MBA Crystal Ball

Dear Sirs,

I am Indian, male, 28, 6+ years work-ex, IT professional.
I'm looking for 1 year full-time exec MBA in Asia or Europe. I gave GMAT and my score was 600(Q42 &V30).

I had put good amount of effort into the preparation and in one of the mock tests (GMAT Prep) I had got 660 (Q49 & V32). But, don't know what happened in the actual GMAT. I am trying to find out where I went wrong.

Request your guidance for the same. Does it mean that GMAT is not my cup of tea?
Or, is it just that my approach was not correct. If yes, what is the correct approach ?
Yesterday, I came across a Princeton Review book in which it is mentioned that in GMAT, during the initial part of the test itself your score range will be decided and that towards the end, the software will just refine your exact score. In another online test prep resource, I read that if you get the first 8 questions of both the sections right, you are very likely to reach the 700 mark.
Are there other such tips and key information which can be helpful ? Is it because I was not aware of these facts, that I was not able to get a good score ?
Please advice me how to go ahead and how to get a good score in GMAT(700+).

Thanks
Walker.

Hi Walker,

// I had put good amount of effort into the preparation and in one of the mock tests (GMAT Prep) I had got 660 (Q49 & V32)...Does it mean that GMAT is not my cup of tea?

If you've managed to get 660 in the GMAT Prep tests, and if your other mock test scores (from other companies) were also in that range, then your real GMAT test potential is definitely higher.

//Or, is it just that my approach was not correct. If yes, what is the correct approach ?

I see that your quant score in the actual GMAT test is much lower than your practice tests. This generally happens in the GMAT verbal section for most.

Possibly it's a case of nerves? Where standardized tests are concerned, not everyone is a good test taker. But with practice and the right frame of mind, most guys with a professional degree/background can get decent scores.

//during the initial part of the test itself your score range will be decided and that towards the end, the software will just refine your exact score. In another online test prep resource, I read that if you get the first 8 questions of both the sections right, you are very likely to reach the 700 mark.

It's true that in a computer adaptive test, the algorithm is trying to guess your actual score. So the process of adaptation starts early on.

But whether this number is 8 questions or 10 or 20 is difficult to pinpoint. The general idea is to balance out accuracy and speed, focussing more on getting the intial questions right.

//Is it because I was not aware of these facts, that I was not able to get a good score ?

Being aware of how an adaptive test works can be useful, because you are competing against a 'system' rather than an unknown force.

But don't put the finger entirely on this one aspect. Sometimes the pressure to perform in a test environment can shake up the confidence levels.

// Are there other such tips and key information which can be helpful ? Please advice me how to go ahead and how to get a good score in GMAT(700+).

You'd need to get both sections - GMAT quant and verbal - higher in the actual test. For quant, I'm guessing it's more of practice and accuracy. For verbal, you'd need to sharpen the fundamentals as well.

See if you can get a high scoring friend or colleague to help out in identifying specific weaknesses in how you approach individual concepts (e.g. Sentence Correction or RC or something else)

Thanks a lot MBACrystalBall for the detailed reply...!! :)

Hi Mod,

Sorry, I've got to keep this short. GMAT prep time.

I'm taking the GMAT on the 25th of this month. I'm really not sure how to put the option to send my scores to five schools for no additional charge to the best use. This is where I need help.

Tbh, I'm not sure whether I'll get a satisfactory(subjective, hence the word) school if I apply for the Fall 2013 intake. By the fall of 2013, I'll have 2.5 yrs of work ex. I worked with the Marketing team at Thomas Cook for seven months after which I founded a sales consultancy with guidance from my father. I secured a cumulative GPA of a meager 2.6 on a 4 scale during my BBA at Symbiosis. On the most recent official GMAT Prep test I took, I scored 690 (Q47 V38). Needless to say, I'm trying to push this up. I've got good ECAs and leadership positions through college. I'm looking for an MBA to help me with my entrepreneurial aspirations which extend beyond my current venture. The way I see it, an MBA would assist me in doing so through two different paths, as listed below:

A. Enabling me with the tools I need to dive into entrepreneurship
or
B. Enabling me with the tools to secure a management consulting job - I'd rather know and solve the problems of companies and be paid for it than make similar mistakes myself and have to bear the cost associated with them.

So, although I'm ready to add more work ex and wait to apply for the Fall 2014 intake, I'd really like to go in 2013. Without delving into the details of how I came to select these, my target colleges are:
ISB and UCLA Anderson for sure. I'm still pondering over for the rest.

That takes me to my two questions for your insightful opinion:
Q. Short term question: Apart from ISB and UCLA, how may I choose the schools I can use GMAT's score sending service to send my scores to?
and
Q. Long term question: As recommended to me, I know better than to put blind faith in rankings. However, to give you an idea, I'm looking out for, let's say, the rank 15 to 50 schools in the FT Rankings for Global MBA 2012. Do you strongly recommend I wait to apply for the Fall 2014 intake.

I guess this wasn't as short as I thought it would be. I appreciate your time and look forward to a prompt reply.

Thanks and regards,

Rushil Walia

Hi Rushil,

//I'm taking the GMAT on the 25th of this month. I'm really not sure how to put the option to send my scores to five schools for no additional charge to the best use.

Each free school name in your GMAT test is worth ~$30 ($28 + tax to send the GMAT score to each additional school). So for the $250 you pay, if your choice of schools are correct, you are saving yourself $150 later. Not to mention the administrative hassle of sending it to individual schools later.

So it's an important question. Thanks for bringing it up on the forum.

In your specific case, there's not much time left, buddy. But let's see what we can do here.

//By the fall of 2013, I'll have 2.5 yrs of work ex.

For the top schools, this would be about 1.5 years less than the class average.

//I'm looking for an MBA to help me with my entrepreneurial aspirations which extend beyond my current venture.

That sounds like a reasonable goal, as you are already wearing an entrepreneur's hat.

//Enabling me with the tools to secure a management consulting job - I'd rather know and solve the problems of companies and be paid for it than make similar mistakes myself and have to bear the cost associated with them.

Interesting way to define a management consulting job. Not many Admission officers or consulting firms will appreciate that answer though

//I'm ready to add more work ex and wait to apply for the Fall 2014 intake, I'd really like to go in 2013.

Glad you have 2014 as a backup option, because your profile and your entrepreneurship skills will only get better over the next one year. But yeah, if you are really keen, go ahead and try your hand at a few univs.

//how may I choose the schools I can use GMAT's score sending service to send my scores to?

Quick and easy route (that most applicants take) is to use average GMAT scores and average work experience and filter schools from the Businessweek Top 30 or FT top 100 rankings accordingly. Quick it might be, but this isn't a very effective approach.

The more painful (but really effective) approach is to look at many more parameters that are relevant for your profile and aspirations - geography, pre-MBA profile, post-MBA goals, writing/interviewing skills, personality of the bschool etc. This is where the concept of 'Fit' comes in.

We make life painful for the candidate and for ourselves in the Mock Application Process (MBA MAP) by trying to pin down these parameters.

Some folks have used the MAP with an estimated GMAT score before their actual GMAT date to fine tune their strategy AND come up with a list of schools where they are likely to apply.

Most prefer taking up the MAP after they get a confirmed score, as the focus is more on the overall application strategy rather than just coming up with the list of bschools.

//I'm looking out for, let's say, the rank 15 to 50 schools in the FT Rankings for Global MBA 2012. Do you strongly recommend I wait to apply for the Fall 2014 intake.

That's a good range to apply to. I'd say have no regrets. Go ahead and apply this year to find out how strong your profile is and how Adcoms perceive your rationale.

Have a good mix of schools, based on the level of difficulty to get in. But keep a few great options for next year as well, when you'll be a stronger candidate.

For your free list, apart from ISB and UCLA, you might want to include entrepreneurship schools like Babson, Kelley, McCombs on the conservative side. With a strong profile and GMAT score, you could've pushed for Haas, Wharton, MIT (but won't make sense at this stage)

Good luck with your GMAT!

Thanks, really value your advice. I'll get back to you when it's application time :)

Dear Sir,

First of all,I would like to say your book aka best seller "Beyond The MBA Hype" is really carved and crafted with extreme hard work and with easy flow lucid language (especially Mumbaiyya touch) that tickles but keeps the serious flavour alive.

Keeping the same in the mind I humbly request you to please guide me to make my decision of pursuing MBA with respect to suitable year of application,as to when should I take GMAT for B-school application and selection of appropriate B-School ,considering my educational background and professional work experience and goal of my life.

Sir,I would like to brief up about my educational and professional summary,I got 84.4% (SSC),78.83% (HSC), 70% (BSc,Ramnarain Ruia College,Matunga-19) and then did MSc(Health Science) getting 54.4% from Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences,University of Pune,India-411007

Yes,during my graduation and post-grad days i was in N.S.S.,Student council,active reader and writer of Blind cell,Film society,Creative head etc etc.

After my post-graduation,I worked as a Researcher and Training Assistant at Institute of Health Management Pachod (IHMP) at Pune centre for the evaluation of Sure-Start project initiated by Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) and funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). [June2010-May2011]

Since then,I joined Teach For India and working as Teach For India Fellow,2011-13.I am teaching grade 2nd students of a low income private school in Pune.I will getting over with fellowship in May-2013.

Therefore, all in all,I will be having [1+2] 3 years of work experience in the field of Public Health and Primary Education by May,2013.

My aim is to work in institutions like WHO,UNESCO,UNICEF etc. for few years and then to start own venture having something related to the rural empowerment and education and public health too.

Looking forward to hear from you soon.

Warm regards,
Nishant A Chavan

Hi Nishant,

//First of all,I would like to say your book aka best seller "Beyond The MBA Hype" is really carved and crafted with extreme hard work and with easy flow lucid language (especially Mumbaiyya touch) that tickles but keeps the serious flavour alive.

Thank you, buddy. Looking forward to your book review on Flipkart.

//...when should I take GMAT for B-school application and selection of appropriate B-School ,considering my educational background and professional work experience and goal of my life.

Let's only tackle the GMAT query for now, as that's the focus of this thread. We'll save the rest of the tricky queries for a more appropriate day/time/medium (goal of your life is hardly something that can be addressed over a public forum).

If you've already started your GMAT preparation, you can take the actual GMAT test over the next couple of months. That way you can put in a few good apps this year itself, though you'd be low on the experience level.

Good training ground when the need to get into a program isn't as urgent.

//I will be having [1+2] 3 years of work experience in the field of Public Health and Primary Education by May,2013. My aim is to work in institutions like WHO,UNESCO,UNICEF etc.

These are huge, complex organisations. So you might want to start thinking about the specific role you want to target in them.

You'll have a huge pallette to choose from the operational (grass-root or central level), managerial, finance, administration, commercial or any of the other opportunities they offer.

Hey Sameer,

How important are GMAT scores in your applications?

Background

BE from Mumbai university with distinction followed by Masters from Cornell (3.5 GPA).

Working in cleantech after that for 3 years with 2 years in PwC consulting multilaterals, bilaterals and Indian Government on policy and devlopmental aid.

CFA level 1 and working part time as financial advisor to a regional movie company (1 movie old).

Want to apply to top schools i.e. Stanford, Haas.

Scored 700 on GMAT. I think I can do a bit better.

Would it be worthwhile to give GMAT again?