GMAT for Noobs

The GMAT can be a tricky exam for many but worry not! There is a method to the madness that the GMAT is.

The most important thing to understand about the GMAT is that it is not a test of intelligence. It is a test of mental agility, time management and strategy.

It is also important to keep in mind that you do not have to get every GMAT question right. The exam itself allows room for mistakes. You can even get 15 questions wrong and still score over 700.

The best way to figure out how to maximize your score would be to go to a good GMAT coaching class that prepares you with all the utility to be able to strategize when it comes to the exam time.

Remember, the GMAT is an exam of strategy more than it is an exam of intelligence

The best GMAT study tips

Preparing for the GMAT can cause many people to lose their cool. But worry not because these tips and tricks can help  you breeze through your GMAT preparation whether you are studying on your own or attending GMAT coaching classes.

1.       Organize your time during the day : You need to be putting in a minimum of 2 hours per day towards your GMAT prep if you are working or otherwise occupied and up to 6 hours a day as your exam approaches.

2.       Break down your practice questions into sets : by doing sets of 15 questions at a time, you can make sure that you do not bog yourself down with too much work and at the same time cover a lot of practice questions this way

3.       Time yourself : each of these sets should not take you more than half an hour to solve AND verify your answers.

GMAT explained

The GMAT is the bane of many MBA aspirant’s existence. This is quite a common occurrence all over the world for test takers everywhere. The GMAT unfortunately, is an exam that most of these test takers misunderstand.

Everyone begins their preparation for the GMAT expecting it to be a test of Math and English proficiency, however, it happens to be more than just that. The GMAT is a test of mental agility and time management more than anything else.

So it is important to prepare accordingly for it. GMAT coaching classes can really play a very helpful role in making sure that you get the desired GMAT score. It is important to note that the concepts in math and English that you need to learn account only for 5-10% of what is considered the overall preparation for the GMAT.

So do you r best in learning the concepts but do even better for learning how to manage your time and think quick.

GMAT Scenario during COVID19

 The pandemic has hit many things that we have come to take for granted. You would think that an exam like the GMAT would have been the first to fall in demand. However, clever applicants from the world over spotted an opportunity where there would automatically be less interest from students applying to universities abroad (study abroad programs), due to the pandemic.

This has only been evident because of the intake of students into GMAT coaching centres. In some areas of the world, GMAT coaching classes have all but stopped. But even with the switch to online GMAT classes, there are some major cities in the world where it is very evident that there exist many an opportunist and bless them for it.

These are the ones who have learnt to see things for what they are, and that is an invaluable skill that any efficient leader requires.

GMAT Journeys: 470 to 740 in 1 Month

 As someone with 11 years of work experience in multiple fields of work, I found it quite challenging to perform well on the GMAT. I have a fairly impressive and successful career, as can be validated by the fact that I am a board member in multiple companies. My career has been good enough with sufficient exposure and achievements to impress even the best of the MBA universities. 

But here I was, a man in my mid-30s, unable to do well in an exam that consists of syllabus from 10th grade Math and basic English. And then, out of sheer luck, I came across a little GMAT coaching centre that had been making waves with their students scores. So out of curiosity, I gave them a call and decided to give them a shot. 

At first, I realised that their fee was slightly more expensive, but as desperate as I was, I decided to jump in. And I am so glad that I did. In a matter of one month, these GMAT coaching classes took me from a 470 to a 740. 

They cared about me and they cared about making sure that I understood what the GMAT expected out of me. One of the best experiences in my life. They have really opened my mind to various schools of thought. And if I did not know better, I think they focus on teaching their students how to think rather than just spoon feed them or superficially teach the concepts in such a manner that it is inadequate to answer the kind of questions you would see on the GMAT. 

This was a few months ago, and thanks to them, I am applying to top tier MBA colleges, in stead of some random nameless MBA college. They are worth way more than they fee that they charge. In a way, they have helped me get a better shot at my entire life ahead of me.

Top 3 GRE Coaching Centres – September 2020

India is a hotbed for students wanting to go abroad for their Masters programs. With so many good engineering and arts colleges in the country, there are students from all over the world that come to study in India. With so many people wanting to go abroad, the demand for GRE coaching centres and GMAT coaching centres has increased tremendously. There is a myriad of educational consultancies that do not offer GRE classes or GMAT classes, but they help with the admissions process. 

