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21 Jun 2018, 10:25
Kudos
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Hi everyone!
I am currently studying to take the GMAT at the end of August (I already have a test date scheduled). I am about to start my 4th year of a 5 year BS program. The reason its taking me 5 years is that I will have done 3 6-month internships by the time I graduate (1.5 years full time experience). The reason I am taking the GMAT this August is because after my current internship ends I will have about a month and a half to dedicate solely to studying, free time I will never have again. I also plan on applying to the HBS 2+2 program as well as the one at Darden at the end of my senior year. I am writing because although I was very set on my plan I am worried that I am taking the test too early. By the time I graduate (if I am not accepted into any early programs) my GMAT score will be over 1.5 years old already. This gives me less than 4 years of full-time work by the time I need to apply to an MBA program. Originally I was OK with this, due to the fact that undergrad has given me an extra 1.5 years of experience, but now I am getting worried and anxious. Has anyone else taken it this early? Is there any advice on what is best? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you!
I am currently studying to take the GMAT at the end of August (I already have a test date scheduled). I am about to start my 4th year of a 5 year BS program. The reason its taking me 5 years is that I will have done 3 6-month internships by the time I graduate (1.5 years full time experience). The reason I am taking the GMAT this August is because after my current internship ends I will have about a month and a half to dedicate solely to studying, free time I will never have again. I also plan on applying to the HBS 2+2 program as well as the one at Darden at the end of my senior year. I am writing because although I was very set on my plan I am worried that I am taking the test too early. By the time I graduate (if I am not accepted into any early programs) my GMAT score will be over 1.5 years old already. This gives me less than 4 years of full-time work by the time I need to apply to an MBA program. Originally I was OK with this, due to the fact that undergrad has given me an extra 1.5 years of experience, but now I am getting worried and anxious. Has anyone else taken it this early? Is there any advice on what is best? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you!
SSM700plus
Joined: 01 Aug 2017
Last visit: 08 Aug 2022
Posts: 164
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 420
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Leadership
Schools: ISB '20 (S) IIMA PGPX"20 (S)
GMAT 1: 500 Q47 V15
GPA: 3.4
WE:Information Technology (Computer Software)
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21 Jun 2018, 18:26
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efleuette
Hi efleuette,
Most of the Bschools accept GMAT score at max 36 months old from day you are joining the GMAT Course.
I would suggest it is wise decision to start early, so that if there is any improvement needed , you would have sufficient time to fill the gap and re-take GMAT.
But it also depends on which BSchools are you targeting & in which year you are trying to get an admission.
As you might know, GMAT score & WE is not the only criteria to get an admit into BSchools
A few BSchools even accept score , which is at max 60 months old from day you are joining the GMAT Course.
Please consider this factor before planning to take GMAT.
Hope this helps!!
22 Jun 2018, 10:11
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Hi SSM700plus,
Many future applicants elect to take the GMAT toward the end of their undergraduate experience, when, as you noted, they might have an open period to focus deeply and exclusively on the exam. That usually comes during their senior year, giving them several future years with which to apply using that score.
The wrinkle for you is that it sounds like you'd be taking the GMAT right before the start of your 5th year. So let's do the math. If you take the exam in Aug 2018, it will be valid until Aug 2023. The details of GMAT score validity can vary from program to program; sometimes it needs to be valid as of the deadline date for the round in which you apply, and sometimes the program states a specific date after which you must have taken it (e.g., October 1 of five years ago).
Because you're taking the exam in August, you'll mostly lose out on the ability to apply with that score in the Fall 2023 (to enroll in Fall 2024). So the latest year you'd realistically be able to apply with that score is Fall 2022 (to enroll in Fall 2023). It sounds like you're graduating in 2019. So you'd have three years of full-time work experience at the point of application and four at enrollment. The average at most top programs in the U.S. is five at enrollment, and four is usually within the sweet spot for applicants (i.e., toward the middle of the bell curve). That is a very common year to apply.
Long story short, I think it's fine to take the exam in August if that's when you think you'll have time to maximize your score. The main downside is that you'll kind of be establishing now when you'll "need" to apply the future, so you lose some flexibility. And if things didn't work out to your liking in Fall 2022, you'd have to re-take the exam to apply again in Fall 2023.
[Applying in Fall 2021 -- two years of experience to enroll with three -- is sort of in play as well, but that would put you at the very front end of the middle 80% range for most programs. People do it, but you don't have much experience and have a steeper hill to climb in terms of articulating your leadership, advancement, impact, etc.]
Hope this helps!
Thanks,
Greg
Many future applicants elect to take the GMAT toward the end of their undergraduate experience, when, as you noted, they might have an open period to focus deeply and exclusively on the exam. That usually comes during their senior year, giving them several future years with which to apply using that score.
The wrinkle for you is that it sounds like you'd be taking the GMAT right before the start of your 5th year. So let's do the math. If you take the exam in Aug 2018, it will be valid until Aug 2023. The details of GMAT score validity can vary from program to program; sometimes it needs to be valid as of the deadline date for the round in which you apply, and sometimes the program states a specific date after which you must have taken it (e.g., October 1 of five years ago).
Because you're taking the exam in August, you'll mostly lose out on the ability to apply with that score in the Fall 2023 (to enroll in Fall 2024). So the latest year you'd realistically be able to apply with that score is Fall 2022 (to enroll in Fall 2023). It sounds like you're graduating in 2019. So you'd have three years of full-time work experience at the point of application and four at enrollment. The average at most top programs in the U.S. is five at enrollment, and four is usually within the sweet spot for applicants (i.e., toward the middle of the bell curve). That is a very common year to apply.
Long story short, I think it's fine to take the exam in August if that's when you think you'll have time to maximize your score. The main downside is that you'll kind of be establishing now when you'll "need" to apply the future, so you lose some flexibility. And if things didn't work out to your liking in Fall 2022, you'd have to re-take the exam to apply again in Fall 2023.
[Applying in Fall 2021 -- two years of experience to enroll with three -- is sort of in play as well, but that would put you at the very front end of the middle 80% range for most programs. People do it, but you don't have much experience and have a steeper hill to climb in terms of articulating your leadership, advancement, impact, etc.]
Hope this helps!
Thanks,
Greg
efleuette
