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1. GMAT ScoreGMAT before everything else. It's sad, but it's true: your

GMAT score is probably the most important factor in

determining whether you will be admitted t o a top business

school. I need to clarify that statement, though.

Most applicants believe there is a significant difference between a

680 and a 720 on the test. There isn't. The extra 40 points won't

help your chances of being admitted. That's why I'm frustrated

when I hear from people who score 680 and insist on retaking

the exam. Most of them would be better served by burning their GMAT-prep books and turning their

attention to the application essays (the next step in the process).

If you hope to have a reasonable chance of being admitted to a top program, though, your GMAT score

will need to be "in the ballpark." If it isn't, you'll have a hard time winning a spot at top-tier schools no

matter how good your work experience and undergraduate GPA might be. That's why I believe GMAT

score is the most important factor in being admitted to a top program. If your score isn't in the ballpark,

you won't be in the game.

So What's Considered "In the Ballpark?"

At virtually all of the top programs, the ballpark starts in the mid 600s. That doesn't mean there is a

strict cut-off ; there isn't. But if you look closely at top schools' numbers, you'll see that below about 620

your chances of being admitted fall pretty dramatically.

To determine whether you're a viable candidate at a specific school, find the program's "middle 80

percent" GMAT range. Virtually all schools now report this data. (As do we.) If you're within a school's

80 percent range, you have a reasonable chance of being admitted; and you may be viable even if you're

below the range. You should never let your GMAT score be the sole factor that determines wh ere you

apply. Simple math dictates t hat 10 percent of students attending MBA programs scored below the

schools' reported 80 percent range (and 10 percent scored above it).

The most common mistake that MBA applicants make is using a school's median GMAT score as a

viability gauge. If, for instance, a program's median score is 680, applicants believe they have to hit that

number in order to be admitted. It should be obvious that half of the current class fell below 680, but

that doesn't seem to register and many applicants self-select out. I've talked many applicants into

applying to MBA programs they are now a ttending (or have already finished) because they were initially

discouraged when their GMAT scores fell slightly below their target schools' medians.

The Bottom Line: Don't let the numbers intimidate you. Use the 80 percent range, not the median

GMAT value. If you're slightly below the 80 percent range, apply anyway. Ten percent of your

classmates next year will be in the same boat.

Are the Separate Scores for Math and Verbal Important?

Yes, especially the math score. The admissions people put a lot of emphasis on math skills when making

their decisions. (See the discussion on GPA for more on this.) So it's important that you do well on the

math portion of the GMAT.

The math and verbal scores range from 0 to about 52. (I know that GMAC claims the scale can go as high

as 60, but it has never actually gone over 52). My strongest students are those in the "40-40 Club." That

means they score in the 40's in both math and verbal.

It's great to have that kind of balance, but if you are going to be stronger on one portion of the test than

on the other, it's clearly better to be stronger in math.

What if I Hope to Apply to Top Schools But My GMAT Score is B elow 600?

You need to take the test again. I'm not saying that you can't get into a top program you can but

your chances are slim. So i f you have time to take t he test again, you'd be foolish not to.

And that brings up a good point about multiple test scores. I'm not a ware of a single top school (or even

an average school for that matter) that still averages GMAT scores. I'm sure that someone out there will

find a program that does so, but until I hear from that person, let's stick to the general rule: schools

consider only your highest GMAT score.

The 7 CriteriaGMAT SCORE

You won't be admitted to a top-t ier MBA

school without a pretty decent GMAT

number. The schools' own statistics prove

this simple truth.

GMAT Score

MBA APPLICATION ESSAYS

It's common for applicants with great

essays but only acceptable GMAT

scores to beat out candidates with

higher numbers.

MBA Application Essays

MBA APPLICATION TIMELINE

When you submit your application can be

as important as what you say in it. At the

elite schools, you'd better be in one of the

first two rounds.

MBA Application Timeline

UNDERGRAD GPA

Undergrad GPA is not as important as

most applicants believe. But there's a

caveat: if your math grades suck it will pay to do some

work.

MBA Undergrad GPA

WORK EXPERIENCE

This isn't the type of experience you

have at work, it's the amount. As

applications rise, schools want students

with more experience

MBA Work Experience

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations are often a better

reflection of the recommender than of the

applicant. I think they should be dumped.

MBA Recommendations

INTERVIEWS

Interviews can be very important, but

their impact varies widely from school to

schooland some schools don't use t hem

at all.

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Can I Take the Test 15 Times and Repor t Only My Highest Score?

Sort of. Before the GMAT exam begins, the computer will ask which schools you would like your scores

forwarded to. You get five schools included in the cost of the test, and any additional programs will cost

you $25 each.

You can elect not to have your scores forwarded to any schools. After you have seen your scores (you get

them immediately after finishing the test), y ou can then pay $25 each to have them sent to the schools

you choose.

Your "GMAT transcript" will report only your three most recent scores. So if you took the test four times

and scored 450 each time, but didn't have your scores forwarded, you could still pull off that miraculous

700 the fifth time and then send your scores. The admissions office would see only two 450's and a 700.

It doesn't really matter, though, whether you send your transcript after each test or wait until you score

the number you want. In the end, the school's application will ask you to specify the score you want the

admissions committee to consider. (And, no, you can't mix and match your best verbal score and your

best math score from different tests.)

(By the way, the cost of the final pencil-and-paper test was $84 and additional score reports were $10

each. Now it's $250 and additional score reports are $25 each. That's a great example of what happens

when a monopoly is allowed to operate. Maybe someone in business school can come up with a way to

introduce free market forces into the GMAT administration process.)

What About the Essay Score on the GMAT?

You will have to write two essays on the GMAT (the "Analytical Writing Section"). They will be scored on

a scale of 1 to 6, and those points wi ll not be added to your other GMAT score.

The essays are extremely simple. I teach my students a basic template to follow and they do very well

with it. They regularly score perfect 6's (the 99th percentile) just by following the template.

