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08 Dec 2015, 13:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: 3 Ways to Be a Successful Writer in College |
 As you might expect, writing in college is very different from writing in high school. There are different types of assignments, different expectations, different grading, and different time structures. Yes, writing is still writing, but both the process and the end result are quite distinctive. In high school, writing assignments are usually clearly defined. There are set topics and set ways to format the essay. The expectation in high school is that you will be able to effectively regurgitate other people’s ideas and research, with your own opinion relegated to a background role. On the other hand, college assignments are often quite open ended. Gone are the days of uniform essay prompts and hand-holding guides to walk you through your paper! Professors will also expect their students to develop their own unique arguments and justifications for those arguments. Oh, and not to mention, college papers can be really long! If this sounds scary to you, don’t worry; it’s not so bad. Writing in college can actually be really fun. Just because college writing is different doesn’t mean you won’t be able to handle it. If you do need some help making the leap, here are some ways to make the transition from high school to college writing as smooth as can be: 1. Be confident in your own opinions. As 18-year olds talking about ideas that the big time academics have debated for years, there is a tendency to defer to the bigwigs’ thoughts and research. Describing instead of evaluating is a hallmark of a young, unconfident writer. In college, this won’t fly; instead, you need to stake out your own positions and defend them with your own crisp reasoning. You can use scholarly research to inform your opinions, but ultimately a good college paper hinges on proposing a unique, critically developed argument. 2. Make concrete plans – with incentives. The lack of structure on college writing assignments can be disconcerting. Sometimes professors will hand out essay topics one day and not mention the paper again until the day you hand it in. In order to avoid waiting around for help (that likely won’t come unless you seek it out…) and stressfully leaving it for the last day (trust me, it’s a bad idea…), it’s crucial that you make a writing plan and stick to it. Plan out when you’ll research. Plan out when you’ll take notes. Plan out when you’ll make an outline. Plan out when you’ll write the final essay. In short, plan! Writing your plan down, in a planner, scheduler, or your online calendar, is a good way to make it more concrete. Finally, take a hard look at yourself and realize what incentive you need to stick to your plan. Some people reward themselves with nice meals for accomplishing their goals. Other people force themselves to give away money if they fall behind. Find what works for you, and hold yourself to it! 3. Take advantage of all the writing resources at your disposal. It can often seem like you’re all on your own for papers in college. This lack of structure and aid is understandably scary. But never fear! There are always people to help you out, if you’re brave enough to seek them out. You can go to your professor’s office hours to bounce ideas off of her. You can meet with TA’s for more specific questions about content, style, and structure. If you’re lucky, your college will have a writing center that works with students on their writing assignments. If you did get this lucky (or were smart and chose a college that provided writing aid to students), definitely take advantage of this. The more smart people you have looking at your essay, the better the final product will be. Once you start searching around, you’ll find plenty of people willing and eager to help you out. As long as you’re confident, disciplined, and willing to seek out help, success in college writing is right within your grasp! Are you starting to work on your college applications? We can help! Visit our College Admissions website and fill out our FREE College profile evaluation! By Aidan Calvelli |
09 Dec 2015, 12:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Applying to Business School in Round 2 or Round 3 |
 With precious little time between the release of the applications from business schools and the application deadlines in the first round (or even earlier for early decision rounds) we often see clients vexing over whether or not to push off an application to subsequent rounds. Now that second round MBA deadlines are upon us, there are natural questions about whether this wait was a good strategy, a bad strategy, or a neutral decision. It’s widely considered by business school admissions teams and MBA admissions consultants that the first round is the best round in which to apply. The reasoning for this is that all the seats are open (save for early commitment admissions offers), and many schools are, in general, more liberal in offering admission since they don’t have any existing classmates to compare applicants against yet. Business schools have a strong need and desire to fill every seat each year, so they are reluctant to turn down qualified applicants for fear they will come up short in the end. Having said this, they will still certainly utilize the waitlist for marginal candidates. Additionally, the applicant in Round 1 is generally stronger overall, but there are fewer applicants in this round than in Round 2. There are even fewer applicants in Round 3, but also far fewer seats left. This brings up one of the conundrums of applying in Round 2. While there are still plenty of seats left (business schools know that while busy, type A achievers generally hit Round 1, they are not always ready to go in this round and so they set aside seats for Round 2), at this point, you are not only competing against other Round 2 applicants, but also against everyone on the waitlist from Round 1. Strong applicants find it just as seamless to get an MBA admissions offer in Round 2 vs. Round 1, but marginal candidates (meaning they have weaknesses in their application attributes) find it more difficult to apply and be accepted in Round 2. More waitlist offers are sent out for Round 2 as well. For the same reasons as above, the dreaded third round is certainly the most difficult to navigate successfully. If you get in Round 3 you are either a truly exceptional candidate, or you have something so unique about your story or background that you fill a niche or round out an almost full class. If you are a marginal candidate , it is an extreme long-shot to get into business school in Round 3. As always, however, there are caveats. Firstly, if you were not ready to submit your application in Round 1, by all means send it in by Round 2. It’s better to put your best foot forward than to jump in before the application is polished and good to go, but going past Round 2 could be very challenging. One more caveat – if you had some kind of impressive or career-impacting event that did not transpire until after the Round 1 or Round 2 deadlines, but you feel will it would help your candidacy, it can be a good idea to wait. That international assignment in the fall or that better score on the GMAT may be just the thing to push you into favor. Submitting a better application is always the trump card. Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or click here to take our Free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation! As always, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter. Bryant Michaels has over 25 years of professional post undergraduate experience in the entertainment industry as well as on Wall Street with Goldman Sachs. He served on the admissions committee at the Fuqua School of Business where he received his MBA and now works part time in retirement for a top tier business school. He has been consulting with Veritas Prep clients for the past six admissions seasons. See more of his articles here. |
09 Dec 2015, 16:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: SAT Tip of the Week: Plan Months Ahead, Not Weeks Ahead! |
 My experience as an SAT private tutor for Veritas Prep has taught me many things beyond the core strategies that students need to learn to succeed on the test. Of course, the strategies we teach in our SAT courses are essential for success, but I have learned that many other additional factors will affect the degree of success and the amount of improvement that a student will be able to achieve on the SAT. One of the biggest keys to maximum success, I have found, is to plan months ahead, so that it is possible to spread out the tutoring sessions over a period of months, not just weeks! The total amount of tutoring hours is important, of course, but those tutoring hours and sessions are most effective when they are spread out over a decent period of time, so that the student is able to pace herself or himself appropriately. For example, two 2-hour sessions per week is a good pace – at that pace, a student can receive 36 hours of tutoring over a period of 9 weeks, or about 2 months. Tutoring at such a pace is much more effective than trying to cram a large number of hours into a couple weeks, or a few weekends. The difference is that by studying the right way, the time between tutoring sessions will be able to play a valuable role in the student’s learning process because:
