June 2011 Archives -

New Knewton Store: We Do It Online

June 30th, 2011

Here at Knewton, we have a lot of skills. Dressing up isn’t one of them.*

If you’ve ever been to our office in Union Square (check out this video if you haven’t), you’ve probably noticed our tendency to dress for comfort over style. In other words: sweatshirts, t-shirts, and, yes, even bare feet. (We do shower, though, we promise).

Which is why all our team members were so excited when we opened up the brand-new Knewton store, featuring super-comfortable and hip t-shirts (American Apparel brand!). After all, what’s a tech startup without awesome t-shirts? Our team members are already digging them (i.e., wearing them every. single. day) and we hope you will too!

Let your geek flag fly with our “Knerd” t-shirt, or go edgy with our “I do it online” design. We’re also shipping stickers with either slogan.

While you’re at it, be sure to check out some of the other startup stores we were ~~jealous of~~ inspired by: our favorites include the Foursquare, Runkeeper, and Groupme stores.

Finally, we’d love your feedback on what we should add to the store next! Fill out the survey below to weigh in.

Online Form

*I’m speaking in general terms here; we’ve certainly got a couple of style mavens brave enough to break rank.

Tags: knewton
Posted in Featured, Knewton | No Comments »

What’s Your B-School Application Style?

June 30th, 2011

Writing Tools

There may only be one application for each school, but everyone approaches the process with a different attitude or style. What’s yours? Take this short quiz to find out – and discover some helpful application tips along the way!

Directions: Give yourself 4 points for every A, 3 points for every B, 2 points for every C, and 1 point for every D.

1. You decided to apply to business school because…

A) It’s been the plan since high school: 2 years of work experience, then on to an MBA program. Also, you took the GMAT when you were 19, and it’s about to expire.
B) You have a good amount of work experience under your belt, and you’re looking to switch careers or gain a broader business perspective.
C) All your friends have one.
D) You’ve been unemployed for 15 months, and you’re thinking it might be time to try a different career strategy than carpet-bombing the same 10 firms with your cover letter and resume.

2. When deciding what schools to apply to, your logic was something like the following:

A) Why trust anything other than your personal ranking algorithm – based on placement rates, prestige factor, faculty publications, and location desirability?
B) Two reach schools, two “likely” schools, and one safety
C) Whichever schools are in the region and have reasonable application fees
D) Only schools that have a “4th Round” (you missed the first three!)

3. When it comes to taking the GMAT…

A) You took a prep course in undergrad, scored a 750, and think you might take it again. Hey, you have your eye on some serious scholarship cash!
B) You took a GMAT course a year before applying and allocated a few months for intensive prep.
C) You took one or two of the free CATs offered on the GMAC website.
D) You’ll let the outcome dictate your plans: if you score 550 or higher, you’ll shoot a few apps out. If not, you’ll take it next year or something.

If you haven’t taken the GMAT yet, check out this article for tips on how to study for the GMAT while working.

4. When it comes to researching the schools of your choice, you…

A) Have a set of color-coded folders with department brochures, info-session notes, and business cards from current and former students.
B) Collected some materials from school visits and info-sessions.
C) Glanced at the websites a few times.
D) Took note of the application deadlines.

Check out our weekly MBA roundups to stay on top of b-school news!

5. When going on b-school visits, you…

A) Sit in on a class, participate in seminar discussion, lunch with current students, tour the campus, and attend an evening party to get a sense of school culture.
B) Sign up for a class visit and a lunch with current students, but skip the Q & A session afterward to hang out in the city with some pals from college.
C) Attend an info-session in your home city; why waste cash on a trip if you’re not even accepted yet?
D) Didn’t know people did that.

To get the most out of your bschool visit, check out this article.

6. When deciding who to ask for your recommendations, you…

A) Constructed a chart to determine how to best allocate your references to showcase different aspects of your work personality and leadership style (you will give each writer a consultant-approved list of your strengths and weaknesses).
B) Asked your work supervisors; you’ve spent so many hours at work you can’t imagine who else you would ask.
C) Even though you’re technically supposed to get recommendations from work supervisors, you kind of missed the boat on that (a week before the deadline is cutting it close), so you’re going to call in a few favors from your colleagues.
D) Intend to ask your best friend from college. He or she is very familiar with your work ethic!

7. In terms of essay prep…

A) You started four months before the official prompts were released, registered for a creative nonfiction writing class to hone your rhetorical skills, and hired an English prof and an admissions consultant to help you polish the final product.
B) You had all your friends read your essays and provide feedback.
C) You allocated a weekend to take care of it.
D) You cut and paste from other essays you’ve written and filled in the gaps with some fluff.

