Schools like the opportunity to meet with candidates and to get a feel for their personality and their interests in a more informal setting. That is why many top B Schools in the world come to India through events such as fairs organised by QS World MBA tour, The MBA tour, or EduCanada. This is also a great opportunity for the applicants to connect with people who form a part of the admissions committee and to perhaps even meet and talk to an alumnus or two.

These fairs afford the invaluable chance for the applicants to leave a memorable mark in the minds of the admissions directors – if you manage to impress them, they will go out of their way to help you with the admissions process and will also eagerly process your application, once submitted. There is a flip side to this too, like with everything else. If you manage to leave a negative impression, that gets noted in your record and while it may not be a sole reason for rejection, it might still end up being detrimental to your chances.

Here are some things to keep in mind to make sure you leave a positive impression on the admissions directors.

1. Dress up

The old adage “the first impression is the best impression” absolutely holds true. If you are planning to personally interact with the admissions representatives and not just sit through the presentations, it is important to make a good impression – and by ‘good’, I mean professional. You do not have to wear a blazer, but you definitely need to be in formal wear. This applies for women too. And no ladies, a saree or salwar suit does not count as ‘formal’. Trousers, formal skirt, or dress please.

Business Casuals are perfectly fine too. Make sure you understand exactly what that constitutes. Finally, it kind of should go without saying, but since I have observed otherwise, I am forced to add two points – “groom that wild mane of yours” and “make sure things match!” – the colour of your socks with that of your trousers, the colour of your shoes with that of your belt, in the case of men, or with that of your wallet / bag, in the case of women. These are really basic and fundamental rules and are easy enough to follow.

Pro tip: If you are going to a fair from work or if you are using public transport, or cannot dress up for any number of reasons, pack your “fair wear” and dress up at the venue. These fairs are typically organised in five-star hotels in the city and you can always go there and add some polish to your veneer. And reach 15 to 20 minutes before the fair opens so that you can complete the registration process and settle in at ease.

2. Prepare your elevator pitch

Imagine you are in an elevator with someone. By the time, the elevator reaches the destination, you need to introduce yourself and make an impression. What will you say? Such a quick script is referred to as the “elevator pitch”. If you are planning to approach the admissions directors at their tables, prepare a quick introduction of yourself. And always greet them with a firm handshake (Duh!). Allow room for interaction, if need be – I have seen people diligently forge ahead with the prepared pitch even though the person listening to your pitch is trying to insert a comment, question or reaction.

If you have questions specific to your profile (that is not commonly available information), then the one-on-one meets is a good place to raise them. Some people might be willing to look at your resume there or at a later date. You can leave your resume with them, in such a case. However, do not thrust your resume in front of their faces.

3. Prepare ‘talking points’

MBA fairs are a good source for collecting information on the schools of your choice. If you attend these fairs in the initial stages of your MBA research, use them as a platform to gather information. However, if you are ready to start applying, you should use the fairs as an opportunity to impress the directors of the research that you have already done. If say, you are going to submit your application in about 3 weeks, you want the directors to see your application and think “oh yeah I talked to this person at that fair! I remember him/her!”.

To be able to do that, make sure you have basic information on the programs offered by the school and create a list of ‘talking points’. A school’s website is a good way to know what the school is especially proud of – in terms of their program, facilities, and faculty. Make sure you can raise a few of those in your discussion.

4. Pick on unspoken cues

You know those memes about “what women say” and “what they actually mean”? Well, here is your list of “what the admissions directors say” and “what they actually mean”.

I am not saying interpreting ‘director speak’ is difficult. Rather, I am saying that they are more often than not, very polite individuals who know that it is bad form to be rude in rejecting someone. Unfortunately, I have seen people take advantage of the politeness and bulldoze their way in a conversation – perhaps because they do not pay attention to the implied meaning behind statements such as the ones given here. Not paying attention to such nuances will guarantee a negative impression. Know when and where to end a conversation.

5. Do not ask questions about

1. basic program details or any other readily available information on website
2. the answers to application essay questions. While asking for broad guidelines on application requirements is acceptable, do not ask them what you should write for each of the essays. I was standing at a table next to a guy who asked the admissions director about each and every application essay. He kept asking “can I say this or should I say that?”. The directors will NOT answer such questions. What do you think the 6 to 8-week evaluation process after submitting the application is for? In fact, this particular director commented after that guy had left “Man! I need to constantly be on my feet and jump around to dodge this question or that query”. Is that the impression you want to leave?