Our vocabulary memorization strategies emphasize the importance of studying vocabulary every day, and especially of reviewing previous vocabulary words every day. This is because every day (and overnight), a person’s brain is processing and re-processing all the things he or she learned and studied – vocabulary a student studies sinks more deeply and more firmly into his or her memory the more days he or she reviews it. The same process occurs with the material from each tutoring session sinking into the student’s brain. There is no substitute for at least a few days of studying – and especially, a few nights’ sleep – to give the student’s brain time to fully digest each lesson. Dear families of prospective tutoring students: please plan months ahead, so that you give the student and his or her tutor the period of time they need to arrange a schedule of tutoring sessions at an appropriate and steady pace. Your advance planning will pay off big time with the student’s test score improvement! Still need to take the SAT? We run a free online SAT prep seminar every few weeks. And, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! Geoffrey Caveney is a Veritas Prep SAT Instructor in New York City. He received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University. In addition to SAT tutoring, Geoff has extensive experience teaching and coaching chess players. Chess taught Geoff that the right psychological mindset is just as important as the right strategies, and he brings this and other insights to his SAT tutoring. |
09 Dec 2015, 17:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: How to Ace Your Business School Group Interview |
 We all know that the last step in the business school admissions process is often the most stressful: the admissions interview. Well, some schools are adding a new, daunting wrinkle to this already difficult step, the group interview. One of the first schools to really popularize the group interview is the University of Michigan Ross School Of Business. For anyone applying to Ross or a different business school that offers a group interview, let’s break it down and offer some advice for how to succeed in a group interview. First of all, it’s important to note that Ross doesn’t define their interview as a “group interview.” They call it a “team based activity,” the goal of which is to “give the admissions committee insight into your teamwork, interpersonal and communication skills.” How does this group activity work? The process is well laid out by Ross’ Admissions Director Soojin Kwon: “Applicants who are invited to interview will have the option to participate in a team exercise. Participants will be randomly assigned to a group of 4 – 6 people. They will engage in a 30 minute interactive exercise. The first ten minutes will be introductions and an ice breaker. During the next 20 minutes, participants will work together to develop a three minute “presentation” that incorporates a set of randomly distributed words. A member of the admissions committee will observe the team’s interaction and discussion. Their focus will be on how you work and communicate in a team setting. No advance preparation is necessary, and no business knowledge is expected.” So, how can you succeed in your own MBA group interview? First of all, don’t panic! You can’t game the interview, or figure out how you can “crack” it or really even prepare much for it other than having a basic game plan of what you want to do when you go in. What should you do? Be a team player! Communicate well. Listen! Don’t think you can dominate the discussion and the admissions committee will be blown away by your leadership skills. Support your team mates. Encourage them. Celebrate great ideas. Don’t be afraid to take a “follower” role and let someone else be the “leader” for a bit. One of the big focus areas at Ross right now is positivity, so keep that in mind throughout the process, whether you are applying to Ross or a different MBA program – you want to be a positive member of the team. You want to be a positive leader. You want to bring more to the team and you don’t want to take anything away or cause any negative interactions. The good news, for some, is that the team activity/group interview is optional right now. So don’t worry if you can’t make it to campus or one of the international locations for the event. If you can make it work, however, you absolutely should – it’s important to have as many positive interactions with admissions committee members as you can. It will also give you a great chance to check out the campus and meet other potential students. And don’t forget to use the tips above to make it a successful team activity. Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or click here to take our Free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation! As always, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter. |
10 Dec 2015, 11:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Exactly How Strict are MBA Essay Word Limits? |
 Two good rules of thumb when writing application essays for business school is to 1) answer the question and 2) stick to the word limits. If you have tried your hand yet at writing these essays, however, you have probably noticed it’s a bit difficult to hit that word limit precisely. This can send applicants into quite a tailspin as they tweak and edit for hours on end trying to whittle or expand that essay in order to maximize the allowable number of words. You should know that the word limits on applicants’ essays are rarely exact. I have personally read hundreds of essays, both as an admissions consultant and also as an admissions committee member for a top five business school, and again I reiterate: essays rarely hit the number on the head. Having said that, each year I also see the type of MBA applicant who finds it very important to use the exact number of allowable words, so occasionally, I will see a 400 word essay that has just that – exactly 400 words. What you should realize is that the admissions committee is not going to be impressed by this. In fact, they rarely even count the words in your essay. The word limit was not invented to see if you can hit it exactly, but rather to give you a guideline for how much information to give them. If not for guidelines, the admissions committee would receive volumes of data from over-eager candidates who want to tell their life-story. So if you are the type of person who prides him or herself on being exact, then by all means, craft your essays to the letter, but know that most MBA admissions committees will agree that plus or minus 5% of the total word limit is acceptable. While they may or may not be counting the words, they do indeed notice when essays begin to venture outside of this buffer, and you don’t want to communicate that you can’t follow instructions. One last tip is to look at the overall word count of an application package and apply the same +/- 5% rule. So if you go over on one essay, try to hit or come under on another. Give and take is a good strategy so you are not perceived as taking advantage of the reader. Ultimately, the most important thing is to give them the information you feel is vital to a positive admissions decision, and if you do it within this buffer, you won’t call your decision making abilities into question. Good luck! Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or click here to take our Free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation! As always, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter. Bryant Michaels has over 25 years of professional post undergraduate experience in the entertainment industry as well as on Wall Street with Goldman Sachs. He served on the admissions committee at the Fuqua School of Business where he received his MBA and now works part time in retirement for a top tier business school. He has been consulting with Veritas Prep clients for the past six admissions seasons. See more of his articles here. |
10 Dec 2015, 11:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: ACT Scores to Get Into an Ivy League School |
 It’s likely that any high school student who wants to apply to several Ivy League colleges knows that these exclusive schools have especially high standards. For instance, an applicant must have impressive SAT scores and a well-written admissions essay along with glowing letters of recommendation. Students who are applying to these schools must be able to achieve high ACT scores for Ivy Leagues. These eight schools see an excellent ACT score as one indication that a student will be able to excel in challenging courses. Consider the typical ACT scores for Ivy League college students and learn what you can do to perform well on this difficult exam. A Look at the ACT What is the ACT? The ACT is a standardized test that gauges a student’s skills in the subjects of math, reading, science, and English. The results of the ACT reveal a student’s understanding of high-school-level material. An impressive ACT score means that a student has grasped high school work and is ready to move on to more challenging material. The ACT is usually taken during a student’s junior year of high school. Taking the ACT during junior year allows a student plenty of time to retake the test if necessary. Also, most high school students want to take the ACT during their junior year so they can tackle the SAT in their senior year. Ivy League Schools and High ACT Scores When it comes to ACT scores, Ivy League college applicants should earn a score of at least 32. The highest possible score on the ACT is 36 and a score of less than 31 is not likely to earn a student a place in the Ivy League. ACT scores are important, but they aren’t the only thing taken into consideration by Ivy League schools. Admissions officials also look at a student’s academic performance during all four years of high school. They take special notice of students who sign up for challenging courses. A student who takes on the challenge of more difficult material is demonstrating an intellectual curiosity and an enthusiasm for learning. These are both important qualities in an incoming freshman. In addition, Ivy League admissions officials pay attention to a student’s extracurricular activities, including sports teams, clubs, volunteer work, and more. They like to see students who dedicate themselves to worthwhile pursuits. So although a student does need a high ACT score for Ivy League acceptance, it does not override every other qualification. Tips for Earning Impressive ACT Scores High school students who want to earn ACT scores for Ivy Leagues should start by taking a practice test. The results of a practice test are invaluable as a student starts to craft a study plan. One student may find that they need to focus a lot of attention on improving their performance in plane geometry, while another student may see the need to improve their punctuation and grammar skills. The results of a practice test give students the opportunity to use their study periods in the most efficient way. Another tip for students who want to earn their best ACT score is to make studying for the ACT a part-time job. Preparing for the ACT in a gradual way over a period of months is the most effective method of absorbing all of the necessary material. Our diligent instructors at Veritas Prep have navigated the ACT and achieved scores in the top one percent of all who took the test and teach strategies to students that allow them to showcase their strengths on the ACT. We instill in our students the confidence they need to earn high ACT scores. Ivy League admissions officials are sure to take notice! For more tips on acing the ACT and getting into the most competitive universities in the nation, be sure to find us on Facebook, Google+, YouTube, and Twitter! |
