GMAT Prep II

Below is a random collection of tips that I found useful when I was preparing for the GMAT. I hope that you find some of it useful also.

Common Myths

• MYTH: You need a GMAT score of 700+ to be a competitive applicant.

• FACT: Only 7% of all GMAT takers score 700 or higher.

Important Questions

While we enjoy our “Spring Break” at Vanderbilt, it has been great to take some time off from school, do a little bit of traveling, and actually reading a book for my own pleasure (rather than for a class). During this time, I kept receiving a number of e-mails from many current & prospective b-school students. In particular, Lauren from Duke University brought up a few important points which I wanted to address in this post. So, here it goes:

GMAT Prep I

The GMAT is  basically the “SAT” for applying to b-schools. The format and components of the test are very similar. In both tests, understanding the structure of the test and how the scores are computed can help increase your score without having to devote many hours to practice.

A quick note on GMAT prep services: Many of these services guarantee a 90+ point increase in test score performance that score is inflated. What many of these services do is to give you their diagnostic test, which is usually noticeably more difficult than the real test.

On recommendation letters

Hi Everyone,

First off, congratulations to Serdar and the other contributors on creating a much needed resource for young MBA applicants. As a young MBA student now, I sure wish such a resource was available when I was doing my applications. I hope I can provide a helpful perspective.

How to get the most out of your b-school contacts

Thanks to “rwrangler” in the YoungMBA Forum for pointing this out:

Like rwrangler, I had also contacted admissions officers from various b-schools expecting to learn more about their programs; like him I also was not expecting an impromptu interview; and also like him, I was fortunate enough to have material to talk about anyway.

Since then, I’ve realized that schools use this point of contact (either your chat or your visit) as much to evaluate you as you evaluate them. Hence, here are some tips for younger applicants on how to maximize your school contacts:

Insider interview tips

I just thought I’d scribble off a quick post on a couple of MBA interview tips that apply to college seniors.

1) I’m not sure about you, but I was scared stiff when I first started rehearsing for my interviews. I tried to act very serious and professional, and ended up coming across as all boring and uptight. After a few more practices I learned to relax, to smile, to joke, and most importantly, to treat the guy interviewing you, who may be 10-20 years older, as a friend just like you would any normal classmate. Some interviewers are current MBA students, hence they’d want to consider things like “Do I want to hang out with this guy?”, which might be an issue for an applicant straight out of college.

The “selling points” of a college senior

As a college senior I found that I had certain advantages with which I could sell myself to business schools. Maybe this will come in handy for others as well.

1) I could sell myself as an academic, someone who was very intellectually curious and eager to learn. A Chicago GSB admissions staff actually told me that they were interested in college seniors because of the academic seriousness that they brought to the table, as opposed to an older applicant who had not touched a textbook in years. Obviously having a high GPA, a challenging transcript and a good GMAT score will help you sell this point more convincingly.

Combined GPA/GMAT® Score: Will I get in?

During my application process I had a relatively low GMAT® score, so I found myself continually questioning whether or not I could get into a Top 25 program. In order to gauge how I compared to other applicants I used the following formula:

( GPA X 200 ) + GMAT® = Combined GPA/GMAT® Score

Useful Interview Tips

“What can I do to increase my chances of getting into business school straight out of college?” This is a question that I get frequently from current college students, and it was certainly a question on my mind going through the whole admissions process last year. There is definitely a big disadvantage to those of you who are attempting to get into an MBA program right after undergrad. However, it is certainly possible, even at the top schools if you are able to prove yourself.

I am convinced that the decision of whether you will be accepted to a top b-school is determined during the interview process. Yes, your application is incredibly important, but a piece of paper can only get you so far. Getting an opportunity to interview at a b-school simply means that you are a good candidate on paper, hence setting yourself apart from everyone during the interview is crucial.