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14 Mar 2017, 13:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: 3.14 Reasons to Love Pi |
 Every March 14, numerically expressed as 3/14, math nerds and test prep instructors celebrate the time-honored tradition of “Pi Day,” deriving plenty of happiness from the fact that the date looks like the number 3.14, the approximation of π. Pi (π) is, of course, the lynchpin value in all circle calculations. The area of a circle is π(r^2), and the circumference of a circle is 2πr or πd. As you study for a major standardized test, you know that you’ll be working with circles at some point, so here are 3.14 reasons that you should learn to love the number π: 1) Pi should make you salivate. On any standardized test question, if you see the value π, whether in the question itself of in the answer choices, that π tells you that you’re dealing with a circle. Some test questions disguise what they want you to do – you may have to draw in a triangle to find the diagonal of a square, for example – but circle problems cannot hide from you! π is a dead giveaway that you’re dealing with a circle, so like Pavlov’s Dog, when you see that signal, π, you should respond with a biological response and conjure up all your knowledge of circles immediately. 2) Pi can be easily cut into slices. Whether you’re dealing with a section of the area of a circle or a section of the circumference (arc length), the fact that a circle is perfectly symmetrical makes the job of cutting that circle into slices an easy one. With arc length, all you end up doing is using the central angle to determine the proportion of that section (angle/360 = proportion of what you want), making it very easy to slice up a circle using π. With the area of a section, as long as the arms of that section are equal to the radius of the circle, you can do the exact same thing. Just like an apple pie or pizza pie, if you’re cutting into slices from the center of the circle, cutting that pie into slices is a relatively simple task. 3) You can take your pi to go. You will almost never have to calculate the value of pi on a standardized test: almost always, the symbol π will appear in the answer choices (e.g. 5π, 7π, etc.), meaning that you can just carry π through your calculations and bring it with you to the answer choices. If, for example, you need to calculate the area of a circle with radius 3, you’ll plug the radius into your formula [π(3^2)] and just end up with 9π, which you’ll find in the answer choices. With most other symbols (x, y, r, etc.) you’ll need to do some work to turn them into numbers. Pi is great because you can take it to go. 3.14) The decimals in pi are just a sliver. If you ever are asked to “calculate” pi (which typically means that the question is asking you to approximate a value, not to directly calculate it), you can use the fact that the .14 in 3.14 is a tiny sliver of a decimal. For example, if you had to estimate a value for 5π, 5 times 3 is clearly 15, but 5 times .14 is so small that it won’t require you to go all the way to 16. So if your answer choices were 15.7, 16.1, 16.4, etc., you could rely on the fact that the decimal .14 is so small that you can eliminate all the 16s. Other irrational numbers like the square root of 2 and square root of 3 have decimal places more in the neighborhood of .5, so you will probably need to work a little harder to estimate how they’ll react when you multiply them even by relatively small numbers. But π’s decimals come in small slivers, allowing you to manage your calculations in bite size pieces. So remember – there are 3.14 (and counting) reasons to love pi, and learning to love pi can help turn your test day into a piece of cake. Are you getting ready to take the SAT, ACT, GMAT or GRE? Check out our website for a variety of helpful test prep resources. And as always, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! By Brian Galvin. The post 3.14 Reasons to Love Pi appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
15 Mar 2017, 19:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: Deciding Between the SAT and ACT: Which Test is Right for You? |
 Choosing the right standardized test for you can make an enormous difference to your college application experience: working with subjects you’re more comfortable with and being tested on a skill set that better matches your own strengths, can greatly ease your study burden and boost your chances of a strong score. The SAT and ACT are structurally and functionally similar, but their content differs in significant ways that can be used to a student’s advantage. Here are a few things to consider when choosing between the ACT and the SAT: Similarities Between the SAT and ACT Let’s start with what these two tests have in common. They take about the same amount of time to complete, and are equally popular test choices in the United States. They require both qualitative and quantitative skills, and each have four sections plus an optional essay. Colleges weigh the ACT sand SAT equally – you won’t be penalized for choosing either exam over the other, so many students choose to take both and submit whichever test they perform better on. All U.S. colleges accept scores from both tests. Differences Between the SAT and ACT The main difference between the SAT and the ACT is their content – choose the exam that tests your strongest skills. The SAT is more qualitatively oriented in that it has Reading, Writing, and Math sections, while the ACT is more quantitatively oriented in that it has English, Math, and Science sections. ACT English passages tend to be at an easier reading level than SAT Reading passages, but ACT Math typically contains more trigonometry questions than SAT Math. The ACT also includes a science section, although ACT Science questions focus on a student’s ability to comprehend and evaluate given scientific information and hypotheses, rather than on his or her outside knowledge of scientific concepts. You won’t need to remember everything you learned in Biology, Chemistry, or Physics class for this exam, but you will need to know how to understand those concepts when they are explained to you using common scientific vocabulary words. The Optional Essays Both tests include an optional essay, but these take very different forms. The ACT essay asks you to evaluate and analyze a complex issue. You are given three perspectives on a worldly, relevant question – like the implications of automation for history – and asked to discuss your own perspective on the issue relative to at least one of the given perspectives. The ACT essay favors those with strong logic, debate, and discussion skills. Test-takers are also asked to use reasoning and outside examples to support their arguments, so a strong knowledge of history, literature, and/or current events can come in handy. The SAT essay, on the other hand, tests comprehension of a source text, and is a good choice for those with strong reading comprehension, interpretation, and critical analysis skills. Test-takers are given a passage to read and asked to examine the author’s use of evidence, reasoning, and stylistic or persuasive elements. Strong SAT essays typically include references to and explanations of literary concepts like allusion, rhetorical language, and anecdote, so a strong knowledge of English literary components and concepts is also useful. How to Decide Whether to Take the SAT or ACT The best way to determine which test is better for you is to take at least one official ACT practice test, and at least one official SAT practice test. (I’ll emphasize official – you want to ensure that your practice session is as representative of the real thing as possible, and a copycat practice test won’t achieve that.) If you still can’t decide between the two exams, or if you take one and realize you might have done better on the other, recognize that there’s no penalty if you officially sit both the SAT and the ACT. The SAT and ACT are operated by different organizations, so reporting your SAT scores to colleges won’t automatically send your ACT scores to them too, and vice versa. If you take both tests, you can choose to report scores for just one exam – whichever one you do better on. (Keep in mind, though, that some colleges require you to submit all scores you’ve received from each test, so if you’ve officially sat three SAT’s, you’ll have to report all three scores, not just your best one.) It’s best to devote your energy to just one test out of the two, but ultimately, you can’t really go wrong when choosing between the SAT and the ACT. Apart from the test fees and studying time spent, there is no cost to taking both exams. Play to your strengths by choosing the test with content that better fits your skills, but don’t worry about choosing wrong – you can always change your mind later on! The best option is to start your test prep early in your high school career, in order to give yourself time to explore both tests and to switch to the other one if you need to. Still need help deciding whether to take the SAT or ACT (or both)? Check out Veritas Prep’s free SAT vs. ACT Comparison Tool to determine which exam is right for you. And as always, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! By Courtney Tran, a Veritas Prep college admissions consultant and 99th percentile SAT and ACT instructor. Courtney Tran is a student at UC Berkeley, studying Political Economy and Rhetoric. In high school, she was named a National Merit Finalist and National AP Scholar, and she represented her district two years in a row in Public Forum Debate at the National Forensics League National Tournament. The post Deciding Between the SAT and ACT: Which Test is Right for You? appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
16 Mar 2017, 16:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: Surprising Insights from the 2018 U.S. News Ranking of Top Business Schools: Stanford Drops to #4 |
