(if you are just getting started then you might want to read the intro to the GMAT Study Schedules)
GMAT SCHEDULE WEEK 3: QUANT
Yep, it’s the third week of your GMAT preparation. Congrats on getting here! Those first two weeks are rough. This GMAT schedule is not for the faint of heart. You have solved (and re-solved hopefully) a whole bunch of GMAT questions and should be feeling a bit more comfortable with your algebra. Your error log should be filling up with tricky GMAT puzzles! Feeling a bit unsure about some challenging GMAT questions? That’s normal – here is an article on reviewing tough GMAT questions. Remember to review anything for which you don’t have a good strategy. That means that some questions that you got correct should be in your error log. Here is an article on reviewing GMAT Questions that you got right for the wrong reasons.
If you are still feeling a bit shaky on algebra then you should go back and spend more time on PS/DS word problems/algebraic translation problems. If you really don’t feel good at all about your algebra then you might consider a Quant review book such as the Foundations of GMAT Math. Here is an article that might help about using the Khan Academy to help build your GMAT Quant Basics: GMAT Khan Academy. Although the GMAT specific stuff is a bit klunky the video lessons on Quant basics can be very helpful.
This GMAT schedule is challenging and moves quickly so there’s no shame in spending an extra week or two getting your GMAT fundamentals in great shape. They are critical for a great GMAT score! Many people make the mistake of focusing on the tough, strange, and super challenging GMAT questions but really the most important thing is meat and potatoes algebra.
This week we will focus on GMAT geometry: lines, triangles, quadrilaterals, circles, polygons, 3d shapes, mixed shapes, and coordinate geometry. Memorize all of the basic rules! There’s no excuse for not knowing the ratio of sides of a right isosceles triangle! Feel free to practice with a formula sheet so that you are always applying the proper rules. It is better to study “open book” than to try to memorize formulas in a vacuum. The other things that help is to write down all the formulas that you are trying to remember before every study session. This only takes a few minutes but can help a ton! Here is a post with some easy but not so obvious tips for getting the most out of your GMAT studying
You will also be continuing with a more advanced set of exponents/roots/absolute value questions and work/rate/ratio/percent questions. All of the rules are the same but the questions get denser. Stay organized. Define what you are looking for. Take the question step by step. This week we will also begin with “general sets” so that you solve a mix of questions. You will see repeats in these sets because some of the questions have appeared in the targeted sets. You can skip the repeats if you are absolutely sure that you know how to solve them. Also, remember that this GMAT schedule is all about staying organised and breaking down your studying into manageable chunks so try to study consistently and avoid cramming massive amounts of work. If you miss a day then use the day off to catch up or just add a day to your studying.
GMAT SCHEDULE WEEK 3: VERBAL
By now you should have a general strategy for each of the verbal sections. It’s time to get some tough practice. There isn’t quite enough challenging Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning in the Official Guide or the Verbal Review so you are going to work on LSAT sections. These LSAT questions are dense and unforgiving! Be ready for a challenge. But challenge is fun right? You wouldn’t want to work on all the easy stuff and then get mowed down by the real test:) Nope, not you. Here’s a GMAT vs. LSAT article for those who are curious about the differences between these two tests.
For the LSAT Logical Reasoning take 40 minutes per section. Skip parallel reasoning (the argument is most similar to..), parallel flaw (the error in reasoning is most similar to), and justify the reasoning (which of the following principles most justifies…) questions. For the LSAT Reading Comprehension take 12 minutes per passage. We will also be exploring more Sentence Correction question types (Modifiers, Lists) and more Critical Reasoning question types (Paradox, Evaluate). If you are finding that the LSAT Logical Reasoning work is too challenging then do only questions 1-15 for now. If the LSAT Reading comprehension is too challenging then replace the LSAT work with GMAT work. Friendly reminded to keep reading an Economist article everyday. This really works! Here is an article on reading the Economist to improve Reading Comprehension.
