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Exponents

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010

An exponent refers to the number of times the base is a factor.  For example,  43 = 4 x 4 x 4 = 64. For a term with a coefficient in front of a variable raised to an exponent, it’s important to remember that the exponent only affects the variable. Knowing the order of operations is helpful to avoid simple exponent mistakes. For 2x2, first you would square x and then multiply the result by 2.

Any number to the 2 power is referred to as being “squared.” Any number to the 3 power is called being “cubed.”

When you multiply two terms with the same base, you can add the exponents.: 25 x 23 = 25+3 = 28

When you divide two terms with the same base, you can subtract the exponent of the numerator from the exponent of the denominator: 68 ÷ 62 = 66

If two exponents are separated by a parenthesis, you can multiply them: (82)5 = 810

On the GMAT look for ways to rewrite bases so they are the same.

97 x 3x = 317

(32)7 x 3x = 317

314 x 3x = 317

14  +  x = 17

x = 3

There is no quick way of combining exponents when the bases are added. Don’t be fooled if you see something like 32 + 36 = ?. The answer is NOT 38. To solve, you must multiple out each term and then find the sum.

Any nonzero number raised to a power of zero is equal to 1.

30 = 1

However 00 = undefined.

A negative exponent is another way of expressing a fraction: x-1 = 1 / x1

4-2 = 1/42 = 1/16

A fractional exponent is another way of expressing a root: x1/n = n√x1

72/3 = 3√72

81/3 = 3√8 = 2

When a fraction is raised to an exponent, you must distribute the power both to the numerator and the denominator:

(1/2)3 = 13 / 23 = 1/8

Notice how the fraction will actually decrease in number as the exponent increases.

(1/2)4 = 14 / 24 = 1/16

A negative number raised to an even exponent will always be positive. The negative sign will cancel itself out.

(-2)2 = -2 x -2 = 4

However a negative numbers raised to an odd exponent will remain negative.

(-3)3 = -3 x -3 x -3 = -27

Large numbers and very small decimals are often expressed with exponents using scientific notation. Scientific notation involves writing the number as a product of a decimal and the number 10 raised to a certain power.

The number of the exponent indicates the number of places the decimal moves.

107 = 1 + 7 zeros = 10,000,000

.036 x 104 = 360 (the decimal moves four places to the right)

.0000000857 x 106 = .0857

5.6 x 10-4 = .00056 (Since it’s a negative exponent, the decimal will move to the left.)

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Know the Game

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

Back in February, I wrote an overview on how to maximize your study efficiency.  Today, I’d like to discuss the five general tasks that every efficient GMAT student must do. Here they are, in order:

1. Know the Game

The GMAT is essentially a puzzle in which the players are given a very rigid set of rules. While your MBA application is read holistically, the GMAT is a purely objective assessment and doesn’t consider your resume in its calculation. For this reason, you must operate under its and only its parameters.

The Quantitative section has two question types, each with its own set of rules, and the questions rely on the proven rules of Geometry, Algebra, and Number Properties.  First, become comfortable with the types and topics of Quantitative questions, and then you can master the art of solving them. Since the parameters of Data Sufficiency games differ from those of the Problem Solving, their solutions may not found in the same manner, even if they test the same content.

Likewise, the three Verbal sections are built around the well-defined rules of English grammar, the structure of a logical argument, and literary technique. The GMAT is very limited in the ways it tests these broad topics. Identify the types of questions and common solutions for each Verbal section. You may not be able to synthesize all the information for every given question, but build the foundation before you jump in.

To do this, go through a course book, make flashcards (BTG has great ones), and take detailed notes of the ins and outs of each question type or topic. You’ll internalize them better by going through these materials with a critical eye, and have your own personal book to reference moving forward.

2. Remediate

As you answer practice questions, you’ll inevitably get things wrong. Take an active approach to learning by identifying which rule(s) you ignored, missed or were unaware of. Take a moment to look up the rule, study its qualities, and return to your practice. Use a tool like Grockit Analytics to track which rules are particularly troublesome and focus on those.

3. Master

To master the GMAT, you must be able to digest every rule presented in a question and quickly draw a logical conclusion from that information. You may spend some time doing personal remediation on the rules of triangles, but still have trouble combining that knowledge with the specific Data Sufficiency parameters.

