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28 Dec 2016, 18:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Online Biology Tutoring |
 As a high school student, it’s likely that you will take several natural science courses before graduation. Biology is just one example of a natural science. Animals, plants, cells, genetics, and evolution are a few of the topics contained in the curriculum of most high school biology courses. If you’re taking an AP biology course, then you’re studying these topics and others in an in-depth way. Plus, you’re receiving your lessons at a faster pace than students taking typical biology classes. Taking advantage of biology tutoring online can be helpful to any student tackling this challenging branch of science, especially those in an AP course. Tutoring can also help those who plan to take the AP Biology exam. Earning a high score on this exam may help you receive college credit and serves to impress college admissions officials. If this is your goal, studying with a biology tutor online could be a smart choice. Choosing the Best Study Environment When studying with an online biology tutor, you can decide where to learn your lessons. This is an ideal situation if you like to have more control over where and how you learn. You may want to study in your room at home so you’re completely at ease in the environment. Or maybe you focus better when you’re at the library – many libraries have private study rooms you can reserve for a specified amount of time. Learning in a relaxed environment can help you to maintain your focus throughout your biology tutoring session. Preparing for Each Tutoring Session It’s a good idea to do some prep work before getting your instruction online. Biology tutoring sessions are much more effective when you have a plan for what to discuss with your instructor. One tip is to prepare a list of questions you have about recent lessons in biology class. Your tutor can help to clear up confusing points and offer a different perspective on difficult topics. Another tip is to have your homework assignments with you to ask for assistance with challenging problems. Your online biology tutor will likely be able to suggest a different approach to puzzling questions. Taking a fresh approach to these questions can sometimes make them a lot more manageable. Setting Goals for Biology Class You probably have some specific goals you want to achieve in your biology class. For instance, you may set a short-term goal of getting an A on your next paper or quiz. Also, you may have a long-term goal of earning a score of at least 95 percent on the final exam. Working with a biology tutor online means you have someone to share your goals with. Once you tell your tutor your goals, you will be accountable to someone besides yourself. Your tutor can provide you with specific ways to achieve your goals as well as give you plenty of encouragement along the way. Partnering with a tutor can help you excel in your biology class and reach your goals. Taking Advantage of Additional Study Resources An experienced tutor can give you suggestions for books, magazines, articles, and other publications that can enhance your knowledge of biology. When you study with one of our biology tutors online, you will be studying with someone who mastered the subject, and the professional tutors at Veritas Prep can provide you with plenty of suggestions when it comes to informative reading materials that can boost your performance in biology. In addition, our tutors are able to share the ways they enhanced their own knowledge while becoming experts on the subject! At Veritas Prep, we can assist you with achieving any of your objectives when it comes to the study of biology. If you are reviewing for the AP Biology exam, we have tutors who can practice with you until you feel confident about taking the test. We can provide you with proven strategies to use on the tests and quizzes you tackle in your high school biology class. And we are available to prep students for the SAT subject test in biology as well as the AP Biology exam. Call us today and give the talented instructors at Veritas Prep the opportunity to study with you as you master the subject of biology. The post Online Biology Tutoring appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
29 Dec 2016, 23:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: What Subjects Are on the GRE Exam? |
 What subjects are on the GRE? Many students are aware of the standard Graduate Record Examination, or GRE, but may not know as much about the GRE subject tests. These tests reveal a student’s skills and knowledge in a specific subject. Here, you can discover more about the seven GRE subject tests offered to students who plan to apply to graduate school, as well as what subjects you can expect to find on each test. Mathematics About 50 percent of the mathematics test consists of calculus questions. The questions cover both integral and differential calculus. A student must be prepared to apply calculus concepts when completing this section. Students will also encounter basic, linear, and abstract algebra questions. They must understand systems of linear equations, characteristic polynomials, group theory, and number theory among other concepts. Other test topics include geometry, statistics, probability, and algorithms. There are a total of 66 multiple-choice questions on this test. Students preparing for the mathematics test can benefit from the knowledge and experience of our professional instructors at Veritas Prep. In our online courses, we teach students effective test-taking strategies and tips that help them approach the GRE subject tests with confidence. Physics This test challenges a student’s understanding and application of the principles of physics. There are 100 multiple-choice questions on the physics test. A student’s prep work should include studying topics such as electromagnetism, classical mechanics, atomic physics, quantum mechanics, and special relativity. Knowledge of calculus, coordinate systems, partial differential equations, and vector algebra is also helpful when completing questions on the physics test. Biology Questions on cellular and molecular biology make up the first section of the biology test. Cell structure, cell function, genetics, DNA, and plant and animal viruses are all topics in this section. The second section on this test is all about organismal biology. Many of the questions concern animal and plant reproduction and development. Other questions relate to the instincts of animals and how plants and animals interact with their environment. There are also questions on fungi and its life cycle. The third section on the biology test contains questions about ecology and evolution. Students are tested on behavioral ecology and ecosystems, as well as evolutionary processes. The instructors who teach our GRE subject test prep classes at Veritas Prep use high-quality resources to guide students as they study the various topics covered on the biology test. Chemistry The 130 questions on this test focus on a variety of chemistry skills. The test covers analytical, organic, inorganic and physical chemistry. Some physical chemistry questions focus on the three laws of thermodynamics. There are organic chemistry questions that test a student’s skills with organometallics and various functional groups. Questions on physical chemistry and organic chemistry make up the bulk of this test. Veritas Prep’s instructors help students practice for all of the topics on this challenging test. Biochemistry Questions on biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, and genetics are all a part of this subject test. Students use their problem-solving skills to answer many of the 170 questions on this test. They are presented with diagrams and experimental results and must choose the correct multiple-choice option based on the data they are given. Thermodynamics, kinetics, the cell cycle, chromosomes, and genome maintenance are some of the topics that students can expect to encounter on the biochemistry test. English The English test gives students an opportunity to display their knowledge of great works of literature. The 230 questions on this test challenge students to identify literary movements or may ask what time period a particular short story, novel, or poem belongs to. Some of the questions are factual while others are analytical. Students should be skilled at analyzing works of literature to identify genre or references made within a piece of writing. In addition, they should be knowledgeable about literary criticism. Psychology There are 205 multiple-choice questions on the psychology test. The questions are designed to test a student’s ability to analyze relationships, apply psychological principles and draw conclusions based on research data. Some of the topics found on the psychology test include memory, perception, behavioral neuroscience, abnormal psychology and the history of psychology. Our helpful staff is glad to supply additional information to students who want to know what subjects are on the GRE. They are welcome to contact Veritas Prep regarding our GRE subject test prep courses. There are also helpful answers on our frequently asked questions page. We are proud to give students the tools they need to find success on these critical tests! Want to jump-start your GRE preparation? Register to attend one of our upcoming free online GRE Strategy Sessions or check out our variety of GRE Course and Private Tutoring options. And as always, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! The post What Subjects Are on the GRE Exam? appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
30 Dec 2016, 21:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: How to Find the Maximum Distance Between Points on a 3D Object |
