100 points more GMAT strategy workshop -1

I have attached the Jpeg files of presentation. Do check out the strategies...


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Essential to do on GMAT test date

The D day

So you are ready for the GMAT, the first time!

1.Reach the test centre at least 45 min before the commencement of the test.

if you happen to be late more than 15 min to the test centre, bad luck, you lose out on the test and alas the money too, then rescheduling, the wait the delays…


2. carry a valid ID original identification document

With a photograph, your signature and proof of date of birth


3. no gadgets, test aids allowed inside the test hall


4. writing instruments to aid test taking will be provided to you


5. you are given a comfortable test station to take the test.

Take the test, valiantly

Keep watch of your time, because each section is separately timed…the system will show what time is left for the section.

Try and complete the section- even if guessing wildly, don’t you think that answering offers more probability of getting a correct answer than, un attempted questions?


Done the test?

You can get a score report comprising

Verbal, Math and total score plus the recipients as designated by us.

Not happy with the score? Feel you can score better?


Retake?

This can be the next, if money test is not too much of a problem…but then, you need a minimum 30 days, with ample every time at your disposal. for a revision and some great notes….then better luck next time…

If you are not in this position best, prepare well the first time itself…good luck.
 contact us and we can together find out what went wrong.... enquiry@semanticslearning.com

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GMAT flash card set 1

Presented below GMAT flash card series. Today we start with GMAT flash card set 1.

Gmat flash card set 1

View more presentations from urmentorsemantics.

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New feature in letsgmat

people have been asking me why the OG has 550 to 650 range of sums? I told them its makes business sense for OG to issue easy sums. So I have compiled list of higher order problems(750 to 800 range). I will weekly update them.

The problem+logic+solution is presented with each sum.
go ahead and lap it up

The logic has the thinking process behind the problem solving process..


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100 points more in GMAT score improvement strategy workshop

You are invited to attend

‘100 points more’ score improvement strategy workshop for GMATers

Date: October 24th 2010 (Sunday)

Time: 10:00 am

Venue: Chennai, India


Registration form here


Who should attend?

If you have taken the GMAT/ mock GMAT CBT, And if you feel that the score you have got is not a true indication of your potential, then its high time you meet us. For those of you who want to find

•  where you went awry in your preparation so far
•  what remedial actions you have to take and for how long
•  what additional inputs you need to break the illusive 720 barrier.

attend the ‘100 points more ’ score improvement strategy workshop.


Why should you attend?

Our academic team has developed strategies to

• Master the 25 often tested errors in GMAT sentence correction. (Our list of errors identification strategies is exhaustive)
• Ace the critical reasoning section (algorithms to answer any question in critical reasoning section)( we teach you formal logic before GMAT CR)
• Crack the Reading comprehension section with ease(passage mapping eases the pressure)
• Write power essays to get you grade 6/6
• Solve the toughest of GMAT problems with the thinking skill based 3 layer math program(Concept review /Thinking skill intervention/Higher order problem solving)

You can read excerpts of our ‘learning innovations’ at http://www.gmatsuperia.com/


What you will takeaway from the event?


Your understanding about GMAT will be immense. You will learn the intricacies of adaptive testing. You will learn the common pitfalls students make while preparing for GMAT. Further

• You will get an individualized study plan on how to improve your score by 100 points.
• A customized solution which will address your particular problem.

Confirm your attendance by emailing to urmentor@semanticslearning.com or texting your name to 9884123808.


Forward this invitation to your GMATer friends/colleagues.

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Move over IT, consulting, investment banking

Move over IT, consulting, investment bankingSunshine sectors make a beeline to ISB to fill top jobs. Pharma, healthcare, infra, realty, energy, media – all on a boom, can afford ISBians. This will result in fewer MBAs choosing start ups like they did last year. An ISB release claims.

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Road to Harvard: Harvard 2+2 program for college students.

Harvard has launched a program for students who will complete their under graduate course in 2012.
So if you have it in you, here is some information to feed on.

What is the Harvard 2+2 program?
Harvard gives a confirmed seat in their MBA Program while you are still in the Pre-final year of your undergraduate degree. After you finish your degree, you will have to work for 2 years. The faculty at Harvard will assist you and introduce you to a wide network of recruiting partners. After two years you will undergo a two year full time MBA program from Harvard.

