The GMAT is made up of several different components, including math, verbal, and the analytical writing assessment.  The GMAT full paper consists of two different writing samples: one an analysis of an issue and the other an analysis of an argument.  But how do you prepare for this?  What can you do to perfect writing a well-thought out and thorough essay in 30 minutes, and then be ready to to it again immediately following?

The Nova Press GMAT Prep Course outlines the four activities you should complete in order to perform successfully on the GMAT full paper.  The beginning focuses on correct punctuation and general tips on developing your writing style, followed by sections specifically geared towards the two types of required writing.

The punctuation section works through specific instances to help you learn what to look for in your own writing.  For instance, many people use commas excessively.  The book provides rules for when to use commas and gives examples with explanations so you can avoid misplacement.  Misuse of semicolons, colons, and apostrophes are also common, as are run-on sentences and misplacement of quotation marks.  All of the are covered thoroughly in the Nova Press curriculum.

General tips on writing include ways of structuring your essay and key areas for developing a writing style.  This section also includes samples of short responses to a prompt for you to revise. Revising your own writing is a bit more difficult, but this can help with the GMAT full paper by helping you decide what to look for in your own writing.  Suggestions for the given responses follow, so you can compare your revisions and see where else you can improve.

Grading rubrics for the writing responses begin each of the sections geared specifically toward the writing topics.  Then suggestions are given for how to organize your thoughts and the essays.  It discusses the pros and cons of different approaches and provides sample prompts and completed essays.

The GMAT full paper can be intimidating to even the best of test-takers, but Nova Press’s GMAT Prep Course can guide you in your preparation so you feel ready on test day.

Originally posted 2012-03-14 23:31:36.

Studying for the SAT takes planning and resources.  Strategies for SAT studying vary depending on which topic you choose to focus on first.  Nova Press’s SAT Prep Course can help you tackle the reading, writing, and math portions, helping you to hone your strategies for SAT studying.

Nova Press’s SAT Prep Course book is divided into three main sections: Reading, Writing, and Math.  But before tackling these, you should focus on the Orientation that precedes these main content areas.  The Orientation answers questions about the purpose and format of the SAT, suggestions on pace while taking the test, information on how it is scored, and the benefits of skipping vs. guessing.  It also addresses the ordering of questions, ways to narrow down answer choices, and a suggested study plan.

The reading section focuses on reading comprehension, critical reasoning, sentence completions, vocabulary, and etymology and includes vocabulary drills.  Strategies are outlined to improve reading comprehension, including categorizing of questions to six main categories and a Three Step Method to help you focus on the pertinent section of the reading selection.  It includes an emphasis on pivotal words, which may change the meaning of a sentence or excerpt.  The section on critical reasoning will help you improve your understanding of passages where multiple points of view are presented.  It will assist you with determining the premise of each view and discover the viable conclusions.  It also addresses the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning.

Important strategies for SAT studying include narrowing down which vocabulary to learn and ways to learn it.  Nova Press’s SAT Prep Course book provides you with two lists:  one with the recurring words from past SAT tests and a more extensive list that includes good possibilities for words that could be included in the future.  The words are listed alphabetically, and the longer list includes short matching quizzes.

The etymology section helps you to learn the origin of words, which can help with determining and remembering the meaning of words.

The writing section can help you understand how the essays are scored, review grammar rules, gives you suggestions on how to improve sentence and paragraph structure, and gives some drills to help you process what you learned and narrow down what you should review.

The math section will help you a review concepts you may have studied earlier in your school career.  It includes sample questions with detailed explanations on how to determine the correct answer along with strategies for SAT math studying.

Nova Press can help you with finding strategies for SAT studying.  Everything you need is in the Nova Press SAT Prep Course.

Originally posted 2012-03-12 20:56:57.

So, you’re studying for the GMAT.  You’re specifically worried about the GMAT reading section.   How can you improve reading comprehension?  Where can you get practice excerpts and learn some techniques to help you on test day?  Nova Press has the solution.  The Nova Press GMAT Prep Materials offer a variety of ways to get ready for your big test day.

The GMAT Prep Course book offers sections on math, logical reasoning. reading comprehension, and writing assessment, just to name a few, along with hundreds of GMAT-style questions along with solutions.  The verbal section includes specific methods to approach GMAT reading, questions to ask yourself when reading about a topic in order to glean the most information, and exercises with detailed explanations on how to achieve the correct answer.  It helps you to look out for pivotal words that might alter the entire meaning of a text and ways that the authors could be trying to trick you with these words.  It draws on earlier suggestions to help you develop a “Three-Step Method” for handling GMAT reading comprehension.

Another concern with GMAT reading may be the logic questions. Nova Press offers solutions on how to get to the bottom of these questions, by helping you to understand what to look for when determining a premise, conclusion, or just following the reasoning of a statement.  It also focuses on the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning and how these effects your answer.  It addresses many of the techniques that the test writers use to throw you off when trying to determine the correct answer.  The book includes a large number of practice questions, followed by answers and explanations.

It’s possible that your concern with preparing for the GMAT reading centers around the section on sentence correction.  The Nova Press GMAT Prep Course tackles pronoun errors, subject-verb agreement, misplaced modifiers, the use of adverbs, and more.

Nova Press GMAT Prep Course can help you focus on ways to improve so you no longer need to worry about GMAT reading.

Originally posted 2012-03-09 13:01:32.

Have you ever thought to yourself, “I’m just not a math person?”  If so, the math section of the ACT could seem like an insurmountable obstacle.  Rather than give up and just hope that you do well enough on the Verbal section to make up for your  math score, try studying with the Nova Press ACT Math Prep book!

The Nova Press ACT Math Prep book outlines specific techniques you can use while taking the test.  It works through example problems, talking through how to get to the right answer for each one.  Then it gives a set of questions for YOU to try on your own.  The answers with explanations are in the section immediately following, should you need help along the way or just want to make sure your answers are right.

Need a review of concepts you learned earlier in your studies?  The Nova Press ACT Math Prep book includes a section of “Math Notes” that reviews the basic concepts of fractions, square roots, and geometry.  If you need a more in-depth review, later chapters go into greater detail about each concept.  It also explains methods you can use to answer each type of question.  If you are still struggling, there is a section devoted to “Elimination Strategies” to help you narrow down your options.

Whatever level of math review you need before taking the ACT, the Nova Press ACT Math Prep book is the way to go.  It covers geometry, coordinate geometry, fractions & decimals, equations, exponents, algebraic expressions, logarithms, trigonometry, and more!  Don’t get intimidated and give up.  Instead, get the Nova Press ACT Math Prep book and get to work.  If you’re willing to put in the work, you can master the math section of the ACT!

Originally posted 2012-03-07 20:36:06.