It's been my experience, though, that your essay score is worthless, so I spend very little time on it in

class. A few years ago I asked the admissions director of a Top-5 school what she was doing with the

essay scores. She laughed at me and said she wasn't using them at all (though that isn't what her

brochures say).

I have to agree with her. The GMAT essays are ridiculous. Given how well some students have done by

following a simple formula, the scores seem meaningless. And now the essays are graded by computer,

making them even more worthless. So don't spend a lot of time studying for t he AWA essays, and don'tput too much emphasis on your essay score. I can assure you the admissions committee won't.

A Special Note: The actual essay topics you will see on test day are disclosed in advance! You can find

a complete list of them in the current edition ofThe Official Guide for GMAT Review.

Having the list tempts some people to try to write their essays ahead of time. The pool of essay topics is

so large, however, that it would be impossible to write an essay for each (and remember them all) before

test day. Your time would be better spent studying the other sections of the GMAT.

What About Taking the Exam Under "Non-Standard Accommodations?"

Most people don't know that they can t ake the GMAT with what is called "non-standard

accommodations." That means you can get twice as much time as everyone else, if that's what you need

to compensate for a medical condition. GMAC doesn't promote this accommodation very aggressively,

but I've had many of my students take the test "non-standard" and all of them who have gotten a trulysignificant accommodation (such as double time) have gone up at least 100 points from what they were

scoring with me on practice tests given under standard conditions.

I had one student who consistently scored in the mid 500s with me. He took the test under non-standard

conditions (he got double time), went up more than 100 points, and was accepted at Harvard. I don't

think Harvard would have taken him in the mid-500s, so the special accommodations worked out

particularly well for him (as did HBS).

Should I Take a GMAT-Prep Course?

If you hope to go to a top school, you'd be crazy not to prepare for the GMAT. Being admitted to Kellogg

or Columbia or Stanford or a similar school is well worth the time and money invested in a good prep

course.

I don't want to steer you toward one company over another, but I would suggest that you take thelongest, most comprehensive course available in your area. And look for a good instructor. A good

teacher can reveal subtleties about the test that aren't written into any book, and just having the

structure of a class will force you to work harder than you would if you chose to study on your own.

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Seven Criteria Overview

(1) GMAT Score

(2) Application Essays

(3) Application Timing

(4) Undergraduate GPA

(5) Work Experience

(6) Recommendations

(7) Interviews

GMAT Homepage

20 Questions About the GMAT

GMAT Strategy

GMAT Structure

GMAT Sentence Correction

GMAT Critical Reasoning

GMAT Reading Comprehension

GMAT Problem Solving

GMAT Data Sufficiency

GMAT Non-Standard Accommodations

The Bottom Line On GMAT Scores : How to get a Perfect GMAT Score

Perfect GMAT scores are surprisingly rare at the top business schools. Every year I'm shocked to see the

highest reported score at Stanford, Harvard, Wharton, Kellogg, Columbia and the other top schools

because it's typically a 790 or 780 or even a 770. Getting a perfect GMAT score isn't terribly difficult if

you're willing to work (ask my students how hard I work them), but it also isn't necessary and you

shouldn't waste your time prepping for points you don't need.

Take the GMAT very seriously, though. If you score 560 you won't be going to Wharton, and all of your

excuses for not finding time to study will be little consolation. Work hard in your course! And if youdon't like your first score, take the test again. Keep taking it until you get the score you want.

Next: (2) MBA Application Essays About Us >

7 MBA Criteria / GMAT Prep

MBA Rankings GMAT MBA Essays 7 Criteria MBA Class Profiles MBA Admissions ConsultingMBA Applicant

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2. MBA Application EssaysDevelop the right application strategy in your

essays.

Once you've gotten your GMAT score into the proper range

the most important thing you can do is write good essays,

not try to push your score up a few more points by retaking

the exam. An extra 30 points will not be worth nearly as

much as a well thought out set of essays that convince an

admissions officer that you have something valuable to

contribute to his school.

Your work background will determine who you compete

against for admission spots. But what you say about your

background and how well you say it will determine

whether you beat those competitors. That's why the essays

are so important.

The Admissions Process

To understand the admissions process, you have to look at it from an admissions of ficer's point of view.

Each year the staff tries to assemble a well-rounded class consisting of people from a broad range of

work backgrounds. It's important that they assemble a diverse group because many assignments in B-

school are collaborative and interdisciplinary. Consequently, projects will be more successful and

students will learn more if their teammates can contribute their own unique perspectives.

The admissions staff faces a tough challenge, t hough, in assembling a diverse class because the vast

majority of applicants to t op programs come from only two broad work categories: finance and

consulting. Many of these people have worked at t he most prestigious firms. They got good grades as

undergraduates (or they wouldn't have been hired by top firms), and almost all of t hem take GMAT prep

courses because that's part of the culture at their firms. In other words, they have a lot going for

themselves.

I've coached a lot of applicants with this type of background. They've come from large asset management

companies, top investment banks, and well known consulting f irms. They are very competitive and tend

to do well on the GMAT. (I've had whole classes of them that averaged over 700.) And they make the

competition in their categories pretty tough.

If admissions officers were to select candidates strictly on the basis of GMAT scores and undergraduate

GPAs, their student bodies would be comprised almost entirely of people from finance and consulting

backgrounds, which would make for bad class dynamics.

The admissions people know about this disparity, of course, and they compensate for it by starting with

an ideal profile of the class they hope to end up with.

A Typical Class Profile

Given the differences among the top schools, I'm always surprised at the consistency they show when

selecting their classes. At most programs, approximately 60 to 65 percent of admitted s tudents will come

from finance and consulting backgrounds. Below is a typical admit profile.

The chart seems to show that finance and

consulting are the best backgrounds from which

to apply (they offer the most spots), but as I've

already mentioned, a disproportionate number

of people apply from those backgrounds,

making them very competitive categories.

The consistency in composition should tell you

something about how admissions officers choose their classes. Namely, if you come from a finance

background, you will, for the most part, compete only with other finance people for the limited number

of finance spots available. If you are a consultant, you will compete with other consultants. I t's more a

practice dictated by circumstances than an explicit policy acknowledged by admissions officers (though

some acknowledge it).

