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13 Aug 2018, 13:01
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| FROM Manhattan GMAT Blog: Take Ownership of Your Post-MBA Goals and Show Their Attainability |
 When admissions officers read your MBA application, they want to feel inspired by your personal statement; they want to know that you have a strong sense of purpose and will work energetically to attain your objectives. Thus, you must ensure that you are not presenting generic or shallow post-MBA goals. Although this problem is not industry-specific, it occurs most often with candidates who propose careers in investment banking or consulting but do not have a true understanding of what these positions entail. For example, a candidate cannot merely state the following goal: “In the short term, when I graduate from Wharton, I want to become an investment banking associate. After three years, I will be promoted to vice president, and then in the long term, I will become a managing director.” This hypothetical candidate does not express any passion for his/her proposed course, does not show any understanding of the demands of the positions, and does not explain the value he/she could bring to the firm. To avoid these kinds of shortcomings, conduct this simple test when writing your personal statement: if you can easily substitute another job title into your career goals and the sentence still makes perfect sense (for example, “In the short term, when I graduate from Wharton, I want to become a consultant. After three years, I will be promoted to vice president, and then in the long term, I will become a managing director.”), you know you have a serious problem on your hands and need to put more work into your essay. To effectively convey your post-MBA goals, you need to truly own them. This means personalizing them, determining and presenting why you expect to be a success in the proposed position, and explaining why an opportunity exists for you to contribute. For example, a former forestry engineer could make a strong argument for joining an environmental impact consulting firm. (Note: This candidate would still need to explain why he/she would want to join one.) Similarly, a financial analyst in the corporate finance department at Yahoo! could connect his/her goals to tech investment banking. Although the connection need not be so direct, especially for candidates seeking to change careers, relating your past experiences and/or your skills to your future path is still extremely important. This approach will add depth to your essay and ensure that the admissions committee takes you seriously. While some candidates struggle to effectively convey their post-MBA goals, many also have difficulty defining their long-term goals. Although short-term goals should be relatively specific, long-term goals can be broad and ambitious. Regardless of what your short- and long-term aspirations actually are, what is most important is presenting a clear “cause and effect” relationship between them. The admissions committee will have difficulty buying into a long-term goal that lacks grounding. However, do not interpret this to mean that you must declare your interest in an industry and then assert that you will stay in it for your entire career. You can present any career path that excites you—again, as long as you also demonstrate a logical path to achieving your goals. For example, many candidates discuss having ambitions in the field of management consulting. Could an individual with such aspirations justify any of the following long-term goals?
  mbaMission is the leader in MBA admissions consulting with a full-time and comprehensively trained staff of consultants, all with profound communications and MBA experience. mbaMission has helped thousands of candidates fulfill their dream of attending prominent MBA programs around the world. Take your first step toward a more successful MBA application experience with a free 30-minute consultation with one of mbaMission’s senior consultants. Click here to sign up today.The post Take Ownership of Your Post-MBA Goals and Show Their Attainability appeared first on GMAT. |
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13 Aug 2018, 13:01
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| FROM Manhattan GMAT Blog: A Memorizable List of GMAT Quant Content (Quantent) |
 Even though there’s no “new math” on GMAT Quant, there is still a ton of content to keep on our radar. And just like the tragic studying for a vocab test, we’ll have to learn 200 different things, even though the test is going to only ask us 31 of those things (because we don’t know which 31 things we’ll get asked on our test day). How are we going to keep all that stuff in our brain at once? It takes most students at least a couple weeks to cycle through 200 different GMAT Quant problems, so by the time you’re doing the 200th problem, it’s usually been a few weeks since you’ve seen the content on the first 10 problems. In order to take quicker laps around the GMAT Quant universe, you want to make some of your practice feel like you’re studying for a vocab test. We can take a lap through 200 vocab flashcards much more quickly than we can through 200 GMAT Quant problems. Instead of having vocab flashcards with Word on one side and Definition on the other, we’ll have GMAT Quant flashcards that have Topic/Stimulus on one side, and First Move/First Thought on the other. If Pavlov can get dogs to salivate in response to a bell, we can get ourselves to break a number down to primes in response to ‘divisibility language.’ But we’ll have to outdo Pavlov, or at least outdo his dogs, by learning way more than just one stimulus/response pairing. Are you all ready to outdo Pavlov’s certain-to-be-dead-by-now dogs?! (Moment of silence: I hope in doggy heaven, every time the bell rings, you really do get a treat.) In the rest of Part 1 (of this 2-part post), I’ll get you started with a baker’s dozen topics. Next month, we’ll finish off the list. Your job: if you see anything you don’t already know with the ease/certainty of a famous actor’s name/face, then commit that fact to flashcard. Quiz yourself on those flashcards at least three times a week. Add your own flashcards as you review problems you’ve tried and see moves you wish you had made, or number properties you wish you would have inferred. Let us know if you have any questions. DIVISIBILITY on GMAT Quant #1 Move: If we see x is divisible by y, x is a multiple of y, y is a factor of x, x/y is an integer, then we break these numbers down to primes. Divisibility means “the numerator has at least the primes in the denominator.” “x is divisible by 45” = x has at least 3 * 3 * 5 in it. “x is not a multiple of 12” = x either has fewer than two 2’s or doesn’t have a 3, or both. “36 is a factor of 8x” = 2*2*2*x2*2*3*3 = 2*2*2*x2*2*3*3 = 2x3*3 = x has at least 3*3 in it. #2 Move: If we see a multiplication cluster + integer, then we think about the logic of multiples and ask, “What are both quantities divisible by?” If we see 14x + 35, we think “both 14x and 35 are divisible by 7,” so 14x +35 is divisible by 7. a multiple of 7 + a multiple of 7 = a multiple of 7 If we see 7! + 15, we think “both 7! and 15 are divisible by 5,” so 7! + 15 is divisible by 5. STATISTICS on GMAT Quant If we’re talking median,
#1 Thought: even * anything = even #2 Thought: Remember or derive the E/O rules for addition/subtraction/multiplication E +/- E = E E * E = E E +/- O = O E * O = E O +/- O = E O * O = O Usual #1 Move: Take anything with an even coefficient and translate that quantity into E. 3x + 4y is odd → 3x + E = O → 3x = O – E → 3x = O → x = O Dealing with division facts: If we see “x/y is even,” we write, xy = Even, and then multiply y to the other side to get x = Even (y). This tells us that x is even (we know nothing about y). Useful Shortcut: If something has an even coefficient, we won’t learn whether that variable is even or odd. The even coefficient will “hide” which type it is. POSITIVE/NEGATIVE on GMAT Quant #1 Thought: Keep track of possible words with “pos, neg” or “+, -” #1 Move: Use the pos/neg properties of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to eliminate possible words. x+y > 0 (at least one positive … eliminate neg/neg) x+y x-y > 0 (x > y … eliminate neg/pos) x-y xy > 0 or x/y > 0 (same sign … must be pos/pos or neg/neg) xy Useful Shortcut: If something has an even exponent, we won’t learn whether that variable is positive or negative. The even exponent will “hide” which type it is. DECIMALS on GMAT Quant #1 Move: Clean it up by multiplying by a power of 10. If we see 0.0045, we write 45 * 10-4 #2 Move: Line up the decimals, add zeros where necessary, then remove the decimal. If we see 1.2/.03, we write 1.20/0.03 = 120/3 = 40. UNITS DIGITS on GMAT Quant #1 Move: Write out the pattern for that units digit. Example: What’s the units digit of 6345? Write out the pattern for powers of 3 (the patterns are either a constant digit, a cycle of 2, or a cycle of 4). 3¹ ends in 3 3² ends in 9 3³ ends in 7 34 ends in 1 —————- 35 ends in 3 36 ends in 9 37 ends in 7 38 ends in 1 Since every power that’s a multiple of 4 will end in 1, 344 = ends in a 1. So 345 = ends in a 3, so the units digit of 6345 is 3. EXPONENTS/ROOTS on GMAT Quant #1 Move: If any of the bases aren’t currently prime, break the bases down to primes. If we see 14x * 10y * 85 = 2³² * 5z+1 * 74 Then our next move is: 2x 7x * 2y 5y * (2³)5 = 2³² * 5z+1 * 74 #2 Move: If the problem involves addition or subtraction, we need to factor something out. If we see 2³² – 230 Then our next move is: 230 (2² – 1) = 230 (3). INEQUALITIES on GMAT Quant #1 Thought: Watch out for negatives! (When we multiply or divide by a negative, we have to flip the sign. We shouldn’t multiply or divide by variables unless we know their sign.) #2 Thought: If it deals with exponents and inequalities, try fractions between 0 and 1, and maybe also fractions between -1 and 0 (numbers between 0 and 1 are the only numbers in the universe where x² #3 Thought: If we have two inequalities, line up the inequality sign and add them to each other. ALGEBRAIC STORY PROBLEMS on GMAT Quant #1 Thought: Should I just backsolve, rather than translating the story into variables/equations and trying to solve that way? #2 Thought: If I’m going to translate, let me do so carefully. is (or any other verb) → “=” of → “multiply” percent → /100 “There are” → the coefficient goes on the 2nd thing (“There are 2/3 as many boys as girls” → B = 2/3 G) LINEAR ALGEBRA on GMAT Quant #1 Thought: Am I solving for one variable or two (a “Combo”)? We can solve systems of equations by substitution (isolate some variable or expression in one equation and then substitute the other side of the equation into the second equation). Or we can solve systems of equations by elimination (stack the equations on top of each other, scale one or both of them up so that the coefficient of one of the variables is the same number, then add or subtract the two equations in order to eliminate the same-numbered variable). Solving for a Combo, like “What is 3x + 2y?” means that instead of trying to get x = ___ , y = ____ and then plugging those values in for x and y, we should be trying to get 3x + 2y = _____. TRAP AWARENESS on GMAT Quant When the two DS statements show you a pair of equations with the same two variables, the answer is almost never C (we refer to that as “the C trap”). Sometimes, it’s NOT solvable (the answer is E) because the two equations are actually the same equation, if we simplified or scaled them up/down. What’s the value of x? 1) 3x + 2y = 40 2) 9x – 120 = -6y (Answer: E) Other times, it’s solvable with only one statement (the answer is A or B) because one of the statements gives us an equation that we could manipulate into showing us the value of the Combo we’re looking for. What’s the value of 3x + 2y? 1) 9x – 120 = 6y 2) 5x + 4y = 12 (Answer: A) More to come next month! Want some more GMAT tips from Patrick? Attend the first session of one of his upcoming GMAT courses absolutely free, no strings attached. Seriously.  Patrick Tyrrell is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in Los Angeles, California. He has a B.A. in philosophy, a 780 on the GMAT, and relentless enthusiasm for his work. In addition to teaching test prep since 2006, he’s also an avid songwriter/musician. Check out Patrick’s upcoming GMAT courses here!The post A Memorizable List of GMAT Quant Content (Quantent) appeared first on GMAT. |
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27 Aug 2018, 07:01
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| FROM Manhattan GMAT Blog: Critical Reasoning Assumption Questions – Let’s Play Jenga! |
 Some Critical Reasoning question types are pretty straightforward about what you’re being asked to do. On a Strengthen the Argument question, for example, many students naturally have a good sense of what they’re supposed to do even if they’ve never specifically studied the question type before. Critical Reasoning Assumption questions are a bit less intuitive, but I’d like to show you a technique that makes them a lot easier to unscramble. Let’s try a GMATPrep question first: Set your timer for 2 minutes and give it a go. Excavations of the Roman city of Sepphoris have uncovered numerous detailed mosaics depicting several readily identifiable animal species: a hare, a partridge, and various Mediterranean fish. Oddly, most of the species represented did not live in the Sepphoris region when these mosaics were created. Since identical motifs appear in mosaics found in other Roman cities, however, the mosaics of Sepphoris were very likely created by traveling artisans from some other part of the Roman Empire. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? A) The Sepphoris mosaics are not composed exclusively of types of stones found naturally in the Sepphoris area. B) There is no single region to which all the species depicted in the Sepphoris mosaics are native. C) No motifs appear in the Sepphoris mosaics that do not also appear in the mosaics of some other Roman city. D) All of the animal figures in the Sepphoris mosaics are readily identifiable as representations of known species. E) There was not a common repertory of mosaic designs with which artisans who lived in various parts of the Roman Empire were familiar. Step 1: Identify the Question (Read the Question First) We’re being asked to find “an assumption on which the argument depends.” What that means is that one of the answer choices is secretly performing a keystone role in the argument, even though it’s not actually in the argument. (An assumption is an unstated premise that permits the argument to stand.) In other words, the right answer is something that the argument needs in order to have a chance of being valid. Step 2: Deconstruct the Argument (What Was the Argument About?) There are some mosaics in this ancient Roman city with pictures of animals, but most of those animals weren’t native to that region at the time (Premise 1). Other mosaics in other Roman cities show the same animals (Premise 2), so the mosaics were probably created by traveling artisans from other regions (Conclusion). Before going any further, make sure you follow the intended logic of the argument. The author is claiming that since these mosaics included pictures of exotic animals from far away, the artists must have been from far away too. Step 3: Pause and State the Goal (Brainstorm / Try to Predict the Right Answer) For any Critical Reasoning questions that are part of what we call the “assumption family”—assumption, strengthen, weaken, or evaluate—you always want to try to kick the tires on the argument before looking at the answer choices. Looking at this argument, I’m not all that convinced yet. Just because the animals depicted were from far away doesn’t necessarily mean the artists had to be from far away too. Maybe the artists were locals who read about the exotic animals in a book, or heard about them through the grapevine. Step 4: Work from Wrong to Right (Go to the Answers and Use Process of Elimination) Remember, we’re looking for something that would need to be true in order for the argument to have any chance of working—and the argument is that the artisans who made these mosaics were probably travelers from far away. As we work from wrong to right, let’s just do a first pass and eliminate anything that’s clearly not needed by the argument. If anything sounds like it might be needed, then let’s hold onto it for now. A) The Sepphoris mosaics are not composed exclusively of types of stones found naturally in the Sepphoris area. The mosaics are not made of all local stone. Maybe the mosaics were made elsewhere (not by locals) and then