I feel ashamed about our nation sometimes.Olympics is one such occasion.We celebrate one gold medal won.Its the first ever individual gold medal.At the same games someone is winning 7 golds and chasing his dream calm cool and composed(Phelps).If our sportsmen make the Olympic norms it makes headlines here.Its something we all need to be embarrassed about.
What do we lack?Genetics cannot be blamed always.Because all games do not demand extreme physical standards except maybe athletics.Even there Chinese, who belong to similar gene pools, have consistently done well and kept improving.I think the following are the key reasons.
1) Lack on infrastructure.
2) Lack of professional sporting bodies.
3) Lack of financial security for athletes/sportsperson.
4) Lack of talent spotting programs in all discipline of sports.
These are the key issues.Feel free to add more points if u feel like it.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Bachna Eh Hassenon Review
Let me not trouble my busy friends.I ll give a one line rating first.The movie is easily a one time watch.So if you are twiddling your thumb whether to book the tickets, go ahead ans book it.Its atleast worth the money.
Going into details, ranbir kapoor carries the film on his shoulders.This film clearly asserts that the talents he displayed in his first movie were not a flash in the pan and he belongs to the BIG league!The film is very well made in terms in look and feel.The locales are as exotic as it gets(yash raj films trademark sshtyle).2 Songs are excellent.Rest are ok ok types.Strory is also pretty decent, although it could be rip off of some hollywood biggie :).Screenplay is taut and very engaging.One gets suprised that interval seems to come very fast.Coming to the heroines.Minisha looks ranbir's Didi.Leave alone chemistry, there is not even a spark between them.She looks wooden.Bipasha looks her sexy best(as usual).Although she also looks older than the hero,she does not hurt the eye like minisha does.Deepika is the pick of the heroines.She looks a million dollars.Especially when she smile.The real life chemistry she supposedly shares with ranbir does spill over onscreen.The climax, although predicatable, is very natural.With 4 smooches in the movie, it can be termed as hot.There are many 18+ dialogues too.But not too vulgar because they are not double meaning ones.Just one meaning :-).So if you are of the eenie weenie types who cant watch such stuff with parents/brothers/sisters, u need to exercise restraint.I am not going into the actual story as it would spoil the maza of watching the movie!! Go ahead and continue the review or else tear mine to pieces!! :)
Going into details, ranbir kapoor carries the film on his shoulders.This film clearly asserts that the talents he displayed in his first movie were not a flash in the pan and he belongs to the BIG league!The film is very well made in terms in look and feel.The locales are as exotic as it gets(yash raj films trademark sshtyle).2 Songs are excellent.Rest are ok ok types.Strory is also pretty decent, although it could be rip off of some hollywood biggie :).Screenplay is taut and very engaging.One gets suprised that interval seems to come very fast.Coming to the heroines.Minisha looks ranbir's Didi.Leave alone chemistry, there is not even a spark between them.She looks wooden.Bipasha looks her sexy best(as usual).Although she also looks older than the hero,she does not hurt the eye like minisha does.Deepika is the pick of the heroines.She looks a million dollars.Especially when she smile.The real life chemistry she supposedly shares with ranbir does spill over onscreen.The climax, although predicatable, is very natural.With 4 smooches in the movie, it can be termed as hot.There are many 18+ dialogues too.But not too vulgar because they are not double meaning ones.Just one meaning :-).So if you are of the eenie weenie types who cant watch such stuff with parents/brothers/sisters, u need to exercise restraint.I am not going into the actual story as it would spoil the maza of watching the movie!! Go ahead and continue the review or else tear mine to pieces!! :)
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
GMAT Fundas continued..