Although there are no strict quotas for each category, the final numbers are amazingly consistent from

year to year regardless of the number of finance or consulting people who actually apply. The





this simple truth.

GMAT Score





higher numbers.






first two rounds.


UNDERGRAD GPA




work.

MBA Undergrad GPA

WORK EXPERIENCE





MBA Work Experience

RECOMMENDATIONS




MBA Recommendations

INTERVIEWS




at all.

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overwhelming number of applicants from a few categories, coupled with the need to assemble a diverse

group, in effect, forces admissions people to pit consultant against consultant and investment banker

against investment banker, even without an explicit policy to do so.

And it makes sense to compare apples to apples. After all, what evaluation criteria would you use if you

had to choose between an asset manager and a software engineer?

Which Categories are the Most Competitive?

Investment banking and management consulting are probably the most competitive categories. Virtuallyeveryone who works in those fields needs to go to B-school in order to move up in the industry.

To my knowledge, no school has ever released the median GMAT scores of its students grouped by

occupation, so I have to rely on my personal experience. But it's c lear to me that, ON AVERAGE,

accepted candidates from the very competitive finance and consulting backgrounds have higher GMAT

scores than do accepted candidates from less competitive categories. I've coached too many students not

to see the pattern.

Don't be discouraged if you fall into one of these categories. Later we'll talk about how to d ifferentiate

yourself in the application essays so you won't look like all the other consultants or investment bankers

in the pile.

What are the Less Competitive Categories?

I'm sure you're wondering about this one. Af ter, "What do you score on the GMAT?" it's the question I'masked most frequently: "What's the easiest work background from which to apply?"

Think about it from the admissions officer's point of view. Say you have 300 seats to fill. About 100 will

go to applicants from finance backgrounds, and a bout another 100 will go to people from consulting

backgrounds. You will use the f inal 100 spots to broaden your class and add some depth of experience to

the group.

You will need some marketing people and some people from technical backgrounds. And every class has

a few disenchanted lawyers and doctors along with some real outliers people with tremendously

unique experience that will be valuable to their classmates. But none of these is the easiest category.

In my experience, the easiest background from which to apply is nonprofit, in part because very few

people from nonprofit firms apply to top business schools. B-school has a reputation for being a very

competitive place, and competition isn't part of the culture of the average nonprofit corporation. So I

regularly see people with very modest GMAT scores get accepted by top B-schools because those schoolsare trying to broaden the perspective of their classes and, at the same time, promote what is becoming

an increasingly important business sector. A number of schools have even developed substantial

nonprofit curricula to address the needs of managers in that sector.

So, for what it's worth, that's what I've seen with nonprofit applicants. But I've also seen a fair number of

people from government and military backgrounds who get into top programs even though their GMAT

scores are pretty modest (below their schools' median 80 percent range). Again, I think these people add

depth to a class, and admitting them allows business schools to reach into important public-sector

organizations to influence the ways in which they are run.

Your Essay Strategy

All of this plays into your strategy. In writing the application essays, your strategy should be to highlight

the unique experiences you've had both on the job and in your personal life that you believe will be

valuable to your classmates. If you were assigned to an economic development project in Vietnam, forinstance, that's unique. So is working in a refugee camp in Af ghanistan. Very few people can bring that

kind of experience to the table, and schools are looking for applicants who can share that background in

the classroom. They will gladly discount GPA and GMAT scores to get those people into their programs.

But you don't need experience in a Third World country to have something unique and valuable to offer.

A lot of my GMAT students are consultants with big firms such as Bain, BCG, and Deloitte. In large part,

they all have the same generic work experience, and most of them make the mistake of discussing that

experience in their essays.

Think about how that looks to an admissions officer. She's got a pile of applications o n her desk from

consultants in every Bain and Deloitte office around the world, and every applicant is talking about the

same thing. How does she decide who to choose?

Be Unique

When I work with applicants who are consultants, I ask them not to write about the mundane tasks that

everyone does at the pre-MBA level but instead to focus on one or two of their assignments t hat were

unique and interesting. I ask them to go into detail about that work. Tell me exactly what you did and

MBA Interviews




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(1) GMAT Score




(5) Work Experience

(6) Recommendations

(7) Interviews

why you think it was important work. Convince me, as an admissions officer, that your experience will

be valuable to your classmates and I'll let you in.

That's the key to getting into top business schools. Convince me in your essays that you have something

unique to share with your potential classmates, and I'll ignore your not-so-hot GMAT score and

undergraduate GPA. I see it all the time. People with modest GMAT scores but valuable experiences are

regularly admitted to top programs.

The problem, of course, is writing about yourself. That's tremendously hard to do. You may think that a

certain experience is pretty mundane, but others may find it interesting. I'm amazed by the experiencethat some people will leave out of their essays. I remember one applicant who, after we had already

worked through a couple schools, told me she had been a world class figure skater as a teenager and was

still active in skating. When I asked her why she hadn't told me that at the beginning she said she didn't

think it was important.

Essay Tutorial

Most people I meet have experience that is good enough to get them into top programs, but they don't

know what admissions people are looking for so they stumble through some mind-numbing babble in

their essays and end up being rejected.

Our consulting work with applicants involves talking t hrough their work experiences, determining what

in their background is unique and valuable, and then making sure that they get that valuable experience

down on paper in a clear and concise manner. We want a reader who knows nothing about the applicant

to be able to understand his story and to find something in that applicant's background that is uniqueand valuable to his potential classmates. Remember, the evaluation process is mostly about what you

can do for the school, not what t he school can do for you.

Be sure to read our brief tutorial that addresses some do's and don'ts of application essay writing. Our

work with applicants is much more detailed, but the general comments found in the tutorial should get

you started.

Next: (3) MBA Application Timing

The 7 MBA Evaluation Criteria


2010




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3. MBA Application TimelineIf you don't apply early you pr obably

won't be going to a top school.

There is so much competition among schools for

the best candidates that admissions officers

can't afford to pass on good applicants in the

early rounds. Consequently, there are very few

open spots remaining after the January

deadlines.

