It’s time to gain a little perspective.

Sulk, mope, cry, exercise—do whatever you need to release your frustration, and then move on.

Take a deep breath and coolly analyze your situation. What are your qualifications for the schools you applied to? Were you competitive at those schools? Did you demonstrate fit? Did you do something wrong in presenting your qualifications, either in your application or during your interview? Is it possible that you aimed too high?

If the answer to the last question is “yes,” then I urge you to not give up the fight and consider applying this year ASAP (if your target programs are still accepting applications) or next year to schools that are ranked a little lower than this round’s choices. Broaden your horizons to the top 30, for example; not everyone will get into the top 10 b-schools.

Schools ranked lower than spot 15 always expect a surge of applications during the later rounds from applicants who have been rejected from the top 15. They do not count this against you. In fact, a few years ago, the then director of admissions at Georgetown told me that he was quite pleased that Wharton rejects immediately turned to Georgetown as their runner-up option. And the admissions director at UNC’s Kenan Flagler expressed a similar sentiment, saying that she also welcomes highly qualified third round applicants, even those who apply as late as late February or March.

If these non-top-10 options support your goals and you still have time to apply, why not go for it? Otherwise, if you’re not ready to give up on your HBS or Wharton dream, you can use the next six months to improve your qualifications and determine how to present yourself more persuasively.

Not sure if you can evaluate your application and qualifications objectively? Consider investing in a professional MBA Application Review. An Accepted.com professional can analyze your qualifications, evaluate your application, and provide advice for future reapplications.

For excellent reapplication resources, please see:

• Take 2: How to Reapply Right to Business School Webinar, a recorded webinar.
• “MBA Admissions: Application Advice for Reapplicants,” an article.
• Create a Better Sequel: How to Reapply Right to Business School, an ebook.

The GMAT gives you similar opportunities to glean information from a specific case and extrapolate it to another, perhaps more complicated situation.  In fact, while many questions may seem to require you to have memorized a variety of specific tricks, formulas, and rules, the GMAT will reward you for being able to derive these rules from specific cases, and may even punish you for memorizing-without-understanding.  Consider the question:

What is the sum of the even integers between 300 and 400, inclusive?

There are a few “rules” that can help you solve this question efficiently:

1. For evenly-spaced sets (like a set of consecutive even integers), the mean and median of the set will be the same.  In this case, the middle number, 350, will be the average of all the values in the set.
2. To find the number of values in an inclusive set, take the range of (usable) values, then add one.  (The counterpart to this is that, for exclusive sets, you subtract one).
3. So here, knowing that we can only use the even numbers – every second number will count – we’d take the range (100) divide by 2 (to eliminate the non-useful odd numbers), and then add one (because it’s an inclusive set) to note that there are 51 terms with an average of 350.  Accordingly, the answer will be 350*51, or 17,850.

Now, that seems like a lot of memorization needed for a fairly unique question type.  Furthermore, memorization can be tough to implement – you will likely remember that for inclusive/exclusive sets, you add one in one case and subtract one in the other, but it may be tough when you are under pressure to remember exactly which is which.  So keep in mind that you can use small cases in which you can prove rules like the above to prove your point, then extrapolate it to the question at hand – like your own personal GMAT “case method”:

1. The range 300 to 400 is pretty vast, but once you recognize that it is an evenly spaced set of consecutive even integers, you can recognize that it will react similarly to any other set of similar numbers.  If you take a more manageable set of consecutive even integers, like 2 through 10, you can experiment to see if a pattern exits. In that case, there are 5 values:  2, 4, 6, 8, and 10.  Playing with those values, you’ll find that the ends (2 and 10) add to 12, and the next values inward (4 and 8 ) do the same, but that 6 won’t have a pair.  The sum, then is, 12+12+6, or 30, a multiple of 6.  Looking for patterns in these numbers, you may well find that the average value is the same as the middle value, or at least that you can find pairs to add to the same thing (12) unless there is an odd-man-out middle value, in which case it will be half the value of each pair (the same logic, just without mathematical terminology like “mean” and “median”).  If you extrapolate this pattern to a larger set of consecutive even integers like 300-400, you can determine that they’ll have an average value of 350, or that each pair (other than the middle number) will add to 700.
2. You are probably at least aware that there is a rule for inclusive and exclusive sets, but it comes up so infrequently that you may not have it down cold when the time comes to use it.  That’s okay!  It’s more important to know that a rule exists than to know the specifics of the rule! If you know that a rule exists for inclusive/exclusive sets, you can just prove it to yourself using a set like 1, 2, and 3.  The range of that set is 3-1 = 2, but you can clearly see that if you include all numbers, there are 3 total. Accordingly, the rule for inclusive sets is to add one to the range.  Similarly, if you excluded the ends of the range (1 and 3) there is only one value left, so you would have to subtract one from the range.

