How the GMAT Fits into your Business School Application by M

How the GMAT Fits into your Business School Application by MHow the GMAT Fits into your Business School Application by MThis isthe third and final installment of a three-part series on the GMAT from master of business administrationPodcaster on Vault.com. In the first segment, we talked about GMAT preparation,and our experts gave advice about how to get ready for the test. In thisarticle, we will discuss the GMAT in general and how it fits into your businessschool application package. We will also talk about how to approach the test,different studying options, and what to do to get the score you want. Ourexperts will also share their personal experiences taking and teaching thetest. As always,this is Diana Jordan with MBA Podcaster, here with our GMAT experts, ChrisRyan, director of ManhattanGMAT Brian Galvin, director of academic programsfor Veritas Prep Lisa Weale, executive director of the GMAT program at KaplanTest Prep and Admissions Jon Denning, director of operations for Power ScoreTest Preparation and Jose Ferriera, CEO of Knewton. The pressureis on to get the best GMAT scores you possibly can. There has an unprecedentedincrease of prospective MBA students taking the GMAT in the past year. JonDenning is the director of operations for PowerScore Test Preparation. Jon, howis competition impacting applicants? At no point ever, perhaps, has it beenmore important that people do all that they can to prepare themselves as wellas possible to take this test. Be it with a tutor, a class, a bookbut gonecertainly are the days when people would just go in and take this test andsay Ill see how I do and hopefully thatll be good enough. That doesntfly anymore. Liza Weale isexecutive director of the GMAT program at Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions.Liza, did you take the GMAT? Actually, the first time I took it I did not doso well. I took it right out of college and I got a 590 on it and fast-forwarda few years later, I was committed to making a career change and knew that Ineeded to get into a top-five business school in order to do that. So I knew my590 was not going to cut it. So I said, OK, Im going to change the way Iprep for this exam. Well before I came to Kaplan, I enrolled in a Kaplancourse and my score went up significantly. I ended up getting a 740. And I wasaccepted into MIT Sloans MBA program. So, Liza, how important is the GMAT?Fifty-five percent of business school admissions officers that we surveyedtold us that the GMAT is the most important factor in an application. So youwant to get the highest score that you can. And to do that you need to prepareadequately. Most people study for 100 hours or more, which assuming that youwork full-time translates to two or three months or maybe more depending onyour schedule. Jose Ferrierais CEO of Knewton. Is anybody a natural at this? They dont really have tostudy? No. These tests are unnatural acts. So its like bending your elbowbackwardand thats true in just about everybody. Some people who app ear to begood test takers have essentially done a lot of the test prep work alreadyintuitively while they were just going about their daily lives and thats justthe way their lives work but I have never honigwein anyone who came out of the wombgood at standardized tests. Liza withKaplan, how tough is the GMAT? Not only does it test you on things likeisosceles triangles and subject verb agreement, things you likely havent beentested on since high school or earlier. But the GMAT exam is also in a formatthat is probably unlike any other test youve taken. Its a computer adaptedtestor CAT, as it is often referred to as. And that means it adapts the questionsto your performance. But its a time test, so responding quickly is just asimportant as responding correctly. So you have enough time to get through thefull test. Jose, letsput the GMAT score in perspective. The most important criteria for businessschool are work experience (number one) and GMAT (number two). And if your workexperience is pretty good, above the average for the schools you want to applyto, you can probably get in with a GMAT score thats a little below theaverage. On the other hand, if your work experience is just average for theschools you want to apply to or even a little bit below average, youre goingto want to get that GMAT score higher to give yourself some insurance thatyoure going to get it. Brian letssay an applicant keeps getting mediocre scores, is it better to re-take theGMAT and risk getting that bad score over and over (showing determination), oris that detrimental? If Im the admissions director and I look at the GMATtranscript that says this person every other month for the last year has scored620, Im going to ask myself Well, why didnt they learn from the first threeof them and realize that they should have done something different? Or if theywerent going to do anything different, they are just going to repeat the saatkornmistakes and, quote-unquote, study harder but not necessarily s marter, then whynot realize that if youre only going to do the same thing over and over again,youre not adding any value and find a better use of that time? Liza, whatare your thoughts? If the scores are low, is it better to keep re-taking thattest or go with what you got? If your GMAT is close to or matches your targetschools average and you feel like