Although there are opinions to the contrary, I

still believe it's best to apply in the first round,

especially if you feel you're a strong candidate.

Most schools have three application periods, but

some have as many as five. (And some programs

work on a pure "rolling" basis.)

The drawback to the first round is the quality of

its applicants. There are a lot of "sharks" in that

round. They aced the GMAT, got good grades in college and have great work experience. (Those

Bastards!) To top it off, they managed to get their acts together and finish their applications in time for

the first-round deadlines.

You don't necessarily want to be compared with those freaks, so it's tempting to skip the first round in

hopes of finding more slobs like you (and me) in round two. That strategy sounds good, but there's a

problem with it. There will be more than twice as many applicants in round two as there were in round

one, and they will be competing for fewer open spots.

How Many People Apply in the First Round?

A typical top program might have 600 to 800 applicants in the first round and 350 seats to fill. To

complete the class they'll admit about 500 people.

This brings up the concept of "yield," the percent of applicants who actually accept offers made by

schools. Harvard has the highest yield at about 87 percent. After that comes Stanford at about 80

percent. Then the numbers drop significantly. Kellogg, for instance, has a yield of only about 60

percent, which means it must make 830 offers to fill a class of 500 students.

So if I know that Kellogg will make 830 offers per year and that only about 600 people will apply in the

first round, I might be willing to swim with the sharks and try my chances early. The second round at

top schools may have more than 2,000 applicants, all competing for the leftovers. I don't like those

odds. It's too easy to get lost in the shuffle. If I apply early, I know I'm going to face some stiff

competition, but at least I know there are a reasonable number of spots st ill available.

So listen to the admissions officers when they say apply early. And remember that it typically takes two

months to collect your undergraduate transcripts, complete the online a pplication forms, write your

application essays, and get your boss to finish your recommendations. It's important that you apply to

at least six schools, and doing so takes time.

What if I Want to Retake the GMAT But My D eadline is Coming Up?

I encounter this problem all the time. "If I apply now I won't be able to retake the GMAT, but if I wait

until I can take the test again I'll miss the upcoming application deadline."

It's a judgment call t hat depends on both your GMAT score and the deadline you're thinking about

skipping. If your GMAT score is already in the mid 600s, apply at the upcoming deadline. A few more

points won't help as much as making an early deadline.

If, on the other hand, you scored 600 or below and you are fairly certain that you will go up on the next

test (and you will accept only a top school), you might want to skip the deadline. But waiting until

February or later to apply makes things more difficult. There are few spots available after the January

deadlines, so think hard before blowing them off.

Applying to Business School in Round 3





this simple truth.

GMAT Score





higher numbers.






first two rounds.


MBA UNDERGRAD GPA




work.

MBA Undergrad GPA

WORK EXPERIENCE





MBA Work Experience

RECOMMENDATIONS




MBA Recommendations

INTERVIEWS




at all.

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(1) GMAT Score




(5) Work Experience

(6) Recommendations

(7) Interviews

This can be dangerous. Being admitted in the final round (typically in March) is harder than it is in other

rounds. After evaluating candidates, we advise many not to apply in March but to wait and apply in

November, which is the first round of the following year.

Stronger candidates can be admitted in round 3 , and we're not afraid t o apply then, but candidates with

serious deficiencies should usually wait eight months and spend that time addressing their deficiencies.

Next: (4) MBA Undergraduate GPA


MBA Interviews


2010

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4. MBA Undergrad GPASurprising, isn't it?

You would think that your undergraduate GPA would

be weighted more heavily, but at most schools it isn't

and for good reasons.

First, most B-school applicants were not planning to

apply to graduate programs, so they might not have

focused on playing the grade game the way most

premed or pre-law students did. Why hold mediocre

grades against an applicant who had no intention of applying to grad school five years down the line?

Second, that was then and this is now. I've been told by many admissions people that t hey discount

undergraduate GPAs because they are old measures of performance. Admissions officers are more

interested in how you perform now thus the emphasis on GMAT scores.

I remember one director, however, pointing out how the emphasis on GPA can vary from candidate to

candidate. He said that he has to rely more heavily on GPA when evaluating the candidacy of a relatively

young applicant who has been in the workforce only a short time.

For another applicant with five years of work experience, however, he puts more emphasis on that

experience and on the applicant's GMAT score, and less emphasis on his (more distant) undergraduate

GPA.

While I list GPA as number 4 in order of importance, you shouldn't think that its value is set in stone.

The evaluation process is fairly holistic, so i f you performed well in college, emphasize that performance

and the admissions staff may buy into it. If you didn't perform well, talk about your terrific GMAT score

and ignore your undergrad years.

Whatever you do, don't whine about your mediocre grades; t ake responsibility for them. There is one

excuse, however, that you can get away with. If you worked and paid your own way through undergrad,

be sure to mention that in your essays. Working is the one universal justification for bad grades. (A

comment I've heard from many admissions officers.)

A Caveat to Your U ndergraduate GPA

While you might be able to explain a way your less-than-stellar undergrad GPA by informing the

admissions people of the Twinkies-and-beer lifestyle of your college years, you won't be able to sl ide bad

math grades by them quite so easily. Admissions people will look very closely at your undergraduate

math performance.

As I mentioned in the GMAT section of this Web site, admissions officers are very concerned about math

skills. If you believe that your math grades are not up to par and that your performance on the math

portion of the GMAT isn't good enough to make up for those grades, do everything possible to take a

math course through a local university before applying to B-school. You need to allay the admissions

committee's fears about your ability to cut it in math-intensive classes. While you can be accepted into a

great MBA program with only better-than-average verbal skills, you won't be accepted if you are

suspected of having anything but strong math skills. So fix your math profile.

The Bottom Line On GPA

You can't change your GPA, so there isn't much sense in worrying about it. People with bad GPAs get

into great schools all the time, though, because they have strong GMAT scores and good work

experience.

