Category: GMAT

4 Easy Steps to Realize Your Career Dreams in the New Year

Do you know that on average, we stick to our New Year’s resolutions for just three days, and most people give up on them by January 3rd!!!!

Isn’t it sad that in our ever-changing and crazy-fast-paced economy, we usually know exactly what to do to have an amazing career, yet… we rarely do it?

Every week, I am meeting people who are disconnected from successful careers. And very often, it’s not their fault – they’ve just never been taught the right way to do it.

If you crave an exciting career move in 2015, here is a simple 4-step process that will help you follow through (and realize your dreams!) before end of this year.

1. Vision

It all starts with a vision. Do you see yourself as a successful executive, or entrepreneur, or leader, or all of the above? If you don’t yet, could you imagine yourself as a successful MBA student? Could you visualize receiving a letter of admission from your dream business school?

Or, how would you feel seeing a score of 720 when you finish your GMAT exam? You don’t need to come up with a vision for your entire career, just a few next steps.

If you need help coming up with a vision, or if you forgot how to DREAM BIG, get around other people that do this all the time! An excellent group to join is the Toronto Power Group. If you seriously want to make 2015 your best year yet, you may want to attend the TPG board-breaking event and experience the 7 Steps to a Fulfilling 2015 on January 7, 2015!

2. Belief

To achieve, you have to believe. If you see yourself as a successful leader, but don’t truly believe this is possible, you’ll sabotage your own success.

Do you believe you can get 700 on the GMAT? A high GMAT score can not only open the admission doors to top business schools, it could significantly increase your chances of getting hefty entrance scholarships.

And the best part? Anyone can beat the test! See our instructor Bobby explain why.

3. Support

How would life be if you had to make your own iPhone? Or if you had to fix your own car? Or generate your own electricity?

Yet when it comes to preparing for the GMAT, many of us are still trying to reinvent the wheel. The GMAT is a standardized test that measures standardized skills, in a standardized manner, using predictable patterns. Thousands of people before you have aced the GMAT, and thousands of people after you will. Success leaves clues. Learn from the best and you will dramatically increase your chances of admission to a top b-schools, and of getting significant entrance scholarships.

4. Action

If you have a perfect Vision, Believe you can do it, find Support from someone who’s done it before, but don’t actually Do It, none of the above will matter! As my good friend, an award-winning trainer and best-selling author Rory Sheehan teaches, never leave the sight of your goal without taking an immediate first step towards its achievement.

Don’t wait until tomorrow. As Tony Robbins says, “mañana never comes“. Or, as my favourite physics profession was saying [warning: for geeks only:)], the probability of you following through is inversely proportionate to the square of the time elapsed since you make the decision! (This means in plain English that there is much less chance you will get around to do something tomorrow).

The time to take action is now. Don’t wait for another year to DREAM BIG again.

Book your Free 1-on-1 GMAT and MBA Admission Consultation and see for yourself what a difference an MBA degree from a top business school will make in your career!!

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Need inspiration? Read success stories of our past students here.

GMAT Model of Success on Test Day

Bobby Umar is Admit Master’s lead GMAT Instructor. Bobby has been teaching the GMAT since 1999 and in 2009-2010 was awarded a title of the Worldwide GMAT Instructor of the Year. He is also the lead author of the new Barron’s GMAT Guide, released in January 2014 and available in bookstores across North America.

I came up with this model after having taught thousands of different GMAT students over the past decade. In every case, students who have had trouble with the GMAT have done so due to one of the following issues. If you want to succeed on the GMAT, you need to make sure that you covered your bases with each of the elements in the model.

I have divided this model into a few separate segments. Each of them represent a different aspect of your GMAT journey. Let’s talk about them in detail!

1) THEORY

You have to learn all the theory. This is the most fundamental element of the GMAT. Many test takers are afraid of this, but remember that most of the theory is high school or earlier. So, if you learned it back then, you can learn it again. Some of you may say, “well, I don’t like geometry, so I’ll just skip it”. Bad idea! Geometry can be around 4-6 questions on the math section — that’s 4-6 questions you should be getting right! Again, the material is from high school and the only reason you are intimidated is because it was so long ago.