 How do we find the the two farthest points on a 3D object? For example, we know that on a circle, any two points that are diametrically opposite will be the farthest from each other than from any other points on the circle. Which two points will be the farthest from each other on a square? The diagonally opposite vertices. Now here is a trickier question – which two points are farthest from each other on a rectangular solid? Again, they will be diagonally opposite, but the question is, which diagonal? A rectangular box is 10 inches wide, 10 inches long, and 5 inches high. What is the greatest possible (straight-line) distance, in inches, between any two points on the box? (A) 15 (B) 20 (C) 25 (D) 10 * √(2) (E) 10 * √(3) There are various different diagonals in a rectangular solid. Look at the given figure:  BE is a diagonal, BG is a diagonal, GE is a diagonal, and BH is a diagonal. So which two points are farthest from each other? B and E, G and E, B and G, or B and H? The inside diagonal BH can be seen as the hypotenuse of the right triangle BEH. So both BE and EH will be shorter in length than BH. The inside diagonal BH can also be seen as the hypotenuse of the right triangle BHG. So both HG and BG will also be shorter in length than BH. The inside diagonal BH can also be seen as the hypotenuse of the right triangle BDH. So both BD and DH will also be shorter in length than BH. Thus, we see that BH will be longer than all other diagonals, meaning B and H are the points that are the farthest from each other. Solving for the exact value of BH then should not be difficult. In our question we know that: l = 10 inches w = 10 inches h = 5 inches Let’s consider the right triangle DHB. DH is the length, so it is 10 inches. DB is the diagonal of the right triangle DBC. If DC = w = 10 and BC = h = 5, then we can solve for DB^2 using the Pythagorian Theorem: DB^2 = DC^2 + BC^2 DB^2 = 10^2 + 5^2 = 125 Going back to triangle DHB, we can now say that: BH^2 = HD^2 + DB^2 BH^2 = 10^2 + 125 BH = √(225) = 15 Thus, our answer to this question is A. Similarly, which two points on a cylinder will be the farthest from each other? Let’s examine the following practice GMAT question to find out: The radius of cylinder C is 5 inches, and the height of cylinder C is 5 inches. What is the greatest possible straight line distance, in inches, between any two points on a cylinder C? (A) 5 * √2 (B) 5 * √3 (C) 5 * √5 (D) 10 (E) 15 Look at where the farthest points will lie – diametrically opposite from each other and also at the opposite sides of the length of the cylinder:  The diameter, the height and the distance between the points forms a right triangle. Using the given measurements, we can now solve for the distance between the two points: Diameter^2 + Height^2 = Distance^2 10^2 + 5^2 = Distance^2 Distance = 5 * √5 Thus, our answer is C. In both cases, if we start from one extreme point and traverse every length once, we reach the farthest point. For example, in case of the rectangular solid, say we start from H, cover length l and reach D – from D, we cover length w and reach C, and from C, we cover length h and reach B. These two are the farthest points. 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 How to Find the Maximum Distance Between Points on a 3D Object appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
03 Jan 2017, 19:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Solving GMAT Geometry Problems That Involve Infinite Figures |
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Sometimes, we come across GMAT geometry questions that involve figures inscribed inside other figures. One shape inside of another shape may not be difficult to work with, but how do we handle problems that involve infinite figures inscribed inside one another? Such questions can unsettle even the most seasoned test takers. Let’s take a look at one of them today: A square is drawn by joining the midpoints of the sides of a given square. A third square is drawn inside the second square in this way and this process is continued indefinitely. If a side of the first square is 4 cm. Determine the sum of areas of all squares? (A) 18 (B) 32 (C) 36 (D) 64 (E) None Now the first thing that might come to our mind is this – how do we mathematically, in the time limit of approximately 2 minutes, calculate areas of infinite squares? There has to be a formula for this. Recall that we do, in fact, have a formula that calculates the sum of infinite terms – the geometric progression formula! Let’s see if we can use that to find the areas of the squares mentioned in this problem.  First, we’ll see if we can find a pattern in the areas of the squares: Say the side of the outermost square is “s“. The area of the outermost square will be s^2 and half of the side will be s/2. The side of the next square inside this outermost square (the second square) forms the hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs of length s/2 each. Using the Pythagorean Theorem: Hypotenuse^2 = (s/2)^2 + (s/2)^2 = s^2/2 Hypotenuse = s/√(2) So now we know the sides of the second square will each equal s/√(2), and the area of the second square will be s^2/2. Our calculations will be far easier if we note that the diagonal of the second square will be the same length as the side of the outer square. We know that area of a square given diagonal d is d^2/2, so that would directly bring us to s^2/2 as the area of the second square. The second square and the square inscribed further inside it (the third square) will have the same relation. The area of the third square will be (s^2/2)*(1/2) = s^2/4. Now we know the area of every subsequent square will be half the area of the outside square. So the total area of all squares = s^2 + s^2/2 + s^2/4 + s^2/8 + …Each term is half the previous term. Therefore, the sum of an infinite Geometric Progression where the common ratio is less than 1 is: Total Sum = a/(1-r) a: First Term r: Common Ratio Sum of areas of all squares = s^2 + s^2/2 + s^2/4 + s^2/8 + … Sum of areas of all squares = s^2/(1 – 1/2) Sum of areas of all squares = 2s^2 Since s is the length of the side of the outermost square, and s = 4 (this fact is given to us by the questions stem), the sum of the areas of all the squares = 2*4^2 = 32 cm^2. Therefore, our answer is B. We hope you understand how we have used the geometric progression formula to get to our answer. To recap, the sum of an infinite geometric progression is a/(1 – r). 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 Solving GMAT Geometry Problems That Involve Infinite Figures appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
04 Jan 2017, 19:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: ACT Registration Checklist and Testing Dates |
 Completing the ACT registration process is the first step toward sitting down to take the test. Having a checklist of things to do can help you to organize the process. Learn about the steps you need to take, as well as some important things to consider, before you sit down to register for the ACT. Create a Student Account Online ACT registration can be accomplished very easily by visiting their official website, ACT.org. After creating an account, it takes about 40 minutes to complete the registration forms. There is a test fee that you can pay with a credit card via a secure payment system. Also, you must upload a photo of yourself during ACT test registration. This photo is used for identification purposes and will be put onto the ticket that you’ll take with you to the testing center. Special Accommodations for the Test If you have a disability, it’s possible to get special accommodations for the ACT. For instance, if you’re visually impaired, you may be able to arrange for a magnifying device or a reader. During the registration process, you have the chance to express the need for special accommodations. After registration is complete, you will receive an email explaining how to request testing accommodations. You must then work with the officials at your school to secure accommodations for the ACT. You will have to submit proof of a disability along with other documentation. Your school must submit the actual request for accommodations to ACT testing officials. The Writing Test The writing test on the ACT is optional. During registration, you can specify whether you want to take it. If you change your mind later about taking the writing test, you can log onto the website and make this adjustment. Keep in mind that you must make the change before the late registration deadline connected with your test date. There is an additional fee for the writing test. Choose a Test Date and Location You’ll have the opportunity to choose a test date as well as a testing center located near you. On the website, there is a chart that displays upcoming test dates as well as corresponding ACT registration dates. The ACT registration dates are the deadlines for anyone who wants to take the test on a particular day. It’s possible to register for the test after the deadline passes, but the ACT charges a late fee for that service. The test center locator on the website makes it simple for you to find a location that is convenient. Your test date and location will be confirmed after you finish the ACT test registration process. Arranging for the Delivery of Score Reports As part of your testing fee, the ACT sends your score report to four colleges. You can specify these colleges during test registration. You have the option of sending your score report to more than four colleges, but there is a fee for each additional request. Preparing for the Test After going through the process of ACT registration, your next step is to prep for the test! That’s where we can help. At Veritas Prep, our talented instructors can provide you with tools that enable you to highlight your skills on the ACT. We’ll guide you through taking a practice ACT to reveal both your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to the material on this test. In addition, we’ll pair you with an instructor who knows how to convey lessons with your learning style in mind. We’ll help you improve your test performance by giving you strategies to use on every section of the ACT. When you sign up with Veritas Prep, you get to study with an instructor who scored in the 99th percentile on the test, so the study tips you receive are coming from someone who has taken and conquered the ACT! Our team is proud to provide quality ACT tutoring both online and in person. We use proven study resources in our classes so you know you’re getting practical information you can use on the test. If you’re looking for the best in ACT prep, send us an email or give us a call today. Let Veritas Prep play a part in your victory on 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 ACT Registration Checklist and Testing Dates appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
05 Jan 2017, 19:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Everything You Need to Know About GMAC’s New Common Letter of Recommendation |