Don't let your GPA keep you from applying to top business schools. The median GPAs reported by some

top programs can be intimidating, but the GPAs of accepted students vary a great dealeven more than

do their GMAT scores. (The middle 80 percent range at top schools can be 3.0 to 3.8.)

One thing you can do, however, to address your GPA is t ake some classes through a local university

extension program. School is a lot easier the second time around, and you might be surprised to find

that you can now get good grades in classes you used t o hate. Performing well in school now should

convince admissions officers that you can do well in their program regardless of your undergraduate

GPA.





this simple truth.

GMAT Score





higher numbers.






first two rounds.


MBA UNDERGRAD GPA




work.

MBA Undergrad GPA

MBA W ORK EXPERIENCE





MBA Work Experience

MBA RECOMMENDATIONS




MBA Recommendations

MBA INTERVIEWS




at all.

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(1) GMAT Score



(5) Work Experience

(6) Recommendations

5. MBA Work ExperienceThe application essays address the

t y p e of work experience you have.

Admissions officers also consider

th e a m o u n t .

Most of you know that the average

number of years of full-time work

experience has risen dramatically at the

top B-schools. Schools that only recently

averaged two or three years now average

five. And that number keeps rising.

You don't want to apply too early. I have

many ambitious students in my GMAT classes who insist on taking their shot at the brass ring with only

two years of full-time work experience. (And that's by the t ime they would enter school, not when they

plan to apply.) Although some of them are exceptionally bright and do well on the GMAT, very few of

them make it into top-tier programs. Most end up "trading down" to a backup school or getting rejected

altogether.

I have to admit that I agree with admissions officers who reject inexperienced applicants. The whole

objective in assembling a business school class is to put together people who can share unique

experiences from their industries. If you have two years in your industry and another applicant has five

years in the same business, I'm going to take the more experienced candidate over you, even if his GMAT

score is a little lower than yours.

But That Won't Happen to Me!

I know, you're different. You think your 720 GMAT and 3.6 GPA will get you into Wharton. After all, you

have almost two years at Salomon. But look at the numbers. Only two percent of last year's class at

Wharton had less than two years of fu ll-time work experience. That means 15 people out of 8,300

applicants (one of the highest acceptance rates out there). That gives you a 1-in-553 chance.

Be serious. Wait until you have at least three years (by the time you would enter). I have had a few

students who have gotten into top programs (including Wharton) with only two years of experience, but

they were the exceptions to the rule. The vast majority of inexperienced applicants get the ax and have to

reapply the following year with a lame s tory about why they were rejected previously.

And, by the way, you don't get to apply from ground zero the year a fter you have been rejected. At many

schools all you are allowed to submit is an updated information form and a single essay explaining what

has changed in your life since you last applied.

What if I Changed Jobs?

I hear this question a lot and I've heard a number of admissions officers address itenough that I'm

finally starting to discern a pattern among their answers. The general opinion seems to be t hat changing

obs isn't a problem, especially if the change involves some kind of promotion. But "job churning" is

frowned upon because the admissions people want you to have more than just a surface understanding

of your industry. You need to bring a certain amount of expertise to the classroom, and changing jobs

every six months will make it difficult to develop an in-depth understanding of a specific industry.

So try to stick with one job (or, at least, one industry) for a year or two. Otherwise you won't have much

to offer a school.

Next: (6) MBA Recommendations






this simple truth.

GMAT Score





higher numbers.

MBA Essays





first two rounds.


MBA UNDERGRAD GPA




work.

MBA Undergrad GPA






MBA Work Experience

MBA RECOMMENDATIONS




MBA Recommendations

MBA INTERVIEWS




at all.

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6. MBA RecommendationsThe recommendations represent an

opportunity to sharpen your skills as a

forger.

Everyone forges their own recommendations. OK,

not everyone, but most people write their own or

provide a heck of a lot of "guidance" during the

process. I know this because I'm on the "sell side"

of the admissions transaction. (Wow, I sound like

an investment banker.) My students constantly ask

what they should write in their recommendations.

It isn't that applicants are t rying to cheat the game; the problem is that most recommenders don't want

to take the time to write a long letter or respond to the online questions and fill in the "grid boxes" that

are part of most MBA recommendations. So they ask the applicant to do the dirty work and agree to sign

the finished product.

Letting Your Boss W rite Your Recommendation

You'd almost be crazy to let your boss write your recs. Frankly, he has no idea what he's doing and he

can inadvertently screw up your chances of being admitted. I see it all the time. To avoid that problem,

I recommend that my students give their recommenders a list of the questions they'll be asked to

respond to and to provide them with some sample (meaning "appropriate") responses.

Don't leave your fate in your boss's hands. He's a clown who doesn't know what he's doing. Give him

some guidelines, and if he asks you to complete the recommendation forms yourself, don't hesitate to do

so. The schools all know that many of the recommendations are from the applicants themselves. (Yes,

I've confirmed it with the admissions people.)

What if I Don't Want My Employer to Kn ow That I'm Leaving?

This is a tough situation. Schools hear this question from hundreds of applicants every year. They

always answer something like, "Well, just do the best you can." It's a lame response.

I've never heard a good answer to this question. My suggestion is that you get a recommendation from

one of your customers, but that isn't always possible. The top schools want two recommendations

(except Harvard, which asks for three). If you can't get the full quota, then get what you can get. That

causes a lot of worry, but in the end I don't think it makes much difference. Just include a note stating

why you can't get more recommendations. The schools will understand.

A Few Pointers on the Letters of Recomm endation

There's an entire section on writing the recommendations at this Web site, so I won't address it here. Be

sure to check that section out, though, after finishing the Seven Application Elements.

A Final Comment on the Letter of Recomm endation

You may hear from some admissions people t hat they put a great deal of emphasis on letters of

recommendation. I hope, for the sake of applicants, that they are bluffing to justify putting your

recommender through an arduous process. The quality of your recommendation is so closely tied to

your recommender's ability to write that it wouldn't be fair to place much emphasis on it. Some

recommenders are very good writers, a nd some have even gone to top MBA schools and know what to

write about. Others are terrible writers and don't know what the admissions people are looking for.

