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Last Updated on September 10, 2024
Most MBA applicants realize the importance of a good GMAT score. In fact, many applicants know average scores, percentiles, and score ranges of their target programs. What these MBA applicants sometimes forget is that many top MBA programs are unapologetically quant-driven, and rightfully so. Whether you’re interested in consulting, marketing, or finance, a world of data, statistics, and analytics requires solid quant skills.
Thus, in addition to seeking applicants with strong total GMAT scores, admissions committees view applicants with strong Quant scores favorably. Often, the top 20 MBA programs like to see legacy GMAT Quant scores at or above Q47, currently the 60th percentile. Using GMAC’s score concordance chart, this translates to a GMAT Quant score of Q79 or higher. The most competitive programs, including most M7 programs, often admit candidates with minimum legacy GMAT Quant scores of Q49 and Q50, currently the 74th and 86th percentiles, respectively. This translates to a GMAT Quant score from 82 to 89.
(Note: Because the GMAT is so new, percentiles are updated regularly. For current percentiles, please check ‘Understanding Your Score’ on mba.com)
Earning a strong GMAT Quant score is a potent way to demonstrate your quantitative and analytical abilities. More to the point, a strong Quant score shows that you are capable of handling MBA math. So, it’s no surprise that a high GMAT Quant score can improve your MBA candidacy.
The good news? If you properly prepare using great materials and a strategic study plan, you can earn an impressive Quant score.
In this article, we’ll give you a blueprint for achieving GMAT Quant success. From how to think about the Quant section to test-day strategy, these 20 practical tips will help you hit your score goal.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- Tip 1: Don’t Treat GMAT Quant as Just a Math Test
- Tip 2: Be Prepared for New Challenges
- Tip 3: Understand the 3 Levels of GMAT Quant Proficiency
- Tip 4: Set a Reasonable Timeframe for Improving Your GMAT Quant Score
- Tip 5: Consider a Readiness-Based Scheduling Strategy for Your GMAT Test Date
- Tip 6: Use One Resource to Prep for GMAT Quant
- Tip 7: Take a Topic-by-Topic Approach to Studying for GMAT Quant
- Tip 8: Build a Strong GMAT Quant Foundation First
- Tip 9: Regularly Review GMAT Math Material
- Tip 10: Learn to See Key Aspects of GMAT Quant Questions
- Tip 11: Look for the Simplest Way to Solve
- Tip 12: Check In With Yourself While Solving
- Tip 13: Be Ready for Variations
- Tip 14: Master Algebraic Translation
- Tip 15: Work to Eliminate Your Weaknesses
- Tip 16: Avoid Careless Mistakes
- Tip 17: Become Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
- Tip 18: Work With the Tools You’ll Have on Test Day
- Tip 19: At Some Point, You Must Time Yourself on GMAT Quant Questions
- Tip 20: Understand How the GMAT Is Scored
- Increasing Your GMAT Quant Score: Key Takeaways
- What’s Next?
Let’s begin by discussing what GMAT Quant is and is not.
Tip 1: Don’t Treat GMAT Quant as Just a Math Test
The first step to increasing your GMAT Quant score is fairly straightforward. You must realize that GMAT Quant requires skills different from those that you learned in high school or college. GMAT Quant is not just a math test; it is also a reasoning game. So, increasing your score means improving skills that relate specifically to the GMAT Quant game.
GMAT Quant is not just a math test; it is also a reasoning game.
Yes, it’s imperative that you know an array of basic math concepts. You’ll need familiarity with the difference of squares, number properties, divisibility, Venn diagrams, and combinatorics, to name just a few. To perform well, however, you need to far surpass basic competency in using these concepts.
You Must Develop Strong Analytical Reasoning Skills
So, must you learn math for GMAT Quant? Yes, of course. Without a solid understanding of the underlying math, it will be difficult to improve your GMAT Quant score. But will just learning math earn you a high GMAT Quant score? Probably not.
The GMAT uses basic math to create logic-based questions. So, to improve your GMAT Quant score, you’ll need to be armed with both solid math knowledge and analytical reasoning skills.
TTP PRO TIP:
You’ll need both solid math knowledge and analytical reasoning skills to improve your GMAT Quant score.
Let’s discuss what makes GMAT Quant questions different from what you’ve seen in traditional math classes.
Tip 2: Be Prepared for New Challenges
Whereas high school or college math tests are challenging because of the complexity of the mathematical concepts they test, GMAT Quant is challenging because of the level of thinking it requires. An ordinary math test tests whether you understand concepts (and often allows a calculator). However, the GMAT assumes that you understand certain concepts and uses them to create reasoning questions (and doesn’t allow a calculator).
