Hitesh Sahni

Quick & Dirty Guide To GMAT Essays

2010-03-12T22:43:00.001+05:30

Because they do not feed into the overall score out of 800, GMAT Essays are often neglected. The essays are the first section of the exam. You have 30 minutes for each of two essays, for a total of one hour before the quantitative section begins. So if you do not write essays during at least one of your practice exams, you will probably find it surprisingly tiring the day of the exam when you have to head into the math section after an hour of writing.

In "Analysis of Issue", you will given a statement (the "issue"). You must take a side and defend it. You must state a clear opinion, but you must also back it up with relevant evidence. You may use facts or experiences (either your own or those you have observed elsewhere) to explain your position.

What if you do not have any relevant experience or do not know any relevant facts? Make them up. The exam readers want to see that you understand the nature of the task at hand. You must also acknowledge the merits of the other side, all the while maintaining your commitment to your own position.

In Analysis of Argument, you will be presented with an argument and asked to evaluate its merits. The argument will resemble a Critical Reasoning argument: it will have premises and a conclusion. Your task is to determine whether the premises (think of these as pieces of evidence) logically support the given conclusion.

The test writers specifically created their arguments to see whether you could spot the flaws. The flaws generally fall into two categories: that the author has made a suspect assumption - i.e., he relies on unstated information that cannot be taken for granted; or that he misinterprets the information that he does explicitly include. Once you figure out the flaws, you must explain how they affect the argument and how they can be remedied.

The two essays of the AWA are not included in your overall GMAT score out of 800. Instead, the essays receive their own separate score on a scale from 0 to 6 points, with 6 the best. Top business schools generally want to see at least a 4 on the AWA. Scores lower than 4 will make admissions committees wonder about your ability to write at the graduate level.

You do not receive your AWA score immediately upon finishing the exam, as you do your overall GMAT score. You will have to wait until you receive your official score report to find out how well you did on the AWA.

After you finish the exam, your essays are sent for grading. Each essay is graded twice: once by a human grader and once by a computer program. Both look for structure and grammar, but only the human can really know whether your arguments are persuasive. Each grader assigns a score out of 6 points.

Essays that receive the highest marks are those that have a clear and logical structure, a clear and well-supported position on the assigned topic, and are free of grammatical and stylistic mistakes. By far the main reason test takers lose points in the AWA is failure to support their claims with evidence.

How to back up your assertions with evidence? Failure to do so is one of the main reasons test takers lose points on the AWA. It is not enough simply to state a claim. The GMAT is more interested in your thought process - how did you arrive at your conclusions? So, to maximize your AWA score, remember to back up all your claims with reasons and/or examples.

As for structure, remember that your essay will be scored by a computerized grading program that cannot use logic to deduce your intended meaning if the structure of your essay does not make the flow of your argument clear. You need to break your essay into easily digestible paragraphs that have a clear flow from one to the next. You must have an introductory paragraph, two or three main paragraphs where you make your case, and a concluding paragraph.

What Does The GMAT Test ?

2010-03-09T22:39:00.001+05:30

If any GMAT Aspirant is asked this question, probably, his answer will be - writing skills, mathematical concepts and verbal aptitude. And perhaps, he is right, but not completely. This is just a partial answer. Ask someone who has taken the GMAT and he will tell you what is missing in this answer - endurance, mental stamina, staying alert and keeping your cool for 4 hours at a stretch.

These qualities are no less important than the math and verbal skills tested on the GMAT. No doubt you will do good on the GMAT if your concepts are strong, but if you really want to manhandle the GMAT, confidence and endurance is something you need to take seriously.

The GMAT primarily tests four skills:

1. Endurance

You'll have to stare at a screen intensely and focus for nearly four hours. Keep this in mind when taking practice tests. Get used to working for many hours on end. You should take as many practice CATs as possible to learn the test and to get used to the grueling experience.

2. Verbal & Math Concepts

This is pretty obvious. You should master all the GMAT study materials and resources that you can get your hands on. No calculators are allowed on test day, so you need to practice doing basic math calculations.

3. Test-Taking

This includes ability to guess, work at an appropriate pace, and make decisions under pressure. Timing is a major part of test-taking skill, particularly for the GMAT CAT.

4. Problem-Solving

When you get a question wrong, make sure to review our explanations so that you understand the conceptual error that you made in the question. You do not want to repeat the error.

4 Successful Columbia Business School Admission Essays

2010-02-23T20:17:00.000+05:30

Here are essays from a successful applicant to Columbia Business School in New York City. What makes this candidate’s essay stand out? Note how this candidate successfully makes his real-life experiences—in his career, in his personal life, and in his academic life—relevant to his desire to attend business school.

Describe your career goals, how an advanced business degree would help you achieve these goals, and your reasons for applying to Columbia Business School (limit 1000 words).

The business world is full of many interesting opportunities and a vast array of sectors in which one can specialize. This financial world has global implications that are constantly changing, and therefore may leave a business leader feeling lost without a formulated plan of action. One needs to develop definitive paths and goals in order to remain focused. As a working member of the New York City financial world for the last three years, I am currently striving for certain established goals as I journey on in my continuing career at Ernst & Young.

One such goal is the ability to manage people effectively and efficiently. I believe that in any line of work, the key to a successful business is how well that business is managed from a personal development perspective. Employees of any company must be given pertinent direction, sound training, and proper feedback to be more productive in their defined job roles and responsibilities. In order to provide employees with this development, job experience supplemented with a further academic education is extremely important. I feel that an advanced business degree will help me to attain this vital mix and provide me with the essentials of being a successful manager in the various engagements I encounter throughout my career.

A second career goal is to further expand my horizons and take a look at the whole picture. When I first began working in the “real world” as an auditor for Ernst & Young, I was placed on the Morgan Stanley engagement, which was one of the largest and most complex financial service engagements in our office. I was given job responsibilities that focused on such a small part of the ultimate goal. I was not privy to many of the other components that allowed my team to meet the client’s demands and expectations. This was due to the fact that I lacked any prior experience in the financial service industry and that I was new to the engagement. As I continued on the engagement for the next three years, I was given more responsibilities and began to see more of the big picture. I began to develop a greater interest in financial services and wanted to see more aspects of the business.

Thus far, I have been given the opportunity to see a vast array of areas at Morgan Stanley and at my current client, Lehman Brothers. These areas include front office trading operations on the fixed income and financing desks, middle office functions in fixed income cash and derivative instruments, back office operations on various trading desks, and multiple SEC filings. As I continue along in my career endeavors at Ernst & Young, I want to learn more about the financial industry and be able to look at the business from a much broader realm rather than from the individual components for which I have been responsible.

As I have much more to learn, I believe an advanced business degree will provide me with a window to see various new ideas and avenues from both a domestic as well as a global perspective. This will allow me to communicate more effectively to my clients and indicate to them specific inefficiencies in their business processes for which I may be able to provide recommendations and assistance in improving.

Another goal is to continue developing my own experience and knowledge with the help of others. While experience in the work place is extremely important in attaining this goal, I believe it can only be enhanced in an academic arena where professors and other students can share their own work experiences with each other. This would provide me with different perspectives in looking at my own experiences and current job responsibilities. Also, the ability to work with these people in an academic setting (e.g., through various class assignments that require group participation) would allow me to bounce my own ideas off others, while at the same time provide me with the opportunity to listen to what others have to say. The wealth of knowledge and personal resources available in the process of obtaining an advanced business degree is an endeavor I feel is too worthwhile to forgo.

