‘Twas the Night Before GMAT 2013

What's the holiday without a classic tale rewritten for the GMAT test taker? We know you've been waiting patiently, and you're on the "Nice" list, so here's our holiday gift to you.

‘Twas the night before GMAT, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The knowledge was learned by the student with care,
In hopes that their Score soon would be there.

The test-takers were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of radicals danced in their heads.
With she in her ‘kerchief, and he in his cap,
They’d just settled down for a fitful night’s nap.

When up in their heads arose such a clatter,

They sprang from their beds and thought, “What is the matter?”

Away to the bathroom they flew like a flash,
Will they tear open their stomachs and throw up their mash?

The nerves in the tummies of the new-learned folks
Gave the luster of Test Day, which freaked them most.
When what to their wondering minds should appear?
But confidence and pride in all they’ve prepared.

With a little reminder, so true and so quick,
They knew in a moment they’d win with their wit.
More rapid than eagles the problems they came,
And they whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Verbs! Now, Pronouns! Now, Idioms and Style!
On, Triangles! On, Cubes! I’m armed with a smile!
To the top of the pack! To the top of the curve!
To 800 we go, with nary a swerve!"

With vigor and spirit, the merry would fly,
When met with an obstacle, they mount to the sky.
So off to the center, the Testers they flew,
With their heads full of formulas and patterns they knew.

And then, in a twinkling, they arrived on the roof
With the prancing and pawing of each little boot.
As they drew in a breath, and were turning around,
They couldn’t help but wonder why they weren’t on the ground?

They were dressed all in layers, from their head to their foot,
‘Cause if cold or if hot, the room never stays put.
A bundle of i.d.’s they had flung in their pack,
Since security’s run by a TSA quack.

Their eyes – how they twinkled! Their dimples – how merry!
They knew in an instant their apps would be cherry!
With droll little mouths drawn up in tight a bows,
They took to the task and got on with the show.

The stump of a pen held tight in their hands,
On dry erase boards, they hashed essay plans.
With the thinking all done, they wrote out their prose,

Assumptions attacked with examples for flow.

The Quant questions were fun and right answers did come,

And they laughed when they saw the traps set for the dumb!
With the wink of an eye and a clickitty-click,
Soon they’d finished the math then took a break, nice and quick.

They tore through the Verbal, dreaming of perks,

They spoke not a word while admiring their work.
With a “Give me my score!” and a whistle “Woot-woo!”
They stared at the screen… “Dreams really do come true!”

They sprang to their sleighs, their engines a roar,

Away they all flew, for the test was no more.
Then we heard them exclaim, as they drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to the GMAT: ‘GOODNIGHT!’”