Friday, August 21, 2020

Blog Archive University of Cambridge Judge Business School Essay Analysis, 20172018

Blog Archive University of Cambridge Judge Business School Essay Analysis, 2017â€"2018 *Please note: You are viewing an essay analysis from the 2017-2018 admissions cycle.  Click here to view our collection of essay analyses for the current admissions season.   Except for reordering its essay questions, the Cambridge Judge Business School has made no changes in its prompts since last season. The program’s three essays touch on a nice variety of topicsâ€"allowing candidates to share important stories and elements from several facets of their lives to create a well-rounded picture of themselves for the admissions committeeâ€"but the associated word limits require that applicants keep things condensed and forthright. Although Cambridge’s MBA program has been in place only since 1990, the university itself has been welcoming students for more than 800 years, so we imagine that by now, the school knows what it wants to learn from applicants and how to extract that information. In our analysis of Judge’s essay questions for this year, we offer our best tips on how to ensure your essays hit the mark. Essay 1: Please provide a personal statement. It should not exceed 500 words and must address the following questions: What are your short and long term career objectives and what skills/characteristics do you already have that will help you achieve them? What actions will you take before and during the MBA to contribute to your career outcome? If you are unsure of your post-MBA career path, how will the MBA equip you for the future? As the prompt itself says, this is a call for a rather conventional personal statement, so we will start by encouraging you to download your free copy of the  mbaMission Personal Statement Guide. This complimentary guide offers detailed advice on approaching and framing these subjects, along with multiple illustrative examples. More specifically with respect to Judge’s multipart question, the school wants to know not only the basic facts of your career aspirations but also how you view your readiness for and active role in achieving them. How equipped are you already, and how much closer to your goals will earning a business degree from Judge be able to get you? What are you already planning to do on your own before you enroll and while in the program that will ensure you graduate with the skills, experiences, knowledge, and/or connections you need to build a bridge between where you are now and where you want go? Be sure to refer to school-specific resources and offerings that connect directly to these areas of improvement so that the admissions committee knows you have thoroughly considered and researched your options and determined that Judge is the best fit for your particular needs and interests. The school also wants to see evidence that you are cognizant you must be an active participant in your ow n success and are ready and willing to contribute, rather than relying on the program and its name/reputation to solely move you forward on your career trajectory. Essay 2: What did you learn from your most spectacular failure? (200 words) Failures are learning opportunities. With this prompt, the admissions committee wants to know what you take away from situations in which things do not turn out as you had planned or hoped. Do you place blame elsewhere and try to make excuses? Or do you view these sorts of experiences with an analytical eye, using what they can teach you to achieve better results with similar ventures going forward? That a world-class business school would be interested in candidates who are eager and open-minded learners only makes sense. Judge has been posing this particular essay prompt since 2010, so it clearly touches on a topic the admissions committee views as pivotal in identifying applicants they feel will be successful in its MBA program. With respect to the word “spectacular” here, the school is not hoping to hear about a time when you were exceptionally embarrassed in front of a vast audience but instead about an instance that had an incredibly significant impact on you. Perhaps, for example, you were blindsided by the shortfall, having previously thought you were on the right track to success, making the failure particularly stunning and memorable. The scale or scope of the situation in an objective sense is not as important as how affecting and influential it was for you personally. Note that the school does not specify that the story you share must be a professional one, so explore all your personal/family/community life experiences for what you believe is truly the most “spectacular.” You may want to consider your options for this essay and the third essay simultaneously, because if you select a career-related incident to discuss in this one, you might want to draw on a personal story for the other, for balance. However, this kind of distribution works best if it is not forcedâ€"the first criterion should always be whether the narrative is the most fitting one for the essay’s prompt; if two options seem equally fitting, then you may be able to create a kind of consonance.   With a limit of only 200 words, you cannot waste any by starting with a bland statement like “My most spectacular failure was [fill in the blank].” Instead, leap directly into the action of your story and immediately convey what was at stake in the situation.  