Everyone will have their own slice of advice to offer you when it comes to how to prepare for GMAT. Well, we don’t want to be a part of that herd. So here we are, telling you about the most common mistakes students make, that may cost you the perfect score that you were aiming for.
Let’s assume you have started studying for GMAT (if you haven’t, you better buckle up), you’ve got your books, all your necessary stationery and comfort food.
Before you begin, you obviously have made a study map of what you want to get done first and how long you’re going to take on what chapter. Now crumble that paper and try your best slam dunk shot.
Find a balance in your study map
The problem a lot of students make while jotting down a roadmap is that they give most importance to the quantitative analysis section. While yes, it is probably the tougher cousin, but the verbal section weighs slightly more for the overall score and most students lose their marks there. Another myth is that the verbal section is easy for those who are good at English (insert fail buzzer sound). Well, it isn’t. The verbal section also includes verbal reasoning which may not have much to do with punctuation and grammar. It is aimed to test your understanding of concepts and reason with them. The only way to crack this section is regular practice and spending time understanding concepts, so you’re prepared for any questions thrown your way. Also, compartmentalising your study routine may not be the best idea. Work with both the sections (quantitative concepts and verbal reasoning) simultaneously.
Real muggles don’t mug (neither do wizards because they have magic, duh!)
GMAT is a computerised adaptive test. Now that this is clear, there is no way you can mug your way to the perfect score. What you need to equip yourself with is the understanding of the concepts (not only as standalones but also as combinations with other concepts) and how to quickly dissect them to get the right answer. This will only happen with practice. So, hit the book, jack, and don’t you come back unless you’ve got your quant concepts figured out.
Avoid using third-party GMAT guides, OG for the win!
Well, there are many arguments that will tell you that third party published books are a cheaper option and equally good, and they aren’t wrong. That said, the third party publishers (due to strict copyright policies) can only publish simulated material and not retired (previously asked) GMAT questions. The official guides, however, have full permission to do this. So, not only will you be getting your hands on the retired questions, you can also draw a pattern of the previous tests to know what questions are more or less repetitive.
Don’t work aimlessly, work like an athlete
Well, you may not have a Mickey in your life, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be as focused as Rocky. Keep fixed study hours in the day with enough room for chill breaks (who’re you kidding?). Remember, Mickey always pointed out Rocky’s weak points and made him work harder to get them right. So, assess yourself after 2-4 weeks (you can do this by taking mock tests) and identify your problem areas. Once you know your weak points, set aside half an hour every day to only work on those. This should cover you on all fronts.
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