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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: School Profile: Is the Intimate Community of Colgate University Right For You?

Thirteen is Colgate University’s lucky number. The story goes that in 1817 six clergymen and seven laymen, 13 in all, came together with 13 dollars, 13 books, and 13 prayers to form the Baptist Education Society, which wrote the 13 articles of the school’s original charter, hence Colgate’s love affair with the number 13. The school is situated on a 575 acre campus in rural Hamilton Village, NY, and has been recognized as among the most beautiful college campuses in the U.S. It has a strong commitment to sustainability with a goal of carbon neutrality by 2019.

Colgate undergraduates choose from among 54 majors and several minors from four academic divisions. The most popular majors are Economics, English Language and Literature, and Political Science and Government. All students complete an academic core study in diverse perspectives, critical thinking, effective writing, and lifelong inquiry, to enhance their degree programs. Ten academic centers and institutes on campus support study and research in many fields. More than 20 extended or off-campus study programs support various classes, many with three to six trips for additional intellectual engagement. Students also have learning opportunities through volunteering, internships, living-learning environments, research project, and an array of academic clubs. The student-faculty ratio is 9:1, and 100% of the classes are taught by faculty.

A whopping 91% of students live in student housing, with only 9% opting to live off-campus. This speaks to the close-knit community the 2,900 students have created, being both cause and effect. Nearly half of Colgate students are active in Greek life. It has been recognized nationally for being among the top campuses for LGBT students, and one of the top three schools in integrating African-American students. Colgate has also been honored as one of the most fit colleges in America. These acknowledgements are reflective of a campus environment that is open, welcoming, and active. Students boast about the web of cross-country trails, Frank’s omelets and hot sauce, finals prep in the Library Café, Dance Fest, Living Writers, and the many theater and a capella groups on campus. Students also enjoy the Village farmer’s market, Good Nature Brewing, and the off-campus social hub at Barge Canal coffee shop—especially on open mic night.

Colgate varsity athletes compete on 23 NCAA Division I-AA varsity teams in the Patriot League. The Raiders’ tradition of excellence began in 1932 when the football team was “undefeated, untied, unscored upon, and uninvited” to the Rose Bowl game. Colgate’s college rival is much larger Cornell; nowhere is it more evident than at hockey match-ups, where games turn into major events. There is an amazing array of high-end athletic and fitness facilities for such a small campus, including the Trudy Fitness Center, and the proposed new athletic facility and soccer stadium. Freshmen go on a Wilderness Adventure through Colgate’s unique Outdoor Education program that also offers snowshoeing, tree climbing, kayaking, rock and ice climbing, and so much more to all students, faculty, and staff.

A modern-day tradition at Colgate is Colgate Day, celebrated every Friday the 13th. Colgate students and alumni around the world wear the school colors and tweet #colgateday to try to get the topic to trend on Twitter. A tradition of love is to stroll beneath the willows along Willow Path; legend has it that a first kiss under the willows foretells marriage. A more serious tradition is the Torchlight Ceremony, each year freshmen are led up “Cardiac Hill” to Memorial Chapel by faculty and senior honor students (13 men and 13 women) for a Founder’s Day convocation. Four years later, students are led back down the hill to Taylor Lake in their graduation robes the night before commencement. They sing the Colgate Alma Mater, place their torches on a bonfire, and celebrate. Colgate is an excellent choice for the student looking for an intimate college experience in a rural area.

Do you need to take the SAT? We run a free online SAT prep seminar every few weeks. And, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter! Also, take a look at our profiles for The University of Chicago, Pomona College, and Amherst College, and more to see if those schools are a good fit for you.

By Colleen Hill
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: School Profile: Are You Ready for the Academic Rigor of Georgetown University?

Georgetown University is the oldest Catholic university in the country. This private research university in the tony Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. was founded in 1789 by Bishop John Carroll, and is a member of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. Georgetown University is dedicated to a combination of faith, service, scholarship, and research to create the next generation of responsible and compassionate world citizens.

The university’s main urban campus houses the undergraduate program and is next to Georgetown University Medical Center housing the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, and others. The School of Law is located near Congress in Washington, D. C. and the University has several other programs around the globe, including the School of Foreign Service in Qatar, Mediterranean Studies in Turkey, and Transnational Legal Studies in England. Students may also study at Georgetown facilities in Italy, China, Chile, and Argentina depending on interests.

Academically, Georgetown undergrads may be accepted into one of four schools; Georgetown College (liberal arts), the School of Nursing and Health Services, Walsh School of Foreign Service, or McDonough School of Business. Students may take courses from any of the schools, and often minor in a school other than their majors. All study is within the context of the Jesuit traditions of social justice and holistic personal development. A rather rare opportunity comes with a Georgetown education, and that is a list of extraordinary internships available to students at ABC News, The Smithsonian, a number of Embassies, The World Bank, on Capitol Hill, and others; the University reports that 95% of students participate in an internship. Like some other elite universities, Georgetown practices grade deflation, so don’t expect those As to keep rolling in once you get to college without a serious amount of increased effort. The list of graduates from Georgetown University reads like a Who’s Who of business and world leaders.

Students at Georgetown stay in dormitories, villages, or apartments. On-campus student housing is mandatory for the first two years. Approximately one-third of students live off-campus. Georgetown has one of the most politically active student bodies in the nation, with student organizations working for worker’s rights, Fair Trade, reproductive rights, and against gender violence, as well as an array of national and international social justice issues. The campus is uncharacteristically gay-friendly, has a bit of a hipster vibe, is vegan-friendly, and has a top ranking ROTC program. There is no Greek life to speak of. Due to the Jesuit roots, there are no contraceptives sold on campus and there are no abortions at the University’s medical center. If either of these services become necessary, you’ll have to seek services off-campus that will not be covered by your student health services plan.

There are countless student organizations and publications that students can get involve with at Georgetown. The Corp and its subsidiaries is a nonprofit student-run charitable organization that generates about $4 million a year. The Corp runs Vital Vittles, a campus grocery store; Corp Student Storage and Shuttles, for summer and study-abroad storage, and campus/airport shuttles; Uncommon Grounds, MUG, and Midnight MUG—coffee ships on campus; and Corp Catering that offers professional catering services. All aspects of The Corp are student-run from the facilities employees to the boardroom. Another amazing student-run project is the Georgetown University Alumni and Student Federal Credit Union for your banking needs, including student loans. The credit union also gives out annual student scholarships.

The Georgetown Hoyas are an NCAA Division I program with over 800 student-athletes playing on 11 men’s and 12 women’s varsity teams. They are part of the Big East Conference. Georgetown teams excel in nearly every sport, and over 100 student-athletes have gone on to play professionally in their respective sports. The men’s basketball team and the women’s cross country team hold NCAA national championships. Georgetown has also excelled at the national level in track and field, sailing, rowing, lacrosse, soccer, and rugby.  Club sports include dodge ball, squash, tennis, racquetball, and basketball. Students can also participate in individual fitness activities or in group fitness or recreational classes at Yates Field House. The blue and gray school colors were chosen by the 1876 rowing team to represent unity between students from the North and the South. The Hoya mascot is Jack the Bulldog.

Besides Georgetown University’s traditions of academic excellence and Jesuit social justice, there are a few other traditions that are less noble, but more fun. Every few years someone steals the hands off the 200-foot clock tower. Homecoming means several annual traditions including a dunk tank, powderpuff football game, wing eating contest, class vs. class tug-of-war, and more as students attempt to win the Traditions Day Award. Two other traditions are getting your picture taken in the lap of Bishop Carroll’s statue sometime before graduation, and participating in the Healy Howl at midnight on Halloween in the campus cemetery.

If you are ready to work harder than you ever have in your life, you love causes and making waves, politics intrigue you, and you prefer challenges over comfort, put Georgetown University on your short list.

Do you need to take the SAT? We run a free online SAT prep seminar every few weeks. And, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter! Also, take a look at our profiles for The University of Chicago, Pomona College, and Amherst College, and more to see if those schools are a good fit for you.

By Colleen Hill

 
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: Veritas Prep Consultant Spotlight: Get to know Kenyata, Chicago Booth MBA

Applying to the world’s most elite business schools requires much more than a high GMAT score and strong resume.  Self refection, creating your personal brand, understanding school fit, addressing profile weaknesses and capitalizing on your unique strengths are essential in crafting a successful application.  Don’t go at this alone – we can help!  Veritas Prep has the most stellar MBA admissions consulting team in the industry and we can help you achieve your MBA goals!

At Veritas Prep, you have the opportunity to work with the ideal consultant for your needs.  We have the most diverse and experienced MBA admissions consulting team ever assembled.

Get to know one right now:

Kenyata: Head Consultant, Chicago (Booth) MBA

Specialties:

  • Engineer/Scientist
  • Entrepreneur
  • Low GPA/GMAT score
  • Marketing
  • Underrepresented minorities
  • Media/Entertainment/Sports
  • Part-time/EMBA applicants
What do you find most rewarding about helping others apply to business school?

“I love helping others start the journey of pursuing their dreams and reaching their full potential through the experience of business school.  The application process becomes a bit of a self-discovery journey. The people I help find they grow a little after they have done the introspective exercise of exposing their vulnerability and celebrating their achievements.”

What is the most common application pitfall you help clients work through?

“Not having a clear story or a clear plan of action post MBA.  Many are afraid to commit to a direction because they view the experience as a life exploration.  I always remind them that it’s important to at least START with a plan (even if it evolves through their matriculation) and link that plan to their life’s journey to this point, creating a clear story of who they are as people.”

What did you find most challenging when you applied to business school and how did you overcome?