If you don't believe that the recommendation is more reflective of the writer than of the applicant, then

have your boss write a letter for you. I'll make up a recommendation for your officemate (against whom

you are competing for a spot at Wharton). You can judge for yourself which candidate looks better on

paper.

Next: (7) MBA Interviews






this simple truth.

GMAT Score





higher numbers.


MBA APPLICATION TIMING




first two rounds.

MBA Application Timing

MBA UNDERGRAD GPA




work.

MBA Undergrad GPA






MBA Work Experience

MBA RECOMMENDATIONS




MBA Recommendations

MBA INTERVIEWS




at all.

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7. MBA InterviewThe interview is last in importance? That

doesn't make sense.

Before you get all bent out of shape, let me

explain. I agree that the interview can be a critical

part of the admissions decision and should not

always rank dead last in order of importance. But

its importance varies dramatically from school to

school. At some schools, your interview can make

the difference between being accepted and

spending another year riding your desk 60 hours a

week. At others, however, it's meaningless and

deserves to be listed last.

And the policy changes from year to year. For

years Stanford, for instance, refused to interview any applicants. (It was crazy.) Now they interview

virtually everyone they admit. So interviewing can be meaningless or it can be critical. That's why it got

this weird position in our admit criteria.

Who Should and Who Shouldn't Interview?

If you think you're a bad interviewer, don't volunteer to interview. Let your application do the talking

for you. I've known a lot of people who I thought were bad interviewers. They had good work

experience and great undergraduate GPAs. I could see from their practice tests that they would end up

with a strong GMAT score, but I was afraid they will do more harm than good if they meet with their

schools. So I discouraged it. All I can say is that it was a tactic that often worked.

Do I Have a Choice?

Increasingly, the answer is no. Schools now decide who will interview and who won't. As applications

have risen, MBA programs have had to ration interview timeslots, so interviews are now rarely at t he

applicant's discretion. If your application get's past the initial screening phase and a school wants to see

you, the admissions people will send an invite. Never turn down a request to interview. Your chances of

being admitted after doing so are zero.

Should I Interview with an Admissions Officer or an Alum nus?

It's best to interview with someone on the admissions committee, but that isn't a lways possible. You

shouldn't worry too much if you end up having to interview with an alumnus or even a current s tudent.

That person will write up a report that will go into your file. Just try to get along with your interviewer.

A Few Pointers on the Interview

1. Whenever possible, interview with someone of the opposite sex. (Don't make me explain why.)

2. Dress formally unless your interview is with an alumnus and the situation calls for casual clothes. I've

noticed that a lot of interviews here in L.A. take place at beachfront cafes on Saturday mornings.

Situations like that call for casual clothes.

3. Relax! Don't come off as stiff and overly formal. You want your interviewer to like you, so treat him

or her like a friend.

4. Prepare your answers ahead of time. (See the section below for common questions.)

Typical Interview Questions

The questions asked by interviewers for different schools are surprisingly similar. My students interview

all over the country, but they all come back with the same list of questions. Virtually all of the

interviewers cover the same topics. (Which makes sense, if you think about it.)

The basic interview process goes as follows.

Phase 1 - Your Upbringing and Undergraduate Experience





this simple truth.

GMAT Score





higher numbers.






first two rounds.


MBA UNDERGRAD GPA




work.

MBA Undergrad GPA






MBA Work Experience

MBA RECOMMENDATIONS




MBA Recommendations

MBA INTERVIEWS




at all.

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Be sure to prepare a brief outline of your upbringing before going to your interview. (Don't bring it with

you.) It's easy to get lost and ramble into a long pointless diatribe when talking about your upbringing,

so make your replies short a nd to the point.

You will generally be asked a number of questions about your undergraduate experience.

What was your major?

Did you like it? (Meaning, was it the right decision?)

Do you think your grades are an accurate reflection of your ability?

Did you work as an undergrad? (This is important because it may help to explain why

your GPA isn't 4.0)

Phase 2 - Wor k Experience Since Leaving College

You need to know your whole work history before walking into the interview. Look up the approximate

dates of promotions or job transfers. The questions go something like the following:

What was your first job out of undergrad?

Have you been promoted?

Have you ever supervised employees?

Have you switched firms? If so, why?

Phase 3 - Career Goals and MBA Plans

This is the part of your story that has to hold together. If t hey ask about career goals and you tell them

something that is completely inconsistent with your experience, you're going to be in t rouble.

Be sure to mention a c areer goal that actually requires (or benefits from) a n MBA.

Be able to answer the question, "Why do you need an MBA?"

Be able to answer the question, "Why do you need an MBA from this school?"

Phase 4 - Your Turn to Ask Questions

Be sure to study the school before interviewing so you can ask informed questions about it. Knowing

specific details about the program should convince the interviewer that you are serious about attending

his school.

A Final Note of Encouragem ent on the Interviews

Subjecting yourself to interviews is tough. After two or three you begin to feel like a piece of meat. Just

remember that everyone has to go through the same process. Below I'll post an e-mail messages I got it

from one of my students just hours after he had a particularly bad interview at a top-10 school. Pardon

the language, but I think it will help to put things into perspective.

John,

"F---ed up the interview. Felt like I was being lectured by my mother.

"I can't tell if she was assisting me on the application by giving me pointers or subtly rejecting me and

preparing me for it. One thing was clear, my 2.5 GPA did nothing positive for me.

"Apparently, applications are up 25% on top of 30% last year, and she seems to have an attitude about

it. Talked about how they want the 'worldly class' of some f---ing pyramid she kept demonstrating in

the air.

"Felt like Tom Cruise in Risky Business when he blew it with the Princeton guy. Walked out thinking,

'Indiana's not so bad....'"

- Thomas

(He was rejected.)


MBA Interviews

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(1) GMAT Score




(5) Work Experience

(6) Recommendations

(7) Interviews

The Seven MBApplicant Evaluation

CriteriaMBA admissions officers

evaluate candidates using

seven criteria.