6. Open a Path of Communication

Post the fair, send a simple and neat “thank you” mail. Opening a channel of communication is a good way to sustain the impression you make. However, do not bug them about the admission process, every step of the way.

The final analysis: Make an impression by having a crisp, precise yet educated conversation about the school but do not overdo it. Having a long conversation is not necessarily better – two smart sentences go a much longer way than 15 mundane ones.

The post Reasons to attend MBA Fairs | Dos and Don’ts in MBA Fairs appeared first on Wizako GMAT Prep Blog.

If these are questions that have been niggling at you, you have come to the right place.

If you reached this post looking for answers to the “2 truths and 1 lie” quiz that you took about the GMAT, click here to check the answers. But, I would recommend that you read the post in detail as it covers answers to more questions.

1a. How is the GMAT structured? GMAT Pattern

The GMAT comprises 4 sections and lasts 3 hours and 7 minutes, without counting the optional breaks.

Scroll down to read on. If would you rather watch a video about the structure of the GMAT, play the embedded video (17 minutes).

Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) Section

Duration: 30 minutes.
Task: Write an essay critiquing an argument.
Score: Range of 0 to 6 in increments of 0.5.

Any score upward of 5 is considered good. A typical student will require 15 hours of preparation to get a score of 5 or more in this section.

Integrated Reasoning (IR) Section

Four types of questions appear in this section: Graphic Interpretation, Table analysis, Two-part analysis, Multi-source reasoning

Duration: 30 minutes.
Number of questions: 12 multiple-choice questions
Score: Range of 1 to 8 in increments of 1.

So, what is a good score? A score more than 6 is considered good. You will have to invest 25 hours of focused preparation for the IR section to get a score of 6 or more.

Quantitative Reasoning Section

High school maths including arithmetic, algebra and geometry are tested.

Duration: 62 minutes.
Number of questions: 31 multiple-choice questions in two variants: Problem Solving (approx 55 to 60%) and Data Sufficiency (approx 40 to 45%)
Score: Range of 0 to 60 in increments of 1. Maximum possible score: 51

So, what should you aim to score? Upward of 49 is considered good. A score of 50 or 51 is what you should strive for. 100 to 125 hours of dedicated preparation will guarantee you a score of 49 or more in this section.

Verbal Reasoning Section

Duration: 65 minutes.
Number of questions: 36 multiple-choice questions comprising sentence correction, reading comprehension and critical reasoning
Score: Range of 0 to 60 in intervals of 1. Scores above 44 are rare.

Any score upward of 38 is considered good. A score of 40 and above is what you should strive for. A typical student will require 150 to 175 hours of dedicated preparation to get a score of 40 or more in this section. Familiarity with American usage will be a plus.

1b. What is GMAT Select Section Order?

The new GMAT pattern allows you to select the order in which you want to answer the different sections of the GMAT. There are three options available.

Option 1: AWA – IR – 8 minute optional break – Quant – 8 minute optional break – Verbal (Default option)
Option 2: Verbal – 8 minute optional break – Quant – 8 minute optional break – IR – AWA
Option 3: Quant – 8 minute optional break – Verbal – 8 minute optional break – IR – AWA

When do you have to decide?

Just before you take the test. You will have to make this choice on the computer in which you will be taking the GMAT at the test center. You will have 2 minutes to make your choice. If you fail to respond in the 2 minutes, by default, the system will select option 1.

2. Check Points Before Registering for the GMAT

The registration for the GMAT is done online through the official website mba.com. The following points are VERY VERY important.

Do I need a driving license to take the GMAT?

The only proof of identity that is accepted while taking the GMAT exam is a valid passport for Indian nationals (even if you take the test outside India). So, if you do not have a valid passport, apply for one before registering for the GMAT. 

No Name Shorteners, please

The name as it appears in the passport should match letter for letter the name in your GMAT test registration form. For e.g., if your name is Ram Mohan Rajan in your passport – but you register for the GMAT as Ram Mohan R, the proctor at the GMAT center may not allow you to take the test. You will lose the entire fee that you paid. That is a loss of USD 250. Therefore, before you register for the GMAT keep your passport handy.