“My biggest challenge applying to business school was positioning my shortcomings in my application (i.e. low GMAT score, a couple bad semesters in undergrad, etc).  I think I was able to overcome these challenges by balancing these gaps with my achievements both academically and professionally.  I basically constructed the narrative that I only attend top tier academic institutions and work for top tier organizations, and although I’ve lost some battles, I’ve won the war.”

Where can I get the most delicious deep-dish pizza in Chicago?

Arenello’s in Glenwood… Chicken Sausage Deep Dish to DIE for.

Want to work with Kenyata?  Learn more about him here, or find the expert who’s right for you here!  Visit our Team page today.

Want to craft a strong application? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today. Click here to take our Free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation! As always, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: SAT Tip of the Week: How to Best Approach the Superscore

The SAT test is the best way to back up your academic aptitude in the current college admissions process. While the SAT may not be reflective of your intelligence level or intellectual prowess, the fact remains that college admission officers use the test as a barometer of candidates’ academic strengths. The reason for this is simple – it’s the one standardized measure that colleges are able to use when comparing candidates. It’s impossible to compare GPA’s across the board when there are a variety of variables at play.

At some schools, honors and Advanced Placement classes are weighted differently. The level of rigor and substance of material can vary widely depending on teachers, schedules, and other intangibles. That is why the SAT is still such an essential part of most college admissions’ committees. There has long been talk of de-emphasizing the SAT, but that remains mostly wishful thinking. For the near future and probably beyond, scoring highly on the SAT plays an essential role in guaranteeing admission into the top Universities. With this knowledge in hand, many students are rightfully concerned about presenting themselves in the most impressive manner possible. This brings up two very important questions:

1. Do colleges look at student’s best performance in one sitting or their “superscore” – a combination of their best scores on individual sections on different dates?

2. If colleges do look at the superscore, how many times should students take the SAT?

Below are answers to these two essential questions:

1. Superscoring, which again is picking your best scores from each section regardless of whether or not they came from the same sitting, is gaining in popularity. This is twofold, colleges want to report a higher SAT average for each incoming class and superscoring allows them to do this. Additionally, the admissions officers who review incoming applications are advocates for each of their applicants. When they go to committee to speak about each student, they are representing and trying to sell that candidate to the university. Having a higher SAT score via superscoring makes college admissions officers’ lives easier. As mentioned, most colleges are moving in this direction so there is a good chance the school you are applying to has a superscoring policy. However, there is a good minority of schools who don’t superscore. These include many large public colleges like the University of California and those in the Texas University System. Additional institutions include Louisiana State, Ohio State, and Pennsylvania State. The best bet for you is to check each individual school’s policy in this regard.

2. If you can superscore, you would reason that taking the test multiple times would help your case. However, this is wrong on many fronts. First, while it is true some schools’ application systems don’t even tell admission officers how many times students take the test, this is not a universal truth. Secondly, your score on certain sections can only go up a certain amount no matter how many times you take the test. The law of diminishing returns begins to take effect after the third or fourth attempt. Score choice is something that is often confused with superscoring. However, they are different. Score choice is the ability to send colleges only select full SAT scores in case one sitting didn’t go well. Most schools accept this, except for a handful of elite universities like Yale, Stanford, and the University of Pennsylvania. Although this is an option, score choice should not be a justification for taking the test four or five times. This leads to unnecessary anxiety and stress while not having any quantitative rewards. Taking the test two or three times is the recommended amount: it is sufficient to achieve your highest score without taking over your life. Additionally, if a college is able to see how many times you took the test, it will inevitably reflect poorly if they see a student who has taken the SAT five different times.

In summation, take the SAT a couple times (recommended two or three sittings) to present your best profile to colleges. This gives you the chance for a high superscore and to really master the test. Superscoring is a great feature that can only help you in the college admissions process. Take advantage by giving yourself multiple opportunities to ace each section.

Still need to take the SAT? We run a free online SAT prep seminarevery few weeks. And, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

Jake Davidson is a Mork Family Scholar at USC and enjoys writing for the school paper as well as participating in various clubs. He has been tutoring privately since the age of 15 and is incredibly excited to help students succeed on the SAT.
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: 4 Ways to Make the Most of Your Business School Experience

Over the summer, one of my Veritas Prep clients from last year asked me if I had any advice for him before school started. Offering advice is what I do for a living, so it’s a safe bet that I did, but he probably knew that before he asked. This 3-part blog series grew out of that initial off-the-cuff email response and is designed for anyone in any stage of business school, whether you’re still researching schools, walking onto campus for the first time, or have graduation in the near future. Your two years will fly by, and you want to make sure you graduate without saying “If only I had ….”

Part One – Rapunzel is not a role model

For better or worse, b-schools can be Rapunzel-like in their isolation – self-contained in their own buildings or even on completely separate campuses. Even the way we refer to many of them emphasizes their separation from the rest of the University – it’s “Wharton,” “Ross,” or “Darden” – not “Penn,” “Michigan,” or “Virginia.” It’s easy to spend the entire two years of your MBA experience locked up in the seclusion of Wharton, Ross, or Darden, completely forgetting that you’re also a student at Penn, Michigan, or Virginia. Embracing the isolation, however, really limits your overall graduate school experience.

Confession: I’m guilty as charged. Although I received two separate pieces of paper at graduation – one in Latin from “Universitas Pennsylvaniensis” and, just in case my Latin was rusty, another in English from The Wharton School, many of my friends and I ventured into non-Wharton buildings pretty much only when we had to. With the exception of our favorite library, which was so beautiful we’d gladly trek across campus for it, we only ventured out for a random final held at the nursing school, a guest speaker at the education school, or some other mandatory event. When I graduated, I didn’t really feel as if I’d earned that Latin-inscribed piece of parchment.

In hindsight, it wouldn’t have been difficult to do things differently, and it won’t be hard for you, either. Here are a few fairly easy ways to connect with your entire university and graduate as a proud “UCLA” alum as well as a proud “Anderson” alum:

  • Show your university pride. Buy a sweatshirt or a cap or t-shirt that says “Michigan.”
  • Wear the above when you show your school spirit by taking your study group to cheer on a university team at a sporting event. If you’re at Michigan, you might choose football, but if that’s not your thing, you can see the lacrosse team, the gymnastics team, or the water polo team. They’ll be glad you came.
  • Explore the many cultural opportunities at your university, and try something out of your comfort zone. You might find a contemporary dance performance, a music recital, an art exhibit, experimental theater, or even a museum right on campus. As a current student, you’ll get a discount on the likes of which you’ll never see again, so now’s the time to explore.
  • Take a class outside the business school. Even if you’re not a dual degree student, most schools permit, and even encourage, you to take a certain number of credits elsewhere. Wharton, for example, allows up to four electives from other schools, and Stanford allows 15 credits outside the business school. Of course, the trade-off is that you’ll “lose” a class in the b-school, so you’ll have to weigh the cost vs. benefit. But the advantage could be tremendous – if you want to work in real estate development, that public policy class on urban planning could be just the ticket. Besides, you’ll expand your network and meet some cool people who think outside NPV, IRR and ROI.
I can hear what you’re thinking – “How will I have time for all that? I have classes! And job interviews! And social events!” Okay – visiting the museum might take a couple of hours, attending a sporting event a few more, depending on your tailgating plans. But after graduation, you can’t go back and have a do-over. So just do it, and just do it now. Bring a friend or two and turn your excursion into a social event.

If you’re still in the researching / applying phase of business school – this advice is for you, too. Don’t limit your research to the business school – make sure you look at the university as a whole and find out what opportunities it offers. When you visit, explore beyond the business school campus and take a tour of the university (yes, that same tour with the high school students and their parents). Because you really shouldn’t spend two years of your life locked up like Rapunzel. There’s an entire university out there just waiting for you to climb out of the tower and explore!

Check back next week for Part 2!

Want to craft a strong application? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today. Click here to take our Free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation! As always, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

Rachelis a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, and Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. Her specialties include consulting, older and part-time applicants, and international candidates.
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: School Profile: You Will Want to Attend the Rhode Island School of Design After Reading This

Rhode Island School of Design is a small fine arts and design school located in Providence, Rhode Island and is the perfect college for those with creative flair. Students have the opportunity to receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees in over fifteen different majors. Unique opportunities like the European Honors Program offered to juniors and seniors, where they can study in Rome for half a year, make this school amazing. With its own museum, a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with Brown University, and an intriguing academic program, RISD creates the optimum environment for those who want to be in the fine arts, design, and architecture fields. At RISD the opportunities are endless and a great start to a promising future in the arts.

Rhode Island School of Design has an interesting academic approach based on the world renowned Bauhaus method, which is a German word that simply translates to “School of Building.” The idea is that all art forms will come together to create absolute art including architecture. It is now one of the most influential methods, and is still used today at many art and culture institutes including RISD.  At Rhode Island School of Design all freshmen participate in the same core studies, which prepares them to enter their sophomore year when they start their separate studio majors.

A key reason Rhode Island School of Design stands out among other art schools is its emphasis on liberal arts studies delivered by their esteemed doctorate-level faculty. This also goes hand-in-hand with the cross collaboration between their neighbors at Brown University where students at either college can take classes at the other with no extra cost to them. Another highlight of the relationship between Brown and RISD is the dual degree program where motivated students can get both a Bachelor of Arts degree as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. You pursue each major at the respective college that offers it; this a large undertaking, but well worth it for the opportunities.

Along with taking courses at Brown, students from Rhode Island School of Design can also utilize their athletic facilities. Among them are various athletics courts, gyms, a pool, and an ice skating rink to name a few. While they may not be able to attend them all, many of Brown’s lectures, exhibitions, concerts, and theatrical productions are available to RISD students. Community outreach is important at RISD; both students and faculty engage the community in public health, environmental sustainability, and art & design education. With the dynamic educational experience and devotion to enriching themselves and their community, RISD students graduate as well-rounded individuals with the tools to change the world.

