Majority of GMAT test takers feel anxious about the test especially their preparation. Is there a clear way to tell for sure if you are preparing enough for your GMAT?

There are really no hundred percent accurate methods to tell for sure if you are doing the most adequate GMAT test preparation. In spite of the known GMAT test areas, it is not enough to know what exactly the test questions will be. This must not discourage you from doing your best to prepare for the GMAT. It is alright to feel a little nervous about the upcoming test; in fact, it will even help you concentrate and do your best. It actually helps you be more alert and ready when the day comes. The test anxiety may seem too much to handle so here are some helpful advice to prepare for the test and decrease that tense anxiety.

Know your learning style

Studying and preparing for any kind of test would be more effective if you adapt it to your learning style. Visual, kinetic and auditory learning styles should be understood in order to adapt the best learning strategy for your review. It will help a lot if you adapt your learning strategies with your unique learning style. Studying with these learning styles considered could make you understand and remember the things studied in a better manner.

Practice proper time management

It is crucial to know how to manage ones time in instances wherein these extra hours could be very beneficial. The GMAT test preparation will never run out of distractions and other problems. A lot of GMAT Test takers complain that it seems impossible to prepare for the test in the midst of work, family and other personal struggles. Nobody said the GMAT preparation is easy; there will always be hardships and sacrifices along the way. Time management is a crucial factor that could determine your exam success.

Simulation exercises

Another technique to pull down that disturbing test anxiety is to recreate or simulate the test. Much of a test takers anxiety lies in not knowing how the test will flow. We are very blessed with online preparation tools that let you know exactly how the computer adapted GMAT would go like. Hence, there are no surprises when you step into the test day because you are confident about how to go about it.

Know the directions for each question.
Knowing the directions for the questions beforehand will save you valuable time. But remember the directions for the questions in the GRE Test might be slightly different from the ones in your study material. So always read the instructions but do it quickly.

Don’t stick to one question for too long
By the time you have finished your GRE preparation, you should have a good estimate of how much time you can give to a particular question. Don’t get stuck on one particular question for too long. This might cause you to lose precious time and miss questions you could have easily done.

Don’t Rush
The GRE Test is about optimizing. Finishing the paper first is not what is important. You should devote just the right amount of time to each question. Maximizing your marks in a given period of time is your aim. So don’t rush it as that might cost you valuable marks.

The questions at the beginning are the most important
The questions at the beginning affect your score more than those towards the end. Take your time with those questions. It is vital that you get those questions right. Getting these correct will dramatically improve your score.

Selection by elimination
When you don’t know the answers to some questions, try and use the method of elimination. You may have a very good idea of which option cannot be the answer. Eliminate such options. It narrows down your guess to just maybe two options and sometimes down to one.

Don’t leave any question
The GRE Test does not penalize you for wrong answers. So never leave any question unanswered.

Be very sure of your answer before proceeding
With the Computer-Adaptive Test (CAT) for GRE, you cannot return to a question once you have attempted it. You cannot leave the difficult questions for later nor can you check your answers towards the end even if you have extra time. So pace yourself properly and be very certain of your answers.

Get adequate rest the night before
Before the test, relax. Research shows a person who is relaxed usually does much better than a person who is tense during an exam. Get enough sleep before the D-Day. Also if your GRE is in the morning, take a light breakfast. A heavy one might make you drowsy.

Do tests drive exactly a week before your test
Getting to the test center on time is vital. In fact you should try and get to the test center 15-30 minutes before time. Taking a test drive to your test center exactly a week before might be a good idea. This will give you a rough idea of the traffic conditions at the time and day of your GRE.

Wear Comfortable Clothes
Wear comfortable clothes to your GRE test center. It might be a good idea to carry a sweater or a jacket, in case you start feeling cold. Also make a check list well in advance of what all you need on the D-day and keep everything ready the night before. One of the things you need is a chronometer. (In case you don’t know what that means, start preparing for the GRE vocabulary

Use the scratch paper the test center provides
You are not allowed to bring any sheets of paper to the GRE test center but are provided scratch paper by the center. You should make effective use of this to make quick notes for yourself or for solving math questions.

