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26 Dec 2016, 09:51
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3 Aspects of Test Day That You Probably Have NOT Trained For
The GMAT is a predictable, standardized Test, so Test Takers have the potential to properly learn the content that will appear on the Exam. Over the Course of their studies, many GMATers improve their scores to a high-enough level that they feel comfortable scheduling their Official GMAT appointments. Without fail though, a certain percentage of those same Test Takers score at a significantly lower level on Test Day (relative to how they were scoring on their practice CATs). Their shock at earning a lower score almost always ends in the following phrase: “I don’t know why my score dropped….” There ARE common reasons why a Test Taker’s performance can suffer though and those reasons involve aspects to Test Day that the GMATers did not properly train to face.
1 – Poor sleep the night before the Exam. Most Test Takers don’t get nervous the night before they take a practice CAT, so this issue doesn’t occur very often except right before Test Day. You can handle it though by sticking to a normal bedtime routine. Consuming a glass of hot green tea and/or taking low-dose Melatonin can also help with the sleep process. As with all things, it’s best to experiment with these options well BEFORE your GMAT.
2 – Travel time to the Testing Center and the Registration process. On Test Day, you don’t just sit down at your home computer and get to work - it takes TIME to get to Test Center and go through the identification process. For most Test Takers, that ‘chunk’ of time will be anything from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours. During that time, you will be thinking about the Exam and likely burning ‘nervous energy.’ A significant drop in score (especially during the Verbal section) can happen because a Test Taker trained to have enough energy to face a 4-hour Exam, NOT a 1.5 hour lead-up followed by a 4-hour exam. Planning out your CATs so that you have to travel to a different location (and spend a reasonable amount of time doing so) can help you to better train for what WILL happen on Test Day.
3 – The 8-minute break isn’t really 8 minutes. On Test Day, you are NOT allowed to enter and exit the Computer Lab at any moment. You have to be ‘escorted’ in and out every time, which means that you have to wait for a Center Employee to assist you. Since there will be more Test Takers than employees, there is a reasonable chance that you will have to wait for assistance, which means that your 8-minute break will begin while you’re still in the Computer Lab. You might also have to wait to get back into the Lab; after 8 minutes, your GMAT will continue on (the timer for the next section will begin whether you are in front of your computer or not). To properly train for this, you should practice for a 7-minute break with the goal of doing every ‘break task’ in a relatively speedy and efficient manner (eat a snack, drink, run to the restroom, etc.).
While these issues might seem minor, they can absolutely impact your performance on the Official GMAT (and sometimes to a HUGE degree). Since the GMAT is such an important piece of the overall application process, you simply cannot afford to be casual with the details. The traits that are required to score 700+ are more than just Test-taking knowledge and skills – you need to know about EVERYTHING that will occur on Test Day so that you can properly train to face all of it.
To that end, we’re here to help.
GMAT assassins aren’t born, they’re made,
Rich
The GMAT is a predictable, standardized Test, so Test Takers have the potential to properly learn the content that will appear on the Exam. Over the Course of their studies, many GMATers improve their scores to a high-enough level that they feel comfortable scheduling their Official GMAT appointments. Without fail though, a certain percentage of those same Test Takers score at a significantly lower level on Test Day (relative to how they were scoring on their practice CATs). Their shock at earning a lower score almost always ends in the following phrase: “I don’t know why my score dropped….” There ARE common reasons why a Test Taker’s performance can suffer though and those reasons involve aspects to Test Day that the GMATers did not properly train to face.
1 – Poor sleep the night before the Exam. Most Test Takers don’t get nervous the night before they take a practice CAT, so this issue doesn’t occur very often except right before Test Day. You can handle it though by sticking to a normal bedtime routine. Consuming a glass of hot green tea and/or taking low-dose Melatonin can also help with the sleep process. As with all things, it’s best to experiment with these options well BEFORE your GMAT.
2 – Travel time to the Testing Center and the Registration process. On Test Day, you don’t just sit down at your home computer and get to work - it takes TIME to get to Test Center and go through the identification process. For most Test Takers, that ‘chunk’ of time will be anything from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours. During that time, you will be thinking about the Exam and likely burning ‘nervous energy.’ A significant drop in score (especially during the Verbal section) can happen because a Test Taker trained to have enough energy to face a 4-hour Exam, NOT a 1.5 hour lead-up followed by a 4-hour exam. Planning out your CATs so that you have to travel to a different location (and spend a reasonable amount of time doing so) can help you to better train for what WILL happen on Test Day.
