GMAT 1-on-1 with Anish
Hi there!
Thank you for considering me to help you in your GMAT journey. I understand, you might be going through multitude of questions in your mind:
- Should I self-prepare, or go for structured, guided prep?
- Even if guided prep, should I go for a book/ course/ 1-on-1 tutor?
- Even if a private tutor, should I go for Anish or someone else?
GMAT prep, overall is a function of time, money and effort.
The equation between time and money should not be very complicated to understand. The more time you have, the less you might need to spend money and the more you can rely on free resources available.
On the flip side, the more money you can afford to spend, ideally, the less time you should take. But, as you yourself might have experienced, even spending money does not guarantee results.
That’s where effort comes in. Effort is about the:
- intent
- mindset
- process
When you are preparing for the GMAT, is your intent to get a high score as soon as possible by hook or crook? Or, is your intent to prepare in such a fashion that you deserve the score?
In order to deserve a high score, what do you need to do? What kind of an individual would deserve such a score in the first place? What traits would such a person have? Can’t everyone work towards developing those traits? Wouldn’t that be a more wholesome way of preparing?
That brings me to the mindset. For example, when you practice a question and get the answer correct, do you typically spend time trying to think about what more you can learn for it, or do you typically move on to the next question? When you get a question wrong (or you get a low score in a mock test) do you feel dejected? Or, do you see that as an opportunity to learn and understand what aspects need more prep?
Next up is the process. With an intent to learn, and a mindset that understands how learning works, do you have a process that will help you achieve these goals? Is there any difference in how you attempt questions while practicing and how you intend to attempt them during practice tests and the actual test? If you said no, answer me this: Isn’t there a difference in the objective? In one scenario, your objective is to score, in the other your objective is to learn. So, if the objective is different, shouldn’t your process be different?
If you are not preparing with the right mix of these 3 things, no course, book or tutor will be able to help you. Further, if your course, book or tutor does not help you understand the right intent, mindset and process, it perhaps is not an ideal solution.
My job is not to highlight my expertise and insights, but to provide you the conditions under which you may generate your own expertise and insights.
I help you understand the skills that are tested on the GMAT, and then help you develop them. I believe there is a right way to prepare and through my sessions I help my students understand and then walk the path.
My approach
I work in a way that helps learners build clarity, and understand HOW to improve. The most common reason test-takers do not reach their target score is not a lack of effort, but a flaw in their overall approach.
I come across many students who have been preparing for years, and have gone through hundreds (if not thousands) of practice questions, and yet they are stuck. There is no shortage of effort put in. Many people leave jobs and prepare fulltime for the test. Many put their entire lives on hold until they get a good GMAT score. Yet, if the results are not coming, there is an issue somewhere.
Now, it could be that the test itself is arbitrary and thus the content cannot be understood and learned. But then, why would B-schools around the world even require you to take such a test? I’m mean, surely they’d have put some thought into it, no? And why would many students improve after going through courses and tutors? There must be some method to the madness.
So, if the test is not arbitrary, there must be an issue in the way they have been preparing. Through a structured curriculum, I help students identify gaps in their prep and help them to prepare the right way.
Compare GMAT with riding a bicycle.
Can’t anyone learn how to ride a bicycle? Are some people born with bicycle-riding skills that others just cannot develop? No, right? The same way, GMAT is a test of skills and abilities – skills that B-schools understand are required to do well during and after an MBA. GMAT is not a math or an English test. GMAT uses these subjects to test your skills. You can learn the skills that the GMAT tests. And thereby, you can do well on the GMAT. I repeat. You, anyone, can do well on the GMAT.
There are no skills that you needed to have been born with. The skills that the GMAT tests can be developed by anyone. I can help you develop these skills. You might want to read my article on GMAT and the headstand. It talks more about what I mean by ‘skills’.
My philosophy
Learning how to ride a bicycle ties in with my overall philosophy. As you learn to ride a bicycle, you yourself know that you are improving. You do not need a test or an evaluator to come and tell you that. The same can be true for the GMAT as well. As you learn and grow, things should start becoming simpler, and you’d be able to tell on your own whether you are improving, with the need of accuracy % or a mock test.
One simple parameter to evaluate whether you are improving: Are things becoming simpler?
I ask that you appreciate the question: “Does that make sense to you?”
While a very common question, I ask that you hold the phrase “make sense” in very high regard. Do not just answer yes if things seem clear on a surface level. Have you thought about it? Have you questioned it? Do things actually make sense? Truly, logically, clearly? Because if they do, you would not need to memorize things, or look for hacks or tricks to answer questions.