11 Dec 2015, 12:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: ACT Science: What To Do on Test Day |
 In my last post, I covered why the ACT science test is so difficult, and what habits you can develop to overcome its particular pitfalls and obstacles. However, with an ACT coming up in mid-December, you might not have time to fully perfect those habits. As the saying goes, no plan survives the first bullet; I’m sure no one is a stranger to the awful experience of totally freezing up on a timed test. Here are two strategies that could come in handy on test day in case you do get stumped on the Science Test: 1) Skip and Do What You Can On nearly any given section on the science test, some questions will be significantly easier than others. As noted in my last post, when a question begins with the phrase “according to figure x…” or “according to the results of…” you probably can get the answer (in well under a minute!) by studying the relevant graph or table. However, some questions aren’t as straightforward, so one way you may lose a significant number of points in a section is if you get hung up on a tricky question. Some questions are so jargon heavy that they simply don’t make sense on a first read-through. Others require you to make logical inferences based on multiple paragraphs and corresponding visuals, making it unclear where to get the information you need from. The number one mistake students make when encountering such a question (either one they don’t understand or one they don’t know how to answer) is wasting too much time reading the adjoining dense paragraphs. There will always be more information in the accompanying piece than you need, so if you begin reading through it without an idea of what you need to look for, you’re likely to get bogged down in technical details. It’s easy to waste two or three minutes trying to answer a question this way. In such situations, it’s much more pragmatic for you to identify which questions you can answer in the section. Chances are, there will be two or more questions that can be answered by looking at the provided visuals and ignoring everything else. And if you are sure to answer the easy questions first, then at least you’re making sure not to miss out on any easy points. 2) When You Return, Start Fresh Although I do recommend initially skipping questions that seem unapproachable, I still think that all students can answer them correctly. That’s because the two major advantages of skipping hard questions are that 1) you have a chance to calm down and rebuild your confidence on easy questions and 2)you’ll have a chance to look at the hard question again with fresh eyes. If you answer all of the easy questions in the Science Test quickly (which you can do if you remember that tables and graphs are your friend!) you will have enough time left to work through the more difficult questions. And when you look at them a second time, you’ll also have to chance to use strategies you may have forgotten to use the first time. For example, take a look at the following difficult question:    The first time I ever did this question, it stumped me, because the corresponding tables (copied below) didn’t mention either paper or plastic. So, I skipped the question, finished the rest of the questions, and then returned to it. The rest of the Science Test went more smoothly, so by the time I was back to the question, I was feeling more relaxed and confident. I even remembered my strategy: that whenever the tables didn’t provide enough information to answer a question, I needed to scan the paragraphs for the important words (in this case, paper and plastic, which aren’t listed on the tables). When I did, I found exactly what I needed:  By reading just the smallest chunk of each experiment description, I was able to realize that Experiment 1 measured how well tape stuck to paper, and that Experiment 2 measured how well tape stuck to plastic. I then noticed that, according to the tables,* it took more force to remove brand X tape from paper than it did plastic. Thus, I correctly chose answer A. For more tips on acing the ACT and getting into the most competitive universities in the nation, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter! By Rita Pearson *Table 1 tells the results of Experiment 1, and Table 2 tells the results of Experiment 2 |
11 Dec 2015, 15:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Admissions Tips and Ivy League College Consulting |
 High school students who plan to apply to Ivy League colleges already know the importance of having a high GPA and impressive SAT scores. But what other qualifications are Ivy League admissions officials looking for? Let’s look at some valuable admissions tips for gaining acceptance into one of these exclusive schools. Garner Compelling Recommendation Letters One of the most valuable Ivy League admissions tips a student can follow is to get compelling recommendation letters from teachers, employers, or organization leaders. The most persuasive letters are written by teachers and other adults who know the student very well. For example, a student who has volunteered for four years in an after-school reading program for elementary school children could ask the director of the program to write a recommendation letter – the director has known the student for years and would be able to write a glowing letter about the person’s character and dedication to the children in the program. A teacher or an employer a student has worked with for a long time would also be an excellent person to ask for a letter of recommendation. Write a Memorable Admissions Essay Admissions officials at Ivy League schools place a great deal of weight on an applicant’s essay. A well-written essay can give officials even more insight into a student’s character. A student should write a sincere essay in their own voice. Some students make the mistake of setting out to write an essay that they think will please admissions officials, however, experienced admissions officials can easily see through a contrived essay. At Veritas Prep, we offer Ivy League consulting services to students who want to stand out to admissions officials, and one of our services is to offer guidance on admissions essays. We hire professional consultants who have worked in the admissions offices of Ivy League schools. In short, Veritas Prep students benefit from working with an Ivy League college counselor with inside knowledge of the process. Participate in a Few Significant Extracurricular Activities Some students think they need to participate in a dozen or more extracurricular activities in order to impress the officials at an Ivy League school. Unfortunately, if a student participates in this many activities, they will likely not be able to dedicate much time to any of those activities. Instead, many admissions officials are looking for students who dedicate themselves to a few significant extracurricular activities. For example, one student may hold an office in student government all four years of high school while also working throughout middle school and high school as a volunteer at a summer camp for special-needs kids. Such involvement demonstrate the student’s dedication and desire to stick with something long-term – a trait that admissions officials look for. Show Enthusiasm for a School and its Resources Any experienced Ivy League college counselor knows the importance of expressing enthusiasm for a school. Not surprisingly, admissions officials want students who are excited about their school. One way a student can display this enthusiasm is to visit the school and tour its campus. This gives a student the chance to ask questions and sample the atmosphere of an Ivy League campus. Staying in contact with admissions officers during the selection process is another way for a student to show their interest in the school. Admissions officials appreciate students who have specific reasons why they want to attend the school. For instance, a student who plans to major in biology may be enthusiastic about the high-tech equipment available to students in the school’s science labs. Show that this particular school will play an important part in your future plans. The Benefits of Working With Ivy League College Consultants At Veritas Prep, we offer many Ivy League consulting services, including advice on extracurricular activities, transcript evaluation, guidance regarding scholarships, and more. We help students to organize the process so they can apply to Ivy League colleges without missing a step. Our supportive consultants partner with students as they move toward their goal of attending a preferred school. Along with our admissions consultants, we have a team of tutors who help students prepare for the SAT or the ACT. We use practice test results to individualize the test prep process. Then, students can take our courses and learn valuable test-taking strategies, either online or in person, to earn scores that will impress admissions officers. Contact Veritas Prep today to start on the path toward a degree from an Ivy League school! Are you planning to apply to an Ivy League college? We can help! Visit our College Admissions website and fill out our FREE College profile evaluation! For more college admissions tips, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! |