The goals I have established above in furthering my career can be accomplished at most business schools. However, one of the distinguishing attributes of obtaining my advanced business degree at Columbia University is the New York element. As mentioned previously, for the last three years I have been working as an auditor for Ernst & Young in New York City, primarily on financial service companies, including Morgan Stanley Group and Lehman Brothers, both highly reputable and profitable companies centralized in New York. The experience I have received from working on these engagements has made me realize the advantage of being in New York, as I truly believe I would not have obtained as unique an experience anywhere else.

Columbia, itself a highly reputable and professional business school, has that same advantage, which would allow me to strengthen the New York business experience while at the same time bring people from many different business backgrounds to the New York arena. The contacts I would make at Columbia, from the versatile faculty to my educated peers, would help me develop into a more knowledgeable member of the domestic and global business communities.

Describe an accomplishment in which you demonstrated leadership (limit 500 words).

When I was a senior in high school, I decided to try something unique. As a music aficionado for many years with piano lessons and countless 45s, I decided to try out for the spring musical Grease. I had never sung before, but decided to give it a try. Even though this was not Broadway, I was still in shock when I was given a part in the show and had to sing. The show went surprisingly well, and I decided that I wanted to continue my singing endeavors as a hobby when I went to college the following year.

I attended Boston College in the fall of the following year. I discovered a group called the Boston College Chorale, which was a highly talented choral group of approximately 150 men and women. The big attraction to the group was that it traveled abroad for a week in the spring to perform, which included Italy, where the group attended a papal audience to sing. I found this intriguing, and I decided to try out during my first semester. I was accepted into the group and met many diverse and interesting people during my first year.

In my second year, I became more and more involved with the group. An interesting facet of the group was that students led it. There were eight officers, comprised of college juniors and seniors, who had various group responsibilities. Toward the end of my second year in the group, the annual elections for new officers were held. Because of my increased interest in and commitment to the group, I decided to run and became one of four officers elected. The officer positions were two-year commitments, and each year the officers would vote on new titles for each officer.

At the end of my first year as an officer, the internal elections for the officer titles were held again. I was voted president of the group for my senior year. I knew this role would be quite challenging and time consuming, but I accepted it gladly and was ready to face the numerous responsibilities for the upcoming year.

I had to make various decisions for the group with the efforts of the other officers. I was ultimately responsible for ensuring that the concerts were planned and advertised in a timely manner, the university funding provided to our group was properly utilized, the annual trip abroad was in order from the accommodations to the performances, and the social events were organized. I felt the year went smoothly and that the group of officers worked well together. I was able to demonstrate my leadership role to the best of my abilities. Members of the group showed their appreciation to me and to the other officers at the end of the year. I had an overwhelming sense of accomplishment at the end of the year as I graduated from Boston College, ready to face further challenges that would require my leadership abilities.

Discuss a nonacademic personal failure, describing how you disappointed yourself and what you learned from the experience (limit 500 words).

About a year and a half ago, my then-fiancée and I were returning from my college roommate’s wedding in Rhode Island. It had been a long day for us, and we were taking turns driving back to New Jersey. When we got to New York, I told my fiancée that I would drive the rest of the way home to give her a chance to rest.

As I began my part of the drive, I was attempting to make a left-hand turn to get back on the highway. I did not see the car coming from the opposite direction until I had already started to make the turn, and our car was struck on the passenger’s side. The sound was chilling. My fiancée’s window had completely shattered, and I noticed that there was blood on her forehead. She said she was all right, except that her lower body was in pain. Medical help seemed to come instantaneously. The paramedics slowly removed her from the vehicle, and she was sent to the nearest hospital.

The whole experience put me in shock. I had this horrid sense of guilt and failure. I felt I had let her down tremendously with my mistake. After the doctors examined her, the final diagnosis was that she needed a few stitches on her forehead and that she had fractured her pelvis, which would require several weeks of bed rest until it healed on its own. She was going to be fine, which relieved me. The feelings of remorse, however, were still overwhelming. I sat down by her side after the doctors had left for the night and looked into her eyes and told her that I was so sorry for doing this to her. She grabbed me and told me that there was no reason to apologize. This was an accident, and the experience made her realize that she could not wait to spend the rest of her life with someone who cared so much for her.

I was in disbelief. How could she stay so calm after all I had done to her? I did not understand why she was not angrier with me. Over the next few months the scenes from the accident would play over and over again in my head. “If only” would be said in my thoughts repeatedly. I was angry with myself, and I felt that I was incapable of protecting my future wife.

My fiancée recovered fully, and we continued with our wedding plans for the next summer. I began to realize that since the accident, our faith in one another strengthened. The bond between us dispelled any doubts in the trust we had for one another. My feelings of guilt began to dissipate. When I realized how much she trusted me after the accident, I knew that any feelings of failure I would have in the future would be comforted with this trust.

Discuss your involvement in a community or extracurricular organization, including an explanation of how you became involved in the organization and how you helped the organization meet its goals (limit 250 words).

I am currently involved in a community service organization sponsored by my company, Ernst & Young, called the “One-To-One Mentoring Program.” I learned about the organization from other people at Ernst & Young involved in the program. The goal of the program is to develop a relationship between a member of the Ernst & Young community and a high school student from the Bronx.

These students do not have much direction, nor do they have an abundance of opportunities. Many of them come from single-family homes with very little money. The program is voluntary on their end as well as ours, which makes the relationship one of choice from the very beginning. As present members of the working community, we are to share our experiences with the students and try to motivate them to continue on in their education. In addition, we are to be a friend who will listen to any of their problems or concern.

My current mentee is a sophomore who is bright but lacks motivation. I try to stress to him the importance of doing other activities after school, where he can make new friends and strive for additional goals. I also explain to him how important it is to complete his education. I use my own experiences in high school to help make him realize the importance of achieving goals. His grades have begun to improve, and he has started to look for part-time employment after school. In this respect I believe I have helped in meeting certain goals of the organization as our mentor/mentee relationship continues to strengthen.

How To Attack GMAT Critical Reasoning?

2010-02-20T19:29:00.000+05:30

The GMAT Critical Reasoning Section tests you skills in evaluating arguments and formulating a plan of action. Of all the preparation I have done until now, this is one section which I can claim to have mastered. My answers to critical reasoning questions are hardly wrong, maximum 1 in about 25. So with that amount of accuracy achieved, I am qualified enough to write a post about tackling such questions. I'll explain what I do when I see a critical reasoning question and how it works.

Step 1. Read The Stimulus.

Yes, I know that's how the question appears. First is the stimulus, then there is a question and then the answer choices. But I am often surprised when I read the advices published by 'GMAT experts' (I don't think they are much of an expert anyway). Most of them tell you to read or what they call 'preview' the question first, even before the stimulus.

They claim that this gives you jump and saves time in the long run, because you know what you are looking for when you read the stimulus. (By the way, stimulus is the the small paragraph that appears before the actual question asked). I think they were being pretty sarcastic when they mentioned the jump. Don't follow this advice or else you will definitely get into wrong jumps.

Your first priority should be understanding the stimulus and identifying the premises and conclusion. Even if you read the question first, it's no help. You will probably forget it at the time when you are concentrating on the stimulus. And when you are finished reading the stimulus, again you will read the question. So why to waste time reading the question two times. Trust me, start from where the GMAT creators expect you to start. That's why they organized the question in such a way!

Step 2. Read The Question

The purpose of the question after the stimulus is not only posing a question. Sometimes, it helps in other ways also. If in your reading of the stimulus, you couldn't identify the point or conclusion of the argument. The question does the job of stating a clear conclusion. So read very carefully.

Just take care of one thing more. Do yourself a favor by reading the question carefully. It is the worst mistake to get an easy question wrong just because you missed some important words such as 'NOT' or 'EXCEPT' etc. These words change the meaning of question entirely and are easy to miss when you read the question.

