GRE Quant Strategy Series (2025 Edition) - Session 1

Four Important Points <ol style="margin-bottom:11px"> <li style="margin-left:8px">Before proceeding with this series, I recommend that your quant foundation be at least “decent.” <ol style="list-style-type:lower-alpha"> <li style="margin-left:8px">How do I know if it’s “decent”? <ol style="list-style-type:lower-roman"> <li style="margin-left:8px">Take this arithmetic quiz (untimed): <a href="https://forms.gle/1yNWtpatymwLQFDN7" style="color:#96607d; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">https://forms.gle/1yNWtpatymwLQFDN7</a> <ol> <li style="margin-left:8px">If you score below 60%, I would recommend NOT doing this series right now. Let’s get your foundation solid via The I’m Overwhelmed Plan. After you complete that plan and get your quant foundation solid, please revisit this series or any other strategy series.</li> <li style="margin-left:8px">If you score above 60%, please take the remaining quizzes (untimed): <ol style="list-style-type:lower-alpha"> <li style="margin-left:8px">Algebra: <a href="https://forms.gle/Jbe9Y3MysMZSkmR89" style="color:#96607d; text-decoration:underline">https://forms.gle/Jbe9Y3MysMZSkmR89</a></li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Coordinate Geometry: <a href="https://forms.gle/QX5NC8VzH41pema39" style="color:#96607d; text-decoration:underline">https://forms.gle/QX5NC8VzH41pema39</a></li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Geometry: <a href="https://forms.gle/9U3bsaBzKVQmVBMAA" style="color:#96607d; text-decoration:underline">https://forms.gle/9U3bsaBzKVQmVBMAA</a></li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Data Analysis Part 1: <a href="http://forms.gle/8MGpxzFJRvwaxKGg7" style="color:#96607d; text-decoration:underline">http://forms.gle/8MGpxzFJRvwaxKGg7</a></li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Data Analysis Part 2: <a href="https://forms.gle/Fm2cdFF3YMShtfZV7" style="color:#96607d; text-decoration:underline">https://forms.gle/Fm2cdFF3YMShtfZV7</a></li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Data Analysis Part 3: <a href="https://forms.gle/aMprYCJBH5TLGXmo9" style="color:#96607d; text-decoration:underline">https://forms.gle/aMprYCJBH5TLGXmo9</a></li> <li style="margin-left:8px">If it’s obvious from these quiz scores that your foundation is “decent,” please proceed with the course. If, however, it’s evident that your foundation needs work, please see the I’m Overwhelmed Plan before tackling strategies.</li> </ol> </li> </ol> </li> </ol> </li> <li style="margin-left:8px">If my quant foundation is “decent,” can I focus ONLY on strategies? <ol style="list-style-type:lower-roman"> <li style="margin-left:8px">That depends. If you’re scoring above 80 or 85% on all of the foundation quizzes, I think it’s okay for you to work only on strategies, then untimed practice, and then timed practice.</li> <li style="margin-left:8px">If you are scoring in the 60% to 80% range on the foundation quizzes, you have two options: <ol> <li style="margin-left:8px">Learn the foundation first, then go to strategies.</li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Learn both simultaneously.</li> </ol> </li> <li style="margin-left:8px">The first option above is more ideal, but if you’re pressed for time, you might have no choice but to opt for option 2.</li> </ol> </li> </ol> </li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Strategies are not “natural.” <ol style="list-style-type:lower-alpha"> <li style="margin-left:8px">What I mean by this is, even if someone solves 1,000 or 10,000 GRE problems, they likely will not derive all of the effective strategies themselves. These strategies are a collective effort of hundreds of tutors over the past several decades. It is SO MUCH FASTER just to be taught the strategies rather than expect to deduce them while solving problems. </li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Before worrying about “applying” the strategies, I recommend just becoming “aware” of their existence and how they play out in principle. An easy way to test this is to look at the relatively comprehensive list of quant strategies on PrepSwift at the link below: <ol style="list-style-type:lower-roman"> <li style="margin-left:8px"><a href="https://www.prepswift.com/gre-quant" style="color:#96607d; text-decoration:underline">https://www.prepswift.com/gre-quant</a></li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Scroll to the bottom to see the list of strategies</li> </ol> </li> <li style="margin-left:8px">To test whether you’re “aware” of them, go through the strategies one by one and just try to explain the strategy with as much detail as possible for a minute or so. You can do it in your head or aloud. </li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Okay, point taken – I’m not very aware of them? What do you suggest? <ol style="list-style-type:lower-roman"> <li style="margin-left:8px">Don’t worry so much in the beginning about your efficacy in applying the strategies. You could even take this course twice if you’d like, the first time focusing on becoming aware of the strategies and the second focusing more on applying them.