It has been said that while it is wise to learn from experience, it is wiser to learn from the experiences of others. If you want to get a feel for what business school is really like before embarking on the journey yourself, why not pick the brain of someone who has gone before you?

That's exactly what we did in this episode of The Dominate Test Prep Podcast. We caught up with Sam Klein, a current second-year MBA candidate at the Duke Fuqua School of Business, and asked him everything from what he thinks helped him stand out during the admissions process to what has been the most impactful part of his business education, and everything in between. Specifically, we cover:

• Why this aerospace engineer decided to switch careers and go back to business school
• Why he chose the GMAT over the GRE
• How to answer the "Why business school?" question on your application
• How the expected ROI factored into his decision to pursue an MBA
• What he thinks sets Duke Fuqua apart from other top business schools
• Why the "soft skills" you learn in business school are perhaps even more important than what takes place in the classroom
• What makes a full-time 2-year MBA advantageous over other types of part-time or online MBA programs
• The importance of networking -- and how to do it well
• Tips on preparing for the GMAT
• What he wishes he had known before showing up for Day 1 of classes, and how you can make sure you don't start from behind like he did
• How his idea of what he thought he wanted to do with his MBA evolved over the course of his two years
• And more! 

Peek behind the MBA curtain and learn from firsthand from Sam what getting an MBA from a top-ranked business school is actually like. Hopefully it helps you decide whether an MBA is right for you and provides you with some practical tips for getting accepted and maximizing your time on campus. Enjoy!


RESOURCES AND CONTACT INFO

1. Learn more about the Duke Fuqua School of Business
2. Listen to the Duke Basketball Report Podcast, co-hosted by Sam Klein
3. Contact Dominate Test Prep for comprehensive online courses to help you prepare for the GMAT or GRE.

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION

"Don't wait until after the symphony to tune your violin." -- Anonymous

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• Get more free content on the DTP YouTube Channel
• Register for a comprehensive prep course (GMAT, Executive Assessment, GRE, LSAT, SAT)
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].

In response to test center closures resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, most standardized tests have released an at-home version so that candidates can stay on track to hit their application deadlines and continue applying to graduate school. While there are a lot of advantages to taking your exam from home, there's at least one glaring disadvantage -- and you need to make sure that you're preparing accordingly so that you can overcome it and maximize your test-day results.

If you're going to be taking your standardized test from the comfort of your own home, this episode is a must-listen. Specifically, we discuss:

• The biggest downside to taking a high-stakes exam from home, and the mental shift you need to make to overcome it
• How to recreate the "live" exam experience during your practice sessions
• The "Know thy Enemy" approach to planning ahead and preparing for all test-day contingencies
• How to "win the morning" of your exam, including an unusual but incredibly effective tactic for putting yourself in the right frame of mind to perform your best
• Whether or not you should opt for the at-home test in the first place or just wait for test centers to open again
• And more!

The good news is that the substance of the exams themselves remain largely unchanged, so everything you've been doing to prepare to this point is still relevant. The major difference, of course, is that you will be taking the real thing from home. If you implement the three strategies we teach in this episode, you'll be in a great position to come out on top!


FROM THE MAILBAG

For some bonus content toward the end of the show, we also answer the following listener question: "How much time do you suggest people spend looking over answers to questions they got wrong or even those they got right [when practicing]?”

We share some helpful tips for figuring out your strengths and weaknesses and keeping your eye on the prize when reviewing your practice results. Enjoy!


RESOURCES

1. GMAT - Official Details about the Online GMAT Exam
2. GRE - Official Page for the At-Home GRE
3. LSAT - Official LSAT Flex Information Page
4. LSAT - Top 10 Questions about LSAT Flex
5. Study: "Dress for Success: How Clothes Influence Our Performance"

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION

“I’m a firm believer in that you play the way you practice.” -- Larry Bird

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• Get more free content on the DTP YouTube Channel
• Register for a comprehensive prep course (GMAT, Executive Assessment, GRE, LSAT, SAT)
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].