you have a top-notch application outside orbeyond the GMAT, youre probably OK. But if the gap is pretty big, as it was inmy case, or if you really want your GMAT to help you stand out from the crowd,its worth your time to think about taking it again. Most schools willencourage you to take the exam again because it can show dedication andcommitment. But, theres a big if here, if you show that improvement. Chris, whatif your GMAT score keeps coming in low? If its 10, 20, 30, 40 points belowthe average at the school that youre targeting and you just cant seem toget it up beyond that point, well, you should probably focus on the otherasp ects of your application and send it in. If its well below that, then youmight want to think about getting a tutor or getting some professional help fromthe likes of our company or wherever you go in order to try to crack the case.But there is some point ... at which you should probably say, You know, I amnot seeming to improve on this, I should look at the rest of my application. Chris, how doyou know if you should take the GMAT again? Getting a 750 versus a 760 doesntmatter at any of these schools. I can tell you that, flat out. If youre belowthe average then, yeah, you should think about taking it again. And if you feelthat its too low, then definitely take it again. Now, you have to wait 31 daysbefore you take another GMAT. You cant take it any sooner than that. So youshould re-prepare if you do decide to take it again. You should absolutely dosome reflection on where you think you went wrong. Unfortunately, the GMAT doesnot provide any feedback other than a math and verbal brea k down (a sub scorein each section), but it doesnt tell you what question you got right or howlong you spent on them. Nothing like that. So you have to just kind of reflecton where do you think you went wrong, and less about content and more aboutprocess. Did you manage your time well, that sort of thing. And then set upanother focused preparation plan and re-prepare. Jon, ifstudents arent doing well, should they try tutoring? For some people, itsalmost magical how much they can improve with tutoring. The whole patina of itchanges. I think the student who can benefit the most from tutoring is astudent who either just doesnt learn well in a group environment or has atougher time, perhaps, concentrating and dealing with the inflexibility of abook. That person is really going to benefit from tutoring because its sopersonalized. I also think, too, that somebody is going to get the most of itif they can come into that tutoring situation with a high degree ofself-awareness, self-knowled ge about what they need help with. Brian, howwould tutoring help? The best part of having a one-on-one tutor, someone withthat kind of expertise, is the ability to diagnose. OK, you do have a pacingproblem, you are taking too long but you really only tend to take too long whenits a word problem that you cant set up quickly or its a data-sufficiencyproblem and you second-guess your answer three or four times. Or, lets justsay you re-read reading comprehension passages two or three times beforegetting it. Here are the steps that you need to take Try to figure out wherethose problems are coming from and then maybe enlist the help of someone tohelp you diagnose even more specifically what youre doing wrong and how youcorrect that quickly. If timemanagement is your issue, what is your advice? The GMAT is really challengingin that you are penalized if you run out of time before completing the exam. Soleaving a few questions at the end unanswered is worse than answering thosequestions in correctly. So in order to prep well for the timing aspect, you needto practice pacing. Thats not always easy when youre working on a computeradaptive test. Every time you get a question right, the GMAT will present amore difficult question. So imagine this the better you do, the harder itgets. Its really hard. Its a really hard mental block to get over. Thats whypracticing with computer adaptive tests as well as using pacing and targetquizzes is really important, because you cant skip questions on the GMAT or goback to previous questions. You will get into a situation where you were stuckon a given question. Its just because it keeps getting harder, its going tofind your limit. So part of performing well on the test is being able to make astrategic guess let it go and move on. So if youre not seeing a bigincrease, you need to get smarter about your practice and gaining comfort withthis approach takes practice and evaluation and then practicing again. Brian, how doyou handle practic e tests? Tests are good for experience, but they are alsoreally good diagnostic tools. So over the course of eight to 10 weeks, towardthe latter half, take one to two practice tests a week It tends to give youthat confidence and experience with the test, and also allows you to shore upthose mistakes and make sure that youre not giving away points that reallyshould be yours. For moreinformation, advice or to read a transcript of the full show, visit MBAPodcaster.com. Im DianaJordan with MBA Podcaster. Thank you for listening and stay tuned next timewhen we discuss another topic, it will help guide you through the MBA processand your career beyond. To learnmore about how to get ready for GMAT, read the other MBA Podcaster articles inthis series about GMATprep and testday advice on Vault.com.