(For example, you may know that “the measure of an exterior angle equals the sum of the two opposite interior angles,” but overlook this fact when determining whether a given angle measurement is sufficient to find another in a complex diagram.)

While practicing, keep in mind that knowledge of each rule does not imply knowledge of every combined set of rules. The more questions you answer, the better you will be become as analyzing each one.

4. Accelerate

Next, get faster. When you first start studying, speed should not be a major concern. As you practice more, however, you’ll need to discover shortcuts, tips and better strategies to arriving at the correct answer. This is where personal tutoring or timed questions come into play.

Even if you answer a practice question correctly, there still may be a better or faster way to solve it. Do not be satisfied with a correct response. Be satisfied with the best path to the correct response.

5. Simulate

You’ll hear this again and again. Take full length CATs (including the essay) to practice synthesizing all the rules, in all their combinations, under a time constraint. This in itself is a skill. Periodically do this and repeat steps 2 through 4 until test day.

Good luck!

p.s. I’m not usually one for silly acronyms, but it just so happens that this one spells “KRAMS.”

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GMAT: Fragments and Run-Ons

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

The GMAT Sentence Correction commonly tests run-on sentences and fragments. Let’s review some of the definitions so you can quickly spot them.

A clause is a group of words with a verb and a subject.

An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence. When two or more independent clauses are inappropriately joined, it is called a run-on.

A dependent or subordinate clause lacks either a subject or a predicate verb, or does not express a complete thought. When a dependent clause is not attached to an independent clause it is called a fragment.

An easy way to think of run-ons and fragments is that a run-on sentence has too much information while a fragment doesn’t have enough.

Run-on: I have been studying for the GMAT for three months, I hope to score a 750+.

Fragment: Hoping to do well on my test.

The run-on example is called a comma splice. Two sentences have been improperly joined with a comma.

The fragment is a dependent clause. It is missing a subject and predicate verb. To fix the fragment, we would need to add an independent clause or the missing information.

Hoping to do well on my test, I went to sleep early the night before.

Sheila hopes to do well on her test.

To fix the run-on, we have three options. The most concise (and often the most correct) way is to change the comma to a semicolon.

I have been studying for the GMAT for three months; I hope to score a 750+.

We can also add a coordinating conjunction after the comma.

I have been studying for the GMAT for three months, and I hope to score a 750+.

Or we can make one clause dependent.

Hoping to score a 750+, I have been studying for the GMAT for three months.

Make sure that when one clause becomes dependent, it doesn’t introduce a modification error into the sentence. “Hoping to score a 750+” correcting modifies “I” so this sentence is correct.

Occasionally a run-on may be fixed by adding either a colon (:) or a dash (-). A colon is used to introduce a list, an explanation, or a quote. If the first independent clause is acting as an introduction, then adding a colon is acceptable.

I had everything I needed to start studying: my pen, scratch paper, and computer all sat on my desk.

A dash (-) indicates a sudden change in thought:

The GMAT was a piece of cake – or so I thought!

Once you spot a fragment or a run-on sentence on the GMAT, look for the answer choice that corrects the error without introducing a new one. Two answer choices may correctly fix a fragment, however one of them may be wordier, use passive voice, or introduce a new error. Make sure you are always choosing the best answer choice out of the options given, not just the first one that corrects the error!

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Posted in GMAT, Sentence Correction, Verbal | No Comments »

Sentence Correction: General Strategies

Friday, August 20th, 2010

The Sentence Correction portion of the GMAT Verbal tests grammar and mechanics. About 15 of the 41 Verbal questions are SC, so SC constitutes the majority of the three verbal question types. With SC questions, you’ll be presented with a sentence, part of which or all of which is underlined. You’ll have five choices that rephrase the underlined portion, the first of which repeats the original. Your task, as expected, is to choose the best option. What does “best” mean in this case? According to the GMAT, the question tests “correctness and effectiveness of expression,” and you should pay attention to “grammar, choice of words, and sentence construction.” The answer should be “clear and exact, without awkwardness, ambiguity, redundancy, or grammatical error.”