Ugggh, I hate my score

If you are unhappy with your GMAT performance, please cancel the score either after the test at the center for free or online within 72 hours for a fee of USD 25. No one will know about that attempt if you cancel the score. However, if you accept the score, it stays on record for 5 years.

Alas! What if you cancelled your score erroneously? No worries! You can reinstate your score within 4 years and 11 months from the test date for a fee of USD 50.

Answers to the “2 Truths and 1 Lie” Quiz

One of the three statements in each set is a lie and you need to identify which one it is. The broad theme for all these statements is the “GMAT Test structure”. So, let’s see how many sets about the GMAT pattern you got right. Here we go! The ones marked in red are lies. The other two are truths.

Set 1

1. The number of questions in the test that count toward your evaluation has been reduced in the new pattern introduced in 2018.
2. The average time per Integrated Reasoning question is 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
3. The AWA section does not give any options in the essay topic for you to choose from.

Set 2

1. Questions in the Quant section are of two types – problem solving and data sufficiency.
2. The total time for the AWA and for the IR section is the same.
3. The number of questions for the verbal section is fewer than the number for the quant section.

Set 3

1. There will be at least 8 to 10 questions of each verbal question type.
2. The ‘syllabus’ for the quant section includes Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry.
3. ‘Reading Comprehension’ questions will always appear first in the verbal section.

Set 4

1. The passport is the only accepted proof of identity for Indian test takers.
2. In the default section order option, the quant section appears first.
3. The break allowed between sections is for a duration of 8 minutes.

Set 5

1. The total time for the quant and the verbal sections is the same.
2. Scores in the AWA section are awarded in 0.5 intervals.
3. A score of 52 is not possible in the quant section.

So, what next?

Isn’t it time you started your GMAT prep? What type are you? The offline chalk and board type student or the click and swipe online type?

If you are the former, schedule a demo GMAT class in Chennai. Click to schedule.

If you are the latter or you reside outside Chennai, sign up as a trial user at https://gmat.wizako.com

The post What is the format of GMAT? GMAT Pattern, Exam Structure & GMAT Syllabus appeared first on Wizako GMAT Prep Blog.

GMAC has introduced a significant change (GMAT Select Section Order) to the way the GMAT exam is administered and has also introduced another relatively minor change that will help remove an irritant when you take the test.

1. Select section order of the test starting July 11, 2017

What it was – till July 10, 2017?

The GMAT test was administered to all students in a uniform order. AWA – Integrated Reasoning – Quant – Verbal. The test taker has no choice in selecting the order in which he attempted these sections. This rigidity is set to change from July 11, 2017.

What will it be – from July 11, 2017?

Starting July 11, 2017 GMAT test takers will be able to select the order in which they would like to attempt these 4 sections. Well, not entirely – you will be presented with 3 section orders and you have to choose one of them. The GMAT select section order choices available are

1. The original: AWA – Integrated Reasoning – Optional 8 minute break – Quant – optional 8 minute break – Verbal section
2. Verbal – optional 8 minute break – Quant – optional 8 minute break – Integrated Reasoning – AWA
3. Quant – optional 8 minute break – Verbal – optional 8 minute break – Integrated Reasoning – AWA

When do you have to exercise this choice? And what if you do not?

You will be able to make this choice on the day of the test, at the test center, on the computer in which you will be taking the test before the test begins. You will have 2 minutes to make the choice. By default, option 1 –  the original section order will be selected. If you do nothing, at the end of 2 minutes, the GMAT select section order feature will by default select the first option and the test will be administered in the original order.

Here are some FAQ about GMAT Select Section Order that you may want to know

1. Will my score card report the order in which I took the test?
   NO. None of your reports – unofficial, official or enhanced score report (ESR) will have any mention about the order in which you took the test. The schools to which you report your GMAT score WILL NOT know the order in which you took the test.
2. Will there be a difference in the way I will be scored based on the order in which the test is taken?
   GMAC did a pilot testing of this change in 2016 Feb – Mar and determined that the integrity of the test was not affected by the order in which a student took the test. So, there is unlikely to be any change to the way you will be scored – your score will only reflect how many questions you answered right and whether you attempted all questions.
3. Will the practice tests available on the official mba.com site include this functionality?
   The present version available for download on the official mba.com site does not have this functionality. However, GMAC has mentioned that the updated version of the software will be available not later than July 31, 2017. The section order selection functionality will available for both the free and the paid test packs.

The key question: Which section order should you choose?