Furthermore, you’ll need to be able to answer each GMAT Quant question in about 2 minutes on average. Being able to answer a question in 4 minutes does you little good on test day. So, your understanding of how to answer Quant questions must be great enough that you can efficiently attack each question.
In the past, you may have performed well on math tests by understanding concepts and using a calculator. However, mastering concepts is just the first step to achieving a high GMAT Quant score. You must also develop skill in understanding the logic of reasoning questions based on those concepts.
In other words, mastering concepts is necessary but not sufficient for improving your GMAT Quant score. You must also learn to reason soundly and apply advanced analytical thinking skills to answer a wide range of questions.
KEY FACT:
A high GMAT Quant score requires mastering the concepts involved and developing skill in understanding the logic of questions.
Think Like the Test-Maker
The fact that GMAT math concepts are relatively simple does not mean that GMAT questions are simple.
Most GMAT Quant questions have a unique GMAT flair to them, a flair that is engineered by the test-maker. So, when preparing for GMAT Quant, you must learn to think like the test-maker. You must get used to what makes GMAT questions unique. You must learn to understand the GMAT flair that makes problems trickier than they initially seem.
For example, try the following GMAT Quant question:
The price of a particular stock has fallen by 50%. By what percent must the price of the stock increase to return to the original price?
- 50%
- 75%
- 100%
- 150%
- 200%
Solution:
If you picked (A), you fell for a trap answer choice that only looks logical. Presenting an opportunity to make a common logical mistake adds a GMAT flair to this question.
A GMAT test-taker might select choice (A) after concluding that, if something decreases by 50% and then increases by 50%, it will be back at its original value. However, this logic is specious.
A simple way to solve this problem is to pick an easy number for the original stock price. With percents involved, $100 makes the calculations easy. After the 50% decrease, the stock’s value becomes $50. Thus, the stock price must increase by $50, or 100% of the new value, to return to its original price.
So, answer choice (C), 100%, is the correct answer.
TTP PRO TIP:
Learn to think like the test-maker and understand the GMAT flair in each Quant question.
Let’s now explore the 3 levels of GMAT Quant proficiency that most students experience.
Tip 3: Understand the 3 Levels of GMAT Quant Proficiency
When you do practice questions, there are three levels of proficiency you can see for each Quant topic. To achieve a high GMAT Quant score, you’ll need to reach Level 3 for each topic.
Proficiency Level 1: Knowledge
At Level 1, you understand the logic of Quant questions on a given topic and know how to answer them. However, you may not get them right, at least not consistently. Your knowledge is solid, but you need to improve your skills. This level of proficiency is a good start.
Proficiency Level 2: Knowledge and Skill
At Level 2, you consistently get questions on a topic correct, but you struggle with pacing. Problems take you well over 2 minutes on average. This level of proficiency is even better. You’ve got the knowledge and skill to get correct answers. If you can get correct answers consistently, you are well on your way to hitting your GMAT score goal.
Proficiency Level 3: Knowledge, Skill, and Speed
At Level 3, you get questions correct consistently, taking around 2 minutes per question (sometimes less). You’re familiar with all of the ways a given concept can be tested. Knowledge, skill, and speed are all at the level they need to be. When you reach this level of proficiency for a Quant topic, you are ready to handle it on the test. Now it’s time to work on another topic.
How to Get to Level 3
To develop the third level of proficiency, you must allow ample time for deliberate practice. When you begin practicing, rushing through questions makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to reach Level 3. So, when you practice, do the questions untimed.
Yes, you can be aware of how much time you are taking but don’t focus on the time. Generally, you need to focus on finding correct answers by mastering the material and learning to use higher-level thinking, rather than on answering questions in 2 minutes.
Remember, the best way to gain speed is to know the material well and develop strong skills. As your knowledge deepens and your skills strengthen, you can begin working to more stringent time constraints.
For example, perhaps in the first month of your GMAT prep, you don’t worry about the time at all. In the second month, maybe your goal is to answer each Quant question in under 3 minutes. Then in month 3, under 2:45. Then in month 4, as far under 2:00 as possible.
TTP PRO TIP:
The best way to gain speed is to know the material well and develop strong skills.
With that in mind, let’s discuss the importance of having a realistic timeframe when trying to increase your GMAT Quant score.
Tip 4: Set a Reasonable Timeframe for Improving Your GMAT Quant Score
It’s important to be realistic about how long it may take to reach your GMAT target score. With unrealistic expectations, you may find yourself frustrated and far from your goal on test day. The GMAT is a tough test, and the further removed you are from math and analytical reasoning, the more time you will need to master the material and earn a competitive score.
