As anyone who’s taken the GMAT can attest, the questions are hard mainly because there isn’t enough time to solve them properly. So what can you do to help yourself beat the clock?

One of the most common GMAT prep products is the diagnostic test. It’s advertised on the cover of almost every prep book and touted as one of the premiere elements of any high-end prep class. But there are some reasons to be skeptical about the benefit of these diagnostic tests.

If you’re reading this, you probably have a GMAT this week. That’s great! This is the day that you’ve been working towards for a while, running through problem sets and taking practice tests. Nervous? Everyone is! It’s a big test.

Whether you were an English major or haven’t read a book since the last time you wore a cap and gown, the GMAT Verbal section can be really challenging.

By the time you’re done reading this article you’ll know exactly what math you have to review and get an idea of what sort of strategies you should be practicing while working through practice problems.