This section discusses how business schools use the GMAT, the major components of the application process, and the general timeline for completing these components. It concludes with short overviews of the different types of business school programs, as well as what to do when visiting schools or sitting for an interview.
For Admissions Committees, the GMAT is a leveler, a way to compare the basic skills of students from different schools and academic backgrounds. Unlike GPA, the GMAT subjects each student to the same standards and grading process. Studies also show the test to be a fairly reliable predictor of students’ first year performance at business school.
Every school uses the GMAT differently. Some schools have official minimum score cutoffs, but most do not. For those that don’t have official cutoffs, it’s still important to remember that the ranking of an MBA program is based, in part, on the average GMAT results of its program participants. The average GMAT score worldwide is 540; the average GMAT score for students admitted to the top ten full-time programs in the United States is around 700 to 720.
Schools are typically most concerned with applicants’ three-digit scaled score ranging from 200 to 800, because their primary interest is your performance on the Quantitative and Verbal sections. While they do look at your AWA results, Admissions Committees typically aren’t concerned unless the score is below a 4.5. It is therefore less important to focus on the essay section when preparing for the test as long as you can score 4.5 or higher.
Schools often use the GMAT as a type of screening device though it’s important to remember that even a great GMAT score isn’t enough to automatically get you into a school. If you have a weak GMAT score, the rest of your application needs to be strong enough to overcome that. Focus on your accomplishments and make your essays as strong as possible. Some schools even allow you to include an optional essay on a topic of your choice; if your GMAT score is weak, tackle the problem head on by explaining why the score is not an appropriate measure of your ability to succeed at that school.
You can take the GMAT as many times as you wish, and you should plan to take the GMAT more than once just in case. As a result of greater familiarity with the test and/or more preparation, the average test-taker’s score increases by roughly 30 points between the first and second attempt. Of course, if you’re happy wwith your first test score, you don’t have to take the test a second time.
Business schools do not care if you take the GMAT multiple times, though at five times or more some schools begin to discount your score as a result of increased practice. As a general rule, you should stick to three or four times at the most — typically, scores change very little after that point. At that time, it’s best to focus on improving other aspects of your application. The exception is students who spread their test-taking over a long time period. If it’s been a few years since your last three tests, it’s probably acceptable from the schools’ point of view to retake the exam.
Schools will generally use your highest score when considering your application, though a few claim to average the scores of students with multiple scores. (Check with the schools you want to apply to if you are concerned about this.) Schools rarely combine scores from different exams, taking the best Quantitative score from one test and the best Verbal score from a different test.
The GMAT is one of the major aspects of your business school application. As previously mentioned, some schools have minimum score requirements while others place particular emphasis on certain sections of the test. Research your target schools to find out what kind of score will make your application competitive.
Your essays need to give the admissions committee a firm sense of your experience, your current interest in their MBA program, and your future career goals. It’s important to balance all three subjects. While many prompts ask you to discuss your work history, your personal statement should not be simply a restatement of your résumé. You want to convey how this particular school’s MBA program, combined with your experiences, can help you achieve your well-articulated goals. Be as specific as possible when explaining your desire to attend a school — discuss programs, classes, professors, and even local features that appeal to you. Note that, in contrast to GMAT essays, your application essays are generally considered a crucial element of the application process.
Most MBA students enter their programs with at least some solid work experience. The more practical business knowledge you have, the better you can engage with and contribute to your classes. While schools don’t have set rules about the number of years of work experience needed or the number of jobs held, Admissions Committees do want to see that you’re able to achieve a high level professionally. For this reason, your essays and interviews should highlight any leadership or management positions you’ve held.
Recommendations are another important part of your application. You should choose recommenders who know you well and can speak in depth about your strengths. Don’t ask a distant overseer with an impressive title for a letter. In addition, your recommenders should have relatively strong communication skills, both technically (grammar, punctuation) and emotionally (articulate, persuasive).