 Admit it: In today’s online world, we just can’t peel ourselves away from top-10 lists of anything! And the world of MBA admissions is certainly no exception. Schools and applicants alike are obsessed with rankings. In our opinion, the U.S. News & World Report ranking of business schools is the “best” in terms of ranking schools by selectivity in admissions and their reputations in the marketplace. Quite honestly, most MBA candidates are looking for an environment where they’ll be surrounded by incredible peers and where they’ll get the best job upon graduation, so we believe it’s a very good ranking method. You’ll hear some admissions “gurus” tell people to ignore rankings altogether, but at Veritas Prep, we see an important role for them. If you understand the methodology used behind the rankings, then they can be a helpful first step in your MBA research process. The problems lie when rankings become your first and only step in selecting target schools! The biggest headline to come out of the 2018 U.S. News & World Report survey of business schools is that perennial powerhouse, Stanford Graduate School of Business, has dropped from #1 to #4 this year. Stanford remains the most selective business school in the world, with an admissions rate of just 6% and an average GMAT score of 733 last year (and the Class of 2018 has a record-breaking 737 GMAT score average!). The average salary and bonus for Stanford MBA graduates is a whopping $153,553 – essentially the same as Harvard’s and just $2K behind Wharton’s. So what happened?!? Employment is Stanford’s downfall Stanford’s drop in this year’s rankings was due to two statistics that carry significant weight in the U.S. News Ranking: percentage of students with jobs at graduation and percentage of students with jobs three months after graduation. By all objective measures, Stanford’s performance in this area is abysmal: just 63% of GSB students had jobs at graduation last year, and only 82% were employed three months out. Compare that to the Tuck School at Dartmouth, where 87% of graduates already had a job lined up when they received their diplomas, and 96% had jobs within three months! In fact, Stanford ranks #74 when it comes to jobs at graduation. But, there’s more to the story…. Stanford graduates aren’t just “looking for a job” The #1 priority of students at most MBA programs is to have a job once they graduate. During my time at Kellogg, for example, job offers were always greeted with the greatest celebration and the lack of them caused the greatest stress among my colleagues. One’s entire 2nd year might be dedicated to the pursuit of a job offer. However, Stanford GSB students tend to be different than just about anybody else – they aren’t just looking for a job; they’re looking to change the world…TODAY. “Pursue your dreams” is a mantra drilled into Stanford MBAs from the moment they step onto its Spanish Colonial-inspired campus. As a result, in our analysis, we’ve found that fewer Stanford students are looking for “traditional” post-MBA jobs than at any other top-tier institution. It has the highest percentage of students who pursue their own entrepreneurial ventures upon graduation, although these students who report that they are starting their own business do not impact the school’s reported employment statistics. In addition, more Stanford grads are willing to be patient to find just the right position to enable them to make a big impact in their chosen profession, industry, society, or the world. Armed with a Stanford MBA, they recognize that they can get a job eventually, so they tend not to worry about whether that’s before graduation or several months after. In short, the U.S. News statistics expose a growing trend at Stanford to be extremely picky when it comes to job offers. However, it doesn’t properly capture what U.S. News is trying to show through the data, which is the availability of job opportunities for graduates of each program. Stanford grads have at least as many job opportunities as graduates from any other global MBA program, so this drop in the rankings should not deter any candidate from applying. ASU Carey jumps 10 spots after offering free tuition In our opinion, the biggest news from this year’s U.S. News rankings comes from Arizona State’s W.P. Carey School of Business. Jumping 10 spots in one year, Carey has landed a spot in the top-25 for the first time ever. Outside of the top-25, it’s not entirely uncommon for a school to jump or slide 10 or more spots in one year, but this news comes on the heels of some major innovations at the Carey MBA program. Most notably, the school announced in 2015 that it would make its full-time MBA program tuition-free for 100% of students. As you can imagine, the prospect of free tuition sent applicants in droves to the school, driving down its admission rate to just 14% – this makes Carey one of the most selective MBA programs in the country, ahead of Wharton, Kellogg, Tuck, and Booth. The school’s admissions stats, such as average GMAT and GPA, improved dramatically, as did it’s yield—71% of admitted applicants chose to attend, far stronger than most top MBA programs. It’s employment statistics are equally impressive, with 79% of students landing a job before they don their graduation caps and robes, and 95% securing work within three months. Not bad! Arizona State University grabbed the #1 spot in the U.S. News’ 2018 ranking of the nation’s most innovative colleges and universities (Stanford is #2 and MIT is #3). Before we learned of Carey’s parent institution’s honor in the ranking, Veritas Prep had also dubbed ASU’s business school as the most innovative, as not only did the school drop its tuition for the full-time MBA program, but it also merged with Thunderbird School of Global Management, long known as the top international business school in the world (though it had struggled in recent years). Additionally, Carey’s online MBA program is one of the nation’s top online schools, and the university continues to expand its online offerings. While we wouldn’t be surprised if the offer of free tuition doesn’t last more than a couple of years, we believe ASU’s Carey School is the up-and-coming business school to watch. What do you think of the 2018 MBA rankings? Let us know in the comments below! Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or take our free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation for personalized advice for your unique application situation! As always, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter. Travis Morgan is the Director of Admissions Consulting for Veritas Prep and earned his MBA with distinction from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He served in the Kellogg Student Admissions Office, Alumni Admissions Organization and Diversity & Inclusion Council, among several other posts. Travis joined Veritas Prep as an admissions consultant and GMAT instructor, and he was named Worldwide Instructor of the Year in 2011. The post Surprising Insights from the 2018 U.S. News Ranking of Top Business Schools: Stanford Drops to #4 appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
17 Mar 2017, 19:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: GMAT Tip of the Week: The Song Remains the Same |
 Welcome back to hip hop month in the GMAT Tip of the Week space, where we’re constantly asking ourselves, “Wait, where have I heard that before?” If you listen to enough hip hop, you’ll recognize that just about every beat or lyric you hear either samples from or derives from another track that came before it (unless, of course, the artist is Ol’ Dirty Bastard, for whom, as his nickname derives, there ain’t no father to his style). Biggie’s “Hypnotize” samples directly from “La Di Da Di” (originally by Doug E. Fresh – yep, he’s the one who inspired “The Dougie” that Cali Swag District wants to teach you – and Slick Rick). “Biggie Biggie Biggie, can’t you see, sometimes your words just hypnotize me…” was originally “Ricky, Ricky, Ricky…” And right around the same time, Snoop Dogg and 2Pac just redid the entire song just about verbatim, save for a few brand names. The “East Coast edit” of Chris Brown’s “Loyal”? French Montana starts his verse straight quoting Jay-Z’s “I Just Wanna Love U” (“I’m a pimp by blood, not relation, I don’t chase ’em, I replace ’em…”), which (probably) borrowed the line “I don’t chase ’em I replace ’em” from a Biggie track, which probably got it from something else. And these are just songs we heard on the radio this morning driving to work… The point? Hip hop is a constant variation on the same themes, one of the greatest recycling centers the world has ever known. And so is the GMAT. Good test-takers – like veteran hip hop heads – train themselves to see the familiar within what looks (or sounds) unique. A hip hop fan often says, “Wait, where I have heard that before?” and similarly, a good test-taker sees a unique, challenging problem and says, “Wait, where have I seen that before?” And just like you might recite a lyric back and forth in your mind trying to determine where you’ve heard it before, on test day you should recite the operative parts of the problem or the rule to jog your memory and to remind yourself that you’ve seen this concept before. Is it a remainder problem? Flip through the concepts that you’ve seen during your GMAT prep about working with remainders (“the remainder divided by the divisor gives you the decimals; when the numerator is smaller then the denominator the whole numerator is the remainder…”). Is it a geometry problem? Think of the rules and relationships that showed up on tricky geometry problems you have studied (“I can always draw a diagonal of a rectangle and create a right triangle; I can calculate arc length from an inscribed angle on a circle by doubling the measure of that angle and treating it like a central angle…”). Is it a problem that asks for a seemingly-incalculable number? Run through the strategies you’ve used to perform estimates or determine strange number properties on similar practice problems in the past. The GMAT is a lot like hip hop – just when you think they’ve created something incredibly unique and innovative, you dig back into your memory bank (or click to a jazz or funk station) and realize that they’ve basically re-released the same thing a few times a decade, just under a slightly different name or with a slightly different rhythm. The lesson? You won’t see anything truly unique on the GMAT. So when you find yourself stumped, act like the old guy at work when you tell him to listen to a new hip hop song: “Oh I’ve heard this before…and actually when I heard it before in the ’90s, my neighbor told me that she had heard it before in the ’80s…” As you study, train yourself to see the similarities in seemingly-unique problems and see though the GMAT’s rampant plagiarism of itself. The repetitive nature of the GMAT and of hip hop will likely mean that you’re no longer so impressed by Tyga, but you can use that recognition to be much more impressive to Fuqua. Getting ready to take the GMAT? We have free online GMAT seminars running all the time. And as always, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! By Brian Galvin. The post GMAT Tip of the Week: The Song Remains the Same appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