Many a GMAT student has read an explanation to a question like the one above and thought to himself “sure, that’s great if you remember the rule, but there are so many rules to remember”.  When you recognize, however, that you can pretty quickly prove to yourself any rule that you know (or even suspect) exists, you can use small-number case methods to do for you what your memory just may not be able to.

Don’t worry, this is not nearly as complicated as it sounds. Knewton instructor Cole Entress lays it all out for you in this short lesson.

The internship is very important for a couple reasons.  First of all it will be nice to make some money again after taking almost a year off, and secondly it will be your first chance to establish yourself in your new industry of choice.  At this point classes need to go on the back burner, but you need to be honest with your study group about this and make up for it later when they are going through the same process.

Once again you need to be well prepared for these interviews.  You need to do plenty of background research on the company, as well as be well versed in the details of your resume.  Be prepared to answer questions on the size, profit margin and revenue on past companies.  If you do not know it, have a reason in hand as to why you cannot provide that answer.  If you are going into banking for example, you need to have clear logic as to why, other than the huge paychecks, you want to spend 20 plus hours a day working in excel.  I do not have the answer for you, so you need to come up with that one on your own.

If you are trying to do something that is outside of the common business school internships (my congrats first of all), this is when all of those contacts you developed will really come in handy.  Hopefully at this point you have cultivated at least a handful of good contacts from the many informational interviews you have had.  These good contacts are the people you should be corresponding with periodically to let them know you are ramping up efforts to find an internship and would appreciate if they would keep their eyes open for an opportunity.  If the career you want is really hard to get into and you have limited relevant experience, you might also want to take a more aggressive step of trying to set up an academic internship.  These internships are easier to sell to companies and a great way to get your foot in the door, plus your resume does not need to state “unpaid” on it.

In the mean time continue to go to industry event nights, which should be hosted by the clubs you are in.  At this point you should be starting to narrow down your career path, which should enable you to drop some of the clubs and focus your efforts on the others.

If your career path is really a difficult industry to get into you might need to continue your academic internship through the summer and hope that they take some pity on you and pay you for your efforts.

See my other articles in this series:

• MBA for Career Switching, Part I
• MBA for Career Switching, Part II
• MBA for Career Switching, Part III

On problem solving questions in the Quant section, you’ll have to do some pretty hefty calculations.  While calculations themselves are relatively straight forward, the GMAT’s twists and turns can create frustration.  However, a few simple steps can help ensure you don’t fall for the trap.  Let’s take the following question:

In 2008, the profits of Company N were 10 percent of revenues.  In 2009, the revenues of Company N fell by 20 percent, but profits were 15 percent of revenues.  The profits in 2009 were what percent of the profits in 2008?

In business school you’ll be talking about the process by which a firm would experience reduced revenue but still manage to increase profits (hint: think off-shoring).  However, the qualitative side is irrelevant to this problem.

We jump into the problem to organize our data points.  In this case, it is best to pick a number to represent both revenues and profits at Company N.  Any good ideas on a good number to pick?  Let’s go with: Revenues = 100 and profits = 10 in 2008.  On test day, you’ll write these numbers down on your noteboard.  Then, the next step is to apply the 2009 changes to these figures.  In 2009, the revenues and profits were, 80 and 12, respectively.

