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04 Aug 2016, 10:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Preparing the Perfect Package for Your MBA Application in 4 Steps |
 You have done all the hard work and put in the hours to get to this point. Your GPA, GMAT, work experience, and extracurricular activities are what they are. You have researched schools extensively, even visiting campuses and making an effort to connect with alumni. Now, it is about putting this all together into one application package that will determine whether you get to attend your dream school or not… no pressure. Here are three ways you can prepare the perfect package for your target programs: Selecting Stories As you start sorting through potential ideas for your essays, list the interesting anecdotes that would best present you in a nutshell – think of these as scenes in a movie that would best capture the essence of the lead character. These can help you stand out through your interesting experiences and serve as attention-grabbers that captivate your audience. These stories could come from your personal life, professional accomplishments, or passions. Recommenders can also add to this aspect of your application by relating specific stories about you that will help substantiate the qualities that you are highlighting. Powerful examples of your leadership and teamwork skills or ability to benefit from constructive criticism will greatly help. Thus, reminding your recommenders of these episodes in your relationship could come in handy. Presenting Perspectives Your application essays are also avenues that allow the Admissions Committee to understand where you come from, what motivates you, and where you want to go post-MBA. Sharing your unique upbringing, family values and inspirations will help present a more personal profile. This is not limited to just the positive events or outstanding accomplishments in your life, either – the challenges you have overcome or even the weaknesses you are still addressing also humanize you, making you more relatable so that the Admissions Committee wants to root for your success. Sharing your personal story and challenging circumstances will also emphasize that you will be able to contribute to the classroom experiences of your future peers. In addition, use your interesting passions or talents that showcase surprising skills to also help you stand out among the other applicants, similar to the way football players singing and dancing to Beyonce’s music make for a memorable bit. Tweaking the Tone Apart from the theme and the great stories you choose to showcase in your application, fine-tuning the overall tone of your presentation can go a long way in delivering a powerful message. Having the perfect mix of displaying your strengths, humbly admitting your weaknesses, and showing fit between your target program and career goals is critical. However, be sure to show personal accountability for, and general reflection on, your failures as you plan your next steps – make sure your choice to pursue an MBA at this time in your life is displayed with clear purpose for the Admissions Committee. Delivering these details with a personal tone and a positive vibe shows your ability to collaborate and be in sync with a select group of star performers as you apply for a coveted slot in a top-tier program. Fitting Finale Take some care to end your application on a positive note, carefully considering the last impression you want to make, just as the last song of a musical has to be well thought-out and excellently executed to deliver a fitting finale. Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or take our free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation for personalized advice for your unique application situation! And as always, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter. Written by Edison Cu, a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for INSEAD. The post Preparing the Perfect Package for Your MBA Application in 4 Steps appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
04 Aug 2016, 16:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: GMAT Math Help: Understanding and Solving Combinatorics Problems |
 Students who are taking the GMAT are going to encounter combinatorics problems. If you are a little rusty on your math topics, you may be asking, “What is combinatorics?” Combinatorics has to do with counting and evaluating the possibilities within a scenario that involve various amounts of people or things. Learn more about GMAT combinatorics questions and how to arrive at the right answers to be better prepared for the test. Permutations Picture a certain number of people or objects. Permutations are the possible arrangements that those people or objects can be in. One of the things you have to decide when looking at combinatorics problems is whether order is an important factor. If order is important in a problem, then the answer has to do with permutations. If order is not important in a problem, then the answer deals with combinations. For example, say you line up five postcards from different cities on a tabletop. You may wonder how many different orders you can put these postcards in. Another way to say that would be, “How many different permutations can I make with these five postcards?” To figure out this problem, you would need the help of an equation: 5! = (5) (4) (3) (2) (1) = 120. The exclamation point in the formula is a symbol that means “factorial.” Combinations When working on combinatorics questions that deal with combinations, the order/arrangement of items is not important. For example, say that you have eight books and you want to know how many ways you can group three of those books on a library shelf. You could plug numbers into the three places in this formula to figure out the answer: (8) (7) (6) = 336 ways. This is the slot method of solving a combination problem. Combinations With a Large Amount of Numbers You will quickly find yourself needing combinatorics help if you try to count up a lot of numbers in one combination problem on the GMAT. Furthermore, you’ll use a lot of valuable test time with this counting method. Knowing the formula for combinations can help you to find the solution to a problem in a much shorter amount of time. The formula is nCr = n!/r!(n-r)! Here, n is the total number of options, r is the number of options chosen, and ! is the symbol for factorial. Preparing for Applied Combinatorics Questions on the GMAT One of the most effective ways of preparing for applied combinatorics questions is to take practice tests and review the various steps of problems. You want to get into the habit of approaching a problem by asking yourself whether order is a factor in a problem. This will help you determine whether a problem deals with permutations or combinations. Then, you can start to attack a problem from the right angle. In addition, it’s important to time yourself when taking a practice Quantitative test. Though there are not many of these problems on the test, you have to get into the habit of spending only a certain amount of minutes on each problem so you don’t run out of test time before finishing. We have aprogram of studyat Veritas Prep that prepares you for questions on combinatorics as well as all of the other problems in the Quantitative section. We instruct you on how to approach test questions instead of just coaching you on how to memorize facts. Pair up with one of our skilled instructors at Veritas Prep and you will be studying with someone who scored in the 99th percentile on the GMAT. We believe that in order to perform at your best on the GMAT, you have to learn from a first-rate instructor! Our instructors can work through a combinatorics tutorial with you to determine what your strengths and weaknesses are in this branch of math. Then, we give you strategies that help you to improve. For your convenience, we offer both in-person and onlineGMAT prep courses. We recognize that professionals in the business world have busy schedules, so we provide several study options to fit your life. When it comes to the topic of combinatorics, GMAT tips, instruction, and encouragement, we are your test prep experts. Contact us today and let us know how we can help you achieve your top GMAT score! Want to learn more about our GMAT prep courses and how you can get a competitive edge when focusing your GMAT studies? Attend one of our upcoming free Live-Online GMAT Strategy Sessions. And be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! The post GMAT Math Help: Understanding and Solving Combinatorics Problems appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
04 Aug 2016, 16:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: 5 Signs You May Benefit From Math Skills Help |
 For some high school students, math classes are a breeze, but other students have difficulty understanding various types of math concepts. A knowledgeable math skills tutor can be invaluable to high school students who need a bit of help in their math courses. Students who can relate to the following five signs are likely to benefit from working with a math tutor. Five Signs That a Student May Benefit from Math Skills Help: 1) Making the Same Mistakes on Math Tests Though most students study diligently for math tests and quizzes, some of them find that they miss the same types of questions on every math test. After getting their graded test back, they take the time to review incorrect answers and rework the problems. Often, these students arrive at the same incorrect answers. Not surprisingly, this is a very frustrating and discouraging situation for a high school student. The good news is that a math tutor can step in and partner with a student as they review incorrect answers on a test. Furthermore, the tutor can evaluate a student’s approach to solving math problems to find out what the student needs to change in order to get the correct answer. Sometimes a tutor’s perspective is a necessary element in a student’s success with math. 2) A Growing Collection of Unanswered Questions Understandably, students who are struggling in math have a lot of questions. They might ask their math teachers for answers but don’t receive any that are helpful to them. Their teacher may be explaining math concepts in an unclear or confusing way. As these questions pile up, a student may start to feel discouraged. Can a math tutor help with getting a student’s questions answered in a satisfactory way? Yes! It helps that a tutor has the opportunity to get to know a student’s learning style. A tutor can explain a concept in a way that their student can understand. Once a student starts getting answers to questions, they are able to grasp more and more mathematical concepts. 