What is the GMAT?
The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is a standardized test that is required for admission to MBA programs. In some cases, it may also satisfy standardized test requirements for certain non-MBA graduate programs. Along with oneās work experience and college GPA, the GMAT plays a large role in an MBA applicantās likelihood of acceptance.
How is the test structured?
With the exception of the Analytical Writing section, the entirety of the test is multiple choice.
An important aspect of the test is that it is ācomputer-adaptive,ā meaning that questions you answer correctly at the beginning of a test section directly affect the questions you are asked later on. Adept test-takers will receive more difficult questions as the GMAT progresses, and difficulty of questions answered affects the overall score.
The sections of the test are the following:
Analytical Writing: 30 minute essay response explaining an argument and analyzing its validity.
Integrated Reasoning: 12 questions in 30 minutes of evaluating data and making comparative analysis on data points in graphs, charts or any visual aid.
Quantitative Reasoning: 31 questions in 62 minutes of answering topics of Algebra, Geometry, Calculus and abstract problem solving.
Verbal Reasoning: 35 questions in 65 minutes of drawing information from reading passages and correcting errors in sentences.
When can I take the test?
Registering and taking the test is easy. The GMAT is administered year-round, and applicants can make appointments to take it at their convenience. A maximum of five tests are permitted per year per applicant. Applicants can retake a GMAT no fewer than 16 days after their last test date.
How and when should I prepare?
Applying to MBA programs is time consuming if done correctly, as it is important to establish relationships with the admissions department of the schools you are interested in as early as possible. MBA admissions puts significantly more emphasis on an applicantās conveyed interest in the school. Applicants for MBA programs will find themselves applying to fewer schools than their JD or MD counterparts for this reason.
Most schools recommend applicants have a GMAT score to submit by August before admissions begin in the fall.
At Foley Prep, we strongly encourage MBA applicants to have a score they feel comfortable sending to schools as early as possible, ideally before the beginning of the summer. Doing so not only allows for a buffer in the event you need more time to prepare for a retake after receiving a lower-than-expected score, but it also allows the applicant to make a more informed decision about what schools they should target before the admissions process begins.
How can Foley Prep help you?
Attempting to create a plan or process for studying the GMAT often feels overwhelming, as the test is exhaustive in its attempt to test the fundamentals of math and English that MBA programs expect applicants to know before applying. Foley Prep has a cohort of full-time tutors who are experts in every subject of the test, and are also well-informed and experienced on the application process of MBA admissions.
What a Foley Prep tutor provides is not only a quicker, less stressful method of learning the material on the test, but
our years of expertise allow us to discern what topics are most important to derive the highest point increase. Not just going through a generic list of each topic presented on the test, but instead targeting the concepts that have the largest impact on your score. Furthermore, there are techniques and strategies that transcend the content-based nature of the test, which our tutors have spent years learning and perfecting across all standardized tests.