Who is eligible?
You should have at-least one remaining semester after June 2011 to apply for the program.

When should you apply?
Applications should be submitted by October 1st 2011(round 1), January 2012(round 2), and March 2012 (round 3). However it is better to submit the application by Oct 1st 2011 as HBS processes the applications on a roll on basis.

How many seats are available and what is the student profile?
Last year Harvard took 115 students. This year the intake can be more. The 2+2 Program is primarily targeted towards students who are not already on a business track. Apart from commerce and BBA students; engineering, liberal arts or sciences students also have a good chance of securing a seat.

What is the admission criteria?
You need to have:
• A strong academic background
• A variety of skills and accomplishments
• A GMAT score of 740+
• Should have demonstrated leadership skills


What do you mean by leadership skills?
Harvard recognizes leadership that may be expressed in various forms; from college extracurricular activities to academic or business achievements, from personal accomplishments to community commitments.
Harvard also appreciates display of leadership skills in organizing a classroom training program to directing a combat squad, from running an independent business to spearheading initiatives at work.

Do you get scholarship or any other financial aid?
Yes, approximately 75% of Harvard Business School students receive some form of financial assistance. Visit the Harvard 2+2 website to get more details on loan options and the fees.

How can SEMANTICS help you?
If you are a student based in Chennai or close to Chennai, then you can get mentored and trained by us. We will partner with you in:
1. Profile building 2.GMAT preparation 3. SOP evaluation.

We will analyze you with an HR test, align your interests with accomplishments, counsel you on various internship options which will fortify your profile, mentor you while you are interning with a company, prepare you for GMAT and ensure that you get 740+ and finally help you with your SOP’s.
You need to be associated with us for a year to achieve this.
So get in touch with – enquiry@semanticslearning.com or call 9884123808 (George IIM alumnus- HBS mentor)
Grab your seat, Grab your future.


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The MBA oath – is anyone listening?

As a manger my purpose is to serve the grater good by bringing people and resources together to create value that no single individual can create alone. Therefore I will seek a course that enhances the value my enterprise can create for society over the long term. I recognize my decisions can have far-reaching consequences that affect the well being of individuals inside an outside my enterprise, today and in the future. As I reconcile the interests of different constituencies I will face choices that are not easy for me and others.
Therefore I promise:

• I will act with utmost integrity an pursue my work in an ethical manner.
• I will safeguard the interest of my stakeholders, co workers, customers and the society in which we operate.
• I will perform my duties in good faith, guarding against decisions and behaviours that advance my own narrow ambitions but harm the enterprise and the society it serves.
• I will understand and uphold, both in letter and in spirit the laws and contracts governing my own conduct and that of my enterprise.
• I will take responsibility for my actions and will represent the performance and risks of my enterprise accurately and honestly
• I will develop both myself and my coworkers so that the organization grows.
• I will be accountable to my peers and they will be accountable to me for living by this both.

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It’s your luck now. IIM Lucknow offers IPMX.

Take the GMAT

Here’s an all new option for working executives with a minimum of 6 yrs, the International program in management for executives.

The objective of the program is to develop business leadership and managerial skills in executives with extensive experience in the industry. The program invites candidates who have been civil servants defense personnel, corporate workers, entrepreneurs, consultants, or other professionals.

An international module - at Europe or East Asia – provides students with a cross cultural perspective and an exposure to global business practices.

The program begins April 2011.

Short listing of candidates is based on GMAT score, nature of work experience and undergrad performance.

For more visit www.iiml.ac.in

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11% jump in Salaries, offsets 5% jump in fee @ ISB

Global MBA giant ISB Hyderabad achieves yet another feat - 33% increase in the number of jobs offered. (Are firms looking at for high profile MBAs to make the green shoots to grow faster?) The intake also increases to 580 -570, 460 the last and previous year respectively- 19 lakh fee for a 1 year course (of course you can get return on investment in less than a year) It makes sense for global MBA seeking execs to head right to Hyderabad as well as Mohali (very soon a ISB campus there) with India opening up for foreign universities, with top notch professors returning to India, one can look beyond IIMs to walk slowly and steadily into the rooms with a view! phew!



