GMAT Article/s - Quant, Verbal & More

Aug 2021

Why is your GMAT Score Important for Prospective Jobs?

By: Apex GMAT
Date: 5th August 2021

Taking the GMAT and getting a 700+ score is not only going to help you pursue your MBA career, it will also facilitate additional professional benefits. Indeed, the GMAT requires far more skills than just the math or verbal skills that are tested, and success can be evidence of an array of capabilities. Read on to find out what GMAT score use in employment is and why more employers are taking candidates’ GMAT scores into account in hiring decisions.

Of course, a high GMAT score primarily makes one stand out from other job applicants. Moreover, it is also a clear and objective indicator of your integrated reasoning abilities, as well as your analytical, verbal, and quantitative reasoning skills. Particularly for those interested in applying for finance, investment, or business-related employment, an excellent GMAT score can be proof of expertise in the aforementioned categories.

At the surface level, a high score in the quant section demonstrates that a candidate can solve and interpret numerical problems. More significantly, it also implies that the applicant can be trusted with complex calculations, extensive financial reports, and other major related tasks. Furthermore, a candidate’s integrated reasoning skills will be seen to be of great professional value, especially when working with a large amount of data from multiple sources. Extrapolating the right takeaways and decision-making points from this wide array of data is a skill highly sought after by employers.

The GMAT’s testing of analytical writing and verbal reasoning skills have implications for a candidate’s professional capabilities. Scores in these sections speak to the applicant’s capacity for critical thinking as well as how clearly and precisely they can express their ideas in written form.

Ultimately, the GMAT score helps employers select their hires based on information gleaned from standardized testing, and not just personal characteristics or experience. This allows for a selection process that is much more comprehensive.

Since the GMAT is a requirement for MBA admission, a high score also indicates that the candidate has been admitted to a prestigious and academically rigorous university. Potential employers perceive such individuals as having a high-quality education from top-notch professors. Many of whom have worked in their industry.

Finally, a candidate with a high GMAT score is also better placed to perform well during a job interview than someone who has never prepared for such a test. By putting his/her critical thinking and verbal reasoning skills into practice, a job candidate with a 700+ score is more likely to excel at answering questions that require the application of analytical and logical skills. Moreover, having taken the GMAT, prospective hires enjoy minimal interview anxiety or stress, because they were trained to manage such issues while preparing for the test. Additionally, they may be exempt from taking company interview tasks due to their performance on the GMAT.

For all these reasons, employers will always value individuals with high GMAT scores, giving them preference over the job seekers with low or no GMAT scores. For more information regarding the GMAT Scoring, GMAT Scoring Demystified is a very insightful article to read.

Jul 2021

GMAT Trade Show Problem – Data Sufficiency

GMAT Trade Show Problem Introduction

Today we’re going to take a look at the Trade Show Problem and this is a GMAT Data Sufficiency problem with averages as the focal point. But really the concept of average is distracting from this problem. So, if we take a look at the question stimulus, we want to figure out what we need, but we need to synthesize some of the information there to understand what we know.

We’re being asked whether or not it gets above a certain threshold an average of 90, and over six days that’s going to be over a total of 540 points. Notice how I did it mathematically, you can represent it graphically as a rectangle, but 90 times 6 is that 540 points. We know though that all of our days at a minimum are 80 which means we can build up from that piece of knowledge. We have 80 x 6 = 480 points and we want to know if we have more or less than 60 points above that minimum that we’re already working with that’s what we need.

Solving the GMAT Problem

Ways we might get it include any number of slices and dices for the performance of the rest of the days and the difficulty of this problem in large part will be dependent on how convoluted the GMAT gives us the introduced information on number one and two.

When we look at number one, we’re told that the final four days average out to a hundred. Once again, like with other average problems, each of the individual four days the performance doesn’t matter. We can just say each is exactly 100 and make that assumption, which means each is 20 over – we’re 80 points over the mean. Because we want to know whether we are more or less than 60 points, this knowledge that we’re 100 points tells us “Yes, definitively. We are over that average of 90, we’re over that surplus of 60 points.” So, number one is sufficient.

Number two gives us the opposite information, it talks about the minimum, and, in aggregate, that doesn’t let us know directly whether or not we make those 60 points. That is it’s possible but it’s also possible that we don’t, because we’re dealing with a minimum rather than a maximum or rather we’re dealing with information that can lie on either side of what we need. Therefore 2 is insufficient. Our answer here is A.