Campus life at Rhode Island School of Design is just as unique as the college itself, starting with the housing options. Most upper-classmen can live in the Historic Hill houses, Charles Landing, and 15 West, while first years will live in the First Year Quad. No matter which area you call home, the entire campus is designed to bring all students together encouraging community. The campus dining services provide places like The Met, a campus social hub where students can get late-night brain food and utilize community meeting spaces. RISD has multiple dining options including Rosie, the campus food truck, where students can find any style of food to tantalize their taste buds while collaborating with one another.

Many clubs and organizations are offered to students at RISD; most fall into cultural, common interest, and community engagement categories. There are several student- run services offered, as well as a student government, to continually make Rhode Island School of Design a better place for all who attend. While students can utilize Brown for their athletic facilities, RISD also has over a dozen athletic clubs and fitness facilities for students. They can compete in basketball, soccer, and hockey clubs, which are usually played against other art colleges; or fun in-house athletic intramurals such as ping pong, volleyball, and flag football.

For those who enjoy athletic activities, but shy away from competition, check out their yoga classes, or rock climbing and wilderness clubs, among others. The arts are the main aspect of RISD so it’s no surprise there are several art galleries and exhibitions for students to enjoy. Campus life at RISD is dynamic, educational, and fun; there is never a dull moment. This is the perfect college for individuals who want to have a future in fine arts, design, and architecture, with the opportunity to also immerse themselves in liberal arts studies, and a traditional college experience.

Do you need to take the SAT? We run a free online SAT prep seminar every few weeks. And, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter! Also, take a look at our profiles for The University of Chicago, Pomona College, and Amherst College, and more to see if those schools are a good fit for you.

By Colleen Hill

 
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: How to Correctly Solve Vague GMAT Questions

Questions on the GMAT can be described in many different ways. I’ve heard them described as everything from juvenile to vexing, simple to impossible. One term that appears very infrequently as a characteristic of the questions on the GMAT is the word “clear”.  Indeed, some questions are so convoluted that they appear to be written in Latin (or Aramaic if you happen to already speak Latin). This is not a coincidence or an accident; many GMAT questions are specifically designed to be vague.

What do I mean by vague? I do not mean that two possible answers could both be the correct answer to the query. Such divergence would be unfair in a multiple choice exam where only one answer can be defensible. What happens on the exam is that a question is asked, but deciphering what that actually means is a task unto itself.

Let’s look at a simple example. If a question asks: “X is twice as big as Y. Y is 5. What is X?”, then it would be considered painfully simple. Y is known to be 5, X is double that, so the answer is 10 (don’t forget to carry the 1). If the exact same question were phrased as “John has two pineapples for every pineapple that Mary has. Mary counted the number of pineapples she had, and the number was the smallest prime factor of 35. How many pineapples does John have?” This question essentially asks for the same result, but the wording is so convoluted that many people get lost in it and don’t reach the correct answer.

While you likely won’t get a question like the above example (unless you’re scoring in the low 200s), every convoluted question can be broken down to a similar simple problem. The simplification won’t always be easy, but the tricks utilized on the GMAT to make questions long-winded repeat over and over again. Hopefully, if you’ve seen a few of them during your preparation, you’re more likely to know how to translate the GMATese™ (Patent Pending) and get the right answer on test day.

Let’s look at a typical vague question on the GMAT:

A group of candidates for two analyst positions consists of six people. If one-third of the candidates are disqualified and three new candidates are recruited to replace them, the number of ways in which the two job offers can be allocated will:

(A)   Drop by 40%

(B)   Remain unchanged

(C)   Increase by 20%

(D)   Increase by 40%

(E)    Increase by 60%

After reading such a question, you may still not be sure what to do, but you can start piecing together the issue at hand. There are six people interviewing for two jobs, but then some will drop out and others will join, and the overall impact must be gauged. The answer choices seem to offer various increases and decreases, so the answer must be in terms of the adjustment of job offer possibilities. This makes the question seem like a combinatorics or probability question.

Looking at the information provided, we have six applicants for two positions, and then one-third of them are disqualified. This leaves us with four finalists for the two jobs (like musical chairs), but before a decision is rendered, three more applicants join. There are now seven candidates for the two jobs, yielding a net change of one new contender. From 6 to 7 people, the change would be 1/6 of the old total, or 16.7%. This is closest to answer choice C, but there is no direct match among the answer choices. Since the GMAT doesn’t provide horseshoe answer choices (unless approximation is specified), this is our first hint that we may need to dig deeper in our approach.

The questions specifically asks about “the number of ways in which the two job offers can be allocated”, which should hopefully make you realize that the question is ultimately about permutations. In the initial setup, two positions are available for six candidates, meaning we can calculate the number of possible outcomes.

The only decision we have to make is about the order mattering, and since it’s not indicated anywhere that the jobs are identical, it’s reasonable to assume we can differentiate between job 1 and job 2. Let’s say that the first job is a senior position and the second is a junior position, how many ways can we fill these openings? Anyone can take the first position, so that gives us 6 possibilities, and then anyone of the remaining choices can fill the second position, yielding another 5 possibilities. Since any of these can be combined, we get 6*5 or 30 choices. Using the permutation formula of N!/(N-K)! yields 6! /4! which is still 6*5 or 30, confirming our answer.

If there were 30 possibilities at first, the addition of a new candidate will undoubtedly increase the number of possibilities, so we can consider answer choices A and B eliminated. After the increase, we can essentially make the same calculations for 7 candidates and 2 jobs, giving us 7*6 or 42 choices. We used to have 30 choices and now we have 42, so that works out to 12 new choices out of the original 30, equivalent to a 40% increase.  Answer choice D is a 40% increase, and thus exactly the correct answer.

Some of you may be asking about the assumption I made about order mattering a few paragraphs back. “Ron, Ron”, you ask, “what happens if we assume that the order doesn’t matter?” Let’s run the calculations to see. If the order doesn’t matter and we’re dealing with a combination, then we have 6 candidates for 2 positions, we will get N! / K! (N-K)! which is 6! / 2! * 4! Simplifying to 6*5 / 2 gives us 15 options instead of the previous 30. Really, these are the same options but now we divide by two because the order no longer matters (i.e. AB and BA are equivalent). The updated scenario will have 7! / 2! * 5!, which becomes 42 / 2 or 21. This is exactly half the previous number again. The delta from 15 to 21 is 6, again 40% of the initial sum of 15. Since we’re dealing with percentages, both combinations and permutations will be completely equivalent. (Ain’t math grand?)

Regardless of minor assumptions made while solving this problem, the solution will always be the same. Indeed, the hardest part of solving the problem is often determining what is being asked. Remember that there can only be one answer to the problem, and that the answer choices can help steer you in the right direction. If you know what you’re looking for, the questions on the GMAT may be somewhat vague, but your goal will be crystal clear.

Plan on taking the GMAT soon? We have GMAT prep courses starting all the time. And, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

Ron Awad is a GMAT instructor for Veritas Prep based in Montreal, bringing you weekly advice for success on your exam.  After graduating from McGill and receiving his MBA from Concordia, Ron started teaching GMAT prep and his Veritas Prep students have given him rave reviews ever since.
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: 3 Reasons That Extracurricular Activities Are Essential For Your Business School Applications

Do I need to re-take my GMAT? Is my GPA high enough? Do I have enough years of work experience? These are just a slew of the questions we receive from MBA applicants every year.

One question that is rarely asked and often overlooked is “Have I done enough outside of the office and classroom?” Business schools are looking in-depth at all aspects of the application process from the essays to the GMAT score to the resume. One area that candidates either forget or neglect to highlight in their application or cultivate throughout their academic and professional careers is extra-curricular activities. Admissions officers at MBA programs around the world take this aspect very seriously, and here are three reasons why you should do the same.

1) They Make You Well-Rounded

Extra-curricular activities can show you as a well-rounded candidate. The application process can be very much focused on your academic background and professional work experience, leaving many candidates forgetting that business schools are actually looking to admit real people and not just GMAT scores or GPAs.

Candidates that not only have substantial extra-curriculars but also choose to highlight them in their application via essays, interviews, etc can really stand out in the process. These activities that can range from fraternity membership to volunteer programs and even intense hobbies like marathon running and triathlons. The importance of these activities is the underlying soft-skills that are involved with participation. From leadership to teamwork, extra-curricular activities are often the best way for professionals to develop these skills. Also, extra-curriculars help highlight personal passions and interests of candidates, which again can humanize an otherwise austere profile or substantiate a candidate that is already compelling on paper.

2) They Show Commitment

Extra-curricular activities can show you as a candidate who can commit to people, groups, activities, and causes. Admissions see long-term commitment via extra-curriculars as a positive. A track record of past engagement by a candidate signals to admissions that the same candidate will be similarly involved on campus in their MBA program.

3) They Show Personal Contributions to the Community

Extra-curricular activities can show you as a candidate who will contribute something to your business school community. The focus of most business school applicants is on what they can get out of their target business school community; something of almost equal importance is to showcase what you will bring to that same community. What will your classmates learn from you? What clubs do you plan to lead on-campus? All of this can be traced back to your past performance and your track record of giving back to organizations and activities you have been a part of.