That seems like a lot to ask, and indeed it is. Luckily, there is a limited number of specific errors that SC questions test, and it’s crucial to learn each one. Before you learn these common errors, though, you need to follow a certain plan of action. Here’s how to attack an SC, step by step:

1. Read the whole sentence slowly and carefully. We all have different reading speeds, but as a good rule of thumb, you’ll want to read the sentence significantly slower than you would read a novel. For you fast readers who don’t subvocalize as you read, you might want to try subvocalizing SC sentences; sometimes it’s best to hear the mistake rather than see it.

2. If you notice what looks like an error in the underlined portion, try to identify the type of error before you move on to the answer choices. Why? The test writers are clever, and many of the incorrect choices appear correct.

Remember, there are basically three ways an  answer can be wrong:

- It violates a grammar rule.

- Its wording is unclear.

- Its wording is nonstandard (these will often sound incorrect)

3. If the underlined portion appears correct, make note of it, but read every answer choice carefully before you rule it correct.

4. Examine answer choices individually. If you found an error in the original, eliminate choice A. If any of the answer choices repeat that error (and they often do), then eliminate those answers. Try to look for additional errors in the answer choices and spot other choices that repeat those errors. It’s imperative that you group answer choices together based on common errors; this strategy save you precious time.

If you were unable to find an error in the original sentence, search for errors in the answer choices to quickly eliminate them. In other words, when you can’t find the error in the original, never try to search for the correct sentence –always work by elimination. If you can spot errors in each choice, then you should choose A as the answer.

5. If you’re down to two choices that both seem fine, identify the differences between the sentences, and only examine these differences. The error will always lie in that portion.

A systematic method is just as necessary to solve SC’s as is knowledge of the grammar rules. Wrong answer choices are designed to be seductive, so firmly adhere to a system to get the job done.

Posted in GMAT, GMAT Preparation, Sentence Correction, Verbal | No Comments »

Exponents on the GMAT

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

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Posted in GMAT, Quantitative | No Comments »

GMAT Verb Tense Practice

Monday, August 16th, 2010

The general rule on GMAT Sentence Corrections is that verb tenses should stay consistent within a sentence, unless the sequence of events described in the sentence justifies a change in verb tense.  Last time, we saw a question in which verb tense plays a major role; let’s revisit that question.

The benefits of the teacher’s new academic achievement reward program are evident in the student’s grades, which increased by a full point this semester after it fell last semester.

  1. a. which increased by a full point this semester after it fell
  2. b. which had increased by a full point this semester after it had fallen
  3. c. which have increased by a full point this semester after falling
  4. d. with an increase of a full point this semester after falling
  5. e. with an increase of a full point this semester after having fallen

The sentence gives us some clues about our timeline; “are evident” shows us that we are in the present, for instance, and the sentence ends with “last semester,” so we know that the grades fell in the past.  Since we’re talking about an increase “this semester,” we need to use a present or present perfect version of “increase.”  We can rule out ‘a’ since it uses the past tense “increased,” and ‘b’ for its use of the past perfect “had increased.”  That leaves us with the last three choices, and to make that decision, we turn to the correct introduction of a modifying phrase.  The word “which” at the beginning of choice ‘c’ makes it clear that everything following it describes “grades,” and that’s the correct meaning.  Therefore, the answer here is ‘c.’

But what if you’re not confident with verb tense issues?  In that case, the first step in approaching this question is to eliminate as many choices as we can based on common grammar issues.  The pronoun “it” in the original sentence seems to refer to the student’s grades, but the plural “grades” doesn’t agree with the singular “it,” so any choice using that pronoun is eliminated.  That takes care of ‘a’ and ‘b’ and leaves us with ‘c,’ ‘d,’ and ‘e.’  Once again, we’re back to the modifier: both ‘d’ and ‘e’ begin with the phrase “with an increase,” and that phrase doesn’t make it clear that what follows it modifies “grades.”  That leaves us once more with ‘c.’