One thing is very clear to me – I will certainly not choose the default option.

If your AWA score is above hygiene levels – 5 or above, it will not impact the admission decision of B schools. Over 40% of the GMAT test takers get 5 or more. So, it is not all that difficult either. As long as it is not below 5, it does not matter what you score in the AWA. So, it does not make sense to expend your precious time and energy upfront on this section.

Many schools view your IR score on the same lines. As long as your score in the IR section is 6 or more it will not make much of a difference to a vast majority of the schools. So, why focus on these two upfront.

That leaves us with option 2 and 3.

I will recommend that you experiment with both options in the first 2 to 4 practice tests that you will be taking. Find a sweet spot that works best for you and hone it to perfection in the last 2 to 4 tests.

Personally, I will start the test with the verbal section. I have always felt that I was exhausted by the time reached the verbal section in the default format. For starters, I can no longer use that excuse.

2. Update profile on mba.com website

A second change introduced – a relatively minor one  – but one that will mitigate an irritant on the day of the test. You can update your undergraduate score, preference for course and region etc – essentially your profile before or after the test on mba.com website.

Earlier you had to do this on the day of the test when you took the test. It was as if the test was not long enough, one also had to endure the ordeal of completing one’s profile when you took the test. GMAC has removed this irritant by allowing test takers to update profile at a time of their convenience on the mba.com website.

Best wishes for your GMAT prep.

The post GMAT Update – Select section order appeared first on Wizako GMAT Prep Blog.

An interesting GMAT problem solving practice question that combines two topics – counting methods and elementary number properties related to divisibility of numbers by 4. A medium difficulty GMAT permutation practice question.

Question

How many five digit positive integers comprising only the digits 1, 2, 3, and 4, each appearing at least once, exist such that the number is divisible by 4?

1. 120
2. 24
3. 72
4. 60
5. 54

Correct Answer

Choice D. 60 such 5-digit numbers can be formed.

Explanatory Answer

What is to be computed in this GMAT Permutation Practice Question?

This GMAT permutation practice question asks us to find the number of 5-digit numbers that can be formed using the digits 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Conditions to be met

1. Each of the digits 1, 2, 3, and 4 should appear at least once in all the numbers formed.
2. The numbers should be divisible by 4.

Next relevant question – what is the test of divisibility by 4?

A number is divisible by 4, if the last two digits (the rightmost two digits) of the number are divisible by 4.

Ever wondered why checking whether the last 2 digits are divisible by 4 will suffice?

What are the possible values for the last two digits if the number is divisible by 4 and is made of the digits 1,2, 3, and 4?

The last two digits can be 12, 24, 32, and 44.

Let us now compute the number of 5-digit numbers that can be formed for each of these scenarios.

Case 1: Ending with 12:
(a) The first three digits can be 2, 3, and 4. These 3 digits can rearrange in 3! = 6 ways
(b) The first three digits can be 1, 3, and 4. These 3 digits can rearrange in 3! = 6 ways
(c) The first three digits can be 3, 3, and 4. These 3 digits can rearrange in 3!/2! = 3 ways
(d) The first three digits can be 3, 4, and 4. These 3 digits can rearrange in 3!/2! = 3 ways
Total = 6 + 6 + 3 + 3 = 18 ways.

Note: We have to ensure that all 4 numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 feature at least once in the numbers.

Case 2: Ending in 24:
Similar to case 1: 18 ways

Case 3: Ending in 32:
Similar to cases 1  and 2: 18 ways

Case 4: Ending in 44:
The first 3 digits have to be 1, 2, and 3 because we have to use each of the digits at least once in the numbers.
These 3 distinct digits can rearrange in 3! = 6 ways.

Total number of numbers that can be formed = 18 + 18 + 18 + 6 = 60.

The trap in this GMAT permutation practice question is that we may extrapolate at the end of the case 1 that we will have 18 possibilities for each of the 4 cases and rush to mark 72 as the total number of numbers.

The post GMAT Quant | Permutation and Divisiblity appeared first on Wizako GMAT Prep Blog.

Question

Explanatory Answer

Concept 1

Concept 2

Data given in the question stem

Statement I: a * b = 4416

Statement II: a and b are both divisible by 8

Statement III: a : b = 48 : 23 or a : b = 23 : 48

Or m * n = = 276

Correct Answer

Choice A. Statement I alone is true.