To take your essay to the next level, check out our article on 8 types of B.S that won’t work on your b-school essay.

8. When it comes to filling out the short-answer part of the application you…

A) You crafted memorable nuggets of prose that are well-tailored for the space provided.
B) You recognize it’s important to paint a complete and accurate picture of yourself, so you revised and proofread your responses.
C) You cut and paste material from your essays. You’re not going to waste time paraphrasing yourself.
D) You left some parts blank. You can’t remember how many hours you spent volunteering at that soup kitchen anyway.

9. In terms of interview prep you….

A) Will write out your responses to 50 typical questions, memorize your answers, and hire an admissions consultant to conduct mock interviews and a career coach to critique your handshake.
B) Plan to think through your responses to typical interview questions and practice with a friend or consultant.
C) Plan to read your application the night before to make sure you don’t say anything inconsistent .
D) Will show up on time wearing whatever you happen to be wearing that day. Your freewheeling style will show your interviewer how fun and charming you are.

10. When it comes to thinking about how you’re going to finance your degree you…

A) Have your eye on the McKinsey scholarship and have been tailoring your resume to satisfy the criteria for years. If that doesn’t work, you’re sitting on a ton of cash from your banking career and won’t be needing any student loans.
B) Are prepared to take out student loans. But you’ll apply for some fellowships you might qualify for and include a safety school which might offer you scholarship money.
C) Don’t want to put the cart before the horse. You’d be thrilled just to get in.
D) Want to take it “one day at a time.” You firmly believe and have always lived by the belief that “fate will provide.”

Want a rundown of all the major b-school scholarships? Check out this blog series.

35 to 40: Over-Achiever. Congratulations! You are prepared to rack up some serious acceptances this coming admissions season. You’ve taken the GMAT, given some thought to financing the degree, and carefully researched the schools you’re applying to. Just be prepared for any surprises along the way. And never be too consumed with your plans to notice a correctable weakness in your profile or a last minute insight about your professional development and the work you are truly suited for.

28 to 34: Calm and Prepared. You have a good, solid attitude about the admissions process. You’ve given some serious thought to your MBA plans, and you’re ready to tackle the essays and the interviews with aplomb. Just remember that you’ll be competing with some very driven people, so kick your prep into high gear by giving yourself ample time to reflect on your professional development and what you truly want/expect out of an MBA.

20 to 27: Spontaneous. Whether it’s because you’ve always excelled at the “slacker” thing or have a history of last-minuteness, you have a somewhat haphazard approach to the admissions game. To each his/her own; but if you’re investing a good deal of time and money into the degree, you’re best advised to think carefully about your goals and how best to frame them in your application.

0 to 19: Free as the Wind. You’re not sure why you’re applying, but it’s something to do with your time. It’s OK to have this attitude, but to ensure that you get the most out of the process, start thinking about your career aspirations and how an MBA might help you achieve them. Even if you’re not fired up to compete after some soul-searching, you’ll learn something about yourself in the process.

Posted in Featured, GMAT, MBA Admissions | 10 Comments »

MBA Admissions Tip: Visiting the Campus

June 29th, 2011

This weekly MBA admissions tip comes from our friends at Clear Admit. For more expert admissions advice, check out their blog.

As many applicants are finding out at this time of year, conducting thorough research on MBA programs is an essential step in formulating a list of target schools and crafting convincing essays. Surfing the web and speaking with friends and mentors are great starting points in identifying programs of interest. However, to really get a feel for a school and determine whether it’s a good fit for one’s goals and personality, applicants need to dig deeper and gain some firsthand experience with the program and the people. Visiting the campus is a great way to gather this kind of information, and it can also be advantageous in the application process. Although most formal campus visit programs will not start until the fall (when classes are in session), we’d like to offer a few “head start” pointers for getting as much mileage as possible out of a trip to your target program.

1) Make yourself known. Putting forth the effort to travel to a school is a signal of interest in the program that the adcom loves to see – but you need to let them know that you’ve made the trip. It is possible to communicate this in your essays and interview, but the simplest route is often to register for a visit through the admissions office. Not only will most schools arrange for you to sit in on a class and have lunch with current students, but many will also make a note of your visit and include it in your file. Be sure to take advantage of all that the admissions office offers in this regard; even if you have friends on campus, it’s wise to speak to as many people as possible.

2) Think it through. Before arriving on campus, you should think carefully about the sort of information you hope to take away from your visit. Whether your inquiries cover something as broad as the night life or as narrow as the syllabus of a particular course, your trip will be much more informative if you come prepared with a sense of the details you hope to glean from information sessions and conversations. Further, it’s a great idea to reach out to members of the community before you arrive; if there’s a club about which you are particularly curious, for instance, you could contact one of its leaders and arrange a conversation over coffee on the day of your visit.