31 Mar 2017, 10:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: GMAT Tip of the Week: Make J. Cole One of Your Critical Reasoning Role Modelz |
 Today, we’re going to discuss how a seemingly random hip-hop lyric relates to boosting your GMAT Score: “Don’t save her; she don’t want to be saved.” – J. Cole, “No Role Modelz” One of the most common misconceptions that GMAT examinees have about the exam is that, while on quantitative questions, only one answer can be correct and everything else is wrong, on verbal questions “my wrong answer was good, but maybe not the best.” It is critical to realize that on GMAT verbal questions, exactly one answer is right and the other four are fatally flawed and 100% wrong! Visit a GMAT classroom or a GMAT Club forum thread discussing a Critical Reasoning problem, and you’re almost certain to see/hear students protesting for why their wrong answer could be right. “Well but what if the argument said X, would I be right?” “Well but what if instead of “some” it said “most” would it be right then?” But students love trying to save an incorrect answer to verbal questions, and in particular Critical Reasoning questions. And to an extent that’s understandable: in high school and college, math was always black and white but in “verbal” classes (literature and the arts, history, philosophy…) as long as you could defend your stance or opinion you could be considered “right” even if that opinion differed from that of your professor. You could “save” an incorrect or unpopular position on an issue by finding a way to justify your stance, and in some cases you were even rewarded for proposing and defending an unorthodox, contrarian viewpoint. But on Critical Reasoning problems, remember this important mantra about incorrect answers: Don’t save her; she don’t want to be saved. Your job is to attack answer choices, looking for the flaw instead of looking for ways to defend. Each incorrect answer choice is specifically written so that someone will see something redeeming about part of it – otherwise no one would ever pick it and it would be a waste of an answer – so looking for ways to save an answer choice is a fool’s errand. If you’re looking for little things to like about answer choices you should find that in just about every answer choice you see. The operative word in “Critical Reasoning” is critical – you want to be as critical as you can, much like J. Cole is when he discusses his relationships in No Role Modelz. Consider an example from the Veritas Prep Question Bank: According to a recent study, employees who bring their own lunches to work take fewer sick days and and are, on average, more productive per hour spent at work than those who eat at the workplace cafeteria. In order to minimize the number of sick days taken by its staff, Boltech Industries plans to eliminate its cafeteria. Which of the following, if true, provides the most reason to believe that Boltech Industries’ strategy will not accomplish its objective? A) Boltech’s cafeteria is known for serving a diverse array of healthy lunch options. B) Because of Boltech’s location, employees who choose to visit a nearby restaurant for lunch will seldom be able to return within an hour. C) Employees have expressed concern about the cost of dining at nearby restaurants compared with the affordability of the Boltech cafeteria. D) Employees who bring their lunch from home tend to lead generally healthier lifestyles than those of employees who purchase lunch. E) Many Boltech employees chose to work for the company in large part because of the generous benefits, such as an on-site cafeteria and fitness center, that Boltech offers. Less than half of all test-takers get this problem right, in large part because they try to “save” wrong answer choices. The goal of this plan is very clearly stated as “to minimize the number of sick days” but students very frequently pick choices B and E. With B, they try to save it by thinking “but isn’t being away from your desk a long time for a lunch really bad, too?” And the answer may very well be “yes” but the question specifically asks for a reason to think that the strategy will not achieve its objective, and that objective is very clearly stated as pertaining only to sick days. “Well what if the plan was to minimize time away from employees’s desks?” students love to ask, committed to saving the bad answer choice. While that answer might be “yes,” the even bigger answer is “train yourself to stop trying to save wrong answers!” The study time you expend trying to create a situation in which your wrong answer would be right (“well with E, if the goal were employee retention then it would probably be right”) is time you spend reinforcing a habit that can get you in trouble on test day. Trying to save answers leads you both to wrong answers and to extra time spent on a hard decision, because, again, if your mindset is to look for the good in every answer choice those choices are written to give you something good to find! So as you study, and especially on test day, heed the wisdom of J. Cole. If you fall into the trap of saving answers, tell the GMAT “fool me one time, shame on you; fool me twice can’t put the blame on you.” But most importantly, as you look at Critical Reasoning answer choices, don’t save her. She don’t want to be saved. The post GMAT Tip of the Week: Make J. Cole One of Your Critical Reasoning Role Modelz appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
31 Mar 2017, 10:30
31 Mar 2017, 19:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: GMAT Tip of the Week Is Not A Player, It Just Crushes A Lot |
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On this last day of Hip Hop Month in the GMAT Tip of the Week space, let’s talk about the big picture related to your GMAT score with a nod to one of hip hop’s most notorious B-I-Gs: Big Punisher. The “Big Punisher” of your GMAT score – the item that can take what would have been a great day and leave you walking away from the test sobbing “It’s So Hard” (another Big Pun hit…look it up – he had more than one!) – is poor time management. On a test-taker’s route to a strong section score, there lie a handful of questions that tempt you to devote several fruitless minutes playing around with equations, calculations, and techniques that aren’t working. A few questions later you look at the clock and realize that even though 90% of the problems have gone well for you, you’re several minutes off your target pace…all because of that one big punisher, the question you should have left alone. Fortunately, Big Punisher has a mantra for you to keep in mind on test day: “I’m not a player, I just crush a lot” Meaning, of course, that you’re not the kind of test-taker who aimlessly plays around with the 3-4 “big punisher” questions that will ruin the time you have left for the others. You quickly identify that no one question is worth taking your whole pacing strategy on (as Snoop would say, “I’m too swift on my toes to get caught up with you hos,” hos, of course, being short for “horribly involved problems that I’ll probably get wrong anyway) and bank that time for the many other problems that you’ll crush…a lot. Functionally that means this: when you realize that you’re more likely wasting time than progressing toward a right answer, cut your losses and move on so that you save the time for the problems that you will undoubtedly get right…as long as you have a reasonable amount of time for them. You might consider paying homage to Big Pun by using his name as a quick mnemonic for your strategic options: P: Pick Numbers. If the calculations or algebra you’re performing seems to either be going in circles or getting worse, look back and see if you could simply pick numbers instead. This often works when you’re dealing with variables as parts of the answer choices. U: Use Answer Choices. Again, if you feel like you’re running in circles, check and see if there are clues in the answer choices or if you can plug them in and backsolve directly. N: Not Worth My Time. And if a quick assessment tells you that you can’t pick numbers or use answer choices, recognize that this problem simply isn’t worth your time, and blow in a guess. Remember: you’re not a player – you won’t let the test bait you into playing with a single crazy question for more than a minute without a direct path to the finish line – so save the time to focus on crushing a lot of problems that you know you can crush. On your journey to completing entire GMAT sections on time, heed Big Pun’s warning: don’t stop (to play around with questions you already know you’re not getting right), get it, get it – meaning pick up the pace to have meaningful time to spend on the questions you can get. The biggest punisher of what should be high GMAT scores is poor time management, almost always caused by spending far too long on just a few problems. So remember: you’re not a player on those problems…go out there and crush a lot of the problems you know you can crush. Getting ready to take the GMAT? We have free online GMAT seminars running all the time. And as always, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! By Brian Galvin. The post GMAT Tip of the Week Is Not A Player, It Just Crushes A Lot appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
19 Apr 2017, 15:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: Quarter Wit, Quarter Wisdom: Dealing with Complex Word Problems |
