Many students aren’t initially quite how to set their GMAT performance goals and aspirations. Deep down, many struggle with an underlying question that sets their mindset and has a large influence on how well they might perform; does my performance on the GMAT depend more on a) how hard I work, or b) my IQ … Read More
Functions. The word itself strikes terror into the heart of many GMAT takers. In the dark corners of GMAT prep lurk a few little things that may or may not be covered in secondary (high school) education. These include functions, counting problems (permutations and combinations / combinatorics), and a lot of basic number theory (Properties … Read More
Over the years, I’ve learned never to respect people who worry about their ideas being stolen. After all, what is an “original idea?” For that matter, how can it be proven? To me, it simply hasn’t seemed like something to worry about. Of course that isn’t suggesting that I plagiarize—believe me, I have enough to … Read More
A few simple ways to adjust your thinking might help. At its core, the GMAT is a reasoning test. That is, it tests they way that you think. It does this in a predictable, calculable way. Unfortunately, many people who train for the GMAT are highly skilled in either a “harder” math/science skill or in … Read More
It’s simple. Change the way you think about failure. You have to get things wrong to get things right. Yeah, whatever. Actually, I’m being absolutely serious here. As a GMAT tutor, I’ve seen first-hand how part of any program of learning involves a lot of mistakes, a lot of missteps, and a certain amount of … Read More
Today I heard something very interesting while listening to a speech by author, investor, and general crazy person Tim Ferriss. While it is nice to hear him echo what I’ve always said about “imagine the worst that could happen”— –that is, imagine that you never prep, “fail” the GMAT, and don’t get into the school … Read More
Athletes, musicians, and other top performers all understand how to control their emotional states under pressure. This is a make-or-break ability to develop in your GMAT prep, and it is sadly lacking in most GMAT courses. That is not to say that you have to be perfectly calm—in fact, a certain amount of nervousness makes … Read More
“The secret is reps, reps, reps.” –Arnold Schwarzenegger “Whether in sports, running the same drills over and over, or in business practicing a sales pitch or refining a presentation, we gain through preparation a sense of mastery and self-confidence that can be taken into the real game.” –Joe Montana The key to success on the … Read More
Your mind can be your biggest ally or your greatest enemy. Henry Ford famously said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” Is your mind playing with you, or against you? Try the exercise that follows to find out. Imagine being now, right now, on the day of the test. You … Read More
Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to commit yourself to anything and get it done? Wouldn’t you like to be able to complete on things that you claim you’ll do? Why don’t those things happen? A simple answer, says author Tim Ferriss in his landmark book The Four-Hour Body, is Human Nature. There are … Read More