3 – The 8-minute break isn’t really 8 minutes. On Test Day, you are NOT allowed to enter and exit the Computer Lab at any moment. You have to be ‘escorted’ in and out every time, which means that you have to wait for a Center Employee to assist you. Since there will be more Test Takers than employees, there is a reasonable chance that you will have to wait for assistance, which means that your 8-minute break will begin while you’re still in the Computer Lab. You might also have to wait to get back into the Lab; after 8 minutes, your GMAT will continue on (the timer for the next section will begin whether you are in front of your computer or not). To properly train for this, you should practice for a 7-minute break with the goal of doing every ‘break task’ in a relatively speedy and efficient manner (eat a snack, drink, run to the restroom, etc.).
While these issues might seem minor, they can absolutely impact your performance on the Official GMAT (and sometimes to a HUGE degree). Since the GMAT is such an important piece of the overall application process, you simply cannot afford to be casual with the details. The traits that are required to score 700+ are more than just Test-taking knowledge and skills – you need to know about EVERYTHING that will occur on Test Day so that you can properly train to face all of it.
To that end, we’re here to help.
GMAT assassins aren’t born, they’re made,
Rich
02 Jan 2017, 11:55
Kudos
Bookmarks
You CAN Cement Your Future With the Choices that YOU Make in 2017
We’re now just beginning the first full week of 2017 and this is a time of year when many people look to define their goals for the coming 12 months. The start of any year can be seen as representative of the potential for new opportunities, journeys and challenges and it can provide you with a great ‘leaping off’ point for some career-defining (and future-defining) work. Since you’re reading this article, you’re almost certainly considering Business School as part of that future. You might even be in the process of working on your applications, studying to take the GMAT or just beginning to gather information on the entire process. Regardless of what ‘step’ you might be on, now is the perfect time to make some big choices that will most certainly impact your future.
For those Working On Round 2 or Round 3 Application Deadlines:
At this time of year, application deadlines are certainly coming up fast. Many applicants become so ‘locked in’ to a particular set of deadlines that they miss out on the bigger picture issues. Business School Admissions Officers are savvy people – they know when an applicant ‘looks good’ and when an applicant doesn’t (or is just ‘so so’). Each applicant has one chance to make an amazing first impression - and if you don’t think that your application truly provides that impression, then something has to be done about that.
When applying to highly ranked, competitive Programs, the level of competition is remarkably high. Schools such as Stanford and Harvard typically accept just 6%-10% of applicants during any given year. It’s worth noting that almost all of the applicants who don’t receive an invite to those Schools ARE exceptional applicants, but something clearly could have been better in their applications. To that end, a higher GMAT score MIGHT be the issue, but it’s usually beneficial to consult with an Admissions Expert on your OVERALL application to be sure. While that service can be expensive, the expertise provided cannot be randomly found online for free.
For those Rushing to make a Round 2 Deadline:
Here’s a straight-forward question that should help you to prioritize your goals:
What’s MORE important… getting your application in for Round 2 OR greatly increasing your chances of getting into your first-choice Business School?
Business School is rarely a ‘right now or never’ opportunity. While it’s understandable that most applicants would rather get accepted to Business School sooner rather than later, rushing to try to make a deadline (especially to a competitive Program) is usually NOT a good idea. Applicants who rush often present an application that falls short of their potential and THAT is something that must be avoided. For practical purposes, it might actually be best for your FUTURE if you push back your application deadline to a later Round (in this case, Round 3) or to the next application cycle (which typically begins in September). While that choice usually doesn’t make applicants happy, the BIG PICTURE goal is what matters. Having an extra 6 months to put together an amazing OVERALL application with a fantastic GMAT score would almost certainly increase your chances of getting into your first-choice Business School (and would certainly be better than rushing forward at the last minute with a hastily assembled application).
For those Just Beginning their GMAT Studies:
The following article applies to you no matter when you begin your GMAT studies…
https://www.topmba.com/blog/5-important- ... at-studies
Remember that every part of this process is standardized and predictable, so you don’t have to stumble through it on your own. There are Experts at every point in the process who can help you to succeed.
To that end, we’re here to help.
GMAT assassins aren’t born, they’re made,
Rich
We’re now just beginning the first full week of 2017 and this is a time of year when many people look to define their goals for the coming 12 months. The start of any year can be seen as representative of the potential for new opportunities, journeys and challenges and it can provide you with a great ‘leaping off’ point for some career-defining (and future-defining) work. Since you’re reading this article, you’re almost certainly considering Business School as part of that future. You might even be in the process of working on your applications, studying to take the GMAT or just beginning to gather information on the entire process. Regardless of what ‘step’ you might be on, now is the perfect time to make some big choices that will most certainly impact your future.