transported to the city? That would potentially impact who was making the mosaics, so let’s hold onto that. B) There is no single region to which all the species depicted in the Sepphoris mosaics are native. The exotic animals depicted aren’t all from one region. Who cares? Eliminate. C) No motifs appear in the Sepphoris mosaics that do not also appear in the mosaics of some other Roman city. All of these motifs in the Sepphoris mosaics also show up in some other mosaics in other cities. I’m not totally sure how that might affect our argument yet, so let’s hold onto it for now. D) All of the animal figures in the Sepphoris mosaics are readily identifiable as representations of known species. We don’t need that to be true for the argument to work—they could have included pictures of dragons or unicorns too, but I don’t think that would affect the argument one way or another. Eliminate. E) There was not a common repertory of mosaic designs with which artisans who lived in various parts of the Roman Empire were familiar. This relates to the idea we talked about that locals maybe knew about exotic animals from a book or something. Hold onto this. Step 5: Use the Assumption Negation Technique (Play Jenga) Okay, we’re down to 3 possible answers: A, C, and E. Now it’s time for a move that applies only to Critical Reasoning Assumption questions—don’t use this on any other Critical Reasoning question type. It’s called the assumption negation technique, but I like to think of it as playing Jenga. You’ve played Jenga, right? You build a tower of little wooden blocks, and then you try to take out one block at a time without the tower falling down—when the tower falls down, game over. That’s what we’re going to do here, except the argument is the Jenga tower, and the answer choices are the wooden blocks. What we’re going to do is negate one answer choice at a time (the equivalent of removing that block from our Jenga tower) and see if that destroys the argument (makes our tower fall down). If you pull out a block and the tower falls down, then the tower needed that block. Similarly, if you negate an answer choice—reverse its meaning—and that makes the argument fall apart, then that means that the argument needed the original, unaltered version of that answer choice in order to stand. I know it’s a bit topsy-turvy, but trust me—it’ll make perfect sense once you see it in action. You negate each answer choice by reversing the main verb or action in the sentence, usually by insertion or deletion of the word “no” or “not.” (Make sure you only negate each answer choice once—don’t insert ‘no’ in multiple places in one answer choice.) Of our remaining three answers, we’re now looking for the one that, when negated, destroys the argument (makes our Jenga tower fall down). A) The Sepphoris mosaics are not composed exclusively of types of stones found naturally in the Sepphoris area. If the mosaics are made of all local stone, we still don’t necessarily know who made them—local artisans or traveling artisans. Our Jenga tower is still standing. B) There is no single region to which all the species depicted in the Sepphoris mosaics are native. C) No (Some) motifs appear in the Sepphoris mosaics that do not also appear in the mosaics of some other Roman city. Notice I only eliminated the first ‘no’ (replacing it with the word ‘some’), but not the second. The negated version of this answer means that there are some motifs that are unique to the Sepphoris mosaics. I suppose that slightly undercuts the idea of traveling artisans, but it doesn’t make it impossible—maybe traveling artisans came in, made the mosaics, and included a little custom Sepphoris symbol for the local clientele. It’s a bit of a stretch, but it works. Our Jenga tower wobbled a little, but it’s still standing. D) All of the animal figures in the Sepphoris mosaics are readily identifiable as representations of known species. E) There was not a common repertory of mosaic designs with which artisans who lived in various parts of the Roman Empire were familiar. If there was a common repertory of designs that artisans from all over knew about, and if those designs included a variety of exotic animals from various regions outside of Sepphoris, then the whole argument just fell apart. It didn’t have to be traveling artisans who made the mosaics; it easily could have been locals who simply knew the common designs even if they had never seen those animals in person. Our Jenga tower just fell over, and E is the right answer. So, to recap: Only use assumption negation on Critical Reasoning Assumption questions, and do it only after you’ve eliminated the obviously incorrect answers. It’s easier to knock out a couple first, as we did here, and then negate the remaining choices, rather than negate all five answer choices on every problem. Once you get used to the process, the right answer will start to jump off the screen at you, and you’ll be far more confident about Critical Reasoning Assumption questions. Want more guidance from our GMAT gurus? You can attend the first session of any of our online or in-person GMAT courses absolutely free! We’re not kidding. Check out our upcoming courses here.  Ryan McGorman is a Manhattan Prep GMAT instructor based in New York, NY. He scored a 770 on the GMAT and has taught everything from SAT to GRE to public speaking and ESL. He earned his MBA at UCLA Anderson. Check out Ryan’s upcoming GMAT prep offerings here!The post Critical Reasoning Assumption Questions – Let’s Play Jenga! appeared first on GMAT. |
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