If I could give you just one tip, it would be to not give up, even if the process takes longer than expected. After all, most students have not studied for the GMAT before. If you’re like most students, it’s hard for you to gauge how much time and effort will be required.
It’s easy to underestimate the time commitment required to master GMAT Quant. Work hard. Persevere. Don’t give up. Be dedicated. Be tough. Be willing to outwork your peers. See the process through and don’t expect big gains overnight. Improving your GMAT quant score may take some time, perhaps more time than you expected. Keep going. Stay motivated in your GMAT Quant prep. You can make it happen!
TTP PRO TIP:
Don’t give up, even if the GMAT prep process takes longer than you expected.
Now, if improving your score may take longer than expected, how do you know when your test date should be? Let’s look at a couple of options for scheduling your GMAT.
Tip 5: Consider a Readiness-Based Scheduling Strategy for Your GMAT Test Date
To maximize your GMAT Quant score, consider selecting a “readiness-based” test date instead of a “time-based” test date.
A time-based test date is one you set in advance. For example, on May 5, you schedule your GMAT for July 1. The issue with this time-based scheduling is that you may not be ready on July 1. Then what?
With a readiness-based strategy, you’d wait until you were ready to earn your target score before scheduling your GMAT. That said, be sure that you are putting yourself in a position to succeed. For instance, if your applications are due in September, rather than waiting until June, begin your prep in February. That way, you have ample time to prepare.
How can you tell whether you’re ready to earn your target score? You can use official practice tests from mba.com to gauge your readiness. As you approach the end of your GMAT preparation, begin taking weekly, full-length GMAT practice tests. Once these practice tests show that you’re at or above your target GMAT score, you can comfortably schedule your test. You’ve demonstrated the ability to reach your goal.
This helpful article further discusses how to use GMAT practice tests as tools to increase your score and as diagnostic instruments to help you evaluate your GMAT readiness.
TTP PRO TIP:
To maximize your GMAT Quant score, consider selecting a “readiness-based” test date instead of a “time-based” test date.
Next, let’s examine the importance of not jumping between different study materials when preparing for GMAT Quant.
Tip 6: Use One Resource to Prep for GMAT Quant
One mistake that I see students make frequently is using multiple GMAT Quant prep resources. Although Quant content is predictable, there is variability in the way GMAT Quant courses teach it. Additionally, there is variability in the material that these courses cover.
You don’t want the added confusion of attempting to blend multiple approaches to learning GMAT Quant. Instead, you want to find a resource that provides a one-stop shop for mastering GMAT Quant. Find a course that works for you, and stick with it!
If you are switching between courses, ask yourself why. Are the materials you have not effective for your learning style? Are the explanations not clear enough? Is the study plan not well-organized? Are you missing smart analytics that can help you efficiently address your weak points?
If the materials you’re using are not working for you, change them! You don’t have to suffer with materials that are not making a positive impact on your score. Find ones that will! Almost all online self-study courses offer some sort of a free or low-cost trial. Try out something new. Just be sure not to bounce haphazardly from course to course. Invest your time wisely.
TTP PRO TIP:
Find one solid GMAT prep course and stick with it.
Let’s talk a bit more about the key study strategy of working on Quant questions one type at a time.
Tip 7: Take a Topic-by-Topic Approach to Studying for GMAT Quant
When you take a topic-by-topic approach to your GMAT Quant prep, you:
- work through GMAT Quant categories one at a time
- learn how to decipher the logic of GMAT Quant questions
- become an expert on each Quant topic
- develop deep confidence that you can and will get questions correct
Work Through GMAT Quant Topics One at a Time
By working through Quant topics one at a time, you put yourself in a position to master each. You develop a clear understanding of how questions in a category work. You develop skills and approaches that you can use to find correct answers to that type of question.
TTP PRO TIP:
Put yourself in a position to master each Quant topic by working through one at a time.
Learn the Logic of GMAT Quant Questions
By focusing on one topic at a time, you learn how to decipher the logic of questions in a category. In learning multiple approaches for getting to answers, you become adept at solving them. Additionally, you gain familiarity with the pitfalls commonly encountered in those questions. You might make the same type of mistake twice, but you probably won’t make it 5 times, right?
TTP PRO TIP:
Tackle one topic at a time to give yourself a chance to fully understand the logic, approaches, and common pitfalls.
Become an Expert in Each Quant Topic
When you answer practice questions by topic, you spend a particular number of days working on, for example, only Rate-Time-Distance questions. The goal is to become so skilled at Rate-Time-Distance questions that you can’t get them wrong.
By tackling topics one at a time, you drive your GMAT Quant score higher with each mastered topic. In a very real sense, if you work in this way, hitting your Quant score goal is pretty much inevitable.
