by Rich Cohen, EMPOWERgmat; Rich.C@empowergmat.com
This series of emails and PMs focuses on situations that many Test Takers face during their studies. The names of the original posters have been changed to protect their identities.
The 2 Most Recent Official Guides
Hi Rich,
Is it important to buy official guide 2016. I already have OG 2015.
Are the questions in OG 2016 are different from OG 2015?
Penelope
Hi Penelope,
Most of the questions in the GMAT2016 are also in the GMAT2015 (although approximately 25% of the content in the 2015 version has been replaced in the 2016 version). The relative cost of buying the newer book to get those new questions is relatively low though, so doing so is up to you. If you're interested in more "official material" that you don't already own, then you might consider purchasing the subject specific books (Quant, Verbal) and downloading the practice material from www.mba.com (2 practice CATs and practice problems).
Specific Vocabulary in DS Questions
Dear Rich,
Can you please assist with this?
The four sides of quadrilateral JKLM have equal length. What is the length of
diagonal JL?
(1) JK = 2
(2) KM = 2
When I tried to solve this problem I assumed that JKLM is a square but I guess it is a rhombus. I was wondering how can I decide whether it is a square or a rhombus given that the question says all sides are equal.
Qiara
HI Qiara,
This DS question, while a bit complex, serves as a great lesson that you can apply to ALL DS questions: be CAREFUL about your assumptions.
If the prompt wanted you to know that you were dealing with a square, then it would have used the word "square." By using the word "quadrilateral", you have to ask yourself what THAT word really means. I know that I'm dealing with a 4-sided shape, but I'm not sure what type (is it a square, rectangle, parallelogram, rhombus?). With the added information about how the four sides have equal length, that narrows it down to a square or a rhombus. Each of those shapes would have an impact on the answer to the give question.
DS questions often put an emphasis on the "thoroughness" of your thinking, so make sure that you are careful to consider more than just the obvious possibilities.
Minimal AWA Requirements at Most Schools
Rich,
Just got my official results... I’m very disappointed in my AWA score...
690
Q 48
V 37
IR 8
AWA 4
Will that affect my application??
Rothschild
Hi Rothschild,
With a 690/Q48, you've got a fantastic score (it’s just shy of the 90th percentile overall) to apply to Business School. Your AWA score is fine. The 4.0 “level” is the minimum acceptable level for almost all MBA programs. While it's not a particularly high "percentile", it does mean that your application won't be hurt by it.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