After all, the opportunity for true failure exists only when you have something to lose. Next, briefly explain how you failed, and then dedicate the majority of the essay to demonstrating what you took away from the experience. Avoid clichés such as gaining resilience or learning to be humble and show that you can be honest about your weaknesses and blind spots. Convey that the information, insight, and/or skills you acquired via the shortcoming have changed how you view or operate in the world in a positive wayâ€"and that you know how to apply these learnings in new situations. Essay 3: Describe a situation where you had to work jointly with others to achieve a common goal. What did you learn from the experience? (up to 200 words) Judge poses only three essay questions to its candidates, and two of them have to do with learning from a life experience. Clearly, the school is seeking individuals who absorb lessons by interacting with and participating actively in the world around them, not just by listening to an instructor in a classroom. As a student at an international business schoolâ€"one with roughly 40 nationalities represented in a class of not quite 180 peopleâ€"you will naturally be enmeshed in a widely diverse environment, and Judge wants to hear about your mind-set and working style in such situations. As for Essay 2, this prompt does not stipulate which part of your life you must draw from for content, so hearken back to our advice for the previous essay with respect to selecting between a professional story or a more personal one. In business schoolâ€"as in life in generalâ€"you will encounter people who think differently from you, operate according to different values, and react differently to the same stimuli. And success in an endeavor often involves evaluating and even incorporating the views of others in one’s efforts. As we have noted, at Judge, you will be surrounded every day by individuals who are unlike you in a multitude of ways, and you will need to work in tandem with and alongside these individuals when analyzing case studies, completing group projects, and participating in other activities both inside and outside the classroom. The school is clearly seeking evidence that you are capable of listening, reflecting, learning, and growing. If you are not, it might assume that you simply do not have the necessary qualities to become an integral part of its next incoming class, let alone a standout manager later in your career. To craft an effective essay response to this query, describe via a narrative approach the nature of your collaboration with the others on your team, showing both what you contributed and what others brought to the dynamic (though more briefly), and which elements became long-term takeaways that still serve you today. Consider describing a kind of “before and after” situation in which the information or input you received from your teammate(s) influenced your thoughts and actions as you worked toward your shared goal. An essay that demonstrates your openness to collaborating with peers in pursuit of a common goal, your ability to contribute to such projects, and your capacity to naturally learn from such experiences is almost certain to make an admissions reader take notice. Business schools outside the United States are increasingly popular among MBA hopefuls, and we at mbaMission are proud to offer our latest publications: Program Primers for international b-schools. In these snapshots we discuss core curriculums, elective courses, locations, school facilities, rankings, and more. Click here to download your free copy of the Cambridge Judge Business School  Program Primer. Share ThisTweet 2017-2018 Business School Cambridge Judge Business School International Business Schools MBA Essay Analysis University of Cambridge (Judge)

Monday, May 25, 2020

The French Revolution And The Execution Of King Louis Xvi

Throughout the beginning of the French Revolution to the execution of King Louis XVI, the people took drastic measures to create more freedom and justice for themselves. In doing this, the Catholic Church was persecuted and France was de-Christianized. The French Revolution damaged Catholic culture by trying to control the Church’s power, putting it under the control of the State and executing its members. This was excessive on the part of the French people. The way that the Church was treated during this time changed the history of the Church and the way the government provided freedom and justice in France. The Church and its believers played an important part in French culture by treating the unfortunate justly. In doing this they provided care for the sick and the poor along with support for those who needed help during times of trouble. When the Church needed to be defended during the Revolution, however, there was no group to defend it. The de-Christianization of France was changed by the new invention of the guillotine and all priests that opposed the Revolution were victims. All religious, not just the corrupt priests, became victims of the persecution. The revolution led to the deaths of many Christians and commoners. Catholicism underwent the an attempt at reform during the Revolution; it was not only