I hope that was useful. GMAT nation stay strong, keep averaging. You guys got this! I believe in you. If you want to test your GMAT Data Sufficiency skills, check out the Science Fair problem.

Jul 2021

GMAT Calculator & Mental Math – All You Need To Know

Author: Apex GMAT
Contributor: Ilia Dobrev
Date: 27 July, 2021

Are you allowed to use a calculator on the GMAT? While this may seem as a pretty straightforward question to answer, it does deserve a separate blog post as it hides details that are vital for achieving a top GMAT score not only on the quantitative section, but on the exam as a whole.

Well, the answer is both Yes and No. This article aims to examine the different scenarios where you are allowed to use such a device and how you can make full use of its potential. But, if you are used to doing math with a calculator, do not worry as we have compiled a list of some mental math techniques that you can use to your advantage and even save much important time while still being spot-on with your answers.

Calculator on the GMAT | Explained

You are not allowed to bring your own calculator to the GMAT exam.
According to the GMAC, no personal items are allowed in the exam room of any of the certified test centers.

You cannot use a calculator on the Quantitative section of the GMAT.
Despite the fact that we are so used to using calculators to help us with arithmetic operations, you should not feel intimidated that you are not allowed to use any type of calculator on the GMAT Quantitative section. However, you will be provided with a blank canvas by the proctor of the exam where you will have plenty of space to practice to manually compute any calculations, if needed.

You should not worry as the GMAT exam is not designed to test you on complicated mathematical operations or complex calculations. Instead, the quant section draws from secondary-level math skills like basic algebra and geometry, which are mastered in high school, to test other kinds of abilities like critical thinking, logical reasoning, and problem-solving. In fact, the majority of the Quant questions can (and should) be answered without any calculations beyond estimation. A typical example of how you can use mental math to get to the right answer while saving precious time on the GMAT is the Movie Night combinatorics problem. Another type of common GMAT quant questions are data sufficiency problems, which are also more about reasoning than calculations. You’ll only need to do basic calculations and can rely on estimation for anything more complicated. If you have to do the math, the GMAC usually keeps the numbers simple and avoids decimals. When you see large numbers or complex fractions, then it’s a good bet that there’s an easier solution path to embark on other than calculating.

You can use an on-screen calculator on the Integrated Reasoning section of the GMAT.

Surprisingly or not, a calculator will be provided for use during the GMAT Integrated Reasoning section of the test. This GMAT calculator has the standard basic functions, CE (clear entry) button, C (clear) button, an sqrt function, a % (percentage) button, and a 1/x button that calculates the reciprocal of the entry currently on the screen. Also, there is a row with the standard memory functions

MS (memory store) stores the current entry in the calculator’s memory for subsequent use.
MR (memory recall) displays the latest number stored in the calculator’s memory so that it can be used for the next calculations.
M+ (memory addition) adds the current entry to the value that is currently stored in the calculator’s memory. This button is helpful when you need to add a long series of numbers and don’t want to retype each one.
MC (memory clear) erases whatever is in the current memory. You should click this button before every new calculation scenario.

Improve your Mental Math and reduce your Calculator Dependency

Survival Tips & Tricks

Do not overuse the IR calculator.

While you are provided with a basic GMAT calculator during the Integrated Reasoning section, you might not want to use it too often as you’ll waste more time than you’ll save. You can also apply the solution paths you are using in the Quant section to some problems in the Integrated Reasoning section.

Constantly practice Mental Math operations.

A huge morale boost is that mental math operations are easy to learn with some practice. You can add, multiply, subtract, and divide when you pay bills, check out at the grocery store, calculate a tip, etc. without using a calculator.

Make accurate estimations

The key to saving a considerable amount of time on the GMAT exam is efficiency in estimations. Transform numbers to less unwieldy figures like 0 or 5 for the purpose of calculations. You can then browse the answer choices to see which is closest to your preliminary estimate.

Do not use a calculator when you are prepping for the GMAT quant section.

This is a great way to practice mental math operations outside the daily life operations. The test setting and quant context will let you get used to this environment so that you know what to expect on test day.

Familiarize yourself with a basic GMAT calculator and do use its Memory functions.

As this will be your only technical aid during the GMAT Integrated Reasoning section, you’d better spend some time making the most out of it. Especially when you are pressed by time, memorizing calculated values for further operations in the calculator’s memory can be crucial for staying on track with a healthy exam pace.

Guide yourself by looking at the answer choices.