11 Dec 2015, 19:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Does a Business School Visit Affect Your Chances of Admission? |
 Visiting a business school before officially applying is always recommended to MBA candidates, but for the most part, schools will not automatically assess an applicant negatively if they are unable to visit. There are so many factors involved when considering how a school visit will affect your candidacy, the best way to view them is as something that can potentially help you, but won’t directly hurt either. Let’s look at some of the overall benefits to visiting schools before applying to them: Visiting a business school is a great opportunity to both do some primary research on the school itself, and to add some fodder to your application, which should improve the package you eventually submit. Not only will a visit actually improve the context of your application, it will also help you support your eventual decision-making process (if admitted) which is an added benefit. A school visit is also an unprecedented opportunity to connect directly with decision makers – I know many students who have made strong impressions with admissions committee members leading directly to positive notations being added to their candidate folder. Again, positive interactions like this can certainly push fringe candidates across the line to the “admit pile” and further boost already strong candidates. Business school campus visits can also add context to more troubled packages that require a bit more clarity and discussion of potential red flags. Without directly connecting with admissions reps via an in-person campus visit, this opportunity cannot exist for candidates with more complex situations. If this sounds like you, if it is possible for you to visit campuses, it is something I strongly suggest. Now, every circumstance is certainly not the same. Distance is definitely a huge factor in determining an applicant’s ability to travel and visit. International candidates or those travelling from a far distance may be at a perceived disadvantage here, but again, keep in mind the positive impact this visit can have on your chances; look at the business school visit as a good decision if you can feasibly make it, but as having a neutral effect on your application if you cannot. Make the decision that makes the most sense for you. Regardless of how many business schools you visit, if you have not created a compelling application package and/or are a great fit on paper, then a school visit will not save your candidacy. Focus on creating a breakthrough application and utilize the school visit as an additional opportunity to bring your candidacy alive for the admissions team. Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or click here to 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 theKellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His specialties include consulting, marketing, and low GPA/GMAT applicants. You can read more of his articles here. |
14 Dec 2015, 11:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Quarter Wit, Quarter Wisdom: Cyclicity in GMAT Remainder Questions (Part 2) |
 Last week, we reviewed the concepts of cyclicity and remainders and looked at some basic questions. Today, let’s jump right into some GMAT-relevant questions on these topics: If n is a positive integer, what is the remainder when 3^(8n+3) + 2 is divided by 5? (A) 0 (B) 1 (C) 2 (D) 3 (E) 4 In this problem, we are looking for the remainder when the divisor is 5. We know from last week that if we get the last digit of the dividend, we will be able to find the remainder, so let’s focus on finding the units digit of 3^(8n + 3) + 2. The units digit of 3 in a positive integer power has a cyclicity of: 3, 9, 7, 1 So the units digit of 3^(8n + 3) = 3^(4*2n + 3) will have 2n full cycles of 3, 9, 7, 1 and then a new cycle will start: 3, 9, 7, 1 3, 9, 7, 1 3, 9, 7, 1 … 3, 9, 7, 1 3, 9, 7 Since the exponent a remainder of 3, the new cycle ends at 3, 9, 7. Therefore, the units digit of 3^(8n + 3) is 7. When you add another 2 to this expression, the units digit becomes 7+2 = 9. This means the units digit of 3^(8n+3) + 2 is 9. When we divide this by 5, the remainder will be 4, therefore, our answer is E. Not so bad; let’s try a data sufficiency problem: If k is a positive integer, what is the remainder when 2^k is divided by 10? Statement 1: k is divisible by 10 Statement 2: k is divisible by 4 With this problem, we know that the remainder of a division by 10 can be easily obtained by getting the units digit of the number. Let’s try to find the units digit of 2^k. The cyclicity of 2 is: 2, 4, 8, 6. Depending on the value of k is, the units digit of 2^k will change: If k is a multiple of 4, it will end after one cycle and hence the units digit will be 6. If k is 1 more than a multiple of 4, it will start a new cycle and the units digit of 2^k will be 2. If k is 2 more than a multiple of 4, it will be second digit of a new cycle, and the units digit of 2^k will be 4. If k is 3 more than a multiple of 4, it will be the third digit of a new cycle and the units digit of 2^k will be 8. If k is 4 more than a multiple of 4, it will again be a multiple of 4 and will end a cycle. The units digit of 2^k will be 6 in this case. and so on… So what we really need to find out is whether k is a multiple of 4, one more than a multiple of 4, two more than a multiple of 4, or three more than a multiple of 4. Statement 1: k is divisible by 10 With this statement, k could be 10 or 20 or 30 etc. In some cases, such as when k is 10 or 30, k will be two more than a multiple of 4. In other cases, such as when k is 20 or 40, k will be a multiple of 4. So for different values of k, the units digit will be different and hence the remainder on division by 10 will take multiple values. This statement alone is not sufficient. Statement 2: k is divisible by 4 This statement tells you directly that k is divisible by 4. This means that the last digit of 2^k is 6, so when divided by 10, it will give a remainder of 6. This statement alone is sufficient. therefore our answer is B. Now, to cap it all off, we will look at one final question. It is debatable whether it is within the scope of the GMAT but it is based on the same concepts and is a great exercise for intellectual purposes. You are free to ignore it if you are short on time or would not like to go an iota beyond the scope of the GMAT: What is the remainder of (3^7^11) divided by 5? (A) 0 (B) 1 (C) 2 (D) 3 (E) 4 For this problem, we need the remainder of a division by 5, so our first step is to get the units digit of 3^7^{11}. Now this is the tricky part – it is 3 to the power of 7, which itself is to the power of 11. Let’s simplify this a bit; we need to find the units digit of 3^a such that a = 7^{11}. We know that 3 has a cyclicity of 3, 9, 7, 1. Therefore (similar to our last problem) to get the units digit of 3^a, we need to find whether a is a multiple of 4, one more than a multiple of 4, two more than a multiple of 4 or three more than a multiple of 4. We need a to equal 7^{11}, so first we need to find the remainder when a is divided by 4; i.e. when 7^{11} is divided by 4. For this, we need to use the binomial theorem we learned earlier in this post (or we can use the method of “pattern recognition”): The remainder of 7^{11} divided by 4 = The remainder of (4 + 3)^{11} divided by 4 = The remainder of 3^{11} divided by 4 = The remainder of 3*3^{10} divided by 4 = The remainder of 3*9^5 divided by 4 = The remainder of 3*(8+1)^5 divided by 4 = The remainder of 3*1^5 divided by 4 = The remainder of 3 divided by 4, which itself = 3 So when 7^{11} is divided by 4, the remainder is 3. This means 7^{11} is 3 more than a multiple of 4; i.e. a is 3 more than a multiple of 4. Now we go back to 3^a. We found that a is 3 more than a multiple of 4. So there will be full cycles (we don’t need to know the exact number of cycles) and then a new cycle with start with three digits remaining: 3, 9, 7, 1 3, 9, 7, 1 3, 9, 7, 1 … 3, 9, 7, 1 3, 9, 7 With this pattern, we see the last digit of 3^7^11 is 7. When this 7 is divided by 5, remainder will be 2 – therefore, our answer is C. 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! |
14 Dec 2015, 14:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: The New SAT: Scoring |
 The new SAT is due to arrive in March of 2016. Along with changes in content, there is also a new SAT scoring system. It’s important for students to understand the new SAT scores before diving into the latest version of the test. Take a look at the specifics regarding the scoring system for the new SAT and discover some tips that can help students earn a high score on the test: A Look at the New SAT Scoring System On the new SAT, the highest total score a student can earn is 1600. Students receive a separate score for the optional essay. The new SAT consists of two main sections: One section tests a student’s skills in reading and writing, while the other section tests a student’s math skills. Scores for each of the two sections are then added together to get the person’s total score on the test. The New SAT Score Range for Each Section Students can score between 200 and 800 on the reading and writing section of the SAT. The scoring range is the same for the math section. A student who scores an 800 on the reading and writing section as well as on the math portion of the test would achieve a perfect 1600 on the SAT. Examining a Student’s Performance on the SAT The new SAT scores allow both students and colleges to get a more in-depth look at an individual’s performance on the test. For instance, an SAT score report now features cross-test scores given to students for specific skills. including analysis in science, history, and social studies. The cross-test score scale ranges from 10 to 40. There are also seven subscores that assess a student’s performance in specific areas. For instance, a student receives a subscore that reflects how well they recognized words in