Creating a solid MBA profile along with acing GMAT preparation

Let’s brainstorm and strategize how can a perfect strategy help ace your MBA application process!.

1. I AM PLANNING MY MBA APPLICATIONS IN 1-2 YEARS FROM NOW; WHEN SHOULD I TAKE MY GMAT?

As both the GRE and GMAT scores are valid for five years, it’s always better to get it out sooner than later after your undergrad (if you are pretty sure of going for MBA/masters in the near future). Since it requires a hefty amount of study & practice, and 2-3 years into your job, it becomes harder to cut time. Therefore, getting it out of the way early frees you to focus on the other crucial elements of your MBA application.

Suggested Reading: Average GMAT scores for top MBA programs - US, Europe, Canada

2) I AM PLANNING MY MBA APPLICATIONS IN 3-4 MONTHS FROM NOW; WHEN SHOULD I START WORKING ON MY APPLICATIONS?

Now you may think, how can we build an application strategy around GMAT? Well, we all are aware of how a GMAT score affects your admission to top B-Schools. However, it’s also crucial to understand that your reach to schools depends on your GMAT range. If somehow, you bomb the GMAT exam with less time left for a retake, you may need to reassess your target schools to include the less competitive ones.

Conversely, if you can score 30 points more than the expected GMAT range, you may be able to add more reach schools to your list. (Having said that, your MBA application is much more than your GMAT score. We talked about working and strengthening other parts of your applications during your GMAT preparation in our coffee session to make sure that you don’t depend on one aspect entirely. Almost all our success stories are a testimony to this approach).

If you get a stellar GMAT score (congratulations!), you are one step closer to your dream school. However, what if, unlike top applicants, you bombed the tests and realized that you didn’t have the foresight to make a backup plan in such drastic circumstances. The next best step would be to prepare for a retake. However, a lot depends on the timeline of your applications and rounds, stamina, and work-life balance. For someone wanting to apply in the round one itself, with 10-20 points lower than expected, and with an otherwise stellar profile, reluctant to take a retake, we typically advise them to change the strategy as your GMAT score may be an integral part of the admissions process but isn’t everything.?

Moreover, With the average GMAT scores increasing every year for top MBA programs, it is getting harder every day to offset a bad GMAT score. So just rationalizing your low score with a long written piece of the essay won’t do much good. In contrast, what you could do is acknowledge the score and write saying that you don’t find it truly reflective of your abilities.?

Look how you can address your Optional essays if you have a low GPA or GMAT.

?Then, of course, you need to showcase examples of academic brilliance by pointing at college GPA, relevant certifications, and work experience or by encouraging your recommenders to focus heavily on your intellect in your LORs.

But the above can only happen if you plan your applications right. Timing and proper planning are crucial to reducing the stress of the application process and avoiding the last minute of putting together an application. Furthermore, having a plan in hand helps you tackle different cases in case, your GMAT score does not come as planned. Trust us, it has happened with many our applicants, but only because they started early and we already worked on their application strategy could we navigate through it with flying colors.

With the round one deadline in less than five months, you need to reassess the situation to plan accordingly as you have much work ahead of you! We advise applicants to start working as soon as they can and not to try and cram everything into a timeline that’s too short. It helps give them the breathing space to plan the applications right, and the strategy can be entirely different for everyone. So, it’s crucial to figure out what makes the most sense for you, your application, goals, and schedule.

Suggested Reading; How to strengthen your MBA application for Round 1 MBA?

Strategies to maximize your chances for Round 1 MBA