Looking at the answer choices can immediately permit you to eliminate a couple of options. Even if you are pushed by time, you can easily make a more educated decision depending on your reasoning that will boost the chances of picking the correct answer.

Do not freak out if you see large numbers.

Remember that the people who stand behind the GMAT are aware that they are designing questions that are supposed to be answered without using a calculator. This also keeps the arithmetic from being too difficult and gives you the opportunity to apply a more straightforward approach.

Jul 2021

GMAT Quant Syllabus 2021-2022

Author: Apex GMAT
Contributor: Altea Sollulari
Date: 22 July, 2021

We know what you’re thinking: math is a scary subject and not everyone can excel at it. And now with the GMAT the stakes are much higher, especially because there is a whole section dedicated to math that you need to prepare for in order to guarantee a good score. There is good news though, the GMAT is not actually testing your math skills, but rather your creative problem solving skills through math questions. Furthermore, the GMAT only requires that you have sound knowledge of high school level mathematics. So, you just need to practice your fundamentals and learn how to use them to solve specific GMAT problems and find solution paths that work to your advantage.

The Quantitative Reasoning section on the GMAT contains a total of 31 questions, and you are given 62 minutes to complete all of them. This gives you just 2 minutes to solve each question, so in most cases, the regular way of solving math equations that you were taught in high school will not cut it. So finding the optimal problem solving process for each question type is going to be pivotal to your success in this section. This can seem a daunting start, so our expert Apex GMAT instructors recommend that you start your quant section prep with a review of the types of GMAT questions asked in the test and math fundamentals if you have not been using high school math in your day to day life.

What types of questions will you find in the GMAT quant?

There are 2 main types of questions you should look out for when preparing to take the GMAT exam:

Data Sufficiency Questions

For this type of GMAT question, you don’t generally need to do calculations. However, you will have to determine whether the information that is provided to you is sufficient to answer the question. These questions aim to evaluate your critical thinking skills.

They generally contain a question, 2 statements, and 5 answer choices that are the same in all GMAT data sufficiency questions.

Here’s an example of a number theory data sufficiency problem video, where Mike explains the best way to go about solving such a question.

Problem Solving Questions

This question type is pretty self-explanatory: you’ll have to solve the question and come up with a solution. However, you’ll be given 5 answer choices to choose from. Generally, the majority of questions in the quant section of the GMAT will be problem-solving questions as they clearly show your abilities to use mathematical concepts to solve problems.

Make sure to check out this video where Mike shows you how to solve a Probability question.

The main concepts you should focus on

The one thing that you need to keep in mind when starting your GMAT prep is the level of math you need to know before going in for the Quant section. All you’ll need to master is high-school level math. That being said, once you have revised and mastered these math fundamentals, your final step is learning how to apply this knowledge to actual GMAT problems and you should be good to go. This is the more challenging side of things but doing this helps you tackle all the other problem areas you may be facing such as time management, confidence levels, and test anxiety.

Here are the 4 main groups of questions on the quant section of the GMAT and the concepts that you should focus on for each:

Algebra

Algebraic expressions
Equations
Functions
Polynomials
Permutations and combinations
Inequalities
Exponents

Geometry

Lines
Angles
Triangles
Circles
Polygons
Surface area
Volume
Coordinate geometry

Word problems

Profit
Sets
Rate
Interest
Percentage
Ratio
Mixtures

Check out this Profit and Loss question.

Arithmetic

Number theory
Percentages
Basic statistics
Power and root
Integer properties
Decimals
Fractions
Probability
Real numbers

Make sure to try your hand at this GMAT probability problem.

5 tips to improve your GMAT quant skills?

Master the fundamentals! This is your first step towards acing this section of the GMAT. As this section only contains math that you have already studied thoroughly in high-school, you’ll only need to revise what you have already learned and you’ll be ready to start practicing some real GMAT problems.
Practice time management! This is a crucial step as every single question is timed and you won’t get more than 2 minutes to spend on each question. That is why you should start timing yourself early on in your GMAT prep, so you get used to the time pressure.
Know the question types! This is something that you will learn once you get enough practice with some actual GMAT questions. That way, you’ll be able to easily recognize different question types and you’ll be able to use your preferred solution path without losing time.
Memorize the answer choices for the data sufficiency questions! These answers are always the same and their order never changes. Memorizing them will help you save precious time that you can spend elsewhere. To help you better memorize them, we are sharing an easier and less wordy way to think of them:
Make use of your scrap paper! There is a reason why you’re provided with scrap paper, so make sure to take advantage of it. You will definitely need it to take notes and make calculations, especially for the problem-solving questions that you will come across in this GMAT question.