 Letters of recommendation are the one key part of the MBA application process that most applicants have little to no control over. Of course you can influence the quality of your recommendation through your performance leading up to the ultimate request, but the actual delivery is totally out of your control. What further complicates the recommendation process for many is the fact that applicants also have to deal with two, three and sometimes four recommenders for an application season, or even for a single application. For some the process can be simple, but for others it is more difficult, especially with recommendations often coming from busy senior management members. The level of anxiety MBA candidates have over letters of recommendation is often through the roof! But fear not – the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) has heard your pleas. GMAC, better known as the organization that administers the GMAT exam, has recently introduced a Common Letter of Recommendation (LOR). The main goal of this new initiative is to save recommenders and applicants time during application season. The Common LOR will offer recommenders a single recommendation form with a common set of questions. GMAC also offers an application system that houses these LOR responses for each participating school so each recommendation is in one central location, making updates or edits a breeze. The Common LOR assessment grid is based on 16 leadership competencies which are grouped in five categories: Achievement, Influence, People, Personal Qualities, and Cognitive Abilities. The form also includes three more qualitative and open-ended recommendation questions that are very similar to other independent LOR questions asked by MBA programs in the past. These questions are based on the applicant’s overall performance, comparative performance, and required development in an organization. There are currently only a handful of schools that are part of the common LOR form, with some business schools (like Michigan Ross, Cornell Johnson, and Columbia) using the entire form, and other schools (such as Stanford, NYU Stern, Darden, and Berkeley Haas) using just the recommendation questions. GMAC is still trying to evangelize the Common LOR to the remaining MBA community, which will take some time as the form has not been available for long. As more business schools begin to utilize the GMAC’s Common LOR form, make sure you stay abreast of the latest and greatest information, as this form can certainly save all those who are involved in the recommendation process tons of time. 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 Everything You Need to Know About GMAC’s New Common Letter of Recommendation appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
06 Jan 2017, 14:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: GMAT Tip of the Week: Taking the Least Amount of Time to Solve “At Least” Probability Problems |
 In its efforts to keep everyone from getting perfect 800s, the GMAT has two powerful tools to stop you from perfection. For one, it can bait you into wrong answers (with challenging content, tempting trap answers, or a combination thereof). And secondly, it can waste your time, making it look like you need to do a lot of work when there’s a much simpler way. Fortunately, and contrary to popular belief, the GMAT isn’t “pure evil.” Wherever it provides opportunities for less-savvy examinees to waste their time, it also provides a shortcut for those who have put in the study time to learn it or who have the patience to look for the elevator, so to speak, before slogging up the stairs. And one classic example of that comes with the “at least one” type of probability question. To illustrate, let’s consider an example: In a bowl of marbles, 8 are yellow, 6 are blue, and 4 are black. If Michelle picks 2 marbles out of the bowl at random and at the same time, what is the probability that at least one of the marbles will be yellow? (A) 5/17 (B) 12/17 (C) 25/81 (D) 56/81 (E) 4/9 Here, you can first streamline the process along the lines of one of those “There are two types of people in the world: those who _______ and those who don’t _______” memes. Your goal is to determine whether you get a yellow marble, so you don’t care as much about “blue” and “black”…those can be grouped into “not yellow,” thereby giving you only two groups: 8 yellow marbles and 10 not-yellow marbles. Fewer groups means less ugly math! But even so, trying to calculate the probability of every sequence that gives you one or two yellow marbles is labor intensive. You could accomplish that “not yellow” goal several ways: First marble: Yellow; Second: Not Yellow First: Not Yellow; Second: Yellow First: Yellow; Second: Yellow That’s three different math problems each involving fractions and requiring attention to detail. There ought to be an easier way…and there is. When a probability problem asks you for the probability of “at least one,” consider the only situation in which you WOULDN’T get at least one: if you got none. That’s a single calculation, and helpful because if the probability of drawing two marbles is 100% (that’s what the problem says you’re doing), then 100% minus the probability of the unfavorable outcome (no yellow) has to equal the probability of the favorable outcome. So if you determine “the probability of no yellow” and subtract from 1, you’re finished. That means that your problem should actually look like: PROBABILITY OF NO YELLOW, FIRST DRAW: 10 non-yellow / 18 total PROBABILITY OF NO YELLOW, SECOND DRAW: 9 remaining non-yellow / 17 remaining total 10/18 * 9/17 reduces to 10/2 * 1/17 = 5/17. Now here’s the only tricky part of using this technique: 5/17 is the probability of what you DON’T want, so you need to subtract that from 1 to get the probability you do want. So the answer then is 12/17, or B. More important than this problem is the lesson: when you see an “at least one” probability problem, recognize that the probability of “at least one” equals 100% minus the probability of “none.” Since “none” is always a single calculation, you’ll always be able to save time with this technique. Had the question asked about three marbles, the number of favorable sequences for “at least one yellow” would be: Yellow Yellow Yellow Yellow Not-Yellow Not-Yellow Yellow Not-Yellow Yellow Yellow Yellow Not-Yellow Not-Yellow Yellow Yellow … (And note here – this list is not yet exhaustive, so under time pressure you may very well forget one sequence entirely and then still get the problem wrong even if you’ve done the math right.) Whereas the probability of No Yellow is much more straightforward: Not-Yellow, Not-Yellow, Not-Yellow would be 10/18 * 9/17 * 8/16 (and look how nicely that last fraction slots in, reducing quickly to 1/2). What would otherwise be a terrifying slog, the “long way” becomes quite quick the shorter way. So, remember, when you see “at least one” probability on the GMAT, employ the “100% minus probability of none” strategy and you’ll save valuable time on at least one Quant problem on test day. 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: Taking the Least Amount of Time to Solve “At Least” Probability Problems appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
09 Jan 2017, 20:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Sample GRE Questions |
 Students planning to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) need to make sure they are ready when test day arrives. At Veritas Prep, we know that practice exams are valuable resources for students. Completing a set of GRE example questions serves many purposes. For one, answering GRE prep questions allows a student to see the topics that will appear on the GRE – test sample questions serve as a preview of the exam. Today, students have the convenience of finding GRE practice questions online. Take a look at some examples: The Verbal Reasoning Section These GRE practice test questions include reading comprehension, sentence equivalence, and text completion question types. The reading comprehension portion of the test includes several written passages. Students answer various questions based on the information in a passage by choosing from a set of multiple choice answer options. After reading a lengthy passage, students may be asked about the theme of a passage or the intent of its author. Or, they may be asked about the implied meaning of a passage or the reasons behind a statement. Alternatively, the sentence equivalence portion of the test asks students to choose two words that would correctly complete each sentence. For example: Example 1: The artist known for her picturesque landscapes once commented that she ____ nature. A) idolizes B) abhors C) reveres D) despises E) detests F) scorns Answers: A, C Example 2: A student who tries to cram for a biology final exam in one night will become _____ because it’s impossible to learn an entire course in so little time. A) exacerbated B) inspired C) exasperated D) lethargic E) complaisant F) dispassionate Answers: C, D The text completion questions feature a passage consisting of four or five sentences. There may be one or several blank spaces in the passage. Students have a choice of three or more options for each blank. If a student is not sure about the definition of a word, sometimes looking at a word’s prefix can offer clues. Our professional instructors provide tips to students who need help on this or any other section of the GRE. Example: The horse and rider emerged from the woods and cantered up a hillside ______ by the moon. The horse made a sharp turn sending the rider tumbling to the ground. The rider slowly stood up, cursing under his breath. He was ______ at his lack of talent as an equestrian. A) ill-lighted:abhorred B) illuminated:vexed C) darkened:appalled D) enlightened:humiliated E) obscured:angered Answer: B Looking for GRE practice questions online can be helpful when reviewing for the analogy section. In this section, students choose the pair of words that is most similar to the pair of words in the example. One of the strategies we teach our students is to determine the relationship between the words in the example to arrive at the correct answer option. For instance: Example: ASSAUGE : SORROW A) counsel : exacerbate B) withhold : appreciation C) companionship : loneliness D) endear : criticize E) console : aggravate Answer: C The Quantitative Section There are a variety of math questions in this section of the GRE. Practice test questions may challenge a student’s algebra, geometry, arithmetic, or data analysis skills. Example 1: Which of these numbers is the average of the first ten even numbers? A) 9 B) 13 C) 11 D) 16 E) 15 2+4+6+8+10+12+14+16+18+20=110/10 Answer: C Example 2: (12/3) x (8/4) = A) 18 B) 10 C) 8 D) 12 E) 14 Answer: C Example 3: If 8t + 5t +2t + 4t=114, then 5t + 3= A) 20 B) 33 C) 25 D) 32 E) 40 Answer: B The Analytical Writing Section This section requires students to write both an issue and an argument essay. Students receive a prompt for both essays. A sample prompt for the issue essay may ask students whether they agree or disagree with the idea of paying high school students for perfect attendance. Alternatively, a sample prompt for the argument essay may center on the argument of legalizing medical marijuana. Regardless of what side a student takes, he or she should create a well-organized essay and a convincing argument. We are experts at helping students prepare for the GRE. Test sample questions are easier to manage when students partner with one of our online instructors. Email or call us to find out more about our prep classes for the GRE. Our helpful team at Veritas Prep gives students the tools to succeed on the GRE! Want to jump-start your GRE preparation? Register to attend one of our upcoming free online GRE Strategy Sessions or check out our variety of GRE Course and Private Tutoring options. And as always, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! The post Sample GRE Questions appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