For those Working On Round 2 or Round 3 Application Deadlines:
At this time of year, application deadlines are certainly coming up fast. Many applicants become so ‘locked in’ to a particular set of deadlines that they miss out on the bigger picture issues. Business School Admissions Officers are savvy people – they know when an applicant ‘looks good’ and when an applicant doesn’t (or is just ‘so so’). Each applicant has one chance to make an amazing first impression - and if you don’t think that your application truly provides that impression, then something has to be done about that.
When applying to highly ranked, competitive Programs, the level of competition is remarkably high. Schools such as Stanford and Harvard typically accept just 6%-10% of applicants during any given year. It’s worth noting that almost all of the applicants who don’t receive an invite to those Schools ARE exceptional applicants, but something clearly could have been better in their applications. To that end, a higher GMAT score MIGHT be the issue, but it’s usually beneficial to consult with an Admissions Expert on your OVERALL application to be sure. While that service can be expensive, the expertise provided cannot be randomly found online for free.
For those Rushing to make a Round 2 Deadline:
Here’s a straight-forward question that should help you to prioritize your goals:
What’s MORE important… getting your application in for Round 2 OR greatly increasing your chances of getting into your first-choice Business School?
Business School is rarely a ‘right now or never’ opportunity. While it’s understandable that most applicants would rather get accepted to Business School sooner rather than later, rushing to try to make a deadline (especially to a competitive Program) is usually NOT a good idea. Applicants who rush often present an application that falls short of their potential and THAT is something that must be avoided. For practical purposes, it might actually be best for your FUTURE if you push back your application deadline to a later Round (in this case, Round 3) or to the next application cycle (which typically begins in September). While that choice usually doesn’t make applicants happy, the BIG PICTURE goal is what matters. Having an extra 6 months to put together an amazing OVERALL application with a fantastic GMAT score would almost certainly increase your chances of getting into your first-choice Business School (and would certainly be better than rushing forward at the last minute with a hastily assembled application).
For those Just Beginning their GMAT Studies:
The following article applies to you no matter when you begin your GMAT studies…
https://www.topmba.com/blog/5-important- ... at-studies
Remember that every part of this process is standardized and predictable, so you don’t have to stumble through it on your own. There are Experts at every point in the process who can help you to succeed.
To that end, we’re here to help.
GMAT assassins aren’t born, they’re made,
Rich
09 Jan 2017, 22:13
Kudos
Bookmarks
3 Ways to Potentially Improve Your Overall Application (Even After You’ve Sent It In!)
During application season, most Business School applicants assume that once they’ve submitted their applications that the process of applying to Business School is ostensibly over. While they are certainly free to believe that (and can ‘rest on their laurels’), they’re missing out on several steps that they can take to potentially improve the strength of their overall applications.
Most Business Schools receive thousands of applications across the application Rounds. All of those applications take time to review – often weeks or even months can go by before an Admissions Committee has decided whom to invite to attend School. Forward-thinking applicants can use that time to their advantage in any of the following ways:
1 - Retake the GMAT and score higher – Every Business School has what it considers an acceptable ‘range’ of GMAT scores that the School expects each applicant to score in (and the lower end of that range for most Programs would likely surprise most applicants). If you have a concern that your current GMAT score is only ‘good enough’, then there’s the potential to retest and submit a higher score. With GMAC’s retesting policies, you have the ability to take the GMAT every 16 days (but no more than 5 times in any 12 month period). You could potentially take the GMAT another 2-3 times while the Admissions Committees are reviewing applications. With the proper study materials and a little extra study time, you could replace a strong GMAT score with an amazing one.
2 – Request an Interview – Certain Programs require an interview as part of the application process, while others keep it as an optional part (they tend to interview applicants who they ‘like’ but are not completely ‘sold’ on) and others don’t do interviews at all. One of the subtle things that Business School AdComs look for in applicants is ‘degree of interest’ in that specific Business School. Every applicant clearly is interested in attending (since they all applied), but there is a marked level of difference between someone who just sends in the application and someone who reaches out to request an interview. Additionally, Schools often encourage an Applicant to visit the Campus and take a guided tour, sit in on some classes, connect with current students and meet members of the Admissions Committee. Each of these activities can go a long way in conveying how serious you are in attending that Program.