Secondly, the theory is finite, which means that there is an end in sight. It may seem daunting at first, but with time and effort, you can learn every section that is tested. No one said the GMAT would be easy–it’s work. So learn the theory 100%!

2) STRATEGIES

These are all the tips, tricks, shortcuts and philosophies you use on the test. Strategies are the perfect complement to theory if you want to get to the higher scores (600+). The key is to make sure you have enough DEPTH and BREADTH of knowledge here. By depth, I mean that you need to be very comfortable using the strategy for said problem. By breadth, I mean you need to have a wide range of strategies for the test. You need to be so comfortable with strategies that no matter what question shows up, you have more than one strategy up your sleeve.

3) METHODOLOGIES

The final piece of the big three is to have a process or method to answer most types of questions, whether they are sentence correction, reading comprehension, critical reasoning, data sufficiency, combinatorics, work/rate, mixture problems, or others. Follow a process and know how to approach each type. Having a system gives structure, focus, and confidence.

4) PRACTICE

Once you have started learning the theory, strategies and methodologies, you then work on solidifying your knowledge in those three areas. Practice is all about getting the theory in your head, identifying any gaps in your strategies, and reinforcing the methodologies. The idea here is to make sure that you not only learn, but retain the material. You practice by doing a combination of practice questions and practice tests. Just make sure that you do not ignore practice tests, as they are the most important way to simulate real testing conditions. Too often, students avoid doing the practice tests out of fear. The fact that you fear the tests suggests that it is even more important that you get used to writing them!

5) LEARN

Just because you have read the text, taken great notes, made some index cards, and done hundreds of problems, it does not necessarily mean you have LEARNED the material. Take the time to make sure you have learned it very well. In fact, you need to master the material. How do you know if you know it? You should know it well enough that you can easily explain it to someone else.

6) RETAIN

The best test takers do lots of problems and every time they see something new, they remember it for next time. Too often I tutor someone, and I show them the right strategy and methodology for doing a specific problem. Then, they show up three weeks later not remembering how to do a very similar problem. The more questions you do, the more you should build up your cumulative knowledge database for GMAT questions. If you cannot retain the information for next time, then you are wasting a lot of your time. Learn the material, but also retain it for next time!

7) RESOURCES

It’s important to know all the amazing resources that you have out there, including GMAT Courses from Admit Master! Aside from engaging us, you can search online for tests, questions, drills, info, forums, and other websites that all talk GMAT. You can buy books, DVDs, and downloadable materials. You can get extra tutoring or form a study group or join an existing one. The point is you need to leverage them all effectively and know what you need to get you to your goal. Know all your resources and use them effectively!

8) STUDY PLAN

I know it’s a cliché, but failing to plan is planning to fail! A study plan is your guide, your bible, your business plan to GMAT success. It provides focus, because you can see your plan on a page. It gives you direction, because you take the time to understand the path to the goal. It increases accountability, because if you write it down and plan it, you are more likely to do it. Lastly, it relieves stress because you can see what it takes to get there and that it is possible. In your study plan, set reasonable goals and targets, and be sure to monitor your progress.

9) MONITORING

I once got a call from a student who was about to write his GMAT test that very day. He said, “Bobby, I need your help. I am really worried!” I asked him why and he said that he had done a practice test the night before and only got a 510. I paused and asked him what his last three practice test scores were. He told me his test scores were 510, 530, and 500. I paused a bit longer and then asked what his GMAT goal was. He told me he wanted a 600. I paused for a pretty long time and then just said, “Are you crazy? Don’t write the test.” It makes no sense to write the test when you are not ready and especially if your practice test scores are way off. What would you expect to get? If anything, he may get somewhere between 470-570 depending on whether he has a terrible day or the most amazing day ever. He ignored my advice, wrote the test, and got 490. He never wrote it again. Monitor your progress and adjust your study plan!

