GMAT Pill releases Integrated Reasoning Part 1: Two-Part Analysis

A whole new set of questions is launching with the new GMAT Exam – the most popular one you’ll see is the two-part analysis question type. And after much demand from our students who have enjoyed the SC Pill, CR Pill, RC Pill, DS Pill, and PS Pill, we are rolling out the IR Pill (Integrated Reasoning). As always, we stress our focus on attack strategy, building crushing confidence, thinking process, efficiency and minimizing the amount of time required to prepare. The GMAT is a tough exam but there is no need to spend an eternity preparing for it. With the right thinking process communicated to you through video tutoring, you can conquer it too.

The release schedule for the other parts are:

With IR Two-Part Analysis, your chances of getting a question by randomly guessing are no longer 1 out of 5 like it is for multiple choice. You now have to get 2 subparts correct for this type of question in order to get credit for the whole question.

That’s right. No partial credit. More parts to a question. And more complex.

That means 1/5 * 1/5 = 4% chance of getting the question correct when guessing randomly versus 20% with simple one-answer multiple choice. Remember, both sides must be correct so the probability of correctly guessing is no more than 4%.

On the new Integrated Reasoning section of the GMAT Exam, you will find approximately 4 out of the 12 integrated reasoning questions to be two-part analysis.

What does that mean? Two-Part Analysis?

Well, the answer format looks like the following:

And before these answer choices, you’ll see a long passage that can be verbal based (CR + a lot of reading) OR it can be quant based (problem solving / data sufficiency + lots of words). It can be overwhelming and getting lost while answering these questions can be a problem for many test takers.

Well, for this section of the exam, GMATPill has developed frameworks and a video-based approach to communicating strategy and thought process to break these questions down. Whether you have a complex verbal-based or quant-based two-part analysis question, we help you break down the process. Through visualization, frameworks, challenge questions, we step through all parts of a question with you.

Why is this important for the IR questions? Well, because these questions are complicated. Rather than having under 2 minutes per question, for IR questions you are allocated 2 minutes and 30 seconds for each question. Each question is longer to read, takes longer to comprehend, and also takes longer to set up frameworks to attack. As a result, some hand holding is going to be helpful.

Sample Two-Part Analysis Question – Verbal-focused:

Sample Two-Part Analysis Question – Quant-focused:

With the RC Pill, we showed you what to read and what not read and why cutting the fluff was important. But with IR questions, you’re going to want to read everything and comprehend everything – paying attention to details rather than skipping around paragraphs is going to be the best approach. There’s going to be a lot of information, and it’s your job when you answer the question to sift through what’s important and what’s not. There will be a lot of extraneous information. But there is no way to skip it like you can with RC.

For the quant-based two-part analysis questions, we also see a lot more complexity. We recommend connecting the puzzle pieces in order to quickly picture what information you DO know and what information you DON’T know. If you have a connecting relationship between something you DO know and eventually to something you DON’T know, then there is a possible way to figure out what that question mark is.

Two-part analysis is going to be the most common type of IR question. It’s absolutely crucial to get both columns correct in order to get credit for the question so familiarize yourself with the question type. Develop some kind of approach or strategy. And then go ahead and destroy it when you take the new GMAT exam.

Good luck!

- Zeke Lee
The GMATPill Study Method

Table of Contents | See Pricing

Verbal Videos: Sentence Correction | Critical Reasoning | Reading Comprehension
Quant Videos: Problem Solving | Data Sufficiency

Scoring Scale for the New GMAT Integrated Reasoning Section – Key Takeaways

For the New GMAT Exam coming out in June 2012, the new Integrated Reasoning Section (30min, 12 questions) will be scored from 1-8.

Now you ask, “Wait! Doesn’t each question have multiple answers? Like 3 Yes/No questions per actual question?”

That’s right!

In order to get that question right, you have to get ALL of the subquestions correct. One little mistake (due to not fully understanding what was “meant” in the question) is going to COST you! There is NO PARTIAL CREDIT!

Are you scared yet?!

