AdmitMBA360 Blog formerly Journey to my MBA

Journey to my MBA

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

New Job, GMAT and Stuff

I have some good news. I got a new job. I'll be heading technical continuing education at one of the major local Universities in the area. It's a rather entrepreneurial position requiring sales, marketing, staff hiring and education strategic planning.

I think the program works well as a platform for my career goals to learn broader business functions. I like helping others and the thought of working in an academic leadership capacity is very exciting.

GMAT
On the GMAT front, I've come to some conclusions about the quality of GMAT education from Veritas, Manhattan GMAT and other GMAT prep programs.

Through the Veritas class, I've created some new friends and have been motivated to stay focused on my GMAT studies.

Here is what I think about Manhattan GMAT and Veritas.

Verbal Prep
Manhattan GMAT - reasonably well done. The primary focus of the program is to build some basic grammar, logic and process to do well.

Veritas - The best verbal prep overall. The foundations for Sentence Correction are excellent. The overall guidelines for handling Critical Reasoning is well done. A strategic approach to CR and understanding logic arguments appear to be a good foundation. Reading Comprehension is quite average. In fact, a Kaplan or Princeton Review book has about the same quality of pointers in this area. Manhattan is better with RC than Veritas by 40%.

Quant Prep
Manhattan GMAT - When it comes to handling every classification of problem on the GMAT, the study books are hands down, the best I've ever found. If you're good with math, you may not need much math help to begin with.

Veritas - Provides a good overall review of Quant. However, Veritas focuses on theories, tips and guidelines in handling certain kinds of problems. Veritas spends only an average amount of time presenting procedural step by step ways to handle certain problem types. Whereas Manhattan greatly excels in the step by step (without being too elementary) very well.

Overall
I'd have to say that Manhattan GMAT approaches GMAT prep like a good teacher who is trying to help students take theory and put it into practice. In one word, Manhattan GMAT is "practical". Veritas has some of this practical teaching as well, but the material is more textbook-ish. In one word, Veritas is about "guidelines".

Both programs provide all the basics one needs to do well on the GMAT. Kaplan and Princeton Review books don't provide even a majority of the basics. Here's my overall rating:



Advice
I've been receiving a lot of e-mail questions about what GMAT prep to take. People! Don't look for the easy way out. Stop treating GMAT prep like Microwave cooking. Any program spread out over a couple of months will always be better than a boot camp weekend GMAT format. Unless you're bright and are smart as heck.... I would never touch a weekend course, nor would I recommend them to anyone.

The GMAT is not just a test of smarts, but of logic, stamina and preparedness. Take the easy way out of GMAT prep and you'll probably do poorly. For you geniuses out there... you're lucky.
Here are some scenarios that I'd suggest if you're really needing specific guidelines on GMAT prep. (In order of what I consider your best bet). In each case however, I'd highly recommend that one purchase the Manhattan GMAT set of study books.

Manhattan GMAT class
>Veritas class
>Manhattan GMAT online class
>GMAX Online
>mlicets GMAT Prep
>Princeton Review Class
>Kaplan Class
>Manhattan GMAT Weekend course (not recommended)
>Veritas GMAT Weekend course (not recommended)

Final clarification. The review that I've written is primarily written as a critique of the prep study material for all companies that I've written about. This is not a review or critique about the quality or quantity of the questions in each program or book. The official Guide is and WILL always be your best bet for GMAT practice problems. The Kaplan books have problems that are difficult (many would say harder than the actual GMAT) but definitely worth purchasing to go through. The princeton review books are good for practice problems as well. Although, most would say that the problems are a bit easier than the actual GMAT. I agree with both generalities made about the two. Regardless, Kaplan, Princeton and the Official Guide (a.k.a. OG) are your best sources of practice problems. Even though the study material is not stellar, they are worth their weight in the content of the problems they have.
=================================
MIT-Sloan: Business Week interviewed Rod Garcia of Sloan recently. Rod, is the Admissions Director. He was head of admissions at Univ of Chicago GSB about 7 years ago before moving to Sloan.