By tackling topics one at a time, you drive your GMAT Quant score higher with each mastered topic.
Develop Deep Confidence That You Will Get Questions Correct
When people don’t spend sufficient time mastering a topic prior to the GMAT, they struggle with questions that look and feel different from the ones they practiced. In other words, they have trouble when they encounter problems testing familiar concepts in unfamiliar ways.
To be prepared for whatever the test throws at you, practice with a wide spectrum of realistic practice questions.
For example, consider the algebra topic known as the difference of squares. Most people preparing for the GMAT understand that x2 – y2 = (x + y)(x – y).
However, some don’t practice enough questions to be able to recognize and solve questions based on the difference of squares. If you practice with a sufficient number of difference of squares questions, you truly master answering those questions.
To illustrate, try these GMAT Quant practice questions on the difference of squares.
Remember, when you work on practice questions, your goal is not to practice until you get the questions right. Your goal is to practice until you can’t get questions wrong.
TTP PRO TIP:
When you work on practice questions, your goal is not to practice until you get questions right. Your goal is to practice until you can’t get questions wrong.
Now, let’s talk about the importance of mastering foundational Quant topics before you do anything else.
Tip 8: Build a Strong GMAT Quant Foundation First
Too often, students focus their study efforts solely on difficult GMAT Quant questions. They spend time practicing questions involving relatively complicated probability, combinatorics, and number properties concepts, but they neglect the basics. Such a strategy is not sound.
Mastering GMAT math requires that you take a linear, systematic approach to developing your knowledge and skills. If you skip to the hard stuff, it will be challenging to develop strong command of GMAT Quant material.
If you skip to the hard stuff, it will be challenging to develop strong command of GMAT Quant material.
There are a number of reasons to first master the foundational GMAT Quant concepts.
GMAT Quant Builds Upon Itself
For one, an understanding of the basics, such as how to work with fractions and exponents, is essential when solving more complicated questions. Getting difficult questions correct often requires you to execute the basics quickly and accurately.
For instance, let’s say you struggle with calculations involving fractions. This puts you at risk of missing probability questions, even if you understand the concepts being tested.
Getting Easy and Medium Questions Correct Is Essential
Want to know one of the keys to hitting your GMAT Quant score goal? Getting all of the easy and medium questions correct and getting as many hard questions correct as possible. You can miss a reasonable number of hard questions and score very well. Getting hard questions right drives your score up, but missing them does not drive your score down very much. However, missing easy and medium questions drives your score lower.
KEY FACT:
Getting hard questions right drives your score up, but missing them does not drive your score down very much.
Furthermore, if you can’t correctly answer easy- and medium-level questions, it is likely that you will not see hard questions on the test, because of the question-adaptive nature of the GMAT.
Thus, knowledge of the basics, or the lack thereof, can make or break your GMAT Quant score. Yes, you know about fractions, ratios, and decimals, and those concepts are simple in theory. But, are you skilled at solving GMAT Quant questions involving those concepts?
Building a Strong Foundation Makes You Faster
Questions of certain types may seem easy to you, but how long are you taking to answer them? Often, GMAT students don’t work on the types of questions that seem easy. So, when those questions show up on the test, they use far too much time answering them.
For many students, one key to a better GMAT Quant score is mastering the most basic concepts and questions. With a strong foundation, it’s easier to build your knowledge and skills.
For many students, one key to a better GMAT Quant score is mastering the most basic concepts and questions.
Now, you may be asking, “How do I retain all of these concepts and skills as I master new ones?”
Tip 9: Regularly Review GMAT Math Material
GMAT Quant requires a lot of knowledge. If you’re like most students, you’ll learn many new concepts, strategies, and techniques. If you don’t regularly review what you’ve learned, you’ll likely forget it. So, you need to review, and there are a number of ways to review efficiently.
If you don’t regularly review what you’ve learned, you’ll likely forget it.
Let’s discuss 2 great ways to review the material you’ve learned.
Take Strategic Notes
For starters, consider taking notes as you study. Not only will taking notes give you something to review later, but note-taking also makes you a more active learner.
The simple act of writing down a concept in your own words can make you think more about its meaning. Thus, it should stick better in your mind than it would were you to simply read about it.
We’ve all been victims of mindless reading. After reading a page or two, we say to ourselves, “I have no memory whatsoever of anything I just read.” Taking notes as you read can help you avoid this wasteful activity.
TTP PRO TIP:
Avoid being a victim of mindless reading: take notes as you study.
Review Quant Concepts With Flashcards
After you’ve taken notes, consider making GMAT flashcards for a consistent and quick review of important Quant concepts. Having a convenient review tool, and using it regularly, helps you retain information.