3) A High Level of Math Test Anxiety When a student is struggling in math class, they may feel anxious at the mention of an upcoming test. This is a definite sign that a student could benefit from studying with a math skills tutor. Of course, a tutor’s main responsibility is to help a student strengthen weak math skills. But a tutor is also a source of encouragement. The professional math tutors at Veritas Prep are experts at helping high school students build up their math skills as well as their confidence. Students who have confidence in their math skills are less likely to feel anxious about quizzes and tests. 4) Spending an Excessive Amount of Time on Math Homework Students who sit for hours at their desk at home puzzling over math homework assignments may benefit from math tutor help. A student may spend hours trying to figure out how to approach a collection of math equations or spend a lot of time erasing answers and going back to review the steps in a problem. Tutors work with students to teach them specific ways to approach equations. Once a student learns how to approach different types of problems, they can quickly move through homework assignments. 5) Feeling Lost in Math Class This is an unmistakable sign that a student could benefit from working with a math tutor. Each student sitting in a math class has a different learning style. A student who is struggling in math may not be comfortable with the way the lessons are being presented. This can be solved by getting some math help. Tutor-led study sessions can be tailored to a student’s learning style. The material is the same as the student received in math class, but the tutor presents it in a way that is more easily understandable to the student. For students in need of math help, tutor-led instruction can be the answer. Veritas Prep tutors convey simple tips and strategies to students that can help them boost their performance on math tests and quizzes. We offer online tutoring that gives students the advantage they need to master all of the skills taught in their math courses. Contact our offices to find the help you need today! Want more math help? Check out our YouTube channel, where you’ll find helpful math tips for both the SAT and the ACT. And as always, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter! The post 5 Signs You May Benefit From Math Skills Help appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
05 Aug 2016, 13:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: How to Improve Your GMAT Verbal Score |
 In order to get into business school, applicants have to fulfill a number of requirements. One of those requirements is to submit a GMAT score. Perhaps you’ve taken the GMAT and you’re dissatisfied with the score you received on the Verbal section of the test. Naturally, you want to do everything possible to achieve your best score on every section of the test. Check out some tips on how to improve GMAT Verbal score results and impress admissions officials: Complete a Timed Practice Test for the Verbal Section People who want to learn how to improve Verbal GMAT scores can benefit from taking practice tests. You’re given 75 minutes to complete 41 questions in the Verbal section. This seems like a long time, but the minutes can disappear quickly if you spend too much time on one question. Perhaps you missed some questions while rushing to finish on time. A timed practice test can help you to get into the habit of answering each question within a certain number of minutes. Once you establish a test-taking rhythm for the verbal section, you can focus on each question instead of worrying about the clock. At Veritas Prep, you can practice for the GMAT by taking our free test. We provide you with a performance analysis and score report that can help you determine which skills need the most improvement. Think Like a Professional in the Business World It can be helpful to examine your approach to the questions in the Verbal section. Someone who takes the GMAT is on a path to earning an MBA and working in the business world. Successful business people know how to evaluate a problem as well as possible options to find the most effective solution. They also know how to disregard information that doesn’t serve any purpose in the problem-solving process. Having the mindset of a business professional can help you successfully answer each question in the Verbal section. Our online and in-person prep courses teach students a new way to approach questions so they can improve GMAT Verbal scores. Read the Passages for the Reading Comprehension Questions Some test-takers look at the Reading Comprehension questions in the Verbal section and decide to save time by skimming through the passages. When you do this, it’s difficult to get an understanding of what the author of the passage is trying to convey. Furthermore, many Reading Comprehension questions relate to the main idea, tone, and structure of a passage. Consequently, it’s worth putting aside time to thoroughly read each passage so you can get a clear picture of what the author is trying to convey. Students who work with a Veritas Prep tutor learn what to look for and what to disregard when reading passages in this section. Look for the Logic in Critical Reasoning Questions Those who want to know how to improve GMAT Verbal score results may want to focus some attention on their Critical Reasoning skills. Looking for logic is the key to arriving at the correct answers to these questions. At first glance, many of the answer options can seem like the correct choice. Some of the answer choices may even contain words that are in the passage. But the presence of those words doesn’t necessarily mean that an option is correct. Look for an answer option that follows the same line of logic as the passage itself. It is also helpful to rule out answer options that definitely do not follow along with the argument in the passage. Careful evaluation of each answer option can help to improve GMAT verbal scores. Dedicate More Time to Outside Reading Spending some of your free time reading financial magazines and newspapers can help you boost your score on the Verbal section. Reading these materials gives you the opportunity to practice the same skills you’ll use on Reading Comprehension questions. Also, it helps you get into the habit of becoming an active reader and drawing conclusions as you go. In addition, reading financial publications adds to your overall knowledge of the business world. Many prospective MBA students who want to know how to improve verbal GMAT scores turn to the experienced instructors at Veritas Prep. Why? Because we hire instructors who scored in the 99th percentile on the test. Students learn how to raise their scores from tutors who have hands-on experience with this challenging exam. Contact our offices at Veritas Prep today and let us guide you to your best performance on the GMAT. Plan on taking the GMAT soon? We have GMAT prep courses starting all the time. And be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! The post How to Improve Your GMAT Verbal Score appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
05 Aug 2016, 13:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Understanding the ACT Essay Grading Rubric |
 The writing test is one of the five sections that make up the ACT. Each student’s writing test is evaluated based on the elements in the ACT essay scoring rubric. The ACT writing rubric features four areas or domains. The four domains are ideas and analysis, development and support, organization, and language use and conventions. The scores a student receives in each of these domains contribute to a student’s total score on the essay. Let’s examine the scoring process for the writing test and take a closer look at the ACT essay scoring rubric: The Scoring System for the ACT Essay Each student’s essay is evaluated by two individuals who are familiar with the ACT essay rubric. A score of one to six points is given for each of the four domains in the ACT writing rubric. The scores of both graders are added together to get a total score for each domain. If there is a discrepancy of more than one point between the individual scores of the two readers, then a third reader is brought in to re-evaluate the student’s essay. Otherwise, an essay receives a total score based on the domain scores awarded by the two readers. Ideas and Analysis The first item in the ACT essay rubric concerns ideas and analysis. Essay graders evaluate a student’s ability to understand and express the ideas contained in the given issue. In order to achieve a high score on the essay, students must also be able to understand the different perspectives offered on the issue. An essay should contain relevant ideas expressed in a clear, succinct fashion. Development and Support Students who achieve a high score in this domain offer solid evidence to support their points of view. In fact, they provide specific examples that help to support their perspectives. Students are able to convey their ideas in a way that is easy to understand. They take their audience into account as they craft their arguments. At the end of the essay, the reader should be able to see a student’s way of thinking regarding the given issue. Organization Students receive a score for the way they organize their essay. Their ideas should be organized in a logical way that lends to the reader’s understanding. A student must transition from idea to idea in a smooth way. An essay should have a clear purpose and end with a conclusion that sums up the student’s thoughts on the issue. A typical format for an ACT essay includes an introduction, three or four paragraphs in the body, and a solid conclusion. Language Use and Conventions Essay graders evaluate a student’s skill at using written language to clearly express ideas. A student’s grammar, spelling, and mechanics all play a part in a grader’s final evaluation of the essay. Incorrect punctuation and misspellings are a distraction for essay readers. A student