Cracking the GMAT, 2015 Edition

Study Guide: 12-Week Plan

Cracking

Week 1
q Read the Introduction (Chapter 1) and Cracking the Adaptive Sections
(Chapters 35).
q Take and grade the Warm-Up Test (Chapter 22); use the Test Scoring Guide
(Chapter 23) to help you understand/interpret your results. Your initial score
will dictate which Practice Bins you should work with in the coming weeks.
q MathRead the Basic Principles (Chapter 7) as well as POE and GMAT Math
(Chapter 8).
q VerbalRead the Sentence Correction section (Chapter 15).
q Integrated ReasoningRead the Basics (Chapter 18).

Premium
Portal

q Take the Practice Verbal (Sentence Correction, Arguments) drills.

Cracking

Week 2
q MathRead Data Sufficiency (Chapter 9), Arithmetic (Chapter 10) and
Algebra (Chapter 11). Be sure to try:
q Drill 1 (AD/BCE)
q Drill 2 (Addressing PEMDAS)
q Drill 3 (Additional Arithmetic)
q Drill 4 (Fractions)
q Drill 5 (Decimals)
q VerbalRead Reading Comprehension (Chapter 16). Be sure to try the
Attacking the Questions at the end of the chapter.
q Integrated ReasoningRead the Strategies section (Chapter 19).
q Analytical Writing AssessmentStart reading this section (Chapter 21).
Pay close attention to the sample template.

Premium
Portal

q Take Practice Test 1.

Week 3
Cracking

q MathRead Applied Arithmetic (Chapter 12), Geometry (Chapter 13) and

Advanced Data Sufficiency (Chapter 14). Be sure to try:
q Drill 6 (Angles and Lengths
q Drill 7 (Triangles)
q Drill 8 (Circles)
q Drill 9 (Data Sufficiency Parts and Wholes)
q Drill 10 (Strange Powers of Powers)
q Drill 11 (Yes or No)
q VerbalRead Critical Reasoning (Chapter 17). Be sure to try Drill 12
(Spotting Critical Reasoning Question Types).
q Integrated ReasoningTackle the Drills (Chapter 20).
q Analytical Writing AssessmentFinish reviewing this section (Chapter 21);
be sure to review the argument template.

Premium
Portal

q Take the Practice Math (Fractions and Decimals, Plugging In) drills.

Cracking

Week 4
q MathBegin tackling the Math Practice Bin problems. Remember to pull out
your Warm-Up Test to quickly review your results.
6 or fewer math questions correct: tackle Math Bin 1, Questions 115.
613 questions correct: tackle Math Bin 2, Questions 115.
14 or more questions correct: tackle Math Bin 3, Questions 115.
q VerbalBegin tackling the Verbal Practice Bin problems. Again,
remember to pull out your Warm-Up Test to quickly review your
results.
6 or fewer verbal questions correct: tackle Verbal Bin 1, Questions 115.
613 questions correct: tackle Verbal Bin 2, Questions 115.
14 or more verbal questions correct: tackle Verbal Bin 3, Questions 115.

Premium
Portal

q Take Practice Test 2.

Week 5
Cracking

Use this week as your designated Verbal week. Review all portions of this
section:
q Sentence Correction (Chapter 15)
q Reading Comprehension (Chapter 16)
q Critical Reasoning (Chapter 17)
Give special attention to the areas that tend to be more difficult for you. Once again,
try tacking:
q Attacking the Questions exercise
q Drill 12 (Spotting Critical Reasoning Question Types)

q Return to the Verbal Practice Bins. Complete the Bin level with which you
started and then see if you can move on to the subsequent, more challenging
Bins.
Premium
Portal

q Take the Practice GMAT Verbal Section drills (excerpted from Verbal Workout
for the New GMAT).