3) Put your best foot forward. Even though your conduct and interactions won’t be on the record in the way that they would be when interviewing on campus, it’s important that you be aware of the impression you’re making. Because spending time on campus is a great way to forge ongoing contacts with students who could become allies for you in the admissions process, you’ll naturally want to put your best foot forward.

We hope that these simple tips will set applicants on the path toward a positive and productive stay on campus. For more tailored guidance on application strategy and school selection, feel free to contact us for a free initial consultation or check out the school-specific information in the Clear Admit School Guides.

Tags: clear admit
Posted in GMAT, MBA Admissions | No Comments »

Law School Admissions Tip: Considering the Campus

June 29th, 2011

This post comes from our friends at Clear Admit. For more expert law school admissions advice, check out their blog.

Continuing our series of admissions tips geared towards those individuals who are just beginning to think about their law school applications, we wanted to offer some advice on factors to consider with respect to a school’s facilities and location. Whether speaking with current students or touring the campus for oneself, it’s helpful to approach these information-gathering experiences with as clear a sense of what matters to you as possible. Here are a few broad categories to consider:

1) Facilities – Are state of the art classrooms and impressive new architecture a priority for you? Would you prefer a school that is headquartered in a single building to one spread over a larger campus? What about wireless access and use of technology in teaching? If any of these factors are of significant importance and could tip the balance between schools on your list of target programs, you’ll want to do this sort of research up front. If visiting yourself, we’d recommend that you take pictures or write up your thoughts after the fact while your impression is still fresh in your mind.

2) Surroundings – In addition to the campus itself, you’ll want to allow yourself some time to ask about and explore the larger city, town or rural location. Where do students live, eat and socialize? What is the cost of living? How do they get from place to place (parking or public transit may be an issue)? Are you interested in an active night life, or a wholesome place to raise a family? While considerations of academics and post-graduation career prospects generally take priority, you will be spending three years of your life at law school and these more subtle factors can often tip the balance in favor of a certain program when all other elements are more or less equal.

3) Atmosphere – Along with the campus and its location comes a certain culture or climate. Are students generally competitive or collaborative? Do students tend to socialize before or after class, or do they go their separate ways? How closely knit are study groups and sections, and what are the relationships among them? How strong are the bonds among classmates, and the ties between past and present students? These questions point to the often elusive issue of “fit.” The pervasive atmosphere that informs interactions among your peers will undoubtedly make a significant impact on your business school experience, so it’s important to get a sense of this by speaking with current students and/or visiting the school.

To learn more about your ideal law schools, be sure to check out the Clear Admit Law School Guides. These guides offer detailed information about leading law school programs, and include a chapter that specifically describes the school’s campus as well as its integration into the surrounding community. These guides are available for immediate download from our publications shop.

Posted in Featured, Law School Admissions, LSAT | No Comments »

Business School Scholarships: How to Apply for The Consortium

June 28th, 2011

With all the talk about the intimidating cost of an MBA degree, you may assume that you have to pay for every cent of it. And while you may be willing to do this, you should nevertheless familiarize yourself with opportunities for reducing the cost of the degree.

In our business school scholarships series, we’ll introduce you to some of the opportunities available to MBA applicants.

This week, we’ll focus on The Consortium fellowship.

Even if you’ve heard of The Consortium fellowship, you may not know what the application process entails or whether you qualify to gain membership. This post will describe the benefits of Consortium membership, what you get if you win a fellowship, and how to apply. Since the process is a tricky one, I’ll also go through a list of frequently asked questions at the end.

The mission of The Consortium:

“The mission of The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, an alliance of leading American business schools and some of our country’s top corporations, is to enhance diversity in business education and leadership by helping to reduce the serious underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in both our member schools’ enrollments and the ranks of management. We will achieve this mission by recruiting for graduate business education qualified U.S. citizens and U.S permanent residents who can demonstrate a commitment to The Consortium’s mission and can best assist The Consortium in pursuing this mission.”

What you get if you win a fellowship:

1. Network: Membership to the Consortium which affords access to approximately 75 corporate partners, admission to a special Orientation Program prior to the MBA, and a network of 6,000 Consortium alumni. (see question #11 below for more details about how this can help you with corporate recruiting)

2. Fellowship: 300 full-tuition scholarships are available annually for two years of full-time study. These scholarships also include all mandatory fees!

3. Common Application: Business school apps are generally long and require intense preparation. If you apply for the Consortium, one application will allow you to apply to up to 6 schools!

4. Tiered Application Fee: If you apply the traditional way, a school app can cost as much as $275 a pop. Apply through the Consortium, however, and apply to up to 2 member schools for $150, three schools for $200, four schools for $240, five for $275, and six for $300.