Job creation neither surprises nor disappoints

Job creation neither surprises nor disappointsJob creation neither surprises nor disappointsJob creation neither surprises nor disappointsOn Friday, January 6, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly employment situation report for December, which is a widely used indicator for the health of the labor market. The December report met with slightly lower than expected job growth as the labor market expanded driving the unemployment rate a tad higher.Key InsightsU.S. adds 156,000 new jobs in December while wages surge to a 7-year highThe unemployment rate edged up to 4.7% as more people entered the labor force in search of workThe labor force participation rate ticked up slightly to 62.7%The size of the labor force increased by 184,0003rd-quarter GDP picked up the pace expanding at an annual rate of 3.5%, the best quarterly advance in two yearsIn 2016, employment growth averaged 180,000 jobs per month, compared with an average monthly increase of 229,000 in 2015. In December , employment gains occurred in health care and social assistance.Employment in health care rose by 43,000 in December and has risen by 422,000 over the year. Most of the increase occurred in ambulatory health care services (+30,000) and hospitals (+11,000). Health care added an average of 35,000 jobs per month in 2016, roughly in line with the average monthly gain of 39,000 in 2015.Social assistance added 20,000 jobs in December, reflecting job growth in individual and family services (+21,000). Social assistance added an average of 8,000 jobs per month in 2016, slightly below the average monthly gain of 14,000 in 2015.Employment in food services and drinking places continued to trend up in December (+30,000). Food services and drinking places added an average of 21,000 jobs per month in 2016, fewer than the average monthly gain of 30,000 in 2015.Employment also continued to trend up in transportation and warehousing in December (+15,000). Within the industry, employment expanded by 12,000 in couriers and messengers. In 2016, transportation and warehousing added an average of 5,000 jobs per month, down from an average monthly gain of 9,000 jobs in 2015.Employment in financial activities continued on an upward trend in December (+13,000). This is in line with the average monthly gains for the industry over the past 2 years.In December, employment edged up in manufacturing (+17,000), with a gain of 15,000 in the durable goods component. However, since reaching a recent peak in January, manufacturing employment has declined an average of 4,000 jobs per month in 2016.Employment in professional and business services was little changed in December (+15,000), following an increase of 65,000 in November. The industry added an average of 44,000 jobs per month in 2016, fewer than the average monthly gain of 52,000 in 2015.Employment in other major industries, including mining, construction, wholesale trade, retail trade, information, and government, changed little in De cember.Want to know more about the top trends in the job market? Check out the US Labor Market Update from Intelligence.

Questions to Ask Before Signing With a Modeling Agency

Questions to Ask Before Signing With a Modeling AgencyQuestions to Ask Before Signing With a Modeling AgencyWhen you first meet with an agency, theyll ask you all sorts of questions. Why do you want to be a model? What type of modeling do you want to do? Why do you want to work with our agency? What are your long-term goals as a model? These basic questions will help the agency get to know you and your personality so they can determine if youre a good fitfor their business. Questions to Ask a Modeling Agency But as important as these questions (and their answers) are, its also important to remember that youre interviewing them, too Before signing with a modeling agency, you need to show them youre professional, engaged and excited about your modeling career by doing as much research as possible (spend some quality time Googling them or calling around) and by asking them the right questions. Let the agency lead the interview, but dont be afraid to say whats on your mind when the t ime is right. And remember, theres no shame in asking the agent to repeat something or explain it further. Joining an agency is a big deal, and you need to be 100% sure of what youre signing up for Here are a few basic questions you might want to ask during your modeling agency interview. Do I Have to Attend Your Modeling School? There is nothing wrong with going to modeling school you just dont need modeling classes to become a model. None of the top modeling agencies in New York, Paris, Milan or Tokyo require that a model goes to modeling school before being signed. If an agency requires you sign up for their classes before they will represent you, you might want to look elsewhere. Is Your Agency Considered a Boutique Agency or a Larger Agency? Landing a contract with a great agency should be your top priority, but the size of the agency is just as important as their reputation. Large agencies with many models on their roster may have an endless stream of clients knockin g on their doorstep, but that also means theres more competition between the models. As a new model especially, you might not get the personal attention you need to further your career. So, if youre just starting out, you may find that a smaller, boutique-style agency is more your style. Who Are Some of the Agencys Clients? Hearing about the agencys top clients will give you insight into the quality of the agency as well as the types of markets they cover. Some agencies focus more on glamor type modeling, while others may book more jobs for commercial or vorwort models. There is no sense in signing with a high-fashion agency if you are primarily a commercial model. What Types of Jobs Do You Book for Your Models? Its useful to know the breakdown of the types of modeling jobs within the agency. How much is runway? How much is editorial? How much is commercial? How much is print? How much is promotional? Their answer will help you determine if your career goals match what the a gency has to offer. What Are Your Commission Rates? In the United States, legitimate agencies make their money off commission. The rate varies, but in general, agencies deduct 10 percent to 20 percent from what you earn. In other words, they only get paid when you get paid. The agency may also charge the client up to an additional 20 percent as a service fee. Keep in mind that models are considered to be self-employed contractors rather than employees of the agency. This means that its perfectly normal for models to invest in their own start-up costs that have nothing to do with the agency, such as model scouting services, website profiles, comp cards, photoshoots, etc.