Want to craft a strong application? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today. Click here to take our Free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation! As always, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on 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.
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: GMAT Tip of the Week: At (the very) Least You Should Know This About Probability

Ah, autumn. The busiest GMAT season of the year as application deadlines and back-to-school nostalgia fill the air, and that season always coincides with Major League Baseball’s pennant races and playoffs. And whether you’re a baseball fan or not, as an aspiring MBA you’ll find a fair amount of overlap between the two, as both the GMAT (and business) and baseball prominently feature the art of probability.

Through that lens, let’s discuss one of the most helpful “tricks” to avoid some of the most time-consuming types of problems on the GMAT, and we’ll lead with a problem:

Whenever his favorite baseball team’s “closer” allows a hit, Sean becomes irate (just close out the game, Joe Nathan!). If the closer needs to get three outs to win the game, and each batter he will face has a .250 batting average (a 1/4 chance of getting a hit), what is the probability that he will give up at least one hit (assuming that there are no walks/errors/hit-batsmen)?

And for those not consumed with baseball, this question essentially asks “if outcome A has a 25% chance of occurring in any one event, what is the probability that outcome A will happen at least once during three consecutive events?”

Baseball makes for an excellent demonstration here, because if we take out the other “free base” situations, really only two things happen – a Hit or an Out. And since we need 3 Outs, we could have all kinds of sequences in which there is at least one hit:

Hit, Out, Out, Out

Out, Hit, Out, Out

Out, Out, Hit, Out

or episodes with multiple hits:

Out, Hit, Hit, Out, Out

Hit, Out, Hit, Out, Hit, Out

or even

Hit, Hit, Hit, Hit, Hit, Hit, Hit, Hit…(game called by mercy rule, Sean punches through his TV)

The GMAT-relevant point is this: when a problem asks you for the probability of “at least one” of a certain event occurring, there are usually several ways that at least one could occur. But look at it this way: the ONLY way that you don’t get “at least one” H is if all three Os come first. The opposite of “at least one” is “none.” And there’s only one way to get “none” – it’s “Not Event A” then “Not Event A” then “Not Event A”… as many times as it takes to finish out the number of events. In other words, in this baseball analogy, if there’s a 25% chance of a hit then there’s a 75% chance of “not a hit” or “Out”, allowing us to set up the ONLY sequence in which there isn’t at least one hit:

Out, Out, Out

Which has a probability of:

3/4 * 3/4 * 3/4

Do the math, and you’ll find that there’s a 27/64 probability of “not at least one hit” and you can then know that the other 37/64 outcomes are “at least one hit.”

To the baseball fan, that means “take it easy on your closer – .250 is a pretty lackluster batting average and that even takes out the chance of walks and errors, and even with *that* there’s a better-than-likely chance there will be baserunners in the 9th!”

To the GMAT student, this example means that when you see a probability question that asks for the probability of “at least one” you should almost always try to calculate it by taking the probability of “none” (which is just one sequence and not several) and subtract that from 1. So your process is:

1) Recognize that the problem is asking for the probability of “at least one” of event A.

2) Find the probability for “not A” in any one event

3) Calculate the probability of getting “not A” in all outcomes by multiplying the “not A” probability as many times as there are outcomes

4) Subtract that total from 1

(and #5 – make sure the problem doesn’t involve any unique probability-changing events like “if outcome A doesn’t happen in the first try then the probability increases to X% for the second try” – that kind of language is rare but does complicate things)

Probability factors into many autumn situations, so whether you’re a GMAT student or a baseball fan, if you know at least this one probability concept your autumn should be a lot less stressful!

Are you studying for the GMAT? We have free online GMAT seminars running all the time. And, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

By Brian Galvin
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: How to Expect the Unexpected on the GMAT

Most of us know that GMAT is a shrew, (euphemism for a more choice adjective that comes to mind!) and is very hard to tame. It is well established that it is able to give a pretty accurate estimate of aptitude with just a few questions, and that the only way to “deceive” it is by actually improving your aptitude! It has numerous tricks up its sleeves to uncloak a rather basic player.

Let’s discuss one such trick today – a trick in which you need to realize that the situation calls for a complete U-turn of the usual.

Let’s take an example:

Question: Two cars run in opposite directions on a circular track. Car A travels at a rate of 6π miles per hour and Car B runs at a rate of 8π miles per hour. If the track has a radius of 6 miles and the cars both start from Point S at the same time, how long, in hours, after the cars depart will they again meet at Point S?

(A) 6/7 hrs

(B) 12/7 hrs

(C) 4 hrs

(D) 6 hrs

(E) 12 hrs

Solution: What would we usually do in such a question? Two cars start from the same point and run in opposite directions – their speeds are given. This would remind us of relative speed. When two objects move in opposite directions, their relative speed is the sum of their speeds. So we might be tempted to do something like this:

Perimeter of the circle = 2πr = 2π*6 = 12π miles

Time taken to meet = Distance/Relative Speed = 12π/(6π + 8π) = 6/7 hrs

But take a step back and think – what does 6/7 hrs give us? It gives us the time taken by the two of them to complete one circle together. In this much time, they will meet somewhere on the circle but not at the starting point. So this is definitely not our answer.

The actual time taken to meet at point S will be given by 12π/(8π – 6π) = 6 hrs

This is what we mean by unexpected! The relative speed should be the sum of their speeds. Why did we divide the distance by the difference of their speeds? Here is why:

For the two objects to meet again at the starting point, obviously they both must be at the starting point. So the faster object must complete at least one full round more than the slower object. In every hour, car B – the one that runs at a speed of 8π mph covers 2π miles more compared with the distance covered by car A in that time (which runs at a speed of 6π mph). We want car B to complete one full circle more than car A. In how much time will car B cover 12π miles (a full circle) more than car A? In 12π/2π hrs = 6 hrs.

Now we will keep the question the same but will change the figures a bit:

Modified Question: Two cars run in opposite directions on a circular track. Car A travels at a rate of 3π miles per hour and Car B runs at a rate of 5π miles per hour. If the track has a radius of 7.5 miles and the cars both start from Point S at the same time, how long, in hours, after the cars depart will they again meet at Point S?

So following the same logic as above,

Perimeter of the circle = 2πr = 2π*7.5 = 15π miles

The time taken to meet at point S will be given by 15π/(5π – 3π) = 7.5 hrs

But note that the two cars will not even be at the starting point, S, in 7.5 hrs. So this answer is wrong. Why? It has something to do with the word “at least” used in the explanation above i.e. “So the faster object must complete at least one full round more than the slower object. “

Try to put it all together.

Meanwhile, let’s give you another method. This will not fail you no matter what the figures.

Using the original question:

Time taken by car A to complete one full circle = 12π/6π = 2 hrs

Time taken by car B to complete one full circle 12π/8π = 1.5 hrs

So every 2 hrs car A is at S and every 1.5 hrs, car B is at S. When will they both be together at S?

Car A at S -> 2 hrs, 4 hrs, 6 hrs, 8 hrs …

Car B at S -> 1.5 hrs, 3 hrs, 4.5 hrs, 6 hrs …

In 6 hrs – the first common time, both cars will be at the point S together.  So answer is 6 hours.

Using the same method on the Modified Question,

Time taken by car A to complete one full circle = 15π/3π = 5 hrs

Time taken by car B to complete one full circle = 15π/5π = 3 hrs

So every 5 hrs, car A is at S and every 3 hrs, car B is at S. When will they both be together at S?

Car A at S -> 5 hrs, 10 hrs, 15 hrs, 20 hrs

Car B at S -> 3 hrs, 6 hrs, 9 hrs, 12 hrs, 15 hrs

In 15 hrs – the first common time (LCM of 3 and 5), both cars will be at the point S together.

This all makes sense now.

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!
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: School Profile: You Can Choose From 67 Majors at Columbia University

Columbia University is a private Ivy League research university is located on a 36-acre campus in the Upper Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Founded in 1754, Columbia is the oldest university in the state of New York and fifth oldest in the United States. The university has 20 schools and is affiliated with Barnard College, The Julliard School, and Union Theological Seminary. Beyond its NYC campuses, Columbia has Nevis Laboratories, a facility for experimental particle and nuclear physics, in Irvington, New York, and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, New York, a leading research institute in global sciences.  It also has centers in Amman, Nairobi, Mumbai, Istanbul, Beijing, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, and Santiago. If that isn’t enough, Columbia has the distinction of administering the annual Pulitzer Prizes awarded in print and online journalism, literature, and musical composition.

Incoming freshmen can choose from three undergraduate schools, Columbia College – a liberal arts school offering B.A. degrees, the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences offering B.S. degrees, or the School of General Studies for non-traditional students who can earn either B.A. or B.S. degrees.  All schools operate on a two-semester academic calendar. Columbia offers 67 majors in 21 areas of study. The top majors by enrollment are social sciences, engineering, health professions, history, and visual and performing arts. Students can expect nearly 80% of their classes to have fewer than 20 students, and a student-faculty ratio of approximately 6:1.

Students can participate in research alongside some of the top researchers in their fields. Nine current faculty members are Nobel laureates. Departmental research sites include Arts and Sciences, Earth Institute, Engineering, Medical Center, Social Work, Business, and International and Public Affairs facilities. A student graduating from Columbia University will be in the company of many other notable people; three U.S. Presidents, 26 Heads of State, 43 Nobel Prize winners, nine Supreme Court Justices, 123 Pulitzer Prize winners, and 39 Academy Award winners, among many more distinguished alumni.

At Columbia, 94% of students live in campus housing. Through the Faculty-in-Residence program, faculty members and their families live in the residence halls of East Campus, West Campus, and First Year Area. Incoming freshmen make this choice to establish long-term mentoring relationships. Freshmen may also opt to live in more traditional residences of the Living Learning Center, Furnald, John Jay, or Carman. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors may choose special interest residential communities where students live and learn together around their commonalities such as sustainability, jazz, writing, LGBT, and more.

