The GMAT

"How has your Christmas break been?"

"It's been fun. I went to New York, had a good time in San Diego, and studied for the GMAT."

Logically speaking, I just said that studying for the GMAT is fun. The scary thing is that it is fun. The test isn't difficult conceptually, but the questions are worded such that you need more than memorized rules to do well. You need to think, and I like that!

For those of you trying to remember which test is the GMAT, it's the Graduate Management Admissions Test. If you want to get a masters degree in business (MBA or a masters in a business emphasis), this standardized test is required. The questions consist of algebra, verbal and writing, and two essays. However, the GMAT is not testing you on math and your writing ability (although it uses them as a vehicle). The test determines how logically sound you are in decision making, the essence of business.

For example, look at the following question and determine which of the two given pieces of information is needed to solve the problem:

Is x an integer (e.g. -2, -1, 0, 1, 2...)?

(1) x is evenly divisible by 1/2.
(2) x is evenly divisible by 2.

A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
C. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
E. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.

I'll give the answer at the end of this post if you tried to solve it.

I sat down to take a practice test without looking at any help guides, and I get to these type of problems. Due to the question's unique format, my mind first tried to decide if the answers covered all of the options (they do) before solving the problem. I thought I answered 80% of the questions correctly, but the answer sheet said only half that much. Pathetic! So I went to the GMAT book I bought in New York and started brushing up on my logic skills. As of now my logic is only 40% correct; according to the GMAT, you shouldn't take any advice from me.
B is the correct answer.

How We Learn

When have you learned something for what it is? I mean really learned it? Seldom do I learn something without tying it to an analogy. Even with addition we use apples. If you have 1 apple and I give you 2 apples, how many apples do you have? Why can't we simply learn the relationship between 1 and 2?

Dr. Hansen, one of my professors, taught me databases without the use of analogies. The difference is a clear and applicable knowledge instead of a memorized idea. When I talk about databases, I speak of them as they are and not like...

So here's my thought on this: without analogy or shortcut, learning something as it is will be more beneficial than learning it with outside ideas. Not only is the knowledge more valuable, but the exercise of learning develops the mind for the future. Even if how something works is forgotten, the mind retains its ability to learn.

Visiting Kingsbridge, New York

Last Sunday I took half of my family to my favorite place in the mission: Kingsbridge. Kingsbridge is the north-west part of the Bronx, and I served there for nearly a 1/3 of my mission. Kingsbridge has a lot of friends, converts, and memories. A new memory was made when Dad sat in a puddle of brown water on the subway. Bronxed. On the way up, old memories flashed in my mind as we passed familiar stops. 167th, Treemont, Fordam. Finally, we arrived at Kingsbridge Road.

At the top of the subway stairs, I took one deep breath for old time sakes. The smell of the Bronx still contained the fragrant stench of dead animal, trash, and mold. Unforgettable. The church building is right next to the subway stop, so the walk ended quickly and my parents could stop holding their breath.

Being Christmas, the ward choir sang The choir epitomizes, I think, the level that wards from the Bronx are at. If the choir can stay on the melody, they're deemed impressive. They were impressive on Sunday. The family met a few friends of mine before we went to a converts home to visit. In my eyes this was the best part. My family saw the beautiful grime and filth of the Bronx where I would walk and teach, but the apartments were where special memories that I will never forget were held. I love the Bronx.

Why I Couldn't Grow Up Earlier

Here are some statistics on me:

Before my mission, I:
- didn't like snowboarding
- didn't enjoy the beach
- avoided musical instruments
- only played video games with my free time
- read only for school

Yesterday I:
- was excited to go snowboarding today
- talked about enjoying the ocean water
- learned "Blackbird" on the guitar
- read a book with the super nintendo unhooked and stuffed in the corner

I don't feel like the old me at all. So what happened? I concluded that I simply avoided work-for-joy scenarios as a kid. My LDS mission, however, broke me of that ideology and tossed me around until I appreciated those things. I learned the joys of work and the pleasures that are taken advantage of when we don't have to work. The contrast is brilliant when juxtaposed with what I thought I had in the past.

Professor #4: Dr. Albrecht

I was watching "Home Improvement" the other day and Wilson, the character of infallible wisdom, taught Tim about our inherent drive to create. "You see, Tim, you can't bear children. So you are left with your drive to create which you satisfy through your projects." I've thought about this drive and realize that we all have it. Dad's flash tools, Mom's house, Dustin's art. This semester, I found my omnipotent niche in programming and it's thanks to Dr. Albrecht's vague and insufficient instruction.