Flashcards are great because you can use them just about anywhere. If you have 10 minutes on the subway, run through your flashcards. If you’re on a flight and you don’t have internet access, quiz yourself using your flashcards.
Some students prefer “old-fashioned” paper flashcards, while others prefer the digital version. Whichever format you choose, just be sure to flip through your flashcards often. To challenge yourself even more, shuffle the deck before each use. By reordering the cards each time you review them, you make the material unpredictable. You will have to work a bit harder, but your retention will increase dramatically.
As you dive deeper into your prep, the number of flashcards you’re using will likely grow considerably. So, to help yourself review efficiently, separate your flashcards into piles. Make one pile for GMAT Quant concepts that you’ve mastered, and another pile for concepts you haven’t mastered yet. Clearly, you’ll want to flip through the “not mastered” pile more frequently than the “mastered” pile.
As you work through GMAT Quant question types, include time to answer questions from topics that you’ve already worked on. Ensure that the concepts you’ve learned and the skills you’ve developed do not fall by the wayside. Retaining what you’ve learned is critical for increasing your GMAT Quant score.
TTP PRO TIP:
Create two flashcard piles: one for concepts that you’ve mastered, and one for concepts you haven’t mastered yet.
Tip 10: Learn to See Key Aspects of GMAT Quant Questions
In our example question in Tip 2, noticing a key aspect of the information presented was necessary to answer correctly. That question required us to notice that decreasing a number by 50% results in a different absolute change than increasing the new, smaller number by the same 50%.
Before you continue reading, consider trying your hand at the following 10 GMAT Quant questions.
As you work through them, seek to notice what makes them different from the run-of-the-mill math questions you’ve seen before. Look for the GMAT flair in each question and notice what key aspects you need to find to answer the question.
TTP PRO TIP:
When you practice Quant questions, try to identify the GMAT flair in each one.
Let’s now discuss the simplicity that exists in GMAT Quant questions.
Tip 11: Look for the Simplest Way to Solve
Too often, students look for complicated solutions to GMAT Quant questions. This approach is a mistake because most, if not all, Quant questions have rather simple solutions.
As we discussed, GMAT Quant questions typically contain 1 or 2 key aspects that allow you to solve them efficiently. Of course, to do so, you have to locate those aspects. When you do, the questions can become quite easy — far easier than you expected. In fact, many complex questions, ones that take many test-takers 3 minutes, can be answered in under a minute. To do so, though, you must be able to find the key aspects of the question.
Consider these 3 GMAT Quant questions, all of which seem difficult until we see the simplicity that exists in them.
Even when a test-taker is scoring well and therefore seeing challenging questions, many of them are solvable with surprisingly simple methods. That is, the optimal paths to the solutions of many GMAT Quant questions are very basic. Seeing simplicity in the question is your goal.
TTP PRO TIP:
When you’re solving a GMAT Quant question, seeing simplicity in the question is your goal.
Don’t Be Intimidated by Your First Impression
When it comes to GMAT questions, it is often true that “the bigger the bark, the smaller the bite.” Quite often, the nastier a GMAT Quant problem looks at first glance, the easier it is to correctly answer.
So, do your best not to become intimidated when first reading a question. If you look for simplicity, odds are that you’ll find a straightforward way to solve it.
TTP PRO TIP:
Don’t let your first impression of a GMAT Quant question intimidate you.
Tip 12: Check In With Yourself While Solving
As you solve GMAT Quant questions, check in with yourself to ensure that you’re properly evaluating the question. Some key questions to ask yourself:
- What is the question really asking?
- Have I seen something similar before?
- What do I have to see to get the right answer?
- How can I make this question as simple as possible?
- Is there a shortcut to answering this question?
At this point, most students ask, “How do I learn to see what I need to see?”
The key is preparing with GMAT Quant materials that teach you how to answer questions accurately and efficiently. Then you need to engage in systematic, deliberate practice. Through deliberate study and practice, you’ll gain the skills necessary for quickly solving GMAT Quant questions.
TTP PRO TIP:
As you’re solving a GMAT Quant question, check in with yourself to make sure you’re on track.
Let’s further examine the importance of thorough practice.
Tip 13: Be Ready for Variations
On a traditional math test, there is typically limited variability in the way concepts are presented. In GMAT Quant, however, there are dozens of potential variations of questions, even those testing the simplest concepts.
Thus, one mistake that students make when preparing for GMAT Quant is not practicing with enough questions in each category. For most people, working on Quant topics one at a time is the most effective way to increase their scores. True mastery of a GMAT topic requires answering many questions to ensure familiarity with variations in how concepts are tested.
