How is the GMAT Scored

How is the GMAT Scored Score reports The GMAT consists of four unique sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Analytical Writing, and Integrated Reasoning, each of which is graded separately. The score report also includes a total scaled score from 200-800. For the multiple-choice quantitative and verbal portions, the GMAT creates a scaled score, instead of a raw result, as the test is a computer analytical experience. If you answer a question correctly, the next problem will be more difficult, but if you are incorrect, the next one will be simpler. Therefore, each scaled score includes the number of problems answered correctly and their statistical numerical value due to the point system allocated to each question. Answering a challenging question correctly will earn you a higher mark than an easy problem. What is most important about a GMAT score? GMAT results are often confusing due to their scaling algorithm, but what is truly important is the scaled score percentile for quantitative and verbal. The higher the percentile, the more competitive your score will be. The ideal mark differs depending on your testing cohort (typically the testing year). This is some great information on how to improve your GMAT scorethat could help you. The Integrated Reasoning section This portion of the GMAT is scored 1-8 in one-point increments. It is not computer adaptive, and thus does not depend on question difficulty, and it will not be available for scoring on test day. Your result will be communicated via the official score report roughly two to three weeks later. The Analytical Writing section The analytical essay is graded on two scales, both from 0-6. One scale is a human reader, while the other is a computerized scoring system. If the marks received are different, they are then averaged. There are two items to consider about this essay: 1. Over 90% of test-takers, according to the GMAT website, score a 3 or higher on this portion. 2. Human grading is a time-consuming process, hence the delay in receiving your results. Here is some great information on how to improve your GMAT analytical writing scorethat you may find helpful. Cancelling scores While youre in the testing center, immediately after you complete the assessment, you will be prompted to retain or cancel your scores. There are two schools of thought in regard to this matter, but the GMAT fee is never refundable. If you studied (even if you didnt feel entirely prepared) and finished a reasonable percentage of the examination, it is wise to accept your scores. If you know unequivocally that you did not do very well (i.e. completed less than half, didnt write an essay, fell asleep during the test), then cancelling your scores may be a better idea. What now? If you received percentiles below the mark you were hoping for, keep in mind that scores and their relationships to percentiles fluctuate based on timing and your testing cohort. After additional preparationand sitting for another GMAT session, you should feel comfortable understanding that many students take the GMAT multiple times. You may also want to consider these daily activities that can improve your GMAT skills.