While most MBA applicants are at least several years out of college, undergraduate GPA does still matter. Admissions Committees are also interested in the level of difficulty of your coursework and the college attended. They pay special attention to quantitative courses, such as statistics, accounting, and economics, so if your performance in these areas was weak, consider taking additional courses at a local college to bolster your application.
Extracurricular activities can also impact your chances for admission. Involvement in organizations or activities outside of work can demonstrate your propensity for getting more involved at business school. If you hold a leadership position or have a significant level of responsibility, this can also speak to your potential to achieve; this can be especially important to highlight if you don’t hold any significant leadership position at work. Finally, these activities give you a chance to flesh out your application and help the Admissions Committee get to know the person behind the written words and statistics.
Together, these factors determine admission to business school. Students are rarely rejected or admitted based solely on one factor. But if one element of your application is particularly weak, focus on increasing your appeal to the Admissions Committee on other fronts.
Start work on your applications early. Rushing to finish before looming deadlines won’t allow you to produce your best work and it will put you under enormous — and unnecessary — pressure. Applications for full-time programs are typically released in mid-July of the year before you would start business school, but you can start working on some components of the application much earlier than that.
Make a New Year’s resolution to focus on ways to distinguish yourself from other applicants. Pick up the pace with any personal achievements you’ve been working toward. If you’re one class or test away from completing a certification, do it. There’s no need to launch into a completely new endeavor, but do finish projects you’ve already started. Consider taking a leadership role in your community: join an organization you’re passionate about and work hard to make an impact. If you start in January, you’ll have at least nine months to make your mark.
Studying for the GMAT can take up a lot of your spare time, so try to prepare for the test early. Ideally, take the GMAT for the first time by June of the year in which you plan to apply (which means starting to study by March at the latest). If you aren’t satisfied with the score, you’ll still have time to re-take the test in July (remember: at least 31 days later); this allows you to complete the GMAT before jumping into your essays.If your GPA is weak or your transcript is light on quantitative classes, consider taking introductory courses in accounting, finance, economics, or statistics at a nearby college. While your GMAT score, references, and work experience weigh more heavily with Admissions Committees, good performance in additional classes demonstrates your aptitude for MBA work and that you take academics seriously. A summer class won’t make poor grades disappear, but it will strengthen your case. (If you do take a class, make sure to get a great grade!)
The summer is also a good time to prepare your résumé, so you can simply tweak it in October for first-round deadlines. As you work, think about your accomplishments and experiences. This is a good way to start generating ideas for your essays. If you’re unsure of your long term career goals and how to articulate them in your personal state- ment, spring or early summer is a good time to conduct informational interviews or even job-shadow for a day.
While laying the groundwork for your application, you should also begin thinking about what’s important to you in an MBA program and which schools might best meet your needs. As part of the school selection process, it’s a good idea to visit campuses that interest you (especially if the campuses are nearby). Visiting classes and speaking to current students not only helps you determine whether a school suits you, but also gives you a wealth of information with which to tailor your personal statement.
Finally, if you’re planning to remain with your current employer post-MBA, research whether the company will sponsor your degree. Besides the obvious financial benefit, Admissions Committees like knowing that students have solid, well-defined goals and are guaranteed employment post-graduation.
Most schools release essay prompts in mid-July. By then, you should have your short-list of safe, competitive, and reach schools to which you plan to apply; it’s best to have three to six schools total. A “safe” school is a school to which you are very confident you will be admitted. If you absolutely want to go to business school no matter what, you need at least one safe school in the mix. If you don’t want to attend business school unless you get into a more competitive school, however, then you can skip the safe school. A “competitive” school is one to which you have a reasonable chance of being admitted, though you still may not be admitted. A “reach” school is one to which it would be difficult to gain admission — but you never know unless you try!
Next, determine during which rounds you want to submit your application for each school. Most schools have at least two rounds of deadlines: first round (often in October) and second round (often in December or January). Some schools will have a third round later in the winter. It’s next to impossible to develop four to six fantastic applications for the first round (remember that applications are only released in mid-July), so you’ll have to set some priorities. Generally speaking, it is fine to apply for the first or second round of any school, as acceptance rates are roughly comparable in most cases. Acceptance rates drop sharply for third round applicants though, so try your best to avoid being in that group if you’re serious about getting admitted.