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GMAT prep notes for sentence correction

the more the merrier

1. Relative clauses: clauses beginning with who, whose, whom, that, which, whosoever, whomever, whichever, nevertheless – check their use in the question.
Antecedents (the nouns substituted by the pronouns) which, who, he, they, it etc should be clearly matched with their pronouns.
Scientists have observed large quantities of fossil fuel in the Cauvery basin, which are consistent with the growth of mining activities in the area. (which is ambiguously placed)
Scientists have observed large quantities of fossil fuel in the Cauvery basin, an observation consistent with the growth of mining activities in the area.

Wordy: Everybody likes apple pie, which for years has been a favorite American dessert.

Concise: Everybody likes apple pie, for years a favorite American dessert.
In most instances, a relative pronoun is unwanted.

Verb Tense
Incorrect: In the last ten years, dropout rate among minority primary school students fell drastically, while the number of minority students more than doubled.
Correct: In the last ten years, dropout rate among minority primary school students has fallen drastically, while the number of minority students has more than doubled.

Logical Equivalents
1. The study noted that, up to the present, interferon has been more impressive in preventing viral infections as to treat it.
2. The study noted that, up to the present, interferon has been more impressive in preventing viral infections than in treating them.


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Dummys can tumble out of your GMAT test

GMAC will no doubt use the safety belts. Will not blame any mishap on ‘pilot’ error. Trial runs are round the corner before the debut. The 21011 GMAT test takers may have to don the duplicate’s garb. Iam referring to the new ‘ integrated reasoning’ section of the GMAT.

As a dummy or experimental section can we expect the new section in the GMAT in a few months time? We will have to wait and watch how the ‘pilot’ testing is done by GMAC. It is unlikely that the pilot testing is introduced immediately since the audio system that is part of the new test has to be implemented in all test centres, along with the infra facility. Already the GMAT is a long test. A dummy ‘integrated reasoning’ section would stretch the GMAT to a full four hours. To encourage test takers attempt the dummy section, GMAC may introduce a rewards.
Well enough of this speculation., let’s come back to our good old GMAT and prepare the current crop for the existing pattern which itself is no mean task.

Will the CAT makers make a beeline for the GMAT
The IIM CAT has gone through its ups and downs. Well Iam not referring to the 200 qn that the CAT began the decade with and ending with a 60 question test, jumping to the CBT format in short notice and the infallibility mask falling off.

The IIMs scare us with the ‘elimination’ threat. Not to forget the biggest threat of ‘unpredictable’ element – number of questions, question types, and the works to bring in the difficulty element. If no unpredictability elimination will take another route; school marks, academic consistency, extra curricular….
Now the GMAT is so predictable. But then with all the predisclosed knowledge, not many can score above 700. That is simply brilliant isn’t it?

If the CAT makers towed the lines of the GMAT, and made the CAT more reflective of the B school rigour, would the class composition differ?

Well, We will have to wait and watch for the next shocker from Indian B schools. Oh by the way, CAT is going the GMAT way, screamed the masthead of some newspapers last November. What happened? Well I have no clue, do you have?


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Does the new GMAT reflect B.School curriculum?

The totality of experiences that a student of business study is exposed to, can neither be completely reflected in nor be tested through a management admission test. However, GMAC has to be lauded for its earnest efforts to try in that direction. The result is the new ‘integrated reasoning’ section expected to appear in the new GMAT version to be launched in mid 2012.

Not to deny the fact that the previous attempt at modifying the GMAT was hugely successful. It brought to the admission director’s desk, a new set of skills of the aspirants through the analytical writing. Besides the test makers introduced the brilliant concept of adaptive testing, almost flawlessly administered worldwide( at least I haven’t heard of any leak or scam).

