Graduate Management Admission Test |
If one is seriously considering the prospect of studying at a business school, it is imperative that they take the GMAT Test. This particular specie of standardized tests has become the most preferred exam forming a part of the selection criteria for most of graduate business school programs worldwide; especially the leading graduate management and business schools globally. That being said, the fact that it is administered in standardized test centres in over 112 countries across the globe is a testament to the reliance placed upon it by business school to find the right kind of students amidst the multitude of applications they receive.
The test was created to identify whether a particular student is successful in graduate business programs, which is proportional to the score rewarded. It seeks to neither test the candidate’s intelligence nor pre-existing knowledge of business or management studies. It test the candidate’s ability to recognize patterns in a successfully predictable manner. Studies have shown that students who aspire to sit for the test tend to have some preconceived notions about it and there are certain myths that surround it. Some of the common misconceptions borne by those who have heard, read or want to write the test are amongst the following:
- The GMAT is not as challenging as it is made out to be and as such does not require intensive preparation;
- It’s components such as the essay section and integrated reasoning section do not require practice;
- The preparation for the GMAT can be postponed up until the last minute; and,
- The minimum required score given as a part of the eligibility criteria of the program being sought is sufficient for successful admission.
These myths have been debunked by admission councils of varying business schools as well as the test centres that host a plethora of students for every session of the GMAT test. Their observation have a consonance amidst them, in that while it is not an unbeatable test and students that have successfully fallen within the 99th percentile score bearers do exist, it is a test where one will find the continued preparation and practice will continue their upwards growth and improvement of scores. Hence, it is crucial to take a disciplined approach towards it.
GMAT Preparation |
The GMAT has a format in which four components are tested, i.e. AWA (Analytical Writing Assessment), Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative Section and Verbal Section. In that order, they simply test one’s essay writing skills, candidate’s data evaluation ability, reasoning and solving quantitative (mathematic) problems and finally the verbal section provides a comprehension that is read and answered, tests critical reasoning and the English language skills. The essay or writing assessment is not something that one can prepare for in a way to replicate their practiced written work in their answers, however, writing a formidable essay within the prescribed time requires the candidate to have a skills set which includes the ability to think quickly and present those thoughts exhibiting creativity, topical analysis, organisation of ideas and structure. This means there won’t be time to sit and chew over the topic. One must quickly assess what the topic seeks to ask, what they want to write and how they will strategize the arrangement of their response. Similarly, to successfully complete the integrated reasoning section, one must be quick on their feet to identify and recognize patterns and solution, therefore practice ensures such time management.
Any examination that is taken to gain entry into a particular university or college, it is important to consider that all such tests, the GMAT being no exception to this, are constructed and prepared with extensive research and a thoroughness which in unimaginable. The GMAC (“Graduate Management Admission Council”), which owns the GMAT test, constantly updates its test question data bank to ensure that only the most up-to-date and specifically challenging questions are presented to the candidates. Hence, as their preparation is en point, students can certainly expect their own preparation, as a general rule, will reflect the level of advancement they possess in the skills sets being tested. Conclusively, preparation is non-negotiable and non-substitutable as a matter of fact.
Finally, it is a dangerous assumption on the part of either aspirants or candidates that the scores advertised by business schools and management schools as the minimum requirement for entry into the relevant programs are equivalent to a certainty and guarantee of admission. What is generally meant by the schools is that below that applicants with scores below the university set minimum won’t be considered (unless there is an extremely rare circumstance). Instead, an applicant with a higher score will be viewed as a more competitive candidate for the seat and increases their chance of a full acceptance. A greater advantage presented with significantly higher scores is the promise of financial scholarships or subsidy.
Hence, experts advise that any aspirant or candidate ought to consider preparation seriously and reserve some time each day prior to taking the GMAT for practice and study each segment of the examination. Statistics show that students who devote more time to pre-exam preparation of the GMAT find their stress levels lowered during the taking of the test and that their time allotment remains synced and divided appropriately for each question. Conversely, students that did not devote much time to pre-exam preparation, found themselves struggling to cope with the panic and stress of the questions and experienced running back to a single question over and over before comprehending it.
Considering the importance of preparation, there is a supply of mentorship and specialised courses provided to students prior to the taking the GMAT which is carefully structured to ensure the student’s confidence in attempting the paper with section specific classes. WisdomMart, a leading student help institution, has designed its own GMAT preparation Delhi courses which have aided scores of students get their target scores for their targeted business and management schools. It systematically teaches students tricks and tips to help them during the exam, provides thoroughly prepared material to assist them with their preparation and seasonally conduct mock tests to help students overcome any lack of confidence experienced by them. Students who took these aid courses provide highly positive testimonials with respect to them and swear by them for any and all such academic preparation.
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