who can use vocabulary, phrasing, and sentence style to convey ideas in an effective way will receive a high score in this domain. Tips for Writing an ACT Essay Students who want to excel on the ACT writing test should practice their essay-writing skills on a regular basis. This is all the more effective if a student studies high-scoring ACT essays. They can practice including all of the components necessary for an essay worthy of a high score. Another tip for writing a convincing ACT essay is to learn new vocabulary words. Students can use these vocabulary words to fully express the ideas in their essay. Plus, learning these words can also be useful in answering questions in the reading section of the ACT. Students can also benefit from making practice outlines. A solid outline can help students organize all of their ideas and supporting evidence. Furthermore, an outline is a helpful guide if a student loses their train of thought while writing the essay on test day. Our encouraging instructors at Veritas Prep can provide students with guidance on the essay portion of the ACT. Also, we can advise them on the various components of the ACT essay rubric. We hire instructors who achieved a score of at least 33 on the ACT: Veritas Prep students learn from tutors who have real-life experience with the exam! Choose from our in-person or online prep courses and gain the confidence you need to ace the ACT. Still need to take the ACT? We run a free online ACT prep seminarevery few weeks. And be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! The post Understanding the ACT Essay Grading Rubric appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
08 Aug 2016, 10:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Quarter Wit, Quarter Wisdom: Linear Relations in GMAT Questions |
 We have covered the concepts of direct, inverse and joint variation in previous posts. Today, we will discuss what we mean by “linearly related”. A linear relation is one which, when plotted on a graph, is a straight line. In linear relationships, any given change in an independent variable will produce a corresponding change in the dependent variable, just like a change in the x-coordinate produces a corresponding change in the y-coordinate on a line. We know the equation of a line: it is y = mx + c, where m is the slope and c is a constant. Let’s illustrate this concept with a GMAT question. This question may not seem like a geometry question, but using the concept of linear relations can make it easy to find the answer: A certain quantity is measured on two different scales, the R-scale and the S-scale, that are related linearly. Measurements on the R-scale of 6 and 24 correspond to measurements on the S-scale of 30 and 60, respectively. What measurement on the R-scale corresponds to a measurement of 100 on the S-scale? (A) 20 (B) 36 (C) 48 (D) 60 (E) 84 Let’s think of the two scales R and S as x- and y-coordinates. We can get two equations for the line that depicts their relationship: 30 = 6m + c ……. (I) 60 = 24m + c ……(II) (II) – (I) 30 = 18m m = 30/18 = 5/3 Plugging m = 5/3 in (I), we get: 30 = 6*(5/3) + c c = 20 Therefore, the equation is S = (5/3)R + 20. Let’s plug in S = 100 to get the value of R: 100 = (5/3)R + 20 R = 48 48 (answer choice C) is our answer. Alternatively, we have discussed the concept of slope and how to deal with it without any equations in this post. Think of each corresponding pair of R and S as points lying on a line – (6, 30) and (24, 60) are points on a line, so what will (r, 100) be on the same line? We see that an increase of 18 in the x-coordinate (from 6 to 24) causes an increase of 30 in the y-coordinate (from 30 to 60). So, the y-coordinate increases by 30/18 = 5/3 for every 1 point increase in the x-coordinate (this is the concept of slope). From 60 to 100, the increase in the y-coordinate is 40, so the x-coordinate will also increase from 24 to 24 + 40*(3/5) = 48. Again, C is our answer. Getting ready to take the GMAT? We have free online GMAT seminars running all the time. And, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+, and Twitter! Karishma, a Computer Engineer with a keen interest in alternative Mathematical approaches, has mentored students in the continents of Asia, Europe and North America. She teaches the GMAT for Veritas Prep and regularly participates in content development projects such as this blog! The post Quarter Wit, Quarter Wisdom: Linear Relations in GMAT Questions appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
08 Aug 2016, 11:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: College Math Tutoring: Bridging the Gap Between High School and College Math |
 It doesn’t take long for a freshman in college to discover that there are many differences between high school and college math classes. For example, most high school students attend math class every day, while college students have math class from one to three times per week. The number of times a math class is held depends on the specific program of a college. Generally, students must study more for college-level math courses than they did for high school courses. College math classes can sometimes be a challenge for students who are used to high-school-level work. Students who find themselves struggling in class can benefit from college math tutoring services like those we offer at Veritas Prep. Look at how an online college math tutor can help a student move smoothly from high school to college-level work: Prep for College-Level Courses When a high school student knows what to expect in a college math class, it can make the transition a lot easier. Students who sign up for college math tutoring are able to get their questions answered by an expert. For instance, they can get an idea of how much homework they will receive in a college math class and how much time a professor will spend on each lesson. A tutor can also let students know what types of materials they’ll need for a math course in college and what to bring with them each day. An experienced online college math tutor has the knowledge required to provide students with answers they can use. Tips for College Tests and Quizzes Students can get helpful tips for taking quizzes and tests from a college math tutor. Online tutors may suggest that students skip the puzzling questions they encounter on a math test or quiz, then return to these questions after finishing all of the less-challenging ones. This tip helps students to use their test time in the most efficient way, and it ensures that students won’t run out of test time while they are pondering a single challenging question. A math tutor may also suggest that students write down each step of an algebra problem, so if the student ends up with a questionable answer, they can go back and check each step for an error. The college-level math tutors at Veritas Prep provide students with practical strategies to use while completing a quiz or test. We understand what it takes for a student to excel in a college math class. Study Skills for College Classes Students who enter college need to learn a new set of study habits. A college math tutor can offer suggestions to students on how much time to dedicate to studying as well as how to make the best use of their study time. A knowledgeable math tutor is likely to tell students that they need to spend two to three hours studying for every hour of class they take. This is one of the reasons why college math classes are held fewer times during the week than high school math classes. The extra time is given to students so that they have plenty of opportunity to study. A tutor can guide a student on how to take effective notes in math class. These notes can be reviewed during study time as well as right before a test or quiz. The talented math tutors at Veritas Prep share study tips with students that can give them an advantage over their college classmates. At Veritas Prep, we are happy to work with ambitious students in need of a college math tutor. Online tutoring sessions make it easy for students to fit this important instruction into their busy schedules. Our professional math tutors use first-rate study materials and resources so a student gets the most value out of each tutoring session. We practice math skills with students and offer lots of encouragement along the way. Feel free to read our FAQ section for answers to questions about our services. We also have several college application resources for high school students who are still in the process of deciding on a college or university. Contact Veritas Prep today by email or telephone and let us help you ace your college math courses! Do you still need to help with your college applications? We can help! Visit our College Admissions website and fill out our FREE Profile Evaluation for personalized feedback on your unique background! And as always, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+, and Twitter! The post College Math Tutoring: Bridging the Gap Between High School and College Math appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
08 Aug 2016, 13:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Building Your Perfect GRE Prep Schedule: A Study Schedule Students Can Use to Excel |