Posted in GMAT, Sentence Correction, Verbal | No Comments »

SC Spotlight: All-In-One Question 2 Explanation

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Thank you all for your participation in the most recent all-in-one question — dozens of responses within a day!  I’m glad to see you’re all so committed to your GMAT studies and interested in learning more; as you may have noticed, time you invest in any part of Verbal transfers to all the other Verbal tasks to various extents.   I’m sorry I don’t have prizes for you beyond the excitement of something different, perhaps the satisfaction of a job well done, and potentially a tiny contribution to a higher GMAT score — maybe someday I’ll have something tangible for you!

If you’re new to the all-in-ones, check out the question (link above) for background and then come back.  The answer choices explained:

A.  The storming of the Bastille, a medieval fortress turned from a prison, by angry protesters on July 14, 1789 was the first violent event of the opening stage of the French Revolution, following the dramatic formation of the National Assembly and the inception of a long period of much turmoil within France and throughout Europe.

The Bastille was a fortress first and a prison more recently; “from” reverses this order.  The modifying phrase beginning with “following” is setting up events that took place prior to the attack, but “the inception of a long period . . .” is meant to describe the attack, not an event before it.

B.  After the revolutionary formation of the National Assembly by angry protesters, then a long period of much turmoil within France and throughout Europe were begun by the storming of the Bastille, a medieval fortress turned into a prison, on July 14, 1789, the first violent event of the opening stage of the French Revolution.

Here angry protesters are the ones who formed the National Assembly, “then” subordinates what ought to be the main clause of a sentence, and the plural verb “were begun” does not agree with the singular “period.”

C.  Angry protesters stormed the Bastille, a medieval fortress turned into a prison, the first violent event of the opening stage of the French Revolution, the dramatic formation of the National Assembly, and the beginning of a long period of much turmoil with France and throughout Europe on July 14, 1789.

I like this (wrong) answer choice because while it’s clearly wrong, it’s challenging to articulate why — apposition and modification may make a good blog post later.  Modifying phrases by default modify the thing they are closest to, but there are still rules.  You can add apposition — a parenthetical restatement of a word you just said, similar to this thing I’m typing right now — set off only by commas and without any additional marking words; you can even put several in a row (“George’s faithful dog Spot, terror of the postal service, stealer of bacon, and pursuer of squirrels, loved riding in the car more than anything”) modifying something prior.  Without additional participles, verbs, adverbs, or relative pronouns in front of each phrase after “prison” to suggest a structure, though, the phrases default to modifying “the Bastille.”

D.  A long period of much turmoil within France and throughout Europe began on July 14th, 1789 along with the first violent event of the opening stage of the French Revolution, when angry protesters stormed the Bastille, a medieval fortress turned into a prison following the dramatic formation of the National Assembly.

“Along with” suggests that there were two parallel events, when in fact they are the same event.  The lack of a comma in D is undesirable because it suggests that the conversion from fortress to prison followed the formation of the National Assembly, when in fact that happened years before.  Commas are the difference between “I’m hungry! Let’s eat, Grandma!” and “I’m hungry!  Let’s eat Grandma!”

E.  After the revolutionary formation of the National Assembly, a long period of many turmoil within France and throughout Europe were begun by the storming of the Bastille, a medieval fortress turned into a prison by angry protesters on July 14, 1789, the first violent event of the opening stage of the French Revolution.

“Turmoil” is a non-count noun, and so should be modified with “much.”  “Were begun” is plural where “period” is singular.  Lack of an important comma strikes again, as this sentence indicates that the angry protesters are the ones who converted the fortress to a prison (not true).

F.  A long period of much turmoil within France and throughout Europe had been begun July 14th, 1789 with the first violent event of the opening stage of the French Revolution, when angry protesters stormed the Bastille, a medieval fortress turned into a prison, an event after the dramatic formation of the National Assembly.

Past perfect tenses (“had been begun”) are used to indicate time prior to a past tense elsewhere in the sentence, but here the period of turmoil begins at the same time as the storming of the Bastille.  “An event after” is simply a wordier (and therefore GMAT-incorrect) version of “after.”

G.  The storming of the Bastille, a medieval fortress turned into a prison by angry protesters on July 14, 1789, was the first violent event of the opening stage of the French Revolution, following the dramatic formation of the National Assembly and likewise beginning a long period of much turmoil not only within France and throughout Europe.

Angry protesters are industriously engaged in remodeling once more in choice G, and doing so right at the beginning of the French Revolution.  “And likewise” is wordy and unnecessary.