The best way to learn what business school admissions officers are looking for is to ask them! So that's exactly what we did. In this episode of The Dominate Test Prep Podcast, we sat down with Lauren Sutherland, Associate Director of Admissions at the Duke Fuqua School of Business, and discussed a wide range of admissions-related questions including:

• What differentiates Duke Fuqua from some of the other top business schools
• How a school's ranking should factor in to your decision of which school(s) to apply to and other considerations you should weigh as well
• The value of Duke's "25 Random Things" essay for enabling you to showcase what makes you a unique and desirable candidate
• What makes someone stand out during the application process -- and dealbreakers to avoid!
• The benefits of the 2-year, full-time MBA as compared to online, part-time, or executive programs
• How to maximize your business school experience once you're on campus

And then one of the most enlightening parts of the interview is the "Myth vs. Reality" game we played starting around the 18:15 mark where Lauren debunks some common application myths and answers the following questions:

• Do you have the best chance of being admitted Round 1?
• Is there anything you can do to get off the waitlist?
• Do you need a minimum of 2 years work experience before applying?
• Do only the first and last paragraphs of your essays matter?
• Should you always write the optional essay?
• Is the GMAT preferable to the GRE?
• If you can’t score over 700 on the GMAT, is it even worth applying?
• If you have a family member who went to Fuqua, do you have a better chance at getting in?
• Is it easier to get in to Fuqua if you went to Duke undergrad?
• Is your GMAT/GRE score and undergrad GPA the most important part of the application?
• If you can’t get in to a Top 20 business school like Duke, is it still worth going to business school?

If you're thinking of applying to Duke Fuqua, this episode will give you an opportunity to peek behind the curtain and learn what Duke is all about. But even if you're not targeting Fuqua, most of what Lauren shares is relevant for whichever top-tier graduate or business school you may be applying to. Enjoy!


LINKS AND CONTACT INFO

1. Learn more about the Duke Fuqua School of Business: https://www.fuqua.duke.edu
2. Contact Duke Fuqua: https://www.fuqua.duke.edu/contact
3. Contact Dominate Test Prep: https://www.dominatetestprep.com/pages/contact-us

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION

"The purpose of a goal is not to get it. The purpose of a goal is who you become in pursuit of it." -- Tony Robbins

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• Get more free content on the DTP YouTube Channel
• Register for a comprehensive prep course (GMAT, Executive Assessment, GRE, LSAT, SAT)
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].

As with most industries, the standardized test and college/graduate admissions industries continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With exams being postponed, test centers closing, and admissions deadlines being pushed back, test takers face a new level of uncertainty as they're preparing for test day and thinking about their futures.

In this episode we address those challenges head-on, help you make sense of the current landscape, and empower you with practical next steps as you're preparing for your standardized test. Specifically, we lay out a game plan for test-takers who fall into each of these four categories:

1. Category 1: Candidates who weren't scheduled to take their exam for a few months anyway
2. Category 2: Candidates who have had their test date pushed back because of cancellations or test center closures
3. Category 3: Candidates who are trying to decide whether to reschedule their test amid the uncertainty, even if their local test center is still open
4. Category 4: Candidates who haven't yet begun studying and are wondering whether now is the right time to get started

Beyond helping you answer these important questions, we also look beyond test preparation and discuss ways that you can move past the fear and anxiety that so many people are dealing with and continue moving powerfully toward your goals, dreams, and career aspirations. "This too shall pass," as they say, and we want to make sure that you're equipped to be in the best position possible once the "new normal" arrives.

RESOURCES

As referenced during the "Current Landscape" segment of this episode, here are some websites that you can consult for the latest on test center closures, exam reschedules, and more.

1. GMAT test center closures, special procedures, and FAQs
2. News about the March LSAT cancellation
3. SAT Coronavirus updates
4. ACT reschedule updates
5. GRE testing postponements in the Americas
6. News about the take-from-home option for the GRE
7. Live updates on the COVID-19 impact on business schools

If there are other sites that you've found particularly helpful for staying informed, please pass them along and I'll add them to this list. Thank you!

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION

“Courage is being scared to death... but saddling up anyway.” — John Wayne

CONTACT

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Reach out to us at

Connect with Us

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• Register for a comprehensive prep course (GMAT, Executive Assessment, GRE, LSAT, SAT)
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].

Being put on the waitlist at your dream school isn't ideal. You were hoping to be accepted outright, after all. But it's not a death knell, either. Plenty of people are accepted off the waitlist each year, and there's no reason you can't be one of them. In fact, there are a lot of practical, actionable things you can do to increase your chances of getting off the waitlist in a favorable way -- and Hillary Schubach of Shine MBA Admissions Consulting is here to break them down for you.

In this episode we discuss:

• How to think about the waitlist, and what it means from the admissions committee's perspective
• Whether you're more/less likely to be waitlisted if you apply Round 1 vs. later rounds
• What to do in the week immediately after finding out that you've been waitlisted
• The #1 thing you should emphasize in your first correspondence with the school(s)
• When and how often to communicate with the admissions committee during the waitlist period
• Strategies for improving your profile so that schools want to select you off the waitlist
• What to do if you find out you've been accepted off the waitlist
• What to do if you find out you haven't been accepted off the waitlist
• Tips for avoiding being put on the waitlist in the first place
• And more!

By the end of this week's show you'll have a more optimistic view of the waitlist and know exactly how to proceed should you find yourself on it. Let's get you accepted!


LINKS AND CONTACT INFO

1. Summary tips for Getting Off the MBA Waitlist from the Shine Blog
2. Connect with Hillary: http://shineadmissions.com/contact/
3. Connect with Dominate Test Prep: https://www.dominatetestprep.com/pages/contact-us

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION

"If you fell down yesterday, stand up today." -- H.G. Wells

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• Get more free content on the DTP YouTube Channel
• Register for a comprehensive prep course (GMAT, Executive Assessment, GRE, LSAT, SAT)
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].

A big part of maximizing your score on test day is how well you're able to focus and concentrate throughout the entire exam. You've spent months learning all of the how-to's for answering questions correctly, but if you have "brain fog" and aren't able to think clearly and remember everything you've studied when it comes time to actually sit down and take your test, it's all for nothing. 

Optimal nutrition can play a huge role in maximizing your brain's performance so that you can maintain mental clarity for your best possible result.

To discuss this important topic, we're joined in this episode by Dr. Barrett Deubert, a chiropractor and nutrition expert in Knoxville, TN, who shares practical and actionable nutrition hacks that you can employ throughout the entire process of preparing for and taking your standardized test. Specifically, we discuss:

• How the brain works and the types of macronutrients you should be fueling it with on a daily basis;
• High-powered brain foods that fuel maximum concentration;
• 5 foods to stay away from to avoid "brain fog" and other lapses of mental clarity and focus;
• The #1 thing you can tweak in your diet right now that will have the biggest impact on your cognition between now and test day;
• What you should eat for breakfast on the big day -- and the benefits of taking a cold shower the morning of your exam;
• How to ensure you don't start to fade mentally at the end of a long test, including the two most important things you should eat and drink during your exam breaks;
• Whether caffeine is helpful -- and what you should pair with it to maximize its effectiveness;
• Supplements that have proven benefits for memory and brain support;
• 3 non-nutrition bio-hacks that can empower a high-performing brain;
• And more!

There are a TON of golden nuggets packed into this episode, so you may want to listen to it a couple times and take notes. Nutrition is one of those intangible aspects of test preparation that can play a disproportionate role in your test-day results, so take it seriously. Dr. Barrett will show you how.

RESOURCES

Here are a few of the resources mentioned in this episode.

1. The ESPN article we mentioned about chess players, "The grandmaster diet: How to lose weight while barely moving."
2. This is the brain support supplement Dr. Barrett mentioned at the end of the show: Qualia Mind
3. Here's another high-quality brain support supplement with proven benefits: USANA CopaPrime+
4. Connect with Dr. Barrett at The Health Factory Knoxville
5. Get more free nutrition and health/fitness tips from Dr. Barrett via his Facebook Page

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” — Francois de la Rochefoucauld

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• Get more free content on the DTP YouTube Channel
• Register for a comprehensive prep course (GMAT, Executive Assessment, GRE, LSAT, SAT)
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].

A lot of people believe that if they can't get in to a top-tier college or graduate school, it's not worth going. Yet, there are a lot of considerations that play into your decision to go back to school, and the prestige of the program is only one factor in choosing the school that's right for you.

In this episode of The Dominate Test Prep Podcast we catch up with Harvard Kennedy School of Government alumnus Jake Taylor who recounts his journey from working on Wall Street to teaching middle school math in Spanish Harlem to ultimately going back to graduate school at Harvard -- and he answers the question of whether it was worth paying full sticker price at Harvard vs. going to a less-prestigious school where he would have received scholarship money.

We discuss a number of important topics that can help inform your own decision about if/where to go to school, including:

• When did Jake realized that working on Wall Street wasn't his life's passion, and how did he have the courage to make a change?
• Funny story: How can following someone around a grocery store help you achieve your career goals?
• After teaching for five years -- and enjoying every minute of it -- how did Jake know it was the right time to go back to school?
• How did he choose between the GRE and GMAT?
• Why did he turn down scholarship money from other schools and ultimately decide to go to Harvard?
• Was it worth it?
• What was the job search process like on the back end of graduate school?
• Looking back, what's the #1 thing he thinks people should consider when choosing their own college or graduate program? (Hint: his answer may surprise you)
• And more!

One of the things Jake mentions as being really helpful during his transition out of Morgan Stanley and into the classroom was the counsel of people who had gone before him. Jake's experience and thoughtful insight into the key decision points of his own journey can be part of that similar counsel for you. We trust you'll find the conversation helpful!

FROM THE MAILBAG

In this week's "From the Mailbag" segment we answer the question of whether you should take time to write A, B, C, D, E a bunch of times on your scratch paper (short answer: "yes") and how to do it most effectively.

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION

"It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot

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• Get more free content on the DTP YouTube Channel
• Register for a comprehensive prep course (GMAT, Executive Assessment, GRE, LSAT, SAT)
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].

Conventional wisdom tells us that if we study hard, high test scores will inevitably follow. But what if we are unmotivated to study or hampered by fear of failure? Or what happens if when we do study, we are plagued by feeling nervous and anxious, and we are not able to perform to our potential? It's no surprise that if you enter the test feeling anything but focused and calm, you risk a subpar performance. But how does one easily get there?  

We answer those questions -- and more -- in this episode of The Dominate Test Prep Podcast as we are joined by Bara Sapir, CEO/Founder of City Test Prep, who shares proven techniques to help students master the "Inner Game" of test preparation. 

Specifically, we discuss:

• What test anxiety is, and how you can know if you have it;
• Anxiety-management tips for the months, weeks, and days leading up to your exam;
• The "backwards spin" technique to help you reverse anxiety if it presents itself during the exam itself;
• Miscellaneous tools to help you combat anxiety including mindfulness, visualization, EFT, neuro-linguistic programming, and others;
• How to simulate the test-day experience as a way to eliminate the unknown and reduce nervousness;
• The anxiety-producing effects of unrealistic expectations, and what you can do to recalibrate them for a more growth-minded approach;
• And more!

Learn how to employ the very same methods that sports psychologists use with high-performing athletes so that you show up on test day with a sense of calm and assuredness and turn a good score into a great score.

RESOURCES

Here are the resources referenced during the show for those wishing to dive deeper into controlling their test anxiety:

1. Bara's "Full Potential Audio - Universal Support" (Enter the coupon code A4ZMPA6S to save 20%)
2. Bara's "MindFlow Speed Reading Workshop" (Enter the coupon code SXUE6FES to save $30)
3. The Inner Game of Tennis, by Timothy Gallwey
4. Dominate Test Prep's online preparation courses for the GMAT, GRE, LSAT, SAT, Executive Assessment, and others

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?" -- Jesus of Nazareth (Luke 12: 25-26)

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• Get more free content on the DTP YouTube Channel
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• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].

