What are factorials?

Factorials are among the more advanced math topics you'll be expected to know on the GMAT or GRE, especially if you're shooting for a high score. They most commonly come up in what I call "counting" questions (the "how many ways...?" questions that involve combinations and permutations), but you may see factorials tested individually as well.

You recognize a factorial by the exclamation point "!" after a number, and that mathematical notation simply tells you to multiply every integer in decreasing order starting with the number before the exclamation point and stopping at one (1). 

For example, 8! (read "eight factorial") = 8x7x6x5x4x3x2x1 = 40,320.

Advanced Factorial Example + Strategy

As you can see, factorials can get pretty big! And in fact, you very rarely actually need to multiply out all of the numbers to solve problems involving factorials on your exam. The numbers can get too large for the built-in calculator on the GRE, and you don't even have...

You've no doubt heard the adage that "practice makes perfect." But that's not necessarily true. I prefer the legendary American football coach Vince Lombardi's variation that goes, "Perfect practice makes perfect."

You see, how you practice and prepare for your exam matters. I want to shed some light on that for you so that you're able to maximize your study time. In fact, if you internalize and take action on the three tips I'm going to share with you, you'll be able to get more right answers on test day without having to put in a lot of extra hours. Time is valuable, so why spend more of it preparing for your exam than absolutely necessary?

Okay, let's dive in.

A Tale of Two Candidates

Consider the following two hypothetical students studying for their respective exams.

Candidate A: Studies for 100 hours.

Candidate B: Studies for 80 hours.

Which student do you think is likely to get a higher score?

It's a trick question. On the surface, it seems like Candidate A is the obvious...

Texas A&M University - Central Texas has teamed up with Dominate Test Prep to offer an intensive, one-weekend online "bootcamp" course for the GRE September 22-23, 2018.

If your preparation for the GRE could use a pick-me-up -- or if you simply need to get up to speed on the GRE quickly -- then you need to make this class a priority.

During this content-packed workshop we will:

• Review the highest-yielding content areas for GRE quant, verbal, and AWA
• Introduce three of the most important non-standard math strategies to help you get more right answers without using the traditional algebra
• Give you a step-by-step methodology for tackling each of the major question types on the GRE
• Teach you how to get right answers on Sentence Completion questions even if you don't know what certain words mean
• Discuss proper time management and introduce crucial time-saving techniques
• Make sure you master the three major approaches for Quantitative Comparisons
• Learn how to read passages...

In 2017, 32 of the top 40 ranked business schools participated in CentreCourt. You’ll have a chance to meet them at CentreCourt 2018. This is a free event and space is limited.

CentreCourt's co-founders, two of the world's foremost authorities in business education, have created this MBA Festival with you in mind. Choosing which schools to target requires some effort and some soul searching. Then there's the question everyone is dying to ask: How do I get in? CentreCourt is designed to help you get answers and ask the better questions by providing the highest quality content of any MBA event to date. 

WHAT: CentreCourt 2018 MBA Festival
DATE: Thursday, September 20, 2018
WHERE: Union Station, Washington, D.C.
WHO: View the full agenda and speaker panel HERE: https://poetsandquants.com/event/2018-centrecourt-mba-festival/washington-dc/

Understanding probability isn't just important for improving your odds at the Blackjack table in Las Vegas. It's also important if you want a high GRE Quant score, as many of the more challenging questions you'll see on test day are probability-related.

Here's the good news. Almost every probability question you'll encounter on the GRE -- even the most advanced ones -- can be quickly solved using just a few key rules and strategies.

And here's the even better news. I'm going to teach them to you in the free workshop I'm hosting on Tuesday, July 24th at 8:30pm EST (5:30pm Pacific).

WHAT: Learn to Dominate Challenging GRE Probability Questions (Free Webinar)
DATE: Tuesday, July 24, 2018
TIME: 8:30pm Eastern Time U.S. (5:30pm Pacific)
WHO: Brett Ethridge, Lead GRE Instructor, Dominate Test Prep
Register: https://www.dominatetestprep.com/p/probability-webinar-gre-7-24-18

Specifically, here's what I'm going to be covering in this content-packed webinar:

• Understanding the foundational...

