EMPOWERgmat Blog
The New GMAT Focus Edition - What is it? How is it different? How will it impact admissions? NOTE: The GMAT Focus Edition is slated for release later this year, but the exact date of its release has not been announced yet. However, the current version of the GMAT exam will be available until June 2024. YOUR PLANS: If you’ve already started prepping for the exam, and intend to apply in Round 1 or 2 this year, do not change your plans. The timing of the rollout later […]
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Are you tired of breezing through GMAT passages only to realize you missed crucial information, or literally remember absolutely nothing? Or feeling like you’re in a race against time to answer all the questions correctly? Business schools look to the GMAT to measure a candidate's abilities in reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. There's simply no way that a candidate can achieve a score worthy of the top business schools if a test taker pretends to be a speed reading super hero. It’s time to slow down, take […]
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Over the years, one of the most common concerns that I’ve heard from GMATers is about their pacing – specifically, the fact that they have to rush through a number of questions at the end of a section just to finish on time. “How do I fix my pacing problem?” they ask (and you might be asking it too!). First, you have to understand that a pacing problem doesn’t exist on its own – it’s the result of OTHER issues. In simple terms, something about how you handle the […]
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Many Test Takers tend to find the Quant section of the GMAT to be easier than the Verbal section. Quant is based on more ‘obvious’ rules and patterns and you can often pinpoint the correct answer without having to consider (and then eliminate) each of the other 4 incorrect answers first. By default, many GMATers work through Verbal questions with the idea that they should eliminate the four incorrect answers… and the answer that remains will be the correct one. While you should often be able to eliminate a […]
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In the prior post, we discussed proper reading pace for when you deal with GMAT RC passages (as a reminder, that pace should be about 150 words per minute). Unfortunately, simply knowing that fact won’t necessarily lead you to adjust your reading speed. So here are three practice prompts – taken from the OG12 – for you to practice on. Use a timer and make sure to note how long it took you to read each passage. The proper (goal) amount of reading time is listed beneath each prompt. […]
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Many GMATers make the mistake of thinking that ‘skimming’ is the proper way to deal with Reading Comp passages. By its nature, skimming is often a desperate way of trying to quickly deal with a (frequently lengthy) passage. Unfortunately, it sacrifices all manner of comprehension and note-taking for speed. That is a TERRIBLE trade-off – and often causes serious problems for Test Takers as they practice RC during their studies. By extension, those same Test Takers often fail to perform at a really high level on RC on Test Day, […]
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1) A motorist averaged 40 miles per hour on his way to work. He averaged 70 miles per hour on his way home along the same route. Which of the following is the closest to his average speed for the round trip? A. 40 B. 51 C. 55 D. 59 E. 59.5 The answers to this question are 'spaced out' in such a way that you don't need to do much math at all to get to the correct answer. This prompt is a fairly common 'design' for […]
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Each of the three questions listed here can be solved algebraically. However, if you pay attention to the five answer choices in each question, then you can cut down on the amount of work that is needed and potentially save some time. Remember that the goal on Test Day is to be correct AND be efficient, so while a shortcut that saves 5-10 seconds might not seem like much, if you could find that type of shortcut on every question, then you would cut 3-7 minutes of work-time in each […]
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In a couple of prior posts in this thread, we’ve discussed how to taking advantage of the answer choices (by TESTing THE ANSWERS or by thinking about what the answers choices 'mean') can be a really fast and easy way to get to the correct answer in certain Quant questions. Beyond using the answers and doing the straight-forward arithmetic though, you will sometimes be given a HUGE ‘hint’ from the GMAT question writers – the answer choices themselves will be designed in such a way that you can avoid doing […]
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In the prior post, I listed the following Quant PS question: Andrew has a certain number of coins in his pocket. He has three times as many dimes as quarters and six times as many nickels as dimes. A nick is worth $0.05, a dime is worth $0.10 and a quarter is worth $0.25. If he has a total of $10.15, then which of the following represents the number of dimes in Andrew’s pocket? 9 10 18 20 21 Many GMATers will approach these types of questions […]
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The GMAT is a remarkably consistent and predictable Exam, so improving your performance isn’t just about ‘fixing’ the things that you are doing ‘wrong’ – it’s also in developing the proper skills to improve on work that you can already do. Consider the following question. For many “math thinkers”, the approach would be “system algebra” – write out the appropriate equations and then solve for whatever the question asks for. That approach will absolutely get you to the correct answer here – and I suggest that you try it. […]
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While each of these three prompts might look complex, you CAN get to the correct answer by defining the patterns involved. 1) How many positive integers, from 2 to 100, inclusive, are not divisible by odd integers greater than 1? In this prompt, we're asked to think about the numbers 2 to 100, inclusive. To start, there's NO way that the GMAT would ask us to truly think about each of these numbers individually, so there MUST be a pattern involved. Now to the specifics: which of […]
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For each of these three prompts, you should attempt to ‘play around’ with the question to define the pattern(s) involved – using the same approach showcased in the prior post. An explanation for how to approach each prompt in such a way will be provided tomorrow. 1) How many positive integers, from 2 to 100, inclusive, are not divisible by odd integers greater than 1? A. 5 B. 6 C. 8 D. 10 E. 50 2) There are 20 doors marked with numbers 1 to 20 […]
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Since the GMAT is a standardized Test, all of the questions that you’ll face are designed around one or more patterns. Sometimes the patterns are obvious – such as math formulas or grammar rules. Sometimes the patterns are more subtle - such as number properties or causality arguments. With the proper study materials and Study Plan, you can learn all of the necessary patterns and train to properly use them. However, sometimes the patterns are so rare that they’re not worth learning in advance and sometimes they are […]
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In the prior blog post, I hinted that there were (at least) 3 different approaches to solving the included OG Diagnostic question. Here they are: 1st Approach: Algebra The explanations provided in the Official Guide often focus on the ‘math approach’ as that is that standard approach taken in most math books. However, that type of approach is often step-heavy and arguably takes the longest to complete. For this prompt, we can create 3 variables: N = revenue in November D = revenue in December J […]
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The Quant section of the GMAT is NOT a ‘math test’ – it’s a ‘critical thinking test’ that uses math as the subject through which you can prove your critical thinking skills. While the Quant section does require that you complete lots of basic calculations as you work through the section, the GMAT will NEVER require that you complete complex calculations to get to the correct answer… so if you CHOOSE to approach questions in that way, then you will likely limit how high you can score. If one of […]
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Whether you’re just beginning your studies or have been training for the GMAT for some time now, you likely have some idea of what your ‘goal score’ is. For many GMATers, the goal is 700+. That score is relatively rare territory though – only about 10% of Test Takers ever reach that level (and some of them actually hit that score repeatedly - in an attempt to score higher - so not as many Test Takers score 700+ each year as you might think). Obviously, the numbers become even more […]
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Here are 3 Ways to Reach the 700 GMAT Percentile. We understand that your GMAT score is one of the most important things in your life right now. If you are taking the test for a second time your GMAT score is important to you and may also be making you a little nervous. Whether this is your first try or you just need a little help the second time around, we can help you. Read more to learn how you can achieve a 700 GMAT percentilwithout losing your […]
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GMAT prep can help you even if you aren't a great test-taker. When you want to get into a good MBA program, your GMAT score is essential for success. With the right study tools, you can get a score that will admit you to the school you want. Beating Test Anxiety and Stress Many people do fine with regular assignments, yet struggle to perform well on test day. This is often due to test anxiety that strikes when you have a high desire to perform well. With the […]
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The verbal GMAT section may get less attention, but it is still important. If you study hard for the verbal section, you can greatly improve your overall GMAT score. You need to study with intent if you want to crush the verbal section of the GMAT. Why the Verbal Section Matters Many business school students put in over 100 hours to study for the GMAT. It's easy to focus more on the data and problem solving sections without seeing the value of the verbal portion. To understand why […]
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When you're prepping to take the GMAT, it can be a stressful time. However, with the right GMAT advice, you can avoid stress and still succeed on the test. Here are the best suggestions for fighting anxiety and stress before the GMAT. Get Adequate Rest Studying for the GMAT requires many hours of investment. You may be tempted to skimp on sleep so you can study more. However, many scientific studies show that quality sleep is necessary for high test performance. Better sleep translates to greater memory retention […]
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When you're applying to graduate school, you may be required to provide a GMAT score. But why is this important? We'll look at the reasons why colleges want to see your GMAT score. Colleges Look for Top Students Your GMAT score indicates whether you can handle the tough classes that elite schools require you to complete. The higher your test score, the greater the likelihood that you can handle the curriculum. Colleges want top students that will finish their programs. A higher success rate is good for the college […]
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Retaking the GMAT is an option many pre-grad students choose. But how do you know when you need to or if you should retake it? We’re answering all of your questions regarding retaking the GMAT so you can make an informed decision. How Often Is Retaking The GMAT Acceptable? There are strict guidelines for how often you can retake the GMAT. You can retake the exam up to 5 times in a 12-month period. However, you can only take it once during a 16-day period. But if you […]
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Taking the GMAT is a huge undertaking. The exam requires quite a bit of studying if you want to achieve a score that’s good enough to get you into the school you want to attend. Investing in a GMAT prep course is a surefire way to help you become adequately prepared to take this exam. Study Materials For All Aspects Of The Exam You might think you could master either the Quant or Verbal sections of the GMAT (or both) with very little studying. But, despite your knowledge […]
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Succeeding on the GMAT means taking all the necessary steps to prepare yourself. You want to go into this exam ready for anything and taking each question in stride. With these 3 steps, you’ll be able to prepare for the GMAT effectively. Understand The Layout Of The GMAT When you understand how the exam is laid out, you have a better idea of what you need to study. In our GMAT Preparation Courses, you'll learn what the purpose of the test and the topics are. When you do […]
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