And lastly DON’T PANIC
No matter what happens, DON’T PANIC. Keep your cool all the time, even when you don’t know the answer. Once you panic, you might even answer the easiest questions wrongly. If you feel yourself getting tense, take a short break, ask for a glass of water, close your eyes, take deep breaths and calm yourself down.

Last minute cramming

Cramming never helps, especially at the last minute. In fact, it can lead to severe anxiety and stress. Whether it’s vocabulary or math, practice needs to be consistent and over a reasonable period of time. “I made the mistake of trying to learn a lot of new words in the days immediately before SAT. Needless to say, I forgot them all at the time when it matters the most. Only formulae in math can be revised at the last minute, starting from scratch is not possible,” shares Vidisha Advani, who took the test last year.

Not knowing the format

Make an effort to know the SAT exam format in detail—what are the subsections, how is the weight of marks distributed and what are the likely question types? Such information is freely available and must be used to ensure there are no surprises in the paper.

Miss-timing

Pay particular attention to time. Many students get carried away once the test starts and lose focus of the duration available. “In my first SAT attempt I missed out many questions towards the end of the section because I wasted time on the initial ones. Don’t rush, but be aware of the time,” advises University of Virginia student Anandita Ghosh.

Trying to solve every question

If you cannot solve a question, don’t be scared to move on. Spending time on a question you have no idea about should be avoided. “School teaches us that leaving any question in an exam is taboo. So we try and attempt every single question, which is not necessary on the SAT. For questions I was vaguely sure about, I decided how much time to allot it. If I did not get the answer within that time I would move on,” shares Angadveer Singh, engineering student at Georgia Tech.

Guessing

The SAT really isn’t about your guessing skills. Mark what you are sure of and take informed guesses about questions you are nearly sure of. In cases where you have no idea about the answer, do not mark random options. “Chances are the guess will be wrong. Many wrong answers severely affect your score. Reckless guessing is a very big mistake,” shares Advani.

Panicking

Panic is the number one enemy of the SAT test taker. “I learnt this lesson the hard way. Although I had prepared for my SAT, I hit the panic button during the test. As a result, I missed out on many easy questions, fumbled on formulae and made silly mistakes,” rues liberal arts student Rashna Nargolwala who now studies in Australia.

Reading too slowly

Students tend to make the mistake of reading every word in the critical reading section with great detail. This is unnecessary and wastes time. “You can simply refer back to the passage for the details you need. Read to get an idea of the passage, not to memories details,” advises Singh.

Being unprepared

The SAT is not an exam that should be taken lightly. “At my SAT exam, I was shocked to find students who arrived with seconds to spare, others with no stationery of their own,” recalls Nargolwala. She suggests that students visit their SAT centre before the actual test day so they know the location, traffic situation, etc. Students should keep these pointers in mind to ensure they maximize their scores on their SAT.

According to a recent survey the average GMAT score is 560, which is down 10 points when compared to last year’s average. How is that few people cross 700 whereas the rest of the test aspirants (approximately 2, 00,000 out of 2, 65,000 GMAT takers) remains in mere 600’s?

The GMAT score is an indicative of the current aptitude level of an individual. Your aptitude quotient doesn’t improve over night. It takes at-least 3 months of preparation to improve your score and here is your plan of action.

1. Repetition

It is better to work on a question 10 times than working on 10 different questions. Aptitude exams don’t test your knowledge of formula. It tests you on your application of concepts.

Study each problem 10 times, observe the parts a problem

• Variables: elements in the problem which maybe independent, dependent or hidden vis-à-vis other variables.
• Conditions: relationships that relate variables
• Constraints: Conditions that limit the scope of the problem these parts of the problem indicate the steps and the time taken to solve the problem. This factor results in effective time management.

2. Reason with math

To improve your math preparation, reason with mathematical problems.

For example
what is the product of 5^25 x 2^32?
To solve this sum reason with the problem:
Observe a sample and derive a pattern:
5^1 and 2^1 gives 10
5^2 and 2^2 gives 100 or 10^2
5^3 and 2^3 gives 100 or 10^3
The pattern is one 5 and one 2 gives 10, two 5’s and two 10’s gives 100…. The number of 5’s and the number of 2’s gives the number of 0’s.