Only statement 1
Only statement 2
Both statements together
Either statement
Neither statement

Jul 2021

GMAT 3D Geometry Problem – GMAT Math – Quant Section

GMAT 3D Geometry Problem

In this problem we’re going to take a look at 3D objects and in particular a special problem type on the GMAT that measures the longest distance within a three-dimensional object. Typically, they give you rectangular solids, but they can also give you cylinders and other such objects. The key thing to remember about problems like this one is that effectively we’re stacking Pythagorean theorems to solve it – we’re finding triangles and then triangles within triangles that define the longest distance.

This type of problem is testing your spatial skills and a graphic or visual aid is often helpful though strictly not necessary. Let’s take a look at how to solve this problem and because it’s testing these skills the approach is generally mathematical that is there is some processing because it’s secondary to what they’re actually testing.

GMAT 3D Geometry Problem Introduction

So, we have this rectangular solid and it doesn’t matter which way we turn it – the longest distance is going to be between any two opposite corners and you can take that to the bank as a rule: On a rectangular solid the opposite corners will always be the longest distance. Here we don’t have any way to process this central distance so, what we need to do is make a triangle out of it.

Notice that the distance that we’re looking for along with the height of 5 and the hypotenuse of the 10 by 10 base will give us a right triangle. We can apply Pythagoras here if we have the hypotenuse of the base. We’re working backwards from what we need to what we can make rather than building up. Once you’re comfortable with this you can do it in either direction.

Solving the Problem

In this case we’ve got a 10 by 10 base. It’s a 45-45-90 because any square cut in half is a 45-45-90 which means we can immediately engage the identity of times root two. So, 10, 10, 10 root 2. 10 root 2 and 5 makes the two sides. We apply Pythagoras again. Here it’s a little more complicated mathematically and because you’re going in and out of taking square roots and adding and multiplying, you want to be very careful not to make a processing error here.

Careless errors abound particularly when we’re distracted from the math and yet we need to do some processing. So, this is a point where you just want to say “Okay, I’ve got all the pieces, let me make sure I do this right.” 10 root 2 squared is 200 (10 times 10 is 100, root 2 times root 2 is 2, 2 times 100 is 200). 5 squared is 25. Add them together 225. And then take the square root and that’s going to give us our answer. The square root of 225 is one of those numbers we should know. It’s 15, answer choice A.

Okay guys for another 3D and Geometry problem check out GMAT 680 Level Geometry Problem – No Math Needed! We will see you next time.

GMAT or GRE? Which Should You Take For An MBA Application?

Jul 2021

GMAT or GRE? Which Test Should You Take If You Seek An MBA And Why

By: Apex GMAT
Contributor: Elizabeth Valcheva
Date: 20 July, 2021

If you are planning to advance your career with an MBA and have already started your research, you have probably encountered one of your first dilemmas: GMAT or GRE. While all business schools accept the GMAT, to encourage diversity and give aspiring MBAs more flexibility, more than 1200 business schools worldwide nowadays accept the GRE as well. The key to the dilemma then rests on two important considerations: admissions committee exam preference and personal thinking style.

Talk to the admissions office

The most important factor to consider is which exam is accepted and preferred by your schools of choice. Once you have identified the business schools you plan to apply to, contact them to find out whether they accept both exams and if so, which one their admissions committees assign more value to. According to a 2016 survey among 224 business schools, 26% of admissions officers report giving advantage to applicants who have submitted a GMAT score, 2% consider GRE applicants with priority, while the vast majority assign equal weight to the two exams. If your school of choice does not express a clear preference, choose the test you are more likely to get a better score at.

Play to your strengths

Is math your forte? Do you impress everyone with your English vocabulary? Each exam uses specific question types to test different cognitive skills, so it is best to identify which question types are naturally easier for you and can therefore help you get a higher score. With its 62-min quantitative section focusing on Data Sufficiency, the GMAT is traditionally considered better suited for math lovers, while the GRE – whose two 35-min quantitative sections feature Quantitative Comparison questions and allow the use of a calculator – is preferred by more versatile thinkers. Meanwhile, the two exams’ respective verbal reasoning sections seem to divide applicants into two other categories: grammar police and vocabulary wizards. The GMAT focuses on Sentence Correction, while the GRE’s Sentence Equivalence and Text Completion questions require the skilled command of highly sophisticated vocabulary, which may be particularly challenging to non-native English speakers.