You are eligible if:

-You are applying for admission to up to 6 of the 17 Consortium schools (link here).
-You are African American, Hispanic American, Native American, a U.S citizen or a U.S permanent resident of any race or ethnicity (see question #1 below for more clarification).
-You demonstrate a commitment to The Consortium’s mission of “helping to reduce the serious underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in both Consortium member schools’ enrollments and the ranks of management.”
-You hold a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the U.S or an equivalent degree from a foreign country.

How it works exactly:

1. You apply using the common app to up to 6 schools. At this point, you must rank your schools in order of preference. Later, all Consortium reps will gather in the same place to “duke” it out and determine which student will be awarded a fellowship at which school. Read this article from Poets & Quants to get a lowdown on the process.

2. Admissions decisions are made solely by the admissions committees at the member schools and are based on academic ability (GMAT/GRE, academic transcripts) and professional potential (career essay, resume, recommendations, and interview).

3. Admitted candidates are considered for membership in The Consortium. Note that if you successfully pass through Step 2, you do not automatically receive membership (it is definitely possible to receive a membership and not win a fellowship). Note also that if you pass through Step 2 and are granted membership, you must enroll in a membership school to enjoy that membership. In other words, membership is not transferable to non-Consortium schools. Whether or not you are admitted by the school is not affected by your decision to accept the membership or not. Understand also that application to the Consortium does not render you ineligible for other school-specific merit-based scholarships outside the Consortium.

4. Only one Consortium school may offer you the fellowship. You are first considered for the fellowship by your highest ranked school; if that school does not choose to award you, the option passes to your next highest ranked school to which you were admitted and so on. Thus, fellowship decisions are ultimately made by the admissions and scholarship committees at each school.

The Consortium Interview

ALL applicants are required to interview with a Consortium representative. Reps include member school admissions officers, Consortium alumni and Consortium students. All interviews are evaluated equally, so don’t fret if you are interviewing with a student (it’s not less official!). Only ONE official Consortium interview is required regardless of the number of schools to which you apply.

*Note that you may still have to interview with someone from the schools to which you are applying if an interview is required for admission at that school.

In summary, here is the general timeline of the process

(please check the Consortium website for exact dates; this is meant to give you a sense of when things occur):

-Application deadlines: Round 1 (mid-November), Round 2 (early January)

-Interview Completion Deadline: Round 1 (early November), Round 2 (mid-December)

-When admission decisions are communicated to applicants will vary school by school.

-Fellowship notification for both rounds will occur around mid-March

FAQs:

1. Can you apply if you are not African American, Hispanic American, or Native American?

Yes. The official terms of the application state that you can apply if you are “a U.S citizen or a U.S permanent resident of any race or ethnicity.” However, it is important that you grasp the mission statement and know how to demonstrate your commitment to it. If you are an outstanding applicant in general but cannot demonstrate your commitment to the specific mission statement, you are better off applying outside the Consortium umbrella.

2. Do you still have to interview with the school apart from the Consortium interview?

Yes, if a completed interview is required for admission at that school.

3. Can you transfer Consortium benefits to other schools?

No. You must apply through the Consortium and become a member of the Consortium to enjoy membership benefits at the schools to which you applied.

4. Can you re-rank schools at any point? Are the schools aware of your ranking?

After you submit your application, no, you cannot re-rank the schools. Officially the answer is that no, the schools are not aware of your ranking and the general consensus among applicants is no, the schools are not aware. So don’t second guess the official statement!

5. Are decisions final?

All decisions are final at every point in the process – so do not try to appeal in any way.

6. Can you be granted membership to the Consortium without being granted acceptance to a school to which you applied?

No. See my rundown of the entire process above. You have to pass through Step 2 to get to Step 3.

7. Can you be granted acceptance to a school and be denied acceptance to the Consortium?

Yes. Again, see my rundown of the entire process.

8. How does applying for a Consortium fellowship affect your application to non-Consortium schools?

It won’t affect your chance of winning a merit-based scholarship at any non-Consortium schools. Know that if you applied in Round 1 to any non-Consortium schools (and successfully gain acceptance), your deposit may be due before you find out if you received the fellowship or even acceptance from any Consortium schools. You may be placed in a situation where you have to send in a $3,000 deposit to a school (to lock down your place at that school) before you know if you are admitted to other schools.

Understand that the fellowship notification is in mid-March. Thus, you will find out if you were admitted to the Consortium schools before you find out if you were awarded a fellowship at one. If you plan to attend certain schools only if you are awarded a fellowship, you will be making that decision fairly late in the admissions game. Factor this into any early action or early decision plans you may have.