 In studying for the GMAT, we often come across a strategy for how to handle complex questions – simplify them until they become a problem that we know how to solve. But how exactly does one simplify a complicated GMAT question? Let’s try to understand this with an example today: Twenty-four men can complete a job in sixteen days. Thirty-two women can complete the same job in twenty-four days. Sixteen men and sixteen women started working on the job for twelve days. How many more men must be added to complete the job in 2 days? (A) 16 (B) 24 (C) 36 (D) 48 (E) 54 Here, we are dealing with two groups of people: men and women. These two groups have different rates of completing a job. We are also told that a certain number of men and women do a part of the job, and we are asked to find the number of additional “men” required to finish the job in a shorter amount of time. Recall that we have already come across questions where workers start some work and then more workers join in to complete the work before time. The problem with this question is that we have two types of workers, not just one. So let’s try to simplify the question to a form that we know how to easily solve. We’ll start by finding the relation between the rate of work done by men and the rate of work done by women. Let’s make the number of men and women the same to find the number of days it will take each group to complete 1 job. Given: 24 men complete 1 job in 16 days Given: 32 women complete 1 job in 24 days So how many days will 24 women take to complete 1 work? (Why 24 women? Because we know how many days 24 men take) We know how to solve this problem. (It has already been discussed in a past post). 32 women ……………. 1 work ………………. 24 days 24 women ……………. 1 work ………………. ?? days No. of days taken = 24 * (32/24) = 32 days Now this is what we have: 24 men take 16 days while 24 women take 32 days So women take twice the time taken by men to do the same work (32 days vs 16 days). This means the rate of work of women is half the rate of work of men. This means 2 women are equivalent to 1 man i.e. 2 women will do the same work as 1 man does in the same time. So now, let us replace all women by men so that we have only one type of worker. Now this is our regular work rate question – Given: 24 men complete the work in 16 days Given: 16 men and 16 women work for 12 days This means that we have 16 men and 8 men work for 12 days which implies 24 men work for 12 days We know that 24 men complete the work in 16 days. If they work for 12 days, there are 4 more days to go. But the work has to be completed in 2 days. 24 men …………… 4 days ?? men ……………. 2 days No of men needed = 24 * (4/2) = 48 So we need 24 additional men to complete the work in 2 days. Or looking at it another way, 24 men need 16 days to complete the work, so they need another 4 days to complete. But if we want them to complete the work in half the time (2 days), we will need twice the work force. So we need another 24 men. Answer (B) Basically, the question involved solving two smaller work-rate problems. Doesn’t seem daunting now, right? Getting ready to take the GMAT? We have free online GMAT seminars running all the time. And, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+, and Twitter! Karishma, a Computer Engineer with a keen interest in alternative Mathematical approaches, has mentored students in the continents of Asia, Europe and North America. She teaches the GMAT for Veritas Prep and regularly participates in content development projects such as this blog! The post Quarter Wit, Quarter Wisdom: Dealing with Complex Word Problems appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
19 Apr 2017, 15:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: Tackling GMAT Critical Reasoning Boldface Questions |
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For some reason, GMAT test takers automatically associate boldface questions with the 700 level, but this fear is unfounded, honestly! We have often found that one strategy, which is very helpful in other question types too, helps sort out most questions of this type, though not in the same way. That strategy is – ‘find the conclusion(s)’ The conclusion of the argument is the position taken by the author. Boldface questions (and others too) sometimes have more than one conclusion – One would be the conclusion of the argument i.e. the author’s conclusion. The argument could mention another conclusion which could be the conclusion of a certain segment of people/ some scientists/ some researchers/ a politician etc. We need to segregate these two and how each premise supports/opposes the various conclusion. Once this structure is in place, we automatically find the answer. Let’s see how with an example. Question: Recently, motorists have begun purchasing more and more fuel-efficient economy and hybrid cars that consume fewer gallons of gasoline per mile traveled. There has been debate as to whether we can conclude that these purchases will actually lead to an overall reduction in the total consumption of gasoline across all motorists. The answer is no, since motorists with more fuel-efficient vehicles are likely to drive more total miles than they did before switching to a more fuel-efficient car, negating the gains from higher fuel-efficiency. Which of the following best describes the roles of the portions in bold? (A)The first describes a premise that is accepted as true; the second introduces a conclusion that is opposed by the argument as a whole. (B)The first states a position taken by the argument; the second introduces a conclusion that is refuted by additional evidence. (C)The first is evidence that has been used to support a position that the argument as a whole opposes; the second provides information to undermine the force of that evidence. (D)The first is a conclusion that is later shown to be false; the second is the evidence by which that conclusion is proven false. (E)The first is a premise that is later shown to be false; the second is a conclusion that is later shown to be false. Solution: As our first step, let’s try to figure out the conclusion of the argument: The author’s view is that “purchases of fuel efficient vehicles will NOT lead to an overall reduction in the total consumption of gasoline across all motorists.” This is the position the argument (and author) takes. The argument gives us another conclusion: these purchases will actually lead to an overall reduction in the total consumption of gasoline across all motorists. Some people take this position (implied by the use of “there has been debate”) This is our second bold statement. It introduces the opposing conclusion. Let’s look at our options now. (A) The first describes a premise that is accepted as true; the second introduces a conclusion that is opposed by the argument as a whole. The first bold statement: Recently, motorists have begun purchasing more and more fuel-efficient economy and hybrid cars that consume fewer gallons of gasoline per mile traveled. This is a premise and has been accepted as true. We know it has been accepted as true since the last line ends with – “…negating the gains from higher fuel-efficiency” We have seen above that the second bold statement tells us about a conclusion that the argument opposes. So (A) is correct. We have found our answer but let’s look at the other options too. (B) The first states a position taken by the argument; the second introduces a conclusion that is refuted by additional evidence. The first bold statement is a premise. It is not the position taken by the argument. Let’s move on. (C) The first is evidence that has been used to support a position that the argument as a whole opposes; the second provides information to undermine the force of that evidence. This option often confuses test-takers. The evidence is – “Recently, motorists have begun purchasing more and more fuel-efficient economy and hybrid cars that consume fewer gallons of gasoline per mile traveled.” That is, “the motorists have begun purchasing fuel efficient cars that give better mileage.” The second bold statement does not undermine this evidence at all. In fact, it builds up on it with – “This brings up a debate on whether it will lead to overall decreased fuel consumption?” Hence (C) is not correct. (D)The first is a conclusion that is later shown to be false; the second is the evidence by which that conclusion is proven false. The first bold statement is not a conclusion. So no point dwelling on this option. (E)The first is a premise that is later shown to be false; the second is a conclusion that is later shown to be false. The premise is taken to be true. The argument ends with “… the gains from higher fuel-efficiency”. Hence, this option doesn’t stand a chance either. We hope you see how easy it is to break down the options once we identify the conclusion(s). Keep practicing! Getting ready to take the GMAT? We have free online GMAT seminars running all the time. And, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+, and Twitter! Karishma, a Computer Engineer with a keen interest in alternative Mathematical approaches, has mentored students in the continents of Asia, Europe and North America. She teaches the GMAT for Veritas Prep and regularly participates in content development projects such as this blog! The post Tackling GMAT Critical Reasoning Boldface Questions appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
28 Apr 2017, 17:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: How to Leverage Scholarship Money |
 Going to business school can be an expensive affair. Price tags for a top two-year full time programs can soar over $200,000 dollars, which for most applicants is more than they have socked away in their piggy bank. There are many ways to pay for your graduate business school education and the one that excites applicants the most is scholarship money! Business school is an expensive proposition and if a program offers scholarship money as part of their financial package, it opens up a ton of financial flexibility for applicants. Many programs use scholarship money as a “carrot” to entice high potential and strongly desired candidates to their school. It is always good to be wanted by a program but sometimes these scholarship offers come from less desired programs, presenting difficult decisions when it comes to making the ultimate choice of where to matriculate. Sometimes the scholarship offers come from desired programs as well, but even with this good fortune, situations can still arise that create difficult decisions between programs. If you have received multiple offers from MBA programs with imbalanced financial support there are a few different approaches you can take: Do Nothing This is the approach many applicants take. This is my least favorite and the least effective approach. You have nothing to lose by politely and respectfully communicating other offers and your desire for additional support. If you never mention it that is the best way to forego any potential leverage you may have. Reach Out via Email This is the next step in being proactive about leveraging your scholarship offer. Getting a school to change their mind about scholarship money is not easy, but it must start with some dialogue. The key here is being respectful and offering up some information about your other admits and associated scholarship funding. Reaching out to the right decision maker can also improve your odds of success here. Call or Meet in Person This is my favorite approach to leveraging your scholarship offer. The business school application process is very personal for admissions. So, if you can connect with them on a personal basis, whether on the phone or in person, it can only help your chances of them offering additional scholarship support. I think it is also important to really think through how important the scholarship money is to your ultimate decision making process. Many schools will negotiate the scholarship offer with the expectation that you will accept, so make sure you enter into these conversations being open and honest. Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or take our free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation for personalized advice for your unique application situation! As always, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter. Dozie A. is a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His specialties include consulting, marketing, and low GPA/GMAT applicants. You can read more articles by him here. The post How to Leverage Scholarship Money appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