context, while another subscore reveals how well a student did with questions related to problem-solving and data analysis. These seven subscores paint a more detailed picture of a student’s abilities in several areas. Scoring the Essay on the New SAT The highest possible score for the SAT essay is eight points. There are two test graders who evaluate each student’s essay, and each of these graders gives an essay a score of one to four points. The essay graders are looking here at a student’s ability to comprehend the whole passage in addition to the student’s ability to analyze the evidence in the passage and write an organized, concise essay. These two scores are added together to equal the total score for the essay – if both scorers give an essay four points, then the student has earned a perfect score on the essay. Advantages of the New SAT Scoring Scale The system of scoring on the new SAT doesn’t penalize students for guessing, so students have the opportunity to benefit even if they aren’t certain about an answer. Another advantage of the scoring system on the new SAT is that students can now determine where they can improve their performance by looking at the details on the redesigned score report. Converting SAT Scores High school students who’ve taken the current version of the SAT may wonder if they now have to take the new version. The answer is no. For a few years, most colleges will accept scores from the current SAT as well as the version coming out in the spring of 2016. Students who took the current version of the SAT can also perform a new SAT score conversion with the help of a conversion chart. Tips for Achieving an Impressive Score on the SAT Taking practice tests is an excellent way to prep for the new SAT. The results of a practice test allow students to see what they need to work on as test day approaches. At Veritas Prep, we have several tutoring options designed to fit the needs of individual students. Our professional tutors teach students simple strategies that can help them to navigate even the toughest question on the new SAT. Students who sign up with Veritas Prep work with instructors who scored in the top one percent of individuals who’ve taken the SAT. In short, Veritas Prep is the place for students who want to study with the best! Check out our selection of helpful prep courses at Veritas Prep today! Planning to take the current or new SAT? We run a free online SAT prep seminar every few weeks. And, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! |
14 Dec 2015, 17:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: 4 Ways to Make the Most of Your Business School Campus Visit |
 Visiting campus is one of the best ways you can learn about your target MBA programs and not only determine if a program is right for you, but also acquire some school-specific fodder for your applications. This information can transform components of your application – such as the essay, interview, and short answers – into real, customized pieces of content for the admissions decision makers. Before you pack your bags to visit some of the world’s best academic communities, however, read the below tips to make sure you are making the most of your campus visit. Let’s explore a 4 easy ways you can make the most of your business school campus visit: 1) Meet with Admissions One of the best parts of visiting campus is the ability to connect with the MBA admissions officers who will eventually review your application. Creating a positive impression with admissions can really pay dividends. Forging a human connection is something that the majority of applicants will not do, so take advantage of the opportunity! Formal opportunities like the various information sessions hosted on campus are no-brainers during a campus visit, but make sure you don’t miss potential chances to also connect with representatives from admissions one-on-one, if possible. 2) Visit a Class Sitting in on an MBA class really helps contextualize the entire business school experience while helping you determine if, academically, a program is right for you. Also, formal class visit programs are often tracked by admissions along with the information sessions, which can signal strong interest to the admissions office. 3) Connect with Students Many programs will have formal programs that allow you to connect with students that share a similar profile as you, such as geographic, academic, interest or other demographic similarities. Informal chats with students can also be just as important, so spending some time on campus in public spaces can facilitate these type of interactions. Most current students will be more than happy to discuss their own personal experiences both on-campus and in the application process, so don’t be afraid to leverage these great sources of information. 4) Explore the Student Community Classes and connections aside, choosing the right business school is an important decision. MBA students spend a lot of time both on-campus and in the immediate area around campus, so taking the time to explore the greater community is a critical aspect of any visit. Determining if big cities such as New York and Los Angeles are a fit for you, or if smaller towns like Hanover or Evanston more your style, is an integral part of the decision making process. Utilize these four touchpoints to make the most of your business school campus visits. Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or click here to 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 theKellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His specialties include consulting, marketing, and low GPA/GMAT applicants. You can read more of his articles here. |
15 Dec 2015, 13:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: How to Use Difference of Squares to Beat the GMAT |
 In Michael Lewis’ Flashboys, a book about the hazards of high-speed trading algorithms, Lewis relates an amusing anecdote about a candidate interviewing for a position at a hedge fund. During this interview, the candidate receives the following question: Is 3599 a prime number? Hopefully, your testing Spidey Senses are tingling and telling you that the answer to the question is going to incorporate some techniques that will come in handy on the GMAT. So let’s break this question down. First, this is an interview question in which the interviewee is put on the spot, so whatever the solution entails, it can’t involve too much hairy arithmetic. Moreover, it is far easier to prove that a large number is NOT prime than to prove that it is prime, so we should be thinking about how we can demonstrate that this number possesses factors other than 1 and itself. Whenever we’re given unpleasant numbers on the GMAT, it’s worthwhile to think about the characteristics of round numbers in the vicinity. In this case, 3599 is the same as 3600 – 1. 3600, the beautiful round number that it is, is a perfect square: 602. And 1 is also a perfect square: 12. Therefore 3600 – 1 can be written as the following difference of squares: 3600 – 1 = 602 – 12 We know that x2 – y2 = (x + y)(x – y), so if we were to designate “x” as “60” and “y” as “1”, we’ll arrive at the following: 602 – 12 = (60 + 1)(60 – 1) = 61 * 59 Now we know that 61 and 59 are both factors of 3599. Because 3599 has factors other than 1 and itself, we’ve proven that it is not prime, and earned ourselves a plumb job at a hedge fund. Not a bad day’s work. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s analyze some actual GMAT questions that incorporate this concept. First: 999,9992 – 1 = A) 1010 – 2 B) (106 – 2) 2 C) 105 (106 -2) D) 106 (105 -2) E) 106 (106 -2) Notice the pattern. Anytime we have something raised to a power of 2 (or an even power) and we subtract 1, we have the difference of squares, because 1 is itself a perfect square. So we can rewrite the initial expression as 999,9992 – 12. Using our equation for difference of squares, we get: 999,9992 – 12 = (999,999 +1)(999,999 – 1) (999,999 + 1)(999,999 – 1) = 1,000,000* 999,998. Take a quick glance back at the answer choices: they’re all in terms of base 10, so there’s a little work left for us to do. We know that 1,000,000 = 106 (Remember that the exponent for base 10 is determined by the number of 0’s in the figure.) And we know that 999,998 = 1,000,000 – 2 = 106 – 2, so 1,000,000* 999,998 = 106 (106 -2), and our answer is E. Let’s try one more: Which of the following is NOT a factor of 38 – 28? A) 97 B) 65 C) 35 D) 13 E) 5 Okay, you’ll see quickly that 38 – 28 will involve same painful arithmetic. But thankfully, we’ve got the difference of two numbers, each of which has been raised to an even exponent, meaning that we have our trusty difference of squares! So we can rewrite 38 – 28 as (34)2 – (24)2. We know that 34 = 81 and 24 = 16, so (34)2 – (24)2 = 812 – 162. Now we’re in business. 812 – 162 = (81 + 16)(81 – 16) = 97 * 65. Right off the bat, we can see that 97 and 65 are factors of our starting numbers, and because we’re looking for what is not a factor, A and B are immediately out. Now let’s take the prime factorization of 65. 65 = 13 * 5. So our full prime factorization is 97 * 13 * 5. Now we see that 13 and 5 are factors as well, thus eliminating D and E from contention. That leaves us with our answer C. Not so bad. Takeaways:
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! By David Goldstein, a Veritas Prep GMAT instructor based in Boston. You can find more articles by him here. |
15 Dec 2015, 14:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: 4 Ways to Handle the Pressures of College Homework |
