tl;dr: Yes. When going through the MBA admissions process, can you take the GMAT or GRE too many times? Is there a chance you can jeopardize your admissions potential based on re-testing frequently? If so: How many tests is too many? Premium content starts here… ———– ———– Premium content ends.
Continue reading...($) Do the schools look at all your scores?
The instructions on the MBA applications around reporting your GMAT or GRE test scores have a surprising amount of variation. This comes into play especially if you’re sitting on a score for a test that you took nearly five years ago, and you’re trying to determine if it’s still going to be valid when you […]
Continue reading...($) Is it possible to take the GMAT or GRE too many times?
Short answer: YES DEFINITELY. Even if you canceled your scores. Why is testing multiple times a problem? Premium content starts here… ———– ———– Premium content ends. Want more insights into GMAT and GRE scores and even retest strategies and tips? The ‘snarchive has it all! You can use the category dropdown at the […]
Continue reading...($) More guidance on random puzzling aspects of the MBA app datset
As we have been saying, the application dataset is an often-underappreciated asset in the entire strategy of applying to a top business school. Here are some questions we’ve fielded from others working on their MBA applications who hit confusing questions or wondered how to interpret the instructions. Premium content starts here… ———– ———– Premium […]
Continue reading...($) “Do I submit in Round 1? Or retake the GMAT and submit in Round 2?”
This is a tougher and tougher call to make. It used to be rather a straightforward question: If your GMAT or GRE score is low(er) and you think you can do better, yet you’ve got deadlines staring you in the face, it used to make sense to delay those apps in favor of a retake....
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($) When informing the adcom about a new GMAT score (waitlist, optional essay)
If you’re just starting the process of applying to bschool for the first time, this post is not for you. Today we’re mostly talking to those who are either still on the waitlist, or who will be reapplicants, and who will be informing the adcom about an updated GMAT score either in a waitlist update […]
Continue reading...($) Test-optional policies sound great! And…
Change is good! (And inevitable, so we may as well embrace it. *ugh*) When it comes to policies around standardized tests needed for getting into a top MBA program: Change is… Maybe good? Or it should seem automatically good, when it means that the schools make it easier to apply. Right?!?? For example, changing whether […]
Continue reading...($) Should you take the Executive Assessment if you’re trying for a top MBA program?
What test to take? This question of application strategy is kinda tricky — but kinda not. Premium content starts here… ———– ———– Premium content ends. There are always exceptions, of course; the advice we’re offering here is the standard recommendation that will be applicable to most applicants. If you’re wondering if your situation […]
Continue reading...More schools are loosening requirements for GMAT and GRE: Berkeley Haas statement of academic readiness
Well maybe we were wrong in thinking that the GMAT was going to stick around as a requirement for getting into bschool for a long time! There’s been necessarily adaptations to rules around testing since March 2020 when the pandemic hit, and test centers closed. Lots of policies had to be revised in that era. […]
Continue reading...($) How to interpret feedback from the adcom
We had a Brave Supplicant tell us recently about feedback received from schools applied to last year. A few supercool schools are way awesome in doing this — the usual suspects, like Darden and Tuck (and does NYU do it? misremembering). So this BSer reported back to us about the things the adcom-y person said. […]
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