 How long does it take to prepare for the GRE? The answer to this question depends on the person who is taking the test. A student who is just finishing undergraduate school may need just a few weeks to prepare. Alternatively, someone who has been out of college for several years may need to study for three or four months. Regardless of how long a person studies, a GRE prep schedule can make study time all the more effective. Let’s look at some tips that can help students create a study schedule that paves the way to success on the GRE: Before Making a GRE Preparation Schedule Before jumping in and making a study schedule for GRE success, it’s a good idea for students to take a practice test. Taking a practice GRE gives students the chance to become familiar with the format of the test. Also, they get to experience the types of questions they will encounter in all three sections. Most importantly, students can refer to the results of their practice test as they set up their GRE preparation schedule. One student may see that they need to improve their performance on the Analytical Writing Section of the test – perhaps they need to work on including more specific evidence in their essays. Another student may discover that they need to focus on learning more vocabulary words for sentence equivalence questions in the Verbal Reasoning Section. Students can use their practice test results to prioritize what they need to study in order to submit their best performance on the GRE. Making a Study Plan That Works There is not a one-size-fits-all study schedule for GRE students. One person’s full-time work schedule may not allow them to study until six o’clock in the evening. Another person may have to study early in the morning due to a full schedule of undergraduate courses. In short, each person has to craft a study schedule that fits with their daily commitments. Sample GRE Study Schedules One student may decide to study for three hours per day, five days a week. If they want to focus on verbal reasoning skills, they could dedicate the first hour on Monday to practicing reading comprehension skills, such as summarizing written passages and drawing conclusions. They could use the second hour to memorize new vocabulary words using flash cards. The third hour could be spent practicing sentence equivalence questions. This student could plan to spend three days a week studying for the Verbal Reasoning Section and two days preparing for the Quantitative Section of the test. Another student may create a GRE prep schedule that involves two hours of study time per day, six days a week. This student wants to concentrate on sharpening their quantitative reasoning skills, so they spend three days a week studying algebra, geometry, and data analysis problems. They might dedicate two days to verbal reasoning study and one day to analytical writing practice. It’s a wise idea for students to write each day’s study activities on a calendar so they know exactly what they are doing every time they sit down to prep for the GRE. At Veritas Prep, no matter what your schedule looks like or what topics you need to focus on, we provide GRE tutoring designed to meet the specific needs of each student. We help students learn how to study in the most efficient way possible. In addition, we hire professional instructors who excelled on the GRE. We want our students to benefit from the knowledge and experience of their instructors! Checking Progress Along the Way It’s important for students to review their progress as they continue to move through their GRE preparation schedule. After two or three weeks of study, students should take another practice GRE to see if their skills have improved. In many cases, a student will find that they have mastered a particular skill. This means the student can adjust their study schedule to dedicate more time to skills that still need work. Our online tutors at Veritas Prep are experts at providing instruction, guidance, and encouragement to students who are preparing for the GRE. We can advise students on their study schedules and offer tips that can make them more efficient. Contact Veritas Prep today and let us help you study for the GRE! The post Building Your Perfect GRE Prep Schedule: A Study Schedule Students Can Use to Excel appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
08 Aug 2016, 19:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Understanding the New GMAC MBA Rankings Tool |
 With so many different MBA rankings, it can be difficult for the typical applicant to understand why one business school may be ranked higher in one publisher’s ranking than in another’s. This can create a culture of bias and distrust around the rankings, which limits the value of the information they present, especially considering few applicants will actually dive deep enough to uncover the DNA of each specific ranking. The new GMAC rankings toolseeks to shed light on the differences between the various rankings. This tool provides a “one stop shop” for finding the right rankings system for your personal school selection process. Here’s a brief summary of the topics the GMAC rankings tool evaluates: Distinctive Emphasis A quick summary headline describing the most important criteria influencing the rankings of the publisher. This quick information will help orient your criteria for pursuing an MBA with the most relevant rankings publisher. Rankings Methodology A visual breakdown of how the publisher determines its rankings. This is a deeper dive into the “distinctive emphasis,” showing the full spectrum of the ranking criteria. Rankings Fluctuation An estimate of how much the average schools’ position changes from edition to edition. This can provide good insight into how stable and reliable the rankings of a particular publication are. Schools Included Information on what schools are included and the criteria each publication uses to determine inclusion. There are many MBA programs around the world and some publications are more U.S focused, international focused, full-time, or part-time focused so this category provides information on the publication’s coverage area. Regional Popularity A visual map of the most popular regions for a specific publisher’s ranking. The influence of a particular publication can vary from region to region, thus influencing its value to candidates in other areas. Rankings Lists The actual publication-specific rankings. This is the ranked list of schools that have resulted from each publisher’s unique methodology. Once you have identified the right publisher based on your target program criteria and future goals, then this list can help inform your school selection process. This new offering from GMAC is a great tool to kick start your school research and selection processes. Leverage this resource to find the right rankings system for your MBA goals. Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or take our free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation for personalized advice for your unique application situation! As always, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter. Dozie A. is a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His specialties include consulting, marketing, and low GPA/GMAT applicants. You can read more articles by him here. The post Understanding the New GMAC MBA Rankings Tool appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
09 Aug 2016, 11:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: 2016 Forté Forum: Let’s Aim Higher. Discover the Value of an MBA. |
 Forté Forums are designed for standout women considering an MBA, whether you’re a high-achiever looking to change careers, a college student planning for the future, or a professional ready to take your career to the next level. August 15 – October 20, 2016 12 cities across North America and Europe 6:00pm-9:00pm A free event unlike any other, Forté Forums are held in 12 cities to empower you with information about the value of an MBA. You’ll make critical connections with representatives, alumnae, and students of top business schools in North America and Europe—all while forming an unmatched peer support network. Successful businesswomen representing diverse industries and career stages will also share how their MBAs help them make a mark. And you’ll gain exclusive insights to the admissions process. Reasons to Go: 1) Understand the MBA advantage, offering career advancement, expanded earning potential, and even opportunities to study abroad. 2) Connect with a business school that’s the best fit for you. 3) Hear from top MBA businesswomen in various industries and career stages, including the non-profit world. 4) Network with standout peers to build a lasting support network. 5) Discover how to finance your MBA. Women can expect to connect with more than 30 of the top MBA programs from the United States, Canada and Europe. The cost to attend a Forté Forum is free. For a schedule of dates and locations, and to register, visit fortefoundation.org/forums. The post 2016 Forté Forum: Let’s Aim Higher. Discover the Value of an MBA. appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
09 Aug 2016, 12:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Extracurriculars that Compliment Your Major |
 GPA, class rank, and standardized test scores are all parts of a student’s college application. Extracurricular activities also play an important part as a student is considered for admission into college. Many high school students join extracurricular clubs and get on sports teams so they can enjoy some fun times with friends, but it benefits high school students to keep their intended college major in mind as they select their extracurricular activities. College admissions officials are sure to take special notice of extracurricular activities that complement a student’s intended major. Look at some examples of these types of extracurricular activities: Volunteer Work One of the advantages of participating in volunteer work is that students have a lot of options to choose from. Plus, volunteer work complements many college majors. For example, someone who supervises volunteers at a homeless shelter is displaying leadership skills as well as the ability to motivate and organize a group of people. This would be an ideal extracurricular activity for a student who wants to major in business, education or psychology. Alternatively, a student majoring in veterinary medicine can complement that selection by volunteering at an animal shelter or zoo. A high school student who plans to major in gerontology would benefit from volunteering at a nursing home or a recreation center for senior citizens. These types of extracurricular activities are impressive on a college application and give students valuable experiences they can use in their future career. Tutoring Tutoring is one of the most popular extracurriculars for college applicants who plan to major in education. For instance, a high school student who wants to major in elementary education can tutor pre-teens who are participating in a summer reading program. Or a student who intends to major in special education can tutor kids in an after-school program for those who need extra help. The leadership and communication skills required for tutoring make this an excellent extracurricular activity for students who intend to major in business, communications or even pre-law. At Veritas Prep, high school students can get a free college application evaluation from one of our talented college admissions consultants. We provide students with tips