10) TIME MANAGEMENT

Once you have gotten a solid grasp of the fundamentals of theory, strategies, and methodologies, you can start to focus on time management. Timing is a key issue on the GMAT and for many it is a big obstacle. However, if you learn your theory 100%, know your strategies with both depth and breadth, master methodologies for most question types, and you reinforce that learning and retaining with solid practice, then the issue of time management goes to zero.

11) STRESS MANAGEMENT

This is the last big piece of the puzzle, otherwise known as the psychological factor. There are some people who get incredible scores on their practice tests, only to choke on test day, some dropping over 100+ points. Unfortunately, stress does not go to zero, but you do have to manage it. The GMAT is a stressful test. You have a lot riding on your score, it’s you against the machine (or yourself), you don’t want to be seen as a failure, and you really want to change your career life with an MBA. I get it, and I remember what it was like. So how do you manage or minimize your stress?

First, you learn your THEORY 100%, know your STRATEGIES with both depth and breadth, master METHODOLOGIES for most question types, you reinforce that LEARNING and RETAINING with solid PRACTICE, and tackle the issue of TIME MANAGEMENT.

Second, leverage your RESOURCES, make a STUDY PLAN and stick with it while MONITORING your progress.

Third, you approach the test with CONFIDENCE, see it as a CHALLENGE to overcome, and have FUN with the journey. Then you can ace the GMAT!

Of the thousands of students I have met over the years, the ones who had most trouble with the GMAT have failed because of one of the issues above. The biggest issues were not knowing theory, strategies, or methodologies. The GMAT is a lot of work, but it is work that anyone can do. The GMAT is beatable, and anyone can beat it. So can you!

11a) CONFIDENCE: Having that swagger when you approach any question eliminates doubt, confusion, and second-guessing. You know what tools you need, so once you have them mastered, approach every GMAT question with the knowledge that you have everything you need to “crack” ANY question.

11b) CHALLENGE: Try to think of the GMAT as any school or work project that you may have had before. Then have the attitude that you are trying to “win” or exceed expectations on that project. Use your experience in other successful areas of your life and approach your “GMAT project” with the same drive for results and passion.

11c) FUN: The more you have fun with the GMAT project, the more motivated you will be. A negative attitude about any aspect of the GMAT will hinder your success. Don’t like reading passages about multi-cellular organisms? Well, you get in the mood! Try to have fun and find something interesting about it. Have fun doing problems–breaking things down. Most of all, have fun getting questions right!

As you start your GMAT studies with us, I wish you all the best in your MBA Admission journey. Remember, the GMAT, as any other challenge in life, is only scary if you are unprepared. The Admit Master GMAT program will provide you the structure, the guidance, and the best tools. Add your hard work, discipline and dedication – and you have a winning formula for Acing the GMAT!

Bobby.

GMAT Test Scores

When all is said and done, you will receive a lot of different scores for the GMAT – 10 in total!

Usually, people will just refer to one, the Overall Score; but in actual practice, you score will come back with a little chart like this:

Test Date – 20 January 2014

Verbal – 40/90%

Quantitative – 50/89%

Total – 690/89%

Analytical Writing – 6/91%

Integrated Reasoning – 7/82%

Actually, the scores you receive on the day of the exam are considered Unofficial Scores, only becoming official Scores when your score report appears in your email inbox and on the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) website. It is rare for the numbers to change in between, so most people don’t use “Official” and “Unofficial” distinction. Note, however, that most schools require you to have an Official Score to report before their application deadline!

Just so you know, 8 out of 10 scores are calculated automatically on site, so you’ll find them out on the day of your test. You have to wait a few weeks for the essay to be graded to receive the final two.

1. Overall Score (Your Scaled Score). This is that famous three-digit number, the first score in the Total column. It ranges from 200 to 800, in increments of 10. Two-thirds of test-takers score between 400 and 600, and the median score is usually between 540 and 570. The scores are arranged on a bell curve, so scores below 300 or above 700 are relatively rare. This score is produced by a weighted average of your performance ONLY in Quantitative and Verbal Sections. The AWA essay and the IR section are tracked independently. The average’s weight skews toward the Math score, though the exact amount is a trade secret closely guarded by the test makers.