01 May 2017, 20:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: Which is Worse to Encounter on a GMAT Question: Median or Mean? |
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Hypothetically speaking, given a choice between a question on median and one on mean, which would you choose? (Not that we are fortunate enough to have a choice on test day, but no harm in dreaming!) I would certainly pick the question testing on median, and here is why: Median is the value at a point – to be precise, the point which divides the increasing data set into two equal halves. You don’t care what is on the left and what is on the right of this point, so an outlier will do nothing to the median. The mean, however depends on every value in the set. If you increase one element of data, the mean of the set changes – outliers can drastically change the value of the mean. Hence, every element has to be kept in mind! With the median, there is a lot less to worry about. Let’s illustrate this with an example data sufficiency question: Question on Median: At a bakery, cakes are sold every day for a certain number of days. If 6 or more cakes were sold for 20% of the total number of days, is the median number of cakes sold less than 4? Statement 1: On 75% of the days that less than 6 cakes were sold, the number of cakes sold each day was less than 4. Statement 2: On 50% of the days that 4 or more cakes were sold, the number of cakes sold each day was 6 or more. The following is the number of cakes sold on any of the days mentioned in the question:  Say there were 100 days (since all figures are in terms of percentages, we can assume a number to simplify our understanding). The question stem tells us that 6 or more cakes were sold for 20% of the days, so for 20 days, 6 or more cakes were sold. Then for 80 days, 1/2/3/4/5 cakes were sold. With this information in mind, is the median number of cakes sold in one day less than 4? We know how to get the median. When we arrange all figures in increasing order, the median will be the average of the 50th and the 51st terms. We need to know if the average of the 50th and 51st term is less than 4. Let’s tackle the statements one at a time: Statement 1: On 75% of the days that less than 6 cakes were sold, the number of cakes sold each day was less than 4. The number of days that less than 6 cakes were sold = 80. 75% of these 80 days will be 60 days. In 60 days, less than 4 cakes were sold. So the 50th and 51st terms will be less than 4 and so will their average. Hence, the median will be less than 4. This statement alone is sufficient. Statement 2: On 50% of the days that 4 or more cakes were sold, the number of cakes sold each day was 6 or more. In 20 days, 6 or more cakes were sold. This constitutes 50% of the days during which 4 or more cakes were sold, so in another 20 days, 4 or 5 cakes were sold. Hence, during the leftover 60 days, less than 4 cakes were sold. The 50th and 51st terms will be less than 4 and so will their average. Hence, the median will be less than 4. This statement alone is also sufficient, so our answer is D. All we needed to worry about here were the 50th and 51st terms, however the whole problem changes when we talk about mean instead of median. Same Question on Mean: At a bakery, cakes are sold every day for a certain number of days. If 6 or more cakes were sold for 20% of the total number of days, is the average number of cakes sold less than 4? Statement 1: On 75% of the days that less than 6 cakes were sold, the number of cakes sold each day was less than 4. Statement 2: On 50% of the days that 4 or more cakes were sold, the number of cakes sold each day was 6 or more. Again, the question stem tells us that 6 or more cakes were sold for 20% of the days, so for 20 days, 6 or more cakes were sold. Then for 80 days, 1/2/3/4/5 cakes were sold. We now need to ask ourselves is the average number of cakes sold in one day less than 4? This question asks us about the average. – that is far more complicated than the median. Every value matters when we talk about the average. We need to know the number of cakes sold on each of these 100 days to get the average. 6 or more cakes were sold in 20 days. Note that the number of cakes sold during these 20 days could be any number greater than 6, such as 20 or 50 or 120, etc. The minimum number of cakes sold on these 20 days would be 6*20 = 120. There is no limit to the maximum number of cakes sold. With this in mind, let’s examine the statements: Statement 1: On 75% of the days that less than 6 cakes were sold, the number of cakes sold each day was less than 4. In 80 days, less than 6 cakes were sold. Of this number, 75% is 60 days. In 60 days, less than 4 cakes were sold. So in 60 days, you have a minimum of 1*60 = 60 cakes sold and a maximum of 3*60 = 180 cakes sold. During the leftover 20 days 4 or 5 cakes were sold, so you have a minimum of 4*20 = 80 cakes and a maximum of 5*20 = 100 cakes. The minimum value of the average is (120 + 60 + 80)/ 100 = 2.6 cakes, but the maximum average could be anything. Therefore, this statement alone is not sufficient. Statement 2: On 50% of the days that 4 or more cakes were sold, the number of cakes sold each day was 6 or more. The 20 days when 6 or more cakes were sold make up 50% of the days when 4 or more cakes were sold. So for another 20 days, 4 or 5 cakes were sold. This gives us a minimum of 4*20 = 80 cakes and a maximum of 5*20 = 100 cakes. For 60 days, 1/2/3 cakes were sold. So in 60 days, you have minimum of 1*60 = 60 cakes sold and a maximum of 3*60 = 180 cakes sold. The minimum value of the average is (120 + 60 + 80)/ 100 = 2.6 cakes, but again, the maximum average could be anything. This statement alone is also not sufficient. Note that both statements give you the same information, so if they are not sufficient independently, they are not sufficient together. The answer of this modified question would be E. Here, we had to assume the minimum and maximum value for each data point to get the range of the average – we couldn’t just rely on one or two data points. Finding the mean during a GMAT question requires much more information than finding the median! Getting ready to take the GMAT? We have free online GMAT seminars running all the time. And, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+, and Twitter! Karishma, a Computer Engineer with a keen interest in alternative Mathematical approaches, has mentored students in the continents of Asia, Europe and North America. She teaches the GMAT for Veritas Prep and regularly participates in content development projects such as this blog! The post Which is Worse to Encounter on a GMAT Question: Median or Mean? appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
02 May 2017, 18:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: SAT Quotes to Keep You Focused and Driven as You Approach Test Day |
 Are you in the process of preparing for the SAT? Perhaps you’re completing practice algebra problems each day as you prep for the Math portion of the test, or maybe you’re striving to make your writing clearer and more organized in preparation for the SAT Essay section. No matter what skills you’re focusing on, you may be feeling a little run-down from all your efforts. As you study for the SAT, quotes from successful, well-known individuals can often provide you with the inspiration you need to keep working toward achieving your goals. “Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.” (Bill Bradley) Being an ambitious person, you probably set lofty goals for yourself. You may strive for all A’s in your courses every semester. If you play a sport, you may have the objective of winning a specific award or scoring a certain number of points each game. If you play the piano, you may set a goal of learning a challenging piece of music by a particular date. You can also set ambitious objectives when it comes to the SAT. For example, you may set your sights on scoring in the top one percent on the test, like our tutors did. This quote points out that being persistent is what helps you arrive at your goals. Studying every day is one example of persistence when it comes to preparing for the SAT. Asking your instructor for clarification on confusing topics and reviewing difficult skills are other examples of being persistent in your SAT studies. This advice holds true for most goals, including success on the SAT. “When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things.” (Joe Namath) Building your confidence is part of the SAT prep process. Improving on your weakest skills certainly boosts your confidence leading up to test day. At Veritas Prep, we believe the learning process can be fun, and in our instructional program, we give you the tools and strategies you need to feel confident about every section on the SAT. We want you to walk into the testing center feeling at ease and ready to showcase your skills on the exam. “I’ve learned time management, organization, and I have priorities.” (Tory Burch) Preparing for the SAT is a gradual process. To get the most out of your prep time, it’s best to make a schedule for each day’s study tasks. How do you know what tasks to include on your schedule? Take a practice SAT to see what skills you need to work on. If you need to work on recognizing words in context for the Reading section, then quizzing yourself with vocabulary cards is one place to start. This sort of practice would be a task on your study schedule. Set up your schedule by dedicating a certain number of minutes to each task. When you have an organized study schedule, you can complete each day’s tasks with efficiency. “I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a good teacher.” (Temple Grandin) What better way is there to achieve a high score on the SAT than to learn from someone who already achieved that goal? Each of the instructors at Veritas Prep scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT, so whether you’re looking to improve your score on just one section of the test or on multiple sections, when you work with us, you’ll be learning from individuals who understand how to get there. Professional SAT instructors use their experience and knowledge to benefit the student. “Success is dependent on effort.” (Sophocles) Thorough preparation is necessary for success on the SAT. A high score on the test can help you gain admission into a preferred college. Once there, you can earn a degree that leads you to your dream career. So the efforts you make today to excel on the SAT can set you on the path to achieving your goals in the years to come. When it comes to the SAT, quotes like these can give you an instant jolt of inspiration. But consistent practice and a dedicated attitude are the real keys to success on the test. At Veritas Prep, we have both private online tutoring and in-person courses available: Let us pair with you as you aim for excellence on the SAT. The post SAT Quotes to Keep You Focused and Driven as You Approach Test Day appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
