when to take GMAT

Question

Hi, I've just started to prepare for GMAT through online resources, and want to settle on a study plan.
I'm a working professional, so want to pace my prep a little slower for optimal results. As I understand, taking GMAT anytime after mid-August 2020 will be a bit late for targeting Fall 2021 semester.
I have about 2 years of work experience as of now (1 yr as Data Scientist + 1 yr as Business Analyst  ), so should I be applying to schools with ~2 years of work-ex in sep 2020? or wait (and give myself more time for gmat prep too) and apply with work-ex of 3 years in fall 2021?

AndrewN · Answer

Hello,  cheekycheeky . Depending on these  online resources  you may be using, you may want to take your test sooner rather than later. That is, if you are following a course via a subscription to an online learning module, then you will want to take the exam soon after you finish such a course of study. If, however, you are simply poking around online, studying questions on this forum or watching YouTube videos on strategy, then later might be better. The work experience is fine either way, as long as it is relevant to what you want to do in school and afterwards. Some people will have more or less work experience in that 2-3 years range. The GMAT™ is a necessary evil, one that requires a lot of dedicated prep time and effort. To be honest, you will likely never feel entirely ready to take the test. You just want to hit your high points in the different areas of the test at around the same time, to put in high-level performances  on a consistent basis  so that will feel fairly confident that your exam results will fall in line with your practice results. For some people, that process takes a month, but for most, 3-6 months.

Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi Cheekycheeky,

Since August will be here in just 3 months (sooner than you think), if you are happy with where you are with your job, I think that it may be more beneficial to give yourself more time not only for the sake of the GMAT, but also to have another year of work experience under your belt prior to applying to schools. In any case, if you need any advice regarding your GMAT study plan, feel free to reach out.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi cheekycheeky,

You ask a number of really important 'big picture' questions; the answers will depend a great deal on the specific Schools/Programs that you're interested in and how strong your OVERALL application is (including your GMAT Score). Many Business Schools expect that Applicants will have at least 2-5 years of quality Work Experience (again, the specifics will depend on the exact Programs that you apply to). Many GMATers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores. This is all meant to say that you have to consider how all of this meshes with your potential timelines going forward. For example, based on the relative importance of a strong GMAT Score (especially at highly-competitive Programs), an application deadline might not matter (re: if you don't have the proper GMAT Score - and you are less likely to receive an invite - then you might not want to spend all of that extra time and effort to apply at that point in time).

Since it sounds like you're just beginning your studies, then it would be a good idea to take a FULL-LENGTH practice CAT Test; you can take 2 for free at www.mba.com (and they come with some additional practice materials). If you want to do a little studying first, so that you can familiarize yourself with the basic content and question types, then that's okay - but you shouldn't wait too long to take that initial CAT. That score will give us a good sense of your natural strengths and weaknesses and will help provide a basis for comparison as you continue to study. A FULL CAT takes about 3.5 hours to complete, so make sure that you've set aside enough time to take it in one sitting. Once you have those scores, you should report back here and we can come up with a study plan.

I'd like to know a bit more about your timeline and goals:
1) What is your goal score?
2) What Schools/Programs are you interested in?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

when to take GMAT

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