politically reformed, but also physically scattered in an attempt to eliminate the power of one of the most important establishments in all of France. In 1643Show MoreRelatedMain Causes Of The French Revolution996 Words   |  4 PagesThe commencement of the French Revolution arranged the country of France being at the brink of bankruptcy. Causes for this brink are easily seen. King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette, lavished money on themselves and residences such as Versailles. Queen Marie especially, over spending money and was seen as a wasteful spender. The government, found that funds were depleting due to wars in the same manner as the funding for the American Revolution. Deficit spending, a government spending moreRead MoreThree Important Events During The French Revolution1201 Words   |  5 Pages10/27/2015 â€Å"Three Important Events during the French Revolution† The French Revolution is known to be one of the major events in the world history. The revolution was led by some reformers in the government who demanded some changes in the political system. The purpose of the revolution was to eliminate the power of king and the rich people who owned most of the lands, and to have a government that is elected by the citizens. Although the revolution started as a movement for government reforms, butRead MoreThe French Revolution By Charles Dickens1499 Words   |  6 PagesThe French Revolution began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790s with the ascent of Napoleon Bonaparte. The King of France, Louis XVI was overthrown in a popular rebellion but France, was stricken by financial problems for over a century along with Great Britain. Charles Dickens showed comparison with the French Revolution in The Tale of Two Cities. This can be seen through the start of the French Revolution, life during the Revolution, how Louis XVI affected France, and crime and punishment throughoutRead MoreThe Causes Of The French Revolution1273 Words   |  6 PagesDuring 1789, the French Revolution broke out against totalitarian rule and extreme poverty suffered by French civilians. France was under the absolute control of Louis XVI who gathered groups of nobles, clergy, and other royal families in certain cities. The corrupt French royal families in those cities were squandering nearly 75% of France’s wealth and in addition to the expense of royal classes, other wealthy classes such as landlords, local government, and churches were not taxed which made taxesRead MoreThe French Revolution And The Revolution1305 Words   |  6 Pages The French Revolution (1789-1814) was a period that affected the outcome of world history tremendously. This is considered a major turning point in European history which has led to dramatic changes in France and other regions of the world. Various social and political issues led to the start of the revolution. Politically, France suffered under the rule of Louis XVI, who ruled by absolute monarchy. Many people had their natural rights renounced and weren’t able to have a political voice. SociallyRead MoreRobespierre And The Sans Culottes Declared Essay1479 Words   |  6 PagesThe month of September would be remembered as one of the bloodiest months in French history, in particular, September 5, 1793. On this day, Robespierre and the Sans Culottes declared terror is the order of the day. These words would begin a period of violence where the enemies of the Revolution were executed en masse. Between 1793 and 1794, thousands of French citizens were imprisoned and hundreds were killed by a group called the Committee of Public Safety. They claimed they were actingRead MoreCauses Of The French Revolution1119 Words   |  5 PagesThe French Revolution The French Revolution of 1789 was one of the biggest upheavals in history. You may be wondering what exactly led this to happen, but there were multiple long range causes. Political, social, and economic conditions ultimately led to the discontent of many French people especially those of the third estate. The ideals of the Enlightenment brought new views to government and society. Before the revolution, the majority of France were living in poverty. Peasants were entirelyRead MoreThe Causes Of The French Revolution1522 Words   |  7 PagesThe French Revolution The French Revolution was arguably one of the most significant and controversial events in European history. It occurred during the years 1789-1799 when many French citizens became enraged with society and demanded political, financial and social change. The French people’s primary goal was to put an end to monarchy and bring reform to many aspects of French life. Inspired and motivated by the famous American Revolution, French citizens were urged to take action in orderRead MoreCauses of the French Revolution Essay1068 Words   |  5 PagesThe start of the French Revolution was due to a build-up of inequalities, bankruptcy, and the influence of The Enlightenment and the American Revolution. The First and Second Estates, which was made up of the rich nobles, did not have to pay taxes, and had special privileges. In contrast, the Third Estate was made up of the townspeople who worked hard every day, and paid heavy taxes. This inequality angered the townspeople. The king before Louis XVI was Louis XIV. He spent too much money andRead MoreThe Road From Versailles : Louis Xvi, And The Fall Of The French Monarchy Essay781 Words   |  4 PagesAuthor- Munro Price Title- The road from Versailles: Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and the fall of the French Monarchy Citation- Price, Munro. The Road from Versailles: Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and the Fall of the French Monarchy. New York: St. Martin s Press, 2003. Author’s Identity- Modern European Historian at the University of Bradford Date and Place of Document: France, 1792 Intended Purpose: Follow Louis XVI on his escape to Versailles and the monarchy he left behind. Intended Audience-