Funda 4: Take mock test at regular intervals:
Once you are done with OG and as u start getting into other study material like 1000 series etc, start your Mock tests.Mock tests need not all be Computer based.Feel free to take paper based ones too intially.I would recommend a frequency of one every 2/3 days once u r done with OG.Again, one must analyse the paper and get all doubts solved thro online forum friends etc.Else the exercise would be in vain.After you think you are done with preparations(maybe in the last 1/2 week) start taking only computer based tests.Make sure you take the AWA sections also.Beleive me, the biggest challenge on the GMAT day is gonnabe maintaining your concentration level for 3 1/2 hours.So practise takign the test as though it were the GMAT.Do not take unscheduled breaks.Time your breaks when u take them.No water bottles.Use erasable marker boards.No noises.No calling bells.No cell phones.Make it as near as GMAT as possible.This will sort of get you into the ZONE.You might face problems with concentrating for so long.Gradually you ll get over it.Thats the purpose of this simulation.
Funda5: Be relaxed and have a devils may care attitude!
Whats the max you are going to lose if you screw up big time.10 K and may be two scores reported to schools instead of one.It is a setback.But not too big a setback.If you get tensed and screw up the test because of that, the result would be the same.So logically its better to be relaxed and go in to the test as though it just another mock test.Don't get very tensed/jitterry.You'll do yourself no good.
Few more tips:
Visit the center atleast one day in advance and get to know the reporting time.
Try not to drive down to the center.Take an auto or ask a friend to drop you.
Take the gamtprep test available of MBA.com 3-4 days before GMAT.That will give you a rough estimate of ur actual score.(+ or - 20)It has worked for most people I have interacted with.
Take your time and pace your test properly in GMAT.Sometimes you might be running through questions at an hectic pace.Keep checking every 15 mins whether you are ahead of schedule of behind and change pace accordingly.
Feel free to post any comments/questions/opinions on this blog.I ll try and respond to all of them.Thanks for reading my post!! :)
Once you are done with OG and as u start getting into other study material like 1000 series etc, start your Mock tests.Mock tests need not all be Computer based.Feel free to take paper based ones too intially.I would recommend a frequency of one every 2/3 days once u r done with OG.Again, one must analyse the paper and get all doubts solved thro online forum friends etc.Else the exercise would be in vain.After you think you are done with preparations(maybe in the last 1/2 week) start taking only computer based tests.Make sure you take the AWA sections also.Beleive me, the biggest challenge on the GMAT day is gonnabe maintaining your concentration level for 3 1/2 hours.So practise takign the test as though it were the GMAT.Do not take unscheduled breaks.Time your breaks when u take them.No water bottles.Use erasable marker boards.No noises.No calling bells.No cell phones.Make it as near as GMAT as possible.This will sort of get you into the ZONE.You might face problems with concentrating for so long.Gradually you ll get over it.Thats the purpose of this simulation.
Funda5: Be relaxed and have a devils may care attitude!
Whats the max you are going to lose if you screw up big time.10 K and may be two scores reported to schools instead of one.It is a setback.But not too big a setback.If you get tensed and screw up the test because of that, the result would be the same.So logically its better to be relaxed and go in to the test as though it just another mock test.Don't get very tensed/jitterry.You'll do yourself no good.
Few more tips:
Visit the center atleast one day in advance and get to know the reporting time.
Try not to drive down to the center.Take an auto or ask a friend to drop you.
Take the gamtprep test available of MBA.com 3-4 days before GMAT.That will give you a rough estimate of ur actual score.(+ or - 20)It has worked for most people I have interacted with.
Take your time and pace your test properly in GMAT.Sometimes you might be running through questions at an hectic pace.Keep checking every 15 mins whether you are ahead of schedule of behind and change pace accordingly.
Feel free to post any comments/questions/opinions on this blog.I ll try and respond to all of them.Thanks for reading my post!! :)
Thursday, July 31, 2008
GMAT Fundas...
My first post after such a long time.One significant event has happened in this brief interval.I had taken GMAT and got a pretty decent score of 740!!After that a lot of people have asked me about the exam and the prep materials/methodology details.I had also read a lot of blogs on my runup to GMAT.With the idea that I'am giving something back to the blogosphere that continues to give me so much, I put forward my two cents about GMAT.