If you’re granted an interview, then that’s great – you’ll have the opportunity to go in and really ‘market yourself’ directly to the people who decide who to invite. If you’re not granted an interview, you might still get the subtle ‘credit’ that comes with asking for one.
3 – Report any significant accomplishments that occur (promotions, awards, etc.) – This one is generally a far rarer opportunity than the other two, but still has the potential to make a difference. All Schools (and especially the ultra-competitive ones) are looking for “leaders”, so anything that you can offer that proves your ability to lead (or achieve) can serve as an extra reminder of how fantastic an applicant you are. The fact that you’re also able to make big achievements while in the process of putting together your applications and/or immediately after applying has the added benefit of showing that you can succeed in multiple ways in the same general timeframe.
Much of the work that would go into these tasks comes down to the individual. However, it’s important to make sure that your efforts are respectful of the process. You can always communicate with the respective Admissions Office(s) to schedule a visit or if planning to submit supplemental information.
When it comes to improving your GMAT score though, there are almost certainly study materials that you haven’t tried and areas that you can still improve on. Considering the grand ‘scale’ of what goes into applying to Business School, the fact that you can still make a significant improvement with just a little more effort (and AFTER the application deadlines have passed) is something that every applicant has to consider. To that end, we’re here to help.
GMAT assassins aren’t born, they’re made,
Rich
During application season, most Business School applicants assume that once they’ve submitted their applications that the process of applying to Business School is ostensibly over. While they are certainly free to believe that (and can ‘rest on their laurels’), they’re missing out on several steps that they can take to potentially improve the strength of their overall applications.
Most Business Schools receive thousands of applications across the application Rounds. All of those applications take time to review – often weeks or even months can go by before an Admissions Committee has decided whom to invite to attend School. Forward-thinking applicants can use that time to their advantage in any of the following ways:
1 - Retake the GMAT and score higher – Every Business School has what it considers an acceptable ‘range’ of GMAT scores that the School expects each applicant to score in (and the lower end of that range for most Programs would likely surprise most applicants). If you have a concern that your current GMAT score is only ‘good enough’, then there’s the potential to retest and submit a higher score. With GMAC’s retesting policies, you have the ability to take the GMAT every 16 days (but no more than 5 times in any 12 month period). You could potentially take the GMAT another 2-3 times while the Admissions Committees are reviewing applications. With the proper study materials and a little extra study time, you could replace a strong GMAT score with an amazing one.
2 – Request an Interview – Certain Programs require an interview as part of the application process, while others keep it as an optional part (they tend to interview applicants who they ‘like’ but are not completely ‘sold’ on) and others don’t do interviews at all. One of the subtle things that Business School AdComs look for in applicants is ‘degree of interest’ in that specific Business School. Every applicant clearly is interested in attending (since they all applied), but there is a marked level of difference between someone who just sends in the application and someone who reaches out to request an interview. Additionally, Schools often encourage an Applicant to visit the Campus and take a guided tour, sit in on some classes, connect with current students and meet members of the Admissions Committee. Each of these activities can go a long way in conveying how serious you are in attending that Program.
If you’re granted an interview, then that’s great – you’ll have the opportunity to go in and really ‘market yourself’ directly to the people who decide who to invite. If you’re not granted an interview, you might still get the subtle ‘credit’ that comes with asking for one.
3 – Report any significant accomplishments that occur (promotions, awards, etc.) – This one is generally a far rarer opportunity than the other two, but still has the potential to make a difference. All Schools (and especially the ultra-competitive ones) are looking for “leaders”, so anything that you can offer that proves your ability to lead (or achieve) can serve as an extra reminder of how fantastic an applicant you are. The fact that you’re also able to make big achievements while in the process of putting together your applications and/or immediately after applying has the added benefit of showing that you can succeed in multiple ways in the same general timeframe.
Much of the work that would go into these tasks comes down to the individual. However, it’s important to make sure that your efforts are respectful of the process. You can always communicate with the respective Admissions Office(s) to schedule a visit or if planning to submit supplemental information.
When it comes to improving your GMAT score though, there are almost certainly study materials that you haven’t tried and areas that you can still improve on. Considering the grand ‘scale’ of what goes into applying to Business School, the fact that you can still make a significant improvement with just a little more effort (and AFTER the application deadlines have passed) is something that every applicant has to consider. To that end, we’re here to help.
GMAT assassins aren’t born, they’re made,
Rich
