Taking the GMAT 2 years before applying!

Question

Hi Everyone! My plan is to take the GMAT this coming semester while I'm still a senior in college. Since the scores are good for 5 years and I'm going to apply 2 years after graduation I figure it's better to take the test while my brain is still in "school mode" and I have plenty of time to study. I know some people recommend taking the test closer to when you apply, but I'm not worried about that. I'm wondering how sending scores off to my school works this far in advance. Can I just have the test people send them the score and trust them to hold on to it until 2010? or do I have to follow up myself and have them sent again?

Thanks for the help!

PS a little off topic, but I was curious whether anyone on GMAT club had ever scored that mythical 800 before?

anonymousegmat · Answer

there's some dude on the net who seems like a real tool (sorry if you are on this board, i am sure you are a cool person!). He scored an 800 and charges people $10,000 for 6 weeks of tutoring.

I think people who pay him all that money are **crazy** but the tutor puts forth a convincing argument in terms of how much your MBA is worth, so you should do the best you can and get in to the best school etc. 

Anyway, it might be a good idea to take the test while your brain is still "fresh" from college... but studying for GMAT can become the equivalent of studying for all your college classes in as much as many people who score 700+ and are not Quant jocks put in 3 or four hours a day for 2-3 months. So if this interferes with the grades you would get in your last semesters of college, you are cutting your nose to spite your face. maybe plan on prepping throughout senior year and taking it over the summer.

Also, sending of your report to schools now, 2 years in advance of when you plan to apply, before you have even contacted the school to start the application process might just be a waste. I would imagine that they would just throw it out. could be wrong... but thats my gut feeling.

eschn3am · Answer

what's the alternative then? can I take the test without sending out any grades, but then have my grades sent out later? I feel like if that were an option more people would abuse it by never sending out test scores until they saw the scores themself.

and I've been studying for about a month now and I don't think I'll need 3-4 hours of study a day before taking the test. Not to sound like an **** but test taking has always been a real strong point of mine. The fact that I'm studying for the test as much as I am is out of the ordinary.

kryzak · Answer

have you tried the GMATPrep tests yet? That will give you a good indication on whether you're ready or not. You're right, you don't need to study 3-4 hours a day for more than a month. Everyone's different. Some people can do it with 2-4 weeks of studying, others need 4-5 months. Take the GMATPrep CATs and then you'll see how much more studying you need to do.

eschn3am · Answer

I haven't taken those yet. Are they the free tests at mba.com? In fact, I've only taken one practice test so far...and that was a paper and pencil Kaplan test.

I'm not planning on taking the test for a couple more months after doing all the GMATclub challenges and a handful of CAT practice tests.

kryzak · Answer

I would take a GMATPrep test and see if you're ready to just take the real GMAT... otherwise you'll be spending a lot of time studying aimlessly with no end in sight.

eschn3am · Answer

how do you mean? like that the GMATPrep test and see if I can take it now without taking other CAT tests and GMATClub challenges??

and are these GMATPrep tests off the mba.com site or somewhere else?

eschn3am · Answer

side note: how do I go about accessing the GMAT Club challenges? I have over 200 posts, but do I still make an $80 to get them activated? I've only done the most recent one (25) and it's really whet my appetite for more!

kryzak · Answer

GMATPrep: yes, https://www.mba.com to download

Do one of the tests to gauge where you are, how much more studying you need, and when to set a test date. You might get 770 on it and know that you'll be ready in a month or so of light studying.

You still need to do other CATS (I suggest MGMAT CATs over Kaplan or PR), but the GMATPrep allows you to focus on what you need to work on and gives you an idea of how far you need to go before taking the test.

You just passed 200 posts, your GMAT Club Challenge access should be open in a few days... I'm guessing... mine worked when I had about 220 posts...

beny · Answer

That guy actually got an 800 TWICE and is the only person to do so. Say what you want about him, it'll just come across as spite. Kudos to him for being smart enough to charge $10,000 for tutoring service and getting over 50 clients. His superior marketing knowledge obtained at Fuqua taught him well.