regarding extracurricular clubs and other activities that can make a great college application all the more impressive. Internships Students looking for outstanding extracurriculars for college applications may want to consider an internship. An internship can give a student the opportunity to sample the type of work they will be doing in a particular field. For example, an internship at a magazine publisher is an extracurricular that complements a major in journalism. In addition, an internship in the marketing department of a well-known company complements a business major. A student who intends to major in botany may want to find an internship at a local greenhouse or botanical garden. This would give the student hands-on experience with all types of plants and flowers. Our team of consultants at Veritas Prep has the skills and experience to advise students on the most suitable types of extracurricular activities for their intended major. We understand what the best colleges in the country are looking for when it comes to prospective students. Taking Extra Courses On a college application, extracurricular activities may take the form of additional courses. A high school student may take these classes in the evening, after school, or during the summer months. Naturally, certain courses can complement specific college majors. For instance, a class in basic sign language complements a major in language studies, and a class in women’s history complements a women’s/gender studies major. High school students who want to complement their political science major can take a course that looks at the lives of the most well-known presidents of the United States. Besides complementing their major, additional courses can prep students for some of the academic work they’ll encounter in college. Our professional instructors at Veritas Prep are proud to prepare high school students for college. We do everything from helping students study for the SAT and ACT to guiding them through all of the steps of the college admissions process. Our students benefit from the insider knowledge and practical experience of our admissions consultants. Contact the experts at Veritas Prep today and start your journey toward higher education! Do you still need to help with your college applications? We can help! Visit our College Admissions website and fill out our FREE Profile Evaluation for personalized feedback on your unique background! And as always, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+, and Twitter! The post Extracurriculars that Compliment Your Major appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
09 Aug 2016, 17:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Early Thoughts on Duke Fuqua’s 2016-2017 Application Essay Questions |
 Application season at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business is officially underway with the release of the school’s 2016-2017 essay questions. Let’s discuss from a high level some thoughts on how best to approach these essay prompts, which have remained relatively consistent over the last few years. The two essays give applicants a great opportunity to showcase their fit with Fuqua, which is a program that really strives to create a cohesive student community built around its values. Essay 1: 25 Random Things About Yourself Share with us important life experiences, your likes/dislikes, hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are. Share with us your list of “25 Random Things” about YOU. Year in and year out, Fuqua’s “25 Random Things” essay remains one of the most creative prompts among the top MBA programs. This Fuqua essay truly strikes at the core of what makes their program unique. Showcasing your thorough understanding of Fuqua’s value will help you determine what “random things” you choose to highlight. Your list should reflect an honest portrayal of who you are. Remember, the goal of this essay is to uncover some of the elements that are stated in the prompt, so seriously brainstorm some of the unique aspects of your personal, professional and social identity. The most common mistake I see in this essay is when applicants take the exercise too seriously. Now this is a business school essay so it should, of course, be professionally drafted, but applicants should also feel comfortable having a little fun with this prompt and letting their personality shine through. Consider what perception you want to leave behind for the Admissions Committee after reading your “25 Random Things” and make sure each one addresses some aspect of this positioning. Essay 2: Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, how do you see yourself engaging in and contributing to our community, outside of the classroom? (2 pages max) Essay 2 is your opportunity to take the Fuqua research that informed your approach to Essay 1, and share some of the specifics that really resonate with how you plan to have an impact on the school’s unique student community. Breakthrough candidates will personalize their narrative and avoid generalities, here. Not only should you be specific with your answer, but you should also make sure you identify your future role in each of the activities you plan to be involved in. The contribution aspect of this prompt is also very important, so be sure to identify what individual impact you will have on your chosen extracurricular activities and on the Fuqua community as a whole. Just a few thoughts on this year’s essays from Duke – hopefully this will help you get started. For more thoughts on Fuqua and its application essays, check out our free Essential Guide to Top Business Schools. Applying to Fuqua or other business schools? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or take our free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation for personalized advice for your unique application situation! As always, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter. Dozie A. is a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His specialties include consulting, marketing, and low GPA/GMAT applicants. You can read more articles by him here. The post Early Thoughts on Duke Fuqua’s 2016-2017 Application Essay Questions appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
10 Aug 2016, 09:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Early Thoughts on Yale SOM’s 2016-2017 Application Essay Question |
 Application season at the Yale School of Management is officially underway with the release of the school’s 2016-2017 application essay question. Let’s discuss from a high level some early thoughts on how best to approach this new essay prompt. This year, Yale has made some changes from last year’s prompt, so let’s explore how to best approach this essay: Essay 1: Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. (500 words maximum) Yale returns this year with a new essay prompt that is one of the shortest among the top MBA programs. Yale only has one essay again this year, so candidates must make sure to really focus on this aspect of their application. With other similar, open-ended questions like this, your choice of topic will provide the Admissions Committee with a good deal of insight into your character, personality and values, so it is important to choose what you will write about wisely. In addition, understanding that this essay prompt was created in concert with a Yale Professor of Organizational Behavior should signal the layered thinking that will be expected from you in your answer to this seemingly-innocuous question. The school also references “leadership” and “integrated” curriculum as it describes this professor, which might illuminate the type of interpersonal elements that Yale is looking to learn more about in your essay response. A successful applicant will examine the values that Yale SOM has made the hallmarks of their program and connect these values to a personal and introspective response to the essay prompt. To dive deeper here, you’ll want to use your commitment story to share your own personal values in the same way Yale has done. The first step to completing this essay will be to really sift through anecdotes within your personal, professional and academic career to discuss in this essay. It’s not enough to just select any old commitment, but instead, you should choose one where the full breadth of your interpersonal skills are on display – the ideal skills to highlight are the ones that jive with the Yale SOM mission. Also, it would be wise to leverage some of the clues within the prompt itself. Use the aforementioned signals as elements of the story you will lean on to make your case. Make sure the example you have selected has a bit of staying power, too – Yale is looking for sustainable commitment, here. Introspection will be a key element to any successful Yale SOM essay, so remember to relate why this specific anecdote is significant to YOU. Finally, consider if and then how your experience will allow you to make a similar impact on the greater Yale community as a whole. Just a few thoughts on this year’s essay from Yale – hopefully this will help you get started. For more thoughts on Yale SOM and its application essays, check out our free Essential Guide to Top Business Schools. Applying to Yale or other business schools? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or take our free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation for personalized advice for your unique application situation! As always, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter. Dozie A. is a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His specialties include consulting, marketing, and low GPA/GMAT applicants. You can read more articles by him here. The post Early Thoughts on Yale SOM’s 2016-2017 Application Essay Question appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
10 Aug 2016, 13:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Protect Your Investment – The Cost of the SAT Exam |