TTP PRO TIP:
Practice with many questions in each GMAT Quant category, so that you encounter variations in how concepts are tested.
Let’s now discuss a specific skill necessary for answering many types of GMAT Quant questions: algebraic translation.
Tip 14: Master Algebraic Translation
In order to score high on GMAT Quant, you have to master many topics. At the same time, there is one topic involved in answering questions in many categories: algebraic translation. Does a problem that starts with “John is twice as old as Sally …” make you quake with fear? Then you are a prime candidate for spending extra time on algebraic translation.
Often, people who are struggling to score higher on GMAT Quant experience issues with questions of multiple types, such as work and interest questions. They may not recognize that there is a common theme to those questions: they require strong algebraic translation skills.
To be clear, I am not saying that you shouldn’t work hard to master the nuances of specific question types. What I am saying is that sometimes a core weakness lies in a student’s inability to translate words into math. If they can’t translate, then being able to actually do the math doesn’t help much.
By mastering algebraic translation, you can improve your performance on many GMAT Quant topics. Too often, people neglect this skill. Don’t make that mistake. Do whatever you must do to master turning words into mathematical expressions, and then effectively and accurately use those expressions to solve equations or answer questions.
TTP PRO TIP:
By mastering algebraic translation, you can improve your performance on many GMAT Quant topics.
Next, let’s discuss the importance of working on your weaknesses.
Tip 15: Work to Eliminate Your Weaknesses
Many students avoid working on GMAT Quant question types that are especially troublesome for them. However, these problematic question types represent powerful opportunities for improvement.
One great way to increase your Quant score? Figure out what question types you do not want to see on test day, and work until you hope to see them. Become a total expert at answering the Quant questions you currently dread, and watch your score increase. How great would it feel to start the GMAT knowing that you could handle anything that came your way?
By focusing on getting stronger in your weaker areas, you accomplish multiple things. One is getting a greater number of correct answers to the types of questions on which you have been focusing. Another is freeing up more time to answer other questions, such as those that require more calculations. In other words, getting better at one type of question can help you get correct answers to other types. Since each correct answer can drive your score up a point or 2, getting better at one type has the potential to drive up your Quant score by 2 or 3 points, even if you see only one question of that type on the test.
TTP PRO TIP:
Treat troublesome GMAT Quant question types as powerful opportunities for improvement.
Let’s now discuss the importance of working carefully to avoid careless mistakes.
Tip 16: Avoid Careless Mistakes
Careless errors will destroy your score, so you must avoid them at all costs. The obvious effect of careless errors is that they can lead to wrong answers. There is, however, an even more insidious effect.
Careless Errors Suck Up Precious Time
In some cases, you may catch a careless error before it costs you a question. Perhaps your answer is not among the choices, or you notice that your math doesn’t seem quite right. Even so, you then have to recalculate or re-answer the question. This process takes time that you could be using to get correct answers to other questions.
In some cases, you may not even have the time to fix a careless error. Thus, you will be forced to guess and move on to the next question. Being more accurate in your work can add several points to your GMAT Quant score.
KEY FACT:
Even if you catch a careless error, the time you burn correcting it can cost you on future questions.
Work Slowly and Carefully
One way to avoid careless mistakes is to work slowly and carefully. The more you rush, the more likely you are to make a careless mistake. Of course, you have to work relatively quickly in order to complete the section on time. However, there is a difference between working efficiently and rushing through calculations.
TTP PRO TIP:
To avoid careless mistakes, work slowly and carefully.
Become Aware of Your Common Errors
Another approach that you can use to reduce careless errors is to become aware of the types of errors that you make. Do you tend to make errors when adding? Do you forget to answer the question being asked? Do you get so excited when you’ve gotten through the difficult part of solving that you blow the final calculations? Learn what results in score-destroying little errors, and learn to catch yourself before you do it.
TTP PRO TIP:
Keep track of the errors you commonly make and work to eliminate them.
Careless Errors May Signal a Need for Further Study
Sometimes, what seem to be careless errors may be signs that you don’t fully understand certain types of questions. It’s easy to read an explanation and think, for instance, “Of course. I should have multiplied rather than divided.”
Ask yourself why you made the wrong move. Doing so may reveal that you have some work to do to truly understand the right moves. If you discover gaps in your understanding, more topic-based training is probably in order.
TTP PRO TIP:
Differentiate between careless errors and conceptual errors.
Next, let’s discuss the importance of learning to be okay with being uncomfortable.
Tip 17: Become Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
When the going gets tough, many people simply give up because, like most of us, they don’t like feeling uncomfortable. But, to earn a high GMAT Quant score, you must come to terms with, and even embrace, discomfort. Many GMAT students encounter Quant topics that are devilishly tricky for them. Giving up on mastering those topics does not make the problem go away, and it will not help your score. To reach your goal, you must learn to embrace hardship as a tool for growth.