2. Overall Percentile Score. The second score in the Total column, this one is actually more important than the three-digit number, although admittedly less iconic. It tells you what percentage of recent take-takers your score bests. Thus, a 75th percentile scorer did better than 75 percent of people who’ve taken the test over the last three years. This score can differ every year as the test taking population changes, though in practice it rarely moves more than a single point in either direction.

3. Quantitative Sub-score. Your performance in both the Math and Verbal sections is also tracked separately, on a range from 0 to 60, with increments of 1 point. Quantitative Sub-scores are typically in the 7 to 50 range ( again, because of the test’s built-in bell curve)

4. Quantitative Percentile Sub-score. Like the Overall Score, your Quantitative Score will also be expressed as a percentile (the second score in the Quantitative column) and it, too, can change slightly from year to year. In most years, it takes a sub-score of at least 52 to break into the 99th percentile.

5. Verbal Sub-score. The first score in the Verbal column, this one’s just like the Quantitative, but for Verbal: 0-60, 1 point increments. Most test-takers will score between 9 and 44, which is, you might have notices, a good bit smaller a range than in Math, with a lower top-end score as well.

6. Verbal Percentile Sub-score. The Verbal column’s second score works just like the other percentiles, though the bell curve here is slightly more forgiving. A 99th percentile score can be had for the low, low price of a sub-score of 45!

7. Integrated Reasoning Score. Calculated completely separately from any other one point. That means there are only eight possible scores for all people taking the test, and most of these scores are between 3 and 7, with a mean of 4. Interestingly, even though a score of 1 is theoretically possible, most years no one receives one.

8. Integrated Reasoning Percentile Score. The second score in your IR column is also only from your performance on the 12 IR questions and is also variable from year to year. The numbers here have jumped around quite a bit over the section’s short story, although it seems to have stabilized around 94% as the top score, 46% the mean, and 17% the bottom.

9. AWA Scaled Score. Your essay scores will be calculated independently of all the other sections. The Scaled Score, first in the Analytical Writing column, has a theoretical range of 0-6, with increments of 0.5 ( meaning, it’s possible to get a 4, a 4.5 or a 5, but not a 4.1 or 4.8); however, in practice 0’s are never given and more than 90% of test-takers receive a score between 2 and 5.5. So, even though there are 11 possible scores in the range, the test maker only uses 7 regularly.

10. AWA Percentile Score. Your final percentile score works like all the rest, though the top score of 6 translates to only the 91st percentile most years.

Of all these many scores, the one most important to your business school admissions goals remains that three-digit Overall Score. Though they are loather to admit it, it’s still the case that many schools have an Overall Score cutoff they use to winnow down the mountain of applications they receive each year.

Article is written by our Lead Instructor Bobby Umar, the author of the new GMAT Barron’s book, 2014 (pages 4-5).

GMAT FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions about the GMAT Exam.

We start the series of the FAQs posts… Check out all you need to know about the GMAT and MBA Admissions… Feel free to comment, ask questions and find the reliable source of information here!

1. How do I register for the GMAT test? – Answer: There best place to find all the necessary information about registering for and scheduling the test is www.mba.com – the website of the test maker. Please visit the official MBA website and sign up for a free. Then on the home page you will find a link to register for the test.

2. What time can I write the exam? When is the GMAT offered? – Answer: It is offered almost every day, including weekends, but excluding all public holidays. Avalable days and times vary by the test centre – check out the ones most convenient for you. If you perform better in the morning, you can schedule your test as early as 8 am. If you prefer writing a test in the evening, some centres offer tests as late as 4 or 5 pm. Please keep in mind, some of the most popular test centres have limited availability, so be sure to book in advance, or – if you prefer to see how you perform on practice exams first – monitor availability as you get closer to your desired date, so as not to miss admission deadlines.