Ok.  We have our figures.  Here is where we need to make sure we slow down a bit on test day.  Let’s look at our answer choices:

• 80%
• 105%
• 120%
• 124.2%
• 138%

Within these answer choices, we see several attractive answers: 80% is the revenue in 2009 compared to 2008 – not the question we are trying to answer.  105% is simply taking the 20 percent revenue decline and adding back the 15 percent profit increase.  Totally wrong approach and totally wrong answer (side note: When dealing with % in Problem Solving questions, don’t fall for the answer choice that simply adds or subtracts the percentages – those are almost never right).  Finally, answer choice 124.2% is just different – if you had to guess on this question, it is so different from the rest of the choices that it does appear viable; however, those ‘different’ answer choices are not often the correct answer.

It is important to review the actual question in this problem: “The profits in 2009 were what percent of the profits in 2008?”.  Make sure you plug the correct numbers into this situation: 2008 profits = 10, 2009 profits = 12.  Thus, 120%.

On test day, it is easy to be rushing along and have an answer that is correct for a different question.  Kaplan’s time tested method requires you to double check your selected answer against the problem – just to make sure you are answering the right question.  In our new flagship GMAT course, we spend time practicing and drilling your ability to quickly outline the relevant material in the question, organize it against several of our strategies, and double check that it is the right answer to the right question.

Good luck as you study!

First off, you should know that the AWA score is completely separate from the Math/Verbal (200-800) score. Second, a high AWA score won’t offset a low 200-800 score—in other words, you’re not going to “AWA-your-way-in” to business school. Third, as long as you’ve got the 200-800 score you need, a low AWA score probably won’t hurt you. Still, you don’t want such a low score that admissions committees will take notice.

Essentially, you can look at the AWA as a pass/fail proposition: AWA scoring is from 0-6, and scores of 4 or above (not too difficult to attain) are passing. The AWA is a relatively manageable task (much easier than the Math/Verbal for virtually all testers), thus nothing to fret about. However, when you take your GMAT, the first thing you have to do is write the essays, and that hour of writing is an important warm-up for the Math and Verbal sections. Notice that I said “warm-up”—the key is that the essays must not cost you too much mental energy. Whether you’re realistically aiming for a score of 4 (good enough for the essays to be a non-factor in your application to business school) or 6 (the top score, which is good enough for the essays to be a non-factor in your application to business school), the essays need to be easy for you.

No outside knowledge is required for the AWA Essays and there’s nothing you need to study to prepare for them. (Though reading a few samples would be a good idea.) You simply need a template for both Argument and Issue Essays and a little practice. For guidance on the Argument Essay, go here. To make the Issue Essay nothing more than a matter of going through the motions on test day, follow the guidelines below.

Analysis of an Issue Essay: Pre-Writing

The Issue Essay is essentially a short position paper. Before you start writing, you need to decide whether you Agree or Disagree with the Prompt statement. Next, you need to jot down 3 reasons for your position and 1 example to back up each reason (for a total of 3 examples). For examples, draw from current events, history, science and technology, business, literature, etc. Personal and even hypothetical examples are fine, too, as long as they’re relevant and well analyzed. However, you want to have a breadth of examples, so try to use at most 1 personal example. The important thing is that your examples are specific and of import. World War II is of import; a fight you got into in 3^rd grade because someone stole your lunch probably isn’t. Once you’ve got three reasons and three examples down,  you’re ready to write, as long as you know to use the Outline below.

Analysis of an Issue Essay: Outline

I. Introduction (2 sentences) – Pick a Side; all you need to get across here is whether you Agree or Disagree with the Prompt statement.
II. Body Paragraph 1 (3 sentences) – Reason 1/Example 1/Analysis.
III. Body Paragraph 2 (3 sentences) – Reason 2/Example 2/Analysis.
IV. Body Paragraph 3 (3 sentences) – Reason3/Example 3/Analysis.
V. Conclusion (2 sentences) – Summarize key points and reiterate your position. Stick to the old adage for conclusion paragraphs: “Tell ‘em what you told ‘em.”