To earn a high GMAT Quant score, you must come to terms with, and even embrace, discomfort.
In fact, the more grit you can muster, the better you’ll do on GMAT Quant.
See Questions Through to the End
Over the years, I’ve noticed a common trait among students who went on to earn the highest GMAT Quant scores. The high Quant scorers were the ones who wouldn’t let themselves give up on problems during practice.
Conversely, students who gave up on questions after 60 or 90 seconds, or some brief timeframe, saw the least improvement.
The high Quant scorers were the ones who wouldn’t let themselves give up on problems during practice.
You must learn to push through GMAT Quant questions, even when it’s a struggle. Even when your brain hurts, and you feel frustrated, and you’re tired, and you’d rather be doing anything else.
Master the Process of Going Through the GMAT Quant Fire
Learning perseverance is another reason to work untimed on practice questions until your skills improve. There is a psychological component to getting the right answer to a GMAT Quant question.
You may look at a question and not know how to answer it at first. You may start wondering whether you have what it takes to get the answer. Generally, if you keep at it and go through the fire — questioning yourself, feeling fear, anger, boredom, or whatever else — you’ll arrive at the answer. However, when you are practicing, that process may take more than 2 or 3 minutes.
Guess what? If you give yourself only 2 or 3 minutes, you let yourself off the hook. You don’t learn to go through the fire and come out the other side with the answer. You go to the explanation and get the answer. However, you miss one of the most important things: how to persist and hack and do whatever you must to get the answers to challenging questions.
TTP PRO TIP:
When you answer practice questions, stick with them, practicing perseverance, until you have exhausted every possible solution.
Don’t Give Up When Practicing
So, when you practice, focus on getting correct answers. Of course, it’s better to know how to answer a question elegantly and efficiently. However, even if you don’t know exactly how to answer a question, I want you to hack, calculate, cogitate, and do what you must to get the answer.
Don’t give up unless you are really, truly stuck. Stick with the problem. Even if you don’t get the question right, you’re training yourself to be resilient in the face of adversity. Resilience is a powerful asset on test day.
TTP PRO TIP:
Even if you don’t know exactly how to answer a question, hack, calculate, cogitate, and do what you must to get the answer.
Let’s now look at 2 ways to ensure that your GMAT prep fully prepares you for test day.
Tip 18: Work With the Tools You’ll Have on Test Day
You wouldn’t prepare for a soccer game with a basketball. Why prepare for the GMAT with tools that you can’t use on test day?
You Can’t Use a Calculator
A calculator is not allowed for GMAT Quant, so why would you study with one? I have encountered many students who stubbornly keep a calculator handy during study time. They use it because they “don’t feel like doing all that math by hand.”
Well, guess what? Come test day, you’ll be doing all that math by hand, so get used to it!
You Don’t Need a Calculator
There is another, more subtle reason not to depend on your calculator during your Quant prep. We mentioned earlier that the GMAT almost never requires complicated calculations. This is true because there is an underlying “easy” way to solve most GMAT Quant questions.
If you use your calculator to trudge through the messy math, you might never find the underlying concept that makes the calculations unnecessary. Come test day, you’ll flounder, wasting precious time doing horrendous (and unnecessary) calculations.
Start Using the Notepad/Whiteboard as Soon as You Can
The second study consideration is the use of scratch paper, the bread and butter of any math student. However, the GMAT again throws a curveball by requiring you to use either a spiral notebook with laminated pages and a wet-erase marker at a testing site or a dry-erase board with a dry-erase marker for the online GMAT, so plan accordingly. You can purchase practice materials from online retailers. Make sure you have the correct tools while you prepare for the GMAT.
When you are working on Quant practice questions, become accustomed to using the surface and markers you’ll use on test day. These materials are a bit unwieldy to use, compared to paper and pencil, so practicing with them is important. On test day, you don’t want unfamiliar tools to be a distraction.
TTP PRO TIP:
During your GMAT prep, use the type of surface and marker that you’ll be using on test day.
Now, let’s discuss the importance of ensuring that you’re getting faster at solving GMAT Quant questions.
Tip 19: At Some Point, You Must Time Yourself on GMAT Quant Questions
When you first begin working on GMAT Quant, you must go slowly and work progressively. You must get strong in order to get fast. However, as you progress, you must begin to carefully watch the time you require to solve Quant questions.
One mistake that students make is that they never time themselves. The problem with not timing yourself is that you don’t know whether you can solve a problem in a reasonable time — about 2 minutes. Remember, on the GMAT, getting questions correct is a great start. But getting questions correct will not produce a higher score unless you can also get those questions correct quickly enough.