However, you need to keep in mind that any educational consultancy or admissions counsellor who does not charge you a fee, is making money off of you when you pay your tuition fee to one of the colleges that they suggest for you. This severely compromises the integrity of the counselling that they do. 

But there are only a few centres that care about their students and will do everything in their power to make sure that their students get into top tier universities across the world. The top 3 are listed below: 

Plan A:

This is one of the newest educational consultancies that have cropped up within the last few years. They have produced excellent results from their students across the GMAT and GRE with the lowest scores being 640 on the GMAT and 312 on the GRE. These are the lowest scores from their centre mind you!!! 

They have a team of consultants that help you with everything. They conduct both GRE classes and GMAT classes. And they even help with admissions and career guidance. Even their online coursework is so much better than most of the market. They have simple explanations for complex concepts and they faculty at Plan A use the concepts to teach you how to think, thereby equipping you with more than just training for an exam.

Gradvine:

Gradvine is another such consultancy that really gets invested in the future of their students. They have access to hundreds of students that they have helped get into top tier universities who in turn act as consultants for the admissions process and essays and so on. They have a very friendly and welcoming community of advisors and consultants, who have all been on the same journey as their clients at some point of time or the other. 

Gradvine feels like a bunch of friends helping you out. They however, doe not offer GMAT classes or GRE classes. 

Crackverbal:

Crackverbal is an institute that has presence all over the country and is the oldest of these 3 consultancies. They have the most experience in terms of volumes and can be categorized as a giant compared to the previous two companies. However, due to their volumes, they find it harder to adhere to their standards than Gradvine or Plan A. 

While the two smaller companies have higher success rates (more like >98%), CrackVerbal has bigger numbers when it comes to the number of students who have been successfully trained and admitted.

In conclusion, the smaller or niche brands offer more guidance and a personal touch, whereas CrackVerbal has a lot more resources at its disposal. The choice is up to you. But these 3 consultancies come highly recommended. 

Educational Consultancies that help get you into Ivy League Universities

There are over 100,000 Educational Consultancies across the world that all claim that they can get you into an Ivy League College, but unfortunately for you, there are hardly a 100 all across the world that are even equipped to be able to do that. Some are pure admissions consulting firms whereas some are equipped as GRE coaching centres and/or GMAT coaching centres.

For those that offer you GRE classes or GMAT classes, they stand a better chance of helping you get into a good school as they know what score they need to equip you for. Even this is a big question mark as most of these GRE training centres and/or GMAT training centres do not have stable faculty.

So, it is in your best interests to do your research and figure out which kind of consultancy works best for you.

Does ISB accept GRE? – Indian School of Business

 Yes, the Indian School of Business does accept the GRE score for their MBA application or PGPM application. This is in response to a recent trend in multiple top tier MBA universities where more of them are accepting applicants with a GRE score rather than the GMAT score.

What started this trend you may ask? The answer to that is quite simple. The GRE is an easier exam to crack than the GMAT.

A lot of test takers despite having spent weeks and months studying at GMAT coaching centres do not end up doing well on the GMAT. This leads them to get disheartened and they tend to give up on their dreams of getting into B schools. However, a few universities began accepting GRE scores for the MBA applications and that gave way to this mass adoption of the GRE over the GMAT.

Today, there are far more GRE coaching centres and online GRE classes than there are for GMAT.

GRE – Best Practices for Preparation

 The GRE can be an overly complex exam for a lot of people. But there are a significant number of GRE test takers that have performed exceptionally well on the test. Most of these test takers are ones that are products of some of the best GRE coaching centres in the world. 

It is exceedingly rare that someone who has scored above 330 on the GRE has not had the help of GRE classes. So, your first step if you find yourself overwhelmed by the GRE is to join GRE coaching classes.

However, if you insist on preparing on your own, for whatever reasons, then the following are some of the best practices for GRE preparation. 

• Study regularly for at least 2 hours everyday

• Learn 40 words per day

• Practice 20 questions every day

• Take a minimum of 6 Mock tests

• Always revise 

GRE – Verbal Section – Tips and tricks

The verbal section on the GRE can be a thorn in the side of many a test taker. But it does not have to be. Unlike the GMAT, the GRE has a very set syllabus that has boundaries of what can and cannot be asked. 

