The GRE Exam

I have decided to take the GRE Exam in order to pursue a degree in Financial Economics and Finance in either Oxford or Princeton. I choose the GRE because of one critical analysis with it and that of the GMAT: The opportunity to take the paper test. The paper-based test is still used under the GRE. For a student who has worked excellently well with paper test from primary school, I believe it is the best choice for me. The paper-based test enable me to thoroughly manage the questions that I answer and do not have to worried about whether the next question is easy or hard. I can best pace myself and reduce many of the errors that might have committed if I had chose to that the computer-based test (CAT).

I believe I could score above my initial CAT score of 1100 with paper-based test, say 1500+.

God's Ability and His Promises with Hoekstra

Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth . . . There is nothing too hard for You . . . Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? (Jer_32:17, Jer_32:27)

In a few brief days, we have meditated upon many of the strategic promises of God. When considering promises, the ability of the one making the promises is a vital concern. If we examine God's ability and His promises with an open heart, growth in faith will always be the result. Here, God's ability is explained by His role in creation and by His rule over mankind.

How able is God to fulfill His promises? Well, Jeremiah saw the implications of God being the creator of the universe. "Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You." Whatever the Lord promises to do has behind it His ability to create everything that has ever existed. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen_1:1). He was able to do this merely by His spoken word. "God said, 'Let there be light; and there was light' " . . . "Then God said, 'Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters . . . and it was so' " (Gen_1:3, 6-7). The Psalmist understood the proper response to such a great God. "By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth . . . Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast" (Psa_33:6, Psa_33:8-9). When our God, the creator of heaven and earth, speaks forth His promises, we should bow before Him and say with Jeremiah, "There is nothing too hard for You."

The Lord later added a perspective for Jeremiah that should intensify our appreciation of His ability. "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? " Our God not only created the universe, He is the ruler of all of humanity. The Psalmist also saw this truth. "The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations" (Psa_33:10-11). When our God, the ruler of all nations, addresses His promises to us, we can respond rhetorically, "Is there anything too hard for [Him] ?"


Ah, Lord God, You are the creator of all the universe, and You are the ruler of all mankind. Surely, You are able to do everything that You have ever promised. Nothing is too difficult for you!

Who Should Write My Recommendations?

Hands down, this is the most commonly asked question during our outreach presentations both at home and on the road... so I'd like to tackle it here to reach the broadest possible audience.

Something will be lost without the visuals - in person, I do a combination of a wince and a sympathetic shrug because the answer is: "gee, I don't know - but I understand how anxious this issue makes you and I will try to help". Let me back into the question and tell you how we review the recommendations. All written applications are read by the Admissions Board. All the materials you submit are compiled into folders and circulated to Board members for their comments. Your three recommendations, of course, are included.

The first thing I do when I read a recommendation is to ascertain how the recommender knows the candidate. Have they worked closely? When? In what context? Then I move to the actual responses to the questions we pose. Has the recommender taken the time and care to answer the actual questions? The Board puts a great deal of thought into these questions and we value a direct response. This is different from asking for a standard format "letter of reference" which, in most cases, would be 100% praise.

We don't expect the ratings grid to be all at the extreme positive end of the scale. It's hard to imagine the value of a Harvard education for someone who is "perfect". We prefer our candidates to be "normal" with opportunities for growth and development.

We are very pleased with the wording of the question: "what constructive feedback have you given the applicant?" We are finding this yields responses that are more productive than language around "weaknesses" or "areas for improvement" which can be manipulated to look like strengths, i.e. "Sally simply doesn't know how to stop working at 100%". Actually, that would be a real weakness, but you can imagine that it is meant to have a positive spin.

When it comes to "who should I select as my recommender?", there is no right answer or prescription. Candidates simply must use common sense and trust that we on the Admissions Board are reasonable and understanding. There are many successful candidates who are unable to provide recommenders from current supervisors. Also there are many candidates who are new to companies or roles and the current supervisor would not be able to be very helpful. We get it. Make your best judgment call and stop worrying. If we are struggling with understanding why a strong candidate made a curious choice of recommenders, we'll ask you - either we'll pick up the phone or we'll ask you during the interview. It is also not uncommon for us to pick up the phone and call a recommender for clarification. A simple test might be that if a recommender doesn't know you well enough to answer the questions we pose, he/she is not a good choice.

College seniors: don't be hesitant to ask for recommendations from college professors with whom you have worked closely. We do not expect you to have the same relationships in the professional world as those who are applying from the work force.

Now that I've tried to reassure you that choosing recommenders shouldn't be stressful, here are a couple of categories that I'd have to call "not a good idea". I have rarely seen a helpful recommendation from a fifth grade piano teacher. Likewise, family members simply cannot be viewed as objective enough for this task. We are very eager to see candidates from family businesses, but you should find recommenders who can substantiate your role and contributions who are not your relatives. This year we will be, for the first time, openly discouraging of informal input from current HBS students which are submitted outside of the three required recommendations. Of course we value their opinions and are deeply appreciative of their efforts to find wonderful new admits to the MBA Program. However, it is not comfortable to send any signal that those who are not fortunate enough to count HBS students as friends or former colleagues are in any way disadvantaged in the admissions process.

As usual, I hope this level of candor is helpful.

Source: HBS website