Important Notes:

1. Notice that 2+3+3+3+2 = 13. That’s 13 sentences total, and that’s all you’ve got to write on your Issue Essay. Of course, there’s no reason you can’t write more and there’s no reason to worry about counting your sentences as you write. In fact, in analyzing your examples, you may well wind up with Body Paragraphs that are more than 3 sentences. However, writing more than 13 sentences is not strictly necessary, even if you want to get a 6 (the highest score). Therefore, the Issue Essay is a matter of 13 sentences to glory!
2. Stick to the 5-paragraph Intro-Body-Conclusion format because 5-paragraph essays tend to receive higher scores than 4-paragraph essays. Writing 6 or more paragraphs is also fine, of course, as long as you stick to the Intro-Body-Conclusion format.
3. Even more than providing reasons for your position, using specific, well-developed examples is the key to performing well on the Issue Essay. Let your examples guide you.
4. If you can’t think of a specific example to back up a reason, a general supporting example is better than nothing. But never start simply listing out examples. Remember, 1 example for each reason.
5. Stay focused on the Prompt statement. Don’t let your essay stray off topic.
6. Stick to one idea per paragraph. Discuss one reason/one example in each paragraph.
7. First person (the use of “I”) is fine—use it, it’s easy. You don’t need to be overly formal.
8. You also don’t need to use big words or try to be fancy stylistically; good GMAT writing is all about clarity.
9. Use explicit transitions and other phrases that highlight the logical structure of your essay. “First,” “Second,” “Third,” “In conclusion,” “For example,” “Similarly,” “However,” etc., are all good. In other types of writing, stilted transitions are not considered ideal; on the GMAT, the important thing is to show that you know that transitions are supposed to exist.

Analysis of an Issue Essay: Process Summary

Performing well on the Issue Essay is a matter of following the directions, structuring your essay properly, and demonstrating solid writing mechanics. Thus, before you do anything else, read the directions to get your bearings and be sure that you’re clear on which essay you’re writing. The Issue Essay will be the second of the two, but you don’t want to confuse them, and there’s no need to rush. Next, be sure to read the Prompt statement carefully; your essay must directly address the Prompt statement (this is essentially another component of following the directions). Other than these basics, follow this process:

a. Pre-Writing: 5 min.
b. Write: 20 min.
c. Proofread: 2-3 min.

That leaves you 2-3 minutes to play with. Keep in mind that Pre-Writing (Picking a Side and Brainstorming examples) is the foundation for a well-written, high-scoring essay. (By the way, you don’t really need to outline your essay because you’ll have the Intro-Body-Conclusion template memorized.) If you apply the basic process above, use the prescribed Outline, and write the essays every time you take a practice test—something you should do for endurance’s sake anyway—you’ll be more than adequately prepared for the Issue Essay. Most importantly, it’ll be simple and easy for you on test day. No sweat!

For guidance on the Argument Essay, click here.  If you follow the prescribed formulas for both the Issue and the Argument Essays, you should be well on your way to scoring 5-6 on the AWA. Good luck–it’ll be a breeze!

Arrival

With no traffic it would take me 35 to 40 minutes to get to CMU; with morning traffic, you never know!  I was scheduled to have my class visit at 10:30, so I left my house at 8:30.  Traffic actually wasn’t too bad and I was in the parking garage by 9:45.  I had a little time so I took a brief walk around the campus.  I got to the admissions office around 10:05.  I was the first one there and they had a packet of information prepared for me.  I read through this information as I waited for the other prospective students and current Tepper students.  Shortly after, a first year student came in to talk and answer any questions.  This format was pretty similar to Kenan-Flagler’s.  There were only five prospective students visiting. Of the five prospective students, I was the only one applying for entrance in the Fall of 2011.  All of the other prospective students were interviewing as R2 candidates.  They were all in suits and I was in business casual (dress pants, buttoned shirt, and sweater).  I felt very comfortable in that attire because I blended in with the students.

Class Visit

A student came to the admissions office and brought another prospective and me to class.  We didn’t get an option in the class we were sitting in on.  The admissions office scheduled us to sit in on a Macroeconomics class…. My first thought was Macroeconomics is not the most thrilling class to sit in on!  Nonetheless, it was interesting as they discussed yield curves during class.  There was a good interaction between the professor and the class.  However, it was tense a few times as students challenged the professor on topics they didn’t agree with.  I liked that the students expressed their opinions and tried to spur discussion.  Overall, it was an interesting class but I would have preferred to sit in on a strategy, marketing, or finance class.