3. How much does the GMAT cost? – Answer: The current cost of the GMAT exam is US$250.

4. Can I use the calculator? – Answer: NO! An on-screen calculator will be provided only for the Integrated Reasoning section. By the way, you are not allowed to take pretty much anything with you (no coats, watches, books, study materials, papers, pens, food, drinks, CALCULATORS, cell phones, pagers, translators). For more details watch the official video via YouTube http://bit.ly/1bPtswr

You will be provided with a yellow spiral-bound wet erase note-board and 2 or 3 wet erase pens for scratch work. There will be headphones at each computer for those worried about noise; otherwise, all your possessions must be locked away outside the testing area until after you are done!

Wishing you the best results on your GMAT exam!
Admit Master

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GMAT is a Computer Adaptive Test

What should we know about the Computer Adaptive Tests?

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a standardized computer-based test. Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) is the official GMAT organization, which develops rules, policies, and procedures for the graduate business school admission process. The test demonstrates the prospective applicants’ potential academic performance in MBA programs. Today over 1,850 graduate business schools worldwide use GMAT scores as a part of their admission process.

How did it all start? In March 1953, deans from Columbia, Harvard, Northwestern, Rutgers, Seton Hall, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, and Washington University (St. Louis) decided to create an objective entrance exam for graduate business schools. Since 1954, the structure of the exam has changed only couple of times: Quantitative and Verbal sectional scores were added a year after this test was implemented; the length of the test itself grew from two hours and twenty-five minutes to the current three hours thirty minutes. But the only thing that has not changed is the GMAC’s goal to test the skills necessary to succeed in graduate business schools’ core curriculum. Today GMAT Quantitative and Verbal sections are written in a computer adaptive test format, while two other sections: Analytical Writing Assessment and the new Integrated Reasoning section – are scored independently with their scores not contributing to the total score.

What does the Computer-Adaptive Format mean for a test taker? The Quantitative and Verbal sections of the test start with a question of moderate difficulty and each question the test taker get right or wrong determines the following mix of questions. If the moderately difficult question is answered correctly, then it will be followed with a more difficult question. On the opposite, if it is answered incorrectly, the following question will be easier. To determine student’s exact score, the computer has to give mostly harder questions to strong students and mostly easy questions to those, who are struggling. Thus, all test takers applying to top business schools, and targeting scores of 700+, will see a lot of difficult questions. Remember that computer follows a very complicated and unknown algorithm, therefore there are some irregularities in its patterns, and a student cannot out-think the CAT and predict the outcome of the test. Do not assume that the previous question was answered incorrectly, if you get an easy question. Keep in mind that just because the question seems easy it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is actually easy. On the other hand, it can really be an easy question and the algorithm is just trying to mix you up.

The best way to handle the CAT format test is simply do your best on each question as it is presented. Don’t worry too much about trying to outsmart the CAT test. Another interesting fact about the CAT is its important consequences for scoring. The result score is always fair, even if two test-takers see questions of entirely different difficulty levels. How does this happen? In general, the scores reflect not only how many questions were answered right or wrong but also the difficulty levels of each question that you had answered. The main point is that the computer always adjusts to your level. Do your best and prepare well, do as many practice tests as possible, and if you need help studying – take a GMAT Toronto course or sign up for a FREE 1 on 1 Consultation with one of our experienced GMAT trainers and get started today!

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Why Admit Master GMAT?

Here are some things we think we know about you. And a few things you should know about us.

– You want an instructor who scored in the 99th percentile on the GMAT. Our instructors have all scored in the 99th percentile on the GMAT. No exceptions, no practice tests.

– You don’t want to sit in a classroom with dozens of other students listening to an instructor follow a script. If you signed up for private tutoring, you don’t want to be put in a class with ten other students. All of our instructors have at least five years of classroom and one-on-one teaching experience. If you signed up for one-on-one tutoring, you’re getting one-on-one tutoring.