There are also over 500 student organizations where students can find their place at Columbia. Students are encouraged to become fully involved in campus life and support each other’s interests. Choices range from Alternative Break, where students form service groups and carry out projects over break to the Davis Project for Peace summer program. Live at Lerner presents entertainment events as well as academic and cultural events for students throughout the year. Urban New York provides students with an opportunity to attend NYC events with free tickets; past trips and events have included Broadway musicals, New York Knicks and New York Yankees games, a brunch cruise, a night at the Apollo Theater, a performance at the Metropolitan Opera, and many more.

The NCAA Division I Columbia University Lions compete in the Ivy League Conference on 14 men’s and 15 women’s sports teams. Columbia has seen some success in various sports throughout their history. Columbia athletes were the first to ever win the English Henley Royal Regatta in crew. Columbia also had a female runner set an Olympic world record in track, made the NCAA finals in men’s soccer, and produced Hall of Famers in baseball and football. Their primary rival has long been Princeton University, although a new tradition began in 2002 with Fordham University. Columbia and Fordham play an annual football game for the right to hold the Liberty Cup until the next year’s game.

Columbia University offers students 38 club sports from ballroom dance to Moy Yee Kung Fu. Students can participate in six intramural league sports: flag football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, team handball, or dodgeball. Squash is the only individual intramural sport. If you don’t want to make a long-term commitment, there are one-day tournaments in various intramural sports each semester. For those looking to stay fit, but aren’t interested in competitive sports, there are group fitness classes at Dodge Fitness Center.

Many Columbia University traditions have evolved over its 260-year existence. The first tradition new students are likely to engage in is First Year March, where they will be ushered out the back of Lerner Hall together to re-enter through the main campus gates and officially become students of Columbia University. Also specific to freshmen, the first to find the owl hidden in the Alma Mater statue is thought to become valedictorian. Varsity Show is another long-standing tradition, where students write a musical for Columbia students. Rodgers and Hammerstein participating as student writer/directors at one time. Other traditions include Take Back the Night, Tree-Lighting and Yule Log Ceremonies, Primal Scream, Orgo Night, and more.

If you are looking for a challenging academic experience in one of the most exciting cities in the world, Columbia University may be just what you’re looking for in a school.

Still need to take the SAT? We run a free online SAT prep seminar every few weeks. And, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter! Also, take a look at our profiles for The University of Chicago, Pomona College, and Amherst College, and more to see if those schools are a good fit for you.

By Colleen Hill
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: When Should I Submit My Finished MBA Application?

With deadlines approaching rapidly and everyone’s inbox at work piling up in concert, applicants this time of year from all over the world are beginning to face the reality of whether or not they will make it in time to submit for round one.  Still others have the opposite problem.  These are the folks you love to hate, the overachievers, who have worked diligently all summer on their applications and have now been sitting on it for several days while they spend some reflective,  contemplative time mulling over its nuances, just in case they think of that last little insight to make it even better before they turn it in.  Like a pastry chef putting the last ribbon of icing on a perfectly crafted wedding cake, these sure-fire seat stealers are asking themselves an entirely different question:

When should I submit my finished application?

There is probably no more heart-pounding moment in the application process than clicking that little  “submit now” button on your computer.  On the one hand, it’s thrilling to be finished, but on the other hand, you’re asking yourself if it’s good enough.  Hopefully you have had the help of a qualified professional to guide you along the way and to look over everything, which can certainly make the submission a bit less stressful, but if you do find yourself in the coveted position of being done well before the actual deadline, do you submit now or wait?

For those wondering if there is some sort of strategic advantage to getting it in early, you should know that for schools with a hard deadline (as opposed to a rolling deadline), this doesn’t exist.  Schools do not begin their process of vetting out applications until after they are all in the door.  This of course makes for a very busy week following the admission deadline, especially since most people wait until the last minute anyway (thanks to human nature), but for those who are up at 11:59 desperately hoping their computer doesn’t crash so they can avoid missing the cutoff, rest assured, you will not be penalized.

There is, however some advantages to submitting early for schools with a rolling deadline.  These admissions committees actually fill seats as applications come it, so the earlier you are in the door, the more seats are available and the more likely it will be to get one of them since you are not being compared to the entire application pool.  In short, if they like you, you get an offer.  Keep this in mind as you are pulling your application together.

One reason you might want to put off submitting to hard-deadline schools (non-rolling admissions) is because you might just think of that one extra bit of information you could add to make your application better.   I always recommend putting finished applications “on the shelf” at least while you work on your other schools, just in case those schools draw out something you might have regretted not putting into another application.  Just be sure you don’t literally wait until the last minute, as there have been nightmare scenarios of server crashes and overloading, which is stress you simply do not need.  A good rule of thumb is to submit when you feel the application is at its best, and hopefully at least a day or two before the actual deadline!

Good luck!

Learn about top MBA programs by downloading our Essential Guides! Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or click here to take our Free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation! As always, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter.

Bryant Michaels has over 25 years of professional post undergraduate experience in the entertainment industry as well as on Wall Street with Goldman Sachs. He served on the admissions committee at the Fuqua School of Business where he received his MBA and now works part time in retirement for a top tier business school. He has been consulting with Veritas Prep clients for the past six admissions seasons. See more of his articles here.
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: SAT Tip of the Week: What Is The Question Really Asking?

Have you ever had a fight with a parent, a partner, or a friend that was about one thing but was really about something else?  Maybe mom yells that she can’t believe you left the milk out when really she’s mad that you watched the new episode of Homeland without her? Things are not always what they seem, and the SAT is just as guilty of hiding what it truly wants as your Homeland watching parent. So how do we approach a problem where the true skill that is being tested is not obvious? As in life, the real trick is digging down to what is really going on and addressing the true nature of the problem.  Here is an example where this technique can be used:

Taylor is making a bracelet. He Starts with 4 blue knots, 6 red knots, and 2 yellow knots, in that order, and repeats the pattern until there is no more string. If the last Knot is yellow which of the following could be the total number of knots on the bracelet.

A) 89

B) 90

C) 95

D) 97

E) 102

At first glance, this may seem to be a listing problem.  The question gives a repeating pattern that can be written out and it would be possible to keep listing the next knot in the pattern until one of the numbers listed in the answer choices was reached.  This would be a long and laborious process and the SAT, a timed test, tends to favor methods which conserve time.

So what is this problem really asking? The problem gives a pattern, so the problem is probably asking us to use the pattern to help us derive the answer more quickly. With many pattern problems, it is useful to think about the question as a division and remainder problem.  Imagine you have a four unit repeating pattern and you want to figure out which number in the repetition is represented on the 7th unit of the total pattern.  If we divide the measure of one repetition, in this case four, by the total units we are examining, we get 1 with a remainder of 3.  Think of this as if one full pattern fits into the whole number but only three of the remaining units of the pattern can also fit in the total. This implies that we stop on the third unit of the repetition.  We can check this by writing out seven units: 1-2-3-4-1-2-3. This is the same technique that can be used to solve the above problem!

In total in the problem above, there are 4 blue + 6 red + 2 yellow or 12 units in the repetition. The yellow units are the 11th and 12th units of the repetition, which means that if we divide the total units of the bracelet by 12, we should get a remainder of 11 (for the 11th unit) or 0 (if it is on the 12th unit it will be a full repetition and will give no remainder). So all that is left to do now is to divide the answer choices by twelve and check the remainders:

A) 89 / 12 = 7 R5 X

B) 90 / 12 = 7 R6 X

C) 95 / 12 = 7 R11 ←

D) 97 / 12 = 8 R1 X

E) 102 / 12 = 8 R6 X

As this problem shows, the actual thing being tested is the students ability to find the right method for solving the problem.  There are a number of problems like this on the SAT, but if a student is prepared to look for what is really being asked, he or she will have no problem finding the true question.

Plan on taking the SAT soon? We run a free online SAT prep seminar every few weeks. And, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

David Greenslade is a Veritas Prep SAT instructor based in New York. His passion for education began while tutoring students in underrepresented areas during his time at the University of North Carolina. After receiving a degree in Biology, he studied language in China and then moved to New York where he teaches SAT prep and participates in improv comedy. Read more of his articles here, including How I Scored in the 99th Percentile and How to Effectively Study for the SAT.
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone in Business School and Learn Something New

Over the summer, one of my Veritas Prep clients from last year asked me if I had any advice for him before school started. Offering advice is what I do for a living, so it’s a safe bet that I did, but he probably knew that before he asked. This 3-part blog series grew out of that initial off-the-cuff email response and is designed for anyone in any stage of business school, whether you’re still researching schools, walking onto campus for the first time, or have graduation in the near future. Your two years will fly by, and you want to make sure you graduate without saying “If only I had ….”

Part Two – Take the Hard Way Out

As I write this post, the “Ice Bucket Challenge” is dominating social media, and it seems we never tire of watching our friends and celebrities experience absolute shock when the cold water hits them. They’re clearly well outside of their comfort zones. But in our day-to-day lives, isn’t it often tempting to do what’s familiar, instead of challenging ourselves? We eat at the same restaurants, vacation in the same places, buy the same brand or color of clothing. Consistency makes the decision easier – “It worked last year/weekend/time, so let’s just do it again” – but it can also cause us to miss out on some really meaningful opportunities.

Business school works the same way. When you started your school research, you probably instinctively looked at schools that reflected your strengths. If you were a banker or accountant, maybe you focused on Wharton, Columbia, or Booth. If you came from consumer products, Kellogg might have been the first school to catch your eye. If you were an engineer, MIT and Stanford probably rose to the top of your list. Once you’re in school, it’s tempting to use the same approach for class selection. If you’re a “quant,” you’ll take lots of finance and accounting. If you’re a “poet,” you may gravitate towards management.