GMAT Score Reporting

For all GMAT exams taken June 5, 2012 and later, the 5 scores reported are as follows:

Key points for Integrated Reasoning

So, what does this mean?
If there are 12 questions and I get full credit for 10, what is my score?

Well, it’s going to be scaled – and based on practice tests you can get 3 wrong and still get a full score of 8! So generally what you might see is:
12 correct => 8 raw score
11 correct => 8 raw score
10 correct => 8 raw score
9 correct => 7/8 raw score (depending on total difficulty level)
8 correct => 7 raw score
7 correct => 5/6 raw score
6 correct => 5 raw score
5 correct => 4 raw score
4 correct => 3 raw score
3 correct => 2 raw score
2 correct => 2 raw score
1 correct => 1 raw score
0 correct => 1 raw score

What does this mean? You have some breathing room – it’s okay if you get a few questions wrong – you don’t need a perfect Integrated Reasoning section in order to get full score. This is a new section and as long as you demonstrate competency by getting about 10/12 correct you can get full score. This section really shouldn’t be your focus. The focus of your energy should be on the verbal and quant sections of the exam that come AFTER you complete this integrated reasoning section on the actual day of the exam.

The order of the exam is AWA Essay, IR, then Verbal and Quant. Don’t let the integrated reasoning hurt your stamina and brain power!

Extra Section on the GMAT?

Now the big question is, are the questions hard? I went through a bunch – some of the graphics, data tables are straightforward – maybe a few booby traps but nothing crazy that can’t be handled with good practice.

But when you get to multi-source reasoning which is basically like critical reasoning / reading comprehension and data sufficiency combined (thus, “integrated” reasoning), then there’s room for getting confused or not catching some small detail here or there.

So, is the IR section going to help you or be against you? Well, for business schools, it’s definitely going to help them.

The GMAT was originally created to have a mean of 500 and a standard deviation of 100. A score of 600 would be one standard deviation above the mean. However, over the years with more GMAT prep available and students using smart strategies and thinking processes like those offered by GMATPill, the average score has trended up and the number of students scoring 700+ is much more common these days. And if you’re applying to top schools where nearly everybody has a 700+ score, well, how else can business schools screen?

The application and background of the candidate is very important. But there are plenty of students who make it to the waitlist – and it’s really a tough spot to be in. Candidates are in agony waiting to find out if they get into their dream school. Meanwhile, there is not much they can do. Sometimes getting an improved GMAT score can get them off the waitlist – but this is not guaranteed. The addition of the IR score can help a school make some screens at this point. The IR section uses more real world business questions -and may become increasingly important in admission decisions. But for the time being, the traditional GMAT score out of 800 is going to be most important while the IR score is going to be supplemental and will come in handy in helping business schools screen through hundreds of candidates in agony on the waiting list.

Percentile Ranking

In addition to the IR score reported out of 8, the percentile ranking will be sent to schools. At first, the percentile will be based on only a small sample size of sample test scores done privately before June 5, 2012. Every month thereafter, all test takers’ data will be inputted into the cumulative score data and percentile rankings will be recalculated every month. So while a 7 out of 8 on the exam might get an 83%ile (for exaxmple) in June, the same score in July may turn out to be 93% if everyone does well – OR it may fall to a 76% if everyone has a tough time.

These percentiles will help business schools in their admission selections.

Getting Practice

Here at GMATPill, we have you covered. The IR Pill (available May/June 2012) will bring forth thinking processes and strategies that have made the existing pills a giant success – SC Pill, CR Pill, RC Pill, DS Pill and PS Pill.

The IR Pill will launch and prepare students for the increasingly important IR section of the exam. There are sample practice questions and explanations that we created that you can look at to help you get a feel. Stay tuned.

Table of Contents | See Pricing

Verbal Videos: Sentence Correction | Critical Reasoning | Reading Comprehension
Quant Videos: Problem Solving | Data Sufficiency

GMATPill’s Review of Official Guide 13 (OG13) for new GMAT Exam: book is great but not a 700+ guarantee

In early April of 2012, the GMAC folks who administer the GMAT exam updated their practice exam book.

In the past 3 years, everyone’s been using OG12 (12th edition) to study for their GMATs. Certainly, every few years there’s a few updates. This update is bigger for a variety reasons.