 Most students who plan to take the SAT have a lot of questions about the test itself, as well as issues related to signing up for the test. One common question is: How much is it to take the SAT? The SAT does have a registration fee, so it’s natural that students will want to put forth their best efforts on the test. After all, they are investing both their money and time in the SAT. They want to earn scores that will get them into the college they want to attend. Apart from concerns about what might be on the test, however, the one question that is likely to be on the mind of someone about to take it is: How much is it to take the new SAT? We have the answer, as well some ideas about what students can do to protect their investment in the SAT: The New SAT Test Price The new SAT test price is $45.00 without the optional essay and $57.00 with the optional essay. Paying this registration fee enables students to take the test and receive their scores. A scoring report displays a student’s test scores as well as how those scores compare to the scores of other students who took the test. This information plays an important role in the college admissions process. Not surprisingly, a student who pays the registration fee to take the SAT wants to perform well on the test in order to avoid paying again to retake the test. Make Studying for the SAT a Priority Fortunately, there are several things that students can do to perform well on the SAT the first time they take it. For one, students can think of their SAT prep as an extension of their schoolwork. This means a student must devote a certain amount of time each day to studying for the Critical Reading, Writing and Mathematics sections on the test. As a result, preparing for the SAT becomes a priority and part of a student’s daily routine. This approach allows a student to thoroughly absorb the material in a gradual way. Practice with the Experts At Veritas Prep, our talented instructors have first-hand experience with the SAT. In fact, the test scores of our instructors place them in the top 1% of all SAT test takers! In short, students who sign up for our SAT courses are protecting their investment by preparing with individuals who are experts on the test. Students take practice tests to find out which skills they need to improve. They study for the test with first-rate resources such as our Veritas Prep SAT workbook and Vocabulary Builder. Our online and in-person instructors convey practical strategies to students to help them simplify their approach to any question on the test. With Veritas Prep, students are able to prepare for the SAT in a way that allows them to feel more confident as test day draws near. Preparing and Planning for Test Day Students who study for the SAT in a gradual way are setting themselves up for success on the test. As test day approaches, there are other things that students can do to further protect their investment in the SAT. One thing a student can do is to participate in regular physical exercise and get at least eight hours of sleep per night. These practices contribute to a student’s overall health and can help him or her to feel great on test day. The night before the test, a student should plan to eat a healthful meal and go to sleep early. This can help a student to feel rested and ready to work. Instead of eating a high-sugar breakfast on test day, students may want to consider eating a protein bar or another protein-rich food that will supply them with lasting energy. In addition, a student may want to set out the items that he or she needs to take to the test. These items include two pencils with an eraser, a photo ID, the test admission ticket, an approved calculator, a wristwatch and a snack. Setting out all of these items helps a student to avoid the stress of rushing around to find things on the morning of the test. Our professional instructors at Veritas Prep assist students in protecting their investment of time and money in the SAT. Our SAT courses are ideal for students who want to learn effective tips and test-taking techniques that can boost their scores on the SAT. Still need to take the SAT? Check out our variety of free SAT resources to help you study successfully. And be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! The post Protect Your Investment – The Cost of the SAT Exam appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
10 Aug 2016, 19:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: 3 Things Entrepreneurs Can Gain From an MBA |
 Harvard Business Review recently published the article, “Why More MBAs Should Buy Small Businesses” by professors Richard S. Ruback and Royce Yudkoff. This article presented the argument that it makes sense for MBA graduates to buy small businesses as, in the long run, it benefits their independence and certainty (after the initial stress of the business search process, of course). Browsing through the comments of HBR’s original Facebook link to this article, entrepreneurs with MBAs expectedly felt validated that experts from Harvard itself supported their path. This is understandable, as they have surely received mouthfuls before from friends, families and foes ridiculing how they are “wasting” their expensive MBA credentials. On the other hand, some stated how unnecessary it is to have an MBA to create a small business, frequently citing tycoons who did not have MBAs, and how the funds used to pay for business school could have been used as start-up capital, instead. Owning a small business may not be for everybody due to the risk and investment required, but it is a path to consider. So, what then does an entrepreneur gain from an MBA? 1) A Strategic View Learning about the rise and fall of industries, companies and products, as well as the market forces that drive them, will help you gain a big-picture look of business and allow you to better determine the feasibility of your ideas. It will also equip you with a general range of probabilities for your success, while also keeping you conscious of both the upside and downside of your venture. Having some awareness of broad industry and economic trends – while keeping an eye out for disruptive technologies or events – could help you spot opportunities and risks. Key concepts on managing finances and operations, such as the trade-off between debt and equity or between stock-outs and spoilage (or obsolescence), are important takeaways from an MBA that will help save you money in the long run, or even be the difference between the life and death of your enterprise. 2) Recognition of Human Factors During the first month of my MBA program, I was filled with stories of how giant companies – reputable ones filled with the smartest people – made errors that a rational person would not have committed. The reason? Organizational politics, silo mentalities, misalignment of incentives, or just plain misplaced egos! Being aware of these human factors can help an entrepreneur build a strong organizational culture that is able to implement strategies and processes sustainably, while also creating a healthy work environment that encourages accountability and growth throughout. Learning about these human factors will also help you deal with outside organizations – including clients, suppliers and service providers – in the future. Being able to negotiate and effectively manage your relationships with these key stakeholders will be as critical to your success as any business activity. 3) A Rise in Self-Awareness Decisions, decisions and more decisions! You have craved to have more independence and to be able to do things your way; the hierarchy, multiple levels of approval and authority limits that frustrated you before is no longer there. What you have now as an entrepreneur is the responsibility to make decisions (both large and small) that directly affect your business, your employees and your family. The classes and group exercises at business school will allow you to become more aware of your biases, strengths and limitations, both intellectually and emotionally. Being aware of these should better inform you when it comes time to consult with others, delegate projects, and pull the trigger on tough decisions. Having an idea of the potential impact of your choices should also be able to guide you as to the time and energy you should allocate for these. To conclude, getting an MBA is not a necessary condition for entrepreneurs or a guarantee for business success, but it does improve your probabilities of getting it right! At the very least, it should also help provide you with a safety net and an option to go back to the corporate life if you later choose to do so. Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or take our free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation for personalized advice for your unique application situation! And as always, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter. Written by Edison Cu, a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for INSEAD. The post 3 Things Entrepreneurs Can Gain From an MBA appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
11 Aug 2016, 11:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Early Thoughts on UNC Kenan-Flagler’s 2016-2017 Application Essay Question |
 Application season at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School is officially underway with the release of the school’s 2016-2017 application essay questions. Let’s discuss from a high level some early thoughts on how best to approach this year’s essay prompts: Essay 1: Please describe your short and long term goals post-MBA. Explain how your professional experience has shaped these goals; why this career option appeals to you; and how you arrived at the decision that now is the time and the MBA is the appropriate degree? (500 words) This is a very involved career goals essay, so you’ll want to make sure you compartmentalize each component of the prompt to ensure you are properly answering the question. 