Tour

This was by far the best part of the campus visit.  The tour guide was a second year student that was extremely outgoing and was very thorough!  He showed us Posner Hall (the b-school building) and also took us around to other buildings on campus.  He was extremely knowledgeable about CMU.  He knew a lot of interesting facts.  I asked him if he took a history course on CMU because he knew so much!   Posner Hall was pretty nice and it seemed like the students were very collaborative.  I didn’t feel there were enough study/group rooms in Posner Hall though.  However, the library is very close by, so I guess it really isn’t a big issue.  The one thing I liked about Tepper was that the business school was really part of the campus.  At Kenan-Flagler, the business school building is kind of by itself, away from the rest of the campus.  At least that is how I felt.

Lunch

Three students took the five prospective students to lunch.  The food was good, but we didn’t eat in the regular cafeteria.  The students said we were only eating there because it was a campus visit and they don’t typically eat there.  I spent most of lunch talking with two of the students.   I had the opportunity to ask a lot of my questions.  One thing the two students agreed on is that the mini (7.5 week classes) is good and you learn a lot, but it is too much sometimes.  They felt like the school is just forcing too much on you.  The other thing that was disappointing was that Tepper was a fall back for the two students.  They didn’t get into their top choices, so they really had no choice but to go with Tepper.  At least they were honest, but not necessarily something a prospective student wants to hear.   I went on to ask some questions about recruiting.  Both students were still interviewing for internships.  It sounds like the recruiting on campus is down and the two students were doing a lot of searching for positions on their own.  Overall, I was glad I had lunch with these students because they were brutally honest.  At Kenan-Flagler, it seemed like the students were brainwashed to only say good things about the school.

On the way back to the admissions office from lunch, one of the prospective students was bragging about his GMAT score because he scored in the 99^th percentile in verbal.  The current students were visibly agitated with him for this.  I just included this as a note to all prospective students, DON’T DO THIS!

Coffee with second year student

After lunch, I met with a second year student that worked at my company as an intern during the summer.  We went to the library and grabbed a coffee and talked for an hour.  It was great to be able to meet with him and ask him some questions about Tepper as well.  He was very honest with me.  From our conversation here are a few key points:

• He is an international student and recruiting on campus wasn’t very helpful for him.  He has been searching on his own to try and find a job.
• Tepper wasn’t his top choice either.
• Tepper’s tuition is very high in relation to its ranking.

First off, you should know that the AWA score is completely separate from the Math/Verbal (200-800) score. Second, a high AWA score won’t offset a low 200-800 score—in other words, you’re not going to “AWA-your-way-in” to business school. Third, as long as you’ve got the 200-800 score you need, a low AWA score probably won’t hurt you. Still, you don’t want such a low score that admissions committees will take notice.

Essentially, you can look at the AWA as a pass/fail proposition: AWA scoring is from 0-6, and scores of 4 or above (not too difficult to attain) are passing. The AWA is a relatively manageable task (much easier than the Math/Verbal for virtually all testers), thus nothing to fret about. However, when you take your GMAT, the first thing you have to do is write the essays, and that hour of writing is an important warm-up for the Math and Verbal sections. Notice that I said “warm-up”—the key is that the essays must not cost you too much mental energy. Whether you’re realistically aiming for a score of 4 (good enough for the essays to be a non-factor in your application to business school) or 6 (the top score, which is good enough for the essays to be a non-factor in your application to business school), the essays need to be easy for you.

No outside knowledge is required for the AWA Essays and there’s nothing you need to study to prepare for them. (Though reading a few samples would be a good idea.) You simply need a template for both Argument and Issue Essays and a little practice. To make the Argument Essay nothing more than a matter of going through the motions on test day, follow the guidelines below.