For many years I conducted

admissions seminars designed to

help applicants get into top MBA

programs. This Web site is a

condensed version of those seminars. In it I address the qualities admissions

officers are looking for in candidates and include anecdotes from my former

GMAT students, many of whom are now in or have already graduated from the

country's top business schools.

Those top schools will evaluate seven elements of your candidacy. There is

significant variation in the emphasis placed on each of those elements, but as

someone who has worked with hundreds of applicants, I have also noticed

distinct similarities among the top programs.

I've arranged the seven elements in what I feel is their order of importance. My

rankings are based on my own experience, and I will be the first to admit that

they are regularly contradicted. I have plenty of former students at Harvard,

Wharton, Stanford and every other top school who were admitted because

admissions officers liked something in their applications and threw out the rule

book to accept them.

So don't be discouraged if you f eel a little weak in some of the categories that I

place high in my ranking. As I write this, I can think of former students at allthree of the schools I just mentioned who had glaring weaknesses in important

categories but managed to convince the admissions s taff that they had

something valuable to offer.

Keep in mind as you read through the seven items that their ranking applies

only to top MBA programs. Less competitive schools have entirely different

motivations behind their admissions decisions.

After running through the seven items, be sure to look at the GMAT tutorial

and the tutorial on writing the essays. And if you're interested in working with

an editor on your application essays, feel free to contact us.

Good luck.

John Evans

7 MBA Evaluation

Criteria

The 7 Criteria1. GMAT SCORE

You won't be admitted to a top-tier MBA



this simple truth.

GMAT Score

2. APPLICATION ESSAYS


essays but only acceptable GMAT scores

to beat out candidates with higher

numbers.


3. TIMING




first two rounds.


4. UNDERGRADUATE GPA



caveat: if your math grades suck it will

pay to do some work.

MBA Undergrad GPA

5. WORK EXPERIENCE

This isn't the type of experience you have

at work, it's the amount. As applications

rise, schools want students with more

experience

MBA Work Experience

6. RECOMMENDATIONS




MBA Recommendations

7. INTERVIEWS



schooland some schools don't use them

at all.

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GMAT Prep HomepageAs the most important element of your MBA

application, the GMAT has to be your top

priority.

I'm amazed by the lack of eff ort the average MBA

applicant puts into preparing for the GMAT exam. It's

crazy. This test will have an enormous impact on the

rest of an applicant's life, and yet most people invest

very little time and appallingly little effort in it. They

believe the "innate ability" fable that accompanies most

standardized tests and feel they can improve only so

much.

You need to take the test seriously and study the

curriculum for as long as it takes to achieve your target

score. Many of my students study with me for a full year, and some study longer.

What To Do with Our GMAT Section

First, read our responses to 20 common questions that people ask about the GMAT. You can find the link at the bottom of

this page.

Next, read through our explanation of the five question types that appear on the GMAT. There are three verbal areas

(sentence correction, critical reasoning, and reading comprehension) and two math areas (problem solving and data

sufficiency).

Then read our commentary on non-standard accommodations. You may qualify for extra time on your exam. Many of

our students have.

Finally, link through to the official test s ite to download the GMAT information bulletin, find a test center in your area,

schedule an exam or contact GMAT customer service.

Scheduling Your Test

Reserve a time slot as early as possible! Seats are often at a premium, especially as application deadlines approach. And

remember the 31-day rule. If you decide to retake the exam you'll need to wait 31 days from your previous test to do so.

I've never understood why the contractor that runs the test centers can't simply install more computer terminals in order

to relieve the overcrowding. That seems easy enough, but when you're a monopoly, customer service isn't usually your

first priority.

Next: 20 Questions About the GMAT >

GMATTest Sections

75 minutes of math; 75 minu tes

of verbal; 2 essays

That's all that stands between you and

21 months in Palo Alto.

GMAT Homepage


GMAT Strategy

GMAT Structure

Verbal

Sentence Correction

Critical Reasoning

Reading Comprehension

Math

Problem Solving

Data Sufficiency

Other

GMAT Non-Standard Test

Accommodations

Official GMATExam Links

Links to the official GMAT Web

site.

First download the GMAT

Information Bulletin, then schedule

your exam.

GMAT Information Bulletin

Schedule a GMAT Test Date

Contact GMAT Customer Service

Some Advice: OK, I'm clearly biased

because I teach the GMAT exam, but

take a GMAT prep class. If nothing

else, sitting in a classroom with other

test takers will motivate you to study

harder.

MBA Rankings GMAT MBA Essays 7 Criteria MBA Class Profiles MBA Admissions Consulting

Page 1 of 2GMAT Prep Homepage at MBA Applicant.com

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20 Questions About the GMATWhat to know about the GMAT before taking it. Facts and fables

about the m ost important test you'll ever take.

Thanks to the Internet, you can learn almost anything you want about the

GMAT without ever leaving home. Much of what you'll read, however, is

wrong.

The Web is full of GMAT misinformation and paranoia: "Is it really true that

people who take the test stoned score higher? Will I get fingerprinted at the

test center? Are other people cheating while I'm not?"

Don't laugh; these are real questions I've seen posted on the Internet. (The

correct answers are: sometimes, no and yesin that order.)

Let's tackle some of the common GMAT myths and misconceptions.

1. What if I take the test more than once? Will schools average my scores? No. I'm not aware of a single school

that still averages GMAT scores. Back in t he day, policies varied from program to program, but then one year everything

changed. Suddenly the schools all agreed to unify t heir practice. Now virtually all of them accept only your highest score.

2. What about the math and verbal sub-scores? Do schools use them? Yes. In fact, your math sub-score is

critically important. Admissions officers are terrified of admitting candidates who will bomb out because they can't

handle the math-intensive courses. So getting an acceptable math score is important. The verbal sub-score isn't quite as

critical, and applicants who speak English as a second language are often given extra leeway for low verbal scores.

3. What about the AWA scorethe essay? Do schools use it? Almost never. Adding the essay to the GMAT has

been a total failure.