This implies that there is a set amount of knowledge that you will need to learn in order to ace the Verbal section on the GRE. 

The GRE Verbal Section consists of basically 3 types of questions:

1. Vocabulary – Text Completion, Sentence Equivalence

2. Critical Reasoning

3. Reading Comprehension

Out of these 3 categories, the only one that requires you to put in effort to learn is the vocabulary section. This consists of approximately 4000 words that you need to know. A native English speaker is bound to know at least 1500-2000 words. 

If you do not know that many words, it is best that you sign up for GRE classes. 

If you do know at least 1500-2000 words then it should take you only about 4-6 weeks to learn the remaining words as most of them are synonyms of words that we already know and use regularly. 

As for the other two sections, they test your logical and reasoning ability. The best approach to this would be to practice as many lateral thinking problems as possible. Even practicing some of the free GMAT resources can help as the difficulty level of similar questions on the GMAT is higher than the GRE counterparts. 

GMAT Validity Period – How long are your scores valid?

 As things stand, in August of 2020, the maximum time frame that your GMAT scores are valid for, is five years. 

However, if you have attempted the GMAT more than once during that period, your latest scores are generally what are taken into consideration. 

Now, if you have taken the GMAT more than three years ago, then it is highly recommended that you start taking up GMAT classes and the related TOEFL classes or IELTS classes. These exams have changed over time, as they always have. The GMAT is a much easier exam now than it ever has been. Not only does the exam contain fewer questions now, it is also shorter by half an hour. In addition to that, the test taker can even choose the order of the sections that he/she wants to attempt.

GMAT for the Noob

 Self-awareness is under appreciated. We seldom come across those who admit the truth to themselves. But if you are here good for you. 

It may surprise you that most of the people who attempt the GMAT for the first time, haven’t studied Math in a long time, probably even since school. But that’s ok. The GMAT is NOT a Math test and neither is it an English test. 

It is a test of your mental agility and your ability to reason rationally. Math and English are mere tools to help test those attributes of the test taker.

Sign up for GMAT coaching classes. And you will know what I am talking about. 

All these online lectures can teach you the concepts, but you need the best of teachers to teach you how to think.

Best Advice for GMAT beginners

 First familiarize yourself with the format of the GMAT. Next, find a good GMAT coaching centre and sign up for either online or offline GMAT classes.

GMAT Sections
AWA	1 task	30 minutes
IR	1 section, 12 Questions	30 minutes
Quantitative Reasoning	1 section, 31 Questions Each	62 minutes
Verbal Reasoning	1 section, 36 Questions Each	65 minutes

 

Ok , lets hope you are not one of those fancy people who think they do not need GMAT classes. Let us face it – however good you are, being trained by a GMAT expert will make you better.

Next, make sure that your math fundamental are strong. Find a formula sheet on a reputable website and learn all the formulae that you need.

Then, begin work on your Verbal Reasoning section. Read!!! Read as much as you can and teach yourself how to think. If you cannot, then GO SIGN UP FOR GMAT CLASSES!!! That’s what they are for.

Is GMAT necessary for MBA in USA after COVID19 pandemic?

First of all, I do not know why people are even asking this question. I understand not wanting to write the exam if that was the weak point in your application, but it is wishful thinking that the future of the GMAT for management courses in top universities in the world, will ever be at stake.

Sure, it may evolve as it has over time, but the GMAT is here to stay. So, start taking those GMAT classes you have been thinking about.

With President Trump making thoughtless comments and posts on what he intends to do with foreign nationals coming into US borders, it can be confusing and a little frightening when it comes to planning for your future.

But rest assured, the GMAT is not going anywhere and GMAT classes are the solution for you if you keep hoping for an answer.  

Will Indian Business Schools accept the GMAT for MBA admissions?

 If only I had a rupee for every time this question is asked at every MBA related education event that I have been to, I could have retired 3 years ago in a nice cottage in Scotland. However, since the world does not work that way, here I am, writing my nth blog about this. 

Yes. Over the last 8-9 years, the number of Indian Business Schools that accept the GMAT for MBA admissions, has consistently been on the rise. This trend gained momentum with ISB shining as a bright beacon of hope for those who have realized that the other management entrance exams conducted by Indian business schools, are all but a sham of a sieve in separating the cream of the crop. 

And those of you who think you can do well on the GMAT without any help, go ahead and take GMAT classes anyways. You will get better scores.

