Hi guys,
U have really helped me in my journey and I hope to pay back by helping someone who might need it. I know it isnt an outstanding score, but I had to prepare for it along with my work and it got really tough at times, so I think it will be helpful for many to know how I moved from 580 [V:22 Q:42] to 700 [V:38 Q:47]
My Profile:
Age 23
BE Computer Science, Pune Univ
First Class with Distinction
Company : ..into embedded systems
1 Yr FT Work ex, 1.5 yrs PT Work ex
Applying to US.
The first attempt was not shocking! I had absolutely not prepared for the test. I barely knew the format. But after giving the exam I realized that there was a certain key which i needed to find out and once i did, i would unlock my potential and enter the 700+ club!!
To give u more details, I am working as a software Engg. I studied for 1.5 months after office hours and relied on the following..
1) OG 10\11
2) Princeton Review
3) Tough Quant Questions [Mukul Kumar]
4) Probability questions [Mukul Kumar]
apart from several forums..
It was a struggle to take my Verbal score up. The main problem was RC. I felt that almost everytime 2-3 options were correct. I re-enforce that nothing works better than practice. Make a point to solve at least 3-4 passages each day. For SC concentrate on OG verbal and 1000_SC in Mukul Kumar's BOX.
Sentence Correction Strategy
1) Look for a comma
2) Look for the noun after the comma
3) If it is wrong, choose those options which correct it, and then look for the last part of the correct options. It should be correct for the rest of the sentence that follows the underlined part.
4) If in step 3 it is correct, then directly look at the last part of the sentences and see which one agrees.
Just lookin at the first and last part of the underlined sentence can in 90% cases elliminate the need to read the entire sentence.. RC:
1) The most helpful tip I can give u here is that u should suddenly feel excited when an RC question arrives. You should say to yourself..."OH WOW!!". Trust me it works!!!
2) Take enough time to read the passage. SKIMMING DOESNT WORK! Until u get the essense of it u cant anwer the questions with confidence! I read every passage twice and yet finished the Verbal section 5 mins before time.
3) Read the 1st para, then the question and then the rest of the passage.
4) Sometimes some answers are very very seductive!! They are the most dangerous options!! If u instinctively feel drawn to a particular answer, you should realise that there is 80% chance tDhat u are approaching a trap.
DS
1) The first thing u should say to urself when u see a DS question is "I DONT WANT TO FIND OUT THE ANSWER!! I JUST NEED TO KNOW WHETHER THE DATA IS SUFFICIENT!!"
2) With this in mind you can take a birds eye view of the question which is the real objective behind these questions.
3) DS in OG 11 is more than sufficient.
4) if u analyse the questions, they'll all fall into max 10 tricks!! I'll list them here soon..
Have listed out important questions from OG Quant 10 ... I revised them on the morning of the exam..
I forgot to add an important point.. Choose a time that falls in ur MAX energy zone. I was never an eary riser. I perform well only after 11AM. In my previous attempt, I booted in the exam and that was another reason i lost out..
a> the solution is evident afer simplifying equations = 270
b> Dont always rely on 2 unknowns so 2 equations!! = 266
c> Dont assume + \ - or int \ fraction
d> Root(y^2) = |y| for every 'y' = 260
Also, if -x.|x| > 0, then (+)*(+) > 0, and hence x < 0
e> Never divide\multiply both sides of an equality until u are
sure its positive!!!
f> 13! +3 is divisible by 3 ---- 257
g> is X>Y ? here keep X and Y seperate.. X Y , simply them
and then compare them.
h> Excellent Question! Note : Only 2 is a number, the difference
between any two factors of which is odd. = 243
i> 240
j> 236 : x = z-y . if x = -ve, then |x| = y-z
k> 233
l> 222 if root(4x) = int, and x = int then Root(x) = int
m> 220 X\4 will never be a non-terminating number
n> 215, 130: if n is divisible by two non-prime nos a & b
then n is divisble by the LCM of a & b
EX: if N is divisible by 4 & 6,
then N is divisible by LCM(4,6)=12
if however a & b are prime, then if N is
divisible by a and b then it is divisible by ab.
Ex: if a no is div by 2 and 3, then it is divisible by 6.
Applications :: to find out if a number is divisible by a*b where a and b are given
o> 213, 199, 195, 192, 183,173, 165, 162
q> 155
IMP: 3 cases where the sign will change in equality..
a) multiply by -ve value
b) Divide by -ve value
c) Take -ve square root of value. ie: Y^2 < 64. Hence y > -8 and y <8
r> 152, 153, 148 (simple), 147 (tricky), 146 (examle of relative speed),
142 (simple but note)
s> 135 (Nice! - 11), 133, 132, 128, **110**, 107, 104, 101, 97, 91, **85**
VERY VERY IMPORTANT: When you have a set of consecutive numbers (integers, evens, odds, multiples), the mean is equal to the median. To locate the median, find the average of the endpoints.
Shortcut for weighted average problems.
If Jason purchased two suits for $179 each and three suits for $189 each, what is the average price Jason paid for each suit?
Normal Method: ((179)(2) + (189)(3)) / 5
Cool method : ((0)(2) + (10)(3)) / 5 + 179
Weighted averages don’t care what the end points are, they just care about the weights.
Instead of using 179 and 189 as your datapoints, use 0 and 10.
Prime numbers: Remember the prime numbers between 1 and 100.
MORE TIPS COMING HERE... PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR BEING A SLOW UPDATER.. U CAN MAIL ME ANYTIME AT
r_bedarkar@yahoo.com
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