Should I take Sabbatical for GMAT preparation.

Question

Hello All,

I need your help in understanding whether taking sabbatical (3-4 months) from work for GMAT preparation reflect poorly to AdCom?

A bit about me, I have almost 9 years of work experience in technology/IT and my current nature of work does leave enough time and mental capacity to focus on GMAT prep completely. I had started preparation couple of months back but it seems to be going nowhere.

I am targeting 1 year MBA programmes in India with intent to have a role change (along with pay scale 😊).

Would highly grateful for you advice and guidance.

Thanks

Posted from my mobile device

MBAandBeyond · Answer

Hello, @ siddharth1493 Taking a 3-4 month break from work to focus on GMAT preparation can be smart if your job makes it hard to study effectively. This time off shows how serious you are about boosting your GMAT score, which is crucial for applying to 1-year MBA programs in India. Explain how this break fits your career goals and desired job change, showing you're proactive about advancing your career through education. Plan financially and consider other study options if a full break isn't possible, making sure your preparation helps, not hinders, your career plans. Good luck

If you have any further questions related to your profile or want to have a 1:1 discussion with our top profile experts, feel free to schedule a complimentary profile evaluations session with our experts . We match you with the students and alums of top B-Schools according to your background and target schools.

TheRedPen · Answer

Hi  siddharth1493 ,

If you have any personal reason, a sabbatical can be well justified. However, your reason might not work well in your case.

We recommend discussing this case in detail with you as that will help us gain clarity over your profile and guide you to make better decisions. You can  schedule a free consultation  with our MBA experts or connect directly via call at 91 7789769732

CrackAdmission · Answer

Hello  siddharth1493 ,

Taking a 3-4 month sabbatical for GMAT preparation can be seen both positively and negatively by the Admissions Committee (AdCom).

Positive Aspects:
• Commitment to Goals: A sabbatical demonstrates your dedication to achieving a high GMAT score, indicating serious intent and commitment to your MBA aspirations.
• Focused Preparation: It ensures that you can fully concentrate on your preparation, potentially leading to a stronger GMAT score, which is crucial for competitive programs.

Negative Aspects:
• Career Interruption: A sabbatical might raise questions about your ability to balance work and study, which is a skill valued in intense MBA programs.
• Perception of Capacity: It could be perceived as a lack of capacity to manage time effectively, especially since MBA programs are demanding and require balancing multiple priorities.

Recommendations:
• Contextual Explanation: Clearly explain the necessity of the sabbatical in your application, highlighting how it reflects your strategic decision-making and commitment to excellence. It can be because of the criticality and involvement you have in your team setup.
• Personal Development: It would be good if you can showcase that during the period of Sabbatical not only did you prepare for the GMAT but also focused on other personal things, ex. a past hobby, a bucket list item, health / lifestyle changes, quality time with family etc., which you had deprioritized because of the workload.
• Demonstrate Value: Ensure that your overall application showcases your ability to handle demanding situations and multitask, offsetting any potential concerns about the sabbatical.

P.S : Indian B Schools love (and I mean it) accepting applicants with high exam scores. So irrespective of everything else, if you firmly believe that dedicated prep time would take your score to 655+, go for it. Everything else can be justified via a compelling narrative while building your application content.

On a different front, Indian IT Male profile is an extremely competitive applicant pool – you must already be aware of this by now ! Hence, you will need to be razor clear on what value add you will bring to the table, and why is MBA a logical career progression (pay scale upgrade – while obvious should not be the focal point).

I am an ISB alum,CO15, and have been guiding applicants successfully navigate the admission cycles for 7+ years now. Feel free to reach out if you seek help.

Cheers and Best of luck !!

ExpertsGlobal · Answer

Hello  siddharth1493 ,

Taking a sabbatical to further your GMAT prep will not be well preceived by any Ad Com however difficult your job makes it for you.

So, this will really be about how much you can push yourself or how well you can negotiate things at work.

If you absolutely have to go ahead with a sabbatical, then a strong narrative around the break will need to be put forth.

All the best!

Waddup · Answer

On a similar note. If not Sabbatical, can we take a career break to prepare for GMAT? How is it perceived by AdCom? Since I am currently stuck at 550. I am planning to take one. Please respond, any thoughts/guidance will be highly appreaciated.

GeneralEducation · Answer

Hello,

With 9 years of technology experience, you're already in the sweet spot for top one-year MBA programs like ISB, IIM Ahmedabad PGPX, and IIM Bangalore EPGP, where the average experience ranges from 6 to 10 years.

A 3 to 4-month sabbatical only for GMAT preparation is generally not recommended. Admissions committees value consistent career progression and may question a gap created solely for an exam.

Instead, consider whether the break will significantly improve your score. A jump to 675+ FE can strengthen your application, but a small increase is rarely worth the sacrifice of work experience.

DM us to schedule a  1:1  call to have our admissions experts evaluate your profile.

MBADecoder · Answer

If you are going to be on the company salary rolls, and don't have to quit, then I don't see a problem in taking a break. You may even take up a passion project or a skill/knowledge enhancing course during this period- you will not be studying all the time anyhow.