10 Jan 2017, 19:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: How to Answer GMAT Questions That are About an Unfamiliar Topic |
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Usually, GMAT questions that are based on your field of work or interests are simple to comprehend and relatively easy to answer correctly. But what happens when, say, an engineer gets a question based on psychiatry? Is he or she bound to fail? No. Remember that the GMAT offers a level playing field for test takers from different backgrounds – it doesn’t matter whether your major was literature or physics. If you feel lost on a question about renaissance painters, remember that the guy next to you is lost on the problem involving planetary systems. So how can you successfully handle GMAT questions on any topic? By sticking to the basics. The logic and reasoning required to answer these questions will stay the same no matter which field the information in the question stem comes from. To give an example of this, let’s today take a look at a GMAT question involving psychoanalysis: Studies in restaurants show that the tips left by customers who pay their bill in cash tend to be larger when the bill is presented on a tray that bears a credit-card logo. Consumer psychologists hypothesize that simply seeing a credit-card logo makes many credit-card holders willing to spend more because it reminds them that their spending power exceeds the cash they have immediately available. Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the psychologists’ interpretation of the studies? (A) The effect noted in the studies is not limited to patrons who have credit cards. (B) Patrons who are under financial pressure from their credit-card obligations tend to tip less when presented with a restaurant bill on a tray with credit-card logo than when the tray has no logo. (C) In virtually all of the cases in the studies, the patrons who paid bills in cash did not possess credit cards. (D) In general, restaurant patrons who pay their bills in cash leave larger tips than do those who pay by credit card. (E) The percentage of restaurant bills paid with given brand of credit card increases when that credit card’s logo is displayed on the tray with which the bill is prepared. Let’s break down the argument: Argument: Studies show that cash tips left by customers are larger when the bill is presented on a tray that bears a credit-card logo. Why would that be? Why would there be a difference in customer behavior when the tray has no logo from when the tray has a credit card logo? Psychologists’ hypothesize that seeing a credit-card logo reminds people of the spending power given by the credit card they carry (and that their spending power exceeds the actual cash they have right now). The question asks us to support the psychologists’ interpretation. And what is the psychologists’ interpretation of the studies? It is that seeing a logo reminds people of their own credit card status. Say we change the argument a little by adding a line: Argument: Studies show that cash tips left by customers are larger when the bill is presented on a tray that bears a credit-card logo. Patrons under financial pressure from credit-card obligations tend to tip less when presented with a restaurant bill on a tray with credit-card logo than when the tray has no logo. Now, does the psychologists’ interpretation make even more sense? The psychologists’ interpretation is only that “seeing a logo reminds people of their own credit card status.” The fact “that their spending power exceeds the cash they have right now” explains the higher tips. If we are given that some customers tip more upon seeing that card logo and some tip less upon seeing it, it makes sense, right? Different people have different credit card obligation status, hence, people are reminded of their own card obligation status and they tip accordingly. Answer choice B increases the probability that the psychologists’ interpretation is true because it tells you that in the cases of very high credit card obligations, customers tip less. This is what you would expect if the psychologists’ interpretation were correct. In simpler terms, the logic here is similar to the following situation: A: After 12 hours of night time sleep, I can’t study. B: Yeah, because your sleep pattern is linked to your level of concentration. After a long sleep, your mind is still muddled and lazy so you can’t study. A: After only 4 hrs of night time sleep, I can’t study either. Does B’s theory make sense? Sure! B’s theory is that “sleep pattern is linked to level of concentration.” If A sleeps too much, her concentration is affected. If she sleeps too little, again her concentration is affected. So B’s theory certainly makes more sense. Let’s now review answer choice E since it tends to confuse people: (E) The percentage of restaurant bills paid with given brand of credit card increases when that credit card’s logo is displayed on the tray with which the bill is prepared. This option supports the hypothesis that credit card logos remind people of their own card – not of their card obligations. The psychologists’ interpretation talks about the logo reminding people of their card status (high spending power or high obligations). Hence, this option is not correct. Now let’s examine the rest of the answer choices to see why they are also incorrect: (A) The effect noted in the studies is not limited to patrons who have credit cards. This argument is focused only on credit cards, not on credit cards and their logos, so this is irrelevant. (C) In virtually all of the cases in the studies, the patrons who paid bills in cash did not possess credit cards. This option questions the validity of the psychologists’ interpretation. Hence, this is also not correct. (D) In general, restaurant patrons who pay their bills in cash leave larger tips than do those who pay by credit card. This argument deals with people who have credit cards but are tipping by cash, hence this is also irrelevant. Therefore, our answer is B. We hope you see that if you approach GMAT questions logically and stick to the basics, it is not hard to interpret and solve them, even if they include information from an unfamiliar field. 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 How to Answer GMAT Questions That are About an Unfamiliar Topic appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
11 Jan 2017, 20:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: The New SAT vs. the ACT: A Simple Test Comparison |
 “Are ‘SAT’ and ‘ACT’ the same thing?” If you’ve been thinking about this question, you’re not alone. Many high school students are curious about the similarities between these two tests and how different they really are. A quick SAT-to-ACT comparison can help you to decide whether to take the new SAT, the ACT, or both. Scoring The scoring scales for the ACT versus new SAT are very different. The highest score you can earn on the ACT is a 36. There are four sections on the ACT, and you receive a raw score for each section, which is changed into a scaled score ranging from one to 36. Your final score is the average of your four scaled scores. On the other hand, the highest score you can achieve on the new SAT is 1600. You receive a subscore for each section of the new SAT, and your final score is the sum of your subscores. Math Questions When making an SAT-to-ACT comparison, you’ll find that both tests include questions on advanced math concepts such as geometry and trigonometry as well as algebra. Of course, knowledge of arithmetic is necessary on both tests. One difference between the two Math sections is that you’re given 60 minutes to complete 60 questions on the ACT and 80 minutes to complete 58 questions on the new SAT. You’re also allowed to use a calculator throughout the Math section on the ACT, but your calculator use is limited on the new SAT. Science Questions One major difference in the new SAT versus ACT test is that there’s no specific Science section on the new SAT. However, some of the skills you use in science class are tested in other sections on the new SAT. For instance, in the Math section you’re often asked to analyze the information given on a chart or graph, and the Reading section contains passages that cover science-related topics. The ACT does have a section of Science questions – earth science, chemistry, and biology are among the sciences found on the ACT. You must answer a total of 40 questions in 35 minutes in the Science section of the ACT. Reading Questions When making an SAT-vs.-ACT comparison, you’ll see that the Reading sections on both tests share a lot of similarities. The Reading sections on both exams feature several passages accompanied by questions. The SAT has five passages, while the ACT has four. In addition, the two tests share many of the same question types. For instance, they both have main idea, detail, vocabulary-in-context, and inference questions. In addition to those, the new SAT has data reasoning, technique, and evidence support questions. You’re given 35 minutes to finish 40 questions on the ACT and 65 minutes to finish 52 questions on the new SAT Reading section. Writing and English Tests There is a Writing & Language section on the new SAT that requires you to improve on phrases found within the given passages. There may be grammar or punctuation errors in the passage or problems with sentence structure. You’ll read the passage and select the better options for the underlined phrases. The ACT has an English section with passages that also contain underlined phrases. Your task is to find a better alternative to the phrase or, in some cases, select the “no change” option. Once again, there may be grammar errors or problems with punctuation, sentence structure, or organization. You are given 45 minutes to finish 75 questions in the English section on the ACT and 35 minutes to complete 44 Writing & Language questions on the new SAT. The Essay When it comes to the essay on the ACT vs. new SAT, both tests make this section optional. For the new SAT Essay section, you’re required to analyze an argument and offer evidence as to why the author’s argument is valid or invalid. Alternatively, the ACT Essay section presents you with three different perspectives on a particular issue, and your job is to evaluate each of them. On both essays, your score depends on your ability to organize your thoughts, present evidence, and convey your ideas in a clear way. Are “SAT” and “ACT” the same? In some ways, the answer is “yes,” but in many others, the answer is “no.” Regardless of which test you take, our professional instructors can help you practice for it. Look at our video tutorials and sign up for our in-person or online test prep courses today! Want to learn more about how the SAT and ACT differ? Attend one of our upcoming free live online SAT vs. ACT workshops to determine which exam is right for you. And be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! The post The New SAT vs. the ACT: A Simple Test Comparison appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
