Getting the GMAT Edge
By Chioma Isiadinso
Admissions Consulting and Personal Branding Expert
The GMAT is an often misunderstood element of the
application process. The quest for a perfect GMAT score
can be a waste of time for someone who is laboring to
increase his/her score from 750 to 790. The appropriate
way to think of the GMAT is that solid scores address the
question of whether you have the intellectual capabilities
to handle an academically rigorous environment. Passing
this test with solid scores in the 700 plus range is
necessary but not sufficient to gain admission to your
dream school. While great GMAT scores will not guarantee
admission, a low GMAT can often derail an admission.
Chioma founded EXPARTUS based on her vision of
personal branding as a key component of a successful
admissions process and her passion to enable others
to realize their life's dreams. Previously, Chioma
served as an Assistant Director of Admissions and a Member
of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School, where
she reviewed applications, interviewed U.S. and international
candidates, and developed a marketing strategy focused
on minority candidates and the MBA program.
Therefore, it’s worth taking a GMAT prep course to boost your score. The first step is to take a sample exam and see how you perform. If your score is 650 and above, you can probably brush up with self study of the Official GMAT Guide book and then take the test. If you know that you are not a great test taker, have been away from school for a while, or have a score in the low 600s or below in a sample exam, I recommend taking a full prep program.
Recognize that not all GMAT test programs are the same. Do your due diligence. For some people, they can benefit by focusing on strategies to tackle the exam, something Kaplan and Princeton Review are good for. On the other hand, if you need more of a content-driven preparation, you may want to consider the Manhattan GMAT nine-week program.
If you are interested in further beefing up your academic background beyond the GMAT, consider taking a couple of business and quantitative courses such as Accounting, Finance, Statistics and Economics. Recent academic performance can offset concerns if your GMAT is below average or you have a less than stellar college transcript.
The summer proves a great time to commit to that GMAT prep course, tutoring or self study to strengthen your GMAT. The goal is to gain admission into your dream school so invest the time to prepare for the GMAT and make it a non-issue in your application.