So, as you progress, be sure to hold yourself to increasingly stringent time limits. By test day, you’ll want to be at, or close to, an average time of 2 minutes per question. Remember, it does you little good to be able to answer questions in 4 minutes.
TTP PRO TIP:
By test day, you’ll want to be at, or close to, an average time of 2 minutes per question.
To score well on GMAT Quant, you must understand how the GMAT is scored; let’s discuss GMAT scoring now.
Tip 20: Understand How the GMAT Is Scored
Understanding how the GMAT is scored will help you earn a higher GMAT Quant score. The GMAT is an adaptive test: the difficulty changes based on how you perform.
Now, no one other than GMAC knows exactly how the GMAT scoring algorithm works. But we do know that, as you get questions correct, your score rises and you see harder questions. Likewise, as you get questions incorrect, your score decreases, and you get easier questions. This model is more simplistic than the actual algorithm, but it illustrates the point.
Long Strings of Correct Answers Drive Up Your Score
Here’s the point: on the GMAT, long strings of correct answers drive your score up. The more correct answers you get in a row, the more difficult the questions you get. The harder the question, the more a correct answer increases your score.
KEY FACT:
On the GMAT, long strings of correct answers drive your score up.
While the GMAT algorithm is different from that of the legacy GMAT, early evidence indicates that long strings of correct answers remain crucial to scoring high. Additionally, there seems to be more variability in question difficulty as you move through the section. So, it’s harder to determine when you’re facing difficult questions.
The principle still stands: your goal is to get as many consecutive questions correct as possible. Quant strategies that hurt your ability to string correct answers together are counterproductive.
Don’t Guess Just to “Catch Up” on Time
For example, some students think that guessing just to catch up with the clock is a good strategy. They think that, if they are behind on time, their best move is to randomly guess on a few questions. However, this strategy is actually a poor one: guessing randomly will very likely break up your strings of correct answers.
TTP PRO TIP:
Guessing randomly on the Quant section of the GMAT will very likely break up your strings of correct answers.
Instead, look for much stronger GMAT Quant timing strategies that help maximize your score.
Increasing Your GMAT Quant Score: Key Takeaways
In this article, we’ve covered 20 high-value tips to help you increase your GMAT Quant score:
- Don’t treat the GMAT as just a math test.
- Be prepared for new challenges.
- Understand the 3 Levels of GMAT Quant proficiency.
- Set a reasonable timeframe for improving your GMAT Quant score
- Consider a readiness-based scheduling strategy.
- Use one resource to prep for GMAT Quant.
- Take a topic-by-topic study approach.
- Build a strong GMAT Quant foundation first.
- Regularly review GMAT math material.
- Learn to see key aspects of GMAT Quant questions.
- Look for the simplest way to solve.
- Check in with yourself while solving.
- Be ready for variations.
- Master algebraic translations.
- Work to eliminate your weaknesses.
- Avoid careless mistakes.
- Become comfortable being uncomfortable.
- Work with the tools you’ll have on test day.
- At some point, you must time yourself on GMAT Quant questions.
- Understand how the GMAT is scored.
If you study hard and study smart, you can improve your GMAT Quant score. Regardless of how far you are from your goal, you can get there with time, effort, and an intelligent plan. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Do not buy into the fallacious idea that some folks are math people while others are not. The truth is that anyone willing to put in the effort can become “a math person” and improve their GMAT Quant score.
You deserve a higher GMAT Quant score, and you can make it happen!
What’s Next?
Have more questions about how to improve your GMAT score? This article has tons of tips on increasing your GMAT Quant score and your total GMAT score.
Want to attend our live GMAT Quant webinars? Join us each Thursday for our TTP GMAT Quant webinar series!
Looking for expert GMAT Quant help? Sign up for a free consultation to learn how working with a TTP tutor can help you reach your Quant goals.
Amazing and helpful article. Actionable and to the point!
Glad we could help! Feel free to check out our other articles for more GMAT strategies, and please reach out with any questions.
I have been actively looking for a great Quant strategy to ace the GMAT and thank god I finally bumped into this article. Thanks, sir for such a detailed study plan. I am all set to apply the key steps mentioned in this article bit by bit.
Thanks again!
You’re welcome Swikrity! I’m so glad that this article has been helpful to you in your GMAT prep.
Hi,
Points that you have mentioned in this article really help to improve the GMAT Score. Thank you for the informative post.
Hi Steffen,
You’re welcome! I’m so glad the article was helpful for you. Feel free to check out our other articles, and thanks for getting in touch.