Funda1: GMAT is differrent from CAT:
Primarily ,while the aim in CAT is to maximize the number of questions attempted and accuracy ratio, the basic aim while taking GMAT is minimizing the errors while maintaining a near 100% accuracy.So they fundamentally differ in their approaches.If you are someone who is seriously preparing for GMAT and reading this blog then you must have identified that the first sentence is erroneous because of mistake in parallelism.Otherwise you need more hard work in days to come in the verbal section ;-)
Second difference between CAT and GMAT is the sections.CAT has a DI section which is very practice intensive.While GMAT has a Sentence Correction section that is practive intensive.If you can crack Quants in CAT(I mean clear cutoff in mocks) then quants in GMAT is a cakewalk.Only thing needed is caution against overconfidence and avoidance of silly mistakes.In verbal section, the staple diet of CAT is RCs, which are very huge.But in GMAT the RCs are shorter and easier.But CAT does not have SC(sentence correction).GMAT sentence correction KILLS you.Nothing but practice can save you.Instinct and good reading habits can help solve most of the SCs by elimination.But if you answer the level 1,2 questions and go to higher difficulty, you ll always end up with 2 likely answers.(and most probably the one you mark will be the wrong one ;-) ).
Third difference is that, CAT is time intensive.While GMAT is also timed, you can finish well within time if you care to take a few MockGmats and pace yourself well.The above structure is a typical example of AWA section.GMAT hangover still lingers in my head I guess :)
Funda2: Make a preparation Plan and try and stick to it.
I cannot claim to be a master in this department.The figures given are my estimates only and should be taken with a pinch of salt.Now that the disclaimers are done,I ll proceed to the actual matter in hand.
I ll present my time estimates first for person who has my profile.That is engineering graduate, decent maths background, good reading habits,taken atleast 1/2 potshots at CAT(I have taken 2 till now).Such a person need not do any maths basics preparations.He can directly start with the practice questions and tests.Only concern might be areas you know you are weak in, by virtue of all the mock CATS u had taken.My nemisis in Quants was , data sufficiency.In Verbal one needs to concentrate more on Sentence Correction.For such a profile, one would need atleast 2 months of full time preparation with 2 hrs/weekday and 6-8 hours on weekends.That comes to a total of22-26 hrs/week(Target this much..you ll end with with a 15 hrs a week).So identify your weak areas, target them and prepare a comprensive work plan.
Funda3: OG is bible.Spend Enough time for analysis.
When I say OG is the bible I mean it.It is the basic reference book.Make sure you buy the latest edition of OG GMAT® Review , OG GMAT® Quants Review , GMAT® Verbal Review.Make sure that you finish these books before you proceed anywhere else.The best methodology to use these books are to take questions in sets of 15-20 for 30 min durations and check the explanation of all questions.Please spend enough time on analysis.The aim of the exercise should be that you need to answer correctly 100% of the time, if a question is posed to you which is of the same format in the book.This only will get you 650-680 range score.
Fundas will continue......
Funda1: GMAT is differrent from CAT:
Primarily ,while the aim in CAT is to maximize the number of questions attempted and accuracy ratio, the basic aim while taking GMAT is minimizing the errors while maintaining a near 100% accuracy.So they fundamentally differ in their approaches.If you are someone who is seriously preparing for GMAT and reading this blog then you must have identified that the first sentence is erroneous because of mistake in parallelism.Otherwise you need more hard work in days to come in the verbal section ;-)
Second difference between CAT and GMAT is the sections.CAT has a DI section which is very practice intensive.While GMAT has a Sentence Correction section that is practive intensive.If you can crack Quants in CAT(I mean clear cutoff in mocks) then quants in GMAT is a cakewalk.Only thing needed is caution against overconfidence and avoidance of silly mistakes.In verbal section, the staple diet of CAT is RCs, which are very huge.But in GMAT the RCs are shorter and easier.But CAT does not have SC(sentence correction).GMAT sentence correction KILLS you.Nothing but practice can save you.Instinct and good reading habits can help solve most of the SCs by elimination.But if you answer the level 1,2 questions and go to higher difficulty, you ll always end up with 2 likely answers.(and most probably the one you mark will be the wrong one ;-) ).
Third difference is that, CAT is time intensive.While GMAT is also timed, you can finish well within time if you care to take a few MockGmats and pace yourself well.The above structure is a typical example of AWA section.GMAT hangover still lingers in my head I guess :)
Funda2: Make a preparation Plan and try and stick to it.
I cannot claim to be a master in this department.The figures given are my estimates only and should be taken with a pinch of salt.Now that the disclaimers are done,I ll proceed to the actual matter in hand.
I ll present my time estimates first for person who has my profile.That is engineering graduate, decent maths background, good reading habits,taken atleast 1/2 potshots at CAT(I have taken 2 till now).Such a person need not do any maths basics preparations.He can directly start with the practice questions and tests.Only concern might be areas you know you are weak in, by virtue of all the mock CATS u had taken.My nemisis in Quants was , data sufficiency.In Verbal one needs to concentrate more on Sentence Correction.For such a profile, one would need atleast 2 months of full time preparation with 2 hrs/weekday and 6-8 hours on weekends.That comes to a total of22-26 hrs/week(Target this much..you ll end with with a 15 hrs a week).So identify your weak areas, target them and prepare a comprensive work plan.
Funda3: OG is bible.Spend Enough time for analysis.
When I say OG is the bible I mean it.It is the basic reference book.Make sure you buy the latest edition of OG GMAT® Review , OG GMAT® Quants Review , GMAT® Verbal Review.Make sure that you finish these books before you proceed anywhere else.The best methodology to use these books are to take questions in sets of 15-20 for 30 min durations and check the explanation of all questions.Please spend enough time on analysis.The aim of the exercise should be that you need to answer correctly 100% of the time, if a question is posed to you which is of the same format in the book.This only will get you 650-680 range score.
Fundas will continue......
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Puthu Kavithai!!! (Onsite Pogatha Valibar/Valibi Sangam)
(Olimayama ethirkalam tune )
Irulmayamaana edhirgaalam en ullathil therigiradhu.....
adhil onsite/promotion edhuvum illai.......
(night)shift-la work varudhu........
Irulmayamaana edhirgaalam en ullathil therigiradhu.....
naalvagai platform naarpadhu koadi project Engindraar - andha
customer thaanum onsitelirundhae koovi azhaikkinraar
maalai soodi engal PM onsite poginraar
project oothi moodiya piragu benchula poduginraar... [Irulmayamaana]
Onsite chance-u undaendru sonna, HR-u enga - avanga
pona maasam paper pottu poittaanga therinjukka
neeyum paper potta podhum onsite koduppaanga
nambi nambi yaemaarndhadhu podhum escape aayidu..... [Irulmayamaana]
Irulmayamaana edhirgaalam en ullathil therigiradhu.....
adhil onsite/promotion edhuvum illai.......
(night)shift-la work varudhu........
Irulmayamaana edhirgaalam en ullathil therigiradhu.....
naalvagai platform naarpadhu koadi project Engindraar - andha
customer thaanum onsitelirundhae koovi azhaikkinraar
maalai soodi engal PM onsite poginraar
project oothi moodiya piragu benchula poduginraar... [Irulmayamaana]
Onsite chance-u undaendru sonna, HR-u enga - avanga
pona maasam paper pottu poittaanga therinjukka
neeyum paper potta podhum onsite koduppaanga
nambi nambi yaemaarndhadhu podhum escape aayidu..... [Irulmayamaana]
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
I did a South Africa...CAT Scores are Great..
As usual I flunked @ the end.Tripped and fell on my face in the home stretch.Ended up a chocker chasing a low target.I can eloquently wax my failure in a thousand different ways.But it all means only one thing.I am a LOSER!! :-)...
Here is a guy who attempted CAT last year without any preparation and callously casual attitude and managed to score a decent 88 percentile(Not too decent for many of you.For my level it was decent).This year he puts up one year of hard work and thousands of rupees in investment and ends up getting the same percentile.Sounds absolutely hilarious is'nt it.Thats my story.Let me try and Analyzing this failure with a cool head..
