Online MBA Aided by Drills, Practice, and the Right Courses - August 29, 2010
When many a business pro decides it’s time to start their MBA, they get a minor shock. That shock has to do with the real probability that they haven’t done any serious number crunching since their sophomore year at college. It was nothing intentional, but their job just didn’t require it. Considering 40% of the GMAT exam is the Quantitative section, these applicants justifiably feel some concern.
As it happens, online colleges are well aware that a large portion of their GMAT students are not number crunchers. The same holds true for the people who actually assemble the exam every year. As such, the GMAT is basically designed to ensure the applicant has a solid comprehension of basic business math. There’s no rocket science.
That doesn’t mean one can slide on the Quantitative section. Online courses provide a number of classes, programs and drills that will help prepare for this section of the exam. So, for those who start getting cross-eyed when they see an accounting ledger, here are some tips on how to prepare for this major portion of the GMAT:
Take Drills In Data Sufficiency – Data Sufficiency is more logic exercise than actual math. A major portion of the Quantitative section is discerning whether one has enough information to derive an answer rather than actually coming up with the answer. It’s also prone to be multiple choice. Make sure the course you take includes a number of problems in this area, and then drill on them until you grasp the concept.
Review Your Basic Math Again – Make sure your choice includes basic review of such fundamental business courses like accounting, economics and statistics. You’d be surprised how much you’d forgotten since you’d graduated from school. Again, make sure the school offers problems and drills to give the left side of your brain the proper exercise you need before taking the test.
Pick Up A Puzzle Book or Two – This is actually not only a very effective way to review one’s math knowledge, but can be a bit of fun. Whether it’s Sudoku or logic puzzles, doing them will reinforce what you are trying to remember, and apparently have a number of uncanny parallels to the questions that the test taker will face.
Take It Slow and Tailor To Your Needs – When it comes to math skills, one person’s strengths is another’s weakness. Discern your own plusses and negatives. From there, while you should not ignore what you’re good at, spend extra time on what doesn’t come naturally. Again, find drills and exercises within your course to help you in these areas. Your online course will undoubtedly have plenty of them.
One last important tip, and that is the GMAT isn’t designed to be loaded with trick questions. While the business world does need its share of people who can navigate around economic progressions or an accounting ledger with extreme ease, it also needs people who only need the basics. Get the fundamentals down and you will have no issues with the Quantitative section of the GMAT.