If you are not sure which exam is better aligned with your brain’s wiring, it is worth giving each one a try with a practice test or two. Importantly, when comparing the results, have in mind that MBA admissions committees pay special attention to the quantitative section scores as they are generally considered a key predictor of academic success, given the quantitative focus of the program.

Preparation is key

While determining your brain’s natural predilection for one of the two exams is crucial to your success, it does not in itself guarantee a high score. Whether you choose the GMAT or GRE, being among the top scoring applicants requires rigorous test preparation. To make the best use of your prep time, develop a plan that builds on your strengths to help you achieve even better scores at the sections you are already good at, while also dedicating enough resources to improve your performance at the question types you find more challenging.

If the solution to your test dilemma is the GMAT, we are here to help you prep for a 700+ score and get into your dream MBA program. Schedule your free consultation call and speak to an instructor today.

Jul 2021

The Advantages of Being a Non-native Speaker on the GMAT

By: Apex GMAT
Contributor: Svetozara Saykova
Date: 13th July 2020

GMAT Non Native Speaker Advantages:

The GMAT is a challenging exam to all, but it can be particularly difficult for non-native speakers. Since it is administered in English only, which is an additional obstacle one needs to consider when preparing for the GMAT exam. If you aren’t secure in your English language skills don’t hurry to get frustrated. Being aware that this is your weak spot is the first step towards improving and we advise you to not stop here. Be sure to research small habits that can immensely improve your English language skills. Watching tv series and movies in English with subtitles, reading English or American literature or listening to a podcast are all leisurely activities that can help you polish your English. If your English is already excellent, that is a win. This article will provide you with tips and insights on how to utilize your bilingual (or multilingual) background to excel in your GMAT preparation.

Grammar is Your Best Friend

The GMAT is specifically designed to test native English speakers. A majority of native speakers have not spent years memorizing grammar rules and enriching their vocabularies by writing down or repeating words and phrases. They have learned English through hearing people around them speak, just like you have learned your native language. Due to this lack of thorough grammatical knowledge, native speakers can get confused by the pitfalls intentionally placed throughout the GMAT exam, especially in the Verbal section. For them the hidden traps remain unnoticed but for non native speakers they can often be easily spotted since non-native speakers know the grammar rules. By contrast, most non-native speakers have learned English through repetition and mastering grammar rules. Such familiarity with English grammar prior to any GMAT preparation is an invaluable asset. It might cut short your prep time and allow you to concentrate and work on areas that are more difficult for you.

You Know What Dedication Means

Learning a language is a demanding and long undertaking. Countless hours of studying words and collocations, memorizing grammar rules, reading, listening, writing, and doing practice exams are all more or less part of the journey to mastering any language. Your English proficiency did not appear overnight, but once you know your learning style, the journey accelerates. Learning a new skill is a process, which requires personalization and an approach that suits your character and studying style. Similarly, the GMAT requires one to develop techniques, approaches to problems, and most importantly a proper mindset over a period of time in order to achieve a great score. You might already be aware of what works for you and what definitely doesn’t in terms of learning and this will provide you with a vantage position for successfully kick starting your GMAT prep.

You Have a Bilingual Brain

Back in the days bilingualism was considered to be a drawback, which slowed down one’s cognitive development. Those beliefs were disproved long ago and to the contrary, it has been confirmed that being bilingual/multilingual is beneficial to one’s brain and to their cognitive abilities. For instance, the effort and attention needed to switch between languages triggers more activity in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex. This part of the brain plays a main role in executive function, problem solving and focusing while filtering out irrelevant information. Those are some of the essential skills that the GMAT is testing:

the ability to make decisions about time allocation on problems,
learning and adopting new solution paths, especially for the Quant section
Successfully sifting through data in the Integrated Reasoning and,
recognizing words in sentences that are just there to distract you in Sentence correction questions;

are some of the GMAT challenges that you should have an easier time tackling as a bilingual individual.

These are some of the advantages a non-native English speaker could have when it comes to the GMAT. Being aware of your strengths and weaknesses is a vital component to achieving a remarkable score on the GMAT. Here at Apex GMAT we have a team of dedicated and knowledgeable professionals eager to provide excellent guidance to non native speakers. We take great pride in our personalized approach and this can be the exact strategy that will help you turn your background and previous experience into an invaluable advantage.

7 Daily Practices For GMAT Success - GMAT Guide

Jul 2021

Apex GMAT
GMAT, GMAT Scoring, Meta-Strategy, Test Reading, Timing Decisions
0

7 Daily Practices For GMAT Success

By: Apex GMAT
Contributor: Ruzanna Mirzoyan
Date: 8th July 2021

7 Things You Need To Do Daily When Preparing For The GMAT (GMAT Guide)

Visualize success and the value you will get in the end
Review a the GMAT sections
Set a time limit for each day
Do not forget to reward yourself
Forget about the target score only focus on improvement
Give yourself a pep talk
Evaluate Yourself Honestly

Achieving a great score on the GMAT exam is not an easy task. The overall preparation process is daunting for a majority of test takers, especially for non-native English speakers. It requires diligent work and a daily checklist that you need to follow. So how do you come up with a plan that works? This article covers seven tips for successful GMAT prep which will guide you throughout the entire process. Even though every individual taking the exam has different expectations, experiences and may be approaching the test in a different way, sticking to a daily routine is an integral part of test success; the most difficult thing is adhering to it, avoiding procrastination and maintaining motivation. Therefore, after learning all the exam basics, such as the timing, the sections, and the preparation materials, it is worth creating a checklist to help keep you on track.

Visualize success and the value you will get in the end

The thought of success can create happiness! Once we attain something that seemed difficult initially, the suspense wears off, and the excitement rapidly grows. By taking time every day to imagine achieving your goal you can stay motivated and on the right path. When we experience happiness our brain releases serotonin, the hormone responsible for happiness. By keeping the picture of accomplishment in our mind, this happiness never fades. Hence, if every day contains even a tiny bit of happiness, even the most complex struggles seem simpler to overcome. Whether the GMAT exam is a struggle or not, happiness and motivation are something that one undoubtedly always lacks. Do your best to look at the bigger picture and think of the steps that will expedite reaching the top.

Review the GMAT exam sections

Whether you have a private GMAT tutor or are studying on your own, be sure to review difficult parts of the overall format of the exam every day before going through your study materials, for example the data sufficiency answer choices. You may do a short quiz on quantitative, verbal, or integrated reasoning to keep pace with timing and question types. You can consider this form of revision as stretching your brain muscles before the main exercise. Doing a simple GMAT quiz each time will make you more cautious about time management and remind you about the type of questions that you may have already mastered in previous study sessions.

Set a study time limit for each day

As it is said, time is the only non-redeemable commodity, so proper allocation is a fundamental key to success. We recommend you have a specific time allocation for GMAT prep each day. That can be some time for weekday preparation and extension on the weekends. Ensure the limit you set for yourself is reasonable because procrastinating one day and doubling the hours the next day does not work out. It does not matter how many months you have on your hands; the significant thing is precise allocation. If you want to get a decent score, you must spend approximately 100-120 hours reviewing the materials and practicing. However, top scorers usually spend 120+ hours studying. Whether you belong to the former or the latter category, remember that time is the most expensive investment you are making. At the same time keep in mind that your study-life balance should be of utmost importance.

Do not forget to reward yourself

It is not a secret that the GMAT is burdensome and overwhelming, and preparing for it can be stressful and oftentimes disheartening. Not having small rewards to look forward to can lead to demotivation. Rewards are things that rejuvenate your broken concentration. Try something like the Pomodoro Technique. This technique helps break down time into intervals with short breaks. Instead of breaks, you can think of something ‘non-GMAT related’ that will make you regain focus. For example, by grabbing a quick snack, meditating, or walking around the house or even watching a short YouTube video. Whichever works best for you, make use of it; even brief respites retain your stamina. Finally, never forget about the bigger reward; your final score.

Forget about the target score, only focus on improvement

GMAT preparation practices do generate plight both in physical and mental states. It is crucial to remind oneself of the improvement phases. We agree that everything you are going through is for the final score. But focusing on the final score too much can frustrate you if you are not making big leaps towards it, which in turn can be counter productive. All successful practices dictate that you should focus on one thing at a time, which improves every day until the exam day. When the exam day comes, you will utilize all the knowledge and effort to get the highest GMAT score possible. Keeping daily track of your improvements relieves some of the burden on your shoulders. Even the tiniest advantage acquired can be a game changer. For instance, finishing each section a minute earlier than before will eventually contribute to achieving more significant results on the exam day, or perfecting a solution path which has you approaching a host of GMAT problems in a more efficient manner. These small wins can be the fuel to keep you going.

Give yourself a pep talk

I am sure you receive a lot of support from the people surrounding you. However, self-encouragement is of the utmost importance. Look around, see what others are doing at your age and inspire yourself. Choose wisely between the tradeoffs. Such as choosing to study instead of partying. Giving yourself a daily pep talk will make you more enthusiastic about reaching your objectives. A recent scientific study has shown that talking to yourself dwindles anxiety and stress while boosting performance. This is no less true for GMAT test preparation. Give yourself motivational and instructional pep talks. This method promotes positivity as motivational talks cheer you up and keep up the eagerness to study and strive for more, while a self-instructional talk directs detail-orientation and accentuates what exactly you need to do for that particular day. For example, start every day by loudly stating what should be done for the day. It helps with thinking about the mechanisms of every individual task and visualizing methods to complete them correspondingly.

Evaluate Yourself Honestly

Of course, you need all the encouragement and self-support to reach your goals, but especially during GMAT exam preparation, you need to be hard on yourself if required. If you need a 650+ GMAT score, you should be aware that it will not be a piece of cake. Give yourself credit for what you are doing right, but also consider aspects of the GMAT problems that you need to elaborate on and master additional skills. The dominant thing is separating the action from the person because you are evaluating your actions and not you as a person; you should not upset yourself but rather detect the triggers of low performance and challenges and make yourself accountable for such actions with a plan to move forward from them successfully. Ultimately, the ability to discern your flaws and work on personal evolution is an inherent quality for capacitating your abilities and aptitudes and pulling it off in life.

We hope that adding these practical and mindful aspects to your daily preparation will be helpful as when you are preparing for an exam like the GMAT, being in the right mind frame can be as important as doing the quant or verbal practice. Whether you have a GMAT private tutor or not, it is on you to maintain motivation during the entire process. We suggest you develop a GMAT test strategy along with these seven tips to attain greater productivity and manifest superb performance. Make studying for the GMAT a daily habit and success will follow.

Jun 2021

GMAT Instructor – GMAT Prep Timeline Advice

By: Apex GMAT
Contributor: Altea Sollulari
Date: 29th June 2021

So you have made up your mind and have decided to go to b-school! The next step is to do some research concerning MBA programs that will be the best fit for you. An important aspect to take note of during this step is the schools’ median GMAT score. This will help you begin preparing a study plan that will get you to your desired GMAT score in time and for competitive acceptance chances.

Apex GMAT’s instructors suggest a 90-day timeline for studying for the exam if you want to have enough time to prepare and deal with any last-minute issues that could arise. However, it is always advised to start as early as you can with your GMAT exam prep. This will not necessarily affect the amount of information you’re going to learn, but it will be enough time for you to internalize certain habits and ways of thinking that will help you excel on the test.

You will also need to keep in mind that your scores might take around 20 business days to be sent to the MBA programs that you are applying to. Be mindful of this when deciding when to schedule your exam so you can make sure that it is within the schools’ application deadlines. Another thing you’ll need to know about by the time your test days rolls around, is that you can pick up to 5 MBA programs that you want your scores sent to for free. You can bring this list with you on test day. However, you can still send them to different schools even after you have recieved your results, but you will have to pay an extra $28 for each school you want your scores sent to.

Milestones to be mindful of:

Here are some general milestones that you can try to incorporate into your GMAT prep:

The first week: make sure to take a mock exam before you start with your intensive GMAT preparation. This will give you an idea of what you need to focus more on and what sections you need to work less on. You’ll also be able to pinpoint your weaknesses and strengths, so make sure to use those to your advantage. Lastly, that initial score will set the pace for your GMAT prep timeline, as the more you want to increase your score, the more effort you’ll need to put into your GMAT prep.
The first 2 weeks: you should be revising and internalizing the quantitative fundamentals
By week 3: you should have revised your mental math skills
By week 5: you should have revised grammatical rules
By week 7: you should have revised idioms
By week 8 or 9: you should have mastered all the higher-level solution paths to different problems (you should have a preferred solution path by week 6-7)
By week 9: you should have mastered the outlining technique for reading-comprehension
On week 6, 8, 10, and 12: try your skills by taking a mock test
In the last 2 weeks: try to get good sleep and maintain a healthy diet
In the very last week before your exam– try avoiding alcohol as a hangover can set you back a lot. Also, you shouldn’t try to revise everything the night before the exam. Instead, take your time to eat healthy meals and get a good night’s sleep.