GMAT SCHEDULE WEEK 3
DAY 1
GMAT Official Guide 13th Edition – Sentence Correction
Lists 18, 37, 41, 46, 54, 55, 56, 57, 63, 66, 75, 79, 109, 112, 116, 134. 138
Modifiers 8, 19, 22, 29, 41, 47, 48, 59, 65, 74, 82, 87, 104, 110, 112, 132, 135
GMAT Official Guide 13th Edition – Critical Reasoning
Evaluate 10, 15, 27, 36, 42, 47, 68, 70, 72, 110, 114, 124
Paradox 3, 6, 9, 13, 24, 44, 49, 57, 61, 86, 92, 94, 99
DAY 2
GMAT Quantitative Review 2nd Edition – Geometry
Problem Solving: 7, 15, 21, 30, 44, 71, 76, 83, 85, 89, 102, 105, 110, 123, 135, 139, 141, 145, 150, 153, 157, 162, 175
Data Sufficiency: 4, 11, 19, 22, 43, 58, 59, 60, 72, 88, 91, 95, 99, 114, 123
GMAT Verbal Review 2nd Edition – Critical Reasoning
Evaluate 3, 40, 42, 54, 66, 70
Paradox 8, 60, 72, 73
LSAT Prep Test (12 minutes)
1 LSAT Reading Comprehension Passage
DAY 3
GMAT Verbal Review 2nd Edition – Sentence Correction
Lists 1, 2, 5, 7, 15, 24, 26, 27, 49, 53, 58, 61, 63, 67, 68, 77, 78, 86, 91, 95, 112
Modifiers 34, 53, 57, 71, 75, 88, 92, 96, 100, 109, 111
GMAT Official Guide 13th Edition – Rate/Work
Problem Solving: 139, 162, 168, 207
Data Sufficiency: 106, 107, 108, 115
GMAT Quantitative Review 2nd Edition
Problem Solving: 136, 140, 142
Data Suffiency: 55, 71, 117
LSAT Prep Test (40 Minutes)
1 LSAT Logical Reasoning Section
DAY 4
GMAT Official Guide 13th Edition – Geometry
Problem Solving: 13, 18, 28, 36, 43, 61, 62, 69, 75, 78, 92, 104, 121, 125, 147, 159, 161
Data Suffiency: 11, 19, 30, 35, 42, 56, 73, 74, 79, 100, 102, 113, 117, 122, 128
LSAT Prep Test
1 LSAT Logical Reasoning Section (40 Minutes)
2 LSAT Reading Comprehension Passages (24 Minutes)
DAY 5 – GMAT Holiday!!
DAY 6
LSAT Prep Test
2 LSAT Reading Comprehension Passages (24 Minutes)
GMAT Official Guide 13th Edition – Exponents/Roots/Absolute Value Continued
Problem Solving: 143, 146, 149, 157, 163, 164, 170, 176, 180, 191, 199, 209, 217, 227, 230
Data Sufficiency: 157, 159, 160, 162, 167, 169
GMAT Official Guide 13th Edition – General Set
Data Sufficiency: 35-64
Sentence Correction 1-29
GMAT Verbal Review 2nd Edition
SC 1-29
Feeling good about GMAT Geometry? Let’s get some extra tough practice and learn some GMAT Geometry Tips and Tricks:
GMAT Question of the Day Geometry 1
GMAT Question of the Day Geometry 2
GMAT Question of the Day Geometry 3
GMAT Question of the Day Geometry 4
GMAT Question of the Day Geometry 5
GMAT Question of the Day Geometry 6
GMAT Question of the Day Geometry 7
GMAT Question of the Day Geometry 8 (This one is super tough)
GMAT Question of the Day Geometry 9
DAY 7
GMAT Official Guide 13th Edition – Ratio
Problem Solving 177, 179, 188, 200
Data Sufficiency 81, 114
GMAT Quantitative Review 2nd Edition
Problem Solving 84, 155
Data Sufficiency 67
GMAT Official Guide 13th Edition – Percent/Percent Change
Problem Solving 177
Data Sufficiency 151
GMAT Quantitative Review 2nd Edition
Problem Solving 138, 143, 154
GMAT Official Guide 13th Edition – Average
Problem Solving 145, 208
Data Sufficiency 121
GMAT Quantitative Review 2nd Edition
Problem Solving 116, 137
Data Sufficiency 118
GMAT Official Guide 13th Edition – General Set
Problem Solving: 50-79
LSAT Prep Test
1 LSAT Logical Reasoning Section (40 Minutes)