Dr. Albrecht comes into class ready to fire 99mph fastballs at us. He launches into an hour lecture on how "easy" the next project will be. During his lecture, he explains the creation process as if we were gods. Then he'll under-estimate 8 hours of work. I respectfully disagree, Professor. To stay within his time expectancy, research starts building and code flies from my fingers. After doubling his estimation, I admire my completed creation. I love that feeling! When I can see what I have created, feelings of triumph and satisfaction begin to settle in. And I love that!

After every project, all I want to do is create something else. It's addicting! You must understand; I can't bear children.

Professor #3: Dr. Liddle

At 6' 1'', with a skinny build, and soft voice, he doesn't make a huge presence. However, I think many of us respect Dr. Liddle's personal goals to help his students. Dr. Liddle already has his full-time status which professors sometimes take as I-don't-have-to-be-impressive-anymore stamp. Dr. Liddle, however, is always looking for our feedback and strives to fill our needs. He'll always stop for questions and always appears to take each one seriously--don't expect the short answer.

One funny thing about Dr. Liddle is his attitude towards quizzes. The class schedule has a quiz listed almost every class day, but how many quizzes have we taken? About half that many. And how many times has he just given us all 100% on the quiz regardless? About half again. So everyday, after we say a prayer, we'll hear Dr. Liddle happily announce, "Ok. Let's take a quiz!" I'll rip a piece of paper in half for my neighbor to use--not like it matters--and we start taking the "quiz". At the end of the 5 simplistic questions, Dr. Liddle will announce the answers with a 30 second explanation of why it's so. At the end of each explanation, he might say "Now if you got it right, give yourself two points. If you got it wrong, understand why and give yourself two points, also." I love Dr. Liddle's quizzes.

Professor #2: Dr. Romney

Yes, another Romney. We Mackays can't seem to go anywhere without a Romney popping up.

Dr. Romney is a brilliant yet humble man. He's tall and of large stature with white hair combed over the top of his head. He always wears a collared shirt (usually one with the Marriott School logo) and matching pants to class. Once class is started, he usually puts a quiz on our desks. These quizzes are fairly difficult, but Dr. Romney usually comforts the students by reminding the class that we're graded against each other.

After the tedious quiz, Dr. Romney will lean against the chalk board with his hands clasped together in front and announce his teaching methodology: You learn more when you do it then from a teacher or a text book. With that, we role play! We either role play work flow processes as a class or walk through business cycles in our group. That's pretty much all there is to the Dean of the Information Systems Program. Oh, did I forget to mention that little known fact? He's the boss of our other professors.

Professor #1: Dr. Hansen

I'm really enjoying my schooling right now. When you have four great professors, it really helps. It especially helps when those four great professors have four distinct personalities (that must be a prerequisite). I think I'll write about each one so you can get an idea of what these guys are like.

When Dr. Hansen first walked into our classroom, he had a sour look on his face. He scanned the classroom up and down as if he was looking for someone in particular. At first he's not much to look at. His head is full of gray hair and his body is small. Now this body being small exaggerates another feature of his body: his belly. His belly sticks out considerably almost to where he could use it as a table.

It seemed his purpose upon entering the room was to "torture" our minds. And in a sense I was right. He started off by drilling us on our reading we were assigned. "What's a set?" he would ask.

"A group of items," came the feeble attempt. Dr. Hansen didn't even entertain the answer.

"No. *cough* Be specific." (He always coughs when he talks)

"I think its a..."

"You think? *cough* I want you to know! Tell me with confidence!" he answered as he grinned a clever grin that I would soon come to learn was his trademark. The round of answers kept on going for a minute or so when he explained his methods. "Look. My purpose here, and you'll hear me say this again and again, *cough* is to get you to think. (Ugh! It is torture!) I don't care what you learn necessarily in my class because you'll just forget it in a year. I care that you learn how to think." he stated as he pounded the podium. "Now, what is a set?"

I'll have a hard time forgetting this lesson, especially since he did in fact repeat it every week. Dr. Hansen is my favorite professor because of his challenging demeanor. I go to his classes hoping to beat him at his game. Never likely, but I try harder in order to see if I can outsmart the questionnaire.