Learn About Maths Unsolved Mysteries

Learn About Maths Unsolved Mysteries Could You Help with Maths Problems yet to be Solved? ChaptersRiemann HypothesisThe Hodge ConjectureThe Birch/Swinnerton-Dyer ConjectureThe Navier-Stokes EquationsThe Yang Mills EquationsP=NPRamsey NumbersLychrel Numbers and PalindromesFrom when we started to study maths in primary school: learning how to count and calculate, we have known about the fundamentals of mathematics.In effect, for some people, maths â€" multiplication, fractions, and even statistics, allows them to better understand the world that we live in, studying it as a discipline and philosophy â€" not just to pass exams!From secondary school through to sixth form, we are presented with a series of mathematical concepts which are well studied and irrefutable: there are concrete solutions to each concept and problem given â€" a solution you are often examined on! It may be easy to believe that the logic behind mathematics poses no further questions, that no further research is needed…However, there are certain problems in mathematics that have never been solved, and e ven the greatest scientists and researchers haven’t been able to find their solutions.These puzzles relate to our understanding of some of the most profound concepts in mathematics, and define or challenge our knowledge of basic math facts.Perhaps you’ve undertaken your studies in maths only to better succeed in your academic career: passing exams, getting good coursework marks. However, could you be destined for greater things? You could be the first person to solve one of these mathematical mysteries!Finding a solution to one of these seven problems could bag you $1 million! Interested now?SuperProf is bringing you this list of unsolved mathematical problems, and we hope to one day read about you in the history books, having solved one (or more!) of them!It consists of a non-linear differential equation, and its peculiarity is the fact that the equation is frequently used, even though we haven’t yet found its solution!It’s used, amongst other things, to better understand t he movement of currents in the oceans.If you have some formidable mathematical or physics skills, proving the Navier-Stokes equation would give you the title of the 2nd person to solve one of the seven Clay Institute problems, and walk away a millionaire!Currently, only the Poincaré conjecture has been proven.The Yang Mills EquationsAnother physics based problem, the Yang Mills theories aim to tackle problems in our understanding of the fundamental forces of the universe.To explain these particles, Yang and Mills attempted to describe elemental particles by constructing a model based on geometric theories.Their theory, which says that certain quantum particles have a positive mass, has been verified by a number of computer simulations.Discovered by two physicists, the theory hasn’t been proven yet, and is still just an idea.P=NPThis puzzle is perhaps the most important of all.Essentially, the resolution of this problem would solve many other problems, while for as long as it rema ins unsolved, so do many other problems in the fields of maths and computing. Many computations done today are known as NP-hard problems, because they fall into this category.Solving this one will be a question of computation and maths! (Source: Markus Spiske, Unsplash)In P=NP, we call P the problem, where the solution is a group of elements from a given set.Closely linked to the functioning of computers and algorithms, we could sum this problem up as the following question:Can we determine, thanks to a calculation, what we can determine by luck?Could you answer this as yet unanswered question?Learn how to graph functions here.Ramsey NumbersThe Ramsey theorem is linked to order and to the models at the heart of various systems. According to this theory, true disorder cannot exist.To summarise: if we draw n points on a sheet of paper, so that each point is linked to all the other points by either a red or blue line, n must be equal to 6 in order to be certain that there will be at le ast one triangle that is either red or blue.Simply, we could ask what size our group must be for at least three of its members to be strangers, and three to have mutual connections. The answer to the problem is 6.However, if we change the number 3 by 4, the problem is impossible to solve. Or at least, no mathematician up until today has succeeded.Could you come up with the right formula?Lychrel Numbers and PalindromesIn order to understand the Lychrel numbers, you must first know the definition of a palindrome.Palindromes can take the form of a number or words that, when read left-to-right, or right-to-left, read the same.17371 is an example of a palindrome number, as it reads the same whether or not you start on the left or right.When we repeatedly add a number with its inverse and the result doesn’t form a palindrome, it’s known as a Lychrel number.59 isn’t a Lychrel number because…59 + 95 = 154 154 + 451 = 605 605 + 506 = 1111Effectively, we’ve ended up with another pal indrome.The smallest number for which we’ve not found a palindrome is 196, and this is exactly what impassions each mathematics researcher: not knowing exactly how to solve the problem... yet!Even after more than 12 million repeated additions (thanks to the help of automation, of course!), we haven’t found a palindrome for the number 196!Are you ready to pursue this kind of research?Before trying to solve problems linked to algebra, geometry and physics, you must adopt a rigorous mathematical approach and immerse yourself in the scientific universe!Throughout your school career, up to GCSEs, A levels, and degree level, you improve your memory and intellectual skills thanks to mathematics, and perhaps a home tutor could help you progress further?Thanks to a private tutor’s personalised method of teaching, unique to you, you could improve your problem solving and analytical skills! And one day, perhaps you could solve one of these problems!

Should I Go To University of Colorado Boulder

Should I Go To University of Colorado Boulder The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Eric received his Bachelors degree in Physics and English from University of Colorado Boulder. He is currently a tutor in Denver specializing in Creative Writing tutoring, Essay Editing tutoring, Physics tutoring, and several other subjects. See what he had to say about his experience at University of Colorado Boulder: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. How urban or rural is the campus? Did you feel safe on campus? Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Eric: Boulder is somewhat college-centric, and most of the student housing (which is also more expensive) is within walking or biking distance from campus. I preferred biking, and bike lanes were available on pretty much every street, as many avid bikers live in Boulder. The public transportation is readily available, and it is free for students. It can get people who live as far as the Denver suburbs to school on time, though it is a longer commute. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Eric:In my experience, the teachers are generally busy, but they are willing to schedule meetings with you. They are also always available during their mandatory office hours. Also, finding a research position is not that challenging if you are willing to reach out to professors, but some may give you seemingly insurmountable tasks and expect you to work completely autonomously. Others will act more as mentors it really depends on the professor. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Eric:Certain people enjoy dorm life. Students are required to live in the dorms during their first year, and the dorms range in quality. The dining options are good, and socialization is dependent upon the person, as it is in every other situation. Ultimately, I ended up living off-campus my second year and did not move back, as I found it to be cheaper than the dorms. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Eric:University of Colorado Boulder has a wide range of represented majors, as it is a large state school. As a Physics major, there were a massive amount of opportunities for students to engage in research, even with many national laboratories like JILA, NOAA, NIST, etc. As an English major, there were also many literature/poetry lovers throughout the school and wider community. I would say University of Colorado Boulder did a fantastic job of supporting my wide range of interests. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Eric:I made friends with my freshman dormmates, and I ended up living with them throughout all of college. Greek life is weak at University of Colorado Bouldercompared to other schools, and I did not participate in it. I found it easy enough to meet people and make friends. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Eric:I went once, and they gave me some valuable pointers on my resume. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Eric:At finals time, every study location tends to get crowded, but not overly so. During the semester, however, space is easily available. The library is a good place to study, as are lounges specific to major, dorm, laboratory, etc. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Eric:If you are a mountain person, there is no better place on earth. I came to University of Colorado Boulder in part because of the rock climbing; there were an overwhelming number of world-class options. For skiing, there are world-class resorts as little as an hour away. The town of Boulder is somewhat insular and homogenized in terms of worldview (liberal), but it is a great town to explore. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Eric:University of Colorado Boulderis a large state school. Expect to take some classes with more than 200 people. In the upper-division courses, the class size thins out. At least it did for Physics and English, though I hear more popular majors such as Psychology tend to have larger upper-division courses. I found this to my liking, particularly in Physics, where I got to know the other people well because we had many of the same classes throughout college. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Eric:In the course Writing to Know Poetry, my English professor was moved to tears by our class on the last day of the semester. I definitely never had a Physics professor cry on the last day, though. Check out Erics tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Ask a Medical School Admissions Expert Dr. Jessica Freedman

