Applying: Studying for the GMAT

When I was looking to apply to LGO I extracted a lot of value from the student bloggers sharing their experience with the application process. To help give back I figured I would kick off a series of application prep articles myself. No commissions necessary, and no guarantees of success. This isn't sanctioned LGO application advice.

At this point in the year, you're probably still narrowing down potential schools and determining whether this year is the right year. I can't help you with that, but what I can do is recommend taking the GMAT early. In my own planning I tried to study for the GMAT through July/August and took the test in September. This helped in a number of ways. First, you know about where you stand in relation to the average scores of programs you're interested in. The Sloan and LGO stats are readily available on their websites (as are most others). Second, it gets this hurdle out of the way post haste so you can concentrate on the real deciding factor, your essays. Also, if you're not comfortable with your scores you still have an opportunity to retake the exam.

If you've spent anytime on the business school forums you've probably seen countless folks posting their "scores" and trying to get feedback on their chances. I know I spent far too much time perusing these posts (> 5 minutes). There is probably a solid mixture of chest pumping, blatant lying and a few honest inquiries into chances on there. Regardless it can be a little daunting, but just remember, the GMAT is not the end all be all of the application. It's an important part of the process but it doesn't stand alone. As many an admissions staffer will tell you; a great GMAT won't necessarily get you into a program, but a terrible one will probably keep you out. As I'm not on the admissions committee for LGO I can't speak of their secret formula for admission (y =mx+b is probably out of contention). Don't fret though, it's easy to get all bent out of shape on beating the average of the program; but remain mindful of the 80% range and how the rest of your application will round out your value proposition. If you feel reasonably comfortable with the results on the first pass you're probably best served by spending the time on essays rather than trying to up your score a few points.

I don't have any secrets to success on the test itself. Everybody studies, learns and takes tests differently. You should know what works best for you, so stick to that. Practice tests are great for pacing yourself, which is certainly a critical component. Take your time and build up your knowledge slowly, cramming over a short period probably isn't as effective in this kind of test.

Best of luck on test day!