4. If the essays are so un important, is it okay to skip them? Definitely not. It's true that schools place virtually

no weight on your AWA score when making the admissions decision, but ignoring the essays completelyas some unwise

test takers have donemakes the applicant look lazy. Write the essays. If nothing else, it's a good way to warm up for thetwo parts of the exam that matter dearly.

5. Is it easier to improve in math or verbal? Most GMAT prep students who take a class improve more in math

than they do in verbal. The concepts in math are more concrete and the answer choices are less ambiguous.

6. What is an acc eptable GMAT score? It varies from school to school and candidate to candidate. Applicants from

overrepresented work backgroundssuch as banking or consultingneed higher GMAT scores, while candidates from

underrepresented work backgrounds can be admitted with s ignificantly lower numbers. Regardless of a candidate's work

background, however, being admitted to a top-tier program with a score below 600 is almost impossible.

7. How much can I imp rove on the GMAT? The GMAT curriculum can be mastered completely. The people who

write the exam aren't robots with superhuman brain power. They're ordinary worker bees who follow prescribed formulas

to write predictable test questions. Because I've studied the test for so long, I know every concept that appears on the

exam. If I can master it, you can master it.

8. What do you score on the GMAT? 800.

9. What is your personal favorite section and least favorite section of the GMAT? Favorite is data sufficiency

(lot's of cool techniques to apply), and least favorite is reading comp (too many boring passages about how flies mate).

10. What are your s uggestions for how to improve the GMAT? More vividly detailed reading passages about

howhumans mate.

11. When should I take the test? At least 31 days before your f irst application deadline. There is now a 30-day waiting

period between test administrations for people who want to take the test more than once. Schedule your test early enough

to take it multiple times and still make your deadline.

12. Any suggestions for test day? Arrive super early. Sneak Skittles in your shirt pocket. Go commando.

13. Should I use GMASS, the Graduate Management Adm issions Search Service? Yes, checking the GMASSbox at MBA.com or on your computer on test day will allow schools to recruit you based on your GMAT score and self-

reported GPA.

GMATTest Sections

75 minutes of math; 75 minutes

of verbal; 2 essays



GMAT Homepage


GMAT Strategy

GMAT Structure

Verbal

Sentence Correction

Critical Reasoning


Math

Problem Solving

Data Sufficiency

Other


Accommodations



site.



your exam.









harder.

Read More

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14. Should I elect to send my scor es every time I take the test? Yes. The fee you pay to t ake the exam includes

sending your scores to five schools. Beyond that, you can send scores to more programs at a cost of $25 per school.

(Outrageous.) There is no advantage in holding off on sending your GMAT transcript until you get the score you wants.

Schools will use only your highest score anyway, so don't wait until you've taken the test many times and then be forced to

pay $25 per school. Send your scores with every test.

15. Does the GMAT 'measure' anything? Apparently not. No one claims that the GMAT is an intelligence test or

that it measures any kind of aptitude or potential. In fact, the Graduate Management Admissions Counsel is so lawyered

up on this issue that it invests more energy clarifying what the test doesn't do than explaining what it does. The only

justification ever given for administering the test is that there is a slight correlation (median correlation = 0.51) betweenGMAT scores and first-year grades in business school. (Shockingly, the study conducted to find that modest correlation

was paid for and conducted by the very people who write the test.) There is apparently no correlation whatsoever between

a student's GMAT score and his or her second-year grades. Go figure.

16. They take my picture at the test center as part of the security process. Is it true that schools can p ull

up that picture on the Internet? Yep, and they often do. That "security" picture is made available to schools (for

some stupid reason), so don't be caught wearing your "Legalize It!" T-shirt and flipping off the camera.

17. What is the average GMAT score? In the 2008-2009 test-taking cycle, the worldwide average was 539.

18. What's the gender breakdown among GMAT test takers? 60% male; 40% female

19. Which undergrad m ajors score highest and lowest on the GMAT? Physics (606); Education (485)

20. Which U.S. states have the highest and the lowest average GMAT scores? The highest isn't a state at all,it's the District of Columbia (593). The lowest is Mississippi (441).

Next: GMAT Sentence Correction >


2010

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GMAT: Sentence CorrectionWhat do idioms, verb tenses and ambiguous pronou n

references have to do with your ability to manage? I have

no idea, but MBA program s believe they can predict your

performance in business school.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that sentence correction is

the easiest section of the GMAT to master. I know that drives some

people crazy, but hear me out.

The sentence correction section involves correcting grammatical

errors. And because there are only about 25 or 30 errors tested on

the exam, they can all be memorized.

Of course, each error has its variations, and the test authors do their

best to disguise the errors; but still, they can be memorized. And

with practice they can be mastered. Sentence correction was the first section I mastered completely.

But You're a Writer!

OK, so I had an advantage.

Should I Read Grammar Book s or Take an English Class?

I get asked this question all the time. It makes sense if you know very little about the test, but those of us who are

experienced with it know that the GMAT curriculum is highly specific and very limited in scope. Most of what you would

read in a grammar book or learn in an English class isn't tested on the exam. It's better to focus on GMAT-specific

grammar, so taking a class that isn't focused on the exam is usually a bad idea.

Favorite Grammatical Error Tested?

Misplaced modifier. Simple, easy to fix, most test takers blow it. Total low-hanging fruit.

Least Favorite Gram matical Error Tested?

Subjunctive mood. Stupid thing to test. Important in the Romance languages; not important in English.

Any Study Recomm endations?

Yes, focus on sentence correction before critical reasoning or reading comp. Of the three verbal question types, sentence

correction is the easiest to learn.

Next: GMAT Critical Reasoning >

GMATTest Sections

75 minutes of math; 75 minu tes

of verbal; 2 essays



GMAT Homepage


GMAT Strategy

GMAT Structure

Verbal

Sentence Correction

Critical Reasoning


Math

Problem Solving

Data Sufficiency

Other


Accommodations



site.



your exam.









harder.

MBA Rankings GMAT MBA Essays 7 Criteria MBA Class Profiles MBA Admissions Consulting

Page 1 of 2GMAT Test Prep: Critical Reasoning Questions at MBA Applicant.com

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