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Public and Private Sector - 5048 Words

â€Å"Private and public sector management differ only in context, but this difference is significant.† George Boyne in his article â€Å"Human resource management in the Public and private sectors: An empirical comparison† explains with empirical evidence how even though private and public sector management differs in service ethos but this difference is significant which impacts the tradition, culture and practises of both the sectors. Over the past two decades many different interpretations and perceptions have come into play on the similarities and differences between private and public sector management. Public sector management before the 1980s was found to be working more on a Weberian centralized model where you would find a†¦show more content†¦Baldwin 1991). The major differences between a private and public management is ownership, funding, public interest and mode of governance where public organisations are controlled collectively by the members of political community and depends on the political authority for its activities. This results in the political forces having a greater impact on the direct power of the public sector organisations. On the other hand, private organisations are owned by shareholders and entrepreneurs and the controlled or guided by the current global market forces. Public organizations are funded by taxes paid by citizens whereas the private companies are funded by customer fees and spending. However, Bozeman (1987) claims that, all organizations are public because they are all affected by political authority whether they are public or private. It is the political system that imposes more constraints rather than the economic system. Goal is another factor which underlines the distinction between a public and private management. The understanding of ‘profitability’ goes a long way with the private companies having the main goal to sell their products in the market as oppose to public management. As a result, there has been considerable criticism on the various government agencies for their attempt to bring public management into line with private management. For example, Stewart and Walsh (1992, p.Show MoreRelatedPrivate Sectors And A Public Sector1399 Words   |  6 Pages Two private sectors and a public sector were selected for collecting data for this entire study. In those the first stage data were collected in the form of participant observation ,which carried out from Medical trust hospital (private sector), Kochi and Medical college hospital (public sector, Thiruvanathapuram. In the second stage, the participants were recruited for semi-structured interviews from Cosmopolitan Hospital (private sector), Thiruvanathapuram and Medical college hospital; theRead MorePublic And Private Sector Accounting1357 Words   |  6 Pagesappropriateness of adopting the private-sector accounting standards and practices to the public sector. Some researches support there is no distinction between the public and the private sector. For example, McGregor (1999) thought these two sectors are primarily similar in physical characteristics of assets. However, the against side believes that in some public activities, the application of accounting standards for publi c sector entities is inconsistent with the business sectors (Guthrie, 1998; BartonRead MoreThe Between Public And Private Sector1030 Words   |  5 PagesIt’s no secret that managing in the public sector differs from managing in the more flexible environment of the private sector. Often the environments in which public sector managers operate can cause it to be difficult to succeed. Public organizations are highly-visible environments and managers need public sector employees to be highly productive and engaged if they are to succeed. Understanding what motivates employees is vital in attempting to yield a high level of productivity from them. ThereRead MoreCoexistence of Private and Public Sectors1989 Words   |  8 PagesEconomic Policy (NEP) (Russian: Ð Ã ¾Ã ²Ã °Ã'  Ã' Ã ºÃ ¾Ã ½Ã ¾Ã ¼Ã ¸Ã'‡Ð µÃ' Ã ºÃ °Ã'  Ð ¿Ã ¾Ã »Ã ¸Ã'‚Ð ¸Ã ºÃ °, Ð Ã ­ÃÅ¸, Novaya Ekonomicheskaya Politika) was an economic policy proposed by Vladimir Lenin, who called it s tate capitalism. Allowing some private ventures, the NEP allowed small animal businesses or smoke shops, for instance, to reopen for private profit while the state continued to control banks, foreign trade, and large industries.[1] It was officially decided in the course of the 10th Congress of the All-Russian Communist Party. It was promulgatedRead MorePublic vs Private Sector2261 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction 2 What is Serving It Right? 