Some interesting points were
1) Quality applicants are able to demonstrate patterns of achievement.
2) Applicants that stand out have two sets of core competencies. One is seen through past performance/demonstrated success (work, grades, and GMAT scores) The other attributes are are things like leadership, the ability to influence people and decisions, hunger, motivation, setting goals and achieving them, as well as innovation and creativity.
3) The sources used to judge core competencies is demonstrated through hard data, as well as recommendation letters coming from work. Rod has often obtained requests from people who want to submit a third recommendation letter. While helpful, those recommendations don't demonstrate the data MIT looks for.
4) Sloan asks for specific data and examples -- like the impact the candidate has had on a person, group, or organization -- from the applicant's direct supervisor. Sloan also asks for the characteristics they would like to change about the person. The more specific examples the recommender can provide, the more legitimacy Sloan gives to the letter.
5) Sloan also looks at soft skills. One of the essay questions asks applicants to tell Sloan about a time when applicants had a difficult interaction with a co-worker. The underlying principle here is that past behaviors are good indicators of the future. These personal attributes are the things people rarely change through education. Source

======================
CMU says hacker broke into computers
More than 5,000 alerted to possible identity thefts.

Great.. another school.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home

Journey to my MBA Locations of visitors to this page
Stay up to date with this Blog
Monitor changes to links on the sidebars of this Web Site
Dave's E-Mail

Subscribe with Bloglines Subscribe with My Yahoo! Subscribe with Google Subscribe in NewsGator Online Subscribe in Rojo Subscribe with Pluck RSS reader Subscribe with Bloglines Add to AOL
Get Updates of this Blog via Email:

Powered by Squeet.com
Some Noteworthy Blog Postings
Cornell-Johnson Visit Experience-Dave
MIT-Sloan Visit Experience-Dave
Wharton Visit Experience-Dave
Darden Visit Experience-'04-Dave
Darden Visit/Interview Experience-'06-Dave
Darden Pictures-'06
HBS Visit Experience-'04-Dave
HAAS Visit/Info Session-'04-Dave
Columbia Visit/Info Session-'04-Axechick
Tuck Visit/Info Session-'05-Laser
Tuck Visit/Interview '06-Dave
Tuck Pictures1-'06
Tuck Pictures2-'06
--------------------------------------------------------------
Michigan Info Sess. Experience-Dave
Columba Info Sess. Experience-Dave
Tuck Info Sess. Experience-Dave
World MBA Tour Experience-Dave
Travel Guides-Dave
Columbia Open House I-Droodoggie
Columbia Open House II-Droodoggie
--------------------------------------------------------------
Application Essay Advice-Dave
Application Essay Advice II-Dave
MBA App advice-Consulting/Management-Dave
Good Essay question Prep-Uniqpath
The MBA Journey Begins-Dave
The MBA App Process-MarketWiz
Picking Target Schools-Sghama
Pre-App Tips-Bloghorn8
How to interact w/ B-School Staff-Dave
Managing Your Recommenders-ClearAdmit
Schools I Picked & Why-Anand
Import App Elements-Redwolf056
A Successful Essay(Chicago GSB)-PowerYogi
Why Chicago GSB-Paul Jan
Stanford GSB Dean on Essays
------------------ Application Process ------------------
Advice on Admissions Consultants-Dave
Why get an MBA now?-Dave
Why do I need an MBA?-Dave
Story of Tenacity-Dave
MBA App Advice-Dave
Maximize your MBA Info Sess. Exp.-Dave
Low GPA Stories-Dave
Introspect on being resolute-Dave
Why Attitude Matters-Dave
Wharton's Interview Policy-RedWolf
Dealing with a Low GPA
Tuck's App Review Process
UCLA's App Review Process
Wharton's App Review Process
Every Essay Tells a Story
Your Story is so Interesting
What is a great essay?
Am I too young to apply?
When is the best time to apply?
Applying and not sure where to start?
Is school XXX any good?
The B-School Admit Hate List
Hey Applicant, Lay off the Buggin
Should I interview on or off campus?(See comment)
MBA Tour/Info Session Tip
The Interview
------------------ GMAT ----------------------------------
Low GMAT Success Stories
GMAT Score Needed in Europe
GMAT Score Needed
GMAT Score Needed by Age
GMAT Score Needed by Country
GMAT Score Needed by Race
GMAT Score Needed by Major
Budgeting time for the GMAT
Breaking the 700 Barrier
--------------------------------------------------------------
The B-School Route to Career Change
Pre-MBA Resources
MBA Math Build math and spreadsheet skills
Article
MBA Resources show all
--------- Video Interview's of B-School Deans -------
Video Interviews of B-School Deans
------------ B-School Visit Experiences ----------------
Admin Director Interviews
Visit Reviews
------------ MBA Forums ----------------------------------
Business Week Forum
Wharton Student Forum
PagalGuy.com(India)
Chicago GSB Forum
Yale Forum


