The GMAT is a uniquely pressured and stressful test. For a mass of students, taking this test follows months of preparation with lots of practice and hard work. To help you make the most of your study time, consider few of these tips on how to ace the GMAT:
❏Practice on a Computer
The GMAT is over three hours long and is taken entirely on a computer. So on top of the mental fatigue, you’re also facing eyestrain, neck and upper back pain! Make sure you’re prepared for all this by doing as much preparation as possible on the computer.
Once you are done taking practice tests on your computer, jot down some notes afterwards—not just about how it went, but how you felt throughout the test. Could you have sat up a bit straighter and maintained a fit posture? Did you need to blink and look away several times? The more you practice on a computer, the better you’ll be able to assess your stamina work to build the same.
❏Use Process of Elimination
It is far easier to eliminate wrong answers than it is to pick the right one. So, when you’re unsure about answer choices on a given question, try to eliminate all the wrong ones first. Make a case for why each one is wrong (even if you don’t believe it’s wrong, go ahead and argue to yourself that it is anyway). The choice that is the hardest to disprove will likely be the right answer.
❏Move On After 2.5 Minutes (At Max)
Especially for the Quant section, some of the challenging questions do require a full two minutes, but many of them can be answered much faster than that by implementing an applicable math property. So if you find yourself taking a lot of your precious time on a question that seems to involve crazy steps, you’re doing it out “the long way” which is nothing but a trap, because it leaves you with a lot less time and mental energy for the rest of the questions, so rather use a process of elimination to make a strategic guess. And no matter what, move on after two to two and a half minutes. If you’re working on a practice test, be sure to go back and review the answer explanation for that question when you’re done and ask yourself, if there was a property that could be used to solve the problem more efficiently?
Remember, your GMAT score goes down much more if you don’t finish a section than if you guess incorrectly on a handful of questions.
❏Memorize Data Sufficiency choices. They are always the same.
One of the most common types of questions on the GMAT Quantitative section are Data Sufficiency questions. When you see an equation there, your first instinct is to try and solve it. Don’t do it. Keep your focus on the purpose of the Data Sufficiency questions, which is determining whether the information provided can answer the question asked.
The meaning of each statement is given below:
○ Statement 1 alone is sufficient but statement 2 alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
○ Statement 2 alone is sufficient but statement 1 alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
○ Each statement alone is sufficient to answer the question.r the question but neither statement is sufficient alone.
○Each statement alone is sufficient to answer the question.
○ Statements 1 and 2 are not sufficient to answer the question asked and additional data is needed to answer the statements.
❏Narrow down your choices
First look at each statement in the Data sufficiency section separately. If the first statement is sufficient to answer the question, you can narrow down your choices to A, C, or D. If not, you are left with choices B and E. It’s all about narrowing down and constricting your choices.
Hope these tips helped you. Now go on your way to ace your GMAT!
We know and understand the application process can be overwhelming, but you don’t need to worry. The study experts at Hello Study Global are with you for your every step of the way. From the beginning to the end, we will guide you to success.
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