Analysis of an Argument Essay: Pre-Writing

The Argument Essay is essentially a Critical Reasoning (Argument) question in essay form. Thus, you must accept the Argument author’s Premises and Conclusion. Before you start writing, you need to brainstorm/outline, which means first jotting down the Argument’s Conclusion and Premise(s), as well as coming up with the Author’s assumption(s). For an explanation of Conclusion/Premise/Assumption (C/P/A), click here.

Once you’ve got C/P/A, note down 3 weaknesses and/or ways the Argument could be improved. For weaknesses, you can explain why the author’s Assumptions are weak and/or discuss a key term that’s not adequately defined. For ways to improve, you can discuss specific information that, if provided, would back up one of the author’s Assumptions or provide more support for the author’s Conclusion.

Note that most AWA Arguments have 2-3 key terms that can readily be attacked for lacking adequate definition. However, you should write about at most 1 key term in your essay. You need to make sure you explain weak assumptions and suggest ways to improve because these tasks are the ones that actually involve analyzing the Argument’s logic. (An essay that only discusses key terms will not receive a good score.) Once you’ve got C/P/A down and noted 3 weaknesses  and/or ways to improve, you’re ready to write, as long as you know to use the Outline below.

Analysis of an Argument Essay: Outline

I. Introduction (2 sentences) – All you need to get across here is that you find the author’s logic unconvincing. (Say unconvincing and go on the attack because if you say the author’s logic is convincing, you’ll have less to write about.)

II. Body Paragraph 1 (3 sentences) – Weak Assumption.

III. Body Paragraph 2 (3 sentences) – Key term not adequately defined.

IV. Body Paragraph 3 (3 sentences) – Suggest way(s) to improve.

V. Conclusion (2 sentences) – Summarize key points and reiterate that the author’s logic is unconvincing. Stick to the old adage for conclusion paragraphs: “Tell ‘em what you told ‘em.”

Important Notes:

1. Notice that 2+3+3+3+2 = 13. That’s 13 sentences total, and that’s all you’ve got to write on your Argument Essay. Of course, there’s no reason you can’t write more and there’s no reason to worry about counting your sentences as you write. However, writing more than 13 sentences is not strictly necessary, even if you want to get a 6 (the highest score). Therefore, the Argument Essay is a matter of 13 sentences to glory!
2. The Body Paragraphs are interchangeable as far as ordering. However, stick to the 5-paragraph Intro-Body-Conclusion format because 5-paragraph essays tend to receive higher scores than 4-paragraph essays. Writing 6 or more paragraphs is also fine, of course, as long as you stick to the Intro-Body-Conclusion format.
3. Stick to one idea per paragraph. For example, if you want to discuss more than one assumption, use a separate paragraph for each. The only exception to the one-idea-per-paragraph rule can be for suggesting ways to improve; if they’re related, you can lump them into one paragraph. If your suggested ways to improve involve clearly separate issues, write a separate paragraph for each suggestion.
4. First person (the use of “I”) is fine—use it, it’s easy. You don’t need to be overly formal.
5. You also don’t need to use big words or try to be fancy stylistically; good GMAT writing is all about clarity.
6. Use explicit transitions and other phrases that highlight the logical structure of your essay. “First,” “Second,” “Third,” “In conclusion,” “For example,” “Similarly,” “However,” etc., are all good. In other types of writing, stilted transitions are not considered ideal; on the GMAT, the important thing is to show that you know that transitions are supposed to exist.

Analysis of an Argument Essay: Process Summary

Performing well on the Argument Essay is a matter of following the directions, structuring your essay properly, and demonstrating solid writing mechanics. Thus, before you do anything else, read the directions to get your bearings and be sure that you’re clear on which essay you’re writing. The Argument essay will be the first of the two, but you don’t want to confuse them, and there’s no need to rush. Next, be sure to read the Argument carefully (this is essentially another component of following the directions). Other than these basics, follow this process:

a. Pre-Writing: 5 min.
b. Write: 20 min.
c. Proofread: 2-3 min.