The minimum number of exams to immigrate to Australia

 Are you planning to go to study abroad in Australia or perhaps apply for PR in Australia? If so, then you should know that there is a minimum of two competitive exams that are taken into consideration towards your overall profile. The GMAT/GRE and the TOEFL/IELTS/PTE. 

Now there is a lot of debate on which of the English language proficiency tests to take. But to be honest, they are all remarkably similar exams. Depending on whether you want to go for MS or MBA, you should sign up for GMAT coaching classes or GRE coaching classes. 

As for joining TOEFL classes or IELTS classes or PTE classes, it is completely up to you. Although, the general assumption is that for Australia and New Zealand, it is recommended to take the TOEFL or PTE.

Defining Your Career Path

 

 

Every one of us have big dreams for our lives and our careers. While some of us want to be rich, others want to be famous and some want to be both. However, most of us just end up daydreaming about our success and barely begin our journey to fulfil those dreams that drive us.

 

“If you are achieving all your goals, you are setting yourself goals that are too easy”

 

A career is something that most of us barely think about until after we graduate and by then its too late and we do not know what to do or where to go. And we end up choosing a job just to pay the bills. And thus, begins the rat race.

And we get so mired into our circumstances that we seldom see the bigger picture – we are lying to ourselves and settling for a life that we never dreamt of.

Which one of us wanted to just sit behind desk doing something that we did not even care about? Or how about those of us who run around and work insane hours just to make our ends meets?

And that there is the underlying problem. There are enough people and enough careers to satisfy all of us. And yet so many of us find ourselves in the wrong jobs or in the wrong place and by the time we get fed up, it becomes too late.

 

But it is entirely possible to pick up from where you are! It is NEVER TOO LATE!!!!!

 

While it would have been amazing for us to have figured out our career and education path while we were still in school, the system lulls us into a sense of callousness that prevents us from seeing our trajectory clearly. And that’s where career guidance and/or career counselling comes in.

 

And whether you are an 18 year old or 40  year old, even if you have kids or if you feel surrounded by people who do not understand what you want to do with your life, a good career guide can make your life so much easier and no price can be put on something as helpful as a guide and mentor when you need one the most.Enroll GMAT classes chennai in PLAN A

 

MBA post COVID19

For those of you that started preparing for the GMAT or signed up for GMAT classes before March of 2020, my heart goes out to you. It is unfortunate timing, however this little speed breaker that the world has hit right now is only temporary and is inevitably going to bounce back up, even if it takes 2 or 3 years. 

And how interesting that most MBA programs take 2 years to complete, thereby putting you guys in the perfect place to scoop up all the opportunities that will arise by the time that you graduate. 

It is a very curious effect of such global events that those who have already enrolled are the worst hit and those who are going to enrol will be at the most advantageous positions. So fear not, as the future is brighter than most people will make it out to be.

The future of GMAT for Indian MBA aspirants

With the announcement of the new Indian education policy, a lot of people have expressed their concerns about the way forward for those looking to go abroad for their MBA. The pandemic of COVID19 has been consistently getting worse in some of the major destination countries for Indian students, making matters worse. 

Added to an already bad situation, the job market is in the worst place that it has been in the recent past. This has put a lot of undue pressure on a lot of people looking to go abroad for their education especially those that want to go for their MBA or other management related programs. 

However, it is an opportunity in disguise as it gives MBA aspirants a chance to spruce up their profile and add a lot more to their skill set and resume, thereby increasing their chances of getting into a top university. Not only that, but these students will even have ample time to study and prepare well for the GMAT and explore signing up for GMAT classes.

GRE for MBA?

Yes. You can take the GRE to apply to SOME business schools but NOT ALL. To know which universities accept the GRE for the B school applications, you better get in touch with a good GRE coaching center.

The reason behind this change is because the GMAT proved to be too difficult for a lot of business school aspirants to do perform well in. Which also happens to be one of the reasons why the GMAC changed the format of the new GMAT by making it shorter and allowing test takers to choose which section they wish to attempt.

Now, a lot of MBA universities currently do accept the GRE as a valid competitive exam as part of your B school application, however there is an unacknowledged regard for those who take the GMAT and do well in it.

The GMAT has historically been a harder exam than the GRE but that difference has been bridged to a great extent with the new changes brought about to the GMAT.