9. Will applying to the Consortium jeopardize your chance of winning other merit-based fellowships at various schools?

No. You are still eligible for other merit-based fellowships at various schools whether or not you apply to the Consortium.

10. Does applying to more schools through the Consortium process mean that you will have more Consortium interviews?

No, you will have only one Consortium interview, regardless of how many schools you apply to. However, note my answer to Question #2 about interviews.

11. Does membership in the Consortium really help with recruiting or is it just another “professional network”?

The Consortium orientation program occurs in the summer before the MBA programs begin, and some students who attend actually walk away with internships! This is a phenomenal benefit of Consortium membership (as many of us know, the recruiting process can be challenging, especially when balanced with the rigor of MBA coursework).

12. I’m a little confused. Can you gain membership to the Consortium and not win a fellowship?

Yes, please see steps #2 and #3 above. It is definitely possible to gain membership to the Consortium and not win a fellowship. Also remember that if you gain membership to the Consortium, you need to enroll at a Consortium school to enjoy that membership.

Tip for Applicants.

Think through the application timeline carefully and whether or not you truly demonstrate the mission of the Consortium before you apply. It might be helpful to write out a timeline of your personal application schedule to get a sense of whether any of your plans conflict.

Tags: scholarships
Posted in GMAT, MBA Admissions | No Comments »

MBA News Roundup: The $3 Million MBA, Business School Glass Ceiling, and the Pros & Cons of Taking the GMAT in College

June 27th, 2011

Welcome to another installment of Knewton’s MBA News Round-up! This week, check out articles on the “3 million dollar MBA,” women in business school, the business secrets of rock bands, and the privatization of California’s business schools.

1. MBAs Who Make 3 Million Or More

Want to make 3 million or more in your lifetime? Attend one of the “top 7″ business schools in the world.

2. Live chat with Dawna Clarke of Tuck Business School

Check out this live chat with the Tuck School of Business’ Dawna Clarke for no-nonsense admissions advice and an in-depth look at the process this year. Question #1: What importance does your undergrad transcript have in the application?

3. >Business Schools Hope to Shatter Glass Ceilings

Men with MBAs make on average 400k more than their women MBA counterparts in a 40-year career. What’s going on?

4. The Business Secrets of Rock Bands

An HBS prof analyzes the strategy of famous rock bands. Beatles and U2 provide invaluable insight (from marketing to customer service tips) on how to gain competitive advantage in the corporate world.

5. The Privatization of California’s Business Schools

With the slashing of the higher education budget in California, famed b-schools like Berkeley Haas are undergoing a quiet change.

6. Pros and Cons of Taking the GMAT in College

According to GMAC, students who take the test when they’re 20 or 21 score on average 39 points higher than their 22-23 year-old counterparts. The downside? Scores may expire before recent graduates have enough experience to apply.

Tags: mba news roundup
Posted in B-School Life, GMAT | No Comments »

Quick GMAT Mental Math: Averages

June 27th, 2011

I run the risk of sounding like a hypocrite here. I’m often fond of telling my students that the GMAT is a reasoning test, not a speed calculation test. (I say this to assuage their fears after I break the bad news that no calculators are allowed. I tell them that even if they had calculators, they wouldn’t be of much help, because the arithmetic itself is pretty straightforward. It’s the packaging of the questions and the required synthesis of information that make the test so difficult.)

But if the GMAT is more about reasoning than speed calculations, then why am I writing a post on quick mental math? Well, it’s true that any GMAT quant question can be solved without quick mental math (and certainly without a calculator). But that doesn’t mean the test doesn’t reward you if you can speed up the process. And by “speed up,” I don’t mean cutting corners or being less rigorous. I mean recognizing that there are ways to make calculations easier and more manageable.

Take averages. You’re probably familiar with the basic way to find averages: you add up all the elements in a set of numbers, then divide by the number of terms, and the result is the average. For example, let’s take the set (3, 7, 15, 9, 6). To calculate the average, we’d take 3+7+15+9+6 = 40, then divide that 40 by the number of elements (5) to get an average of 8.

There’s an important principle at work here: no matter what the values of those 5 elements are, they will always have an average of 8 if they sum to 40. Thus, if we change (3,7,15,9,6) to (4,6,15,9,6), the average does not change, because the numbers still sum to 40. This is shown in the “rearranged average formula,” which simply states that the sum of a group of numbers is equal to that group’s average multiplied by the number of terms in the set (Sum = Avg * # terms).

This leads to an incredibly helpful mental math trick. If you can change the individual numbers in the set such that they get closer to the average, while at the same time making sure the sum doesn’t change, you can hone in on the exact average much much quicker.