That leaves you 2-3 minutes to play with. Keep in mind that Pre-Writing (C/P/A and Brainstorming) is the foundation for a well-written, high-scoring essay. (By the way, you don’t really need to outline your essay because you’ll have the Intro-Body-Conclusion template memorized.) If you apply the basic process above, use the prescribed Outline, and write the essays every time you take a practice test—something you should do for endurance’s sake anyway—you’ll be more than adequately prepared for the Argument Essay. Most importantly, it’ll be simple and easy for you on test day. No sweat!

Stay tuned for The GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment, Part 2: The Issue Essay, coming next week.

The truth has to be stated—the GMAT is not that important.  Here’s why:

What really matters in life?

In my opinion, family and friendships matter most in life. Think about this—if you completely bombed your GMAT, would your family and friends love you any less? Would they choose to disassociate from you because of a bad test day?

In all likelihood, your family and friends love you because you are…you!

I may be isolated in my opinion here, but I think that relationships should matter even more than your career. Take comfort that regardless of outcome there will be people to support and love you.

You control your own destiny—not a test

In the last few months, I’ve seen some interesting studies correlating GMAT score with post-MBA salary (higher GMAT correlates to higher salary). While there may be a valid correlation between the GMAT and salary, let’s remind ourselves about a critical fact: at the end of the day, your career/salary depends on you!

If you are motivated to succeed in your career and are willing to work hard to reach your goals, then that matters more than the GMAT or even an MBA degree. Success depends on the individual; if you perform like a rockstar, your career trajectory and salary will come naturally as a result.

MBA Admissions is more than just the GMAT

Let’s say that you didn’t score well on your GMAT and there’s no time for a retake. Just let it go. Don’t waste any more time worrying about your score and move onto the other elements of your MBA application.

The GMAT is just one criterion that MBA adcoms consider in your candidacy. You will have opportunities to compensate for a poor score with your work experience, academic performance, recommendations, interviews, and essays.

I’ll say it again: business school admissions is not just about the GMAT!

Final advice: Don’t freak out!

I wrote this article today because I feel for so many of you who are struggling in your GMAT prep. I empathize with your fears and frustration, which often lead to tremendous nerves and stress on your test day (potentially affecting your score).

Of course you should do your best to prepare for the GMAT and get the highest score possible. And of course a great GMAT score will help you get admitted to your dream MBA program. But I challenge you to seriously examine what’s really important to you. With some introspection, you may find that the GMAT is trivial.

And when you realize that the GMAT is not that important to your life, hopefully that will calm your nerves and allow you to do even better on test day!

This refrain is often heard when a GMAT student is asked to explain why he or she has selected a specific answer.  At Kaplan, we disabuse students of the notion that sentence correction questions can be consistently solved simply by “sound.”  Instead, test takers need to look for specific grammatical errors.  Identifying most of these errors depends on the context in which they are used.  For example, if the subject of a sentence is singular, the verb must be singular as well.

But, some forms are often wrong or misused on the GMAT.  One such form is the present progressive (also known as the present continuous) verb tense.

In the sentence, “He was doing well,” the word “doing” is in the present progressive form.  The correct sentence would read, “He did well.”  Here, the word “do” has replaced “doing.”

At first, this seems as if it is a rather straightforward rule.  Whenever one sees the letters “-ing” at the end of a word, the answer choice can be eliminated.  However, words that end in “-ing” are not always in the present progressive tense.  Sometimes they are gerunds.

In the sentence “He enjoys running,” “running” is a gerund.  Now, instead of indicating an action happening continuously in the present, as in the present progressive tense, the “-ing” is being used to turn the verb “to run” into the noun/activity “running.”  Gerunds are considered correct on the GMAT, so this sentence would not need to be altered.

So, what should one do if the “-ing” ending shows up on test day?  First, take a look at the sentence and determine the subject: the person or thing performing the action.  In both of our examples, the subject is “he.”  Next, determine the action that the subject is performing in the sentence.  This will be the verb.  In the first example, “doing” is an action that “he” performs.  In the second, “enjoys” is the action.  If the word ending in “-ing” is the verb, then it is in the present progressive tense and is, therefore, incorrect.  If the word ending in “-ing” is not the verb, then it is a gerund and does not need to be altered.