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When you first get to college, you’ll probably be overwhelmed with more homework than you’ve ever had before. The readings, papers, projects, problem sets, and exams sometimes feel like they never end. Given this, it’s not hard to fall behind. Keeping up with all of the work, getting enough sleep, and finding time to make friends and relax is a tall task. I’ll be honest: it took me a while to figure out how to best complete all my homework. The first couple weeks of the semester I was incredibly inefficient. Finishing my assignments and readings took way longer than I wanted it to. Eventually I got fed up with all the time I was wasting and decided to do a little critical reflection on how I could change my homework habits to optimize my productivity. Here are some bits of advice I discovered that have really helped me manage my homework load better: 1. Mix up the types of assignments you do. If you take a balanced mix of classes, you’re bound to end up with different types of homework assignments. Make good use of this by varying the types of homework you do each day. It can get monotonous to try to all of your readings in one short period of time, but if you stagger, say, readings with problem sets, you’ll keep your energy up for longer. 2. Know where you work best. For me at least, different types of homework are conducive to different locations for working. Instead of wandering around and just doing homework wherever you happen to be, it’s helpful to understood which assignments correspond well with certain study spots. For me, I do textbook reading in the quiet library section, essay writing in a library cubicle, readings in bed or on the main green, and problem sets in study lounges. Know where you work best, because putting yourself in an environment that’s conducive to the task at hand is crucial in doing efficient work. 3. Give yourself breaks. What? But doesn’t college give too much homework to take breaks? My answer to that question is a resounding NO. It is super important that you don’t work so much that you burn out. Not only is overworking bad for your health, it’s also bad for your productivity. Humans can only focus on the same task for a limited amount of time. If you try to push past this limit and do homework for obscene amounts of time, you’ll end up working really slowly and retaining little of what you were trying to learn. My advice is to break up your homework into manageable chunks and give yourself breaks in between. You’ll accomplish more by working in segments of 35 minutes “on” and 10 minutes “off” than you will by trying to focus nonstop for hours at a time. 4. Take classes you enjoy. This might seem obvious, but it is still of critical importance. By taking classes you’re enthused about the large piles of homework you have won’t be so daunting. Sure, doing homework is rarely at the top of anyone’s preference list; however, if the homework you’re doing is interesting to you’re more likely to feel excited about doing it than anxious about getting it done. It’s true that keeping up with homework well in college will be a difficult thing to accomplish. However, with the right mindset and good habits, you’ll conquer the pressure of college-level homework and discover an incredible perseverance within yourself in no time. Planning to work on your college applications during Winter Break? We can help! Visit our College Admissions website and fill out our FREE College profile evaluation! By Aidan Calvelli. |
15 Dec 2015, 19:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: Applying to Ivy League Schools: What All Students Need to Know |
 If you’re a high school students planning on applying to Ivy League schools, you probably have a lot of questions. For instance, you may want to know what the academic requirements are to get into an Ivy League school and how you can increase your chances of acceptance. Check out several tips that can help high school students like you on their way toward a spot in the freshman class at an Ivy League college: Take Challenging Courses Throughout High School Admissions officers at Ivy League schools consider all of the courses a student takes in high school. They like to see students who challenge themselves with increasingly difficult courses as they progress toward graduation, as this demonstrates a student’s dedication to thoroughly learning a subject. Admissions officers at Ivy League schools look for students who are intellectually curious and who are excited to test their skills with difficult subjects. Pay Close Attention to the Admissions Essay Some students try to play it safe with their essay by writing what they think the admissions officers want to hear, however, this is the wrong approach to take. Admissions officers at Ivy League schools look instead for thoughtful, well-crafted essays. College admissions officials appreciate a sincere essay that allows them a more personal look at a student and their experiences. Dedicated Participation in a Few Extracurricular Activities Students interested in going to an Ivy League school should also know that admissions officials pay close attention to an applicant’s extracurricular activities. They especially like it when a student makes a long-term commitment to a few activities – for example, a student may hold an office in student government as well as belong to the debate team all four years of school, and volunteer at the same senior citizen center every summer throughout high school. In short, college officials at Ivy League schools prefer to see long-term dedication to a handful of activities as opposed to short-term participation in dozens of them. Excel on the SAT or ACT When applying to Ivy League schools, students should know that their SAT and ACT scores carry a lot of weight with admissions officials. A high SAT or ACT score paired with excellent grades gives officials an idea of whether a student can succeed academically at an Ivy League school and handle the rigors of the school’s classwork. Students who work with our SAT tutors at Veritas Prep are studying with individuals who excelled on the test. In fact, each of our tutors scored in the 99th percentile on the test. We go over practice test results with students to find the specific areas that need work. As a student’s practice test scores improve, they gain more confidence regarding the SAT. With our help, students are able to present their best SAT scores to the admissions officials at any Ivy League school. Demonstrate Interest in Attending an Ivy League School Students who want to apply to an Ivy League school must never underestimate the value of demonstrating their interest in an institution. The most effective way to show interest in a school is to apply early, especially for schools you absolutely know you want to attend. Students should also try to visit their college of interest to tour its campus. Visiting the college allows the student to ask questions about the school that aren’t answered on the school’s website. In addition, a visit can offer the student an opportunity to discuss their visit during a future interview with admissions officials. Once a student submits an application, it’s a good idea for the person to stay in contact with school officials – this helps to emphasize their interest in attending the school. Naturally, officials at an Ivy League school want students who are passionate about learning and have specific reasons why they want to earn a degree at that school, and following these steps will help show them that you’re committed. Our experienced instructors at Veritas Prep are proud to assist students who are applying to Ivy League schools. Whether they need SAT prep online, guidance regarding the admissions process, or a free application evaluation, we are here to help ambitious high school students achieve their goal. Contact our team at Veritas Prep today! Are you planning to apply to an Ivy League college? We can help! Visit our College Admissions website and fill out our FREE College profile evaluation! For more college admissions tips, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! |
16 Dec 2015, 12:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: SAT Tip of the Week: 5 Steps to Increase Your Speed |
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Many adults still have stress dreams in which they are running out of time on a timed test (How unfortunate that so many cannot even escape this dread in their sleep!). I have personally had the unfortunate experience of waking up in a cold sweat after dreaming of a clock winding down to zero as I have pages of questions left unanswered. The SAT is a beast of a timed test and many students have a hard time determining how to manage their time while taking this exam. Whether you are taking the old version of the exam, or the new format, there are a number of ways that you can increase the your pace on the SAT: 1) Practice in a Timed Setting It is surprising how many students sit down for the SAT having never actually timed themselves on any full SAT sections. Doing SAT practice problems is great, I will never chastise anyone for doing these, but there is simply no substitute for replicating the actual timed conditions of the SAT. You don’t have to take a full length timed SAT every week; you don’t have to be a hero! Simply do a timed section when you feel comfortable with the format. Work until you run out of time and mark the questions attempted and skipped. After the time is up, go back and finish up the other problems so you have a chance to attempt all the problems even if your time management is still being developed. Being prepared for the SAT is imperative to being able to use time effectively on the test day, and part of preparation is knowing what twenty five minutes feels like and what spending too much time on one question feels like. There is no substitute for practice. 2) Create a General Template for an Essay The time spent figuring out how to structure an essay on the SAT is time wasted. This may sound counter intuitive as structure is a big part of what the SAT graders are evaluating, but it is this reason exactly that makes the structure of the essay the first thing that can be systematized and recycled. If you are taking the old format of the SAT, use a little time to brainstorm examples. Essentially all a brainstorm consists of is the position on the question and the examples that will be used in the argument. If you are taking the new format of the SAT, use the time to identify stylistic elements, logical elements, and evidence used in the document. The new format is an analysis essay, but its set up is the as the previous test same. You simply need to set up an introduction with a clear thesis that the document is effective or ineffective because of the three elements listed above. Read the essay and mark any sections that fall into those three categories – once this work is done, the essay is practically written. All a student must do now is plug these specifics into the general essay template and the essay quickly writes itself. Don’t forget to keep an eye on the clock in this section as it is easy to get behind (you should start writing by the 15 minute mark on the new format). 