1) Either I am not made for such competitive exams:
This is typical bad loser's line right.But maybe I am right.If you ask a 51/2 foot 70 kg guy to face a sumo wrestler and he loses.He should not feel bad right.But that is not possible because people who are close my caliber in IQ have made it thro before
2) The exam was too tough:
Cat is after all a competitive exams which gives ranking to people.All the freaking 2.5 lakh people wrote the same exam.So if it was tough it was tough for everyone.So thats cant be a reason too.
3) Not enough preparation:
Can't be the case.Because I had been attending regular classed 6 hours a week.from feb 2007.After that I had written all mock cats religiously and solved them all meticulously.But no amount of preparation is enough.I could have done more I guess
4) Exam Tension on the the D Day:
I have never got tensed for any exam.Maybe that was the real reason.Lack of seriousness.Very much possible.
Summing all this up and after deep introspection I am able to zero in on the chinks that lead to my defeat.
1)Lack of focus: Though I spent enuf time solving mock cats my scores din look like improving.I did not spend time on areas/activities that were required.So Although I should have noticed that my efforts were not doing anything to improving ever lowering scores in mock cats, I did not!!!Just thought things will get ironed out themselves.But they just din!!!
2)Poor Quantitative skill: Did not focus on improving speed and accuracy in calculation involving number.The basement was weak so however well I build the building it is bound to fall flat.It did happen.
3)Preparing too much: In some ways I think the intense half cooked preparation only did me in.Either I should have gone all the way(from basics) else should have gone with a open approach.Rethinking now , in many scenarios I found myself trying to fit the problems given into the frameworks I had learnt, in the process of trying to solve them.That should have been the last option.I should have applied common sense to most questions and I would have done much better.In an objective type questions answers and only answers count.Methods don't.
So if someone who is planning to appear for CAT next year is reading this, I have only one line for you.Either go all out or just get out.
Here is a guy who attempted CAT last year without any preparation and callously casual attitude and managed to score a decent 88 percentile(Not too decent for many of you.For my level it was decent).This year he puts up one year of hard work and thousands of rupees in investment and ends up getting the same percentile.Sounds absolutely hilarious is'nt it.Thats my story.Let me try and Analyzing this failure with a cool head..
1) Either I am not made for such competitive exams:
This is typical bad loser's line right.But maybe I am right.If you ask a 51/2 foot 70 kg guy to face a sumo wrestler and he loses.He should not feel bad right.But that is not possible because people who are close my caliber in IQ have made it thro before
2) The exam was too tough:
Cat is after all a competitive exams which gives ranking to people.All the freaking 2.5 lakh people wrote the same exam.So if it was tough it was tough for everyone.So thats cant be a reason too.
3) Not enough preparation:
Can't be the case.Because I had been attending regular classed 6 hours a week.from feb 2007.After that I had written all mock cats religiously and solved them all meticulously.But no amount of preparation is enough.I could have done more I guess
4) Exam Tension on the the D Day:
I have never got tensed for any exam.Maybe that was the real reason.Lack of seriousness.Very much possible.
Summing all this up and after deep introspection I am able to zero in on the chinks that lead to my defeat.
1)Lack of focus: Though I spent enuf time solving mock cats my scores din look like improving.I did not spend time on areas/activities that were required.So Although I should have noticed that my efforts were not doing anything to improving ever lowering scores in mock cats, I did not!!!Just thought things will get ironed out themselves.But they just din!!!
2)Poor Quantitative skill: Did not focus on improving speed and accuracy in calculation involving number.The basement was weak so however well I build the building it is bound to fall flat.It did happen.
3)Preparing too much: In some ways I think the intense half cooked preparation only did me in.Either I should have gone all the way(from basics) else should have gone with a open approach.Rethinking now , in many scenarios I found myself trying to fit the problems given into the frameworks I had learnt, in the process of trying to solve them.That should have been the last option.I should have applied common sense to most questions and I would have done much better.In an objective type questions answers and only answers count.Methods don't.
So if someone who is planning to appear for CAT next year is reading this, I have only one line for you.Either go all out or just get out.
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