Tuesday’s Test Tip: Where Laziness Is Rewarded

There is a famous notion about business and life–the Pareto principle (also known as the 80–20 rule)–which states that, for most events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. Pareto, an Italian economist, discovered that 80% of the land around him, at any one time, was owned by just 20% of the people. The notion has been updated in the contemporary business world and you see it everywhere. In the recent election, raising taxes for the richest 10% was a contentious issue, the argument made by the Democrats that this tiny segment of the country controls 90% of the wealth. In Las Vegas, casino moguls report that 80% of their profits come from the 20% of their gambling clientele they call “whales”, Vegas parlance for “high-stakes gamblers”.

What does an ancient business maxim have to do with me acing the GMAT/GRE, you might be asking yourself? Well, Twainstein's vaunted 80/50 Method was based on this time-tested principle. With standardized tests, 80% of the questions can also be answered by mastering just 50% of the content. Knowing this can help you to avoid the most common mistake people make in preparing for their exam: focusing on low-frequency question types. Their are several question types on the GMAT/GRE that appear only once and there are several question types that appear over and over again. Identifying high-frequency question types raises the number of points you will potentially get if you master that particular question type. Mastering every single concept tested is a surefire way to feel overwhelmed and bowled over by the sheer amount of material covered. In fact, some test prep companies have in excess of 12 books that they require mastery of in order to complete the course and be considered ready for the exam. This approach typically leads students to feel like they have to revisit four years of high school math just to take one four-exam.

The question, then, becomes how do you identify the types of problems that are worth preparing for, and distinguish them from the types that don't bear heavily on your score even if you get them right? Here's a quick primer that applies to both the GMAT and GRE:

Based on the chart above, where do you suppose most of your time–and our class time–ought to be spent? The high-frequency questions, of course! Add to that the fact that low-frequency questions are typically the hardest mathematical concepts tested, and you can see why trying to master probability or 3-d geometry doesn't pay off in terms of GMAT/GRE points.

Use Twainstein's 80/50 method when designing your study schedule. Choosing which questions to answer and which ones to skip is the one area where laziness is encouraged. Avoid comprehensive learning on these tests. Apply instead strategic learning based on high-value concepts.

Remember, high scorers on the GMAT/GRE, on average, don't know more math than their low-scoring counterparts–they just know more strategy. Any questions you have about this or other articles, please contact Twainstein and one of our consultants will get back to you promptly.