For the first time ever, the heads of admission for the top 3 U.S. business schools will be together in one location for a live interactive Q&A session that you won't want to miss!

Hosted by MBA25, this unique live broadcast event features:

• If you dream of becoming a Harvard, MIT or a Yale student, then this event is something you just must attend;
• Representatives from the top 3 business schools in the U.S. are getting together to entertain all of your questions during a live Q&A session;
• You can ask a question no matter where you are on the globe or what device you use, and we will pose it to our guests and hear their answer live;
• Listen to what Deans and Heads of Admissions from Harvard, MIT, and Yale have to say about the value of business education,  why companies view it as an important asset, what kind of ROI it provides and what a prospective student should do to get admitted.

Your participation in this event is free of charge (pre-registration is...

Poets&Quants Editor-in-Chief, John A. Byrne, is hosting a series of exclusive MBA admissions webinars with insider advice from Fortuna Admissions' team of senior admissions coaches from top business schools.

In this webinar on Thursday, June 7th at 12:30pm EST, you'll hear from Julie Ferguson, former Chicago Booth Senior Associate Director of Admissions, Sharon Joyce, former Berkeley Haas Associate Director of Admissions, and William Kotas, former Kellogg Director and Kellogg MBA alum.

WHAT: How to Secure Your Place at a Top 10 School (Webinar Series)
DATE: Thursday, June 7, 2018
TIME: 12:30pm Eastern Time U.S.
WHO: Booth, HAAS, & Kellogg
REGISTER: Click HERE

Poets&Quants Editor-in-Chief, John A. Byrne, is hosting a series of exclusive MBA admissions webinars with insider advice from Fortuna Admissions' team of senior admissions coaches from top business schools.

In this webinar on Monday, June 4th at 12:30pm EST, you'll hear from Karla Cohen, former HBS Associate Director, Heidi Hillis, former Stanford GSB MBA Admissions Interviewer, and Judith Silverman Hodara, former Wharton Head of Admissions.

WHAT: How to Secure Your Place at a Top 10 School (Webinar Series)
DATE: Monday, June 4, 2018
TIME: 12:30pm Eastern Time U.S.
WHO: HBS, Stanford GSB, and Wharton
REGISTER: Click HERE

Poets&Quants Editor-in-Chief, John A. Byrne, is hosting a series of exclusive MBA admissions webinars with insider advice from Fortuna Admissions' team of senior admissions coaches from top business schools.

In this webinar on Thursday, May 31st at 12:30pm EST, you'll hear from Caroline Diarte Edwards, former INSEAD Director of MBA Admissions, and Emma Bond, former LBS Senior Manager of MBA Admissions.

WHAT: How to Secure Your Place at a Top 10 School (Webinar Series)
DATE: Thursday, May 31, 2018
TIME: 12:30pm Eastern Time U.S.
WHO: INSEAD & LBS
REGISTER: Click HERE

GETTING YOUR MBA IS A JOURNEY.
WE HAVE THE ROADMAP.

Poets&Quants and Michigan Ross are pleased to announce this first annual interactive MBA panel event. The live and live-streaming program will be hosted by John A. Byrne from Poets&Quants and will include admissions directors from Michigan Ross, Berkeley Haas, and Yale School of Management; executives from top recruiters; as well as MBA program graduates.

The event will be held at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and be available online during and after the event. Three distinct panels will address the key questions from MBA candidates:

• Which top-ranked MBA is right for me?
• How do I shine on my application?
• What are top companies looking for from MBAs?

The MBA Summit 2018 promises to be an exciting, instructive look “behind the curtain” for any candidate thinking of applying to a top-ranked MBA program.

WHAT: The MBA Summit
DATE: May 1, 2018
TIME: 9:00am - 12:00pm (lunch to follow)
WHERE: Michigan Ross,...