But is sticking with what’s safe and known really the best way to make the most of your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at business school?

It’s not. Because business school isn’t just about making you better at the things you’re already good at – you don’t need to pay close to $200K to do that. It’s just as much- if not more – about filling skill gaps and, in the process, uncovering hidden talents and interests. You advertising gurus might discover an aptitude for statistics, or you might find you’re a CPA with a knack for branding. This approach isn’t risk-free: although your level of knowledge will increase, your grades might suffer. However, schools like Wharton and Columbia encourage academic risk-taking through grade non-disclosure policies.

A personal anecdote illustrates my point: when I was at Wharton, operations absolutely terrified me. And I do mean TERRIFIED. And the school required three courses in it, so I couldn’t hide under the desk, as much as I might have wanted to. I realized from Day One that I had two choices: give up and barely pass or jump in and conquer it. I chose the latter. I volunteered to do the homework assignments, sought out professors and TAs during office hours, did all the reading and then some, and pretty soon my teammates were coming to me for help.

I learned several important lessons – first, I loved operations! As a former journalist, I would never have known this if I hadn’t challenged myself. Second, I was good at it. Who knew?  Although I’d never been exposed to the underlying theories, I had a natural affinity for efficiency and process improvement, so the content intuitively made sense. And finally, I appreciated the opportunity to help my classmates. Helping an engineer with Monte Carlo simulation remains one of my proudest b-school moments.

Whether you’re researching, applying to, or already enrolled in school, you have a similar decision to make. If you’re still investigating schools, don’t automatically pick the “safe” one – really think about which one will best fill your skill gaps and will test you to extend your limits. You might even seek out a school with a grade non-disclosure policy. Once school starts, choose courses that take you well outside of your comfort zone. Volunteer to do the work that’s hard for you. If you let the CPA on your team do all the accounting homework or give the finance assignments to the banker, you’re wasting a learning experience. Don’t do that. Step up, jump in, accept the challenge. You just might find a new talent or passion, no ice required.

Want to craft a strong application? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today. Click here to take our Free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation! As always, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

Rachel is a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, and Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. Her specialties include consulting, older and part-time applicants, and international candidates.
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: Deciding Between the 2 Remaining Answer Choices on the GMAT

There is one feeling that hampers momentum and takes all the wind out of your sails on the GMAT. That feeling is the thrill of quickly eliminating three incorrect answer choices on a question, followed by complete uncertainty between the last two choices. This paralysis is very frustrating, because your progress is halted in dramatic fashion, and you’re left with two options that both seem to make perfect sense as the correct answer.

Students routinely report that they end up in this exact situation multiple times on test day, particularly on Critical Reasoning questions in the verbal section. Sometimes, you can predict the correct answer before perusing the answer choices, and avoid this dilemma. However, inference questions frequently ask for the best implication of the sentence, and many correct possibilities could exist. This leads to considering two answer choices as accurate, when in fact only one of them is correct.

As a simple example, a question could indicate that Ron is taller than Tom, and then ask for inferences based on this conclusion. Valid inferences that can be drawn from this situation include “Tom is shorter than Ron”, “Ron and Tom are not the same height”, and even (my personal favorite) “Ron is taller than Tom”. Indeed the exact same idea could be inferred from the conclusion because it must logically be true. More generally, multiple conclusions can all be inferred from the same statement, from the mundane to the insightful.

The one element that must always be considered is that any statement that can be inferred must be true in all situations. Oftentimes when you’re stuck selecting between two choices, one must actually be true whereas the other simply seems to be true. Our brains are trained to complete incomplete data, such as filling in missing letters in words and assuming relevant context (this is a perfet exmple). The GMAT test takers know this about human nature, so we must be careful not to fall into their clever traps and consider fringe corner situations when selecting between two tempting choices.

Let’s look at an example and see how the test makers exploit subtle differences in the answer choices:

SwiftCo recently remodeled its offices to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires that certain businesses make their properties accessible to those with disabilities. Contractors built ramps where stairs had been, increased the number of handicapped parking spaces in the parking lot, lowered door knobs and cabinet handles, and installed adaptive computer equipment.

Which of the following is the most likely inference based on the statements above?

(A)   SwiftCo is now in compliance with ADA requirements.

(B)   SwiftCo has at least one employee or customer who uses a wheelchair.

(C)   Prior to the renovation, some doors and cabinets may have been out of reach for some employees.

(D)   The costs of renovation were less than what SwiftCo would have been liable for had it been sued for ADA violations.

(E)    Businesses without adaptive computer equipment are in violation of the ADA.

The situation (not the abs guy from Jersey Shore) above describes a recent remodel to the SwiftCo offices in order for them to comply with ADA regulations. The changes are described in some detail, from ramps to parking spots to door knobs. The question then asks us about which statement below is the most likely inference, which really means which of these must be true whereas the other four don’t have to be. Let’s do an initial pass to eliminate obvious filler.

Answer choice A “SwiftCo is now in compliance with ADA requirements“ seems perfect. The changes were made due to ADA standards, so A seems like a great choice. Let’s keep going.

Answer choice B “SwiftCo has at least one employee or customer who uses a wheelchair” makes some semblance of sense, because otherwise why install the ramps? However this clearly doesn’t have to be true, SwiftCo can simply be acting proactively in order to comply with standards. Answer choice B does not have to be true, and can thus be rapidly eliminated.

Answer choice C “Prior to the renovation, some doors and cabinets may have been out of reach for some employees” seems like another great choice. After all, why remodel if everything was already handy. This could easily be correct as well. Let’s keep going.

Answer choice D “The costs of renovation were less than what SwiftCo would have been liable for had it been used for ADA violations” makes a completely unsupported claim. (As Harvey Specter would say: “Objection. Conjecture”.) We can quickly eliminate this unconfirmed option as it does not have to be true.

Answer choice E “Businesses without adaptive computer equipment are in violation of the ADA” makes a similar claim to answer choice D, but at least has a little bit more logic behind it. If the company is installing adaptive equipment, it might be in order to comply with ADA regulations; however it might also be another proactive practice put in place by management of their own volition. Answer choice E doesn’t have to be true, and thus can be eliminated.

And thus we’re left with two answer choices that both seem reasonable. And yet there can be only one (so says Connor MacLeod). How do we select between answers A and C? Quite simply, we must look at every possible scenario and see if each option must still hold. This can be an arduous process, but sometimes the evaluation of discarded answer choices helps to guide our approach.

In evaluating answer choice E, the issue of whether or not these changes were exactly aligned with ADA requirements came up. It’s entirely possible that adaptive computer equipment is not required by ADA guidelines; however it’s also possible that it is required. We simply don’t have enough information to make that decision with the information given. That same logic, taken in a broader context, hints that the changes made may or may not align SwiftCo with ADA regulations. Therefore, although answer choice A could be true, it does not necessarily have to be. Perhaps ADA regulations call for other changes that weren’t effectuated for whatever reason (budget, space, zombies).

Comparing with answer choice C, some doors and cabinets may have been out of reach for some employees. The phrase does not even give 100% certainty that the handles were out of reach, it merely states that it was a possibility. If the handles were lowered, it’s likely because some people couldn’t reach them, but it could also have been a practical improvement. No matter the situation, answer choice C must therefore be true.

Often when pitting two choices against each other, students report that they couldn’t find any differences and essentially flipped a coin. (Always pick Heads!) There will always be a difference between two answer choices, and the trick is to determine in which situations the two options actually differ. One will always work, whereas the other one will have one or two corner cases in which it doesn’t hold. If you master the art of correctly separating the last two options, your coin flip becomes a much more attractive proposition. Heads I win. Tails the GMAT loses.

Plan on taking the GMAT soon? We have GMAT prep courses starting all the time. And, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

Ron Awad is a GMAT instructor for Veritas Prep based in Montreal, bringing you weekly advice for success on your exam.  After graduating from McGill and receiving his MBA from Concordia, Ron started teaching GMAT prep and his Veritas Prep students have given him rave reviews ever since.
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: GMAT Tip of the Week: Derek Jeter and the Data Sufficiency Walkoff

It all looked so obvious: a storybook ending preordained from the beginning, some early success and a bit of good fortune leading to a glorious success story. But wait! Then fate intervened, and the easiest part of all had something different to say. And only then was true glory to be had, a glory much greater than that inevitable win ripped away just moments ago.

Derek Jeter’s final game at Yankee Stadium?

Sure…but also some of the hardest Data Sufficiency problems you’ll see on test day.

For those who didn’t see, Derek Jeter’s final game in a home Yankee uniform finished in fairy tale fashion last night. The Captain delighted the crowd early with a double, then reached base again on an error, and was set to ride off into the sunset (well, if it hadn’t rained and been dark out) a hero with one final Yankee win. The crowd chanting his name in the top of the 9th inning, he nearly teared up as he looked at his storybook finish, but then…uncharacteristically, Yankee closer David Robertson allowed two home runs to tie the game, perhaps dooming the win but in the end giving the clutch shortshop an even greater chance at glory. And Jeter delivered, batting in the winning run in his final at bat in pinstripes, on the last pitch he’d ever see at Yankee Stadium.

The GMAT relevance? It followed a blueprint for one of the hardest Data Sufficiency structures that the GMAT writes. That blueprint goes:

Step One: Somewhat difficult statement that takes some work but “satisfies your intellect” as the 650-and-up crowd finally realizes why it’s sufficient. (i.e. Jeter’s double and reached-base-on-error to set up a Yankee win)

Step Two: A much easier statement that seems a mere formality to deal with, but that for the truly elite (i.e. Jeter) provides an opportunity to really shine (i.e. the blown save in the top of the 9th)

Step Three: The chance for the hero to deliver.