03 May 2017, 18:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: When Should You Hire an MBA Admissions Consultant? |
 Applying for a graduate degree in business, better known as an MBA, is arguably one of the more involved processes of any of the prestigious graduate tracks (law, medical, etc.). With such a complex undertaking and ever-increasing competition from all corners of the globe, admission into business school has become more challenging than ever. That is why so many applicants hire admissions consultants – to help them develop the most comprehensive, thoughtful, and strategic applications possible. When hiring an admissions consultant, timing is everything! The earliest I would probably recommend hiring an admissions consultant would be April. The average applicant will probably hire a consultant between June and July. If you’re really trying to make life tough on yourself (and your admissions consultant) you will hire one a month before your application deadline. The longer lead times above allow you to make the process less transactional, which is what can sometimes happen if you hire a consultant at the last minute. A longer lead time not only allows you to have more time to prepare your application, but it also helps you build a relationship with your consultant. When a consultant understands your background and the intricacies of your profile, it can increase the odds your partnership will be fruitful. It is also important to get things done early because the more iterations you have, the higher the caliber of your application materials and the greater your chances of being accepted. As far as your specific application timeline, it should vary based on whether you are doing five long, complicated applications or just one application. These are instances where the recommendations outlined above are more fluid. Another aspect of choosing a consultant that few factor in is the availability of the consultant’s time (and also your time). If you are a traveling management consultant or investment banker, who can barely squeeze an hour into the day to do anything, you’re going to want to start really early. This will allow you to slow-roll things based on your limited time to engage with your consultant, and make material progress on your application in any one week. Overall, the key here is to really understand your needs when choosing a consultant. Thinking through the amount of applications you will be tackling, the support you’ll need, and your own availability will allow you to begin working with your consultant at the right time. Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or take our free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation for personalized advice for your unique application situation! As always, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter. Dozie A. is a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His specialties include consulting, marketing, and low GPA/GMAT applicants. You can read more articles by him here. The post When Should You Hire an MBA Admissions Consultant? appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
12 May 2017, 12:01
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: What to Expect from Possible ACT Essay Prompts |
 Today, many students choose to write the optional ACT essay. Some write it because a Writing section score is required by the colleges they are applying to. Others write it because they excel in essay-writing and want to showcase their skills to college admissions officials. If you plan to write the essay, you’ll want to become familiar with the types of writing prompts given on this exam. The Different Types of ACT Essay Prompts Each essay prompt on the ACT concerns a complex issue. For instance, one sample prompt released by the ACT concerns individual freedom and public health. Other writing prompts may deal with technology, the media, education, the arts, and other issues. Even if you don’t have a great deal of knowledge about the topic in the essay prompt, you can still write an essay that is organized, logical, and convincing. In fact, all of the information you need to complete the writing task is given to you in the prompt. Your Task on the Essay After reading the essay prompt, you’re given three perspectives on the issue. Your task is to develop your own perspective, then use evidence and examples to support it. Furthermore, you’re asked to analyze how your perspective is similar to or different from at least one of the given perspectives. Think about the possible counterarguments to your perspective and address them. The individuals who grade your essay won’t be looking at whether you agreed or disagreed with the given perspectives: In fact, that part is irrelevant. Instead, they’ll be evaluating your essay based on its organization, use of supporting evidence, idea development, and language use. College admissions officials want to see a sample of your writing to find out if you can express your ideas in a coherent way. Many colleges will look at your ACT English, Reading, and Writing scores to get a full picture of your ability to interpret and communicate ideas. Preparing for the Essay The best way to prep for the essay on the ACT is to practice your writing skills. This includes working on organizing your ideas in the form of an outline before beginning your essay. Also, reading online newspaper and magazine articles gives you practice developing perspectives on current issues. You have only 40 minutes to write the ACT essay, so it’s a good idea to time your practice essays so you can establish a writing speed that doesn’t make you feel rushed. The professional ACT instructors at Veritas Prep have been where you are right now: They’ve prepared for and taken the ACT, including the essay. More importantly, each of our instructors earned a score on the ACT landing them in the 99th percentile. So when you sign up with Veritas Prep, you’ll be studying with tutors who have excellent teaching skills and impressive experience with the test. Tips for Writing the Essay The ACT essay is given on paper, so you’ll have space to jot down an outline and organize your thoughts. You’ll probably want to start writing your essay right away, but creating an outline is an effective strategy if you want to end up with a high score. Take the time to think about your perspective on the issue and make sure you have plenty of evidence to support it. Try to leave yourself with a few minutes at the end of the writing test so you can proofread and make small changes if necessary. The instructors at Veritas Prep have the skills and knowledge to prepare you for the Writing section on the ACT along with the rest of the exam. We are familiar with the different types of ACT essay prompts and can guide you on the best approaches to them. Our strategies can help you to create an essay that fulfills all of the requirements necessary to achieve the highest score possible. We offer online courses that are convenient for high school students on the go, and we also have in-person ACT prep courses if you prefer that type of learning environment. Look at our FAQ page to find more information about our tutoring services, or give us a call or email to let us know how we can help you conquer the ACT essay! The post What to Expect from Possible ACT Essay Prompts appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
16 May 2017, 19:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: Quarter Wit, Quarter Wisdom: Ignore the Diagram in That GMAT Geometry Question! |
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If you follow the Veritas Prep blog, you have probably heard us talk about the importance of diagrams in many GMAT Quant questions – coordinate geometry, races, time-speed-distance problems, sets, etc. We even suggest you to make diagrams when they are not given on such questions. But sometimes, the GMAT Testmakers give such diagrams that we wish we were not given the diagram at all. In fact, the addition of a diagram – something that often simplifies our questions – can take the difficulty of the question to a whole new level. By now you are probably thinking that I am surely exaggerating, so I will proceed with an example. Try to figure this out: when the figure given below is cut along the solid lines, folded along the dashed lines, and then taped along the solid lines, the result is a model of a geometric solid. Now, can you use your imagination and figure out what kind of a geometric solid you will get in this case? Don’t go ahead just yet – first, give it a shot for a few minutes:  To be honest, I have given it a try and it is certainly not easy. I will know for sure only when I actually carry out the aforementioned steps – cut the paper along the solid lines, fold along the dashed lines and then tape up along the solid lines. Without carrying out the steps I am not sure exactly what kind of a figure I will get. So the test maker comes to our rescue here. Here is the complete question: When the figure above is cut along the solid lines, folded along the dashed lines, and taped along the solid lines, the result is a model of a