There's a possibility you don't have to declare the sabbatical to the adcom, in which case it works perfectly for you.

If you do have to show the sabbatical for some reason, the additional project or courses will help- you can say you were pursuing these during the sabbatical period. I do not recommend making GMAT prep as the main reason for taking the break.

You have a solid 9 year career backing you so a 3-4 month break will not make a dent, especially if the past work experience has been uninterrupted. However quitting for taking GMAt is never a good reason so don't do that for sure.

Good luck with the GMAT prep

Namita Garg,
Founder, MBA Decoder
650+ Admits |15 years consulting experience | work directly with the Founders
Email: [email protected]
Reach out to us for a Profile Evaluation
Testimonials: https://mbadecoder.com/testimonials

siddharth1493

Hello All,

I need your help in understanding whether taking sabbatical (3-4 months) from work for GMAT preparation reflect poorly to AdCom?

A bit about me, I have almost 9 years of work experience in technology/IT and my current nature of work does leave enough time and mental capacity to focus on GMAT prep completely. I had started preparation couple of months back but it seems to be going nowhere.

I am targeting 1 year MBA programmes in India with intent to have a role change (along with pay scale 😊).

Would highly grateful for you advice and guidance.

Thanks

Posted from my mobile device

MBADecoder · Answer

Don't quit your job for GMAT prep. Its not viewed favorably as b-schools expect you to manage your rime well and multitask. The b-school schedule is far more excruciating than the application process, and b-schools want to be assured that you can manage your workload with other projects like GMAT.

Moreover, i have always seen applicants who take career breaks like these take several months before they find a good opportunity again - so you will also have to deal with a career gap that will need to be explained.

Namita Garg,
Founder, MBA Decoder
Email: [email protected]
Reach out to us for a Profile Evaluation

Testimonials: https://mbadecoder.com/testimonials/
650+ Admits to M7/T15 b-schools |15 years consulting experience | work directly with Founders

Waddup

On a similar note. If not Sabbatical, can we take a career break to prepare for GMAT? How is it perceived by AdCom? Since I am currently stuck at 550. I am planning to take one. Please respond, any thoughts/guidance will be highly appreaciated.

admitStreet · Answer

siddharth1493 - if your sabbatical implies you'd still be on the payroll (i.e. it's an extended break), it should be alright. Since you already have 9 years of work-ex, a 3-4 month sabbatical is less likely to impact the strength of the overall arc. That said, taking a break just for GMAT prep could be viewed negatively by some AdComs, as all applicants are expected to balance work with exam prep. In a way, this is a simulation of how the MBA experience will be (juggling multiple things, prioritizing, and executing). To that end, it'd be good to be involved in activities like upskilling, volunteering, traveling, etc. which can help you showcase your growth and justify the gap if it's being officially recorded. Regards, Arvind Founder, admitStreet | Request a free profile evaluation W: https://admitstreet.com | LinkedIn | E: arvindk@admitstreet.com

AdarshSambare · Answer

I would strongly recommend **taking a short sabbatical or using your leave balance while staying employed**, but **quitting your job solely to prepare for the GMAT is something I would not recommend**.

Here's how I look at it:

**Best-case scenario:**

* You're currently around the **550-560** level.
* You take a few weeks (or a couple of months) off, prepare with full focus, and improve to **650+**.
* Since you're still employed, you can immediately apply to schools without worrying about finding another job.
* Once you receive an admit, you resign and start your MBA.

**The riskier scenario:**
Preparation is only one part of the equation. Even if you're consistently scoring **700+ in mocks**, there's no guarantee you'll replicate that on test day. The GMAT can be unpredictable, and I've personally seen candidates score **695+ on mocks but end up with 555 on the actual exam**.

If you've already quit your job, that uncertainty becomes much more stressful. Instead of focusing only on the exam, you'll also be dealing with the pressure of having no income, explaining a career break, and deciding what to do if the score doesn't go as planned.

That's why I don't agree with advice that casually tells people to resign for GMAT preparation. The upside is limited, while the downside can be significant if things don't go according to plan.

If your target is **ISB** or other schools that accept both exams, it's also worth considering the **GRE**. Some candidates find it better suited to their strengths.

Ultimately, it's your decision, but if possible, my recommendation would be:

* Stay employed.
* Use leave or a short sabbatical if available.
* Quit only after you have an admit in hand, not before preparing for the exam.

AugustAcademy · Answer

Hi Siddharth,

This is going to be a difficult balance.

The general understanding is that all applicants take the GMAT while juggling 40 - 60 hours of work, and other personal responsibilities in their life. So the score you get on the GMAT is the best score that you can get given these constraints.

If you think about it, this is what you would be doing in business school.

Having said that, sometimes it becomes too difficult to juggle everything together. Workloads can become difficult at senior levels. (Again though, your peer applicants will be from a similar background)

In this exceptional scenario, it may be ok to take a small break - time it well. Keep it as short as possible. (Say a month or less?) And then get back to work, while continuing study part-time, as it should be.

Best,
Karthik

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