12 Jan 2017, 20:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: 4 Things to NOT Do When Waiting On an MBA Admissions Decision |
 One of the most nerve-racking times for MBA applicants is not before they submit their applications, but rather, is while they are waiting to hear back from their dream schools after they have sent in their application components. In fact, I firmly believe that more strange activity and anxiety manifests during the two months applicants spend waiting on their admissions decisions than during any other time of MBA application process. With this in mind, it is important to maintain your composure AND your sanity when handling your post-submission moves. Let’s explore a few things to avoid while you are waiting to receive your MBA admissions decision: 1) Read Message Boards: Online message boards and forums are often a good source of information from other like-minded individuals experiencing similar situations to yours during the application process. On the negative side, however, message boards can also encourage and exacerbate a fair amount of anxiety when it comes to waiting for your official admissions decision. Sometimes message boards become bastions for fear mongering and misinformation, and when coupled with the stress of the application process, this can manifest into some really irrational thoughts and behavior. I highly recommend avoiding these boards if possible while you are waiting on an admissions decision, especially around decision days when programs release their application decisions. 2) Unnecessarily Contact the Program: MBA admissions committees evaluate all touchpoints they have with a candidate. So just because your application has been submitted does not mean the non-application evaluation period is over. Avoid the temptation to call into the admissions offices of the business schools you have applied to asking questions about decision timelines or other publicly-available information. Keep in mind, MBA admissions officers receive tons of outreach from candidates all over the world, so although you think your question is unique and necessary, more than likely it is not. Use your discretion here when deciding whether to reach out or send additional information to schools, but keep in mind that a major part of being a good business person is judgment – make sure you use good judgement in deciding whether or not that outreach is truly necessary . 3) Slack Off at Work: For many business school applicants, it is easy to slack off on day-to-day work activities during MBA application season and divert all of one’s energy to crafting the perfect application, but anything can happen once an MBA application is submitted. Once you send your application to your schools of choice, it is a great time to double down on tasks in the office. Also, if you are not admitted to your school of choice, you may need to stay at your company longer than expected, in which case, you will want to continue to position yourself for success in your current role (especially if you plan to reapply to business school in future application cycles). 4) Get Into Trouble: This probably goes without saying, but keep yourself out of trouble while you are waiting for you MBA admissions decision to arrive. Post-application-submission is not the time to completely let loose. Keep your social media account clear (and private) and avoid any other problematic activity – it would be a shame to lose an admission to your dream school based on poor post-submission behavior. Remember, maintain your composure and positive behavior during that dreaded post-submission waiting period to avoid compromising a potential admission. 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 4 Things to NOT Do When Waiting On an MBA Admissions Decision appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
13 Jan 2017, 16:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: How Late is Too Late? Late College Applications and Admission |
 Most high school seniors who want to apply to college start the process around September or October. If they want their application considered for early decision, they start the process even sooner. The deadline for regular-decision college applications usually falls from January to mid-February. But what if a student misses the regular-decision deadline? Take a look at some considerations for students who want to submit a late college application as well as a few common reasons behind this decision: Reasons Why Students Are Late in Submitting College Applications Some high school students choose to direct all of their efforts toward improving their performance in second-semester courses. They want to present an impressive academic record to college officials. This sometimes causes them to miss regular application deadlines to colleges. As a result, they must submit a late college application to several schools. Another reason why some students find themselves looking for colleges with late deadlines is because they were thinking about taking a gap year. Unfortunately, by the time they made the decision to start college, the regular application deadline had passed. Other students submit late applications to colleges because they focus all of their attention on gaining admission into one particular school. If they don’t get into that school, they must start applying late to other colleges. Regardless of a student’s reasons, there are still options for those who miss the regular-decision deadline. At Veritas Prep, our online college admissions consultants are experts at guiding students through the process of applying to colleges. We provide them with transcript evaluations, tips on letters of recommendation, suggestions regarding extracurricular activities, and much more! Submitting Applications to Colleges with Late Deadlines One of the first things a student in this situation must do is find colleges that accept late applications. Fortunately, there are many late-admission colleges for students to choose from. Individuals who are submitting a late college application have to meet all of the same requirements as students who apply during the regular or early application periods. Students who need help with tuition costs must take note of the deadlines related to financial aid packages. In addition, students who are looking at late college application deadlines should inquire about the available student housing. Sometimes, all of the housing is taken by the time a student’s late application is accepted. Rolling Admissions vs. Late Admissions Some students have the impression that rolling admissions and late admissions are the same thing. This is not true. A college that participates in rolling admissions doesn’t have a concrete deadline for applications. They are accepted until every space in the freshman class is filled. Alternatively, late-admission colleges have a concrete deadline for students who apply after the regular-decision deadline has passed. A student who applies via rolling admissions is taking the risk that there will still be available spaces whenever their application arrives at the school. How to Make a Late Application Stand Out to College Officials An impressive admissions essay can help a student’s late application stand out from the crowd. At Veritas Prep, our professional consultants assist students with the prep work necessary to create an essay that is sure to be memorable to college officials. We give students writing strategies they can practice to make their essay all the more convincing. Our consultants worked in the admissions offices of top colleges across the country. As a result, they know what college officials are looking for when reading a student’s essay. A student who participated in some special extracurricular activities during their second semester in high school can highlight those on a late application. A student who dedicates their time and energy to a few extracurricular activities is sure to be a standout in a crowd of late applicants. Our staff at Veritas Prep has the experience and know-how to help students whether they are looking at late college application deadlines or regular-decision admissions. Students may want to try our College Chanculator to get an idea of their chances of getting into a specific college or university based on their qualifications. We have a variety of resources designed to make the college application process easier for students. Contact Veritas Prep and get started on the path to college today! Do you need more help navigating the college admissions process? 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 How Late is Too Late? Late College Applications and Admission appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
17 Jan 2017, 18:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: 4 Predictions for Test Prep and Admissions in 2017 |
 There goes another year. Seemingly no sooner than it started, 2016 has packed up and stormed off, leaving many dizzy in its wake. Now that 2017 is underway, it’s time to dust off the old Veritas Prep crystal ball and see what may be in store for 2017 in the worlds of test preparation and admissions. Odds are that we won’t be right on all of these — and we may even manage to get all four wrong — but let’s dig in and predict a few things that we expect to see in 2017: One-year MBA programs will reach a tipping point in the United States. For decades, one-year programs have been more popular in Europe than in the United States, although some prominent American programs, such as Kellogg, have moved to expand their one-year programs in recent years. With more and more articles appearing in the media about students and their families questioning the costs of higher education, accelerated programs will keep looking more and more appealing to applicants who don’t want to spend six figures on an MBA. The globalization of management graduate education will continue, and more American business schools will start to embrace what’s traditionally been a more Euro-flavored program type. Video prompts will become much more common in business school applications. Yes, we predicted this last year, and it didn’t quite come to fruition. But, schools are becoming more and more comfortable with video as a medium for learning about applicants, and — probably more importantly — applicants themselves mostly seem to be comfortable with video. In AIGAC’s 2016 MBA Applicant Survey, only 16% of applicants surveyed said that video responses were the most challenging part of the application. That’s far smaller than the percentage of applicants who said that standardized tests (61%) and written essays (46%) were the most challenging! Rotman, Yale, Kellogg, and McCombs have helped blaze a video trail that we expect others will soon