3) Answer Questions From the Section of the Text Being Referenced The answer to all reading test questions are in the passage. Anyone who has had me as a tutor is likely tire of hearing that mantra, but it is as true as the sky is blue. It is not simply that the answer is in the passage though, but it is also the case that the answer is in the part of the passage referenced by the question. If the question asks for what the author is doing in a specific few lines it is best to search for the answer in those lines (and the lines directly before and after those lines). The biggest waste of time on the reading section in either format of the test is random searching of the passages. Mark the passage so you know which sections deal with what general topic. By simply writing one word by a paragraph you can save yourself a fair bit of time searching through the passage. 4) Skip Hard Math Questions IMMEDIATELY For most students who wish to achieve SAT success at the highest level, all questions will need to be attempted, but should a student encounter a question that is difficult for them to answer, the student should skip the question immediately and come back to it later. The SAT gives equal weight to every question, so spending six minutes on one question and coming up with no answer not only hurts a student on that question, but also on every question that follows. A student should attempt to answer every question that they can, so if the student does not even get to four questions at the end of a section , they have no way of knowing if they would have been able to more easily answer one of the final questions. The SAT questions are presented in order of difficulty, but difficulty is relative. What’s hard for one person might be simple for another, so do not waste time being baffled by a question. Be baffled, then if you have answered all the questions that you feel you can approach easily, go back to the questions where you didn’t know how to start and do SOMETHING. Write out formulas, label givens, eliminate answer choices that don’t make sense. Sometimes, doing the first step will lead to others and an impossible question will become possible. 5) Do NOT Focus On The Time Wait, didn’t you just say to make sure to keep an eye on the clock? A little glance at the clock is fine, but you should be so used to the timing of the test that you feel whether or not you are spending too long on a question. If you realize that you are running out of time, don’t panic! Do your best to complete the questions you can with accuracy and take a glance at the questions you have left so you can attempt those that seem possible to complete quickly. Perhaps you will get one or two more questions correct, instead of getting all the remaining questions wrong because you rushed through them. The biggest thing a student can do on the day of the test to make sure that they are pacing themselves properly is to practice often in advance and to breathe! The stress of the day can make people jittery and poorly focused, but preparation and breathing help to eliminate these problems and prepare students to rock the SAT. So what are you waiting for? Get out that timer and start practicing! Still need to take the SAT? We run a free online SAT prep seminar every few weeks. And, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! David Greenslade is a Veritas Prep SAT instructor based in New York. His passion for education began while tutoring students in underrepresented areas during his time at the University of North Carolina. After receiving a degree in Biology, he studied language in China and then moved to New York where he teaches SAT prep and participates in improv comedy. Read more of his articles here, including How I Scored in the 99th Percentile and How to Effectively Study for the SAT. |
16 Dec 2015, 15:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: The Patterns to Solve GMAT Questions with Reversed-Digit Numbers |
 The GMAT asks a fair number of questions about the properties of two-digit numbers whose tens and units digits have been reversed. Because these questions pop up so frequently, it’s worth spending a little time to gain a deeper understanding of the properties of such pairs of numbers. Like much of the content on the GMAT, we can gain understanding of these problems by simply selecting random examples of such numbers and analyzing and dissecting them algebraically. Let’s do both. First, we’ll list out some random pairs of two-digit numbers whose tens and units digits have been reversed: {34, 43}; {17, 71}; {18, 81.} Now we’ll see if we can recognize a pattern when we add or subtract these figures. First, let’s try addition: 34 + 43 = 77; 17 + 71 = 88; 18 + 81 = 99. Interesting. Each of these sums turns out to be a multiple of 11. This will be true for the sum of any two two-digit numbers whose tens and units digits are reversed. Next, we’ll try subtraction: 43 – 34 = 9; 71 – 17 = 54; 81 – 18 = 63; Again, there’s a pattern. The difference of each pair turns out to be a multiple of 9. Algebraically, this is easy enough to demonstrate. Say we have a two-digit number with a tens digit of “a” and a units digit of “b”. The number can be depicted as 10a + b. (If that isn’t clear, use a concrete number to illustrate it to yourself. Let’s reuse “34”. In this case a = 3 and b = 4. 10a + b = 10*3 + 4 = 34. This makes sense. The number in the “tens” place should be multiplied by 10.) If the original number is 10a + b, then swapping the tens and units digits would give us 10b + a. The sum of the two terms would be (10a + b) + (10b + a) = 11a + 11b = 11(a + b.) Because “a” and “b” are integers, this sum must be a multiple of 11. The difference of the two terms would be (10a + b) – (10b + a) = 9a – 9b = 9(a – b) and this number will be a multiple of 9. Now watch how easy certain official GMAT questions become once we’ve internalized these properties: The positive two-digit integers x and y have the same digits, but in reverse order. Which of the following must be a factor of x + y? A) 6 B) 9 C) 10 D) 11 E) 14 If you followed the above discussion, you barely need to be conscious to answer this question correctly. We just proved that the sum of two-digit numbers whose units and tens digits have been reversed is 11! No need to do anything here. The answer is D. Pretty nice. Let’s try another, slightly tougher one: If a two-digit positive integer has its digits reversed, the resulting integer differs from the original by 27. By how much do the two digits differ? A) 3 B) 4 C) 5 D) 6 E) 7 This one is a little more indicative of what we’re likely to encounter on the actual GMAT. It’s testing us on a concept we’re expected to know, but doing so in a way that precludes us from simply relying on rote memorization. So let’s try a couple of approaches. First, we’ll try picking some numbers. Let’s use the answer choices to steer us. Say we try B – we’ll want two digits that differ by 4. So let’s use the numbers 84 and 48. Okay, we can see that the difference is 84 – 48 = 36. That difference is too big, it should be 27. So we know that the digits are closer together. This means that the answer must be less than 4. We’re done. The answer is A. (And if you were feeling paranoid that it couldn’t possibly be that simple, you could test two numbers whose digits were 3 apart, say, 14 and 41. 41-14 = 27. Proof!) Alternatively, we can do this one algebraically. We know that if the original two-digit numbers were 10a +b, that the new number, whose digits are reversed, would be 10b + a. If the difference between the two numbers were 27, we’d derive the following equation: (10a + b) – (10b + a) = 27. Simplifying, we get 9a – 9b = 27. Thus, 9(a – b) = 27, and a – b = 3. Also not so bad. Takeaway: Once you’ve completed a few hundred practice questions, you’ll begin to notice that a few GMAT strategies are applicable to a huge swath of different question types. You’re constantly picking numbers, testing answer choices, doing simple algebra, or applying a basic number property that you’ve internalized. In this case, the relevant number property to remember is that the sum of two two-digit numbers whose units and tens digits have been reversed is always a multiple of 11, and the difference of such numbers is always a multiple of 9. Generally speaking, if you encounter a particular question type more than once in the Official Guide, it’s always worth spending a little more time familiarizing yourself with it. *Official Guide questions courtesy of the Graduate Management Admissions Council. 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! By David Goldstein, a Veritas Prep GMAT instructor based in Boston. You can find more articles by him here. |
17 Dec 2015, 11:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: New SAT Math Section |