If a Bschool prepares the candidate for the increasingly complex world of business, and if the curriculum fairly successfully presents those complexities through academic work- assignments, projects, case analyses, the admission test is bound to follow as ‘microcosm’ of the entire world of business. This means that critical thinking and decision making at their various levels of complexities and relevance should be reflected in the test. The GMAT, by doing so, doesn’t degenerate into a test of ‘elimination’ of thousand of applicants, instead comes up trumps in adding appropriate features that reflect the changing world of business.
{Some trivia: Most Sunday mornings of the last decade of my life was spent in a GMAT class. Interesting isn’t it? The last Sunday too was no different. I was in a critical reasoning class imparting ‘logic lessons’ to GMAT aspirants. In my introductory lesson in CR I take the students though ‘critical thinking’- attributes of a critical thinker, what skills o CR test, how formal logic help build strategies for CR questions and so on. It was during the coffee break of this session that the ‘breaking news’ came that integrated ‘reasoning’ is going to be introduce in to the GMAT. }

As a trainer I always advised my students to see GMAT not only as a test to gain entry into reputed colleges but also as a means to build the type of critical thinking skills that are a prerequisite to assimilate and appreciate the B school curriculum. The GMAT, I thought, was designed for just that. Instead of doing a lot of tests and trying one’s ‘luck’ in many attempts, how rewarding it would for a B school aspirant to do thorough study of all that add value- quantitative problem solving, reading a lot of abstract texts, brainstorming on those contemporary essay prompts, building language competence and many such skill.

Feedback to this is welcome
Mail me vijaya@semanticslearning.com


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GMAT change…and for the better

The news about the replacement of one of the essays on the GMAT with an ‘integrated reasoning section’ is splashed all over the place.

The current scenario
The GMAT has been a reasonably good indicator of one’s aptitude given that it tests quantitative, reasoning and verbal areas involving a good range of component skills- reasoning in a quantitative setting, ability to interpret and conclude from verbal data, identify, analyse and evaluate arguments to list a few. The writing section also tests, to some extent, analytical and evaluation skills. The argument essay prompts test one’s ability to analyse and evaluate arguments similar to critical reasoning questions of the verbal section.

Now one step ahead
No doubt the new change is in the forward direction. The integrated reasoning section appears to incorporate more complexities that would better reflect the modern day Bschool rigour. If reports were to be believed, the new test design would integrate data in numbers, symbols and words. This involves skills similar to those necessary to critically analyse, assemble and evaluate data collected from various sources and of various forms( audio, tabular and textual) into meaningful new inferences and conclusions that form the case studies and project assignments that constitute B school work.

Don’t these also reflect as well as test an aspirant’s ability to assimilate complex data drawn from various sources, processed and used in the world of business decision making?

Which essay topic can be dropped?
If I can be allowed to speculate, I would say the argument essay may be dropped.
I present two cases for this guess
A. Critical reasoning of the verbal section tests the same skills as those in argument essay.( in fact one can see a lot of overlaps between the two, except the skill of verbalizing one’s reasoning.
B. The proposed ‘integrated reasoning’ section can test more complex reasoning skills that the current argument essay task tests.

Visit www.semanticslearning.com to read two more analyses on the GMAT integrated reasoning.
• Does the GMAT reflect B.school curriculum
• Dummys can tumble out of your GMAT test


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GMAT: a note for the beginners