follow. An Asia-scale cheating scandal will hit the SAT or ACT in the United States. News articles about standardized test cheating scandals like this one and this one seem to come out nearly every month. Much of the blame lies with the pressure that students — and especially their families — put on themselves to do well on these exams. It’s also greed. For every student that will do anything to do well on an exam, there’s a person or company who’s happy to take their money and do whatever it takes to give that student a leg up. Sometimes that means legally and ethically training that student to perform to the best of their ability, but many other times it means falsifying documents or providing students with live test questions for large sums of money. This kind of greed exists everywhere in the world, and it’s only a matter of time until a similar large-scale scandal happens in the U.S. Community colleges will gain a lot more recognition. Did you know that more than half of students who enroll in college first do so at a community college? Most Americans don’t know that, even though community colleges have been the engine that educates millions of Americans each year. We’ll see the federal government putting more emphasis on jobs and job training in the coming year, and community colleges are perfectly positioned to serve that role. While it remains to be seen whether community colleges get all of the funding they need to keep serving their mission, we expect that, at a minimum, they’ll start to get more recognition for the job they do to train and retrain America’s workforce. Happy New Year, everyone. We can’t wait to check back in 2018 and see how this year turned out! By Scott Shrum The post 4 Predictions for Test Prep and Admissions in 2017 appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
18 Jan 2017, 19:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Quarter Wit, Quarter Wisdom: Solving the Pouring Water Puzzle |
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Some time back, we came across a GMAT Data Sufficiency word problem question based on the “pouring water puzzle”. That made us think that it is probably a good idea to be comfortable with the various standard puzzle types. From this week on, we will look at some fundamental puzzles to acquaint ourselves with these mind benders in case we encounter them on test day. Today, we will look at the popular “pouring water puzzle”. You may remember a similar puzzle from the movie Die Hard with a Vengeance, where Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson had to diffuse a bomb by placing a 4 gallon jug of water on a set of scales. Here is the puzzle: You have a 3- and a 5-liter water container – each container has no markings except for that which gives us its total volume. We also have a running tap. We must use the containers and the tap in such a way that we measure out exactly 4 liters of water. How can this be done? Don’t worry that this question is not written in a traditional GMAT format! We need to worry only about the logic behind the puzzle – we can then answer any question about it that is given in any GMAT format. Let’s break down what we are given. We have only two containers – one of 3-liter and the other of 5-liter capacity. The containers have absolutely no markings on them other than those which give us the total volumes, i.e. the markings for 3 liters and 5 liters respectively. There is no other container. We also have a tap/faucet of running water, so basically, we have an unlimited supply of water. Environmentalists may not like my saying this, but this fact means we can throw out water when we need to and just refill again. Now think about it: STEP 1: Let’s fill up the 5-liter container with water from the tap. Now we are at (5, 0), with 5 being the liters of water in the 5-liter container, and 0 being the liters of water in the 3-liter container. STEP 2: Now, there is nothing we can do with this water except transfer it to the 3-liter container (there is no other container and throwing out the water will bring us back to where we started). After we fill up the 3-liter container, we are left with 2 liters of water in the 5-liter container. This brings us to (2, 3). STEP 3: We gain nothing from transferring the 3 liters of water back to 5-liter container, so let’s throw out the 3 liters that are in the 3-liter container. Because we just threw out the water from the 3-liter container, we will gain nothing by simply refilling it with 3 liters of water again. So now we are at (2, 0). STEP 4: The next logical step is to transfer the 2 liters of water we have from the 5-liter container to the 3-liter container. This means the 3-liter container has space for 1 liter more until it reaches its maximum volume mark. This brings us to (0, 2). STEP 5: Now fill up the 5-liter container with water from the tap and transfer 1 liter to the 3-liter container (which previously had 2 liters of water in it). This means we are left with 4 liters of water in the 5-liter container. Now we are at (4, 3). This is how we are able to separate out exactly 4 liters of water without having any markings on the two containers. We hope you understand the logic behind solving this puzzle. Let’s take a look at another question to help us practice: We are given three bowls of 7-, 4- and 3-liter capacity. Only the 7-liter bowl is full of water. Pouring the water the fewest number of times, separate out the 7 liters into 2, 2, and 3 liters (in the three bowls). This question is a little different in that we are not given an unlimited supply of water. We have only 7 liters of water and we need to split it into 2, 2 and 3 liters. This means we can neither throw away any water, nor can we add any water. We just need to work with what we have. We start off with (7, 0, 0) – with 7 being the liters of water in the 7-liter bowl, the first 0 being the liters of water in the 4-liter bowl, and the second 0 being the liters of water in the 3-liter bowl – and we need to go to (2, 2, 3). Let’s break this down: STEP 1: The first step would obviously be to pour water from the 7-liter bowl into the 4-liter bowl. Now you will have 3 liters of water left in the 7-liter bowl. We are now at (3, 4, 0). STEP 2: From the 4-liter bowl, we can now pour water into the 3-liter bowl. Now we have 1 liter in the 4-liter bowl, bringing us to (3, 1, 3). STEP 3: Empty out the 3-liter bowl, which is full, into the 7-liter bowl for a total of 6 liters – no other transfer makes sense [if we transfer 1 liter of water to the 7-liter bowl, we will be back at the (4, 0, 3) split, which gives us nothing new]. This brings us to (6, 1, 0). STEP 4: Shift the 1 liter of water from the 4-liter bowl to the 3-liter bowl. We are now at (6, 0, 1). STEP 5: From the 7-liter bowl, we can now shift 4 liters of water into the 4-liter bowl. This leaves us with with 2 liters of water in the 7-liter bowl. Again, no other transfer makes sense – pouring 1 liter of water into some other bowl takes us back to a previous step. This gives us (2, 4, 1). STEP 6: Finally, pour water from the 4-liter bowl into the 3-liter bowl to fill it up. 2 liters will be shifted, bringing us to (2, 2, 3). This is what we wanted. We took a total of 6 steps to solve this problem. At each step, the point is to look for what helps us advance forward. If our next step takes us back to a place at which we have already been, then we shouldn’t take it. Keeping these tips in mind, we should be able to solve most of these pouring water puzzles in the future! 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: Solving the Pouring Water Puzzle appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
19 Jan 2017, 13:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Can I Apply to College as a High School Junior? |
 The traditional path to college involves four years of high school. Most people picture college-bound high school Seniors going to prom, attending parties, and spending a lot of time with their friends. But what about high school students who have different plans for themselves? Some ambitious students might ask, “Can you apply to college as a Junior in high school?” The answer is yes. You can apply to college during Junior year. Discover some important details for students who want to forgo their Senior year in high school and move straight on to college: What to Do Before Applying to College as a Junior in High School Whether a student is a Senior or a Junior, they must fulfill the same requirements when submitting applications to colleges. Juniors in high school have to pay special attention to the various deadlines of the colleges they are applying to. This means they have to make a detailed timeline that allows them to take the SAT or ACT in plenty of time to submit their scores by the required deadline. In addition, the student must submit an application, official transcripts, an application essay, letters of recommendation, as well as any other materials required by college admissions officials by the advertised deadline. It’s a good idea for high school Juniors to look at the specific application materials required by the colleges they are applying to. Generally, students can find a list of required materials on a college’s website. Having this information helps a Junior to create a reliable timeline of things to do. Who to Talk to Before Applying to College as a Junior in High School Juniors in high school who are applying to college may feel overwhelmed by all they have to do in order to achieve their goal of getting into school early. One tip is to enlist the help of a high school counselor. This professional can handle the logistics involved with helping a Junior apply to college. In addition, our online college admissions consultants at Veritas Prep have the know-how and resources to assist ambitious high school Juniors who want to start their college career early. Our consultants have worked in the admissions offices of the country’s top colleges, so they know the ins and outs of the admissions process. Students who sign up with Veritas Prep benefit from the experience of our consultants. The Advantages of Applying to College as a Junior One of the main advantages of applying to college as a Junior in high school is that students can begin delving into the subjects they are most interested in. For instance, a Junior who is anxious to start on the path toward becoming a physician doesn’t need to delay those plans for an additional year – they can simply skip Senior year in high school and start on that path. Another advantage is that the person will likely graduate from college sooner than expected. This gives the individual more time to spend on their chosen vocation. Most Juniors who apply to college are anxious to get started on their future plans. The Drawbacks of Applying to College as a Junior A drawback of applying to college as a Junior in high school is that a student doesn’t have an opportunity to include more accomplishments in their college applications. Alternatively, a Senior in high school has the chance to improve their final grade point average, take extra courses, and participate in more extracurricular activities. In addition, a Senior in high school can learn new strategies from Veritas Prep and retake the SAT or ACT to earn a higher score, whereas a Junior is on a tight schedule to prep for these exams. They must prepare by taking practice tests and then register to take the actual test. The student’s SAT or ACT scores must be submitted to colleges without delay. So can you apply to college as a Junior in high school? Yes, you can, and our capable staff at Veritas Prep stands ready to assist you in accomplishing that goal! From SAT and ACT tutoring to college admissions consulting, we are ready to be of help. Contact our team today to learn more about our services designed to assist ambitious students like you! Do you need more help navigating the college admissions process? 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 Can I Apply to College as a High School Junior? appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