Conclusion one 5 and one 2 gives one 10 or a number with one 0.
Hence 5^25 x 2^32 = 5^25 x 2^25 x 2^7
Which is 128 …….(25 times)

3.Do not revise just the formula, learn how to derive it.

Most mathematical problems in the GMAT are related to the method of deriving certain standard formula than the formula itself. For example

While deriving the area of the equilateral triangle = sqrt(3) side^2/4
You will notice that the altitude bisects the triangle into two halves of equal area
The altitude splits the base into two halves of equal length.

4. Compare critical reasoning questions and derive generalization.

Study the CR questions in groups. For example study all “the weaken the argument” questions together. You will observe standard steps every time.
For example you will observe you have
•to first find the conclusion
•then identify the logic (whether its an analogy, a statistical data, a cause effect relationship or an example)
•then choose the option that negates the logic

5. If you are not strong with sentence correction and reading comprehension till now and if you have only two weeks to go, then there is nothing that can be done. It requires at-least 3 weeks of structured learning.

For more help and information regarding GMAT examination, contact us support@edroads.com

1. In general, it’s better not to guess on a question
actually, this is partially true. If you are totally stumped on a question and cannot even eliminate a single answer choice, then yes, you should omit the question. However, if you can eliminate even one choice, it is statistically to your advantage to guess among the four choices on that question. The College Board applies a “guessing penalty” of one-quarter of a question per missed question and does not penalize for omitted questions, so guess accordingly.

2. The length of the essay is irrelevant
Even though the College Board will tell you that the length of an essay is not related to its score, studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between essay length and higher scores. Therefore, it is always better to write an essay that is lengthier and incorporates more details, examples, and experiences. However, you should not fill an essay with “fluff” – such mundane, wasted words only annoy the graders.

3. The best time to take the SAT is on (so-and-so) testing date
we’ve heard this one time and time again. Many students feel that the curve is easier on the June and September testing dates because more students who performed poorly on the first test are retaking, or because fewer students overall are taking the test. Neither of these claims is necessarily true, and there is virtually no link between difficulty of the curve and testing date. Test after you have studied, and base your decision only on your own abilities.

4. You can guess which section is the “experimental” one
simply put; there is really no way to determine the “experimental” section. It could be writing, math, or reading. It could feature easier or tougher questions. You should not work “less hard” on a section because you think it is the experimental section

5. A 2100 is much better than a 2090
to admissions counselors, a total score of 2100 is identical to that of a 2090. In fact, most counselors would find a score of 2050 identical to the 2100. First of all, the variance of the “curve” could account for much of the difference between scores. Second, 50 points usually represents a few questions, hardly a “make-or-break” assessment for college admission.

6. Since the Writing section is new, it doesn’t matter/It’s harder
The Writing section has a lower mean score because it is newer, but most prepared students actually find the Writing section easier than the Reading section. In fact, students who have taken test preparation courses experience the highest score increase in Writing. Along those same lines, even though the section is new, you cannot dismiss it. Colleges may claim not to look at it, but its right there next to your other two scores on the score report. Don’t take your chances – do well!

7. Re-Testing “looks bad”
Total nonsense. Almost all colleges do not consider a student who re-tests any worse than the student who does not, and most students re-test. Why? Re-testing usually marks a very mediocre increase in score because the SAT is designed to test intelligence, not knowledge. Students do not typically become “more intelligent” between testing periods. However, some students experience great success after preparing for the exam. In general, if you are not happy with your score, re-testing is a great option.

8. You should use your calculator to solve most math problems
The students who receive 800′s on the math section are typically not the ones who are calculator whizzes – they are simply better-prepared for the exam. Using a graphing calculator to solve simple math problems may seem like a great solution to your math issues, but in the end you will only be shorting yourself. Calculators require time and effort and are prone to input errors. While practicing for the math section, do as much as you can without a calculator.

9. The SAT doesn’t really matter anyway/doesn’t test intelligence
we can debate the merits of the SAT all day, but at the end of the day, it is the standard for college entrance. Just as you should not become infatuated with SAT preparation, you should not blow off the SAT. Your personal opinion is not that of the college you will be applying to.