Ask a Medical School Admissions Expert Dr. Jessica Freedman Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Dr. Jessica Freedman has not only written three best-selling books on the Medical School admissions process, she is the founder of her own consulting firm. Having previously served on the Medical School Admissions committee for The Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, Dr. Freedman has closely assisted many residents and medical students through the admissions process with great success. She has received several honors including numerous awards for her mentorship at Mount Sinai and is extremely well-recognized for her expertise in this field. VT: How much time should an applicant set aside to adequately prepare for and complete a med school application? Jessica: The major components of the written application are the personal statement and application entries. I advise applicants to start jotting down insights about their experiences as they complete them so, ideally, the process should start years before the applicant has to submit the formal written application. However, the most intensive brainstorming and writing should begin about three to five months before an applicant plans to submit. The best applications show insight and introspection, which results from allowing documents to simmer over time. In other words, rather than working on a personal statement intensely over one or two weeks, it is best to work on it a bit, put it aside, and then come back to it with fresh eyes. VT:What is the single most important thing applicants should focus on with this application? Jessica: This question is tough to answer because each individual medical school application reviewer has his or her own preferences and ideas about what is most important when deciding whom to interview. One reviewer may rely heavily on the personal statement, for example, while another might focus on the application entries. Finally, a school may put a lot of weight on secondary essays that are submitted after the primary application. I encourage applicants to approach each piece of the application as if it might make or break the candidacy. VT:What are the biggest mistakes one can make on a med school application? Jessica: The biggest mistake some applicants make is not spending enough time on the written application. Many applicants think that because they have a great GPA or MCAT score, for example, that their written application wont make a difference so they rush their work without highlighting experiences and personal milestones in the most effective way. With more than 43,000 applicants applying to medical school each year, your written application must distinguish you from other candidates whether you are a viable candidate for a top-10 school or a less competitive state school. VT: What do med school admissions officers look for most in an applicants essays/personal statements? Jessica: Medical school admissions officers are looking for a commitment to medicine, maturity, compassion, sensitivity, maturity, professionalism, the ability to succeed in a rigorous scientifically based curriculum, among many other attributes. Most applicants cannot possess every attribute that medical school admissions committees like to see in applicants and that is okay! VT:Is there anything on a students application that would automatically disqualify him or her from being considered for the program? Jessica: Nothing, other than a poor academic record, automatically disqualifies an applicant. We are all human and make errors in judgment, especially when we are young. I have had clients who were accepted to medical school despite academic dishonesty, institutional actions, and misdemeanors. As long as an applicant presents mistakes in the right way and can show what she has learned from an experience, these incidents are not always deal breakers. In fact, such mistakes can sometimes work to an applicants advantage if presented in the most effective way. VT:What about the med school admissions process differs the most from undergraduate admissions? Jessica: I am not an undergraduate admissions expert, but I think the intense focus of the med school admissions process most distinguishes it from undergraduate admissions. Medical school admissions committees like applicants with diverse interests, but, fundamentally, all applicants must demonstrate an interest in, and aptitude for, medicine and science. Applicants also do not have as much freedom to apply to schools that are the right fit as they do during the college process. Because medical school admission is so competitive, applicants must apply to multiple medical schools, and, if they are lucky, they then can choose from among acceptances. VT:What undergrad majors best prepare one for med school applications? Jessica: Medical schools are seeking diverse classes and this extends to the majors of accepted applicants. Many applicants major in a science because this is where many of their interests lie. But it really doesnt matter what major you choose as long as you are true to yourself. Medical school admissions committee members want to see that you are committed to everything you pursue. That said, if you do decide to major in a non-scientific discipline, be sure to take some upper level science courses to show you can do well beyond the prerequisites. VT:Is there anything you might see on a students application that would quickly put them ahead in the running? Jessica: A very high GPA and MCAT often result in automatic interviews. Many medical schools wont advertise this, however. Without question, an outstanding academic performance will put you ahead of others during the initial screening process. You must then have the activities and letters of reference to add to your academic achievements, however. VT: What advice do you have regarding MCAT test prep? Jessica: Every applicant has his own way to study and prep for the MCAT that works for him. Some do very well studying on their own while others need the structure of a course to keep them on track. I therefore advise students to review their past successes (or failures) to determine the best study plan. I dont find much difference between big name test prep companies, and the quality of individual teachers and tutors they provide can very tremendously. What I do advise is that students prepare for the exam as they complete each of the prerequisites that will be tested; I find that most students prefer Examcrackers study books for this purpose. VT: What do med school admissions officers look for in recommendation letters? Jessica: Letters of reference offer objective evaluations of your candidacy. In these letters, as in every part of the application, medical school admissions officers are looking for evidence that applicants possess the very long list of qualities and characteristics they are seeking (see my book, The MedEdits Guide to Medical School Admissions for this list). Letters of reference should substantiate and offer further evidence for the claims you make in your application entries and personal statement. Admissions officers are also looking for letters that are genuine and not formulaic. Go to Dr. Freedmans website, MedEdits Medical Admissions, for more information.The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Educator of the Year Award