Let’s use our original set of five numbers (3, 7, 15, 9, 6) to demonstrate:

To start, let’s take the average of individual pairs. For example, 3 and 7 have 5 in the middle, and 9 and 15 have 12 in the middle. We can therefore change the list from (3, 7, 15, 9, 6) to (5, 5, 12, 12, 6). Notice that the two sets still have the same average, because we’ve changed neither the sum of the numbers nor the number of elements in the set.

We now have two 5s and two 12s. Let’s break those down. The average of 5 and 12 is 8.5, so we can change (5, 5, 12, 12, 6) to (8.5, 8.5, 8.5, 8.5, 6).

Obviously, the average of the set will not be 8.5, since you have that 6 thrown in. But on a Problem Solving question, you could possibly approximate; since 6 is not far off from 8.5, you know the average will be slightly less than 8.5, so if only one answer choice is slightly less than 8.5, you know it will be your winner.

But for the more precise, let’s finish what we started! Now comes another cool mental math trick related to averages. If all the elements were 8.5, then of course the average would be 8.5. But what effect does that 6 really have on the entire set? Well, it’s as if we had all 8.5s and then reduced the entire sum of the set by 2.5 (since we changed one 8.5 to a 6). If we spread that 2.5 difference evenly across the entire set of five numbers, each number would be reduced by 2.5 / 5 = 0.5. Therefore, it’s as if we had all 8.5s to start with and then reduced each one by 0.5. Guess what… that means the final average is 8.5 – 0.5 = 8. Done!

Another way you can quickly find an average is to use a single number as a “focal point.” This works well if the numbers are somewhat close together, but far enough apart that the average might not be immediately obvious. For example, if I gave you the list (100, 95, 85, 110, 150) and asked you to find the average, you could pick 100 as your focus and record how much less or greater each other number is than 100:

100 95 85 110 150
(+0) (-5) (-15) (+10) (+50)

Add up all the comparisons to get a net difference: -5 + -15 + 10 + 50 = +40. Again, this is the conceptual equivalent of having five 100s and adding 40 to the entire sum. So, if we spread that 40 evenly across the set, each term would increase by 40/5 = 8 from the “focal point” of 100. And voilà! That means the average is 100+8 = 108.

Next week, I’ll extend this to a discussion of weighted averages, which are very common on the GMAT!

In the meantime, try to apply these principles to the following official GMAT problem:

Ada and Paul received their scores on three tests. On the first test, Ada’s score was 10 points higher than Paul’s score. On the second test, Ada’s score was 4 points higher than Paul’s score. If Paul’s average (arithmetic mean) score on the three tests was 3 points higher than Ada’s average score on the three tests, then Paul’s score on the third test was how many points higher than Ada’s score?

A) 9 B) 14 C) 17 D) 23 E) 25

* * *

Answer to the problem from last week’s post:

Running at their respective constant rates, machine X takes 2 days longer to produce w widgets than machine Y. At these rates, if the two machines together produce (5/4)w widgets in 3 days, how many days would it take machine X alone to produce 2w widgets?

A) 4 B) 6 C) 8 D) 10 E) 12

The first step is to realize that if it takes 3 days for the two machines to produce (5/4)w widgets, we can multiply both quantities by 4/5 to find that it takes 12/5 days to produce w widgets. We do this because it’s easier to think of the amount of work as simply w widgets rather than (5/4)w widgets.

Now, let’s recall the formula we came up with a formula for combined time:

If Machine X takes x days to complete the job on its own, and Machine Y takes y days to complete the job on its own, then the two machines working together at their constant rates would take (xy)/(x+y) days to complete the job. If you’d like to review how we get that quantity, go back to last week’s post. According to what we just found, that quantity is 12/5, so:

(xy)/(x+y) = 12/5

Now, here’s where you can get REALLY clever! The prompt says that Machine X takes 2 days longer than Machine Y, so if you really wanted to, you could substitute x-2 for y in the equation above and solve for x.

However, there’s a very sneaky shortcut: Notice that we’re trying to find the number of days it takes Machine X to produce 2w widgets. All the answer choices are even numbers, which means that the number of days it takes Machine X to produce w widgets (i.e. half of whatever the answer is) is an integer! So really, we just need to find integer values of x and y that are 2 apart and that satisfy the equation!

(xy)/(x+y) = 12/5

Since x+y is an integer, it will have to be a multiple of 5, according to the ratio. There’s no way x+y could equal 5 if x and y are integer values 2 apart. You can show that with substitution or quick testing cases. But could x+y=10, in which case xy would have to be 24? Sure! x=6 and y=4 are numbers for which x is two greater than y and both x and y satisfy the equation! Therefore, it takes Machine X 6 days to produce w widgets, which means that it takes 12 days to produce 2w widgets.