– You want to be able to ask questions in class, and when you do, you don’t want the instructor to flip around in the solutions manual to read the answer to you. We know what we’re doing. We don’t look at the solutions manual to answer questions, and we wouldn’t want to pay for a tutor who did.

– You want an instructor who knows how to teach and doesn’t expect you to read their mind. You don’t want your questions to get lost in the shuffle and never really answered. We don’t just teach the test; we teach the student. We’ll work with you to find out what learning approach is best for you.

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Study Secrets of Smart Students

Are you thinking of studying for the GMAT in Toronto, Chicago or Montreal? Or, maybe you’re planning to take an LSAT course in Toronto and want to study efficiently?

Here are a few study tips based on the scientific research into the performance of a human brain!

Think “I am a genius” – Change your perception of yourself and begin to see yourself as one!
Do what geniuses do – be always open to new ideas!
Get on your feet – you remember 10% more information when you stand up (this is due to the fact that more blood goes to your brain when you stand). Maybe that’s why professors are so smart.
Consume lots of H2O – your brain is 70% water, and most people do not drink enough water for the brain to function optimally. Remember: Coffee and pop dehydrates your brain. You should drink an 8oz cup of water for every 25lbs of body weight every day!
Get a study strategy/plan – The absence or the presence of a study strategy is the greatest single predictor of post-secondary achievement.
Set Goals! – Write down all your goals, if you don’t write them – they’re just wishes! If you are a student, on a sheet of paper write down all the subjects you are enrolled in this term and write the grade you want in each class. Post this in your room, on your wish board, stick it to your bathroom mirror, locker, or even post on Pinterest – the more you see it, the better.
Picture it! – Close your eyes and think of what you want. It is an interesting fact that the brain is picture driven and not word driven. By turning concepts into pictures, your retention goes up 800%! Just picture that!
Cross Lateral Movement – This movement gets both hemispheres of your brain working at the same time. An easy way to do this is to take your right hand and touch your left knee, then have your left hand touch your right knee. Repeat 15-20 times. NEVER begin studying until you do this exercise. And do it every so often while you are studying!
Brain Breaks! – Take 2 minutes of cross laterals & walking. Remember: NO TV or phone calls. These activities are not breaks for your brain. Formula: Brain Breaks = age + 2 to a maximum of 20 minutes (i.e. if you are 15, take a break every 17 minutes)!
Write it Down! – If you take notes, you increase your chances of a good score on the exam by 50% (even if you never look through the notes again)!
Keep your school work in a 3-ring binder – This gives you more flexibility.
Use the Cornell Note-taking system – Questions, Notes and Summary.
Stop thinking like a student and start thinking like a teacher! – Try to think of the questions you think your teacher will ask on a test.
Ask Questions – Questions make your brain search for an answer. “Questions are to learning what an ignition is to a car”. They:
     ✓ jump start your brain
     ✓ make you pay attention in case you are called on for an answer
     ✓ release chemicals in your brain which makes learning easier.
Always study with questions! – Questions bias your brain towards absorbing the information. (We mentioned Questions twice because they are sooo important for your study).
Keep your room cool – The ideal temp for studying is 17°C/67°F.
Turn off the TV & Radio when studying. No, really – turn it off! It’s too distracting
Turn on the Baroque Music – Just to remember it has to be Baroque, not just any classical music. Studies have found that you can increase your learning efficiency by 25%-400% when you listen to Baroque music while studying.
Get interested! – Learning can be defined as the process of remembering what you are interested in, so find a way to get interested in what you are studying!
Use color when taking notes – Your brain is more stimulated with the use of different colors.
Use red for important information such as what will be on a test – Your brain is drawn to the color red.
Use a cover card when studying. – If you use the Cornell method, the cover card could be used to cover up the note section so that you can test yourself. Read the question, give your answer, then move the cover card to see if your answer was correct.

There you have it! The 22 study tips to maximize your study efficiency!

Ready to start your GMAT prep in Toronto? Get a jump start on your MBA Admission Process!

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