Wrong. The school will keep your score in your file. When you apply/reapply, you don't need to resend them your scores (assuming that your scores are still valid).

anonymousegmat · Answer

yes, you can send the grades to schools later when you are ready. you do it through the website and you just have to pay an additional fee.

 as far as people abusing the system... your last five scores are included on whatever reports you send to schools. so they see what you have done in the past.

anonymousegmat · Answer

That guy actually got an 800 TWICE and is the only person to do so. Say what you want about him, it'll just come across as spite. Kudos to him for being smart enough to charge $10,000 for tutoring service and getting over 50 clients. His superior marketing knowledge obtained at Fuqua taught him well.

beny,

i am sorry if i cam off wrong. i am not spiteful or envious, as neither emotion 'looks good' on me. i said i am sure he is a cool person! just not the type of person i would want to date! lol.

and as i said, he puts forth a convincing argument vis a vis how your MBA can further your career and is an investment in your future. unfortunately, part of my background deals with consumer protection and the gullible - and i think he sells a little bit too much "hope". more sizzle, less steak. he is smart though, and differentiates himself as a luxury item, which people are willing to pay for. i just worry about those who can't afford him, but pony up the cash anyway hoping for a panacea.

50 clients is impressive, but his average client ends with a 680. Now, that is a very good score... don't get me wrong; it is better than 88% or so of test takers. His clients have an average 110 point improvement, again a nice statistic. But is that worth $10,000? especially when Kaplan has something like a 70-80 point average improvement?

I had a roughly 170 point improvement. (it is hard to say for sure since my first CAT was a Princeton Review) All in all, because I didn't get sleep the night before and when I arrived at the test center I was stoned on perscription sleep meds and nyquil, i probably should have had a 190 point improvement.

It cost me maybe $200 for misc. books. I signed up for a Veritas Course for $1500... so all in all it cost me $1700. My Veritas instructor sucked, and I really think I could have done it all with just their online lectures... so I am trying to get my $$$ back from them. After all is said and done i would have prepped lightly for 4 weeks and hardcore for 8 weeks (3+ hours a day) and spent maybe $800 if i get my money back.

As far as his fuqa education teaching him well... some could argue against that point. NOTE This is not necessarily my point of view -merely a counter argument:but he is a glorified GMAT tutor. Yeah he has made $500k in revenue doing it, but all he needed was his duo of 800 scores to do that. His pedigree from fuqua doesn't necessarily come into play.

anonymousegmat

Also, sending of your report to schools now, 2 years in advance of when you plan to apply, before you have even contacted the school to start the application process might just be a waste. I would imagine that they would just throw it out. could be wrong... but thats my gut feeling.

Wrong. The school will keep your score in your file. When you apply/reapply, you don't need to resend them your scores (assuming that your scores are still valid).[/quote]

i never claimed to have concrete knowledge of the admissions process, but i am glad that you do! :roll:

just seems weird that a school would keep a file on someone that has never even reached out to them before. maybe it is common for IT folks to send scores and then introduce themselves to schools and then apply later (?). I do it backwards... talk to school... start the application process online... fill out all the forms... take GMAT... send scores and then send essays.

And, by the by, most programs i am applying to make you resend scores if you reapply. not sure why - it could just be that they are sadists and want you to work harder. this could be different across programs. the important thing to note - which is why i qualified my first statement with "i could be wrong"- is that all programs are different. if esch3nam really was worried about accuracy, he'd call the program and not ask complete strangers on the internet (side note: esch3nam - you should give them a call and see what they say)

just seems weird that a school would keep a file on someone that has never even reached out to them before. maybe it is common for IT folks to send scores and then introduce themselves to schools and then apply later (?). I do it backwards... talk to school... start the application process online... fill out all the forms... take GMAT... send scores and then send essays. And, by the by, most programs i am applying to make you resend scores if you reapply. not sure why - it could just be that they are sadists and want you to work harder. this could be different across programs. the important thing to note - which is why i qualified my first statement with "i could be wrong"- is that all programs are different. if esch3nam really was worried about accuracy, he'd call the program and not ask complete strangers on the internet (side note: esch3nam - you should give them a call and see what they say)

beny · Answer

You make some good points, but I must respectfully disagree.

I agree with you; his services may not be superior. Yet, he was still able to convince many people to sign with him, despite an extreme price tag. That is marketing at its best. If he had a crappy site w/o all the details of his current site, and put "I got 800 twice", I bet he wouldn't get the same amount of customers.

Your Veritas course is a perfect example. You paid $1500 for a course that was completely worthless. Yet, you were still willing to pay for it because you thought that it would benefit you. I'm sure that his clients are the same way. Even if his course is completely useless, they pay with the hope that it will benefit them.

I'm just saying, nobody is forcing these people to sign with him. They do so, expecting good returns on their investments. In the end, it's their choice whether or not to purchase his sevice. If he sells more sizzle than steak, he can only get away with it by convincing others to buy his sizzle. If people can't afford him, yet pony up for him anyway, I'd say it's their problem and not his. They need to better manage their financial behaviors.

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