We know how to read, and how to learn. We have been doing that all our lives. However, the discrepancies between the methods to learning in school and learning for the GMAT are one of the major problems for test takers.
At the first level, all the basics are learned. Basics include the rules, the facts, different types of questions, and the way they work. The first level is the foundation. Though, merely having foundation will not suffice. You need to build on it. As you move forward in your preparation, you will need to add a second level of understanding in your arsenal.
Why is the Second Level needed?
A quick question: remember the last time you encountered a problem on GMAT and had no idea how to proceed? How about that time when you checked the answer and had absolutely no idea about it?
Everyone, even those who score on the 99th percentile encounter this problem. It is inevitable. However, the point is to be prepared for it and then avoid, for the longest time possible, confusion like that.
What actually is the Second Level?
The Second Level involves understanding the behind-the-scene factors of the GMAT test: how are questions prepared, how are the right and the wrong answers selected, and how to tackle them effectively. In short, you will know the tests inside an out.
By doing this, you will gain the ability to know what the test takers are trying to hide. You learn their jargons and in turn start thinking differently. The more inside information you have on each problem, the better you will be able to perform on the test. High scorers are not magicians, they just learn to recognize the deception behind the GMAT questions, and gain an advantage that most of the other test takers do not have.
The goal of Second Level is to have that ‘aha!’ moment of insight as much as possible.
How do I learn?
You already know it. At least to some extent, you are just unaware of it. It comes from the ability to understand the basic concepts like the subtraction sign (-), different parts of speech, and their relationship. You will need to take that understanding to GMAT.
The first step is to find the OG problem that is neither super easy, nor super hard for you. Then you should find the practice problem. If you can find the practice problem, you need to ask yourself where the traps were and how someone can fall into the trap. Also, the way those traps were set also has huge importance.
In the verbal section, for every tough question, there is at least one very tempting wrong choice. The choice is very close to the correct answer in appearance, and perhaps seems more logical. However, if you find a way to distinguish those tempting questions, you will be gaining the ability to recognize the traps and thus avoiding them in the future.
Understanding the Code
While you are analyzing the problem, keep a few flashcards with you. On one side, write “On Seeing…” and on the other side, write “I should do.…”. Whenever you see a problem that causes you to think that you have figured out what the questions and the answers meant, pull out a flash card.
Recognize the questions and analyze the clues that led you to the insight. How were you able to see behind the ruse? How would you be able to recognize it in the future? Answer all these questions, and you will have made very good use of your flashcard.
Remember, the flash cards are not for writing the entire problem, just for writing the ways to figure out solutions. The same questions won’t repeat, but the techniques will remain the same.
What you are doing here is translating GMAT lingo into English, and that is valuable.
Application of the Analysis
Next figure out how you can maximize the utility of your technique. Go back and review the material to gain a better understanding of the content and timing issues. Make flashcards if necessary.
Find a solution that is different from your instructors or students. You might encounter more efficient ways to solve problems. If you are having a problem with the process, practice harder and practice repeatedly.
Find the related material and master them. Also, learn to tell the difference between different types of questions. Test yourself repeatedly.
Find out why you make reckless mistakes. Find out your habit behind the mistakes and break away from it.
Figure out how to guess, and when to guess. The most common scenario is when you are out of solutions, but what if you are running out of time? What if you are using too much of your time with one simple question? Know when to cut off and simply make a guess.
When will I practice?
The point is not to practice a maximum amount questions, but to practice efficiently. Learn from the problems, develop a process and implement them. Developing a process takes time, but it is well worth it. That is the only way of scoring great scores.
Bringing it together
After the completion of every problem, try to figure out the ‘question type’. Try to figure out a way to recognize similar questions once you encounter them the next time so that you have an efficient solution. Only after this has been achieved, move on to the next question.
Lastly, understanding the code will help when you are out of options. If something you’ve never seen appears in the question, don’t waste time, just guess and move on. At the end, you can go back to that new question and try to figure it out. Save the time by not dwelling on it too much in the beginning.