The Dominate Test Prep Podcast

In the immortal words of William Shakespeare, "To defer or not to defer, that is the question." Or something like that. We're talking, of course, about whether or not to defer your admission to college / graduate school given the uncertainty around what the learning environment will look like when classes resume in the Fall. With so many schools relaxing their deferral requirements and lingering concerns about the safety of live, in-person classes, it's a question that a lot of students are wrestling with right now -- and time is quickly running out to make that decision.
To help unpack this important topic, we're joined in this episode by Diana Jones, admissions consultant with College and Prep, who weighs in with some key insights and important considerations that will help you decide whether to take a gap year or matriculate on schedule. Specifically, we discuss:

• The current higher education landscape in the world of COVID-19
• Why this year might be a good one to take a "gap year" -- and how you should spend your time if you make that decision
• The key difference between the decision facing undergraduates vs. grad students
• The top 3 reasons someone might decide to wait a year before going back to school
• Why most schools cap the number of gap-year requests they grant, and what it means for you
• The logistics of requesting deferred admission
• Whether or not you should expect a tuition reduction if classes are conducted online to start the school year (hint: don't hold your breath!)
• The best way to search deep within yourself to answer the question of whether to press the pause button or stay the course
• And more!

Deciding which college or graduate program to attend is a big enough of a decision as it is. Having to now decide whether to accept your offer of admission and go back to school this Fall -- or defer your admission and wait another year -- adds more complexity to the equation. After listening to this episode, we're confident that you'll be in a better position to make the decision that's right for you. Enjoy!
RESOURCES

1. Diana's NBC News article: "8 considerations for graduating high school seniors rethinking their plans due to COVID-19"
2. Contact Diana Jones for a free phone consult
3. Register for a comprehensive online prep course (SAT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, EA) with Dominate Test Prep

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION
Harlem, by Langston Hughes
What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore—

And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over—

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Connect with Us

• Get more free content on the DTP YouTube Channel
• Register for a comprehensive prep course (GMAT Exam, Executive Assessment, GRE, LSAT, SAT)
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].

In response to test center closures resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, most standardized tests have released an at-home version so that candidates can stay on track to hit their application deadlines and continue applying to graduate school. While there are a lot of advantages to taking your exam from home, there's at least one glaring disadvantage -- and you need to make sure that you're preparing accordingly so that you can overcome it and maximize your test-day results.
If you're going to be taking your standardized test from the comfort of your own home, this episode is a must-listen. Specifically, we discuss:

• The biggest downside to taking a high-stakes exam from home, and the mental shift you need to make to overcome it
• How to recreate the "live" exam experience during your practice sessions
• The "Know thy Enemy" approach to planning ahead and preparing for all test-day contingencies
• How to "win the morning" of your exam, including an unusual but incredibly effective tactic for putting yourself in the right frame of mind to perform your best
• Whether or not you should opt for the at-home test in the first place or just wait for test centers to open again
• And more!

The good news is that the substance of the exams themselves remain largely unchanged, so everything you've been doing to prepare to this point is still relevant. The major difference, of course, is that you will be taking the real thing from home. If you implement the three strategies we teach in this episode, you'll be in a great position to come out on top!
FROM THE MAILBAG
For some bonus content toward the end of the show, we also answer the following listener question: "How much time do you suggest people spend looking over answers to questions they got wrong or even those they got right [when practicing]?”
We share some helpful tips for figuring out your strengths and weaknesses and keeping your eye on the prize when reviewing your practice results. Enjoy!
RESOURCES

1. GMAT - Official Details about the Online GMAT Exam
2. GRE - Official Page for the At-Home GRE
3. LSAT - Official LSAT Flex Information Page
4. LSAT - Top 10 Questions about LSAT Flex
5. Study: "Dress for Success: How Clothes Influence Our Performance"

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION
“I’m a firm believer in that you play the way you practice.” -- Larry Bird

Connect with Us

• Get more free content on the DTP YouTube Channel
• Register for a comprehensive prep course (GMAT Exam, Executive Assessment, GRE, LSAT, SAT)
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].

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. 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 say)?
4. How many times have you already taken it?
5. Do you have any alternatives?

We shed light on all of these questions -- and more -- so that by the end of this episode, you will have a strong sense of whether or not to give it another go. Enjoy!
RESOURCES

1. Repeat Testing Trends for the GMAT
2. Score Improvement Statistics for the GRE
3. Performance of Repeat Test Takers on the LSAT
4. Contact Dominate Test Prep

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION
"I never lose; I either win or learn." -- Nelson Mandela

Connect with Us

• Get more free content on the DTP YouTube Channel
• Register for a comprehensive prep course (GMAT Exam, Executive Assessment, GRE, LSAT, SAT)
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].

It seems like there's never enough time to do all the things we want to in life. That can be especially true when it comes to preparing for your standardized test. You're busy: job, family, school, hobbies, etc. And yet, you need to carve out sufficient time to study effectively for your exam. But how?
That's exactly the concern submitted by one of our students, Madeline, who wrote: "I am concerned about having enough time to study. I work full time (most weeks, more than 40 hrs a week)...and the math is a lot to take in and relearn.”
Sound familiar?
In this "mailbag" episode we address Madeline's hang-up and provide practical prep tips for students who fall into one of two categories:

1. You don't have a lot of time to prepare for your standardized test because you're scheduled to take it in just a few weeks (or even days!);
2. Your test date is still a ways off, but your days are super busy and you're not sure where you're going to find the time to fit in adequate studying.

In a perfect world, you'd be able to drop everything and devote 100% of your time over the next couple months preparing for your exam. But that's not realistic. Yet, it's still possible to get a great score even if you're limited on study time -- provided you prioritize the right things and structure your study sessions optimally. By the end of this episode, you'll know how.
Questions? Comments? Topic suggestions for future episodes? Reach out to us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!
SIMILAR EPISODES
If you enjoyed this episode, we encourage you to check out these other similar episodes of The Dominate Test Prep Podcast:

1. Episode 33: How to Get Started Again if Something Derails Your Prep
2. Episode 8: How I Raised My GMAT Score 120 Points, with Matt Kunzler
3. Episode 52: How to Stay Consistent With Your Studying

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION
“If you want something done, ask a busy person.” — Benjamin Franklin

Connect with Us

• Get more free content on the DTP YouTube Channel
• Register for a comprehensive prep course (GMAT Exam, Executive Assessment, GRE, LSAT, SAT)
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].

Conventional wisdom tells us that if we study hard, high test scores will inevitably follow. But what if we are unmotivated to study or hampered by fear of failure? Or what happens if when we do study, we are plagued by feeling nervous and anxious, and we are not able to perform to our potential? It's no surprise that if you enter the test feeling anything but focused and calm, you risk a subpar performance. But how does one easily get there?
We answer those questions -- and more -- in this episode of The Dominate Test Prep Podcast as we are joined by Bara Sapir, CEO/Founder of City Test Prep, who shares proven techniques to help students master the "Inner Game" of test preparation.
Specifically, we discuss:

• What test anxiety is, and how you can know if you have it;
• Anxiety-management tips for the months, weeks, and days leading up to your exam;
• The "backwards spin" technique to help you reverse anxiety if it presents itself during the exam itself;
• Miscellaneous tools to help you combat anxiety including mindfulness, visualization, EFT, neuro-linguistic programming, and others;
• How to simulate the test-day experience as a way to eliminate the unknown and reduce nervousness;
• The anxiety-producing effects of unrealistic expectations, and what you can do to recalibrate them for a more growth-minded approach;
• And more!

Learn how to employ the very same methods that sports psychologists use with high-performing athletes so that you show up on test day with a sense of calm and assuredness and turn a good score into a great score.
RESOURCES
Here are the resources referenced during the show for those wishing to dive deeper into controlling their test anxiety:

1. Bara's "Full Potential Audio - Universal Support" (Enter the coupon code A4ZMPA6S to save 20%)
2. Bara's "MindFlow Speed Reading Workshop" (Enter the coupon code SXUE6FES to save $30)
3. The Inner Game of Tennis, by Timothy Gallwey
4. Dominate Test Prep's online preparation courses for the GMAT, GRE, LSAT, SAT, Executive Assessment, and others

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION
"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?" -- Jesus of Nazareth (Luke 12: 25-26)

Connect with Us

• Get more free content on the DTP YouTube Channel
• Register for a comprehensive prep course (GMAT Exam, Executive Assessment, GRE, LSAT, SAT)
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected].