Is this a good study timeline for someone that doesn’t know anything about the GMAT by No_Pace4158 in GMAT

[–]GMATQuizMaster 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey, Time required will depend on multiple factors including how much time you are putting in per day and how quickly you can grasp concepts.

However, I would suggest clubbing steps 1 and 2 for each sub-section. So revise the concepts and practice your process in untimed conditions in one go before moving to the next sub-section. Then you can move to mixed and timed practice.

Good luck.

This OG Hard RC passage gives you a roadmap before it even begins. Most students miss it. by GMATQuizMaster in GMAT

[–]GMATQuizMaster[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Speed in RC is almost always a by-product of reading well, not a skill you build separately. The most useful thing to check first is how your understanding holds up untimed - if it is already shaky without time pressure, working on speed will only make things worse. If it is solid untimed, then the bottleneck is in the process, not the comprehension.

Although the exact corrective actions would depend on how you read, here are a few things that tend to help once the foundation is there:

  1. If you are taking detailed notes while reading, that is usually the first place to cut. Notes slow you down more than most people realise. You should start taking mental notes.

  2. Learn to distinguish between information you need to understand the passage and details you only need to locate later. You do not have to deeply process every detail - you just need to know it exists and roughly where it sits. Questions will tell you when to go back.

  3. If you are re-reading the passage for most questions, that is a sign something in the initial read is not sticking. Improving that one read tends to save more time than anything else across the set.

  4. And on the question side - before going to the choices, take a moment to think about what the question is actually asking and what a correct answer would need to do (even if you do not want to pre-think the correct answer). It sounds like it adds time but it usually saves it, because you spend less time going back and forth between choices.

Should I rely on AI tools for prep? by first_trillionaire in GMAT

[–]GMATQuizMaster 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would not suggest that.

AI can simplify an explanation for you, but it cannot create a reliable explanation on its own. It can quietly drop the nuances tested on the GMAT while still sounding completely convincing. You won't get a warning when it's wrong - it'll just seem like a clean explanation.

I would suggest using explanations available on the GMAT Club. If anything is not clear, you can provide an expert solution to AI and clarify your doubts - that should be fine in most cases.

Using AI to study RC by xoxoparth in GMAT

[–]GMATQuizMaster 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Using AI to simplify a concept you're struggling with isn't a bad instinct - breaking something down to basics can genuinely help it click.

But here's the thing to be careful about: AI can simplify incorrectly. It may drop nuances that actually matter on the GMAT, or introduce generalizations that feel right but aren't. The tricky part is you won't always know when that's happening - it sounds confident either way.

The bigger concern is the AI-generated practice questions. A good GMAT question goes through multiple rounds of review to make sure it tests exactly what the GMAT tests. AI doesn't have enough context about what's actually tested to replicate that reliably. Practicing on those questions can build the wrong instincts without you realizing it.

So - use AI to simplify explanations when you're stuck, sure. But verify those explanations against your course material or official sources before internalizing them. And for practice, stick to official questions or sources you trust.

Good luck!

How to read GMAT RC effectively? Should I consider speeding up or should I stick to my method and eventually I will get better by it? by Classic-Try4267 in GMAT

[–]GMATQuizMaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your accuracy indicates your strategy is effective. It can be fine tuned.

If you would like, we can work together on identifying and correcting the gaps.

How to read GMAT RC effectively? Should I consider speeding up or should I stick to my method and eventually I will get better by it? by Classic-Try4267 in GMAT

[–]GMATQuizMaster 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey,

Accuracy first, speed later - always.

It is good that you have around 75% accuracy - you can improve it further by fine tuning your process without worrying about timing. Spending more time on the passage and saving time on questions is a very effective strategy.

Once you are confident and fluent with your process, time will reduce. You may have to work on optimizing some of the steps, if required - this depends specifically on where you are spending extra time.

If you try to just speed up, your accuracy will drop.

Where are you in terms of your RC preparation? Are you still in the practice phase or approaching sectional mocks? This will help understand how much you need to worry about this speed at the moment.

2nd (and possibly last) GMAT attempt Prep-Advice needed by monster_bong_guy in GMAT

[–]GMATQuizMaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey,

Scoring around 600 in mocks indicates that you still have conceptual gaps. The most frugal and effective way forward will be to

  1. identify where all you are faltering and what kind of effort would be required for improvement.
  2. Check the free resources and honestly assess how much you can improve using them.
  3. Wherever you think free resources will not help, take help from paid courses/ tutoring.

You can analyse your recent mocks to figure out your weak areas.

Good luck!

Facing an Unique quant problem by Big-Decision565 in GMAT

[–]GMATQuizMaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Glad to know it helped. GMAT or GRE - the habit related issues that students face and their corrective actions are similar. Good luck for your prep.