10. A bad score may be due to a bad day
unless you were sleep-deprived during a particular day; it is unlikely that re-testing alone will boost your score. Many people attribute low scores to “having a bad day,” but research shows that this is generally not the source of the low score. If you get a bad score, take it as such – don’t blame your mood or the way you felt – and find out how you can improve.

Most college-going students take the test at least once and probably more than once, and many colleges specifically require the SAT. Some even have cutoff scores for admission.

The College Board SAT, simply put, is a nationally-recognized college entrance exam that tests a student’s ability to logically reason. The full name of the SAT I, in fact, is the SAT Reasoning Test. Through the assessment of reading, writing, and mathematics abilities, the College Board assigns a score to a student. This score is considered “scaled” and based on the performance of other students on the same test in the same testing period. Each of the three sections is scored independently on a scale of 200-800, 800 being the top score. Thus, the highest cumulative score you could hope to earn is a perfect 2400.

In terms of reading, most of the passages on the SAT are at or below the high school reading level. The mathematics section only assesses students’ knowledge of algebra and a bit of geometry, and the writing section covers only the most common grammar errors. In fact, the writing section doesn’t even cover such common errors as comma use and conventions. So why do so many students stress out about the SAT?

One reason is the importance placed on the test. Many students become nervous and feel that the SAT is a “make-or-break” test that will solely determine their future. However misguided and silly this view may seem, it is actually common to many dire test-takers.

Another source of stress is the pure length of the test. The SAT spans three hours and forty-five minutes, plus breaks. It is broken down into ten sessions, including a 25-minute essay section. To many students, sitting through this ordeal can be more challenging than the test itself.

The SAT is by no means an easy test, and it is certainly not an exam to be taken lightly. In fact, it can have a large impact on where you go to university and the amount of money in scholarships you may receive, among other things. Hirers have even been known to request SAT scores on job applications. But the SAT is not something to be feared – it is actually a manageable assessment of your ability to logically reason. You need not be a math whiz or a grammar nut to score high on the SAT, but you do need to think critically, logically, and in an organized manner. If you can do so, you will be impressed by your results.

Choosing the correct GMAT course will aid the students in fulfilling their goals effortlessly and to reach success. The pupils that are seeking to write the GMAT Prep Courses exam should explore particular common courses which are important for preparing the exams. GMAT courses: The students who are prepared to attend the GMAT test prep. GMAT exam have to undergo the courses which will assure success within the exams as the GMAT exam cannot be written without the help of a course. The courses for the GMAT exams will usually give a variety of processes that must be understood by the students who write the exam. Understanding concerning the section: The initial factor that all the GMAT exam writers should understand is the different sections involved within the exam. This will aid the students to recognize the sections which are hard for them prior to the exam. This will aid the students to allot the time properly for every section also to prepare well for the section that is especially challenging. Understanding the weakness: The Study for GMAT course will aid the students in understanding their weakness just before attempting the exam.

Having time schedule for the test:

Correct time scheduling will support the students to split enough time concerning the tough and simple areas and definitely will ultimately reach to a good score after the exam.

Most beneficial method of preparing the examination:

It really is very stressful for the students to organize for this GMAT exams.

Way 1: Self study is definitely the first alternative to organize for the GMAT exam. This need to be completed by researching the stuffs on web plus the practice question sections might be out there on the net to support the learners inside the preparing process. Planning and time managing is really essential although you prepare on your own. Prepare the strategy for learning the subjects by allotting timing for every area as this will make trainees incredibly focused and arranged.

Way 2: Next way is to attend the prep schools. This process is carried out either offline or by means of internet. This procedure is quiet costly but is suitable for the students who cannot allot the timings for preparing of their own. Some students need only a proper guidance for understanding the concept that need to be studied to go to the test and to clear it. The tutor who teaches the course will obviously discuss the individual’s weakness and that ought to be corrected before attending the exam.

Study Plan for 3 Months

1. Study more often, not longer.

It is said that repetition is the mother of all learning, and the GMAT is no exception.  Everyone is different of course, and some people get MUCH more out of eight-hour blocks of GMAT cramming . . . but most people do not.  They get tired, they get careless, and (worst of all) they procrastinate because it’s so unpleasant for them.  Your task is this:  if at all possible, study every day.  I know that’s a tall order, so I will amend it to fit your life a bit better: study every day, even if it’s only for 15 minutes.  In your worst, busiest week you’ll still put in almost two hours; in a normal week (according to my plan) you’ll be putting in at least eight.