geometric solid. This geometric solid consists of two pyramids each with a square base that they share. What is the sum of number of edges and number of faces of this geometric solid? (A) 10 (B) 18 (C) 20 (D) 24 (E) 25 The Testmaker specifies what kind of a figure we get – two pyramids, each with a square base that they share. Figuring this out in one minute without an actual paper and scissor at hand would need extraordinary skill. Many test-takers spend precious minutes trying to make sense of the given diagram, but in problems like this, it should be completely ignored because we already know what it will look like – two pyramids with a common square base. This, we understand! We know what a pyramid looks like – triangular faces converge to a single point at the top with a polygon (often a square) base. We need two pyramids joined together at the base. This is what the solid will look like:  Just the 4 triangular faces of each of the two pyramids (8 triangles total) will be visible. Since they will share the square base, the base will not be visible. Hence, the figure will have 8 faces. Now let’s see how many edges there will be: to make the top pyramid, four triangular faces join to give four edges. To make the bottom pyramid, another four triangular faces join to give four more edges. The two pyramids join on the square base to give yet another four edges. So all in all, we have 4 + 4 + 4 = 12 edges When we sum up the faces and edges, we get 8 + 12 = 20 The question is much more manageable now. All we had to do was ignore the diagram given to us! Getting ready to take the GMAT? We have free online GMAT seminars running all the time. And, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+, and Twitter! Karishma, a Computer Engineer with a keen interest in alternative Mathematical approaches, has mentored students in the continents of Asia, Europe and North America. She teaches the GMAT for Veritas Prep and regularly participates in content development projects such as this blog! The post Quarter Wit, Quarter Wisdom: Ignore the Diagram in That GMAT Geometry Question! appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
17 May 2017, 19:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: Average Princeton SAT Scores |
 High school students who dream of earning a degree from Princeton University have a lot of steps to take in order to make that dream into reality. Students applying to Princeton must meet a variety of academic requirements. One of those requirements is a relatively high score on the SAT. Learn about average SAT scores for Princeton students. In addition, find out how high school students can achieve their best score on this important exam. The Average SAT Score at Princeton When looking at students accepted to Princeton, average SAT scores range around 2250 for the old version of the SAT (the average score for the new version of the SAT will probably be around 1520 – the school has yet to disclose this). This score places a student in the 99th percentile of test-takers. Again, this score is based on the scoring system for the current SAT – the highest possible score that a student can earn on the current version of the SAT is 1600. How to Achieve an Impressive SAT Score When it comes to gaining admission to Princeton, SAT scores can carry weight with admissions officers. While there’s no official cutoff, a strong score can do nothing but help a strong application overall. Fortunately, there are several things students can do to prep for the test and earn an impressive score. One of the most valuable resources a student has is a practice test. A student can pinpoint which subjects they need to work on by examining the results of a practice test. This is an effective way for students to achieve the score they need to feel confident about applying to Princeton. Average SAT scores for Princeton students are high but may be achieved with persistent, focused study. At Veritas Prep, we offer students both online and in-person study options to help them prepare for the SAT. We recognize the level of study necessary for students who want to apply to Princeton: SAT scores can play a critical part in the final decision of admissions officers, after all. Our prep courses provide students with test-taking tips and strategies they can use to simplify questions and showcase their strengths in every subject on the SAT. What Other Factors Are Considered by Admissions Officers at Princeton? Certainly, an SAT score of 2250 or higher is a plus on any student’s application to Princeton. But a student’s SAT score is just one of many things considered by admissions officers. They also look at a student’s grades in high school as well as the types of classes taken by the individual. Did a student take advanced courses throughout high school? If so, this demonstrates a student’s intellectual curiosity and willingness to push their skills to the limit. A student’s application essay is another element that carries a lot of weight with admissions officers. In fact, a student’s essay gives officials insight into the person’s character and motivations. It allows admissions officers a look at the person behind the test scores and transcripts. Extracurricular activities and recommendation letters also play a part in the evaluation process. Princeton admissions officers are looking to fill all of the spots in a freshman class with students who are most likely to strive for great success at the school. For students who want to go to Princeton, SAT requirements can seem daunting. Naturally, ambitious students want to do all they can to live up to the high academic standards set by the officials at Princeton. SAT subject tests are also a consideration for high school students who want to apply to this prestigious university. Admissions officers at Princeton recommend that applicants take two SAT subject tests. Students who want assistance preparing for the SAT as well as the SAT subject tests can get the help they need from our talented team of instructors at Veritas Prep. Each of our instructors scored in the top one percent of individuals taking the SAT. This means that high school students who work with our professional instructors are learning from the best! Along with solid academic assistance, our instructors are experts at supplying students with the support and encouragement they need to succeed. Contact Veritas Prep today and let us help you prepare for and master the SAT. The post Average Princeton SAT Scores appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
30 Jun 2017, 16:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: Using Parallel Lines and Transversals to Your Advantage on the GMAT |
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Today, we will look at a Geometry concept involving parallel lines and transversals (a line that cuts through two parallel lines). This is the property: The ratios of the intercepts of two transversals on parallel lines is the same. Consider the diagram below:  Here, we can see that:
In triangle ABC below, D is the mid-point of BC and E is the mid-point of AD. BF passes through E. What is the ratio of AF:FC ?  (A) 1:1 (B) 1:2 (C) 1:3 (D) 2:3 (E) 3:4 Here, the given triangle is neither a right triangle, nor is it an equilateral triangle. We don’t really know many properties of such triangles, so that will probably not help us. We do know, however, that AD is the median and E is its mid-point, but again, we don’t know any properties of mid-points of medians. Instead, we need to think outside the box – parallel lines will come to our rescue. Let’s draw lines parallel to BF passing through the points A, D, and C, as shown in the diagram below:  Now we have four lines parallel to each other and two transversals, AD and AC, passing through them. Consider the three parallel lines, “line passing through A”, “BF”, and “line passing through D”. The ratio of the intercepts of the two transversals on them will be the same. AE/ED = AF/FP We know that AE = ED since E is the mid point of AD. Hence, AE/ED = 1/1. This means we can say: AE/ED = 1/1 = AF/FP AF = FP Now consider these three parallel lines: “BF”, “line passing through D”, and “line passing through C”. The ratio of the intercepts of the two transversals on them will also be the same. BD/DC = FP/PC We know that BD = DC since D is the mid point of BC. Hence, BD/DC = 1/1. This means we can also say: BD/DC = 1/1 = FP/PC FP = PC From these two calculations, we will get AF = FP = PC, and hence, AF:FC = 1:(1+1) = 1:2. Therefore, the answer is B. We hope you see that Geometry questions on the GMAT can be easily resolved once we bring in parallel lines. Getting ready to take the GMAT? We have free online GMAT seminars running all the time. And, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+, and Twitter! Karishma, a Computer Engineer with a keen interest in alternative Mathematical approaches, has mentored students in the continents of Asia, Europe and North America. She teaches the GMAT for Veritas Prep and regularly participates in content development projects such as this blog! The post Using Parallel Lines and Transversals to Your Advantage on the GMAT appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
05 Jul 2017, 19:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: Should You Reapply to the MBA Program that Rejected You? |