2 Public Sector Administration of Serving It Right 3 Public Sector Employees versus Private Sector Employees 4 Monetary Wages and Benefits 4 Private Sector Administration 6 Risks 6 Benefits 6 Jobs 8 Conclusion 8 Bibliography 9 Introduction The question is not why the public sector can’t continue to administer the SIR program, it is how the private sector can do it better. The public sector focuses on providing services to communitiesRead MorePrivate Sector : Apple Inc. Public Sector975 Words   |  4 PagesF Private sector: Apple Inc. Public sector: Walt Disney Company Apple Inc. is an influential and pioneering American multinational corporation that designs and manufactures consumer electronics. Apple was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne on April 1, 1976, having the headquarters situated in Cupertino, California, United State to develop and sell personal computers. It merged as Apple Computer, Inc. on January 3, 1977, and was renamed as Apple Inc. on January 9, 2007. LeadingRead MoreCompetitive Advantage For Private Sector And Public Sector3598 Words   |  15 PagesTable of Contents Table of Contents 1 1) Competitive Advantage: 2 1.1) Private Sector and Public Sector: 2 1.2) Michael E. Porter’s Generic Strategies: 2 1.2.1) Cost Leadership 3 1.2.2) Differentiation 3 1.2.3) Focus 3 1.3) Competitive Advantages in Private Sector and Public Sector: 4 1.4) Resource Based View Approach: 4 †¢ Valuable: 5 †¢ Rare: 5 †¢ Inimitable: 5 †¢ Non-substitutable: 5 1.5) John Kay (1995) Model: 5 2) Hyper Competition in Business: 6 3) Corporate Strategy: 6 3.1) Dell’s CorporateRead MoreInformation About The Private Sector And Public Sector1899 Words   |  8 Pages4. Meta-Data Collected Used By The Private Sector Public Sector 4.1 Important Security Issues Collecting, mining and storing information has become a huge commodity in today’s fast-paced technology centric world. Information has transitioned from ancillary data to lucrative assets that can give a company a competitive edge or provide the means for governments to combat threats against critical infrastructure. In most cases, the data has legitimate uses for both enterprises and government agenciesRead MorePrivate Sector vs Public Sector Accounting3812 Words   |  16 PagesPRIVATE SECTOR VS PUBLIC SECTOR ACCOUNTING STANDARD 1. INTRODUCTION The global financial crisis has demonstrated that the public sector as well as the private sector needs the highest quality accounting standards. Around the world, accounting in the public sector is practiced in diverse ways and struggles to achieve comparable standard in accountability and transparency. The Securities Act of 1933 gave the commission the authority to prescribe accounting standards to be followed by the companiesRead MoreThe Private Sector Public Sector Cybersecurity Issues Essay952 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction The purpose of this study is to explore the Private Sector-Public Sector Cybersecurity Issues, when focusing on the use and collection of meta-data. Meta-data is the big-data collection of information about consumers to determine customer’s habits and personal information. This will be explored through an analysis of Facebook and social networking. With this collection of information, the issue of who owns, use, and access the information has arisen. Also the issue of privacy, and

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Change and Choices in Two Romantic Relationship - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theChange and Choices in Two Romantic Relationship. Answer: The two pieces of writing-Doris Lessings To Room Nineteen and Ernest Hemingways Hills Like White Elephants describes romantic relationships prominently and are chosen for comparison and contrasting. The similarities between the both stories are highlighted-Susan and Jig was lonely at heart and wished to make decisions about their lives on basis of their choices. The similarities in both pieces of writing are about the atrocities afflicted on women by patriarchal society while the contrast is about the circumstances in both the stories. Readers will be able to learn the dominating role of men in romantic relationships. In Hemingways story, The American man trying to convince Jig with romantic words, Well, I care about you I love you now. You know I love you (p.644).In Lessings story, Susan and Mathew commend themselves on the fact that they are well matched. They feel that the reason of this bonding must be their love for each other that holds it all together. They love each other? Well, that was nearest it. If this wasnt a centre, what was? (p.865).Both stories depict a similar situation when Matthew asked Susan Im not putting any sort of pressure on you. Are things going to go on like this? (881). Similarly, In Hemingways story, The American man said to Jig, I think its the best thing to do but I dont want you to do it if you dont really want to? (644).The quotes portray vividly that both male partners care about their female partners. Moreover, both women are reluctant to discuss the troubling situation confronted by them; Susan tries to avoid confronting by making vague and idiotic comments, wh ile Jig requests her partner to stop talking. In comparison, one significant difference that can be marked in the stories, of course, are their