that I wrote about earlier: GMAT Downloads Hi btit, No I did not run out of materials, I just ran out of energy due to my sickness :) I dint do anything different after my first attempt, just went through the Sets and did the OG once. -S

[EARLY WARNING- LONG POST, READ AT LEISURE] Hello Everyone, I just appeared for my GMAT yesterday, and scored a 770 (Q50, V47). Just as an early disclaimer, let me mention that this was my second attempt. My first was a 670 (Q50, V31, AWA 6) exactly 31 days back. During my first attempt however, I was under the spell of a severe viral infection. I took some medication before going to the test center but by the time I started my Verbal, my energy level was near zero; I simply don’t remember anything from that session; and that is why you see an AWA of 6, and Q of 50 and then an abominable 31 on V (and btw, I think I did not finish in time). Ironically, GMAT does not let you cancel your test in the last 3 days (as in it would still mention that you missed the test) and viral infections aren’t predictable 15 days prior to the event; so I went for the test nonetheless. The validity of my decision will come to light only as time passes. Anyway, I was dealt an unfavorable hand of cards, but then I couldn’t do much; so I just came out of the test (a bit shattered) but went ahead and scheduled another appointment the very first day I was eligible. That test really drained me a lot and my infection relapsed. It took me some 10 days to get back to normal, but then I knew I had already prepared for my exam, and I dint have to do much. So I simply went through my regular routine of giving tests, gave a few, revised the topics again and without fretting a lot gave the exam. I must say that my target was 750+, and I was happy to see the result. I started preparing for the GMAT on the 4th of July :) I distinctly remember, for I stayed back home that weekend, rather that enjoying the warm California weather on a beach. I have never been the studious type, I did score a GPA of >3.5 but that was back then. I have been working for the past 8 years now, and am totally out of the studying game. I studied 2 hours a day on weekdays, and 4 hours on weekends (mostly, I also travel a lot (job) so I had to take in a few blackout days). Here is a list of materials I used: Study Materials: OG/QR/VR: Nothing more important than a thorough review of these books. They should be renamed as the bibles for each one of these sections :) I must’ve gone through them atleast 4 times, and although this may sound a bit repetitive, I think you pick up subtle nuances each and every time you read the book (esp. in SC). You should plan on thoroughly reviewing this material at least two times. MGMAT Guides: A lot has been said about the MGMAT SC guide, but I think they cater to all subjects very well. I just looked at the new edition (sneak peek available on their website); and it looks like they have taken the guides to the next level. You must get yourself a set of those guides, go through each of these topics and make sure you read them comprehensively. GMAT 800: This is a book; I would recommend that you read only if you are aiming for a score beyond 700, and closer to 750. This is not a beginner’s guide, and can be ignored by those who are not in the 720 region. Then again this book will only prevent you from committing silly mistakes that might drag your score from a 720 to a 680; and will not help you go from 650 to 720. This book per me, is strictly recommended only for people who have studied their basics well, and are more interested in the advanced topics. I think the Verbal topics are much better covered in this book than the Quantitative. Personally, I got this book from our library (I had read the reviews earlier, and knew I shouldn’t be buying this one for good :) ), and held it for 2 weeks; it is a good book, and it did help me a lot. Mock Exams/Tests: Sets: Going through the infamous Scoretop Sets was one of the best things I did during my prep. They reflect the GMAT very well. I went through each one of the 31 sets once, gave every exam as though I were at the center (I would diligently solve 2 sets on weekends, and 1 set every now and then.). These sets also boost your confidence level; I used to score pretty low earlier but then after I completed some of these sets, I was both confident and quick in solving the real GMAT problems. MGMAT Tests: Again, MGMAT has a killer set of tests. It is a bit difficult to kickstart the whole testing process though. Their Q for example is much longer than the standard GMAT. i.e you will find it very hard to solve the test in time; but as I gave my first 2, I got used to the pace; and then started finishing the Q in time. The V is also good, and I think more closely reflects the actual GMAT. You can get an access to these tests by buying any one of their books, and I think 6 tests for In my first test (my first week of prep), I got a 650 but then improved to get 700, 730,730,750,760. The last test was ofcourse a sham :) MGMAT has a limited set of 1200 questions, and if you are consistently scoring ~700 in your first 5, it runs out of questions. But the good news is that they are enhancing their database. Again, this test set is highly recommended. PowerPrep and GPrep: Best emulators of the actual tests. I gave the tests once, and then in the last 10 days I went through the GPrep once every other day. Although 90% of the questions were same, but the 10% of the new questions helped a lot. Some other Material: I got some CDs (Barrons, PR ets) which had some of the mock tests as well; and while they were not very comprehensive, they did help a lot. This past week, through one of the posts on the TM forum, I went to a link which had a wonderful collection of prep material, including a “Cambridge GMAT Test” software. This one has the look and feel of the PowerPrep, but is very good. The questions are great, but unfortunately I don’t have the link to it. If anyone knows what I am talking about, please post out the link on this thread. Forums: TestMagic: By and far the most comprehensive collection of GMAT questions. I owe my score a lot to TM! I’ve seen the most wonderful, brilliant and awe inspiring people on this forum and I’ve never seen a question go unanswered. MGMAT Forum: Good, but not very comprehensive, does not have the same fan following as TM. MGMAT encourages their instructors to respond on this forum, and that is the real piece of meat there. Some of their instructors are very knowledgeable; and while TM’s strength is in collective intelligence, MGMAT’s is in intellectual intelligence. Understanding the scoring Pattern: I just wanted to add this as another item, I spent a few hours in understanding how the GMAT scores you. I really could not understand it a whole lot but here is what I found out: Stress more on the verbal part: I tried various permutations and combinations on Google. Typed in something like “GMAT Q49 V38” or another combination of scores, and checked what the scores of other people who have already scored as much look like. Then I created a table of my ideal scores. I would highly recommend that you all do the same. In my case, I knew that on a bad day I will get a 49 in Math, and on a good day 51, and if I really had someone VooDooing me, I would get 48. So then when I prepared for my Verbal I knew I had to get a 38 if I had to cross the 700 barrier. Although people look at their performance in the mock tests from a total score perspective, I would highly recommend looking at the splits too. Please work on your verbal scores; Even if you score a 51 on Q and just a 33-34 in Verbal, you will just manage to touch the 700 mark), and even with the best prep, you are never guaranteed a 51 in Q. Finally, IMHO, how you prepare and what you prepare are the two fundamental criteria which will define your final GMAT score. Everyone has access to the same GMAT material, and believe me; GMAT seldom goes out of the bounds that they have set themselves in the OG; and a thorough study of the material is bound to make you successful! Cheers and Have a great time during the preps! Thanks for all the help! Ciao!!!