----------- B-School Articles and News-----------------
How B-Schools get their name
BusinessWeek(B-School Headlines)
The Economist(News from Schools)
The Financial Times(Business Education)
Wall Street Journal(MBA Center)
----------- Gen MBA Info ---------------------------------
MBAMap.com
MBABuzz MBA Blogs, Forum, App Stat Plotter
MBA Info
GMAC
MBAZone.com
MBA Studylink
MBA Jungle
MBA Game Plan
MBA Official Guide
MBA Depot
Top 10 MBA
Ivy League Admissions.com
MBA Podcaster
MBA Jargon
MBA School Directory
Admission411
MBA 4 Success
Military MBA


------------ MBA Program Summary for Applicants---
Accepted.com
BusinessWeek.com
ClearAdmit School Guides
MBAMap.com
TopMBA.com
TheMBATour.com
WSJ School Snapshots
WSJ Who's Recruiting Where?
MBAPrepAdvantage School Profiles
------------ MBA Foreign Related -----------------------
Canadian MBA
Infozee "Foreign MBA"
------------ MBA Conf/Foundations --------------------
Top MBA
The MBA Tour
The MBA Diversity Alliance
Forte Foundation
Catalyst Women
Knowledge@Wharton Podcast
Association of MBAs
------------ Resume Help ---------------------------------
Wetfleet.com
Resumeedge.com
Resumedeli
Darden Resume's
MBA Game Plan Resume Help


------------ Essay Help ------------------------------------
American Dream Project.org - (Dave's Pick)
Essayedge.com (Samples) (Getting Started)
MBA Essay Strategy(download)
MBA Game Plan Essay Help
Some Classic Advice from Wharton Boards
Clear Edit Automated writing editor
MBA Studio


------------- Interview Insight --------------------------
B-School Interview Braindump-Accepted
B-School Interview Braindump-Clearadmit
------------- Ethnocentric Assoc. ----------------------
P.R.I.N.A.
yKAN
LEAD Program for minorities
------------- Post-MBA ------------------------------------
MBA Concepts
------------- MBA Articles---------------------------------
If you want your application to B-School to stand out;first do your homework properly, and then apply early
Admissions Tip:HBS Essay #2
Writing good essays from an ADCOM perspective
Top 5 MBA programs Article
The Full-Time Advantage
Overcoming Procrastination
Why B-School is good for our Economy

MBA Ranks show all
Ranks by Industry Sector Show
--------------------------------------------------------------
Forbes ranking measures the graduates' return on investment
Economist ranking reports how students and alumni rated their MBA experience
BusinessWeek surveys students and corporate recruiters and measures intellectual capital
Wall Street Journal is a corporate recruiter based poll (21 criteria)
U.S. News & World Report evals student selectivity and placement data and gathers the perceptions of deans and program directors to develop the ranking
Financial Times poll measures career progression of alumni, program diversity and a school's track record in producing new ideas in management
--------------------------------------------------------------
BusinessWeek '06 Rank
BusinessWeek '06 Slideshow
Financial Times '08 (PDF) (Interactive)
US News&World Report 2009
Economist 2008 Rankings
------Wall Street Journal Rankings--------------------
WSJ 2006(US)
WSJ 2006(International)
WSJ 2006(Academic Discipline)
WSJ 2006(Women)
WSJ 2006(Ethics)
WSJ 2006(Minorities)
WSJ 2006(Industry)
--------------------------------------------------------------
Forbes Rankings 05' Results - 07' Results
MBAINFO.com Rankings
Beyond Grey Pinstripes 2009
DTU Research per School
B-School Research Rankings
--------------------------------------------------------------
Financial Times E-MBA Rankings '06 PDF
BusinessWeek E-MBA Rankings '05
Money's top 100 MBA Employers '06
US News Category Ranks '06
Financial Times Category Ranks
--------------------------------------------------------------
Asia B-School Rank 2000
Australian 2005 Financial Review
German B-School Rank
Computerworld top techno MBA Survey
Consus Group B-School Rankings
Entrepreneur.com top 100 Entrepreneurial Colleges
Find MBA Rankings
International Education Commission's Top 10
Marr/Kirkwood Comparison Rankings
Official MBA Guide:MBA Program Ranking and Screening