Consider this problem:

What is the value of integer z?

(1) z is the remainder when positive integer x is divided by positive integer (x – 1)

(2) x is not a prime number

Now look at statement 1. There’s a lot to unpack – the concept of remainder, the definitions of “positive integer x and positive integer (x – 1)”, the fact that x then can’t be 1 (or x-1 would be 0 and therefore prohibited), the fact that the two values being divided are consecutive integers. So it’s not surprising that, on their way to the trap answer selected by nearly 60% of respondents in the Veritas Prep Question Bank, many feel the glory when they unravel the variables and processes and think:

“Ah, ok. 5/4 would work and that’s 1 remainder 1. 10/9 would work and that’s 1 remainder 1. 100 divided by 99 would work and that’s 1 remainder 1. I get it…remainder is always 1.”

After all that work, statement 2 is as much a formality as a 2 run lead with no baserunners in the 9th inning. Piece of cake. So people start to hear that crowd chanting their name a-la “De-rek-Jeeeet-er”, they pat themselves on the back for the accomplishment, and they pick A. Without ever seeing the opportunity that statement 2 really should provide them:

“Wait…that’s not the script I want – it shouldn’t be that easy.”

Those who know the GMAT well – those Jeterian scholars who have honed their craft through practice and determination to go with the natural talent – look at statement 2 and think “why does this matter? Why would the author write such a mundanely-irrelevant statement? The question is about z and the statement is about x? Come on…”

And in doing so, they’ll ask “Why would a prime number matter? And what kind of prime numbers might change things?” And when you’re talking prime numbers, just like when you’re talking Yankee lore, you have to bring up Number 2. 2 is the only even prime number and it’s the lowest prime number. If you see the definition “prime” and you don’t consider 2, you’re probably making a mistake. So statement 2 here should be your clue to test x = 2 and realize:

2/1 = 2 with no remainder. Based on statement 1 alone the answer is almost always “remainder 1″ but this one exception allows for a remainder of 0, proving that statement 1 is not sufficient. You need statement 2 to rule it out, making the answer C (for captain?).

The real takeaway here?

Even if you think you’ve “won” after statement 1, if statement 2 looks so much like a mere formality that it’s almost anti-climactic there’s a good chance it’s there as a clue. Ask yourself why statement 2 might matter – sometimes it will and sometimes it won’t, but it’s always worth checking in these cases – and you may find that the real “glory” you’re after requires you to take a step back from that “win” you thought you had earlier on.

Are you studying for the GMAT? We have free online GMAT seminars running all the time. And, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

By Brian Galvin
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: First Do What You Know on GMAT Questions

We have read a lot about one way of handling complex questions – simplify them to a question you know how to solve. Here is another way – first do what you do know, and then figure out the rest!

We know that basic concepts are twisted to make advanced questions. Our aim is to break down the question into two parts – ‘the basic concept’ and ‘the complexity’. You can either deal with the complexity first and then glide through the basic concept or you can glide through the basic concept first and then face the complexity. The method you use will depend on the question. If the question seems too complex at the outset, it means you will have to deal with the complexity first. If the question seems familiar but has some extra not-so-familiar elements, it means you should get the familiar out of the way first. Let’s take a question today to see how to do that.

Question: During a sale of 20% on everything in a store, a kid is successful in convincing the store manager to give him 20 candies for the discounted price of 14 candies. The store still makes a profit of 12% on this sale. What is the mark up percentage on each candy?

(A) 100%

(B) 80%

(C) 75%

(D) 66+2/3%

(E) 55%

Solution:

This question can get very messy if you let it! We have seen people working on this question with multiple variables: C for cost price, S for sale price, M for marked price etc. That can get very confusing because there are two types of mark up – the actual mark up (the store marks up the price of every candy by this percentage and lists it on the candy) and the effective mark up (because the kid takes 6 extra candies, this is the effective mark up). So let’s not go the algebra way.

Instead, let’s focus on what we can do without much effort. As a first step, let’s do what we know already (and hope that the rest will work out!).

We already know the relation between mark-up, discount and profit. The problem is that this question has another aspect – the kid takes 20 candies but pays the price of only 14 candies (which is the price obtained by reducing the marked price by 20% of discount). But let’s worry about it later.

Let’s first deal with the mark-up, discount and profit aspect of the question.

We know that (1 + m/100)(1 – d/100) = (1 + p/100) (already discussed in detail in this post)

Since p is the effective profit that the store got, m must be the effective mark up here.

(1 + m/100)(1 – 20/100) = (1 + 12/100)

(1 + m/100) = (5/4)*(28/25)

(1 + m/100) = 7/5

m = 40

So effective mark up was 40% – i.e. 40% was the mark up in a situation where 14 articles were sold and charged for. This tells us this – effective mark up turned out to be 40% though his actual mark up must have been higher since he gave away 20 articles for the cost of 14.

Now what we already know is done. We get to the really tricky part – the thing that makes this question different – how do we find the actual mark up?

Let’s say the cost price of each of the 20 candies was $1. Then total cost price for the 20 candies was $20. This is the cost of the candies to the store. The effective markup was 40% i.e. the articles were effectively marked at 20 + (40/100)*20 = $28. The store gave a discount of 20% on this amount and made a profit of 12%. But this amount of $28 actually represents the mark up on 14 candies only. The cost price of 14 candies is $14 to the store. So the actual mark up percentage on the 14 candies is (28 – 14)/14 * 100 = 100%

Answer (A)

Obviously, there are many other ways of solving this question. See if you can figure out another one on your own!

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 in Detroit, Michigan, and regularly participates in content development projects such as this blog!
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: School Profile: Join the Community of Scholars at Stanford University

Stanford University is one of the world’s most prestigious universities and serves over 7,000 undergraduate students and over 11,500 graduate students. This private research university, founded in 1885 was tuition free until the 1930s; recent years have shown the university going back to its roots and offering open access to select Stanford courses for online learners around the world.

Academically, Stanford University in no way takes an ivory tower approach to education; the list of contributions to the world by those associated with this research university is long and impressive. Stanford claims 22 Nobel laureates, 5 Pulitzer Prize winners, 27 MacArthur Fellows, and over 700 other distinguished academic awards in its community of scholars. Seventeen astronauts and 30 billionaires are also affiliated with Stanford.

Faculty, students and alumni have long been a creative force in shaping the future. Some of the most notable cutting edge projects and high profile companies in the world have come out of Stanford. Silicon Valley has its roots in Stanford where one of the precursors to the Internet was developed. Yahoo!, Google, Nike, Coursera, and other companies have been founded by Stanford faculty and/or alumni.

Students applying for an elite Stanford education will experience the lowest acceptance rates in the country. Stanford offers 40 academic programs in three undergraduate schools – Humanities and Sciences, Earth Sciences, and Engineering, as well as robust graduate offerings. More than 18 independent laboratories, institutes, and centers are managed by Stanford. Student opportunities for significant research are unsurpassed, with over 5,000 externally sponsored research opportunities.

The school operates on a quarter system from September to June, where undergraduate students have an option of earning a bachelor’s degree, or a coterminal degree. Coterm degrees are where graduate school becomes an extension of a student’s undergraduate education leading to a master’s degree.

Student housing is guaranteed for all four years of undergraduate studies at Stanford, and one year of graduate study. Ninety-seven percent of undergrads live in campus housing. There is a thriving Greek life on campus with 16 fraternities and 14 sororities; ten of those offer student housing. According to Greek Rank, the most popular sororities are Kappa Alpha Theta, Delta Delta Delta, and Chi Omega. Favorite fraternities are Phi Kappa Psi, Kappa Alpha Order, and Alpha Epsilon Pi.

Stanford offers 630 recognized student organizations, 44 religious organizations, six cultural centers, and the Haas Center for Public Service, which supports student community service. Aggregated student satisfaction data at Students Review gives Stanford a 90% positive rating. The Stanford campus is actually its own town and filled with every activity imaginable. Some highlights are Café Nights; parties, parties, parties; Flicks campus movie theater; lounging at Arrillaga Alumni Center Fountain; hitting balls at the Stanford driving range; hiking the Dish at sunset; or stargazing at the courtyard near the clock tower. Don’t forget you’re 30 minutes from San Francisco for the ultimate urban scene, or three hours from Yosemite National Park for prime outdoor adventure.

Excellence is a theme at Stanford. The Stanford Cardinals have 36 NCAA Division I men’s and women’s varsity teams competing in the PAC-12 Conference. Cardinal teams have amassed 105 NCAA national titles, and student athletes have captured 0ver 45 individual national championships. Stanford athletes competing in the Olympics have won over 240 Olympic medals since 1912, of which more than 125 of them were gold. Approximately 300 athletic scholarships are awarded each year. For the less competitive who still love sports, Stanford offers 19 club sports and 37 intramural sports.

Stanford’s main football rival is Berkeley. Every year the “Big Game” is the culmination of a week’s worth of preparations. The 2013 Rose Bowl Champions get fired up for the game against the “hippies across the bay.” For all Cardinal games you’ll be expected to know the proper Stanford cheers down to the jangling of keys and pointing in the right sequence and direction depending on what’s happening on the field. When basketball season rolls around, you’ll have to learn a whole new set of cheer skills.

Stanford University is rich with tradition – some serious, some more frivolous. For a complete breakdown, check out the Stanford University Unofficial Guide online. A few favorites include the freshman tradition of Assassins, class and Greek formals, Midnight Breakfast and Primal Scream during Dead Week, fountain hopping the 25 Stanford fountains on campus, an annual ski trip, and Stanford’s version of the Amazing Race.