There’s a new section called integrated reasoning, and a slight change in mix of questions for SC and for CR.

And… it’s 839 pages. O_O!!

There is no place to get practice questions for Integrated Reasoning (at least for the first few months) without getting them from the Official Guide or the GMATPrep 2.0 software. (You can get the IR separately, see link below)

83% of the OG13 questions are the same as the OG12 questions. They basically removed 17% of the old questions and replaced them with new questions – so you’re not getting *more* questions – you’re simply getting questions that are most reflective of the latest version of the exam.

There are 907 questions – 158 of them are NEW. There is an additional 50 Integrated Reasoning questions but these questions are not in the book. You have to access them with a username/password on a companion website to the book (see below)

VERBAL

Sentence Correction – Similar concepts. You’ll find a few more questions that might lead you to two answer choices – one of them accurately captures the meaning of the question while the other won’t.

Critical Reasoning – same, some of them wordy and you’ll have to think through.  There are more wordy ones now that ask you to fill in the blank, basically complete the logical argument and fill in the missing piece.

Reading Comprehension – as with almost all tests, there’s a reading component. This is largely the same – passages in the same areas such as humanities, science, art, history. Staying awake is the challenge so you’ll need a strategy.

QUANT

Problem Solving – GMAC swaps in 45 new questions here. They vary in difficulty – but don’t be fooled. If you’re going for a 600+ and 700+ score, you won’t even see many of these easier questions. Don’t be fooled that 45 new questions here can let you “up” your game to above your scoring range – naturally on the exam if you’re doing well, you’re only going to keep getting more difficult questions and the easy ones from this book won’t really come up.

Data Sufficiency – GMAC swaps in 36 new questions here. They appear to be more difficult (the thought process is the same, just the wordiness can be annoying). But again, on the exam if you’re getting them correct, you’re just going to keep getting more and more difficult questions.

INTEGRATED

Integrated Reasoning – THIS SECTION IS NOT IN THE BOOK – it’s an online component with 50 questions which you can access with an account. The book has 11 pages dedicated to introducing you to the Integrated Reasoning section – it covers the 4 types of questions which takes up the bulk of it:

Multi-source Reasoning
Table Analysis
Graphics Interpretation
Two Part Analysis

See the IR post for more detail

If you are only interested in the IR section you can purchase it here for $10 (cheaper than $28 for the book):
http://www.mba.com/store/product-info.aspx?ProductID=5032

The companion guide login site is here:

http://www.wiley.com/go/officialgmatir

Key Takeaways

1) There will never be better questions to use than the ones from the Official Guide – they are after all, THE questions that have shown up in GMAT exam. In this sense, OG12 and/or OG13 are essential

2) Should you buy OG13? If you want the most accurate reflection of types of questions in the exam and are the 700+ type (meaning you’ll actually notice the type of question you’re getting wrong and that it’s “newer” than what was out there before), then yes, get the OG13.

3) Use the OG for practice – not for training. Critical reasoning question for thought: Buying OG13 will get me a 700+ score.

There is a flaw in this statement. Getting access to prior exam questions does not imply that you can answer that type of question in another form and in the amount of time that you’re alloted. OG provides practice questions – not exam strategy.

4) OG is the standard. There really is no reason to rate this book 3 star or 5 star – it’s the standard. GMAC is not here to train how your brain thinks – it’s here to give you sample questions from past exams.

GMATPill Course

We know. Studying consumes time. And what’s worse – studying with no improvement. Time wasted + no improvement.

What you’ll discover is that practice DOESN’T make perfect.

In GMATPill videos, Zeke (creator) communicates the thinking process to help you attack GMAT questions. Thinking process is the core component that will affect your overall score - and you can hear the commentary from students who have gotten into Wharton (’14, ’12), Stanford, Oxford, Darden;  Goldman Sachs and McKinsey and countless 700+ stories from Africa, Pennsylvania, India, and improvement stories.

Table of Contents | See Pricing

Verbal Videos: Sentence Correction | Critical Reasoning | Reading Comprehension
Quant Videos: Problem Solving | Data Sufficiency