</li> <li style="margin-left:8px">If you want to go through the course only once, focus first on learning how the strategies work in principle, make sure you really understand the theory behind each strategy, and then work on applying them. Don’t hesitate to rewatch any content to really grasp the strategy.</li> </ol> </li> <li style="margin-left:8px">To the algebros: <ol style="list-style-type:lower-roman"> <li style="margin-left:8px">I respect the algebra – I’m not kidding. I really do. In fact, algebra in a sense is THE strategy. Before its invention, problems were solved in long, paragraph form! So, algebra is perhaps the most effective “strategy” ever created?</li> <li style="margin-left:8px">With that said, if you rely purely on algebra for every problem, if you fixate on the “proper” way to do each question, you’re likely going to run into a couple of problems: <ol> <li style="margin-left:8px">Some problems are very time-consuming when using algebra</li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Some problems can’t be solved with algebra at all</li> <li style="margin-left:8px">You’re not really stretching your “problem-solving” ability if you restrict yourself to one method.</li> </ol> </li> </ol> </li> </ol> </li> <li style="margin-left:8px">How do I learn strategies? <ol style="list-style-type:lower-alpha"> <li style="margin-left:8px">Force yourself to use only one at a time. <ol style="list-style-type:lower-roman"> <li style="margin-left:8px">What I mean by this is, say you’re working on the Choosing Numbers strategy, open up a set of 20 or 30 quant questions and allow yourself to ONLY use this strategy. You can’t use algebra or any other strategies. You’ll QUICKLY develop this bad boy.</li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Here’s the process: <ol> <li style="margin-left:8px">Step 1: Look at the question and ask yourself regarding the strategy you’re focusing on, “Can I use this strategy here?”</li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Step 2: If the answer is “no,” move on to the next question and repeat.</li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Step 3: If the answer is “yes,” solve the question using that strategy. <ol style="list-style-type:lower-alpha"> <li style="margin-left:8px">You might find that the strategy is very good for the question or that it’s very slow and time-consuming. That’s okay. By exploring the strategy this way, we’re REALLY learning its pros and cons.</li> <li style="margin-left:8px">After solving it using the strategy, move on to the next question and repeat the process.</li> </ol> </li> </ol> </li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Make sure that you only allow that strategy to be used. Don’t let other strategies “bleed” into the exercise.</li> </ol> </li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Later on, when you’re at least “decent” or “good” at most strategies, students should then ask themselves, “What’s the best strategy for this question?” <ol style="list-style-type:lower-roman"> <li style="margin-left:8px">But let’s worry about this question after we’ve gotten good at most or all the strategies.</li> </ol> </li> </ol> </li> <li style="margin-left:8px">Not all strategies are created equal. <ol style="list-style-type:lower-alpha"> <li style="margin-left:8px">Some strategies are MUCH MORE effective than others. In fact, as you go through the course, you’ll notice that the strategies become more and more “niche.” What we mean by “niche” is that the strategy can be applied to fewer and fewer questions. For example, “choosing numbers” is a MEGA strategy. It can maybe be applied to 50% of all questions? “Making Deductions” is another MEGA strategy.</li> <li style="margin-left:8px">However, something like “backsolving” or “finding extremes” are rarer. </li> <li style="margin-left:8px">If you plan on getting good at only some of the strategies, I recommend you frontload the course because the most important strategies will be taught first.</li> <li style="margin-left:8px">MAJOR CAVEAT: <ol style="list-style-type:lower-roman"> <li style="margin-left:8px; margin-bottom:11px">There’s a major caveat, however. If you’re planning on scoring in the high 160s or even a perfect 170, then EVERY strategy is important. To get a score that high, it’s necessary that we become proficient in the aforementioned “niche” strategies.</li> </ol> </li> </ol> </li> </ol>

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