Step 3. The Answer Choices

Now start reading the answer choices carefully. When you find an answer choice getting close to what the question has asked, do not just confirm it. Check whether it lies within the scope of the argument or not. Most of the wrong choices in this section are wrong simply because they are out of scope.

Yet, most of the mistakes that happen are because of such answer choices. Sometimes they may seem extremely right, but they are just relevant in the specific context. Once you are sure that an answer choice exactly answers what is asked in the question and is well within the scope, just go for it.

Real Time GMAT Tweets

2010-01-31T19:24:00.004+05:30

When you are preparing for an exam like GMAT, it helps if you have friends with similar goals. In the whole social circle that I have - acquaintances in the locality, colleagues at the company, friends whom I live with, there is no one preparing for the GMAT. I have no one to share my opinions, or doubts or any emotional disturbancesfor that matter.

The only thing I have is the internet, and one of the most popular events happening on the internet these days is 'twitter tweets'. And that's why I thought I can channel this channel to know more about GMAT aspirants like me.

Here is a little snippet I have made thinking that it may be useful for you as well, if you are a GMAT aspirant. It shows the real time twitter activity related to the GMAT - The people taking the GMAT in near future and their opinions and experiences.

May be you can learn from them, tell them something they don't know or just be friends with them. You can follow what they are doing for GMAT and they can follow your tweets. When you want to see more recent activity, just refresh this page, and more recent tweets will appear at the top. Now I am not feeling alone!

GMAT SC - Short Sentences Do Better

2010-01-28T01:20:00.001+05:30

Don't get me wrong here. I am not claiming or asserting anything on you. This mysterious piece of information is what I just came across while GMAT surfing. Over at GMAT Tutor, there is an article titled Sentence Correction secrets. It says that in a study of past editions of Official Guide to GMAT, there is strong evidence shorter answers tend to be right much more often than longer ones.

There is also a chart there as an evidence, which I cannot reproduce here due to copyright infringement issues. But do head over to the original article to see for yourself. I can't comment on the accuracy of this finding. But if god forbid, I found myself running out of time while taking the GMAT and forced to guess, I'll definitely go for short answer choices in the sentence correction questions.

Moreover, if you're debating between two possibilities on the test, go with the shorter one and the odds will be in your favor.

Facing The Goliath Again

2010-01-27T09:34:00.000+05:30

What if you take the GMAT and do not achieve your target score? So should you take the test again? How will business schools view your retaking the GMAT? Which score will count - the previous, the current or the average of the two? How much likely is that your score will improve on retaking the GMAT? In this post, I'll try to answer these questions.

The vast majority of business schools take only your highest GMAT score into account when evaluating your application. Why? First, it is in their best interest to inflate their mean and median GMAT scores to keep their rankings high. Second, business schools only want to make sure that you have the basic skills (quantitative, reasoning, writing, etc.) necessary for success in their programs. Whether you prove yourself on your first, second, or third attempt is irrelevant.

Also, keep in mind that business schools evaluate not only your academic qualifications (e.g., GMAT and GPA), but also your professional promise. They gauge this by your career choices and successes and by your demonstrated determination to succeed. If you present a GMAT score that is clearly below a school's standards, the admissions office will question your drive and consider you unrealistic. Taking the exam again shows determination and an appreciation for what it takes to achieve your goals, all desirable traits in a business school applicant.

How likely is it that your score will improve on a subsequent test? On a second attempt, the exam is no longer a mystery. Having learned from experience, many test-takers are better able to manage the time and to recognize the warning signs when they find themselves dealing with questions beyond their reach. Many test-takers have improved their scores on their second attempts, but of course, that is because they continued to study and hone their skills.

If your first attempt at the exam falls short of your target score (i.e., a score that will make you competitive at the schools to which you plan to apply), you will need to take the exam again. But do not see this as a failure. Rather, it is a second opportunity to show the business schools that you are ready.

What It Takes To Break The 700, 760 & 800 GMAT Barrier ?

2010-01-26T11:21:00.004+05:30

Okay, I am not going to devise a plan for your GMAT preparation here because that is each individual's own damn business, but I have found some real information regarding which section contributes more towards your score than the other section. I was browsing through Manhattan GMAT website when I found this article with some interesting statistics. Don't freak out on the name of statistics, I don't mean it literally!

According to the article, experience has shown that an excellent verbal performance affects one's overall score more dramatically than does an excellent performance in quantitative. Now Manhattan is a reputed GMAT preparation company which helps hundreds of GMAT aspirants in achieving their target score. Plus, the set of 8 books that they publish for complete GMAT preparation is the most excellent prep resource I ever found anywhere. I can claim that because I am preparing from it. And it they are saying something about the GMAT, I can't help but to pay heed to that.

Take a look at some examples -

A recent test-taker received a scaled score of 45 in verbal (98th percentile) and 40 in quant (66th percentile) and an overall score of 700 (93rd percentile). Notice how much closer the overall percentile is to the excellent verbal percentile.

If the overall percentile were simply an average of the individual percentiles, this person would have received about 640. But because the combination of an outstanding verbal performance with a fair quant performance is so rare, the overall percentile and score will be much higher than the lower quant percentile.

Another person, who scored 49 in verbal (99th percentile) and 37 in quant (56th percentile), received 710 (95th percentile), even though the quant performance here was a full 10 percentile points lower than that in the previous example. Again, an outstanding performance in verbal significantly offset a middling performance in quant.

Does this work in reverse? No.

For example, a test-taker recently received a 50 in quant (97th percentile) and a 37 in verbal (82nd percentile), but "only" a 670 overall (89th percentile). So the truly excellent quant performance was not enough to pull the overall score above 700.

But then, keep in mind that most business schools want to see strong skills in both sections. I presented the above information not to say that you should neglect the quant section altogether if you are good at it. What I mean is focus more on the verbal as well so that you can come out with flying colors.

What if you are targetting a 760+ score. Some recent scores of 760 broke down as follows: 41V/51Q, 46V/47Q, 44V/49Q, 45V/48Q, 47V/47Q, 51V/46Q, 42V/50Q, 46V/48Q, 44V/50Q. To break 760, you more or less need to reach at least the 84th percentile in quant (subscore 46) and the 90th in verbal (subscore 40). Very few test takers can reach both on the same exam. Hence the reward of 99th percentile status to those who can.

How do you get there?

At the 760+ level, you will no longer be tested on the basics; by the time you start seeing 760-level questions, you will already have proven to the CAT that you have mastered the fundamentals and are ready for the tough stuff.

In quant, it is now more about logic than about calculation. In verbal, you will need to resolve subtle flaws of logic and grammar. The issues no longer announce themselves; you have to seek them out. The 760+ exam is for active test-takers. If you sit back and let the exam wash over you, chances are you will not break 760.

What about 800?

A score of 800 does not necessarily mean you got every question right. It means that you answered so many extremely hard questions correctly that your few errors were statistically insignificant in comparison.

A recent test-taker who managed an 800-level performance received 51 in verbal and 51 in quant, subscores so rare that the GMAT does not even separate them in percentile (99th) from the theoretical upper limit of 60 on each section.

So to break 760, review the most challenging questions you can find. Pick them apart. See how underneath all the fuss, they still test the same basic concepts. The only difference is the amount of insight needed to see which basic concepts are being tested. That insight will come with practice.

770+ in GMAT !

2010-01-25T23:55:00.002+05:30

I don't know who this guy is because he has not revealed his name (he calls himself a total gadha, which in hindi means donkey) on his GMAT blog. But the GMAT score he claims to have scored and the strategy he unfolds is truly impressive. I just read his post about scoring 770 in GMAT and it surely has some honest nuggets of wisdom. Here are some of these I really found useful, but do read the full piece.