20 Jan 2017, 20:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Learn from the First Moon Landing: Avoid Using Technical Details in Your MBA Essays |
 The new movie, Hidden Figures, rightly shines light on the roles played by the mathematicians who helped the United States catch up to Russia in the Space Race and eventually land on the moon in 1969. This accomplishment was politically significant at that time as it was a show of technological prowess between the bitter Cold War rivals. “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Most of us are familiar with this quote and can still hear the words clearly in our heads. We can also vividly recall astronaut Neil Armstrong taking his first steps on the moon and planting an American flag. These iconic words and images are what the general public recalls of this event, and what inspires young kids growing up today to dream of becoming astronauts or scientists. The breakthrough mathematical, technological, and research milestones that were necessary to reach this point, however, are only recalled by a limited audience (even though they created the foundation for this defining moment). Just like the mathematical accomplishments highlighted in Hidden Figures were long forgotten by society, technical details that you mention in your business school essays may be hard for the Admissions Committee of your dream school to grasp. Let’s examine two key ways you can avoid this problem: Create interest with highlights that appeal to the senses. Applicants from technical fields are often so immersed in their specializations that industry jargon litter their essays; they forget to write these terms with context that non-industry readers will be able to appreciate. One way to avoid this issue is to quantify this technical language in terms of monetary equivalents (e.g. dollar amounts), percentages or ranks to show scale of responsibilities and accomplishments. However, making the leap towards using imagery in your writing that complements these achievements will make your essays even more powerful. Always use the opportunity your MBA essays give you to show how your work has impacted other people. For instance, you can share how your accomplishments in the workplace have helped people learn new skills, save time, or be safer, rather than simply listing your technical day to day activities. Make your story more relatable by sharing your relationships. No matter what blockbuster movie you see – whether it’s about an inter-galaxy war or an animated underwater adventure – interpersonal relationships always drive the story. Even historical accounts of world events or biographies take cinematic license to play up personal aspects of the protagonists’ life stories. Thus, when you write your essays, be aware that mentioning relationships is one way to make your stories come to life. Readers are interested in humans, so detailing relationships you have made while in the workplace will help your profile become more relatable and display empathy towards others. This can be done by describing the way you have handled challenges on projects or how you have collaborated with others towards shared accomplishments — these stories should not be ignored. Rather than utilizing all the essay space you are given for the financial details of the deal you executed or the legal intricacies of the contract you negotiated, make sure you share how you grew from these experiences. You could also include the lessons learned and how these experiences have helped you become a better leader, or simply a better person. Follow these tips and your MBA application essay will become a more compelling and relatable piece to read. 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. You can read more articles by him here. The post Learn from the First Moon Landing: Avoid Using Technical Details in Your MBA Essays appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
23 Jan 2017, 14:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: How to Start Studying for the GRE |
 Most students who intend to go to graduate school understand that taking the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is an important step in the process. But, many of them wonder how to start studying for the GRE. At Veritas Prep, we offer online courses that help students prepare for this critical exam. Here are some valuable tips for students as they begin the process of studying for the GRE. Complete a Practice Exam Students who are wondering how to start studying for the GRE can take a step in the right direction by completing a practice test. Doing this allows them to see the type of material that’s on GRE. For example, they can get a sneak preview of the types of geometry and algebra questions on the Quantitative section of the exam. Also, students have their reading comprehension and vocabulary skills tested in the Verbal Reasoning section. The Analytical Writing section requires students to write two essays. One of them is an issue piece while the other is an argument essay. After finishing a practice GRE, students can look at the results of the test to gain insight on what skills they need to improve. Identify Weaknesses and Strengths on the GRE Students working with one of our Veritas Prep instructors have the advantage of reviewing the results of their practice test with an expert. A student who needs to brush up on his geometry skills can learn lots of practical tips from his instructor to make geometry questions more manageable. Alternatively, a student who needs help in the area of reading comprehension can garner strategies from her instructor that serve to simplify lengthy written passages. Practice test results are invaluable for a student who wants to make the most efficient use of his or her study time. Practice test results also reveal a student’s strengths. Understandably, this portion of the test results can give some students a much needed confidence boost! Implement Test-Taking Strategies Taking more than one practice test is valuable for students who sign up for the GRE. Studying tips and strategies learned at Veritas Prep can be put into practice. One test-taking strategy involves eliminating answer options. Since many of the questions on the GRE are in multiple choice form, this strategy can prove very useful on test day. For example, there are several questions in the Verbal Reasoning section that ask students to identify the pair of words that would make the most sense if plugged into a particular sentence. A student starts by reading the sentence and then looks at all of the answer options. In many cases, a student will see a pair of words that have nothing to do with the subject matter in the sentence – this answer option can be eliminated right away. Eliminating options helps students to focus their concentration on the most valid choices. Enhance Study Time Using Various Resources When studying for the GRE, students can use aids to help them strengthen various skills. For instance, it’s a good idea for students to make flashcards to learn vocabulary words found in the Verbal Reasoning section of the test. A student must find lists of vocabulary words that are likely to be on the GRE. Next, he or she creates a flashcard for each unfamiliar word and its definition. Students who quiz themselves every day with five or ten flashcards are able to absorb a reasonable number of new words each week. Newspapers and magazines are other study aids that help students to prep for the GRE. Students who get into the habit of reading newspaper and magazine articles are likely to encounter some of the vocabulary words they are learning for the GRE. Seeing these words in context is tremendously helpful to a student who is trying to remember them for the test. Geometry and algebra textbooks are other examples of useful study aids. Students can complete various exercises in the textbook to sharpen their skills in these areas. Finally, our professional instructors can be invaluable to students preparing for the GRE. Studying tips, strategies, and encouragement are just three of the things that we offer to our students at Veritas Prep. We are happy to answer questions about our services and encourage students to contact our team with inquiries about our online GRE prep classes. Students who sign up with Veritas Prep are giving themselves an advantage on the GRE. Want to jump-start your GRE preparation? Register to attend one of our upcoming free online GRE Strategy Sessions or check out our variety of GRE Course and Private Tutoring options. And as always, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! The post How to Start Studying for the GRE appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
24 Jan 2017, 18:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Quarter Wit, Quarter Wisdom: Solving the Weighing and Balancing Puzzle |