If you’re brilliant and competitive, a compulsively curious overachiever with a bona fide penchant for shenanigans, Stanford may be just the school for you.

Still need to take the SAT? We run a free online SAT prep seminar every few weeks. And, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter! Also, take a look at our profiles for The University of Chicago, Pomona College, and Amherst College, and more to see if those schools are a good fit for you.

By Colleen Hill

 
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: School Profile: You Will Love the Traditions of Wake Forest University

Wake Forest University, founded in 1834, is a private research university located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and sits on a 340-acre main campus three miles from downtown. The Winston-Salem college town is nestled at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains and is also a four-hour drive from welcoming North Carolina beaches. There’s a little bit of everything: mountains, Piedmont, beaches, and city, all in proximity to this suburban university.

Pro Humanitate (for humanity) is the Wake Forest motto, so it makes sense that they have poured financial support into new initiatives in the Humanities Institute in entrepreneurship, translational science, sustainability, public engagement, molecular signaling, sustainability and bioethics, all made possible by a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The University is home to both the Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials, which works to bridge research with real world applications in national defense, medicine, and manufacturing.  In the same spirit, the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine aims to bridge scientific discovery and clinical therapies.

The 4,800 undergraduates who call Wake Forest University home can earn a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree from either Wake Forest College or the Calloway School of Business and Accountancy in any one of 40 majors. The most popular majors by enrollment are Business, Political Science, Psychology, and Speech Communications. With a faculty-to-student ratio of 11:1, and all classes taught by experienced faculty, not graduate students, undergrads get an intimate and intellectually stimulating learning experience. Many students work on major research projects with their professors and are able to earn grants or publish work. Among many past and present notable professors, Dr. Maya Angelou taught at Wake Forest from 1982 until her death in 2014.

Students at Wake Forest take Pro Humanitate seriously. They are actively involved in volunteerism in service to community, locally, nationally, and internationally.  The Volunteer Service Corps (VSC) is one of the most popular student organizations on campus. The group goes on annual service trips to destinations in Vietnam, Latin America, Russia, and others, as well as their local and national work. In the same spirit of Pro Humanitate, Wake Forest has 23% minority enrollment, cultural diversity core class requirement for all students, and is among schools awarded the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award by Insight into Diversity magazine. Additionally, more than 60% of students study abroad in more than 70 countries, further enhancing principles of community, volunteerism, diversity, and unity—for humanity.

Unlike most universities, Wake Forest students must live in campus residence halls for six semesters. There are three student community areas: South Campus houses freshmen, Quad and North Areas house upperclassmen. Resident dining plans are also required all six semesters, served in The Fresh Food Company and The Magnolia Room in Reynolds Hall. Students can also take advantage of Benson Food Court featuring food franchises, Shorty’s Restaurant and Bar, Starbucks, Subway, and convenience stores on campus.

Greek life plays an important role at Wake Forest, and nearly half the student body claim membership. According to Greek Rank, Pi Kappa Alpha and Phi Beta Sigma are the two top-ranked fraternities, and Kappa Delta and Delta Zeta are the two top-ranked sororities. Second semester freshmen and above are allowed to rush. There are 28 campus chapters belonging to one of three councils. The Sigma Delta chapter of Order of Omega is the honor society for Greek members. To be selected, a student must be in the top 3% of all Greeks on campus based upon leadership, scholarship, Greek involvement, campus involvement and community service.

Because of Wake Forest’s unique location, students have lots of options in their free time. These include outdoor activities like relaxing on the beach; skiing the Blue Ridge Mountains; biking, running, or picnicking local parks; or boating Salem Lake.  Students can take the campus evening shuttle into downtown Winston-Salem Thursdays through Saturdays. Have dinner with friends, take in a River Run Film Festival screening, tour the galleries of the Trade Street Arts District, check out the Winston-Salem Symphony, or explore the Old Salem Historic District. Wander through Reynolda Village and Gardens next to campus and visit the museum there. With all the campus sponsored activities, Greek life happenings, and local attractions, you’ll never be bored.

The NCAA Division I Wake Forest Demon Deacons have eight men’s and eight women’s varsity teams that compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Wake Forest athletics has won eight national championships in four sports and produced 25 Olympians. Among the many notable athletes at Wake Forest are football standout Brian Piccolo, the subject of the movie Brian’s Song, and golf great Arnold Palmer. The Screamin’ Demons student fan section has over 2,200 members, famous for their tie-dye shirts and die-hard enthusiasm, who provide the winning edge primarily in football and basketball. If you really want to be impressive, watch the movie The 5th Quarter featuring Wake Forest’s improbable 2006 football season, then get your Screamin’ Demon tie-dye!

If there’s one thing Wake Forest students love, it is tradition. It’s also probably why Wake Forest has a strong network of alumni who tend to look out for one another for life. Among the major traditions are Christmas Lovefeast, President’s Ball, Hit the Bricks, Lighting of the Quad, Capture the Flag, Homecoming, Wake ‘n Shake, Project Pumpkin, Wake the Library, Awake All Night, Shag on the Mag Springfest, and Senior Events. Check out the details of each of these traditions and many more in Wake Forest’s exhaustive list of old and new traditions.

If Pro Humanitate rings true for you, you’re all about academic excellence, a chance to get in on meaningful research (maybe even get published!), enjoy traditions galore, being part of something special for life, and screaming in tie-dye, then this is your school.

Still need to take the SAT? We run a free online SAT prep seminar every few weeks. And, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter! Also, take a look at our profiles for The University of Chicago, Pomona College, and Amherst College, and more to see if those schools are a good fit for you.

By Colleen Hill

 
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FROM Veritas Prep Blog: SAT Tip of the Week: 5 Tips to Slay Test Anxiety

Anxiety can often feel like an indestructible creature of mythical strength.  If it is not enough that students must learn five hundred vocabulary words, spend hours drilling algebra (everyone’s idea of a fun Friday night), and learn to identify hidden grammatical mistakes, students must also fight the dragon of anxiety which paralyzes with its powerful breath and leaves students feeling defeated before they even begin.  Anxiety is a mighty beast, but there are ways to combat this force and slay the dragon of fear so that you can focus on what really matters: answering the questions on the SAT correctly.

1. ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR ANXIOUS FEELINGS. Anxiety is nothing to be ashamed of, nor is it something that should be discounted. If a student feels anxiety is best to acknowledge that feeling so that it can be addressed properly. See if you can identify what specifically is causing the feeling of anxiety.  Is it a specific section of the SAT? Is it the thought of time running out?  Is it a worry that you will make arithmetic errors on the math section of the SAT? All of these are valid concerns that can be approached with practical steps.  Remember, fear is essentially a projection of a negative outcome into an unknown (and unknowable) future! Think of something that you can work on right NOW that can help to address the particular source of your anxiety.  If you are worried about arithmetic, plan on doing some math problems that require a lot of arithmetic and be super specific about how you line up your equations and draw every single step.  This will show you that you are capable of doing the task. Don’t live in the future, focus on what can be done right now!

2. TAKE A BREATHE. If you find yourself feeling anxious on the test take 30 seconds to close your eyes and counting internally to eight on each inhale and exhale.  Try to focus solely on your breathing and on what your body is feeling.  If you feel tension in one area of your body, attempt to breathe out the tension as you exhale, literally think, “Breathe out that tension,” as you breathe.  This is useful to do any time you feel overwhelmed by a thought or emotion.

3. ALLOW TIME FOR SLEEP. Your body needs sleep.  For most people 6-9 hours is an appropriate amount of sleep, but listen to your body.  If you feel that you are not giving yourself the proper amount of sleep, your body can go into sleep deficit which can reduce mental and physical acuity.  It is worth mentioning that substances like caffeine have similar effects on the body to adrenaline, so it may be that avoiding coffee when you feel anxious will help to reduce the physical manifestations of anxiety like an increased heart rate and feeling of jitters.

4. ORGANIZE YOUR STUDY TIME. This involves doing tasks in the moment rather than worrying about the future.  Create organized study schedules that address whatever concerns you have and help to build the skills that you feel you need the most.  Create a list of the things you would like to work on in order of importance and then set aside time to practice each in turn. Over preparing is a great way to reduce anxiety. If you are truly prepared for an exam, you have very little to feel anxious about.  Especially work on that vocabulary: knowledge of vocabulary will not only help with the completing the sentences questions, but will also help you feel confident in deciphering the reading sections.

5. VISUALIZE SUCCESS. In general, approaching tests with a positive attitude has a tremendous effect on real outcomes.  Numerous studies have demonstrated that positive visualization is associated with success in various pursuits.  Take a few minutes before you go to bed to visualize yourself receiving the score that you desire on the test.  This can go a long way to convincing yourself that you are capable of success.  Avoid the voice in your head that says, “You are not good at…”. You are good at whatever it is! If you are not now good at something, you will become good at it!  Constant self-flagellation will create a belief that you are bad at things.  This is not the case! You are successful, so start believing it!

With these strategies in mind, you can allow yourself to focus completely on the task of conquering the SAT instead of spending all your energy fighting the dragon of anxiety. So fight on test takers!

Plan on taking the SAT soon? We run a free online SAT prep seminar every few weeks. And, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

David Greenslade is a Veritas Prep SAT instructor based in New York. His passion for education began while tutoring students in underrepresented areas during his time at the University of North Carolina. After receiving a degree in Biology, he studied language in China and then moved to New York where he teaches SAT prep and participates in improv comedy. Read more of his articles here, including How I Scored in the 99th Percentile and How to Effectively Study for the SAT.
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