Final answer: E

Posted in GMAT, Quant Guide | 1 Comment »

EdTech News Roundup: New Massive Open Online Courses, Teachers Warm up to EdTech, and Academic Publishing Goes Open Source

June 24th, 2011

In this week’s edtech news roundup, read articles about new ‘Massive Open Online Courses’ at U of Illinois – Springfield, teachers’ increasing affinity for educational technology, and a bill in Oregon expanding online charter schools.

1. Technology Keeps Students Tethered to Parents Longer than Previous Generations

With email, Skype, text messaging, Facebook, and other new ways of communication, the distance between college students and their parents is shrinking. Read more about the positive and negative implications of this cultural shift in this article from eCampusNews.

2. U of Illinois at Springfield Offers New ‘Massive Open Online Course’

A growing number of educators are making a push toward “open teaching” by offering “Massive Open Online Courses,” or “MOOTS,” which anyone can join. The University of Illinois at Springfield recently announced it would offer a MOOC on the state of online education and the future of e-learning. Read more in this article from The Chronicle of Higher Education.

3. The More We Use It the More We Love It

Results from an annual survey indicate that as teachers’ use of technology increases, so does the amount of value they place upon it. Read more in this article from THE Journal.

4. Blogs Elbow Up to Journal Status in New Academic Publishing Venture

PressForward, a new project from The Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media at George Mason University, seeks to bring academic publishing into the 21st century with a platform that will highlight blog posts and conference papers. Read more in this article from The Chronicle of Higher Education.

5. Oregon House Passes Bill Expanding Online Charter Schools

The controversial bill would allow up to 3 percent of the students in any local district to enroll in online charter schools. Read more in this article from The Huffington Post.

Tags: edtech news roundup
Posted in EdTech, Education, Education & Technology, Knewton, Technology | No Comments »

40 Ways to Prep for Business School Apps This Summer

June 23rd, 2011

Want to make sure you master the application season come September? Check out this list of ways you can sharpen your skills, your outlook, and be your very best for Round 1 right around the corner.

1. Prep for your interviews now by thinking about your experiences (professional, academic, and extracurricular) and what you have learned from them.

2. For two very different first-hand accounts of what lies ahead, read Robert Reid’s Year One: An Inside Look at Harvard Business School and Peter Robinson’s Snapshots From Hell: The Making of an MBA.

3. Keep up with magazines such as The Economist (for a full reading list, check out this post of MBA must-reads).

4. Check out the MBA Gym from the Financial Times for 15-minute targeted “work-outs” in areas such as Finance, Marketing, and Strategy. The mini-lessons will give you a glimpse at the kind of things you’ll learn in b-school and help you make sure an MBA is right for you.

5. If there are concentrations at your b-schools of choice, decide what you’re going to concentrate in. This may change, but it’s worth a think-through.

6. Think about a possible back-up plan. If b-school apps don’t work out this year, know that you can switch companies, stay at your job for another year and reapply, travel, or apply for a fellowship like the Fulbright.

7. Consider the financial aspect of your MBA plans (for an overview of your scholarship options, check out our ongoing blog series).

8. Get a new hobby – whether it’s pottery, pilates, or triatholon training. It’s easy to get tunnel-vision during the admissions process; extracurricular activities will keep your perspective open and help you feel in control even when your apps are out, and there’s nothing to do but wait.

9. Talk to students and alumni from your dream schools. How can you get in touch with these people? Attend info-sessions and visit the schools and online admissions forums; collect business cards and email addresses and don’t be shy about following up! Students and alumni sign up to participate in such events because they want to reach out to prospective applicants. The earlier you get this out of the way, the better. Don’t schedule 10 phone calls the week your application is due.

10. Schedule campus visits for the fall, when business schools are back in session (the summer goes by quickly!). Visiting campus isn’t mandatory, but if you have the time and financial means, a visit is a great way to get a feel for the school and demonstrate your interest in the program. During interviews, you may be asked point-blank if you visited campus or not.

11. Bolster your knowledge of business areas you’re less familiar with. Check out the Harvard Business Review series on every subject from corporate strategy to brand management. The books are popular enough that you can find them at your local bookstore or download them on your reading device.

12. Make a decision tree for yourself. Factor in all the schools you’re applying to and any back-up options.

13. Try this exercise. Fill in the blank: “What I most want is to _________.” Revise this statement daily.

14. Talk to people who would never consider getting an MBA. Having someone play devil’s advocate will strengthen your resolve and prepare you for those difficult interviews.