H.  The first violent event of the opening stage of the French Revolution was the storming of the Bastille, a medieval fortress turned into a prison, by angry protesters on July14, 1789, following the dramatic formation of the National Assembly and beginning a long period of much turmoil within France and throughout Europe.

In “real English” there’s no good reason to have a sentence this long and heavily modified, but this is correct.  You may also notice that it is mostly the same as choice I, but the ideas come in the opposite order.

I.  A long period of much turmoil within France and throughout Europe began July 14th, 1789 with the first violent event of the opening stage of the French Revolution when, following the dramatic formation of the National Assembly, angry protesters stormed the Bastille, a medieval fortress turned into a prison.

Some of you felt that “following the dramatic  formation of the National Assembly” is oddly placed — you are right, it’s a more complex sentence arrangement, but a correct one.  It looks less unusual in a shorter sentence:  “A bad time period started with a violent event when, following a political event, people did stuff to a building, a fortress made into a prison.”   As before, don’t write like this on the AWA.

J.  The first violent event of the opening stage of the French Revolution was the storming of the Bastille, a medieval fortress turned into a prison, by angry protesters on July14, 1789, following the dramatic formation of the National Assembly, also a beginning of a long period of many turmoil within France and throughout Europe.

If “also a beginning” is parallel to anything, it’s parallel to “the National Assembly”, which wouldn’t make sense anyway.  “Many” makes another appearance in place of “much”.

Thank you so much for reading!  I have another one on the way, and I’ll have the answers scheduled closer to the post next time, sorry about the delay!

Posted in GMAT, Sentence Correction, Verbal | No Comments »

Idiom List

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Idioms are the bane of GMAT prep for many students; the only way to know them is to memorize them, because objectively speaking, they don’t always make sense to non-native speakers, and there’s no real grammatical justification for some of the constructions aside from the idea that “that’s just how we say it.”  However, by reviewing those idioms deemed worthy of testing by the GMAC, you can get a jump-start on your GMAT Sentence Correction Practice.

Here for your edification we provide a list of idioms derived from the Official Guide for GMAT Review (12th Edition), the Official Guide for GMAT Review (11th Edition), and the Official Guide for GMAT Verbal Review.  Make some flashcards, commit these to memory, and you should start to see an improvement in your sentence correction skills!  The question number, page number, and source text for each idiom is provided, so you can reference the original question for explanation of the context in which the idiom is used.

Y is more than Z (Question 4, pg. 686, Official Guide 12th Edition)

unlike Y, Z (Question 20, pg. 694, Official Guide 12th Edition)

in contrast with Y, Z (Question 20, pg. 694, Official Guide 12th Edition)

in contrast to Y, Z (Question 20, pg. 694, Official Guide 12th Edition)

estimate to be (Question 27, pg. 698, Official Guide 12th Edition)

the same to Y as to Z (Question 32, pg. 700, Official Guide 12th Edition)

depends on whether Y Question 34 , pg. 701, Official Guide 12th Edition)

so Y that Z (Question 37, pg. 702, Official Guide 12th Edition)

targeted … at (Question 40, pg. 704, Official Guide 12th Edition)

rivalry between Y and Z (Question  44, pg. 706, Official Guide 12th Edition)

expended on (Question  46, pgs. 706-707, Official Guide 12th Edition)

the ability … to (Question 51, pg. 710, Official Guide 12th Edition)

Y is to Z what B is to C (Question 58, pg. 714, Official Guide 12th Edition)

amount of Y (Question 74, pg. 722, Official Guide 12th Edition)

attributes Y to Z (Question 79, pg. 724, Official Guide 12th Edition)

not just because of Y, but because of Z (Question 83 pgs.726-727, Official Guide 12th Edition)

distinctions between Y and Z (Question 96, pg. 733, Official Guide 12th Edition)

either Y or Z (Question 109, pgs. 740-741, Official Guide 12th Edition)

to consider Y Z (Question  117, pg. 745, Official Guide 12th Edition)

less successful than (Question 123, pg. 748, Official Guide 12th Edition)

so Y that Z (Question  124 pgs. 748-749, Official Guide 12th Edition)

