Kate McKeon

Hi! I’m the Chief at Prepwise, responsible for course creation, student engagement and all the “fun” of running a company. We build smarter, stronger Business Leaders. You. You probably know me from one of your friends. Or frenemies. Or your boss. With almost 3000 individual tutoring students, there’s a good chance you know a former client. I specialize in helping you create a positive career trajectory with all the steps in between. Let’s get you out of career ruts or the quarter-life doldrums and into your best life. “Makes me wonder if she has a crystal ball….”

What to give your Recommendation Writers

Your Letters of Recommendation. Some part of your candidacy is determined by letters of recommendation written by – usually – your current boss and another manager. You can mix and match on the “who” writes your letter as long as at least 1 of the letter writers can speak directly and specifically to your work … Read more

Grammar Cheatsheet

Here’s a fellow writer’s grammar cheatsheet: Common Writing Challenges for Native and Non-Native English Speakers, Grammar Cheatsheet.   Don’t forget to scroll all the way down to Principle vs principal …. I see that one misused often. They also include such gems as fewer versus less – a GMAT issue!! Grammar is a set of … Read more

High Quant, but time to retake

Even with a high quant, a GMAT retake may be necessary.     Hi Kate, I took GMAT recently and got an unbalanced score with 49 in quant and 31 in verbal. Will I be able to get into a top 20 B school? Or should i retake the exam? Currently, I have 2 years … Read more

Better Test Prep – Rethink What and How

Working with experts means rethinking the the what and how you do what you do. GMAT test prep has been around for decades. The recent spawn of test prep tutoring services, 1400% growth in 10 years means you have to sift through a complex mess of marketing pablum, claims of expertise, and different styles. Because … Read more

Ask Kate: Pros and Cons of a Gap Year

As summer breaks in NYC (finally!) I’m fielding questions about taking a gap year. For many clients it depends on their ability to afford a gap year post college. Any time is a great time to put yourself in the work market if you know what you want (when you’re that young). There’s no harm … Read more

Ask Kate: Okay Quant, Low Verbal

Getting a good GMAT score means knowing how to study well.     Hi I have GMAT and scored a Quant 44 and verbal on 30, resulting which my scores are shattered. This is my first take.i plan for a second intake, However, I am looking forward to improve on my TIME management. Please help … Read more

Ask Kate: FSO or Becoming a Diplomat

What CV/resume is the best when applying for the Foreign Service? Which universities are considered best? Which languages? Which extracurriculars? Which BA and MA? Read more about FSO at Quora   A: I agree with former FSO John Burgess, but as someone who has helped those prepare themselves for the interview process rather than a … Read more

Is 51 hours enough for GMAT Prep?

  According to the GMAC, the makers of the GMAT, “Using data collected . . . from more than 8,000 GMAT test takers, we can see that 49% of test takers spend at least 51 hours prepping for the exam, and those who do better on the GMAT tend to spend more time studying for it.” (emphasis added) … Read more

Literary Neuroscience

Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park +fMRI machine = Justification for English majors? Reading Critically does more for you than just inform it may increase your capacity for more complex activities. Anecdotal evidence points to heightened attention from critical textual analysis – the kind you do in a literature class – when compared to casual reading. In … Read more