First a little history of his -

Unbelievable though it may seem, my first test on computer was the real GMAT itself. I was preparing for CAT and had taken date for GMAT as a backup. I scored a 770. Recently, I took GMAT prep to check if I was still in shape. I scored a 780.

Sentence Correction

I mugged up rules of SC like crazy. Please don’t miss the word ‘mugged’ here. I didn’t read or understand them. That I did later. First, I memorized them by heart. I mugged them up so good that I could recall each and every rule at an instant. I see students not knowing or trying hard to remember an idiom or a rule. That wasn’t the case with me. In 90% of the questions (and I mean 90%), I instantly knew which rules to apply.

Reading Comprehension

Really read the passage carefully. Reallllyyyyyy read the passage carefully. Not joking. I am a very good reader. But I can still read a passage thrice if I don’t understand it completely. I don’t use any speed reading or first line/ last line gizmo.

For every question I go back to the passage and check my answer: I may have an elephant’s memory (I have 185+ IQ by the way, no relation to the memory though), but I DON’T rely on it when I am solving RC. Even though the answer seems obvious to me, I go and check. Please note this- I check EVERY answer in the passage.

Critical Reasoning

Learn to identify premises and conclusions without even looking at the question. I repeat, don’t look at the question. Identify the premise and conclusion first. Understand the argument. Never, never, never think outside the argument. Don’t use your brain or logic. Only see the logic of the argument.

I believe we all can get some inspiration and zeal from this post to prepare and do better in the GMAT test. Thanks a lot Total Gadha!

Registered For The GMAT

2010-01-25T22:42:00.001+05:30

Regular readers of this blog may know by now that from the past many days, I am preparing for the GMAT. And the big news is that I have registered for it now. Registration is quite an easy process without any hassles, provided you have a reliable credit card which can be used to pay the exam fee ($250 = Roughly 11,500 Indian Rupees).

Registration can be done online at mba.com. Also, make sure you register for the test at least 45 days earlier than your planned date. Otherwise there are little chances of finding your preferred date and time to take the GMAT. I was planning to take it in the end week of February, but I was forced to opt for March 10 as no other previous dates were available in my city (Delhi, India).

Here are some more GMAT tips:

1. First apply and then start preparing. This will set a deadline and a fixed goal for you. A full preparation could take 3-4 months, or less depending on your aptitude.

2. Start your preparation by taking a mock Computer Adaptive Test so that you can effectively work not only on your weaker areas but the stronger ones. Free Test Preparation software can be downloaded from MBA.Com

3. Keep a scratch sheet with you while taking a practise test because you are provided with the scratch sheet during the actual exam. This will help you to get accustomed to the functions of the real exam.

4. You receive your actual Score Report within 10-12 days of your test. However, you get the raw scores instantly after completing the test.

Keep reading regularly for more useful GMAT preparation tips and resources.

8 Or 800? You Decide

2010-01-24T19:31:00.001+05:30

One of the great GMAT myths is that the first 8 questions in each section "make or break" your score and that nothing you do after that point has much of an effect on the score you end up with. False! Eight questions are not enough to determine your score. If they were enough, each section would consist of 8 questions.

One of the consequences of the myth is the belief that in order to break 700, you must answer those first 8 questions correctly. Untold numbers of test-takers have labored over the first eight, afraid that any mistake will send their scores plummeting to unthinkable depths.

While it is true that you should give each question your best shot, the absolute number of questions answered correctly is not as important as their difficulty level. Better to have a 50/50 success rate at a high level than a 50/50 success rate at a lower one, even though the percentage of right and wrong answers is the same.

The most serious upshot of this myth is that its believers spend far too much time on the first eight questions and then find themselves racing to finish the section. Often, these test-takers run out of time and leave some questions unanswered at the end of a section.

Given that unanswered questions are essentially counted as incorrect answers, it makes more sense to move at a steady pace throughout the entire section rather than concentrate on any particular subset of questions. In fact, spending too much time on early questions may actually damage rather than help your final score.

Do not become a victim of the "first 8" myth: give every question your best shot, but do not let any one group of questions drive your entire performance.

The Real Thing About GMAT Essays

2010-01-24T10:15:00.002+05:30

The least important and consequently the most ignored part of the GMAT is the analytical writing assessment (AWA). And I am not saying it shouldn't be that way. It's more than fair. There's no reason to spend nearly as much time preparing for the AWA as you do for the rest of the test. But then, it's a huge mistake to take it for granted altogether. A small amount of effort can translate into a big difference in score.

The AWA consists of two 30-minute essay questions, the Analysis of Issue and the Analysis of Argument. The first gives you a general topic, and you are asked to write an essay arguing for one side or the other. The second gives you a prompt not unlike the passage in a Critical Reasoning question and asks you to analyze the argument.

Your essays are scored on a scale from 0 to 6 in half-point increments. Each essay is initially graded by a human and a computer. If they disagree by more than a point, another human comes along, separates the brawling human and computer graders, and settles the dispute. The GMAC reports that the human and the computer differ in a relatively small number of cases, so it's not something to lie awake worrying about. How Does the Computer Grader Work? Don't bother!

Your GMAT Essay Can Help Catch You

Part of the reason the AWA is included on the GMAT is because some applicants might try to cheat. Plagiarized or ghost-written essays are a problem at every level of admissions, so if the person evaluating your application essays can also see how you wrote during the GMAT, they might notice if there's a big difference.

How To Prepare?

In the back of The GMAT Official Guide, there is a list of all possible essay prompts. (Yes, the actual prompts used on the test.) It would be a waste of time to write, or even outline, essays for each of them, but it is worth your time to scan through them, making sure you understand each one. And write about 4-5 essays to get a feel of things.

Focus on quality over quantity: a perfect 250-word essay is better than a rough 400-word version. Allow yourself plenty of time (at least five minutes) at the end of the half-hour in order to carefully proofread your essay for grammar and punctuation. Don't try to be a Dan Brown.

The object of the AWA is to determine whether you can write a coherent sentence and an organized paragraph or two. Organize your thoughts before you start to write, and keep things simple. Don't stress yourself out: you've got two and a half hours of testing left after you finish your second essay, remember?

Wanna Win The GMAT? Get Close To Reality

2010-01-24T00:27:00.000+05:30

No matter what preparation strategy you are following to take the GMAT, the significance of practice tests and simulations cannot be undermined. One of the major factors that make practice tests so indispensable is that they give you a feel of the real big thing. Including breaks, the GMAT can take as much as four hours of sitting at a computer in a dull, windowless room. As if it weren't stressful enough already!

So it is important that when you take practice tests, make the experience as realistic as possible. Here are some of the issues you need to take care of.

Don't allow yourself to be interrupted in manner. Tell your friends and family straight away what you are into and how much time it's going to take.
Avoid background music to best of your resistance and ability.
Use limited scratch paper, not more than 5 sheets because that's what you are provided in actual GMAT.
Do not use calculator and do perform the whole test, including the essay writing part.
Limit your breaks to exactly five minutes. You won't get more time on test day, so don't give yourself extra time when you practice.

The more realistic your practice exams, the less stressful your experience will be on the day of the GMAT.

Only Fools Believe In The FoolProof

2010-01-23T12:49:00.002+05:30

Over the past few days during my GMAT preparation, I have seen a lot of people selling quick foolproof shortcuts on forums and websites to ace the GMAT. And surprisingly, I have seen a lot of people getting curious or even buying such stuff. Everybody wants a shortcut.

