Utilizing mountains and time management

[user7027]

Hi everyone,

I’m working through Prep Swift’s “Overwhelmed Plan” and using the Quant and Verbal Mountains, but I’m a bit stuck on the best way to use them. My GRE is on June 20th, and I want to make sure my study time is productive.

Here’s what I’ve been doing so far:

• Completing problem sets by topic

• Quizzing myself afterward

• Reviewing answers and analyzing mistakes

I have a few questions:

Quant Mountain

• Is it mostly about reviewing problems by topic every day until I feel confident?

• How do I know when I’ve practiced a topic enough and can move on?

• Should I start mixing topics together after a few days, or focus on one at a time until I master it?

Verbal Mountain

• What’s the best way to improve accuracy on RC, Text Completion, and Sentence Equivalence?

• How much time should I spend reviewing mistakes versus doing new problems?

• Any tips for incorporating vocabulary practice into the Verbal Mountain workflow?

Overall Goals

• I want to increase my Quant from 139 → 160 and Verbal from 153 → 160 (or higher if possible). I don’t have a huge jump for verbal and because of that I am unsure on how to utilize my time so that I am mostly focusing on quant but still studying for verbal

• I want my daily study sessions to be structured and focused, so I’m not just doing problems without real progress.

I’d really appreciate advice on:

• How to structure daily work using the Mountains

• How to know when a topic is mastered

• Tips for balancing Quant and Verbal in the next 9 weeks

I saw that there on videos on how to use the mountains but if I’m being honest I don’t have time to watch an hour long pre recorded video when I can be studying instead.

[vince]

Study planning questions on the forums

I see a lot of posts on here from people who are asking for help with their study planning. Often these posts take the form of, “I’ve done abc and have def score - how do I get to xyz score?” A couple of observations and opinions (these do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Gregmat team): Often, the post has lots of details about what the person did, but nearly all these posts don’t provide much of a plan for people to comment on. There is a wealth of information on Gregmat about st…

[user7027]

I appreciate that you took the time to respond, and I will take a look at the suggestions you mentioned. That said, I wanted to share some feedback on how your comment came across. While your intention may have been to encourage independent problem-solving, the tone felt dismissive and judgmental, implying that I wasn’t putting in enough effort.

Studying for the GRE can be overwhelming, especially when balancing multiple subjects and navigating complex study materials or website layouts. Some people naturally struggle with planning, organization, and prioritization due to neurodevelopmental differences, and comments that focus on perceived effort rather than offering concrete guidance can be discouraging.

A more constructive approach might be to acknowledge what the poster has already done and then provide specific suggestions or frameworks they could try, rather than focusing on effort. That way, your guidance would actually help people move forward with their goals.

I also want to encourage anyone reading this thread to feel free to share tips or advice if they are able, practical guidance is always appreciated.

Thanks

[vince]

A good principle is: make it easy for people to help you when you request help.

You might re-read my comment, think about how you can make it much easier for people to help you, then try again with a new post.

[user6489]

I feel your struggle, and I have a couple thoughts.

1. IMO it’s worth taking the time to watch the videos on how to use the mountains, as well as the Quant progression timeline video. Put it on 1.5 speed and listen while you’re doing the dishes - it will help you understand the strategy. I skipped them initially and then went back to watch them when I felt like I was floundering a bit in my study plan. It helped me refocus and strategize better - I promise it’s not wasted time.
2. check out the blog posts on gregmat. there’s so much good information that will help you make a plan that works for YOU
3. If you’re scoring 139 in quant, sounds like your quant foundation is weak. My first practice test was similar, and my foundation was nearly nonexistent after many years away from math. Read the blog post about quant study planing for the <150 scorer. My advice would be to just do the i’m overwhelmed plan and follow the advice after each tickbox quiz (like if you’re not scoring in the range suggested, rewatch the videos and take the quizzes again).
4. if you’re just reviewing topics in the quant mountain every day, sounds like you’re not using it correctly. it’s about forcing yourself to recall the information/formulas etc. in your own words to prove your understanding. if you’re just reviewing content you’re probably tricking yourself into believing you remember more than you do. again, probably worth your time to watch the mountain videos to understand how to use them.

TL;DR just do the i’m overwhelmed plan. don’t overthink it, just do it.