Things to keep in mind:

A timeline is not the same as a deadline. It is important that you understand the difference between the two. Your GMAT prep timeline can vary a lot depending on the situation you are in and on your progress you are making, so if you need to make changes to it, you should feel free to do so.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you can personalize your GMAT prep timeline to your own needs. In case you need to work a bit harder on certain sections, if you’re not a native English speaker, or if an emergency occurs, you will probably need to start earlier with your prep or adjust your timeline. That is perfectly fine as long as you are constantly working towards improving.
Finally, once you reach a milestone, don’t ask yourself: What is the next milestone/step?. Instead, ask yourself: How can I improve now? Reaching a milestone does not necessarily mean that you are on the right track. Everything depends on your own personal progress and that is what you should be focusing on when prepping for the GMAT exam, rather than simply reaching the milestones.

Jun 2021

The Basics of GMAT Combinatorics

By: Apex GMAT
Contributor: Svetozara Saykova
Date: 24th June 2021

Combinatorics can seem like one of the most difficult types of questions to come across on the GMAT. Luckily there are not many of them within the exam. Still these questions make up the top level of scoring on the test and therefore it is best if you are well equipped to solve them successfully, especially if you are aiming for a 700+ score. The most important rule to follow when considering this question type is the “Fundamental Counting Principle” also known as the “Counting Rule.” This rule is used to calculate the total number of outcomes given by a probability problem.

The most basic rule in Combinatorics is “The Fundamental Counting Principle”. It states that for any given situation the number of overall outcomes is equal to the product of the number of each discrete outcome.

Let’s say you have 4 dresses and 3 pairs of shoes, this would mean that you have 3 x 4 = 12 outfits. The Fundamental Counting Principle also applies for more than 2 options. For example, you are at the ice cream shop and you have a variety of 5 flavors, 3 types of cones and 4 choices for toppings. That means you have 5 x 3 x 4 = 60 different combinations of single-scoop ice creams.

The Fundamental Counting Principle applies only for choices that are independent of one another. Meaning that any option can be paired with any other option and there are no exceptions. Going back to the example, there is no policy against putting sprinkles on strawberry vanilla ice cream because it is superb on its own. If there were, that would mean that this basic principle of Combinatorics would not apply because the combinations (outcomes) are dependent. You could still resort to a reasoning solution path or even a graphical solution path since the numbers are not so high.

Let’s Level Up a Notch

The next topic in Combinatorics is essential to a proper GMAT prep is permutations. A permutation is a possible order in which you put a set of objects.

Permutations

There are two subtypes of permutations and they are determined by whether repetition is allowed or not.

Permutations with repetition allowed

When there are n options and r number of slots to fill, we have n x n x …. (r times) = nr permutations. In other words, there are n possibilities for the first slot, n possibilities for the second and so on and so forth up until n possibilities for position number r.

The essential mathematical knowledge for these types of questions is that of exponents.

To exemplify this let’s take your high school locker. You probably had to memorize a 3 digit combination in order to unlock it. So you have 10 options (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) for 3 available slots. The total number of locker passwords you can have is 103 = 1,000.

Permutation without repetition allowed

When repetition is restricted in the given GMAT problem, we would have to reduce the number of available choices for each position.

Let’s take the previous example and add a restriction to the password options – you cannot have repeating numbers in your locker password. Following the “we reduce the options available each time we move to the next slot” rule, we get 10x9x8 = 720 options for a locker combination (or mathematically speaking permutation).

To be more mathematically precise and derive a formula we use the factorial function (n!). In our case we will take all the possible options 10! for if we had 10 positions available and divide them by 7!, which are the slots we do not have.

10! = 10 x 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1

7! = 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1

And when we divide them (7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1) cancels and we are left with 10 x 9 x 8 = 720.

Pro tip: Taking problems and deeply examining them by running different scenarios, and changing some of the conditions or numbers is a great way to train for the GMAT. This technique will allow you to not only deeply understand the problem but also the idea behind it, and make you alert for what language and piece of information stands for which particular concept.

So those are the fundamentals, folks. Learning to recognize whether order matters and whether repetition is allowed is essential when it comes to Combinatorics on the GMAT. Another vital point is that if you end up with an endless equation which confuses you more than helps, remember doing math on the GMAT Quant section is not the most efficient tactic. In fact, most of the time visualizing the data by putting it into a graph or running a scenario following your reasoning are far more efficient solution paths.

Feeling confident and want to test you GMAT Combinatorics skills? Check out this GMAT problem and try solving it. Let us know how it goes!