15. Retake the GMAT or make peace with your score.

16. Start your essays early .This way, you can sit on them all summer; lines you wrote in June might make you cringe by August. Check out this post for tips on how to avoid sounding awkward, trite, or boring.

17. Use Google Alerts to keep your finger on the business news pulse. It might sound basic, but make sure you can answer basic interview questions about the industry in which you work.

18. Get your fill of shopping and fine dining while the paychecks are still rolling in.

19. Ask people with diverse business perspectives (one marketer, one entrepreneur, etc) to provide feedback on your essays.

20. Decide whether you want to hire an admissions consultant. And make peace with your decision (4 months into the process is not the point to say, “I should have hired a consultant!”).

21. Carefully shop for an admissions consultant if you decide to get one. What worked for one of your friends might not work for you. Some consultants pride themselves on being tough and critical (and providing a sort of admissions “boot camp”); others market themselves as perfect for certain types of candidates (non-traditional for example) or certain schools.

22. Read the course catalogs at the schools you’re applying to and familiarize yourself with the offerings.

23. Take on extra responsibility at work. Achievements you add to your resume now may help you secure a summer internship after your first year.

24. Familiarize yourself with scholarship options that are specific to each school. Think about how you can stand out according to the criteria. Considering this far in advance of the deadline will prevent you from contorting yourself (or at least, appearing to contort yourself) to fit the criteria.

25. Ask several b-school alumni what they regretted most about their MBA experience.

26. Ask the same alumni what they valued most about their time at b-school.

26. Looking to switch careers post-MBA? Read books, magazines, and internet articles to truly understand the industry you’re looking to enter.

27. Live in NYC and never been to the Statue of Liberty? Visit all the places you always wanted to before possibly moving to another corner of the continent for your dream school.

28. Think about your business goals and more importantly, why you’re the best person to pursue them (as opposed to someone with a different background). What about you – your experiences, your character, your talent and skills makes you uniquely suited for your intended path? This will help you in your b-school essays and your interview(s).

29. Plan on being a management consultant but unable to digest a case study for your life? Consider what it will take to master the interview process of the industry you intend to enter. Understanding what exactly is required of you will help you determine whether your MBA goals are feasible.

30. Take a finance or accounting class if you have no experience with these areas.

31. Weary of admissions talk and want some inspiration? Read these books about leadership.

32. Grab a copy of 65 Successful HBS Essays to help inspire your own MBA admissions essay.

33. Missed an important promotion at work? Have a low GPA or GMAT score? Check out this awesome video from Stacy Blackman on maintaining a sense of control.

34. Take a look at the recommendation criteria at the schools to which you intend to apply. Embarrassed at what recommenders might say about your “emotional maturity” or your “communication skills”? Take small actions, day by day, to improve your work image.

35. Visit various MBA admissions forums now (and if you must, get into a heated week-long debate with HedgeFundGuy47 and ConsultantGirl about rankings and which school is better). In other words, get it out of your system when you have ample time, and you’re not dealing with application stress, the holiday season, and work responsibility all at once.

36. Have any extra time after all of the above? Get certified in some way or another. Study for Level 1, II, or III of the CFA, or brush up your foreign language skills. These credentials will not make or break your admissions game, but may help tip the scale in your favor.

37. Put together a calendar with all your application deadlines and to-do’s. Knowing when everything is due will help you manage your time effectively and make sure that you get everything in on time.

38. Read books like Talent is Overrated to remind you about the efficacy of hard work and iterative development. Focus on small, concrete steps toward professional fulfillment and don’t get intimidated by the enormity of what lies ahead! As Thomas Carlyle said, “be concerned with and do what clearly lies at hand, each and every day.”

39. Volunteer for a worthy cause and get involved in your community. Nothing broadens the perspective more than thinking about others instead of yourself.

40. Unwind by enjoying the Top 10 Movies to Watch Before B-school.

Posted in Featured, GMAT, MBA Admissions | No Comments »

Is Blended Learning the Future of Education? [INFOGRAPHIC]

June 22nd, 2011

The factory model of education is the wrong model for the 21st century. Today, our schools must prepare all students for college and careers–and do far more to personalize instruction and employ the smart use of technology.
-Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education

Education is primed for a revolution — and blended learning might just be it.

Blended learning refers to any time a student learns in part at a brick-and-mortar facility and in part online. It’s a disruptive innovation in education, and one that many schools are employing to increase student learning and engagement while dealing with the realities of public funding.

In this infographic, learn about blended learning’s history and potential, the different ways in which today’s schools are employing online courses, and specific research needs for the future.

Click on the image to view the full infographic — Blended Learning: A Disruptive Innovation

Tags: infographic, teachers
Posted in EdTech, Education, Education & Technology, Featured, Knewton | No Comments »