500 words is generally seen as a lengthy word count among the essays of other top business schools this year, but with all of the components in this essay, it is critical to stay concise with your response and move things along. Addressing your response to this prompt via a relevant story that captures your passion for your desired career path is a great way to stand out while still informing the Admissions Committee of your post-MBA goals. Essay 2: Optional What personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? How do these qualities or experiences equip you to contribute to UNC Kenan-Flagler? (300 words) These questions can be difficult for many candidates to answer, but for an MBA application, candidates must be unafraid to highlight what makes them truly unique. Remember, unless you say it, the Admissions Committee will never know, so don’t be bashful here. Focus on the “distinguish” aspect of the prompt to highlight not only what makes you unique, but also what you could potentially bring to campus. Try to avoid basic responses here – dig deep to think through your personal and professional strengths and connect them to UNC student life and what you could contribute to the Kenan-Flagler community. Essay 3: Optional If your standardized test scores are low, or if you have not had coursework in core business subjects (calculus, microeconomics, statistics, financial accounting), please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative rigor of the MBA curriculum (300 words) Only answer this question if you realistically fall into this bucket. If your GMAT score is materially lower than the average score listed for Kenan-Flagler students, then the school would probably define you as a “low test score” recipient. If you have worked in an analytical function or plan to take pre-MBA coursework, this essay would be a good opportunity to highlight these aspects of your profile to address the potential red flag of your score. Essay 4: Optional Is there any other information you would like to share that is not presented elsewhere in the application? (300 words) This is a more traditional optional essay, so only use it if it feels absolutely necessary (given that the school already has a few outlets to address typical optional essay topics). This essay tends to be a good area to show an aspect of your personality, passion, perspective or professional career that has not been discussed otherwise in your application. Just a few thoughts on the new batch of essays from Kenan-Flagler that should help you get started for this admissions season. Applying to UNC or other business schools? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or take our free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation for personalized advice for your unique application situation! As always, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter. Dozie A. is a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His specialties include consulting, marketing, and low GPA/GMAT applicants. You can read more articles by him here. The post Early Thoughts on UNC Kenan-Flagler’s 2016-2017 Application Essay Question appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
11 Aug 2016, 18:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Does Your GMAT Score Matter Once You’re Admitted Into Business School? |
 One of the most anxiety-inducing and nerve-wracking aspects of the MBA application process for many candidates is the GMAT. Whether it is preparing for the exam, actually taking the test, or wondering if your score is high enough and your Verbal/Quant splits are well-balanced, the GMAT can drive you crazy. However, once applicants are able to break through and secure admission into their target programs, one would think all of this GMAT stress is behind them, right? Unfortunately, not exactly. For most students, the GMAT is, in fact, a thing of the past and they can breathe easy and move on from those dreaded four letters after business school begins. For some students, however, their GMAT score can still represent an important measure of aptitude even past the MBA application process and matriculation. Let us focus on these students who must still concern themselves with their GMAT scores. The GMAT is really only relevant for recruiting purposes at this point, and only in a select few industries that tend to put a heavy weight on analytical skills and “intellectual horsepower.” The most common industry recruiters that fit the bill here are management consulting firms like the Boston Consulting Group, financial institutions like Goldman Sachs, and prestigious tech companies like Google. These specific firms are just used for representative purposes, but many similar companies use the GMAT as a key decision point when selecting students for interviews, and also when making their final decisions in on-campus hiring. Therefore, it is important to do your due diligence and discuss with the recruiting firms you are interested in the components that factor into their decision-making processes. Generally, companies that put an emphasis on the GMAT are looking for you to break a threshold. So it is not simply “the higher score you get, the better your chances.” The standard tends to be at the 700 mark – if your score is below this threshold, your chances at securing an interview or an offer at these firms may be a bit more difficult. Although again (I cannot emphasize this enough), every firm has a different value system towards the GMAT and you will often never truly know how much of a factor it plays within the recruiting process, but it is still important to keep in mind that it is a factor. Information is king! Do your due diligence upfront in the recruiting process, understand the strengths and weakness of your profile, and be knowledgeable of how factors like the GMAT may play a role during on-campus recruiting. Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or take our free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation for personalized advice for your unique application situation! As always, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter. Dozie A. is a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His specialties include consulting, marketing, and low GPA/GMAT applicants. You can read more articles by him here. The post Does Your GMAT Score Matter Once You’re Admitted Into Business School? appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
12 Aug 2016, 16:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Applying Nassim Taleb’s Thoughts to Your Future Post-MBA Career |
 Nassim Taleb, the thought-provoking, bestselling author of Fooled by Randomness, Black Swan, and Antifragile, always pokes fun at MBAs, economists, and academic types. What then can we learn from him, given his seemingly evident contempt for the path you are planning to take? How can you use his own thoughts to your advantage towards achieving your post-MBA goals? Have a Sense of Humor Well, to put things in perspective, Taleb himself is a Wharton MBA and has served as a professor at NYU. So, the first lesson for everybody would be this: Don’t get too attached to titles and distinctions. Let’s have a sense of humor about ourselves! Aside from allowing us to enjoy life more, having a sense of humor reduces our biases, making us more conscious of “unknown unknowns.” It also helps us keep our minds open to new experiences and ideas outside the defined “knowledge” in our specific fields. Be Aware of the Problem with Experts Taleb also humanizes “experts” – no matter how distinguished they may be in their fields, their error rates are higher than what you would expect. Thus, as you make your career-defining decisions, be sure to keep in mind what the downsides would be if the expert predictions you have relied on fail. Credentials, jargon and expensive suits can make gurus, economists and military analysts look like real experts, even if they have poor track records of success or predictive abilities. Beware of relying blindly on these “empty suits” who can be anywhere, including CEOs, senior managers and classmates. With no exceptional ability to achieve results, “empty suits” focus on looking and sounding credible, rather than providing real substance. As an MBA, it would help you to develop both the ability to detect these “empty suits,” and still learn skills to effectively communicate with them. By observing them closely, you can consider adopting the tactics they use that work (while avoiding what doesn’t work) and integrating them into your (hopefully!) sound reasoning and solid plans. This will help you better present your ideas and win people over to help achieve your projects’ objectives and your personal goals. Domestication of Employees? In an excerpt from Taleb’s work-in-progress book, Skin in the Game, he shares perspectives on the power structure between employers and employees. Drawing from his personal experiences and observations, Taleb discusses the evolution of the “company person” into a “companies person”. As a high-potential employee, you will no longer be only concerned about your reputation within your own company, but the times now dictate that you will also want to be attractive to other companies in the event that you have to move on, whether by circumstances or by choice. Taleb argues that caring so much about this reputation and about performance evaluations by your direct superiors is a form of slavery. Employees who have relocated with their entire families to remote outposts of their companies also fall into the trap of having their whole lives hanging by the whimsical thread of the boss at headquarters. Thus, they cannot be expected to make any radical decisions that could potentially displease their superiors. The employees with the most freedom are often salespeople – they don’t have to worry as much about pleasing their bosses as they hold the potential threat of taking customers with them if they move. Knowing what you are getting into within the power structure of your role, organization and industry could help serve as an additional guide on how to handle your own expectations and how to plan for your next moves. You may not completely agree with Taleb’s conclusions, but do consider his thoughts as you navigate your post-MBA career. Being aware of these concepts and lessons may just help your future professional life. Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or take our free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation for personalized advice for your unique application situation! And as always, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter. Written by Edison Cu, a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for INSEAD. The post Applying Nassim Taleb’s Thoughts to Your Future Post-MBA Career appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
12 Aug 2016, 17:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: GMAT Tip of the Week: What Simone Biles and the Final Five Can Teach You About GMAT Math |