A recent survey shows that 40% of admissions officers reported to have looked at a candidate's social media while reviewing his/her application, a trend that is expected to continue and even grow in the coming years. What does this mean for you? We invited Taylor Siebert, co-founder of Class Intercom and social media expert, to weigh in on how you can use social media to your advantage as you position yourself holistically during the application process.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why and how you should take an audit of your current social media presence
• Thinking through who you are, how you want to come across to admissions officers, and why it's important to be authentically you
• Whether or not you should "scrub" your social media to get rid of negative things from your past (hint: it depends on the story you're trying to tell)
• Why LinkedIn is the most untapped and potentially useful social media platform right now
• Which social media platforms you should focus on
• What it means to be a “digital leader”
• Why social media is such a valuable tool as an entrepreneur and how to use it to your advantage
• And more!

Social media, when done right, can be an asset for you as you're applying to college or graduate school and in your career beyond. This interview will show you how.

For more information about social media strategy or to connect with Taylor directly, visit https://classintercom.com.

FROM THE MAILBAG

This week's "From the Mailbag" segment answers the question, "How can I practice for the analytical writing (essay) portion of my exam?"

Here are the resources referenced in my response:

1. Sample Issue Essay prompts: https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/analytical_writing/issue/pool
2. Sample Issue Essay responses + scoring: https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/analytical_writing/issue/sample_responses
3. Sample Argument Essay prompts: https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/analytical_writing/argument/pool
4. Sample Argument Essay responses + scoring: https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/analytical_writing/argument/sample_responses

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION

"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do." -- Epictetus

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• Get more free content on the DTP YouTube Channel
• Register for a comprehensive prep course (GMAT, Executive Assessment, GRE, LSAT, SAT)
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].

Struggling with reading comprehension questions on your standardized test? Often that's the case when you're not reading the passages in the most effective way. In this episode we share three strategies for improving your overall reading proficiency, for reading the passages in a way that sets you up for success on a majority of questions, for quickly and accurately determining the author's primary purpose, and for adopting the right mindset when you're dealing with reading comprehension passages in general.

The core content for this episode is excerpted from a webinar we recently did for the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. While the webinar was geared toward GRE candidates for whom English isn't their native language, the tips and strategies are relevant for all test takers.

When you get to the part about "finding the thesis sentence" and using the "bracketing technique" to focus on Big Picture, you can reference the following webinar slides for visual reinforcement:

Webinar Slide Deck (Reading Comprehension portion): https://dominatetestprep.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/Reading_Comp_Tips_from_RossVet_Webinar.pdf

Here's the passage itself for easy reference:

Reviving the practice of using elements of popular music in classical composition, an approach that had been in hibernation in the United States during the 1960s, composer Philip Glass (born 1937) embraced the ethos of popular music in his compositions. Glass based two symphonies on music by rock musicians David Bowie and Brian Eno, but the symphonies' sound is distinctively his. Popular elements do not appear out of place in Glass's classical music, which from its early days has shared certain harmonies and rhythms with rock music. Yet this use of popular elements has not made Glass a composer of popular music. His music is not a version of popular music packaged to attract classical listeners; it is high art for listeners steeped in rock rather than the classics.

Additionally, I referenced the podcast episode where we explored ways to improve your English vocabulary. If you haven't listened to that yet, it's Episode #12. You can navigate directly do it here: http://dominatetestprep.buzzsprout.com/548431/2274014-12-the-best-way-to-improve-your-vocabulary

Finally, here's an article/study talking about the importance of reading at least 15 minutes per day if you want to accelerate your reading proficiency: https://www.renaissance.com/2018/01/23/blog-magic-15-minutes-reading-practice-reading-growth/

As always, you can contact us here: https://www.dominatetestprep.com/pages/contact-us

Questions? Feedback? Ideas for the show?

Connect with Us

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• Register for a comprehensive prep course (GMAT, Executive Assessment, GRE, LSAT, SAT)
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Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].