Y is dated at z years old (Question 140, pg. 756, Official Guide 12th Edition)

Y is more than Z (Question 2, pg. 662, Official Guide 11th Edition)

in contrast with Y, Z (Question 16, pg. 669, Official Guide 11th Edition)

estimated to be (Question 21, pg. 671, Official Guide 11th Edition)

in danger of (Question 27, pg. 673, Official Guide 11th Edition)

seem + infinitive (Question 29, pg. 674, Official Guide 11th Edition)

as much as (Question 30, pg. 674, Official Guide 11th Edition)

to credit Y with (Question 31, pg. 674, Official Guide 11th Edition)

as many … as (Question 37, pg. 676-677, Official Guide 11th Edition)

between Y and Z (Question40, pg. 678, Official Guide 11th Edition)

require Y to do Z (Question 53, pg. 684, Official Guide 11th Edition)

restrictions on Y (Question 54, pg. 684-685, Official Guide 11th Edition)

not only Y … but also Z (Question 55, pg. 685, Official Guide 11th Edition)

there is no doubt that (Question 58, pg. 687, Official Guide 11th Edition)

as a means to (Question 60, pg. 688, Official Guide 11th Edition)

attribute Y to Z (Question 67, pg. 691, Official Guide 11th Edition)

as many as (Question 76, pg. 695, Official Guide 11th Edition)

used Y as Z (Question 79, pg. 696, Official Guide 11th Edition)

not Y, but rather Z (Question 87, pg. 700, Official Guide 11th Edition)

order Y to be Z (Question 92, pg. 702, Official Guide 11th Edition)

just as Y, so Z (Question 99, pg. 706, Official Guide 11th Edition)

distinguish between Y and Z (Question 107, pg. 711, Official Guide 11th Edition)

both Y and Z (Question 112, pg. 713, Official Guide 11th Edition)

so Y that Z (Question 118, pg. 716, Official Guide 11th Edition)

not…but (Question 4, pg. 256, Verbal Review)

the rising cost (Question  8, pg. 258, Verbal Review)

range from Y to Z (Question 9, pg. 258 Verbal Review)

except for + noun (Question 13, 260, Verbal Review)

between Y and Z (Question 14, pg. 260, Verbal Review)

to mistake Y for Z (Question 17, pgs. 261-262, Verbal Review)

to think of Y as Z (Question 20, pgs. 262-263, Verbal Review)

aimed at Y (Question 25, pgs. 264-265, Verbal Review)

not only Y … but also Z (Question 46, pg. 274, Verbal Review)

prohibit Y from doing Z (Question 48, pg. 275, Verbal Review)

more Y than Z (Question 50, pg. 276, Verbal Review)

not only Y … but also Z (Question 52, pg. 277, Verbal Review)

so Y that Z (Question 58, pg. 280, Verbal Review)

not Y, but rather Z (Question 60, pg. 281, Verbal Review)

not only … but also (Question 66, pgs. 283-284, Verbal Review)

in order to Y (Question 69, pg. 285, Verbal Review)

as Y as (Question 75, pg. 288, Verbal Review)

worried about (Question 81, pg. 291, Verbal Review)

either Y or Z (Question 84, pg. 292, Verbal Review)

better served by Y than by Z (Question 89, pg. 295, Verbal Review)

ordered Y to do Z (Question 90, pg. 295, Verbal Review)

both Y and Z (Question 93, pg. 297, Verbal Review)

Y rose almost as fast as Z (Question 94, pg. 297, Verbal Review)

between Y and Z (Question 95, pg. 298, Verbal Review)

more Y than Z (Question 98, pg. 299, Verbal Review)

Y rather than Z (Question 99, pg. 300, Verbal Review)

isolated from (Question 106, pg. 303, Verbal Review)

not only Y … but also Z (Question 108, pg. 304, Verbal Review)

as a result of (Question 113, pg. 307, Verbal Review)

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How to Write a Personal Statement that Rocks!

Sunday, August 8th, 2010

If you are like me, then you would rather take the GMAT five times in a row than write a personal statement, but the first step to writing a rockin’ statement of purpose is to see it as an opportunity, not a compulsory exercise. The statement will make you a real person to the admissions department, and is a great opportunity to show them that not only are you a strong writer, but you are a mature, intelligent and focused business professional.