 On this Friday, ending the first week of the Rio Olympics, your office has undoubtedly said the name “Simone” exponentially more than ever before. Michael Phelps’ blowout win – his 4th straight – in the 200 IM was incredible, but last night belonged to two Texans named Simone. Swimmer Simone Manuel and gymnast Simone Biles each won historic gold medals, and if you’re at all inspired to pursue your own “go for the gold” success in business school (maybe Stanford like Manuel, or UCLA like Biles), you can learn a lot from the Olympic experience. Two lessons, in particular, stand out from the performance of Biles and her “Final Five” teammates: Connect Your Skills There’s no way to watch Olympic gymnastics and not be overwhelmingly impressed by the skills that each gymnast brings to competition. So at times it’s frustrating and saddening to hear the TV announcers discuss deduction after deduction; shouldn’t everyone at all times just be yelling, “Wow!!!!” at the otherworldly talents of each athlete? Much like the GMAT, though, Olympic gymnastics is not about the sheer possession of these skills – at that level, everyone has them. It’s more about the ability to execute them and, as becomes evident from the expert commentary of Tim Dagget and Nastia Liukin, to connect them. It’s not the uneven bars handstand or release itself that wins the gold, it’s the ability to connect skill after skill as part of a routine. The line, “She was supposed to connect that skill to another…” is always followed by, “That will be a deduction” – both in Olympic gymnastics and on the GMAT. How does that affect you? By test day, you had better have all of the necessary skills to compete on the GMAT Quant Section. Area of a triangle, Pythagorean Theorem, Difference of Squares…if you don’t know these rules, you’re absolutely sunk. But to do really well, you need to quickly connect skill to skill, and connect items in the problems to the skills necessary to work with them. For example: If a problem includes a term x^4 – 1, you should immediately be thinking, “That connects really well to the Difference of Squares rule: a^2 – b^2 = (a + b)(a – b), and since x^4 is a square [it’s (x^2)^2] and 1 is a square (it’s 1^2), I can write that as (x^2 + 1)(x^2 – 1), and for good measure I could apply Difference of Squares to the (x^2 – 1) term too.” The GMAT won’t ever specifically tell you, “Use the Difference of Squares,” so it’s your job to immediately connect the symptoms of Difference of Squares (an even exponent, a subtraction sign, a square of some kind, even if it’s 1) to the opportunity to use it. If you see a right triangle, you should recognize that Area and Pythagorean Theorem easily connect. In a^2 + b^2 = c^2, sides a and b are perpendicular and allow you to use them as the base and height in the area formula. And the Pythagorean Theorem includes three squares with the opportunity to create subtraction [you could write it as a^2 = c^2 – b^2, allowing you to say that a^2 = (c + b)(c – b)…], so you could connect yet another skill to it to help solve for variables. Similarly, if you see a square or rectangle, its diagonal is the hypotenuse of a right triangle, allowing you to use the sides as a and b in the Pythagorean setup, which could also connect to Difference of Squares…etc. When you initially learned most of these skills in high school (much like when Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, etc. learned handstands and cartwheels in Gymboree), you learned them as individual, isolated skills. “Here’s the formula, and here are 10 questions that test it.” On the GMAT – as in the Olympics – you’re being tested more on your ability to connect them, to see opportunities to use a skill that’s not obvious at first (“Well, I’m not sure what to do but I do have multiple squared terms so let me try to apply Difference of Squares…or maybe I can use a and b in the Area calculation.”), but that helps you build more knowledge of the problem. So as you study, don’t just learn individual skills. Look for opportunities to connect them, and look for signals that will tell you that a connection is possible. A rectangle problem with a square root of 3 in the answer choices should tell you “the diagonal of this rectangle may very well be connected to a 30-60-90 triangle, since those have the 1, √3, 2 side ratio…” The GMAT is about connections more so than just skills, so study accordingly. Stick the Landing If you’re like most in the “every four years I love gymnastics for exactly one week” camp, the single most important thing you look for on any apparatus is, “Did he/she stick the landing?” A hop or a step on the landing is the most noticeable deduction on a gymnastics routine…and the same holds true for the GMAT. Again, the GMAT is testing you on how well you connect a variety of skills, so naturally there are places for you to finish the problem a step short. A problem that requires you to leverage the Pythagorean Theorem and the Area of a Triangle may ask for the sum of sides A and B, for example, but if you’ve solved for the sides individually first, you might see a particular value (A = 6) on your noteboard and in the answer choices and choose it without double checking that you answered the proper question. That is a horrible and unnecessary “deduction” on your GMAT score: you did all the work right, all the hard part right (akin to the flip-and-two-twists in the air on your vault or the dazzling array of jumps and handstands on the tiny beam) and then botched the landing. On problems that include more than one variable, circle the variable that the test is looking for and then make sure that you submit the proper answer for that variable. If a problem asks for a combination of variables (a + b, for example), write that down at the top of your scratchwork and go back to it after you’ve calculated. Take active steps to ensure that you stick the landing, because nothing is worse than doing all the work right and then still getting the problem wrong. In summary, recognize that there are plenty of similarities between the GMAT and GyMnAsTics [the scoring system is too complex for the layman to worry about, the “Final Five” are more important than you think (hint: the test can’t really use the last five questions of a section for research purposes since so many people are rushing and guessing), etc.]. So take a lesson from Simone Biles and her gold-medal-winning teammates: connect your skills, stick the landing, and you’ll see your score vault to Olympian heights. Getting ready to take the GMAT? We have free online GMAT seminars running all the time. And as always, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! By Brian Galvin. The post GMAT Tip of the Week: What Simone Biles and the Final Five Can Teach You About GMAT Math appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
15 Aug 2016, 16:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Quarter Wit, Quarter Wisdom: Know Your Subtraction for the GMAT! |
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Your first reaction to the title of this post is probably, “I already know my subtraction!” No surprise there. But what is surprising is that our statistics tell us that the following GMAT question – which is nothing extraordinary, but does involve some tricky subtraction – is a 700-level question. That made us decide to write this post. We will discuss this concept along with the question: The last digit of 12^12 + 13^13 – 14^14 × 15^15 = (A) 0 (B) 1 (C) 5 (D) 8 (E) 9 This is a simple question based on the cyclicity of units digits. There are 3 terms here: 12^12, 13^13 and (14^14)*(15^15). Let’s find the last digit of each of these terms: 12^12 The units digit of 12 is 2. 2 has a cyclicity of 2 – 4 – 8 – 6. The cycles end at the powers 4, 8, 12 … etc. So, twelve 2’s will end in a units digit of 6. 13^13 The units digit of 13 is 3. 3 has a cyclicity of 3 – 9 – 7 – 1. A new cycle starts at the powers 1, 5, 9, 13 … etc. So, thirteen 3’s will end in a units digit of 3. (14^14)*(15^15) This term is actually the most simple to manage in the case of its units digit – an even number multiplied by a multiple of 5 will end in 0. Also, note that this will be a huge term compared to the other two terms. This is what our expression looks like when we consider just the units digits of these terms: (A number ending in 6) + (A number ending in 3) – (A much greater number ending in 0) Looking at our most basic options, a number ending in 6 added to a number ending in 3 will give us a number ending in 9 (as 3 + 6 = 9). So, the expression now looks like this: (A number ending in 9) – (A much greater number ending in 0) It is at this point that many people mess up. They deduce that 9-0 will end in a 9, and hence, the answer will be E. All their effort goes to waste when they do this. Let’s see why: How do you subtract one number out of another? Take, for example, 10-7 = 3 This can also be written as 7-10 = -3. (Here, you are still subtracting the number with a lower absolute value from the number with a greater absolute value, but giving it a negative sign.) Let’s try to look at this in tabular form. The number with the greater absolute value goes on the top and the number with the smaller absolute value goes under it. You then subtract and the result gets the sign of the number with the greater absolute value. (i) 100-29 100 -29 071 (ii) 29-100 100 -29 071 (But since the sign of 100 is negative, your answer is actually -71.) So, the number with greater absolute value is always on top. Going back to our original question now, (A number ending in 9) – (A much greater number ending in 0) will look like: abcd0 – pq9 ghjk1 Ignoring the letter variables (these are simply placeholders), note that the greater number ending in 0 will be on the top and the smaller one ending in 9 will be below it. This means the answer will be a negative number ending in a units digit of 1. Therefore, our answer is B. As we learn more advanced concepts, make sure you are not taking your basic principles for granted! Getting ready to take the GMAT? We have free online GMAT seminars running all the time. And, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+, and Twitter! Karishma, a Computer Engineer with a keen interest in alternative Mathematical approaches, has mentored students in the continents of Asia, Europe and North America. She teaches the GMAT for Veritas Prep and regularly participates in content development projects such as this blog! The post Quarter Wit, Quarter Wisdom: Know Your Subtraction for the GMAT! appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
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