One of the first and most important decisions you need to make on your higher education journey is determining which schools and programs to apply to. Once you figure that out, much of the rest of the application process starts to fall into place. Yet, deciding where to apply isn't always straightforward. There are a lot of factors to consider. To help shed light on this important topic, we are joined in this episode of The Dominate Test Prep Podcast by Linda Abraham, founder of Accepted, who shares anecdotes, insight, and key considerations.

You can listen to the episode HERE:

Specifically, we discuss:

• The importance of determining your "North Star" as the driver of your decision about which programs to apply to -- and how to figure it out if you're unsure
• Why getting clear about your career goals is such an important first step, including its relevance to writing your Statement of Purpose on your applications
• Three good reasons for...

You've invested time, effort, and money preparing for and taking your standardized test, and unfortunately the first attempt didn't quite go as planned. So, what now? Should you retake it? Or just apply with the score you have?

The answer to those questions isn't quite as straightforward as it may seem. Even if you were assured of improving the next time around, a higher score may not be necessary to get you accepted to your target program(s). There's a lot to consider when thinking about retaking your exam, and we break it all down for you in this episode of The Dominate Test Prep Podcast.

You can listen to the episode HERE:

Specifically, we run through the five (5) key questions you need to ask yourself to help decide whether taking the test again makes sense for you:

1. What's likely to change this time around?
2. Was there anything abnormal about your first testing experience?
3. How likely are you to actually improve your score (what do the statistics...

It's one thing to get in to a top law school. But how do you succeed once you're there?

The three years of law school are intense. It's like "drinking from a fire hose," says expert LSAT instructor Dave Hall. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to ensure that you're prepared for the onslaught and maximize your law school experience. Having just graduated from law school himself, Dave shares five (5) things he wishes he had known before starting law school that could have helped him have even more success, and that can empower you to make the most of your own law school journey.

You can listen to the interview HERE:

Specifically, Dave discusses:

• Whether or not the law school you attend actually matters
• The importance of maintaining a clearly-defined yet flexible routine
• How to make time for what matters most (and no, you don't have to give up all of your hobbies during law school!)
• Why cramming is detrimental to your performance and...

A Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is a popular route for advancing one's career, learning new skills, growing a network, and overall expanding opportunities in the world of business. Yet, there are significant costs associated with pursuing this level of higher education. So, is it worth it? How do you measure the value of and MBA and determine whether it's right for you?

To shed light on this important topic, we invited Tim Munyon, Associate Professor of Management at the Haslam College of Business (University of Tennessee) and Managing Partner at Red Castle Human Capital, to share his perspective from both the faculty and employer standpoint. You can listen to our conversation HERE:

 
Specifically, we discuss:

• Advantages of the traditional MBA as compared to niche Masters degrees or part-time / online MBA programs
• Why an MBA is useful for entrepreneurs
• Does the best value come from Top 20 business schools, or is "fit" more important...

Test day is right around the corner.

What should you be doing in the final week leading up to the big day to maximize your preparation and ensure that you have the best possible result on your exam? We break it down for you day-by-day in episode 27 of The Dominate Test Prep Podcast, laying out for you exactly what you should be prioritizing each day starting "7 days out" to finish strong.

Listen to it HERE:

Download the accompanying "7 Days Out" checklist HERE:

If you have a week or less before test day, these last-minute tips will help you know where to focus and ensure that you've covered all your bases heading in to the exam. Even if you still have a while, much of what we discuss will help you with your preparation in general -- and then you can revisit it as your final week gets closer.

The end is in sight... finish strong!

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION

"If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." -- Benjamin Franklin

As always, be sure to subscribe to the podcast...

We've received a surprising number of e-mails and DM's recently asking about motivation -- and specifically how to stay motivated to study for the different standardized tests people are preparing for.

Perhaps the seemingly endless quarantine is getting people down.

Or maybe it's the nice weather as summer is getting under way, with the lure of the beach competing for focus and attention.

Whatever it is, there's no doubt that staying motivated to put in the work necessary to get a high exam score can be a challenge.

So to help you with that, I devoted the latest episode of The Dominate Test Prep Podcast to exactly this topic: "How to Find the Motivation to Study."

You can listen to it HERE:

As you'll hear me discuss, there are really four (4) main reasons why people lose the motivation to study for their standardized test:

1. They get distracted by outside circumstances or life events
2. The process is taking too long
3. They're not seeing results
4. They've lost sight of why...

Most standardized tests have an essay component, and in this episode of The Dominate Test Prep Podcast we cover the 10 most important things you should do when crafting your essay response to ensure that you get a high score on test day -- perhaps even a perfect one!

You can listen to it here:

We start by explaining what the graders are looking for. Once you know the components of a high-scoring essay, you can craft your strategy for writing an effective essay yourself. Knowing is half the battle, as they say.

Then we go through 10 tips for helping you get a perfect essay score and discuss:

• The importance of understanding the question prompt and answering all aspects of it (with examples);
• What you should do during the first 5 minutes before you start writing;
• The role of a clear thesis sentence and where it should appear in your essay;
• How to organize your essay for maximum effectiveness;
• Where you should pull your...

Applying to top graduate and business schools is a competitive affair, with qualified applicants from around the world vying for just a handful of spots each year. The difference between getting accepted and not comes down to your ability to highlight your personal, academic, and professional assets in a way that sets you apart from the pack. While some candidates choose to do that on their own, many turn to admissions consultants for help.

Is working with an admissions consultant right for you?

That's what we explore in Episode 23 of The Dominate Test Prep Podcast with the help of Barbara Coward, founder of MBA 360° Admissions Consulting. Barbara worked as an application reader at Johns Hopkins University before starting her consulting practice, so she has experience in the industry from both side.

You can listen to our full conversation here:

Specifically, Barbara and I discuss:

• One of the biggest mistakes candidates make on their applications that...

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 Episode 22 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.   

You can listen to our full conversation here: 

Specifically, Sam and I discuss:

• Why this aerospace engineer decided to switch careers and go back to business school
• Why Sam chose the GMAT over the GRE
• How to answer the "Why business school?" question on your application
• How the expected ROI factored...

In the immortal words of Bob Dylan, "The times, they are a-changin'."

Yesterday, the GMAT went online.

Several weeks ago, the GRE went online.

The LSAT will be rolling out its online version, LSAT Flex, next month.

Now, these at-home editions are temporary solutions to assist students trying to meet application deadlines while test centers are closed due to the coronavirus outbreak. But who knows, maybe they'll stick around permanently if all goes well.

Regardless, many of you will end up taking your exam from the comfort of your own home in the coming weeks, and I want to help you optimize that experience.

Here are three prep tips specific to the at-home testing experience that I believe will put you in the right frame of mind to do as well as possible when taking your exam online:

In many ways, taking your test at home is a positive. It's your home, after all. It's familiar. It's comfortable.

But that increased comfort level can also work against you if you're not careful.

...