circumstances such as in Hemingways story, Jig and her partner discussing the abortion and man convinces the woman by saying its Perfectly simple and everything will be normal after the abortion. This can be contrasted with the other story- Lessings ceases to have a life besides her family, while the husband stays more absent from home. Matthew returns home late after a party, confessing that he has slept with a girl. This incidence distanced the couple and their relationship changed afterward. Susan rents a room in London and tries to find solitude. Susan makes a decision to kill herself in room 19. In Hemingways story, Jig portrays dilemma about the choice of abortion, when she said, And if I do it youll be happy and things will be like they were and youll love me? (p. 644).This quote vividly reflects Jigs compulsion to make the decision of abortion just for the sake of her partners lo ve. On contrary, Susan says in Lessings story, Im a different person. Im simply not myself. I dont understand it(p.871). These phrases vividly reflect the sharp contrast of the emotional state of both women toward their partners. In Doris Lessings Story To Room Nineteen, it is clearly depicted that the social culture in London imposed restrictions on women. Susan went insane when she found that her husband was having extramarital affairs. Susans journey of self- discovery throws light on the fact that social restrictions on women in London proved to be detrimental for the emotional and physical well being of women who were compelled to play the role of housewives confiding themselves to serve the needs of household, husbands and children. Similarly, in the story Hills like White Elephant by Ernest Hemingway, Jig is emotionally manipulated by the American man to undergo an abortion. Jig feels tired of letting his man be his guardian and dictating terms on her. Her man makes every decision for her and he seems to be quite ignorant about Jigs feelings. Both the stories depict the atrocities inflicted upon women by patriarchal society.The contrast in the stories depicts that dilemma is demonstrated by Jig to make choice about abortion and Susan made a choice to attempt suicide. Both the stories ended up depicting the submissiveness of women and emotional torture of the patriarchal society is also reflected in both the stories. Work Cited Hemingway, Ernest. Hills like White Elephants. The Norton Anthology of short Fiction.8thEd., edited by Richard Bausch and R.V. Cassill. New York: W.W. Norton company, 2015. Print. Pp. 642-646. Lessing, Doris. To Room Nineteen.The Norton Anthology of short Fiction.8thEd., edited by Richard Bausch and R.V. Cassill. New York: W.W. Norton company, 2015. Print. Pp. 863-886.

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Chappaquiddick Essay Example

Chappaquiddick Essay On the night of 18/19 July 1969, twelve people attended a no-spouces party (Meyer Macon Morehouse et al.) on Chappaquid*censored*, a small island off the coast of Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts. Two of the partygoers fell victim to a continuous deception. Mary Jo Kopechne who would have not lost her life but for the inexcusable misconduct of Ted Kennedy. The other partygoer, Senator Ted Kennedy, lost his chance of ever reaching the White House due to his web of lies. Bobby Kennedys Presidential campaign had been ably assisted by the Boiler room girls. A team of young women who were completely dedicated to the Kennedy cause. They were: Mary Jo Kopechne, Rosemary Keough, Nance Lyons, Mary Ellen Lyons, Susan Tannenbaum and Ester Newburgh. More than just secretaries, the girls commitment made their role vital to the campaign.In June of 1968 Bobby was assassinated and grief overwhelmed the Kennedy family and the Boiler room girls. It had not even been five years since the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Almost every summer, members of the Kennedy family had traveled to Marthas Vineyard to participate in the Edgartown regatta.1968 would to be an exception. Bobbys murder was a massive blow to the family and those close to them, but in particular to Ted. The Boiler room girls switched their attention to closing up Bobbys files and his campaign office. A keen sailor, Ted would participate in the regatta aboard a boat that once belonged to his brother Jack (McGinniss 534). Also participating was Ross Richards a personal friend of Teds (McGinniss 535), later to be an important witness in the Chappaquid*censored* plot. Robert Kennedys son, Joe, was also on the island. As a thank-you for all their hard work on Bobbys Presidential campaign, a party had been planned to which the Boiler room girls were invited. (Oppenheimer 375) The party was to be at a cottage, also known as the Lawrence cottage, a shor

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

15 Last Minute SAT Tips You Should Remember