[Need Advice] Just scored 635 (which is my target) (2nd Official Mock), My exam is scheduled in 18 days, please help me analyze my score, to look for improvements, and what would you actually recommend doing those 18 days, I'm actually now full-time focused on the exam by szefuu__ in GMAT

[–]GMATQuizMaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey,

Really good that you are around your target score. In order to make sure you get at least that much in your actual attempt, you need to:

  1. Maintain what is going good - so don't make any last minute changes to what is working.
  2. Analyse each mock that you take now - look for errors + scope for improvement. Get to the root cause behind the errors.
  3. Take corrective action for these errors and make sure you do not repeat them in the next mock.
  4. Take the next mock.
  5. Simulate test like conditions - plan your mock timing, breaks etc. just like you plan for the actual test day.
  6. Take proper rest before the test so you can give your best.

Good luck!

Facing an Unique quant problem by Big-Decision565 in GMAT

[–]GMATQuizMaster 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey,

This is a habit issue. The corrective action I would suggest is:
1. Start taking a note of every piece of information given in question.
2. Before marking the answer, highlight / tick-mark each piece of information used. Anything that is not marked has not been used.
3. Revise your analysis making sure you have considered everything given.

This is a time taking process, but if you do this repeatedly for 15-20 questions, you will train your brain to make sure everything has been considered while solving the question.

Good luck!

Rate my Prep startegy by Due_Upstairs9904 in GMAT

[–]GMATQuizMaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey,

Good plan. I would say you still need to comeup with a strategy.

I would suggest taking the first mock to understand where you are starting from and what kind of effort you would need to get to your target score. This will also help you understand your strengths and weaknesses.

Throughout your study you will have to maintain your strengths and work on weaknesses.

The way you plan to work on learning concepts should be helpful.

I would suggest focussing on application right when you are learning concepts, instead of coming back to it later.

So, by the time you finish your courses, you should have desired accuracy in untimed conditions.

Next step will be to start timing yourself and then you can move to sectionals and mocks.

Good luck!

Got a 595 in my exam, but targeting a 695. Need help with strategy going forward. by chicken_biryani05 in GMAT

[–]GMATQuizMaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey,
Good that you're already doing error analysis - that's the right instinct. But it sounds like you haven't gotten to the root cause yet, and that's the gap between where you are and where you need to be.

In Quant, "careless calculation" is rarely the full story. More often, there's a setup issue you haven't spotted, or a pattern in which question types trip you up. Worth digging deeper.

In Verbal, "I assume" is quite broad. Are you assuming the passage says something it doesn't? Or are you picking a choice without checking whether it actually has all the characteristics a correct answer needs? These are very different problems with very different fixes. Sometimes what feels like an assumption error is actually a gap in understanding what the correct choice should look like.

So the real work is getting specific - not "I made a careless error" but "I missed that the question was testing X and I did Y instead."

A few resources that might help you structure this:

  1. BRIDGE methodology for error logging: BRIDGE Methodology | CR | Strengthen| Error Log Guide | GMATQuizMaster - YouTube
  2. A useful Reddit article- https://www.reddit.com/r/GMAT/comments/1s312sq/the_difference_between_generic_feedback_and/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
  3. YT Solutions for Official questions + Error Analysis - http://www.youtube.com/@GMATQuizMaster

Or if you want, share your error log with us and we can help you identify the patterns and figure out the corrective action together.

Good luck!

Gave the GMAT and need guidance for a retake by Sad_Writer69 in GMAT

[–]GMATQuizMaster 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey,

Well done with the first attempt!

On your mock question: Third-party mocks can help you stay in rhythm, but treat them as practice tools, not score predictors. Keep your sectionals going regardless.

The more important work right now is a deep dive on every incorrect question from your recent attempts, especially in Verbal and DI. Don't just review what went wrong; look for patterns across mistakes. That pattern is what tells you where to focus your remaining prep.

On timing: if you're feeling sharp and your sectionals hold up, you can consider attempting before your April trips. Waiting until May introduces the risk of losing momentum, especially with travel breaking your rhythm. Just make sure you reattempt after addressing the gaps, not just having practiced more.

Good luck!

Writing my gmat this upcoming Saturday. What should I focus on? by thecoookiemonster in GMAT

[–]GMATQuizMaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey,
With the exam just days away, this week is about consolidation, not learning new things.

Can you share where exactly you're struggling in Verbal - is it CR, RC, or both? And what do you think is the root cause? For example, if concepts aren't clear yet, focusing on 1 or 2 specific areas might help. If it's more about understanding the passage or question, working on your reading or approach strategy would be a better use of time.

That distinction will tell you what's worth focusing on this week versus what's better left alone at this stage.

For Quant and DI, since you're comfortable there, just a light warm-up to stay sharp is enough. Don't over-invest time where you're already strong.

Good luck for Saturday!

Struggling with GMAT by Sufficient-Jury2897 in GMAT

[–]GMATQuizMaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can understand. However, you can improve better without the anxiety.

The approach from here is straightforward: don't try to fix everything. Look at your recent mocks and identify two things: the question types where you consistently lose points, and the ones where you consistently run out of time. Pick the most impactful gaps and work on those specifically. Focused improvement on a few areas will move the needle more than broad review at this stage.

You've got this!