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You want to enroll in business school next year, but your applications and GMAT score are far from complete—or maybe you have not even started the application process yet. Round 2 deadlines are fast approaching, and now is the time to make the mad dash to meet them. If you miss Round 2, then Round 3 is still an option—but is this approach advisable?

Where do you begin to start tackling applications and amassing GMAT scores when you realize late in the game that you need to begin earning your MBA next year?

mbaMission has teamed up with our exclusive partner, Manhattan Prep GMAT, to bring you a one-of-a-kind presentation that answers all of your last-minute application questions—and introduce our new and exciting offering, exclusively for Manhattan Prep students!

Join us live on the Manhattan Prep GMAT Facebook page next Wednesday, November 16, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern for a special presentation on last-minute tips for getting accepted to business school. The presentation will be delivered by two experts on MBA admissions and the GMAT, and you will have the opportunity to ask them any questions you have.

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With regard to the GMAT, raw intellectual horsepower helps, but it is not everything. In this blog series, Manhattan Prep’s Stacey Koprince teaches you how to perform at your best on test day by using some common sense.

In Part 1 of this series, we talked about the overall process for tackling Critical Reasoning (CR), as well as the four major CR question types. In Part 2, we reviewed the five minor question types. Now, let’s put it all together!

What is my strategy?

As we discussed in Part 1, the four major CR types are Find the Assumption, Strengthen, Weaken, and Inference. The majority of your CR questions will be in one of those four categories. If you are going for up to about 75th percentile on verbal, concentrate on those.

Of the minor types, discussed in Part 2, the most common are Discrepancy, Describe the Role, and Evaluate. If you want to break the 75th percentile on verbal, then also take a look at those three minor types, but still spend more time on the four major types. If CR is your weakest verbal area, you can also skip whichever of those three minor types is hardest for you—some people really hate boldface questions, and others think Evaluate questions are the worst.

If you are looking to break the 90th percentile on verbal, then you have to study everything. You can still pick one minor type as your “I’ll guess/bail quickly if I have to” question type, but you still have to try to learn how to do it and, during the test, take a crack at the question unless you are already behind on time and must bail on a question.

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In this new blog series, our mbaMission Career Coaches offer invaluable advice and industry-related news to help you actively manage your career. Topics include building your network, learning from mistakes and setbacks, perfecting your written communication, and mastering even the toughest interviews. To schedule a free half-hour consultation with one of our mbaMission Career Coaches, click here.

Whether in a casual conversation or at a formal networking event, the way you talk about your professional experiences and interests creates an impression—make sure you are creating the right one.

Your introduction will help your audience understand what makes you stand out and why your story is a compelling one. The content and length of your introduction should be customized to each specific situation.

• Content: Focus your message on your target audience and your goals for the interaction. Show how your interests and skills match with their needs. Explain your work in terms that will be understandable to your target audience. Highlight common experiences and/or passions.
• Length: If you are part of a group conversation, limit your introduction to more of a “headline” (one to two sentences about your background). If you are engaged in a one-on-one conversation, your pitch could be a bit long, roughly 60 seconds.

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In business school application essays, some candidates unintentionally describe their personal experience with a specific MBA program in a vague and general manner. Because they are writing from memory and discussing their authentic experience, they do not realize that they are not being specific enough. Consider the following example:

“During my visit to Cornell Johnson, I was struck by the easygoing classroom discussion, the warmth of the professors, and the time spent by the first-year student who not only toured the facilities with me but also took me out for coffee and asked several of his colleagues to join us.”

Although these statements may in fact be true, the text contains no Cornell-specific language. If the Yale School of Management, Michigan Ross, or the name of any other school were substituted for Cornell Johnson here, the statement would not otherwise change at all, resulting in a weak and generic essay.

In contrast, the following statement could refer only to UVA Darden:

“While on Grounds, I was impressed by Professor Robert Carraway’s easygoing and humorous style as he facilitated a fast-paced discussion of the ‘George’s T-Shirts’ case. Although I admittedly felt dizzied by the class’s pace, I was comforted when I encountered several students reviewing the finer points of the case later at First Coffee. I was impressed when my first-year guide stopped mid-tour to check in with her learning teammate and reinforce the case’s central point. It was then I recognized that this was the right environment for me.”

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With regard to the GMAT, raw intellectual horsepower helps, but it is not everything. In this blog series, Manhattan Prep’s Stacey Koprince teaches you how to perform at your best on test day by using some common sense.

In Part 1 of this article, we talked about the overall process for solving Critical Reasoning (CR) problems and reviewed the four major CR question types (the ones that show up the most often on the test).

Now let’s take a look at the five minor types.

The Assumption Family

Assumption Family questions always involve a conclusion. This group consists of five subtypes, two of which are minor types:

Flaw: This is the “flip” of Find the Assumption. The author assumes something, but that thing might not be true. What is the flaw in the author’s reasoning?

Evaluate the Argument: What information would help to determine whether the conclusion is more or less likely to be valid?

The Evidence Family

Evidence Family questions really do not have conclusions (never “big” conclusions, like the Assumption arguments, and usually no conclusions at all). This group consists of two subtypes overall, but only one of these is a minor type:

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