Then you’ll need to get to work! Start brainstorming your essay topics and figure out who you want to ask for recommendations. Before sitting down to write an essay, consider whether your idea is truly illustrative of your goals and experiences. Don’t settle for a topic that’s too obvious, easy, or cliché.
By August, you should contact and, if possible, meet with your recommenders. While your recommenders should write their letters independently, it’s still a good idea to make that task as easy for them as you possibly can. When meeting with recommenders, first give them the forms to be completed and explain how the process works. Compile and bring with you anything positive that they have written or said about you in the past: formal employee reviews, project reviews, emails, and so on. In addition, bring a list of the projects on which they supervised you, the goals that you accomplished, the skills that you demonstrated, and any awards, promotions, or special bonuses that you received (make clear to them that you are not writing the recommendation for them, but that this information is merely there to help jog their memories). This will help your recommenders create more compelling recommendations.
Some schools require that one of your recommenders be a current supervisor; if you cannot ask any supervisors because you don’t want to tell them that you are applying for business school, then you will have to justify that omission in your application. Even if the school does not require a current supervisor, it is a good idea to include one in the mix — though if you have only one supervisor, you will have to take the workload into account. Generally, it isn’t a good idea to ask one person to write six recommendations.
Follow up with your recommenders again in September. There’s a good chance your recommenders, with their busy schedules, will leave your letter until the last minute, so build a little leeway into the deadline you give them. If your application is due October 10, you may want to ask that they complete the letter by September 30.
In the meantime, continue writing and revising your essays. The essays are the single best way for you to distinguish yourself from other applicants, and they demand time and patience. Don’t simply list your accomplishments — discuss how you achieved each one. Properly done, these essays show Admissions Committees who you are and why you’re a standout individual who should be admitted to their program. Do ask for feedback from one or two people, ideally someone who has been through the process before — possibly a professional consultant or admissions insider. Some admissions consulting firms even offer free consultations; you might as well take advantage of any such free services. Be wary of expanding your network of readers too far, however. Too many opinions and ideas from too many sources will simply bog you down.
Late summer is also a good time to start working on the short answer portion of your application. Many applicants work diligently on the longer essays but leave the short answer topics for the last minute. Take this section just as seriously as any other. Use complete sentences and consider the questions carefully. Thoughtful, well-written answers send the message that you’re putting your best into the application.
In September and October, wrap up your essays and continue checking in with recommenders until they’ve sent your letters. You should also visit your remaining top choice schools, while you can still integrate what you learn into your essays.
First round deadlines generally fall in the first two weeks of October. Do your best work and submit it — but don’t obsess once you’ve sent your application in. Instead, move on to your second round applications. December and January deadlines approach quickly!
Some schools (though not all) conduct interviews; invitations for first-round applicants start to arrive in November. Don’t worry about whether you’re asked to an on-campus or local alumnus interview — Admissions Committees insist that both types of interviews are treated the same. Prepare by reviewing your essays and résumé, and reflecting on your experiences and decisions.
By December, you’ll begin hearing about your first-round applications. Don’t panic if your friend hears before you do. Different schools release their decisions at different rates — some all at once online, some over the phone over the course of a few weeks. Don’t call the schools; they can’t give out the information any faster and you’ll only annoy them. For second-round applications, expect to start hearing in February, continuing into March.
Hopefully, by March, you’ll be weighing offers from multiple schools. Now that you’re in, you may want to revisit campuses and reevaluate the potential strengths and weaknesses of competing programs. Plan to visit while class is in session — it will give you a more accurate picture of student life and more insight into your decision. You may also want to negotiate — carefully and diplomatically — for better financial aid at your top choice, using another school’s offerings.
© 2010 by MG Prep, Inc