Educator of the Year Award Oradell, NJ March 11, 2015 Huntington Learning Center, one of the leading tutoring centers in America, awarded Lita Gottesman the 2014 Educator of the Year award last month. Huntington Learning Center announced the prestigious award at its annual Company Center Convention held at the Teaneck Marriott at Glen Pointe. The convention was a time to honor staff members and their dedicated work. Lita is one of the most requested teachers at Huntingtons Eastchester, NY center. She believes it is important to follow the curriculum and help every student reach his or her fullest potential. For example, Lita has converted students from the special education classrooms into regular education classrooms. Her willingness to work and assist in any situation is what makes Lita such an inspiration to students. Huntington has been fortunate enough to have Lita as a teacher for 12 years. One Huntington parent explained: My son would not even pick up a book. He could barely read in the fourth grade! After working with Lita these past two months, he cannot put the books down! With a Bachelors of Arts in education, along with a double major in political science and history, teaching has always been a huge part of her life. Lita has been in the education profession since 1958.

Learning English with Television Series Friends

Learning English with Television Series Friends A lot of my English students tell me they like to practice their English listening skills by watching television series from the U.S. Big Bang Theory, Friends and Two and a Half Men are the series that come up most often.Ill admit it right now, I dont like any of these shows. I think their jokes are obvious, easy and not very original. I greatly prefer The Office and Louie. When I first discovered that people outside the U.S. like these shows so much, I was about as disappointed as when I learned a good Argentine friend of mine really loves going to McDonalds. Really, our culture does have better things to offer than McDonalds and Friends.But, I can completely understand why these shows would be popular for English learners, precisely for the reasons I mentioned above. The jokes arent that difficult to understand, and the shows have just the right combination of interesting and simple to keep someone who is learning a language interested. I do the same think when Im learning  Spanis h, but I use Pixar movies.So, despite my dislike of these shows personally, Im going to try to use them as listening exercises in more of our articles. Here we go.They wouldnt let me post this video from YouTube, but you can watch it here.What does Phoebe yell at the beginning?Go ahead and _____.Its a nice story, I _____ ____ its a _____ ____ ____.Yeah, I just dont ___ __.What does Phoebe mean when she says Dont get me started on Gravity.Uh oh, its Issac Newton, and hes ______.What does Phoebe say the really question is?How does Phoebe win the argument?I cant believe you _____.What does the line above mean?Ok, I have to admit I laughed at some of that. Contact us if youre interested in taking a class, or have any questions.