The post GMAT Number Properties LCM HCF appeared first on Wizako GMAT Prep Blog.

The post Simple Number Properties Question appeared first on Wizako GMAT Prep Blog.

The post GMAT Mixtures – Problem Solving Question appeared first on Wizako GMAT Prep Blog.

Explanatory Answer

Break down the process of solving any DS question into 3 mandatory steps and 1 optional step.

Step 2 : Evaluate Statement 1 alone. 
The numbers are in an AP with the first term being 10.

If there are 10 terms, then the median is the arithmetic mean of the 5th and the 6th term.

From statement 1 we know that the first term is 10. However, there is no information about the subsequent terms – information about the common difference is missing.

Hence, we will not be able to find the 5th and the 6th term. 

Data is Not Sufficient.

Step 3 : Evaluate Statement 2 alone.
The arithmetic mean of these 10 numbers is 55.

The arithmetic mean of the numbers may or may not be equal to the median. 

The arithmetic mean will be the median too if the distribution is symmetric about the mean.

Statement 2 alone is Not Sufficient.

Step 4 : Combine statement 1 and statement 2.
The necessity to combine the two statements arises only when the two statements independently do not provide you with an answer.

Step 4, therefore, is not mandatory for all questions. In fact, do not combine the two statements if you get an answer from these statements independently.

Combining the statements, we can deduce that the terms are in an AP and their mean is 55. 

If terms are in an AP, the mean and the median are the same.

Hence, we can deduce the median to be 55.

Statements 1 and 2 together are sufficient to answer the question.

Choice C is the answer.

More Descriptive Statistics questions @ Wizako’s GMAT Statistics Questionbank

The post Arithmetic Mean – Data Sufficiency appeared first on Wizako GMAT Prep Blog.

Integer x has n factors; 3x has 3 factors; Which of the following values can n take?

I. 1
II. 2
III. 3

A. I only
B. II only
C. I or II
D. II or III
E. I or III

The post Number Properties Problem Solving : Factors appeared first on Wizako GMAT Prep Blog.

Here is a simple descriptive statistics question.

Question

When a student Joe, weighing 41 kg, joins a group of students whose average weight is 30 kg, the average weight goes up by 1 kg. Subsequently, if two students, excluding Joe, leave the group the average weight comes back to 30 kg. What is the difference between the average weight of the two students who left and the weight of Joe?
A. 11 kg
B. 5.5 kg
C. 71 kg
D. 36.5 kg
E. 30 kg

Correct Answer

Choice C. The difference is 5.5 kg.

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer – Method 1

Let the number of students in the group before Joe joined the group be ‘n’.

Step 1: Compute ‘n’, the number of students before Joe joins.

Sum of weight of n students + weight of Joe = Sum of weight of all (n + 1) students including Joe
30n + 41 = 31(n + 1)
30n + 41 = 31n + 31
Or n = 10.
Number of students before Joe joined = 10.

Step 2: Compute sum of weight of the 2 students who leave the group

After Joe joins the group will have 11 students.
When 2 students excluding Joe leave the group, the count will come down to 9 students.
The average weight of the group comes back to 30.

Sum of weights of 11 students = sum of weights of 9 staying in the group + sum of weights of 2 who leave the group.

11 * 31 = 9 * 30 + sum of weights of 2 who leave the group.
341 = 270 + sum of weights of 2 who leave the group
Sum of weights of 2 who leave the group = 341 – 270 = 71.

Step 3: Compute average and the difference

Average weight of 2 students who leave = = 35.5

Difference between average weight of 2 students who leave the group and the weight of Joe = 41 – 35.5 = 5.5 kg.

Choice D is the correct answer

Alternative Method

Let the number of students in the group before Joe joins be ‘n’
Joe’s weight is 41 kg. The average weight of n students is 30 kg.
So, Joe weighs 11 kg more than the average weight of n students.

When 2 students excluding Joe leave the group, the average comes back to 30.
The additional 11 kg that Joe added have been nullified when the other 2 students left the group.

2 students took away the extra 11 kg. On average each one took = 5.5 kg.

Joe weighs 11 more than the original average of 30.
The two students who left the group weigh an average of 5.5 kg more than the original average of 30.

So, the required difference = 11 – 5.5 = 5.5 kg.

The post GMAT Problem Solving : Descriptive Statistics appeared first on Wizako GMAT Prep Blog.