 Applying to an MBA program can be a consuming experience, both mentally and physically. The whole process of applying to business school can be YEARS in the making for some. So, for many, even the thought of going through such a rigorous and time consuming process more than once, can feel daunting. Depending on what is causing you to consider applying again can really influence the outcome of your decision. Just know, you are not alone, many candidates find themselves in a similar situation every year. Let’s explore the two most common reasons why a candidate may consider reapplying to an MBA program that rejected them: 1) You Were Not Admitted Anywhere Not receiving admission to any of the schools you applied to can be a really challenging thing to deal with, especially after all of those months of hard work. Many applicants are disillusioned after receiving the bad news and it can be tough to think through next steps. However, not receiving admission in a given application year is not necessarily an indication of your ability to secure admission in another year. The key here is to spend some time and evaluate your application strategy and submitted package. You want to determine whether you put together the best application package. If you feel like there may have been some issues or there may be other opportunities to improve your profile, then reapplying is probably a good decision. One other thing to consider is also whether you applied to the right schools. Focusing on what your school list next year should look like given your qualifications is a great first step. 2) You Are Not Happy With the Schools You Were Admitted to: Some applicants actually do secure admission at some of their target programs but for one reason or another still may consider applying again next year. The most common rationale here is if there is a belief that there are better opportunities at higher ranked programs. This is a tough position to be in, because it is really hard to gauge the likelihood of admission, especially at more selective programs. Reapplying here takes a lot of self-confidence, but ultimately it is about avoiding any potential regret on missed opportunities at more prestigious programs. Another scenario that can happen here is for an applicant to receive admission to a part-time program but having more interest in full-time programs. In this scenario, an applicant will consider foregoing the part-time offer in lieu of pursuing a full-time offer. Full-time programs tend to be more selective than their part-time counterparts so receiving admission to a part-time program is not always an indicator of the likelihood of success with full-time programs. Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or take our free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation for personalized advice for your unique application situation! As always, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter. Dozie A. is a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His specialties include consulting, marketing, and low GPA/GMAT applicants. You can read more articles by him here. The post Should You Reapply to the MBA Program that Rejected You? appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
11 Jul 2017, 12:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: Quarter Wit, Quarter Wisdom: Using Ingenuity on GMAT Remainder Questions |
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We have looked at various types of GMAT remainder questions and discussed how to tackle them in a few previous posts. Specifically, we have examined the concepts of general divisibility, divisibility as applied to GMAT questions, and divisibility specifically applied to remainders. There is one concept, however, that we haven’t discussed yet, and that is using ingenuity on remainder questions. Say “x” gives you a remainder of 2 when divided by 6. What will be the remainder when x + 1 is divided by 6? Go back to the divisibility concepts discussed above. When x balls are split into groups of 6, we will have 2 balls leftover. If we are given 1 more ball, it will join the 2 balls and now we will have 3 balls leftover. The remainder will be 3. What happens in the case of x + 6 – what will be the remainder when this is divided by 6? This additional 6 balls will just make an extra group of 6, so we will still have 2 balls leftover. What about the case of x + 9? Now, of the extra 9 balls, we will make one group of 6 and will have 3 balls leftover. These 3 balls will join the 2 balls leftover from x, giving us a remainder of 5. Now, what about the case of 2x? Recall that 2x = x + x. The number of groups will double and so will the remainder, so 2x will give us a remainder of 2*2 = 4. On the other hand, if x gives us a remainder of 4 when divided by 6, then 2x divided by 6 will have a remainder of 2*4 = 8, which gives us a remainder of 2 (since another group of 6 will be formed from the 8 balls). Let’s consider the tricky case of x^2 now. If x gives us a remainder of 2 when it is divided by 6, it means: x = 6Q + 2 x^2 = (6Q + 2)*(6Q + 2) = 36Q^2 + 24Q + 4 Note here that the first and the second terms are divisible by 6. The remainder when you divide this by 6 will be 4. We hope you understand how to deal with these various cases of remainders. Let’s take a look at a GMAT sample question now: If z is a positive integer and r is the remainder when z^2 + 2z + 4 is divided by 8, what is the value of r? Statement 1: When (z−3)^2 is divided by 8, the remainder is 4. Statement 2: When 2z is divided by 8, the remainder is 2. This is not our typical, “When z is divided by 8, r is the remainder” type of question. Instead, we are given a quadratic equation in the form of z that, when divided by 8, gives us a remainder of r. We need to find r. This question might feel complicated, but look at the statements – at least one of them gives us data on a quadratic! Looks promising! Statement 1: When (z−3)^2 is divided by 8, the remainder is 4 (z – 3)^2 = z^2 – 6z + 9 We know that when z^2 – 6z + 9 is divided by 8, the remainder is 4. So no matter what z is, z^2 – 6z + 9 + 8z, when divided by 8, will only give us a remainder of 4 (8z is a multiple of 8, so will give remainder 0). z^2 – 6z + 9 + 8z = z^2 + 2z + 9 z^2 + 2z + 9 when divided by 8, gives remainder 4. This means z^2 + 2z + 5 is divisible by 8 and would give remainder 0, further implying that z^2 + 2z + 4 would be 1 less than a multiple of 8, and hence, would give us a remainder of 7 when divided by 8. This statement alone is sufficient. Let’s look at the second statement: Statement 2: When 2z is divided by 8, the remainder is 2 2z = 8a + 2 z = 4a + 1 z^2 = (4a + 1)^2 = 16a^2 + 8a + 1 When z^2 is divided by 8, the remainder is 1. When 2z is divided by 8, the remainder is 2. So when z^2 + 2z is divided by 8 the remainder will be 1+2 = 3. When z^2 + 2z + 4 is divided by 8, remainder will be 3 + 4 = 7. This statement alone is also sufficient. Because both statements alone are sufficient, our answer is D. Getting ready to take the GMAT? We have free online GMAT seminars running all the time. And, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+, and Twitter! Karishma, a Computer Engineer with a keen interest in alternative Mathematical approaches, has mentored students in the continents of Asia, Europe and North America. She teaches the GMAT for Veritas Prep and regularly participates in content development projects such as this blog! The post Quarter Wit, Quarter Wisdom: Using Ingenuity on GMAT Remainder Questions appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
11 Jul 2017, 13:00
| FROM Veritas Prep Blog: SAT Subject Tests: Which to Take and Why |
 As a high school junior, you may find it helpful to make a list of the standardized tests you must take before applying to colleges. The ACT and the SAT are likely to be at the top of your list. In addition, you may be thinking about taking one or two SAT subject tests. Many preferred colleges express interest in seeing students’ SAT subject test scores, while others have made them a requirement. Researching the specific admissions requirements of the colleges you plan to apply to is a wise idea. If you find that some of the colleges on your wish list require these test scores, the next logical question is, “Which SAT subject tests should I take?” A Look at the SAT Subject Tests Each of these tests measures your level of skill in a certain subject. You can take an SAT subject test in literature, U.S. history, Spanish, math, physics, chemistry and several other subjects. Regardless of which test you choose, you are given one hour to complete it. You can take as many as three SAT subject tests on the same day. Which SAT Subject Tests Should I Take? If you have a favorite subject you excel in, it’s a good idea to take an SAT subject test on that topic. For instance, if you’ve always performed well in American history classes, then take the SAT subject test in U.S. History. Take a moment to check out the complete list of SAT subject test options to determine the appropriate choices for you. Which SAT Subject Tests Are Easiest? The answer to this question is different for each student depending on their academic talents. For example, if you’ve always excelled in your physics classes, then you would likely find the SAT subject test in physics to be the easiest. Another student whose favorite subject is English would probably find it easy to complete the questions on the SAT subject test in literature. In truth, it’s best to stop wondering which SAT subject tests are easiest: Instead, focus on choosing the tests that will give you the opportunity to highlight your skills in your favorite subjects. Reasons to Take SAT Subject Tests There are several reasons why SAT subject test scores are important to colleges during the admissions process. For one, a high score on an SAT subject test shows that you have a thorough understanding of the subject. This shows that you’re a student who is persistent and dedicated to your studies. Plus, your score gives officials an indication of whether you’re ready to tackle college-level classes. Another reason why SAT subject test scores are important is they help college officials place you in courses that will challenge you, so you won’t end up in an introductory course when you’re at a higher level. Preparing for These Tests After you decide which SAT subject tests to take, it’s time to start the prep work. Answering practice questions is an excellent way to prepare for a subject test. A practice test allows you to become familiar with the test format and the difficulty of the questions you’ll encounter. One helpful tip is to time your practice test so you know how quickly you must work in order to finish the test in one hour. Ideally, you want to develop a comfortable test-taking rhythm so you don’t feel rushed. The results of your practice SAT subject test can help you figure out what skills to focus on during your study time. Studying for an SAT subject test is a lot more efficient when you partner with an experienced instructor. The instructors in our SAT subject test tutoring program are experts in the subjects they teach. We provide strategies that help you to improve in your weakest areas while further strengthening your strongest skills. Our professional tutors give you the support you need to showcase your skills in your chosen subjects! At Veritas Prep, our SAT subject test preparation courses are a combination of top-notch instruction and effective study resources. If you have any questions, check out our FAQ section to find answers. Of course, you can call or email us for further information. Let us play a part in your SAT subject test success! The post SAT Subject Tests: Which to Take and Why appeared first on Veritas Prep Blog. |
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