So you are starting the initial phases of your GMAT preparation and you are probably wondering how to ace that quantitative section score. You feel pretty well versed when it comes to verbal, but the math is what is nagging at you. You spend many sleepless nights tossing and turning about those combination/permutation questions, as well as rate and distance problems, not to mention multi-variable calculus questions that just might pop up (ok, that is a joke, there will be no calculus on the GMAT). But all kidding aside, what are the best ways to increase that math score to put you over that 700 milestone? Good question, and I hope to answer some of these concerns and calm some of the nerves so that you are confident going into the final weeks of your test preparation.
Back to the Basics
No matter how good you are at math, I would suggest buying a GMAT guide (Princeton Review has a good one, think it is called “Guide for Cracking the GMAT”, or something along those lines) and brushing up on all the different kinds of math questions that they might throw at you on test day. This might sound very rudimentary and obvious, but the fact is test-takers fail to realize and understand what types of math questions they will face come test day. If you have a solid working knowledge of the typical questions, this is the first step in boosting your GMAT quant score. As you are probably aware, there are some areas in quant that the last time you saw such math was when you were wearing tube socks and playing wall ball at recess. “What is the difference between a multiple and a factor?” you say? If you don’t know the answer to this, you definitely should get up to speed with these elementary, yet key fundamentals.
Make a Plan
Nothing big was ever accomplished without a plan. Organize your game plan, your plan of attack if you will, before you start studying. I’m not here to tell you how you should structure your plan, but lay out on paper how long you think you will need to review, do practice problems and practice tests, and then brush up on weaker areas. This will probably take at least two months, so have an idea of how you want to allocate your time and stick to it. If you don’t keep up with your plan or feel that you are pressed for time, perhaps you need to think about pushing your test date back. Regardless, just thinking about how you approach your studies will serve you well in the end.
Practice Practice Practice
As you go along in your studies, more specifically when doing hundreds of practice problems, you will invariably get a feel for and find your weaker quant areas. This is a good thing!! Don’t get discouraged when you come across these areas, it is an absolute blessing that you have identified your Achilles heel. You won’t be able to find these weaker areas if you aren’t practicing literally hundreds of questions (I suggest the Official Guide for GMAT Review for good practice problems). After hundreds of questions, you will be able to tell what your strengths and weaknesses are. As far as strengths go, it probably doesn’t make too much sense to keep practicing these types of problems that you are comfortable with. As you go along, start to hone in on the areas that are giving you trouble. Perhaps you can keep a spreadsheet or notes of what types of questions are holding you back.
Repeat as Necessary
Now that you have found your weak areas, I suggest doing multiple iterations of these types of questions. In your final few weeks, make it your goal to really focus on these areas and master these types of questions. This will give you confidence as your test day nears, as well as the ability to tackle those problems that you are missing. The key here is repetition; just do as many as you can. Soon you will discover a comfort level with once more difficult types of questions and you will be on your way to acing the exam. Most folks seem to struggle with time on the GMAT quant section, and increased exposure to hundreds of questions within your “bad” areas will really serve you well on test day. As you go from question to question during your exam, you will really thank yourself for your efforts. You will be amazed how many similar questions you see and will probably even tell yourself “Cool, I just did a question very similar to this last week” and the preparation will come in very handy. The Boy Scouts don’t have the motto “Be Prepared” for nothing. Put in your time and it will pay off. Good luck!!
