February 2012

New GMAT: Integrated Reasoning Section

Get Clear. Get Into Grad School. Get On With Your Life.

by Dr. Khia on February 29, 2012

What is integrated reasoning?

The GMAT Integrated Reasoning section is a new section on the GMAT, and will be introduced on June 1st, 2012. Instead of making test takers suffer even longer, GMAC, the writers of the GMAT, have decided to replace one of the essays with the Integrated Reasoning section.

As the section implies there is a fair amount of reasoning involved – most will be quant-based though there will be some verbal-based reasoning as well.

Here are some important points to keep in mind:

  • You must answer a question before moving on
  • Once you answer a question you can’t go back to it
  • A graph or prompt may have multiple questions
  • You will have 30 minutes to do 12 questions
  • There will be an onscreen calculator for this new section (but not for the rest of the exam!) [click to continue…]

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Your Grad School Coach + Magoosh = More Grad School Admissions Goodness!

Get Clear. Get Into Grad School. Get On With Your Life.

by Dr. Khia on February 28, 2012

I thought I told ya’ll! We’re going worldwide, baby! I called it into existence that 2012 is the year that Your Grad School Coach is embarking into the stratosphere! Don’t believe me? I have proof – check out my New Years Resolution post.

Brand New Partnership With Magoosh

magoosh logo

I am very proud to announce that Your Grad School Coach has developed a partnership with Magoosh to feature expert GRE/GMAT test preparation advice. A fun-to-say name for an innovative company, Magoosh is a clever play on an Old Persian word that means someone who is highly learned, wise, and generous. Their innovation is in the model of test prep delivery – it is accessible anytime and anywhere via the Web. [click to continue…]

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Spring Training In the Winter – The Pre-Application Phase to Grad School

Get Clear. Get Into Grad School. Get On With Your Life.

by Dr. Khia on February 21, 2012

If you’ve been a regular reader of Your Grad School Coach and you’ve learned a little bit about me, you know that I’m sort of a tiny bit of a Jay-Z fan stan. I’ve written before about how contrary to what you will hear in the media, there is positivity and motivation and inspiration to glean from hip hop music. Not only has the music been a soundtrack for my life, but hip hop helped me get into grad school, through it, and beyond.

Just earlier today, I’m listening one of my favorite cuts from Jay-Z’s classic album “The Blueprint” and I’m realizing how applicable these lyrics are to applying to grad school. It’s ironic, at best, because Jay-Z never attended college – much less graduate school, but applicable nonetheless. [click to continue…]

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There Are No Scantrons in Grad School

Get Clear. Get Into Grad School. Get On With Your Life.

by Dr. Khia on February 6, 2012

no scantrons in grad school

If there is one thing I remember vividly about my college years, it is the multiple choice test via Scantron. I also remember all-night studying marathons the night before the big test. And then there were times when I was dialing into the last minute prayer line to plead with God, Allah, and Buddha that I scored high enough to pass.

That was a joke. Sorta.

At any rate, these are the sometimes not-so-great study habits of your typical everyday college student. Rinse and repeat semester after semester. Eventually the question of “What’s next after I finish my degree?” starts to loom ominously over visions of Graduation Day.

For many students, the answer is graduate school. Entry level jobs may not look too appealing and advanced degrees typically mean more money. What’s another few years of school? What’s been working so far can get you through the next couple of years when you’ll emerge with a graduate or professional degree in hand. If it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it. Right? [click to continue…]

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