Sessions
I conduct sessions online over zoom. The sessions work the same way as 1-on-1 in-person sessions would. Sessions are conversational, not ‘lectures’. I do not give you answers. I ask follow-up questions to build your understanding. I use a digital pen to write on the screen. Online sessions have another huge advantage: I allow you to record our sessions that you can use for revision. In fact, a part of your homework every time will be to revise the previous session.
What we cover together
Simply put, everything you’d need to do well on the GMAT. That includes skills, concepts and their application, test-taking strategies, stress and time management – everything that you’d need to work on to get a high score.
You’ll need to buy official practice tests (when that stage comes). You could buy the Official Guides if you’d like. All official questions are available on GMATClub for all to use. You can access all official questions released till date here. Everything else you require to do well on the test will be covered in sessions or shared with you.
Fee Structure
- INR 11,500 per hour
- INR 9,500 per hour – for 10+ hours
Each session is 2 hours. The figures mentioned above are per hour.
We follow the same structure for Quant, Verbal and Data Insights sessions.
In case affordability is a concern, you could look into the Live Online classroom course GMAT Intensive as well. Please visit https://gmatintensive.com/
Number of sessions
Since the course is 1-on-1, and our objective is to ensure you get things, the number of sessions varies for each individual. I have had students who have taken 1 session, got what they were looking for, and gone on to do well on the test. I have also worked with students for a much longer duration.
I know you’ll still be wondering about a rough range 🙂
To give you some idea, on average, a learner takes 15-20 sessions (2 hours each) for Verbal and Quant EACH.
Homework
For your overall prep, it is very important that in addition to our sessions, you take out time for self-prep as well. As a rough rule of thumb, I recommend you dedicate at least 10-20 hours every week (outside the sessions) to GMAT prep. As per our structured course, you’d have things to do before and after sessions.
Do you even need a private tutor?
I understand the fees is fairly steep. To be honest, I can’t think of many things for which even I would pay this kind of money per hour.
I need to charge this amount for the coaching to make financial sense to me. Perhaps the following points can help you figure out better if you need a private tutor:
1. Are you the kind of person who is self-driven and can work dedicatedly for months at a stretch?
2. Are you comfortable with the cycle of experiment –> learn –> tweak –> experiment, and the associated uncertainty?
3. At the current stage, do you see room for further improvement in your GMAT prep on your own, or do you feel you have hit a plateau?
4. What do you value more – your time, or your money?
5. What is the opportunity cost of your time? How flexible are you about when you start your MBA?
So, do you even need a private tutor? You are the best person to answer this question. And, in order to answer it, know yourself. Of course, one way is that you can go for 1 or 2 sessions – still paid – to get a better understanding of whether you’re getting what you were looking for.
Why go for classes with Anish?
1. You’ll develop intrinsic understanding. I do not teach through memorisation, tricks, and hacks. I’ll help you develop logic and understanding that will stay with you much longer.
2. Our objectives are aligned. I left a high-paying career to do this. I enjoy teaching. I enjoy GMAT. I find it a personal failure if I am not able to have a meaningful impact in your journey.
3. The course is well-structured. There’ll be hand-holding (not spoon-feeding) at every step. Of course, you’d need to put in the effort.
Why NOT go for classes with Anish?
1. I do not have a magic pill. GMAT prep with me would not be a walk in the park. You’d need to put in a lot of hours and a lot of effort. Joining me does not automatically mean success on the GMAT.
2. I do not offer a score guarantee. While most students see significant improvement, I have also had some students who could not improve beyond a certain point – for varied reasons. What you can expect from me is complete dedication, honesty and transparency.
3. Classes with me can become expensive. I, of course, understand that the fee I charge cannot be afforded by everyone. I need to charge this fee to be incentivized. The fee is an investment and not an expense. It is an investment in developing your abilities – abilities that will help you do well on the GMAT and also beyond. Moreover, what is your opportunity cost if you continue preparing for the GMAT without a clear direction and method? How important is an MBA for you? And how important is a GMAT score for that MBA?
4. You’ll have to endure my PJ’s. I believe I am funny. Unfortunately, others seldom do. But that doesn’t deter me. You might need to endure some of my PJ’s time to time.
If you are looking for a shortcut to get a good score without actually putting in the effort, I’m not the right guy. If you are ok to work to improve yourself while we prepare for the GMAT, let’s get cracking!
Next steps
To connect with me for your private tutoring needs, please fill out the below form – with patience and in detail. I will get in touch with you to set up a time for a call.
Congrats on getting to the end of this LONG post 🙂
Best,
– Anish Passi