Things parents should never tell students on results day - Tutor Hunt Blog

Things parents should never tell students on results day Things parents should never tell students on results day Things parents should never tell students on results daySchoolsIt`s almost too long ago for me to remember the day I got my exam results, but I`m sure that for all students the long wait for their papers to be marked, and their A-level grades to be announced must be excruciating. After two whole years of study, culminating in many hours of exams, they must wait for weeks and weeks - through the majority of the summer holidays only to have all their potential for the future distilled into a single letter: A, B, C Though most parents will have been taskmasters throughout the revision season, attempting to ensure their children get the best grade they possibly can, once the exams are over it`s time for the students to take a well earned break. I can remember the overwhelming relief when the whole business of revising and sitting to be tested was finally over. The matter was out of my hands - no about of extra study was going to alter the grade I was to receive: all I could do was wait. On the actual day of the results students can log onto the UCAS website to see how they performed - they won`t actually be told their grades though, only if they have achieved the required number of points to be accepted by their chosen university. Results day will of course be an extremely anxious time for any student - it will be a defining day of their lives. To help them deal with the stress and anxiety of this day, here is a list of things parents should probably avoid saying: 1. Back in my day exams were far more difficult. It will not be helpful to tell an anxious student about to receive their grades that their exam was actually far easier than those in the past. They will have sat the exam, and they may have struggled over much of it - to be informed that exams were so much easier in the past won`t be helpful to them, and will only exacerbate their nervousness. I can remember, after completing a difficult exam, hearing my colleagues afterwards expressing how easy it was. I was horrified - `if my peers found it so easy, what`s wrong with me? I found it extremely arduous - I must have done awful!` I seem to recall that I duplicitously agreed with my friends, boasting how easy I also found it. Perhaps we were all just being braggarts, showing off as a way to compensate for the feeling that we had really performed badly. Telling a student that exams were easier in the past serves no purpose - if they get a disappointing grade they will feel even worse, and if they perform well, they might feel that they don`t actually deserve the high accolade. 2. How well do you think your friends did? Adolescents are of course keenly aware of their status amongst their friends, be that socially or academically. We learn about ourselves by measuring our abilities against those in our peer group - and though they will have fairly certain ideas on how well their friends performed in their exams, it is probably best to avoid them making comparisons at this important moment. All their concerns should be on how well they did, if they obtained the grades to get into their university; reminding them of friends who might be more academically gifted will be an unhelpful distraction. 3. I heard last year lots of the exams were incorrectly marked. This is something that never be said to a student about to obtain their exam results. Though there are rare errors in the grading of exams, and querying an unexpected grade can lead to a remarking, these events are extremely uncommon. With this thought in mind, a student receiving a good grade might begin to doubt its authenticity, while a student getting a bad grade might nurture the unlikely hope that their test paper has been incorrectly marked. 4. If you fail you can do retakes next year. While retakes are often possible, it`s best not to set up a negative atmosphere, a scene of expected failure, just before the student receives their grades. Though they shouldn`t be made to feel that there are absolutely no options if they don`t achieve their required grades, it would be more helpful to let them know this some time before results day. A more congenial option than retakes, which would likely set them back a whole academic year, is the clearing system, which facilitates students who don`t achieve their required grades finding an alternative university course. 5. You should have revised more. Even if the student didn`t spend enough time preparing for their exams, pointing this out at the moment they are going to receive their grades cannot in any way be helpful. By all means stress the importance of revision in the period leading up to their exams, and do as much as you can to encourage them to prepare and study so they can achieve their full potential - but don`t chide them for not revising enough at the very moment when they are about to get their results. 6 months ago0Add a Comment

American Creativity Academy

American Creativity Academy American Creativity Academy The American Creativity Academy of Kuwait's vision is to create an outstanding academic institution that blends both American curriculum and traditional Islamic values. ACA has gained the highest accreditations for the benefit and support of students, which include their unique “dual accreditation status” by the Council of International Schools and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA). The school curriculum runs from KG to Grade 12, with 100% of students being English Language Learners (ELL). Students are expected to become fluent in both English and Arabic. ACA is dedicated to preparing their students for a successful post-secondary career. 100% of their graduates are college bound and have attended top universities around the world. ACA works to develop students who are critical thinkers and see the value in life-long learning. American Creativity Academy American Creativity Academy The American Creativity Academy (ACA) was founded in 1997 by a group of visionaries who wanted to establish a school in Kuwait which offered a unique blend of an American curriculum while respecting and practicing local values. We are fully accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. We were authorized to offer the IBDP in 2008. ACA is a growing and mixed physical entity. ACA operates on two separate campuses minutes apart by car in the suburb of Hawalli.