Cracking

Week 6
Use this week as your designated Math week. Review all portions of this section:
q Basic Principles (Chapter 7)
q POE and GMAT Math (Chapter 8)
q Data SufficiencyBasic Principles (Chapter 9)
q Arithmetic (Chapter 10)
q Algebra (Chapter 11)
q Applied Arithmetic (Chapter 12)
q Geometry (Chapter 13)
q Advanced Data Sufficiency (Chapter 14)
Give special attention to the areas that tend to be more difficult for you. Once
again, try tackling the following drills:
q Drill 1 (AD/BCE)
q Drill 2 (Addressing PEMDAS)
q Drill 3 (Additional Arithmetic)
q Drill 4 (Fractions)
q Drill 5 (Decimals)
q Drill 6 (Angles and Lengths)
q Drill 7 (Triangles)
q Drill 8 (Circles)
q Drill 9 (Data Sufficiency Parts and Wholes)
q Drill 10 (Strange Powers of Powers)
q Drill 11 (Yes or No)
q Return to the Math Practice Bins. Complete the Bin level with which you
started and then see if you can move on to the subsequent, more challenging
Bins.

Premium
Portal

q Take the Quantitative Practice Section drills (excerpted from Math Workout for the
New GMAT).


Cracking

Premium
Portal

Week 7
q Use this week as your designated Integrated Reasoning (Chapters 1820) and
Analytical Writing Assessment (Chapter 21) week. Review all sections of both,
giving special attention to the areas that tend to be more difficult for you. Once
again, tackle the Integrated Reasoning Drills (Chapter 20).
q Take the Integrated Reasoning Drills (excerpted from 1,037 Practice Questions for
the New GMAT).

Cracking

Week 8
q MathTackle some of the more challenging Practice Bin problems. Where
you begin will be determined by your previous efforts and successes. Again, the
Practice Bins can be found in Chapter 25.
q VerbalTackle some of the more challenging Practice Bin problems. Where
you begin will be determined by your previous efforts and successes. Again,
the Practice Bins can be found in Chapter 25.

Premium
Portal

q Take Practice Test 3.

Cracking

Week 9
q MathReview Basic Principles (Chapter 7) and POE and GMAT math (Chapter
8).
q VerbalReview the Sentence Correction section (Chapter 15).
q Integrated ReasoningReview the Basics (Chapter 18).

Premium
Portal

q Take Practice Test 4.

Cracking

Week 10
q MathReview Data Sufficiency (Chapter 9), Arithmetic (Chapter 10) and
Algebra (Chapter 11). Once again, be sure to try:
q Drill 1 (AD/BCE)
q Drill 2 (Addressing PEMDAS)
q Drill 3 (Additional Arithmetic)
q Drill 4 (Fractions)
q Drill 5 (Decimals)
q VerbalReview Reading Comprehension (Chapter 16). Once again, be sure to try
the Attacking the Questions at the end of the chapter.
q Integrated ReasoningReview the Strategies section (Chapter 19).
q Analytical Writing AssessmentBegin reviewing this section again (Chapter
21). Pay close attention to the sample template.

Premium
Portal

q Take Practice Test 5.

Cracking

Week 11
q MathReview Applied Arithmetic (Chapter 12), Geometry (Chapter 13) and
Advanced Data Sufficiency (Chapter 14). Once again, be sure to try:
Drill 6 (Angles and Lengths)
Drill 7 (Triangles)
Drill 8 (Circles)
Drill 9 (Data Sufficiency Parts and Wholes)
Drill 10 (Strange Powers of Powers)
Drill 11 (Yes or No)
q VerbalReview Critical Reasoning (Chapter 17). Once again, be sure to try Drill
12 (Spotting Critical Reasoning Question Types).
q Integrated ReasoningReview the drills (Chapter 20).
q Analytical Writing AssessmentFinish reviewing this section (Chapter 21).
Once again, pay close attention to the sample template.

Premium
Portal

q Take Practice Test 6

Cracking
Premium
Portal

Week 12
q Review the summaries and drills at the end of each section/chapter.