15 Last Minute SAT Tips You Should Remember SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You only have a couple days before the SAT (or maybe less than a day!), and you’re determined to ace this test! Whether you're looking for last-minute study tips, advice on how to prepare the day of the test, or test-taking strategies to maximize your scores, I've got you covered. Here are a bunch of handy last minute SAT tips that will help you stay focused and raise your scores. General Last Minute Studying Tips Ideally, you'll want to start studying for the SAT long before your test day in order to be well prepared for the exam. However, last minute studying can also be useful for learning some final pieces of information and being fully prepared.If you're studying right before the SAT, you should spend your remaining time wisely.Follow these tips to ensure that the extra effort pays off! Tip 1: Focus on Your Weak Spots It’s tempting to just â€Å"study† by taking a bunch of practice tests, but that can only help your scores so much.Now is the time to drill down into your mistakes and analyze the reasons why you made them. Make sure you understand the route to the correct answer and why your answer choice was incorrect.Even if you just do this for one section, you should start to see major score improvements. Tip 2: Be Time-Conscious You don’t want to be taken by surprise when you hear â€Å"time’s up† on the SAT, and you haven’t gotten to all the questions.Don’t take a whole practice test, but do a few questions and experiment with estimating how much time you’re spending on each.This will help you get a sense of how long 30 seconds or a minute feels so you'll know when you need to skip questions on the real test. You shouldn't be spending more than a minute on SAT Readingquestions or more than 30-45 seconds on SAT Writing questions. On the Math section, I also recommend initially spending no more than a minute on each question in both portions. You technically have more time per question on the calculator part than on the no calculator part, but it's better to be safe than sorry. If you linger too much, you won't have the chance to answer easy questions later in the section! Day of the Test Follow these tips on the morning of the SAT to ensure you start the test prepared and on the right foot. Tip 3: Sleep Strategically Go to bed early, and try to sleep at least seven hours the night before the test. Plan to wake up an hour earlier than you have to;if you just roll out of bed, you might still be sleepy when the test starts. You should be totally alert by the time you get to the test center. Tip 4: Don’t Take the Test Hungry Unless you’re one of those people who gets nauseous if you eat breakfast, you should try and eat before the test.Don’t eat too much (you don’t want to get sleepy again), but snack on something small and high in protein so your brain has something to work with, and visions of waffles don’t start dancing in your head during the test.Also,bring a couple of filling snacks that you can eat during breaks if you end up getting hungry again (nuts and granola bars are good). As for whether you should drink coffee...that depends on the person. If you're already a coffee addict, then you're probably fine with drinking a cup or two before the SAT. Don’t drink it if you’re not used to it because the caffeine could make you anxious and less focused on the test. Tip 5: Dress for Success You want to dress as comfortably as possible.Bring layers so you don’t get distracted by being too hot or too cold. You should also pack up everything you need for the test the night before to ensure that you don’t forget anything. Here's a list of what you should bring to the SAT in case you don't know: Admission Ticket Photo ID Two #2 pencils (non-mechanical) and an eraser Calculator Watch (there will be a clock, but it's easier if you can check the time on your wrist) Water and snacks Wear whatever is most comfortable for you. The testing room is a judgment-free zone. But you might want to take off the mascot head so that you have enough peripheral vision to see your answer sheet. During the Test You'll want to be on your "A" game for the entire SAT. Follow these tips to get the best test-testing experience. Tip 6: Don’t Freak Out It’s much easier said than done - sometimes the more I try to get out of my own head the less successful I am.But really try and shut out anxious thoughts that arise during the test. Do a little mini mindfulness session where you focus on your breathing and nothing else for a couple of seconds. This will lower your blood pressure and clarify your thinking. Remember, the most productive thing you can do right now is to keep on going even if some of the questions scare you.Don’t let yourself fall victim to the vicious cycle of anxiety - lost focus - less efficient test taking - can’t finish sections - MORE ANXIETY. Tip 7: Skip It If you come up against a difficult question, don’t spend a ton of time on it.Already spent a minute looking at a math or reading question and don’t know how to answer it? Skip it.Spent more than 30 seconds looking at a writing question with no success? Skip it. You can circle the questions you skip and come back to them at the end if you have extra time.If you let yourself get bogged down, you might not make it to future easier questions that could earn you more points. Tip 8: Always Guess There's no penalty for wrong answers, so make sure to put something down for every question. Even if it's a completely random guess, there's a chance you'll get it right and earn the point. Tip 9: Take the Breaks Even if you don’t feel like it, take advantage of breaks.They can help reduce your stress and remind you that there's a whole new world that exists outside the testing room.Eat a snack, use the bathroom - you’ll