ASME Sponsors Capitol Hill Briefing on the Value of Engineering Education in K-12 Schools

ASME Sponsors Capitol Hill Briefing on the Value of Engineering Education in K-12 Schools ASME Sponsors Capitol Hill Briefing on the Value of Engineering Education in K-12 Schools During the June 12 briefing, Christine Cunningham, founder and director of Engineering is Elementary (EiE) program, discussed EiEs NSF-funded work for elementary school education. Engineering concepts and the design process are an integral part of the recently released state-led next generation science standards (NGSS), a state-led effort to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in many states and local districts across the country. But many K-12 teachers are not aware of how engineering can be used to inspire and improve student performance. On June 12, ASME, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and DISCOVER magazine co-sponsored a Capitol Hill Briefing in an effort to share the characteristics of effective K-12 science, technology, engineering and mathematics ( STEM) education - described in an NSF-funded National Research Council (NRC) report entitled Success in K-12 Education - and to provide examples of innovative research-based tools for engineering education at the K-12 level, developed with NSF funding through NSFs Education and Human Resources directorate. Leigh Abts, research associate professor at the University of Maryland, spoke about his NSF-funded work at the high school level. Mo Hosni, Ph.D., vice president of ASME Education, provided opening remarks for the briefing, while Steve George, DISCOVER magazines new editor-in-chief served as moderator. Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Ph.D., the assistant director of NSF Directorate for Education and Human Resources, next presented an overview of the aforementioned NRC report, and also described NSFs proposed priorities for the Fiscal Year 20014 budget. Christine Cunningham, Ph.D., who is the founder and director of Engineering is Elementary (EiE) program at the Museum of Science, Boston, discussed EiEs NSF-funded work at the elementary school level, and presented some of EiEs findings and upcoming comprehensive program evaluation work. Finally, Leigh Abts, Ph.D., research associate professor, A. James Clark School of Engineering, and the College of Education at the University of Maryland, spoke about his NSF-funded work at the high school level. He highlighted his work on a proposed advanced placement (AP) engineering course, as well as the universitys work on a high school math course entitled, Introductory Mathematics for Engineering Application. For mora information about this event, or to watch a video of the briefing, please visit http//discovermagazine.com/events/stem-education. - Melissa Carl, ASME Government Relations