It would be nice if there were a foolproof secret formula that allowed you to master the GMAT more quickly than anyone else. But I'm sorry to say it: There's no such thing. Sure, some methods are better than others, some prep courses are more effective than their competitors, and some books give you greater score gains than their peers. But that doesn't mean there's a hidden key to the test.

While the GMAC doesn't publicly announce every detail regarding their test, they are remarkably open about it. If you read some of the copious (and free) resources available on the GMAT, such as those on this site, you'll know most of what there is to know about the challenge you're up against.

Think of GMAT preparation like any other skill, like playing the violin, becoming a great soccer player, or developing a better memory. These things take time. Some techniques will accelerate your progress, but there's no way to become a chess grand master in five easy steps, or become a scratch golfer by learning which holes are most important.

Reaching your score goaltakes time. Most importantly, it takes knowledge (both of the mechanism of the test and the content of the test) and persistence. If somebody tells you they have the ultimate secret to GMAT success, they are probably lying.

Most people (including the major test-prep companies) focus too much on what we could call "Tips and Tricks." The opposite of "Tips and Tricks" is your good old basic math knowledge. Of course, tips can be plenty helpful: hundreds of students have benefited from my persistent suggestions to use mental math instead of pencil-and-paper arithmetic.

But, there's a key difference between math skills and tricks. A trick, usually, applies to one question, or a very small subset of questions. Sometimes the trick is extremely effective–it might even amaze you with its efficiency when your GMAT instructor walks through it. But what if the odds of being able to use it on the test are, say, 1 in 20? At that point, is it worth learning?

The good news is this. The GMAT does reward thorough preparation. You can take advantage of a slow-and-steady approach to set yourself apart from those who want to take shortcuts to get into a top school. The focus should be less on the pillars and more on the foundation. So stop following evildoer sellers and guarantee-experts, get good study material which relies on making concepts rather than quick tricks, prepare thoroughly and win the test.

How To Manage GMAT Test Stress?

2010-01-21T23:13:00.001+05:30

Some stress level is required and beneficial. When you are asked to perform, the tension produced from normal anxiety heightens your awareness of the situation and helps you to focus on the task as hand. With this additional focus, you are more easily able to successfully complete your goal, whatever it may be. For many people, however, this natural, beneficial anxiety response is superseded by an uncontrollable feeling of dread.

When asked to prepare for and then take a test, individuals manufacture feelings of such importance about the test that they become overwhelmed by the anxiety associated with it. Hearts race, hands become clammy, breathing grows labored, minds go blank. Many students have allowed test anxiety to undermine their test taking abilities, resulting in scores that are well below their true abilities. This post will focus on methods to control your test anxiety as you ready yourself for the test. Although written for the GMAT, it is equally applicable to any test that you are about to take.

The first step in overcoming test anxiety is to be thoroughly prepared for the test. The more prepared you are for the test itself, the less you will worry about your ability to solve particular types of problems. Thus, put in the effort necessary to achieve your goal score, and practice frequently in an environment that simulates the test.

Secondly, to do well on the test you must take care of yourself as a person. Leading up to the test, continue your habits of good nutrition and exercise. Foods high in fats or sugars can cause great fluctuations in your mood and your ability to focus, while a lack of exercise can increase sluggishness and also negatively affect your mood. Similarly, adequate sleep is necessary for proper test preparation. Also, keep up with your social and recreational activities.

Learning strategies to reduce your anxiety also requires foresight and practice. Much of the work around controlling your anxiety on test day will actually take place well before the test. Learning some specific techniques prior to taking the GMAT will provide you with the relaxation tools necessary for test day. The first technique is called "framing," and it concerns changing your overall perspective of the test-taking experience. The second technique is "diaphragmatic breathing," which teaches you how to release stress and lower anxiety through proper breathing.

Framing is Self-talk. Try not to overplay the importance of the GMAT - remember it's only a test! The worst that can happen is that you might have to take it again. If your internal dialogue frames the test in all-or-nothing terms, of course you will be overly anxious. If your self-talk focuses on your thorough preparation and your decision to answer each question to the best of your ability, your anxiety will immediately lessen.

As an exercise, it can be valuable to actually write down a few of these positive internal statements and say them aloud each day. Your statement can include any message that reduces your anxiety about the test. For example, one of your statements might be, "I have thoroughly prepared for my upcoming GMAT and will answer each question to the best of my ability.

Another very effective relaxation technique is diaphragmatic, or deep, breathing. In a matter of a few breaths, you can quickly relax your entire body. To practice deep breathing, follow these steps: Sit quietly, close your eyes, and make sure your spine is straight. Take long, slow, deep breaths through your nose; imagine air filling first your abdomen and then your lungs. Hold your breath for a second or two. Exhale slowly. As you exhale, visualize all of your anxiety and tension leaving exiting your body with your breath. Continue this exercise for 2-5 minutes or until your breathing becomes rhythmic and comfortable. The purpose of this activity is to develop a process for relaxed breathing that can be used during any stressful situation.

There is one additional relaxation technique. When you become stressed or anxious, much of this anxiety is stored in your muscles. Progressive muscle relaxation helps to minimize the tension found in the muscles throughout your body. To practice progressive muscle relaxation, follow the steps listed: Tense the muscle groups in a particular part of your body. Keep the muscles tensed for a few seconds as you slowly and deeply inhale, exhale, and then inhale again. On the second exhale, release the muscles that you had previously tightened. Take your time to notice the calmness now found in your muscles. To ensure that you progressively relax all of your muscles, it might be a good idea to relax your muscles from toe to head.

The Day Before The Big Day

The day before the test is often the time when tension and anxiety become overwhelming. First, be sure to eat healthy, nutritious meals throughout the day. Instead of poisoning your preparation with sugars, fats, and caffeine, choose natural foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

Second, do not over-study on the day before the test. It is fine to briefly review some important content, but then distract your mind with other enjoyable activities. Put aside some time to exercise or meet a friend for a smoothie (not a coffee!); this will help to relax your body and your mind as the test approaches.

Third, be sure to get plenty of sleep. A refreshed mind will help you approach each problem the next day with calm and confidence. Do not spend the night before the test studying! If you have thoroughly prepared for the test, cramming will only undermine your confidence and increase your anxiety. If your anxiety is getting difficult to control, simply spend time practicing one or more of the relaxation techniques that you have mastered during your test preparation.

The Big Day Itself

On the day of the test, wake up and eat a sensible breakfast. Some students use food as a way to reduce anxiety, but indulging in a huge meal can impair your performance by making you feel tired or sick. After breakfast, do something relaxing before you travel to the testing center. If you have developed an exercise routine leading up to the test, engage in a brief workout.

Do not try to learn new information on test day. Last minute cramming will only undermine your confidence and increase your anxiety. Whatever time of the day your test happens to be, be sure to arrive at the test-center early. Finally, promise yourself a "reward" following the test. Perhaps a giant frappacino or ice cream sundae would be an appropriate celebration.

During The Test

If you begin to feel anxious during the test, use your relaxation skills to refocus your attention. Reframe your focus with positive self-talk. Tell yourself, "I can be anxious later. Now is the time to focus on the test," or reduce your anxiety by reinforcing, "I am thoroughly prepared for this test, and will answer each problem to the best of my ability."

If reframing your focus is not enough, breathe deeply through your nostrils, first filling your lower abdomen and then your lungs. Now breath out slowly and deeply, envisioning all of your tension and anxiety leaving your body with your breath. Quickly scan your body to notice any specific areas of tension. Tighten each bothersome muscle group for one deep inhale, and then relax your muscles as you exhale slowly and deeply. As always, visualize all of the tension and anxiety leaving your body along with your breath.