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Let’s continue the discussion on puzzles that we began last week. Today we look at another kind of puzzle – weighing multiple objects using a two-pan balance while we are given a limited number of times to weight the objects against each other. First of all, do we understand what a two-pan balance looks like? Here is a picture. As you can see, it has two pans that will be even if the weights in them are equal. If one pan has heavier objects in it, that pan will go down due to the weight. With this in mind, let’s try our first puzzle: One of twelve coins is a bit lighter than the other 11 (which have the same weight). How would you identify this lighter coin if you could use a two-pan balance scale only 3 times? (You can only balance one set of coins against another, i.e. you have no weight measurements.) There are various ways in which we can solve this. We are given 12 coins, all of same weight, except one which is a bit lighter. Let’s split the coins into two groups of 6 coins each and put them in the two pans. Since there is one lighter coin, one pan will be lighter than the other and will rise higher. So now we know that one of these 6 coins is the lighter coin. Now split these 6 coins into another two groups of 3 coins each. Again, one pan will rise higher since it will have the lighter coin on it. Now we know that one of these three coins is the lighter coin. Now what do we do? We have 3 coins and we cannot split them equally. What we can do is put one coin in each pan. What happens if the pans are not balanced? Then we know the pan that rises higher has the lighter coin on it (and thus, we have identified our coin). But what if both pans are balanced? The catch is that then the leftover coin is the lighter one! In any case, we would be able to identify the lighter coin using this strategy. We hope you understand the logic here. Now let’s try another puzzle: One of 9 coins is a bit lighter than the other 8. How would you identify this lighter coin if you could use a two-pan balance scale only 2 times? Now we can use the balance only twice, and we are given an odd number of coins so we cannot split them evenly. Recall what we did in the first puzzle when we had an odd number of coins – we put one coin aside. What should we do here? Can we try putting 1 coin aside and splitting the rest of the 8 coins into two groups of 4 each? We can but once we have a set of 4 coins that contain the lighter coin, we will still need 2 more weighings to isolate the light coin, and we only have a total of 2 weighings to use. Instead, we should split the 9 coins into 3 groups of 3 coins each. If we put one group aside and put the other two groups into the two pans of the scale, we will be able to identify the group which has the lighter coin. If one pan rises up, then that pan is holding the lighter coin; if the pans weight the same, then the group put aside has the lighter coin in it. Now the question circles back to the strategy we used in the first puzzle. We have 3 coins, out of which one is lighter than the others, and we have only one chance left to weigh the coins. Just like in the first puzzle, we can put one coin aside and weigh the other two against each other – if one pan rises, it is holding the lighter coin, otherwise the coin put aside is the lighter coin! Thus, we were able to identify the lighter coin in just two weighings. Can you use the same method to answer the first puzzle now? We will leave you with a final puzzle: On a Christmas tree there were two blue, two red, and two white balls. All seemed the same, however in each color pair, one ball was heavier. All three lighter balls weighed the same, just like all three heavier balls weighed the same. Using a 2-pan balance scale only twice, identify the lighter balls. Can you solve this problem using the strategies above? Let us know in the comments! 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: Solving the Weighing and Balancing Puzzle appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
25 Jan 2017, 13:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Tips on How to Start College on the Right Foot |
 Excitement, nervousness, and curiosity are just three of the emotions felt by a college freshman in late summer. Most students who are preparing to start college want to do everything they can to set a positive tone for the school year. Fortunately, there are several steps that students can take to accomplish this goal. Take a look at some practical tips for how to start college on the right foot: Walk the Campus It’s important for new students to arrive early to each class on the first day. This gives them the opportunity to choose a seat and relax a little bit before class begins. So a few days before school starts, it’s a good idea for students to get a campus map and walk to the buildings where their classes will be held. It may also be helpful to make notes on the map regarding the route. Knowing exactly where to go can reduce a student’s stress level on the first day of class. Create a Study Schedule Creating a study schedule is one of the most effective tips for starting college on a positive note. Once a student receives their course schedule, it’s time to create a study plan. Ideally, a student should dedicate the same amount of study time to every course. But once school starts, students may have to adjust their study schedule to focus more time on challenging courses. It’s important for students to make efficient use of the free time they have during weekdays. For instance, say a student has just two classes on Monday and Wednesday that both take place in the morning. This gives them the opportunity to schedule study time on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. Not surprisingly, a student’s study schedule may experience frequent adjustments throughout the semester. Record Important Dates Lots of students who are starting college have a full schedule of courses, sports activities, club meetings, and social events. As a result, they can sometimes lose track of important dates related to various assignments, tests, etc. One of the most helpful tips for starting college on a good note is to compile all critical dates in one place. Students can use their smartphone, a wall calendar, or even a desk calendar to help them in this process. After getting a syllabus from each professor on the first day of class, students can transfer the important due dates onto their virtual or paper calendar. With a quick check of the calendar, students can see quiz and test dates as well as due dates for papers. Those who get organized at the beginning of the school year are setting themselves up for academic success! Get to Know Professors Students wondering how to start college on the right foot can make a point of introducing themselves to their professors. Whether a class is held in an auditorium with 100-plus students or takes place in a small classroom with 12 individuals, it’s a good idea for students to get to know their professors. A student may go up to their professor after the first class, give their name, and ask a question about a chapter in the textbook. As a result, the professor knows who the student is and will likely recognize them again if they want to discuss a quiz grade or ask for clarification on an assignment. Professors appreciate students who are diligent about their work and ask questions that can help them get more out of the course material. Students who start college with enthusiasm are putting themselves in the right state of mind. Our staff at Veritas Prep understands the importance of starting college on the right foot. We prep high school students for college by teaching them effective strategies they can apply on any section of the SAT or ACT. We also review practice tests with them to pinpoint skills that need improvement. This enables them to submit their best performance on the SAT or on the ACT, which can expand their options when it comes time to apply to college. Our professional admissions consultants have firsthand experience with what college officials across the country are looking for when they evaluate student applications. We use our expert resources to help students as they prepare to send applications to the top colleges in the United States. We are proud to offer students knowledgeable online instruction, expert guidance, and much more as they pursue their goal of higher education. Do you need more help navigating the college admissions process? 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 Tips on How to Start College on the Right Foot appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
26 Jan 2017, 21:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: How to Successfully Ask for an MBA Admissions Deferral |
 A deferral is when an applicant is admitted to an MBA program they plan to attend but they desire to delay their matriculation to a later date due to some sort of extenuating circumstance. (This is different than the official deferred enrollment programs that are offered at some schools, such as the HBS 2+2 Program, which you can read about here.) A big part of applying to business school is affirming why right now is the ideal time for you to pursue your MBA, so when a candidate asks for a deferral, it kind of flies in the face of that statement. As such, deferrals are often difficult to secure at most top MBA programs. Generally, when deferrals are secured at top schools, it is due to personal illnesses, deaths or illnesses in the family, or military deployment – essentially, extreme circumstances that are outside of the control of the admit. Financial or work related deferrals are more commonly requested, but they are also less commonly approved. If you feel that you really need a deferral for one of these reasons by all means request one, just know the odds of the deferral being granted will not be in your favor. If you are going to make the request to have your business school admission deferred, see if you can have a conversation about your situation with the Admissions Committee in-person, or at least on the phone, rather than over email. This will add a personal element to your request and increase the chance that the Admissions Committee will make their decision in your favor. It also helps if you can position the reason for your deferral as a once in a life time opportunity while reaffirming your commitment to pursuing an MBA at that particular school the following year, and reminding the Admissions Committee of how you will be able to offer more to the student community upon your eventual matriculation. Remember this is a difficult decision for the Admissions Committee as well. If the school admitted you, then they are invested in you becoming a part of their community, so engaging in discussions around a deferral is equally challenging for the Admissions Committee. Make sure to follow up your conversation with the Admissions Committee via email, and include a special thank you for their consideration as well as a reminder of the above notes, as this request is ultimately outside of the typical application process. The best thing you can do when engaging in the process of requesting an MBA deferral is to be humble. Remember, you are making a BIG request that the school does not need to grant you. Being humble and appreciative of the consideration you are receiving can only help your chances. It is important to enter this process understanding the limited odds you have to actually secure a deferral, so follow the tips above to increase your chances, and make sure you are properly evaluating whether the alternative to matriculating in the year you applied is worth the overall hassle. 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 How to Successfully Ask for an MBA Admissions Deferral appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
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