Just give it a little thought; sqrt (x^2) = x (here x is positive) but per the stem X therefore sqrt(x^2) = -1*(X) We are saying that the original X is negative, but the solved x is positive.... it is a bit confusing, I agree.

Another way of thinking the classic GMAT way is : Since the system is unpredictable, how is it possible to predict that it "would" not be able to distinguish between the two? Lack of distinguishing power, is'nt that a predictive assumption on our part?

By 1: Any regular polygon with even number of sides> 2 will be true, so not suff. By 2 : Does not lead to much. Lets take the radius of the circle as r, diameter is 2r; Now the largest 4 edged polygon in a circle is a square. Lets take 2r as the diagonal, so the side of the square is sqrt(2)r Area = 2r^2 Area of the Circle = Pi*r^2 (Pi = 3.14) Now remember, this is the "Largest" possible quadrilateral, therefore there may be other quad that are smaller than a square that will fit the bill. However, since the area of any hexagon will be > the area of this square (Circle is a polygon with infinite sides); the polygon has 4 sides. Thus the answer.

This is what is called a circular permutation/arrangement. (n-1)! is the answer.

What we are missing is the significance of the ","; Nine planets each in their own orbit revolve around the sun. The solar system consists of a sun and 9 planets, each in its own orbit spinning around the sun.

Since A and B are single digits, A+B will yield a number no greater than 19. Therefore we will carry 1 forward to the tens digit. We know that there is a carry forward digit since from the stem : B+A = C but A+B = AA We could rewrite this as: A+B+1 (carry forward digit) =AA (which is 10A+A) A+B+1=11A A+B=10A By 1 C=10A....therefore unit digit is 0 ========================= Here is another "Logical" method: 1: There can be no pair of 2 digit numbers whose sum is greater than 199; 2: The only set of 3 digit numbers, with repeat digits in the tens and hundreds place smaller than 199 will lie between 110 and 119 (inclusive) 3: For the tens and hundreds digit to be 1, A+B=B+A=10 (with 1 carry ahead). Thus, C=0