Is it ok to take a break from studying for the GMAT?
I recently graduated from college and begin work on July 28th. I have studied for the GMAT for the past month and a half, and took them yesterday and got a 670 44Q/38V. I got a little tripped up on timing on the actual exam and have score mid-low 700's on several CAT's. (I have no doubt a low to mid 700 is obtainable)
My tutor suggested taking a week or two as a break and then starting up again once my job is situated. (I am also most likely getting approved for extra time on the exam.) I definitely see a benefit to taking a small break as I think staring at that material every day for hours can definitely have diminishing returns after awhile.
Just wanted to see if anyone had any strong opinions against the idea of taking a 1-2 week break while studying.
Any opinions would be much appreciated.
No, you must study 24/7
Is that sarcasm?
Nope.
spot on.
I mean personally I wouldn't take a 2 week break, but definitely take a break man. Try to keep it fresh in your mind without overdoing it. Maybe check back in on it every few days just to keep it fresh.
This. Maybe take a couple days or a week to clear your head. Exercise, eat well, etc.
Get back to work
While cramming is certainly an effective strategy for some, I think you need to ensure you are truly understanding the fundamentals of the subject matters in order to score in the top percentiles. It won't matter how long a break you take if you focus on mastering the concepts rather than memorizing formulas. Formulas are easily forgotten as they are largely meaningless if you don't understand the concepts behind them. My recommendation would be that you modify your study approach if you find yourself set back by a 2-week hiatus.
Imagine asking to take a two week break from a challenging project at work because it was tough. What would your boss say?
I would expect the same level of apathy here.
When I was studying for the GMAT, I was studying everyday prepping for a mid February test, totally working hard and stressing - typically pulling scores around 700-720ish on all my CATs. Then my boss asked me to travel to a conference that would mean I have to travel Tues-Fri with the test scheduled on Saturday. I decided to reschedule my test because I knew this would fuck me - the next Saturday date at a test center within 50 miles of me was 5 weeks from then. So, the first two weeks after rescheduling, I was totally shaken. I was like almost done studying, on track to hit my target of 730, and I had no idea wtf to do for the next 5 weeks to "maintain" so to speak. So, I ended up taking two weeks off because I couldn't get motivated.
As soon as I got back to it I broke through my barrier with Quant and ended up scoring a 750. So, I would say taking a break to "compost" really helped me. Take it for what it's worth.
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