Quant Unforced Errors-Help!

[AnaN971]

Hello,

I just finished a Manhattan in person prep class and have been struggling since day #1 with unforced errors in Quant . Though, often I get almost all the process right, at some point I make very silly mistakes. I have been keeping an error log, and unforced errors are at the top of my error count. For example: divide when I have already written in my paper that I should multiply to get the final answer, or vice versa, when I move a number to the other side of the equation to solve for a variable, I will perform the opposite operation (i.e. add instead of subtract), solve for the wrong variable, applying the wrong formula in geometry, etc. And I don't know why if it is so obvious what I have to do because I do write down all the variables, I put on top of my paper the variable what I need to solve for with a big question mark, I try to keep it organized, and I know how to solve equations (I took about 4 years of math in college, and used to do very well!.)

On top of this, I am also struggling with my timing, it has been super challenging to get the OG problems done in less than 4-3min/question . So, I feel like I just really don't have the time to go back and review all my process to make sure I didn't screw up anywhere on the process. Also, I am not sure if this can be related to some sort of attention problem because I do get simple things mixed up in my daily life (like right and left), but it has never really been a big deal.

I have thought about just taking as long as needed on each problem to practice at first to get the process right, but then my timing issue would probably get even worst. As I mentioned, I am keeping an error long, but I juts really do not know how to fight my unforced errors. Anyways, any tips or help to work on both unforced errors and timing will be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks a lot!
Anita

[RonPurewal]

i'm not stacey, and i don't usually comment in this folder, but i struggle with these things too.

analogy:
i have a friend who loses her keys and/or wallet a lot.

'i need to be more careful/mindful about my keys/wallet!'
...this is well-intentioned, but ultimately useless, because it's not actually a thing.
• there's no objective way to define whether she's 'being more careful/mindful';
• SHE can't even determine whether she's 'being more careful/mindful';
• 'being more careful/mindful' is impossible for an outside observer to see.
it's not a thing.

these, by contrast, ARE THINGS:
'when i wear clothes with pockets, my wallet goes in THIS pocket, and my keys go in THAT one.'
'if i carry this purse, my keys go in THIS pocket.'
'when i get home, my wallet goes in place A, and my keys go in place B.'
'if i am at work, my keys go in X place.'
etc.
• easy to define
• she obviously knows whether she's doing these things
• a third party can easily tell whether she's doing these things
^^ OBSERVABLE, CONCRETE CHANGES (= what i'm calling 'things') are the ONLY way to change habits.

I try to keep it organized

is this well defined?
can you give an unambiguous 'yes' or 'no' to Am I doing this?
could a third party SEE you doing this?

i suspect that the answers are no, no, and no. so... this is probably not a thing.

you need to come up with something CONCRETE and OBSERVABLE.

most of these will not seem brilliant. (e.g., if you tend to switch addition and subtraction, try circling the plus and minus signs before carrying out the operation.)
but you have to do them ALL THE TIME, even when they don't seem necessary.
you don't build a habit by 'doing it some of the time'... and especially not by 'doing it when things get hard.' (you don't wait to practice your earthquake plan until the ground starts shaking!)

[RonPurewal]

On top of this, I am also struggling with my timing, it has been super challenging to get the OG problems done in less than 4-3min/question . So, I feel like I just really don't have the time to go back and review all my process to make sure I didn't screw up anywhere on the process. Also, I am not sure if this can be related to some sort of attention problem because I do get simple things mixed up in my daily life (like right and left), but it has never really been a big deal.

I have thought about just taking as long as needed on each problem to practice at first to get the process right, but then my timing issue would probably get even worst. As I mentioned, I am keeping an error long, but I juts really do not know how to fight my unforced errors. Anyways, any tips or help to work on both unforced errors and timing will be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks a lot!
Anita

here are two things that are absolutely impossible to do at the same time:
1/ get better at 'X'
2/ get faster at 'X'

the identity of 'X' is irrelevant; no one can get better and faster at the same time, at anything. (imagine trying to do this with, say, dance steps.)
at any given point, this means you have to pick exactly one of these—and ignore the other one completely.

[AnaN971]

On top of this, I am also struggling with my timing, it has been super challenging to get the OG problems done in less than 4-3min/question . So, I feel like I just really don't have the time to go back and review all my process to make sure I didn't screw up anywhere on the process. Also, I am not sure if this can be related to some sort of attention problem because I do get simple things mixed up in my daily life (like right and left), but it has never really been a big deal.

I have thought about just taking as long as needed on each problem to practice at first to get the process right, but then my timing issue would probably get even worst. As I mentioned, I am keeping an error long, but I juts really do not know how to fight my unforced errors. Anyways, any tips or help to work on both unforced errors and timing will be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks a lot!
Anita

here are two things that are absolutely impossible to do at the same time:
1/ get better at 'X'
2/ get faster at 'X'

the identity of 'X' is irrelevant; no one can get better and faster at the same time, at anything. (imagine trying to do this with, say, dance steps.)
at any given point, this means you have to pick exactly one of these—and ignore the other one completely.

Thanks so much Ron! All your advice makes a lot of sense, and yes you are correct, I don't have "organization" well defined. I will definitely work on building concrete and observable habits.

Per your last comment, do you think I should focus on getting the problems right and understanding the concepts and then worry about the timing issue?

Muchas Gracias!
Anita

[StaceyKoprince]

Ron, I'd like to invite you back to follow up...because I think I'm about to disagree with you.

I don't think, for an adaptive test like the GMAT, that you can 100% completely ignore the question of timing, because sometimes, that determines whether I'm even going to bother studying something at all.

So, no, I would not focus 100% on trying to get everything right first, because there are some things that I'm just never going to get right at a high enough percentage (eg, 3-D geometry) and there are other things that I can get right but I will likely take way too long (hello, combinatorics). So when I study those topics, I'm not actually studying how to get them right. I'm studying how to eliminate answers and make a good guess - if that's even possible. Otherwise, I'm studying how to recognize as quickly as possible that I want to make a random guess and move on.

BUT I will say that I agree with Ron's theory in the broader sense that, when you first start studying and are learning (or re-learning) how to solve quadratic equations, or how DS works, or whatever, you don't need to pay much attention to timing at first.