Thoughts on Accounts Payable Resume in an Easy to Follow Order

Thoughts on Accounts Payable Resume in an Easy to Follow Order The computer software is wholly free and simple. In addition, its possible to also download multiple music data files at same period thats lacking from many of apps. Where youre able to in a place to copy all type of files whenever possible. If thisAccounts Payable resume example was not sufficient for you, youre totally free to review several other samples and templates from our website. Using Accounts Payable Resume A look at the work description supplies you with information concerning the job responsibilities, the abilities and other requirements applicants should need to succeed at work. Its thus important generate a compelling objective for your accounts receivable resume if youre likely to get invited to an interview. What is Truly Happening with Accounts Payable Resume It can be relevant to include different facets of business administration since they may relate to accounts payable. The third section of the promotion program is GOALS. Several metrics will be able to help you determine whether your revenue management cycle processes are efficient and potent. One of the most frequent kinds of receivables isNotes Receivable, which isnt all that different from regular Accounts Receivable except for where payment deadlines are involved. A superb procedure to make certain your resume is flawless is to request the help of a professional continue writer. The truth is that hiring managers abflug looking for certain patterns, and you are going to be better off if you take advantage of an organizational pattern thats both logical and simple to read. Accounts Payable Associate Resume Preparation Preparing a resume for seeking a vacant accounts payable associate position is just one of the critical things you should do if youre thinking of obtaining a new job for this position. The duties and duties of the position found in the aforementioned work description are the proper items to u tilize in making the work experience section of the resume, which offers proof of your capacity to effectively do the job of an accounts receivable specialist if hired. Accountants also require great presentation abilities. Computer skills on resumes are becoming more and more essential for accountants. The very first key is to realize how resumes are organized. It is extremely important to experience company particular Resume. The consequent percentage permits the enterprise to gauge how strong their existing collections policies and procedures are and whether or not changes will need to get made. You will do a good deal of calculations. In just a few minutes, you will gain a better comprehension of accounts receivable and the way that it impacts your bottom line. There are a lot of unique things that you can do and tiny changes you may make to increase your metrics and overall accounts receivable performance. If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Accounts Payable Resume To get a professional resume produced, you will need to devote an appreciable quantity of money. The accounts receivable specialist is liable for the accounts receivable and collection activities of a firm. You must know how to organize accounts so that you may keep an eye on them. 2006 to 2010 Managing the businesss accounts payable records is a significant job. By properly preparing and understanding the neighborhood economy, you may drastically increase your odds of locating employment. A proactive problem-solver and determined achiever whos on the lookout for a chance to prove himself. The goal of your resume is a great deal more than simply listing your prior career experience. Experienced account receivable specialist with a very good organizational skill, with the capability to prioritize tasks based on the most essential duties supposed to be completed first before any other. Knowledge is next as theyre heading to want to comprehend your encounter. S ocial Work Skills Provide counsel to aid family members in developing skills to handle and resolve social and individual problems. Excellent computer skills will be essential. What to Expect From Accounts Payable Resume? Supplies might not be delivered. No matter your industry, you need to always attempt to compose the best resume possible. Construction and labor jobs need hands-on experience utilizing specific instruments and techniques to acquire the job finished. Key Pieces of Accounts Payable Resume If youre an accountant looking for AP jobs, perhaps you will need to increase your skills on using the software if you want to be marketable because most from the companies are starting to use software. Offer Incentives Although some customers could possibly be excited for the idea to get started using email as your primary type of communication, others might be hesitant. Companies need to make sure the man or woman managing their cash flow is efficient. Since the debut of accounts payable software, fewer companies are providing AP jobs but the great thing would be that the computer software always has the choice to need people to operate them.

Ruthless Resume Writing Services for Strategies Exploited

Ruthless Resume Writing Services for Strategies Exploited The Ideal Approach to Resume Writing Services for Writing a waiver is essential for each and every student. Most resume writing firms appear to specialize in writing a specific kind of specialist document for a particular kind of candidate. Resume writing services have matured over the last few years and been sliced in two categories. Needless to say, its much important to find the help of some expert writer to prepare the greatest federal resume because the demands of federal resume are much different than resume required for private job. Choosing Good Resume Writing Services for There are some resume writing companies which do not provide expedited services. If you want to edit your resume, then its possible to tell the service to achieve that. Resume services will often provide a guarantee of some kind. Some resume writing services may not provide a refund should you not get the wanted results youve been promised . One other important issue is to look whether the writer discusses with you about your entire biography, experience and career aim. Resume writing is an intimidating undertaking for everybody. Resume writing experts can tell you what things to include in your resume anytime you desire. Therefore if youd like to receive your dream job, you might have to be noticeable and that happens with crafting a first-class resume. There are a number of Professional resume writing services Indiathat work online and offline so that you choose in accordance with your convenience. The expert writing providers know what things to leave out and what should be highlighted. Resume consultation is accomplished in a professional way by the CV writing services, so they can offer the finest possible resume to the clients. When you make an application for a specific job, you get a good resume to stick out among the thousands of different applications. As it comes to resume writing services, your e going to be rather amazed to realize that there are a lot of individual varieties and youll be considering ensuring you choose the proper type for the job which you desire. As stated earlier, the panel of resume writers are handpicked by these kinds of businesses and short listed dependent on the expertise they carry in each individual area. Drafting a resume which will truly make you distinguish yourself from the rest is no simple endeavor and with a huge amount of resume examples on the internet, we can run the chance of adding too much, too little or merely sending out carbon copy resumes which are dull and at times too simplistic.