Random Musings (8.30.08)

Politics: Although most of you know I tend to stay away from politics, I have to chime in about the recent Vice President selections. I think both candidates made excellent choices. Obama made a fine choice in Joe Biden, a man with considerable experience in the Senate and extensive dealings with foreign policy and national security. On the Republican side, McCain stepped outside the box in selecting little known & self proclaimed “hockey mom” Sarah Palin. I feel it’s a gutsy move that both solidifies McCain’s move towards conservative Republican beliefs—pro life & gun ownership, while taking Obama’s “Change” campaign head on. No matter which candidate wins in November, this will be a historic election.

Reading:
-Rigged: The True Story of an Ivy League Kid Who Changed the World of Oil, from Wall Street to Dubai
-My Men are My Heroes: The Brad Kasal Story

Studying:
The infamous GMAT is still occupying a significant amount of my time. However, I continue finding better ways to study, as well as some do’s and don’ts I’ve picked up along the way, so I’ll pass them along:

Do:
1. Take a free online test here—this will help you get a feel for where you’re at
2. Order the Manhattan GMAT Review Trifecta: Quant, Verbal, & 800 Real Questions
3. Make flash cards with various ideas/concepts (formulas, tricks, etc)
4. Find others that have taken the test and pick their brains: The Second Lap
5. Identify your weak areas from the full practice test and dig in!

Don’t:
1. Buy the Kaplan books unless you plan to take the “in residence” course—they don’t help
2. Think you are really smart and take the test unprepared—you need to learn the format!
3. Waste your time trying to memorize questions—you must learn concepts
4. Think a low GMAT score is a killer—It will just make your interview and letters of recommendation that much more important