When to take the GMAT?

Overall MBA Application #strategy:

Average scores are creeping higher every year at the top MBA programs, making it hard to offset a bad GMAT score. Timing and planning are key to reducing the stress of the application process. Since both GMAT and GRE scores are valid for five years, getting the exams out of the way years in advance would free you to focus on all of the other elements of the application.

If, like most applicants, you didn’t have the foresight to take the exam right after college, the next best step is to plan your application strategy so that the GMAT is finished before you finalize your list of schools. Your score isn’t everything, but it is an important part of the admissions equation.

For whatever MBA admissions round you’re targeting, your target date for taking the GMAT should be at least two months before your first application is due. The deadline for taking the GMAT will vary dramatically depending on the admission procedures of each school to which you apply, and the term in which you are planning to enroll. Keep in mind that you can take the GMAT up to 5 times, but never more than once per calendar month (including a month in which you cancel your score), even if you have cancelled your score.

Most applicants devote at least 100 hours to test preparation, and depending on where you are in the process, you may have to take a prep class and perhaps take the test more than once. If this is the case, the first round may not be a realistic option unless you’re able and prepared to completely immerse yourself in the process. A1 Applications usually open in the summer, but start thinking before then.  It’s never too early to start planning!

How to avoid mistakes in MBA applications?

From disorganized resumes to poorly written personal statements, there are a number of mistakes an applicant can make when applying to business school. With some guidance, though, they can avoid these pitfalls and stand out from other prospective students.

Many applicants turn to admissions experts for help and advice on which admissions round to enter, how to get strong letters of recommendation and what to say during an admissions interview. “Whether you’re a star candidate or an average one, you can play up your best qualities.” You just need to understand what it is about your background that will make you the best possible candidate – and then prove it clearly in your application and interview.

Your resume needs to tell the story of the ‘real’ you – the person behind those #GMAT scores and that work experience. So don’t pretend to be the perfect MBA candidate. For one thing, that person doesn’t even exist.

An MBA admissions officer at a leading US business school says the most common error she sees is applicants who are “trying to be someone they are not, and trying to impress the admissions committee.”

GMAT scores:

Stanford University had the highest average GMAT score for incoming full-time students in fall 2014, according to data submitted to U.S. News.

Below are the 10 business schools with the highest average GMAT scores for incoming full-time students in fall 2014.

It’s not surprising that the incoming full-time students at Stanford University, the world’s top-ranked business school, had the highest average GMAT score. The California school came out on top among the 126 ranked schools that submitted data with an average GMAT score of 732.

Did you know GRE is also accepted for MBA?

Prospective business school students have some big decisions to make before submitting applications. They must figure out when to apply, where to apply and – one of the most important decisions – which admissions exam to take. The GMAT and the GRE are key parts of the applications for most schools.

For years many schools only accepted the GMAT, but now the GRE is also widely accepted, giving students the option of taking one test instead of the other. If a business school gives prospective students the option of submitting scores from both tests, admissions experts encourage applicants to still choose one.

Some college graduates are certain that getting an MBA is their next career move while others may waver between getting an MBA or another graduate degree, such as a master’s in engineering. ​Those in the latter group should lean toward taking the GRE, business school admissions experts say.

Taking the GMAT confirms that a candidate is focused on getting an MBA and The GMAT is also an exam that business schools are more familiar with, experts say, making it easier for them to use the exam to gauge a candidate’s academic abilities. It’s also difficult to fairly compare a GMAT score – the more widely taken exam – with a GRE score, between applicants.

Both exams test graduate school applicants on how well they do with numbers, as well as their academic strength in other areas such as verbal reasoning. But the GRE may offer a leg up for prospective students who aren’t fans of math.

“The GMAT mathematics section is just more difficult,” says experts. “If someone has a weakness in the quantitative section, then GRE is recommend.”

The following business schools accept GRE® revised General Test scores for admission to some or all of their MBA programs. In addition, there are many specialized masters and doctoral programs in business that accept GRE revised General Test scores. See the complete list of institutions in India that accept GRE scores for MBA intake.

http://www.time4education.com/CAT-MBA/List-Of-B-Schools-Accepting-GRE.aspx

This is a curated post pooling all the useful information into one single article.