After the GMAT, whether you did as well as you had hoped or not, be sure to follow through on the reward you promised yourself - and enjoy it! Try not to dwell on all the mistakes you might have made. Remember, the GMAT is not a matter of life and death - it is only a test!

What Every GMAT Test Taker Ought To Know About Reading Comprehension

2010-01-17T18:42:00.000+05:30

You probably know that there is a Reading Comprehension Section in GMAT where you are supposed to read a passage and answer some questions based on your reading of the passage. In previous post, I talked about enhancing your reading speed to perform well in this section. Here are some general strategies to follow during your practice tests as well as the real test.

1. Try to read the whole text of the passage once, if possible.

Many people think you should just skim the passage or read the first lines of every paragraph, and not to read the passage. This is an error: if you misunderstand the main idea of the passage, you will certainly get at least some of the questions wrong. Give the passage one good read, taking no more than 3 minutes to read all of the text.

2. Make brief notes on the text on your scrap paper. As we will see below in greater detail, you should write down a couple of words on A) the Main Idea or Primary Purpose, B) Organization/Structure of the passage, and C) the Tone or Attitude of the author (if applicable). You just need a few words for each of these areas, and altogether it should not take longer than 30 seconds to write down.

3. Look out for structural words that tell you the important ideas or transitions in a passage.

Continue the Idea Words Similarly, Moreover, Additionally, In the same way,Likewise

Conclusion Words Thus, Therefore, Hence, So, In summary, In conclusion

Contradiction or Contrast Words Neverthless, Nonetheless, However, But, Although, Though, Even though, Notwithstanding, Yet, Despite, In spite of, On the one hand…on the other hand, While, Unlike

4. Go back to the text of the passage for the answers. Many test-takers fail to return to the text of the passage to look for the correct answers. They rely solely on their memories and understanding of the passage after having read or skimmed it. ETS is counting on that. Go back to the text to look for information to answer the questions.

More than 80% errors in answering reading comprehension questions occur as a result of not following the above rules. So this is the information you definitely ought to know and follow throughout your preparation and the final test. Feel free to ask any queries in the comments. Catch you later!

The Secret Of Scoring 700+ In GMAT

2010-01-10T23:13:00.002+05:30

If you are preparing for GMAT, then probably you are done buying the best study material for GMAT and have started practicing GMAT problems. Frankly writing, GMAT is a test. And a test is a set of problems. So the secret of scoring high in GMAT lies in the way you approach and attack problems. When we study practice problems, our overall goal is to master the problem we're working on right now.

It means that, when we see a future different problem that tests the same thing as this current problem, we will recognize that the future problem has certain things in common with this current problem, and we will know what steps to take as a result. This mastery comes from the analysis we do after we've already finished trying a new problem for the first time.

First, of course, you have to try the problem itself, and you should generally hold yourself to the time constraints given by the test. Pick an answer to that problem within the expected time frame, even if you have no idea what the answer is — every aspect of this test needs to be practiced, including how to guess when you don't know what to do! Next, answer a series of questions.

How well did I handle what they were trying to test?

Is there a better way to do the problem? What is that better way? How am I going to remember this better approach the next time I see a similar problem?

Did I fall short on anything?

Go back to your books and teacher to learn / understand anything that gave you trouble.

Did I make any careless mistakes?

If so, WHY did I make each mistake? What habits could I make or break to minimize the chances of repeating that careless mistake in future?

How should I have made an educated guess?

Think about this even for questions you get right — it's often easier to develop alternative strategies and learn how to make an educated guess on problems that you got right. Then, you use the lessons learned when you see a harder problem of the same type / category.

What have I done in the past that is similar to this one?

How are they similar? How could that recognition have helped me to do this problem more efficiently or effectively? This may involve looking up some past problem and making comparisons between the two!

How will I recognize similar problems in the future?

What can I do now to maximize the chances that I will remember and be able to use lessons learned from this problem the next time I see a new problem that tests something similar?

If you are not doing the above analysis on every GMAT problem you study, then you are not getting the most out of your study. If you have done tons of Official Guide problems but haven't done the above analysis, then you aren't done with those questions. It doesn't matter if you do fewer problems but this kind of in-depth, high-quality review is exactly how you master this test.

Little Known Definitions You Ought To Know

2010-01-10T22:17:00.001+05:30

I have this ability to come up with spontaneous and witty one liners. But I always love to read amusing, witty lines and quotes by others. Here are some of amusing definitions I came across recently. No serious useful information here but an entertaining read!

Cigarette:

A pinch of tobacco rolled in paper with fire at one end and a fool at the other!

Divorce:

Future Tense of Marriage.

Lecture:

An art of transmitting Information from the notes of the lecturer to the notes of students without passing through the minds of either.

Conference:

The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present.

Compromise:

The art of dividing a cake in such a way that everybody believes he got the biggest piece.

Tears:

The hydraulic force by which masculine will power is defeated by feminine water-power!.

Conference Room:

A place where everybody talks, nobody listens and everybody disagrees later on.

Ecstasy:

A feeling when you feel you are going to feel a feeling you have never felt before.

Classic:

A book which people praise, but never read.

Smile:

A curve that can set a lot of things straight!

Office:

A place where you can relax after your strenuous home life.

Philosopher:

A fool who torments himself during life, to be spoken of when dead.

Diplomat:

A person who tells you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip.

Criminal:

A guy no different from the other, unless he gets caught.

Boss:

Someone who is early when you are late and late when you are early.

Politician:

One who shakes your hand before elections and your Confidence Later.

3 Killer Books - All You Need To Master The GMAT

2010-01-09T10:47:00.007+05:30

Not only for the GMAT, but for any test, books familiarize you with the test format, sections, timing, and main strategies. In the previous post, I wrote about my GMAT preparation and some useful tips. The first thing to do for any test is getting the best study material. But when it comes to GMAT, the options are overwhelming and confusing at the same time. And since I and you don't have all the money and time in the world, here are my findings about the best in the lot.

1. The Official Guide

The most authentic source of GMAT preparation. Even though you won't see these exact questions on the exam in the future, you can be sure you'll see some questions that are very similar.

The Official GMAT Guide presents more than 800 questions taken from retired versions of the test with more detailed explanations of the correct answers. The questions are presented in order of difficulty, giving users a better understanding of what constitutes an easy or hard question.

2. Kaplan Premier

An advanced guide for ambitious students who dream of high GMAT scores. Most of the questions are really tough but I'd certainly rather go in to the test being too prepared than not prepared enough.

3. Manhattan Series

This is a set of 8 books on GMAT preparation, offering a well-balanced and organized format. It presents arguments with clarifying illustrations that are well-constructed and easy to follow. These books don't emphasize tricks or easy ways, instead they methodically cover areas tested, and should be pretty much all you will need (besides the Official Guide). It is a bit expensive but I recommend this book, as it is worth every penny.

I personally recommend getting The Official Guide for GMAT Review + One other general GMAT book. Go for the specialized ones out of the Manhattan Set if you are weak only in certain areas or if budget is a constraint.

Now let me devote some time to my GMAT preparation and you go buy one of these to start preparing. I'll be posting more useful GMAT information on this website from time to time. Keep in touch by subscribing to full feed (RSS) or enter your email address here.

Top 9 Flashcard Websites To Learn Anything Fast

2010-01-02T23:30:00.001+05:30

Have you ever felt the need to memorize formulas, words or shortcuts of any kind? Welcome to the world of flashcards. Flashcards make a great and fast route to learn anything.A flashcard or flash card is any of a set of cards bearing information, as words or numbers, on either or both sides, used in classroom drills or in private study. One writes a question on a card and an answer overleaf.

Flashcards can bear vocabulary, historical dates, formulas or any subject matter. The following websites let you create, print and study flashcards along with sharing these with your friends. Use these for faster memorization and get more productive.

Memorize

Cobocards

Flashcard Database

Anki

Cramberry

Flashcard Machine

Quizlet

Study Stack

Flashcard Exchange

Feel free to add your favorite study website or web application in the comments. To stay updated on more useful websites, subscribe to my full feed (RSS) or enter your email address here.

TOEFL iBT Score - 109/120. How I Did It?

2009-12-05T10:34:00.001+05:30

A few days back, I took the TOEFL iBT exam. I also posted my TOEFL experience on this blog, if you remember. If not, head to the earlier post about my toefl experience. I was really disappointed after the exam. It seemed horrible at that time. But to my sheer surprise, yesterday I checked my TOEFL score online to be 109/120.

109 is not a bad score after all. But I still feel if I had not made the mistakes which I wrote earlier about, I would have achieved 115+ very easily. Let us review my section scores one by one.

1. Reading

To quote my previous post -

"Sometimes more than one answer seems correct for a question and the other time, none of them seem to fit the information asked in the question. Even the vocabulary seems so ambiguous. It not a cinch to find the closest match to a word when more than one seems the closest."

So you know that I found this section difficult. But I attempted each and every question to the best of my ability. And I have managed to score a whooping 29 out of 30 in this section.

2. Listening

"The listening section not only checks listening. It checks how much you can recall. It checks you memory and assumes it to be a super power memory(like that of Harry Lorayn). Even if you try to be as quick as you can, there will always be some or the other point that you probably miss."

That is surely true. In the test, I had missed 2-3 questions of this section because the time ran out. So make sure to keep your pace. If I had attempted those too, my score may have been a straight 30. Anyways, 27 also seems tolerable.

3. Speaking

"It's when you hear "you have 45 seconds to record your answer" and you see the timer on the screen - 45..44..43..40..30..10..0, your mind goes blank. You start struggling with your thoughts coming out with something to speak."

I knew it from the beginning that I performed the poorest in this section. So here I get a low score of 23. This is where it hurts the most. As I wrote in my earlier post, The only way to combat this section is to make your preparation more real. Use a timer and constrain yourself to the same limits. When performing practice exercises and tests, make your testing environment and constraints as true and closest possible to the real test.

4. Writing

"Writing an essay and that too of just 300 words is never a problem for we Indians. We are inherently garrulous speakers and chatterboxes. You give any topic and we can go on and on about it even if we don't know a word about it. No doubt I did extremely well in this section"

So my prediction was right. I told you I did extremely well in this section. And the result is an excellent 30 out of 30. So don't waste much time reading more materials like I did. Practice writing 5-10 essays, learn the overall structuring and you will do just fine.

So that is all about it. Do get in touch if there is anything on your mind regarding the exam. I am not an expert but I'll try to help you in any way possible. All the very best!

Experience The Real TOEFL iBT

2009-11-23T12:45:00.002+05:30

Update: I have got my TOEFL score. It is 109/120. Read the full post on How I Did It

2 days back, I took the TOEFL. I went face to face with the goliath. It was a disaster. Sheer Disaster. I can read well, understand what I listen, speak fluently and write accurately (as you can see). Yet, it was disastrous.

I made all the mistakes which you make when you give a kind of test for the first time. I faced situations which any book about toefl never touched upon. And it was a disaster. I know I am repeating it again and again but I can't help it. That's the way it went. The more I think of it, the more anger I am filled with.

2 Biggest Mistakes

After having seen the test, there are two issues that constantly nag the hell out of me. If I wouldn't have made these 2 mistakes, my TOEFL score would have drastically improved. If I had done the 2 most important things you should do before you take the TOEFL exam, it shouldn't have been a disaster(oh! the same word again). So what are these 2 big secrets?

No.1 Official Study Material

One of the biggest mistakes I made was buying the "Barron's TOEFL iBT" book. Please understand that I don't have anything against "Barron's TOEFL IBT". In fact, I am forbidding you to buy not only Barron's, but all the crap that is available in the market in the name of TOEFL including the kaplans, princeton or whatever they sell.

The TOEFL iBT is a relatively new test which the authors of these books know nothing about. All the practice material they publish is only their discretion and estimation of the test. They don't know a dime of how ets or the TOEFL works. Even all the holy advice pages they have about the test are copied from the TOEFL website or the official TOEFL preparation book published by the ets. If you are really serious about getting a score greater than 100/120, buy only the official TOEFL preparation book released by the ets.

No.2 Online Practice Tests.

Before you take the real TOEFL test on the day of your exam, I strongly advice you to take an online practice test first. It prevents a plethora of mistakes which you will make in the real test if you are taking it for the first time.

The test costs about $150 and a practice test costs $40. I tried to save those $40 and never took a practice test. And because of this, even though my result isn't out yet, I am afraid I may have to take the test again, therefore spending another $150. So please don't save off on those $40, spend it. It's worth it. Trust me.

How Was My Test ? - The Review

So what happened? You ask. What situations I faced when taking the test on the test day? What was it about all the sections that no book ever informs about?.

Let me tell you. The author of any of the TOEFL preparation books have never taken the TOEFL. I can surely bet on that. They don't have a student's mind. I am the one who had really seen the TOEFL. I took the test. If anyone know the most important information about TOEFL, it's me.

Now, I will tell you what you face in each and every section as they come and go. The following passages list important distinctions between my mind set before I took the test and the real deal I came to know when I actually faced the test.

My mind set before the test was a result of my preparation and the two big mistakes I made. The real thing that I know now is because I have battled the monster in the field.

1. The Reading Section

The reading passages were a piece of cake at the time of preparation. Just read the passage and answer the questions. It was as simple as that. Even the vocabulary questions checked on simple kiddish words. So no need was felt to prepare for that as well.

But it was when I took the test that I came to know of the real inkling of what it's like.The reading passages beat the hell out of your mind. Sometimes more than one answer seems correct for a question and the other time, none of them seem to fit the information asked in the question. Even the vocabulary seems so ambiguous. It not a cinch to find the closest match to a word when more than one seems the closest(If you know what I mean).

Note: If you ask me, there is nothing one can do to improve upon this section. It tests your whole span of english education at school and college - where you used to read from the textbooks. If you have had gone through such a span. You are good at it. If you have not, there is nothing you can do. So forget about it.

2. The Listening Section

I had gone through the Barron's practice tests and the TOEFL sampler. I faced no problem in understanding the lectures and comprehending the speeches. I also make short notes quickly. I was sufficiently quick in listening and making notes. So, I was good at it. This is what I had thought before the test. But now things have changed.

"Sufficiently quick"! You must be kidding. The listening section not only checks listening. It checks how much you can recall. It checks you memory and assumes it to be a super power memory(like that of Harry Lorayn). Even if you try to be as quick as you can, there will always be some or the other point that you probably miss. And there you have lost the battle. You are faced with the question about the point you missed and now you can do nothing except getting frustrated.

3. The Speaking Section

No matter how many books you prepare from and how many practice tests you give casually, you can never develop the instincts required by this section. During my practices and preparation for this test, I was fairly good. But when you see the clock ticking and the seconds of time abating in front of you, you mind stops working.

It's when you hear "you have 45 seconds to record your answer" and you see the timer on the screen - 45..44..43..40..30..10..0, your mind goes blank. You start struggling with your thoughts coming out with something to speak. The only way to combat this section is to make your preparation more real. Use a timer and constrain yourself to the same limits. When performing practice exercises and tests, make your testing environment and constraints as true and closest possible to the real test.

4. The Writing Section

This section is the cause of the absolute irony of my preparation. Most of the time during my preparation, I kept worrying about this section. I kept worrying about running out of ideas. I read essays and more essays, getting more and more ideas. I read biographies of famous people, movie reviews, books and author reviews, sample essays and what not.

