With 700 you can pretty much go to Harvard!!! ( http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/faq.html).
Good luck on your exam day! On 3/7/08, John Hornbuckle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > A 680 is quite respectable! My goal is 700, but (A.) I'm not at all sure > I can do it and (B.) FSU doesn't require a score that high. It's just a > personal thing for me. The AWA and CR sections should be no problem (I was > an English major, after all), but Quant will be my downfall if anything is. > I sucked at math in high school, only took 1 or 2 required courses in > college (and sucked still), and haven't used geometry or algebra in a good > 15 years or so. > > > > But as you say, a big key to success is learning how to answer the test's > questions—which isn't necessarily the same as being a math expert. The > Kaplan and Princeton books I'm using definitely give some good advice in > that regard. At least, it LOOKS like good advice; I'll find out when I take > the real test. > > > > > > John > > > > > > > > *From:* [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] *On > Behalf Of *Lenny Bensman > *Sent:* Thursday, March 06, 2008 3:26 PM > *To:* NT System Admin Issues > *Subject:* Re: GMAT > > > > The score was 680, IIRC (I remember that the score put me at 90th > percentile). The two sample programs that I used varied their scores > between 680-700. As far as Emory, I'm in the evening program with mean > score of ~625. The day-time program is around 680. But they also look at a > lot more factors than just the score (recommendations, experience, > interview, essays, etc) > > > > I am far more quant guy than arts (and English is my second language, > technically speaking), and much to my surprise, I did better on English > section than on Math. Most likely this is because GMAT's (and for that > matter SAT's) math is not really math (I can rant on quality of US math > education for more pages than War & Peace... stop me! stop me now!!!), but > rather ability to remember shortcut formulas and quickly factor (rather than > solve) quadratic equations. Only few problems in the test really try to > test "logic". > > > > I'm not sure how much MBA differs from MIS that you're considering (and > judging by the email you sent after I typed most of this email, it may vary > quite a bit if program doesn't have decision analysis related classes), > but: If you only had basic math courses - and by no means am I trying to > scare you out of going back for MBA/MIS - you may want to consider (or find > out in your school if it is worth) investing in brushing up in math (after > you're done with GMAT): specifically in statistics, and briefly in calculus > (only basic concepts like what derivative actually means, and how to take > one of a quadratic function, and what does integration and area under the > curve means; no hardcore stuff). Derivatives come useful in economics > (profitability maximization, etc), and statistics are very important for > classes like decision analysis, data-driven marketing, market risk in > finance, etc. > > > > Again, my intention is not to scare you or make you reconsider your > decision. Just hoping to give you (hopefully useful) info to prep yourself > up so it is a bit easier when you are there. My math was always pretty good > (my mom was math instructor), but far from best. I cam out of GaTech not > knowing statistics at all. But luckily professor at Emory was really good > at explaining it (and not memorizing it)... > > > > On 3/6/08, *John Hornbuckle* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Thanks for the tips. May I ask what your score was? I'm guessing not bad > if you got into Emory! > > > > My math couldn't suck more. I was an English major, so I only took one or > two basic math courses in college. And it has been quite some time since I > was in high school, so I don't remember that stuff. > > > > I've got 3 books I'm working through now—Kaplan, Princeton, and the > Official Guide. On my lunch break, I ordered two more math-only books with > lots of sample questions and explanations of the solutions. I want to keep > hammering away until I can do them in my sleep. My understanding is that the > math isn't particularly complex, but that the harder questions consist of > multiple layers of simpler math. > > > > Of course, "simpler math" is a relative term. To an English major, there's > not much math that's simple! > > > > > > > > John > > > > > > *From:* [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] *On > Behalf Of *Lenny Bensman > *Sent:* Thursday, March 06, 2008 12:35 PM > *To:* NT System Admin Issues > *Subject:* Re: GMAT > > > > I'm doing my MBA right now at Emory - took GMAT 2 years ago. > > > > In taking GMAT, a good part of your success depends on knowing the > strategy, apart from knowing the material. The tests are now CATs (Computer > Aided/Assisted Testing), that works differently from the paper version: > answering the first question right and answering the second question wrong > is not equivalent to answering the first question wrong and the second > question right. The reason being is that CAT algorithm is written to hone > in on your score rather than derive it from fixed data. That is, it uses > answer from the previous question to select current question. If you answer > incorrectly, your score is dropped, and an easier question is given. > Likewise, if you answer correctly, your score is raised, and harder question > is selected. Hence, first questions make big influence on your score while > later ones are simply fine-tuning it. Therefore, your time management > shouldn't be linear, with more time spent on earlier questions to make sure > you get those right, and less time spent on last questions since those have > less and not as profound effect on your score as the earlier ones. Etc., > etc., etc., so be sure to use training material that addresses CAT strategy > and not the classic GMAT - this is the most influential preparation part > that you can do to better your scores. > > > > As far as math, <opinion>as sad as it is</opinion> you're not really > tested on being able to infer or apply logic to a given problem, but rather > knowing the shortcuts. AFAIR, only couple of questions were truly creative > that required application of your logic skills. Most were about knowing > shortcuts, remembering certain properties (like lengths of sides of a > triangle based on angles), and the likes. So be sure to get that toolbox > before going in for the real test. > > > > And be sure to practice the exam on the computer with available simulation > software (I've had access to couple of packages - scores were pretty close > to what I eventually got on my GMAT, but each package had a systematic bias > in their scoring: one was consistently higher than the other) so that > you're familiar with it when taking the exam. > > > > Lenny > > > > On 3/5/08, *John Hornbuckle* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > A while back, we had a discussion here about certification vs. degrees. > I opined that it was best to get degrees--which are good forever and not > tied solely to the tech field--first, then go for certs after that. > > Well, I'm taking my own advice and going back to school for a Master's > in Management Information Systems. On May 3rd I take the GMAT, for which > I'm spending a couple of hours studying every day (longer on weekends). > > If any of you have taken it, I'd be glad to receive any advice/wisdom > you could offer... > > > > > John Hornbuckle > MIS Department > Taylor County School District > 318 North Clark Street > Perry, FL 32347 > > www.taylor.k12.fl.us > > > > ~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja! ~ > ~ <http://www.sunbelt-software.com/SunbeltMessagingNinja.cfm> ~ > > > > > > > > ~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbelt-software.com/SunbeltMessagingNinja.cfm> ~