probably feel much more refreshed and prepared to take on the rest of the test. Tip 10: Check Your Answers! Have a few minutes at the end of a section?I know you’re tired, but go back and check your answers.Dumb mistakes are frustrating, and usually they can be corrected if you just look over the questions again. You can also use this time to make sure you filled out the answer sheet correctly and didn’t accidentally skip a question and bubble in the wrong answers. Tip : Use Evidence in Your Essay If you're planning on taking the (now optional) essay portion of the new SAT, you'll have to read a passage and analyze the author's argument. Make sure that you use direct evidence from the passage to back up your points and show the validity of your analysis. As you're reading the passage, underline any sentences or phrases that you think you might use in your essay to explain how the author builds an argument. Tip 12: Use Everything the SAT Gives You, and Take Shortcuts This applies to all sections of the SAT. If youthink you couldn’t possibly figure out the answer to a question, make sure you exhaust all resources at your disposal before guessing (although as I said, you can skip it on your first pass through the section!). Remember that this isn’t like a normal test. No one cares if you show your work or use the â€Å"right† method to solve a problem, so take shortcuts to solutions if you can find them. Here are some relevant things to keep in mind about each section: Reading On reading, don’t be intimidated by an unknown word. Especially on the new version of the SAT, you can almost alwaysuse context cluesto approximate its definition. Save time by skimming the passages in the reading section when you first get to them. If you need to you can read certain sections more closely later to answer specific questions. Take reading passages at face value.If the answer isn’t DIRECTLY supported by what you read in the passage, don’t choose it. Writing Watch out for the â€Å"no change† answers. If you notice you’re getting a lot of them (more than a quarter of your answers to questions that have "no change" as an option), check those questions again to make sure you didn’t miss something. Study thegrammar rules that are on the SAT, follow them, and don’t overthink it. Math Sometimes math problems will give you a diagram of a shape, and you're supposed to find an area, angle measurement, or other dimension. Usually, the most logical answer based on what you see is correct. For example, if you're trying to find the measurement of a tiny-looking acute angle, you can rule out 80 degrees as an answer. On the calculator portion of the Math section, use the computing power of your calculator to its full advantage. If you come across questions about graphs of equations, use the graphing function. At the same time, don't overuse your calculator to the point where it's costing you more time. Be smart about when you need it and when it's faster to just do things the old-fashioned way. And if you haven’t already, reviewthis list of formulas you should know for the SAT. If you start to do something crazy and complicated for a math problem, you’re probably going down the wrong path! The SAT tests simple concepts that are sometimes presented in weird formats. Above all, remember that multiple choice is a gift; the answer is right in front of you even if you don’t see it right away. Oh boy, I hope it's Multiple Choiceâ„ ¢! After the Test Even after you've finished the SAT there are still some important tips to keep in mind. Tip 13: Be Aware: You Can Cancel Your Scores If you're concerned about your scores because you know something went horribly wrong on the test, you are allowed to cancel them. You must submit your written request for cancelation to the College Board by midnight on the Wednesday after the test. For advice on whether you should cancel your scores and how to go about doing it, read this article. Tip 14: Taking the Test Again? Consider the Question-and-Answer Service or Student Answer Service If you know you're going to take the SAT again, you should think about ordering one of the services the College Board offers for you to review your scores in more detail. These can be very useful studying tools because they will show you your weak spots in a real test environment. For more information on these services, read this article. Tip 15: Don't Get too Stressed It's important to give yourself time to decompress and relax after the test! Try not to stress out too much about what may have gone wrong. It’s out of your hands now, and your time and energy are much better spent doing other things that you enjoy for the rest of the weekend. What's Next? Are you trying to decide whether to retake the SAT? This guide will help you make a decision. Then you can start planning when you'll register for the test again. If you want to get a head start on studying for your next test date, check out these study plans for sophomores and juniors, rising seniors, and our complete plan for all students. You should also figure out your target score so you can plan accordingly. Also, check out our guides for how to get an 800 on each section of the SAT to get more specific tips for raising your scores! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by SAT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today: