Study Strategy for Online Courses

[deepeshbhatia]

Hi there,

I am a current student enrolled in your online sessions, I need some clarity on the strategy of approaching the study material..apart from the class syllabus there is plenty of material on the student center, eg: Question banks etc, also at the end of the strategy guide there are OG problems to be solved..should they be completed with the weekly study or to be left for the end..

Thanks,
Deepesh

[StaceyKoprince]

Great question.

During the course, focus mostly on the strategy guides and the OG. Do *some* OG questions, but not all, during the course.

To start, when you finish a chapter, try one or two OG questions from that chapter, just to see how the material applies to a GMAT-format question.

When you finish a quant book (which you'll be doing every week to two weeks), do a 10-problem OG set that consist of a mix of problems from the whole book. When you finish the second quant book, also include some questions from the first book. Continue - basically, the further you get into things, the more you mix up your practice.

For verbal, you'll be doing different chapters (not entire books) week by week, so there, do a mixed set of questions across all 3 question types. Continue to toss in questions from previous weeks.

If you will have the time to do more strategic study and review after the course ends (for at least 3-4 weeks), then you can mostly concentrate on content / the syllabus material for the length of the course (and I recommend this wherever possible).

If you have to take the real test shortly after the course ends, then you will have a lot of work to do. Don't plan to socialize much in the last month or so. :) You'll have to start incorporating a review of the earlier weeks into your study even as you're learning new stuff for the later weeks. (Sounds like a lot, doesn't it? That's why I recommend trying to time the class so that you have plenty of time for review after.)

Let me know if you have any other questions and please also don't hesitate to talk to your instructor. The more s/he knows about your situation, what's giving you trouble, etc, the better s/he will be able to advise you.

Good luck!

[deepeshbhatia]

Thanks Stacey !

Very useful guideline....is there a formal roadmap/handout like the class syllabus on the student center ( apart from the GMAT Roadmap and class syllabus) which could be printed out.

I did mention a similar question during a class, the answer was to stick to the syllabus handout / reading list....but wasn't satisfied with that as there is lot to be integrated during a week from the reading list + student center material..which at times causes confusion of what should be completed first. Realistically am falling behind on completing a weeks reading list, as u mentioned earlier 2 weeks per page or so..am catching up on that.

Post your reply what I have in mind is FOM + FOV + reading list + OG Problems + Online Labs (Very useful I should say) to be sync'd for a weeks study.

As per about the course would it involve a one on one review of the students progress , CAT results etc ? What do I expect as the course progresses and post completion of the 9 classes.

Regards,
Deepesh

[StaceyKoprince]

There isn't a different syllabus than the one you have, no. Guide 0 / Roadmap has a lot of this same advice in general, but not a different syllabus.

So the main one should be your overall guideline, but you should also customize according to your own strengths and weaknesses. Don't feel like you have to check off every last item on the list - do what you think you need to do the most.

How to know what that is? Make sure you take the practice tests as scheduled on the syllabu. :) That's how you know what priorities to set for yourself.

You can use this to analyze your practice CAT results:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... ice-tests/

Then, if you're ever unclear about what's most important, tell your teacher what the issue is and ask for advice.

eg, if you said to me, my last test shows that I'm struggling with translations, combinatorics, and inequalities; what should I work on first / most?

I'd say: ignore combinatorics. Start with translations. Practice X and Y techniques for translating story problems. Do work on inequalities eventually, but that comes second.

I like the plan you posted. Again, it's fine to leave stuff aside and come back to it later if you find yourself behind. You can also say to your teacher, for next week's quant book, which chapters do you think are the most important? You try to do them all but if you can't you concentrate on the ones that are most important.

I'm not 100% sure I understand your final question - would what involve a one-on-one review etc? Are you asking about the Post Course Assessment (PCA)? Within 30 days after the last day of class, you can sign up for a PCA as long as you've done the 3 practice tests required. The teacher will review your tests before you meet and then you'll have a 30-minute phone call in which the teacher will advise you about what to do between then and whenever you plan to take the real test.

I recommend taking your final practice test the week-end after whenever your last class is, and then having your PCA as soon after that as possible.