2. Take full-length practice exams regularly.

Full-length practice tests do two amazing things for you.  First, they build your capacity to sit there concentrating for the length of the test, to the point that (ideally) the real thing should feel like just another practice exam.  You get used to the pacing, learn how to track your time and progress, and learn how to make adjustments so that you can always finish before time expires.  This is absolutely critical to your success, and full-length testing is worth doing just for this ability.

As an added benefit, full-length tests keep your skills “current” on topics of less concern to you.  Perhaps you’re comfortable enough with general quantitative and spend most of your practice time on Verbal and high-level and rare Quantitative questions; full-length tests insure that you do not lose the ability to handle questions in your stronger areas.

3. Review your full-length exam within 24 hours.

Ideally, you should review your exam immediately after you take it, but there isn’t always time, so I’m giving you 24 hours.  The idea behind the quick turnaround stems from the nature of your review; rather than simply looking at your score or reading explanations for the questions you got wrong, you are looking at all of the following:

•On questions I got right, did I solve it the same way they did in the explanation?  If not, am I confident that my approach is valid?

•On questions where I narrowed the answer choices down and then guessed, was my guess based on good thinking?

•On questions I got wrong (or narrowed down to two and guessed, correctly or not), what attracted me to the wrong answer?

•On questions I got wrong, did I make a careless mistake, or was there an error in my thought process or strategy?

These questions are much easier to answer if you can still remember your thought processes and make sense of your notes — that’s why I give you 24 hours.

4. Keep an error log.

Review after the exam is time-consuming but productive, but for best results, you should add the step of tracking your errors.  Some providers of test prep materials will help you with this by tagging questions along certain lines (though they won’t necessarily all use the same tags), while others you may have to identify yourself.  The key here is to look for patterns throughout your prep period:

•Are there certain question types (like SC or PS) or topics (like Inference or Circles) that I get wrong more often?

•Are there certain question types or topics that I routinely spend too much time on?

•Do I regularly make careless mistakes at the same point(s) on the test?

•Do I struggle more with questions with a lot of context (story problems, long sentences) or a little?

•Have I overcompensated with any of my strategies — answering too many questions too quickly, or spending too much time on certain topics that I’ve recently improved on?

Other patterns may emerge, even in the time of day you take your test!

The skills evaluated in Verbal Reasoning are the test taker’s ability to

•    analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it
•    analyze relationships among component parts of sentences
•    recognize relationships between words and concepts

The skills evaluated in Quantitative Reasoning include the test taker’s ability to

•    understand basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis
•    reason quantitatively
•    solve problems in a quantitative setting

For Analytical Writing, the skills measured include the test taker’s ability to

•    articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively
•    examine claims and accompanying evidence
•    support ideas with relevant reasons and examples
•    sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion
•    control the elements of standard written English

Secondly, there is no such strategy which says that you should start studying from the Verbal section and then move on to Quants or vice-versa. Start with whatever you are comfortable with! Starting your preparation with something you find easy helps defuse stress and arouse interest in what you’re studying.

The GRE preparation study is never ending…you can’t have enough practice in maths and almost nobody can memorize the meanings of all those thousands of words. So these 2 things – Quants and Words – should be universal in your preparation, i.e. you should study them every day even as you set up targets for the more particular sections.

Those who are good with English should not get overconfident. The reading comprehension section can be quite tricky. It’s not like those simple comprehension passages that you get in your 10th and 12th standard board exams.

Some of the books we recommend for GRE preparation you will find readily at our classroom library. Quite a few are available on internet (free and paid both). Make your preparation a mixture of online and offline study. We always recommend different mock tests to our students.

Finally, don’t procrastinate (if you don’t know the meaning of this word, your GRE preparation is lagging!). Laziness never did you any good and never will.

Once you think you have studied enough, start giving the mock test in the ETS power prep CD. That test will give you a good indication of where you stand. Identify your weak areas from the result of the test and try to strengthen them with practice.