GMAT Resources show all
GMAC-Register for GMAT
---------- GMAT Articles ----------------------------------
GMAT 700+ Stories(download)
Why Prepare?
About the GMAT
How someone got a 760 score
How someone got a 790 score
Mark Rice GMAT Advice
Low GMAT Success Stories

---------- GMAT Forums ----------------------------------
Beat the GMAT
GMAT Club Forum
Scoretop.com-Forum and Files!
TestMagic Forum


---------- GMAT Companies ------------------------------
Bell Curves
GMATTutor.com
GMAX Online(Online GMAT Course)
Kaplan
ManhattanReview
Manhattan GMAT
Perfect GMAT
Princeton Review
Syvum.com
Test Prep New York
Test Prep Review(Online Course)
Veritas GMAT Prep
790GMAT GMAT Guru(SF based)


---------- GMAT Self Study Guides ----------------------
Corrections to Official Guide 11th
Advanced GMAT Math Study Guide
Deltacourse
GMAT Study Strategy
Micro Edu GMAT Prep Material
Probability Review(download)
4GMAT - Math Books (India)


---------- GMAT Resource/Reference -----------------
GMAT Scratchpad
Dr Math
Dr Math-Pascal Triangle
GMAT Official Guide Question Info
HyperGrammar
Krysstal.com
Manhattan GMAT Study Guides (Dave's Pick)
Math.com (Math Skills Review)
MathGoodies.com
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
Texas A&M-College Algebra
The Math Page (For Basic Math Skills)
101 Basic Radical & Exponent Review


---------- GMAT Tests ------------------------------------
PowerPrep GMAT CAT (Dave's Pick)
Ascent Education
Arco
Axxent
800 Score (Dave's Pick)
English Test
GMATBuster
GMAT Cram.com
GMATExams.com
GMAT Practice Tests
Gorilla Test Prep
Manhattan GMAT Tests (Dave's Pick)
R&B Consulting Prep Software
Realtestquestions.com
ScoreTop Online Verbal-Quant Tests
TestMasters
TestPrep New York
Upstart Raising GMAT Simulator


Financing your MBA show all
Campusprogram.com
FastWeb
Finaid.com
Financial Aid Podcast
Foreign MBA.com
FreschInfo.com
Fundsnet-Search Engine
Gradloans.com
Graduate Fellowship Database
MBA.com-Loan info
MBAInfo-Article
MBAJungle-Article
Sallie Mae-MBA Loans
Studentawards.com
Tuitionpay.com
US Government's E-Scholar
MBA Admission Consultants show all
Accepted.com Forum
AdmissionConsultant.com
Brody Admissions
B-SchoolAdmission.com
Cambridge Essay Service
Clear Admit
EssayEdge.com
Essay Solutions
Expartus
Global Now
ManhattanReview
Maxx Associates
MBAdmission.com
MBA Applicant.com
MBA Apply
The MBA Exchange
MBAGameplan Article
MBAPrepAdvantage
MBA Studio
Stacy Blackman
Veritas Consulting
-------- Brazilian Admin Consultants ------------------
MBA Empresarial
-------- Commentary on Admin Consultants ----------
Why use them?
Comments about some of them
Not all Consultants are good
MBA Life show all
Chicago GSB Online Newspaper
Chicago GSB Magazine
Columbia B-School Wkly Online NewsPaper
Columbia Spectator Daily NewsPaper
Cornell Univ. Daily Sun (Main Campus)
Cornell Daily News Service Highlights
Dartmouth Online Newspaper
Tuck Today Online Happenings
Duke News & Community
HAAS Weekly
Harvard B-School Online Newspaper
Harvard Gazette Online Newspaper
Harvard Online Magazine
Kellogg Online Newspaper
News at MIT
Michigan(Ross) Newspaper
Texas McCombs Weekly
Michigan Daily Online Newspaper
Stern Online Newspaper
Stanford Online Newspaper
Stanford B-School Reporter
UCLA Qrtrly Assets Mag
Univ. Virginia Daily Online News
Wharton Online Newspaper
Yale Daily Online Newspaper
Yale Herald Online Newspaper
Blog & Other Resources show all
IQ Test
Efax.com
Bloglines
Computer Interval Clock
T-Mobile Coverage Check
Picasa
Hello.com
YouSendIt.com Send large files
Sendthisfile.com Send large files
Understanding Blog Template Code
SSI Developer - CSS
Changenotes.com-Web Monitor
Fodey.comNewspaperclip generator
MBA Related Books
Search Now:

Site Meter