 In March of 2016, the current SAT will transform into the new SAT. At Veritas Prep, we know that high school students in the class of 2017 are curious about the changes in the new SAT math section. What types of questions will there be? Will the questions still be in multiple-choice form? Take a look at some information that can help students know what to expect when they sit down to take the math section of the new SAT: What Areas of Math Are Covered on the New SAT? Questions in the new SAT math section test students on the fundamentals of algebra as well as challenge their skills in problem-solving and data analysis. Students will also encounter questions that involve quadratic, higher-order, and linear equations, as well as several questions that will test their skills in geometry, complex numbers, and trigonometry. The questions on the newest version of the test use real-world scenarios and are similar to the types of questions students will encounter in future college math courses. Multiple-Choice and Grid-In Questions The math section on the new SAT includes 45 multiple-choice questions and 13 grid-in questions. Most students are familiar with multiple-choice questions, but they may not be familiar with grid-ins, also known as student-produced-response questions. When completing a grid-in question, a student works out the problem and writes the answer in the appropriate place on the answer sheet. Next, the student blackens the answer bubble below each written number, decimal point, or fraction line, and the answer bubbles are arranged in grids on the answer sheet. These types of questions give students the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to come up with answers on their own. Are Students Still Allowed to Use Calculators on the Test? The answer to this question is both yes and no. Students are allowed to use calculators to complete 38 of the questions in the math section. The remaining 20 questions must be completed without a calculator. Of course, students can write on scratch paper or even the test booklet when solving a math problem without a calculator. Tips to Follow When Studying for the New Math Section One easy tip to remember when tackling multiple-choice questions in the math section is to eliminate answer options that are clearly incorrect. This will make a question look more manageable and prevent a student from wasting time with the wrong answers. Another tip to help students on the math section is to plug each possible answer option into the equation contained in the question, and to write down and work through the equation on paper. Putting the problem down on paper is easier than trying to mentally juggle the various parts of a complicated equation, and can also help students work through each problem in a fast and efficient way. Looking for keywords in a math question is another way to narrow down the answer options. Some examples of keywords include “quotient,” “sum,” “difference,” and “product.” When students spot these keywords along with others, they’re better able to understand what a question is asking. Preparing for the New SAT Math Section We offer several tutoring options both in person and online to students who want to prep for the math section of the new SAT. Our skillful tutors provide expert instruction based on practical experience. We review the results of practice tests with students to help pinpoint the areas in need of the most improvement, and once those areas are identified, we offer test-taking strategies to students that can boost their performance. In short, students who work with Veritas Prep are getting help from the experts! Planning to take the current or new SAT? We run a free online SAT prep seminar every few weeks. And, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! |
17 Dec 2015, 13:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: How I Achieved GMAT Success Through Service to School and Veritas Prep |
 Bryan Young served in the United States Army as an enlisted infantryman for five years, with a fifteen month tour in Iraq from 06’-07’. After leaving the military in 2008, he completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington. He started his career in the consumer packaged goods industry and is now looking to attend a top tier university to obtain an MBA. Along with help from Veritas Prep, he was able to raise his GMAT score from a 540 to a 690! How did you hear about Veritas Prep? I had been thinking about taking the GMAT for the last three years and knew that I would probably need the help of a prep course to be able to get a competitive score. Service to School, a non-profit that helps veterans make the transition from the military to undergraduate and graduate school, awarded me with a scholarship to Veritas Prep. What was your initial Experience with the GMAT? During my first diagnostic test, I was pretty overwhelmed. The questions were confusing and the length of the test was intimidating. Finishing the test with a 540 was a wakeup call for me. My goal was to score a 700 or higher and the score I achieved showed me just how much work I was going to need to put into the process. How did the Veritas Prep Course help prepare you? The resources that Veritas Prep provides are amazing. The books arrived within a few days and then I was ready to start taking the online classes. After a few classes I realized that I needed to brush up on some of the basics and was able to use their skill builders sections to get back on track. The online class format was great and helped me to learn the strategies and ask questions. Then the homework help line was where I was able to get answers on some of the more tricky questions I encountered. Tell us about your test day experiences and how you felt throughout the experience? The first two times I took the test I was still not as prepared as I need to be. The test day started well, but quickly went sour. I ran out of time on the integrated reasoning section and with my energy being low I wound up having my worst verbal performances. One of the greatest aspects of Veritas Prep is that they allow you to retake the class if you feel like you need to take it again. The second time through the class helped me a lot more since I wasn’t struggling with not knowing some of the basics. This helped me to fully understand the strategies for the quant section and solidify my sentence corrections skills as well. One suggestion of eating a snickers bar (or some sugary snack) made a huge difference for my energy levels and concentration on test day. After another month and a half of studying I took the GMAT again and was excited to see the 690 with an 8 on the integrated reasoning. The score was in the range I wanted and I couldn’t have been happier to be finished. Veritas Prep helped me so much throughout the year long process of beating the GMAT! Need help preparing for the GMAT? Join us for one of our FREE online GMAT strategy sessions or sign up for one of our GMAT prep courses, which are starting all the time. And be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! |
18 Dec 2015, 13:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Admissions Blog: The Importance of Tutoring for the Ivy League |
 High school students who aspire to attend an Ivy League school must work hard to achieve their goal. For example, they need to earn excellent scores on either the ACT or SAT, in addition to garner glowing letters of recommendation, write a compelling admissions essay, and maintain a sterling academic record throughout high school. Let’s take a closer look at what a student needs to do to get into an Ivy League school, and learn how Veritas Prep can help: Preparing for the SAT It stands to reason that a student who prepares for the SAT with a qualified tutor is likely to have great success on the test. At Veritas Prep, our professional instructors know how to thoroughly prep students to tackle the new SAT. Getting an excellent SAT score can be a student’s first step toward getting into the Ivy League. Tutors at Veritas Prep understand that students need to achieve extremely high test scores to be considered by these exclusive schools. Interestingly, many of our tutors are actually graduates of Ivy League schools themselves, so students who dream of earning a degree from an Ivy League school can study for the SAT with a tutor who knows what it takes to be accepted! In addition to giving students tips regarding the SAT, our tutors are also experts at offering much-needed support and encouragement – we give our students the tools they need to showcase their skills and abilities on test day. Preparing for the ACT For students choosing to take the ACT rather than the SAT, an impressive ACT score is another requirement for students applying to schools belonging to the Ivy League. The ACT has several sections, including English, Math, Reading, and Science, in addition to an optional Writing section. Students who take our online or in-person courses learn strategies that can simplify questions on the ACT. Each of our ACT tutors achieved a 99th percentile score on the official ACT test, so students who study with Veritas Prep are learning from individuals who aced the ACT! AP Tutoring Many students sign up for AP courses to help them toward acceptance into the Ivy League. Veritas Prep AP tutors have mastered the subject they are teaching, which is especially important for students who want to get into the Ivy League. Taking AP courses and properly studying for them will help students prepare for college-level work, and they are a notable addition to any high school transcript. Admissions Consulting What better way to learn what Ivy League schools are looking for in applicants than to speak to experts on the schools? Veritas Prep admissions consultants have experience working in the admissions offices of Ivy League schools, and thus have inside knowledge of what admissions officials are looking for. Our admissions consultants provide a wide range of services, including organizing applications, evaluating transcripts, offering guidance on admissions essays, and giving students advice regarding their extracurricular activities, helping students every step of the way as they pursue their goal of studying at an Ivy League college. Whether students want an Ivy League tutor to help them prepare for the SAT or they need a professional to guide them through the admissions process, we can provide valuable assistance. We are proud to help ambitious students turn the dream of attending an Ivy League college into a reality. Contact Veritas Prep today and let us know how we can help. Are you planning to apply to an Ivy League college? We can help! Visit our College Admissions website and fill out our FREE College profile evaluation! For more college admissions tips, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! The post The Importance of Tutoring for the Ivy League appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
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