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a standardized，three-part exam designed to help admissions officers evaluate how suitable individual applicants are for their graduate business and management programs．It measures verbal，mathematical，and writing skills the outcome of 16 years of education and experience.
Since graduates from all subjects of undergraduate study and from all work backgrounds are eligible for business education at graduate level, the GMAT exam will assess your general aptitude in language, reasoning and numerical skills giving admissions officers a statistically reliable measure of how well you are likely to perform academically in the core curriculum of a graduate business program．This is not to deny that there are many other qualifications that can help people succeed in business education and careers- such as work experience，leadership ability, motivation，and interpersonal skills．Since the GMAT does not gauge these qualities, other criteria are also considered for admission- performance in undergad study, essays，and letters of recommendation.
Why GMAT?
GMAT scores are one criterion for admission to close to 2000 graduate business and management studies across the US, Canada, Europe, Dubai, Singapore, India, Australia, Newzealand. Because the GMAT test gauges skills that are important to successful study of business and management at the graduate level，your scores will give you a good indication of how well prepared you are to succeed academically in a graduate management program；how well you do on the test may also help you choose the business schools to which you apply．Furthermore, the percentile table you receive with your scores will tell you how your performance on the test compares to the performance of other test takers, giving you one way to gauge your competition for admission to business schoo1． Use the college websites, journals and other publication to gather intake criteria relevant to the school you apply to．
GMAT structure
The GMAT exam consists of four separately timed sections．You start the test with two 30-minute Analytical Writing Assessment(AWA)questions that require you to type your responses using the computer keyboard．The writing section is followed by two 75-minute，multiple-choice sections：the Quantitative and Verbal sections of the test．
The GMAT CAT, in the multiple-choice format, constantly gauges how well you are doing on the test and presents you with questions that are appropriate to your ability level．These questions are drawn from a huge pool of possible test questions．So each test taker is presented with different test editions.( the skills tested remain the same, the total number of questions in each section remains the same, the time allotted remain the same, the are of questions remain the same.) As you respond to the questions presented, the computer will narrow your score to the number that best characterizes your ability. When you compute each section，the computer will have an accurate assessment of your ability．
Because each question is presented on the basis of your answers to all previous questions，you must answer each question as it appears． Random guessing can significantly lower your scores．If you do not know the answer to a question，you should try to eliminate as many choices as possible，then select the answer you think is best. If you answer a question incorrectly by mistake-or correctly by lucky guess-your answers to subsequent questions will lead you back to questions that are at the appropriate level of difficulty for you.
Some interesting facts
• Only one question is presented at a time.
- The answer choices for the multiple-choice questions are not lettered or numbered but circled．
• Different question types appear in random order in the multiple-choice sections.
• You must click on the confirm button for the next questions to be presented.
• • You cannot go back and change answers; you cant skip a question
GMAT test content
The test provides one method of measuring overall ability．
The GMAT Quantitative section measures your ability to reason quantitatively, solve quantitative problems，and interpret graphic data．
Two types of multiple-Choice questions are Quantitative section：
• Problem solving
• Data sufficiency
Problem solving and data sufficiency questions are intermingled throughout the Quantitative section. Both types of questions require basic knowledge of：
• Arithmetic
• Elementary algebra
• concepts of geometry

The Verbal Section
The GMAT verbal section measures your ability to read and comprehend written material，to reason and evaluate arguments，and to correct written material to conform to standard written English. Because the verbal section includes reading sections from several different content areas, you may be generally familiar with some of the material; however, neither the reading passages nor the questions assume detailed knowledge of the topics discussed.

Three types of multiple-choice questions are used in the verbal section：
• Reading comprehension
• Critical reasoning
• Sentence correction
These question types are intermingled throughout the Verbal section.
How is the scoring done?
Your GMAT scores are determined by：
• the number of questions you answered
• whether you answered correctly or incorrectly
• the level of difficulty and statistical weightage of each question answered.
Analytical Writing Assessment Scores
The Analytical Writing Assessment consists of two writing tasks：Analysis of an Issue and
Analysis of an Argument．The responses to each of these tasks are scored on a 6-pomt scale, with
6 being the highest score and 1, the lowest．
Prepare, extraprepare
Be thorough with
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry concepts
Rules of sentence construction
Basics of formal logic
Read extensively, to build comprehension skills and language competence. Study a lot of sentences and observe structure, word order, idiom use, clarity, effectiveness and word use.
Take tests – paper based/ computer based
In the initial stages of preparation, you may work with paper based material – for concept building, and for solving multiple choice questions.
It is advisable to read a lot of passages on the computer screen.
Taking model tests
Practice on full exams- ie, AWA, math, Verbal all included, at least 5 tests
See how you manage your time; use your time wisely．Being too slow or overly fast in the beginning can affect your overall performance.

Accuracy is more important than speed
Once you start the test, an onscreen clock will continuously count the time you have 1eft．
Answer practice questions ahead of time．
Read all test directions carefully: and read each question closely. A few errors occur because of your ignoring the requirement of the question.
The directions explain exactly what is required to answer each question type.
Do not spend too much time on any one question.
If you do not know the correct answer, or if the Question is too time-consuming, try to eliminate choices you know are wrong, select the best of the remaining answer choices, and move on to the next question. Try not to worry about the impact on your score –guessing may lower your score, but not finishing the section will lower your score more.
Make preliminary notes before you begin to write your essay
Take care to organize your ideas and develop them fully; your response should be relevant, clear, logically organized, formal, complete.
For crisp strategies,log on to www.semanticslearning.com; follow us at letsgmat.blogspot.com
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