  1. Do your research. Just like you would for any research paper, gather as much information about your topic – YOU! Applying to business school is well, serious business, and you have probably been talking about it for months if not years. Sit down with your close family and friends individually and ask them why you would be an excellent candidate. What have you been saying all these months about MBA programs? What first interested you in getting an MBA? What makes you a strong candidate? They will be able to help you understand your strengths, your determination, and your passion even when hours of GMAT studying have made you forget. Prepare a list of questions and take notes!
  2. Personalize your approach. Don’t just write one blanket statement for every program. MBA programs want to know why you want to study at their specific school. The questions they ask will differ slightly from application to application. While you can tweak a strong essay to fit almost any prompt, make sure you are including the specifics of each program in your essay. They want to accept students who really want them so work hard to avoid flippancy or glibness.
  3. Show, don’t tell. When the admissions department reads your statement, keep in mind that they will have the rest of your application at hand, including transcripts, letters of recommendation, resume, etc. Make sure you don’t repeat any information from any other part of your application. Don’t just tell them about your accomplishments or present a recitation of your skills. Show them part of your personal story that led you to choosing their graduate school. Don’t make it cliché or saccharine, but also don’t be afraid to use the first-person “I” and be emotionally revealing. Depth is always better than breadth.
  4. Revise! Be prepared to revise your essay a lot! You may think you know exactly what topic or story you’d like to discuss, but you may find that you run out of steam after one paragraph. Try writing a few different outlines before you begin. Expect that it will take you awhile to find the story you want to tell, and enjoy the process. Have trusted friends or family members read your essay and give you feedback. If possible, contact old faculty advisors and teachers and ask their opinions. Once you’ve finished your essay, go back and re-read the specific question of the prompt. Make sure your essay is truly on-topic.

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Parallelism Challenge Part II

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

Remember our parallelism challenge cliffhanger?  You’ve discussed your thoughts in the comments section; now let’s go over this question in detail.

The recent decline in bus commuter ridership has left the system underfunded, to cause the number of buses running during peak times to drop, and prompts concerns that further service cuts may lead to the collapse of the city’s entire public transportation system.

  1. a. to cause the number of buses running during peak times to drop, and prompts
  2. b. causing the number of buses running during peak times to drop and prompting
  3. c. to cause reductions in the number of buses running during peak times and prompt
  4. d. to cause the number of buses running during peak times to be reduced, and prompted
  5. e. causing a reduction in the number of buses running during peak times and prompting

There are a couple of ways to make this parallel.  First, you could look at the three main verbs as a list: “left the system underfunded” is the first one, and since it’s not underlined, it’s the one we have to match.  In order to do that, we would need to put the other two verbs—cause and prompt—in the past tense.  That list would be “…has left the system underfunded, caused the number of buses… and prompted concerns…” But a quick scan of the answer choices shows us that none of them begin with “caused,” so we have to try a different option: we look at the underlined portion as the beginning of a modifying phrase that describes the results of the system being underfunded.  In order to introduce that kind of phrase, we need the gerund “causing,” which leaves us with only choices ‘b’ and ‘e’ to evaluate.

That’s a tougher issue, and one that isn’t governed by parallel structure.  This comes down to word choice: “causing the number… to drop” doesn’t clearly show that the number was reduced in response to an underfunded system.  “Causing a reduction…” tells us that the underfunded system resulted in the number of buses being reduced, with the implication that the reduction was a conscious decision, rather than an unforeseen consequence.

An issue that frequently comes into play with parallel structure is verb tense, as we saw in the previous question.  Let’s look at a verb tense question; note your answers and reasoning in the comments section, and we’ll examine this question in depth in an upcoming article.

The benefits of the teacher’s new academic achievement reward program are evident in the student’s grades, which increased by a full point this semester after it fell last semester.

  1. a. which increased by a full point this semester after it fell
  2. b. which had increased by a full point this semester after it had fallen
  3. c. which have increased by a full point this semester after falling
  4. d. with an increase of a full point this semester after falling
  5. e. with an increase of a full point this semester after having fallen

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