But when I see it now, I realize that how much I wasted my time. Believe me, writing an essay and that too of just 300 words is never a problem for us Indians. We are inherently garrulous speakers and chatterboxes. You give any topic and we can go on and on about it even if we don't know a word about it. No doubt I did extremely well in this section. in fact, this is the only section that I feel happy and satisfied about.

So this was a not so little review of what I experienced and learnt from the whole process. I hope you will find this article useful and would not not commit the same mistakes that I did. I am getting my toefl score in about 15 days. Also, feel free to share your toefl experiences and scores. You can comment on this article or contact me. I will be more than happy to assist you in any queries you have regarding the TOEFL exam.

15 New Mind-Blowing Blogger Templates

2009-10-30T15:46:00.004+05:30

If there is a great time to be a blogger user, this is probably that time. The new features introduced by the very innovative blogger team have removed all its weaknesses that used to come to mind as compared to wordpress. And with more and more designers turning attention to blogger templates, the options we have nowadays are endless.

We are seeing a whole new range of blogger templates with advanced professional designs and intelligent use of javascripts. Here are 10 such templates that I came across while surfing the web.

Most blogger templates have some potential flaws. The comments don't look neat, or the sidebar width is too narrow, or the header is too large, comment avatars are not appearing because the template was designed before blogger introduced this feature, and so on.

But such templates are not included in this list. I don't use such a template which has even a minor flaw associated with it. In selecting these templates, I have asked myself just one question - Whether I'll use this template for my blog?. If the answer was yes, I have included the template here.

Also note that some features of these templates will not be visible by just viewing the demo and closing it. You have to play with the demo. Hover over menu bars, click on post titles and so on. Think like a blog visitor. Think about what your blog visitors do, where they click and how they use your site when they arrive at your blog or a blog post.

Soul Vision

Live Demo

Download This Template

Fusion

Live Demo

Download This Template

Mystique

Live Demo

Download This Template

Ultimate Blogger

Live Demo

Download This Template

Jynxed

Live Demo

Download This Template

Club Jeans

Live Demo

Download This Template

Essayist

Live Demo

Download This Template

Typoork

Live Demo

Download This Template

Keko

Live Demo

Download This Template

Pork & Bean

Live Demo

Download This Template

Mainstream

Live Demo

Download This Template

Woork Style

Live Demo

Download This Template

Writer

Live Demo

Download This Template

Writer 2

Live Demo

Download This Template

Imprezz

Live Demo

Download This Template

Artblog

Live Demo

Download This Template

3 Online Tools To Listen Text Accurately

2009-10-29T10:35:00.001+05:30

Speaking well is one of the most essential skills in any field of work and in life. And one thing that makes your speech authoritative and graceful is accurate pronunciation of words. There are a number of websites online to help you with this skill by reading out a piece of text. It's a great help if you want to know how someone would pronounce a complicated word, or sometimes you just want an entire passage to be read out to you.

VozMe. Enter text in english, select voice gender and press the create mp3 button. A new window would open, and in a few seconds, your MP3 file would start playing. Vozme also offers widgets for your website or blog so that your visitors can choose to listen to your content instead of reading it. And it even offers a browser bookmarklet to listen to any selected text while you surf the web.

SpokenText is packed with features - but it wants you to register, a small hassle. There is no text box! You have to upload a PDF, text or word file. Record books, articles,web pages, your papers class notes you want to have available to you in audio format. So that you can listen while you commute or exercise. It is also a great way to check your writing for grammar and spelling errors.

Text-To-Speech. This tool can read out not only English, but also French, German and Spanish. Select a language and voice, copy and paste some text and click on 'speak' or 'download' according to your choice. The "SPEAK" button starts downloading audio within a few seconds and play it with no further action. Each voice was created from recordings of a native speaker of that language.

There are other websites as well. But I have listed only those which are capable of reading larger chunks of text. Others had word limits imposed on text. Feel free to share any other such service you know in the comments. To stay updated on more useful websites, subscribe to my full feed (RSS) or enter your email address here.

Setting Up Artblog Blue Blogger Template

2009-10-28T13:39:00.002+05:30

If you downloaded the New Modified Artblog Blue Blogger Template, in this post I'll tell you about how to make it work correctly for your blog. But first, upload this template to your blog. Once uploaded, make sure you are on Layout| Edit HTML tab and Expand Widget Templates Checkbox is ticked. Now I'll explain how to set up all the features one by one.

1) Post Title Before Blog Title

If your blog posts often appears in Google or other search results, you may have noticed that your blog title appears before post title in search results. Taking this blog as example, if this post shows up in google search results it will show up like this-

Hitesh Sahni ~ Setting Up Artblog Blue...
If you downloaded the New Modified Artblog Blue Blogger Template, in this post I'll write about how to make it work correctly for your blog. But..

Wouldn't it be better if this entry displays like this -

Setting Up Artblog Blue Blogger Template ~ Hitesh..
If you downloaded the New Modified Artblog Blue Blogger Template, in this post I'll write about how to make it work correctly for your blog. But..

More people will click on the latter result than the former one. This is good for your blog and will increase your traffic from search engines. This feature is already impelemented in this template. So you don't have to do anything other than uploading this template.

2) Post Publishing Date Icon With Post Title

A beautiful date icon displays date of publishing with each post title. For this feature to work correctly, open the settings tab, then formatting and set timestamp format to day, month date, year. For example, Wednesday, October 29, 2009.

3) Top Menu Bar, RSS Feed Icon & Search Box

Find this line of code (press ctrl+f) in your blogger template -

div id='menu'

Below it you'll find the code for menu items containing links to about, contact, and other pages. Replace my blog links with your's. Below that is the code for RSS icon. Don't change anything there since it already takes up your blog feed URL. And even the search box requires no changes from you.

4) Adsense Ads Above & Below The Blog Post Content

Go to your adsense account and make a 336 X 280 ad unit. These are the colors to be filled - Border #C8E7EA, Title #0F343D, Background #E1F6F8, Text #333333, URL #333333. Get the code and parse it using adsense parser.

Now find this line in your template. It appears two times.

INSERT-PARSED-ADSENSE-ADS HERE

Replace these lines with your parsed adsense code. Now ads will start appearing on your blog. One unit will show up between post heading and content. And the other oone below each blog post.

5) Author Bio Box Below Each Post & Email Subscription Form

Find this line in your template - About The Author. Replace my image URL with your image URL and edit the bio with yours. Next to that is the code for Email Subscription form. In that code replace my feedburner id - hiteshsahni with your feedburner id.

6) Social Bookmark Sharing Buttons

The good news is that you don't need to alter anything for this thing to work. It just works fine without any modifications from your side. If you want use a different set of icons instead of these. Just replace the image URLs with your images.

7) Related Posts Widget Below Each Post

To show related posts below each post, visit LinkWithin website. There you will see a form like this -

Fill in the details and press the "Get Widget Button". The widget will automatically be added to your blogger blog.

8) Twitter Widget In The Sidebar

Go to twitter widgets page. Fill your username and number of tweets to display. These are the color codes to be selected for the widget to blend with your template - shell: background #255763, color #afd2da, tweets: background #143b45, color #7cafbc, links #afd2da. Select width to be 300 and height according to your choice. Get the code and add as a page element in your layout.

9) Profile Avatars With Comments

Nothing to do for this feature. It is already implemented within the template.

Congrats. You have set up this beautiful template on your blog. In case you face any problems, feel free to let me know in the comments to this post. To get new blogger templates and other useful tips for free, enter your email address here or subscribe to full feed (RSS).