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Is it too late to start GMAT for 2015 admissions ?

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Is it too late to start GMAT for 2015 admissions ?

by dshah9380 » Thu Sep 04, 2014 1:16 pm
Hello, Gurus and the peers who are tagging along in the journey.

I have some question that are posted at the end. First let me share my profile :

Age : 32
Undergraduate : Engineering 3.52 GPA (India)
Graduate : UofI-chicago GPA 3.01 GPA (US)
Work Experience : 8+ years (5+ In managerial position in Financial Services)
GRE : 1300/1600 (2004 with minimum preparation)

Comments
1. Picked up reading as an hobby and fairly confident that will do above average in Verbal section
2. Engineering major and natural inclination to numbers so feel confident about that as well
3. Starting to prepare for GMAT this week
4. Aiming for 710-720 after 3 months of 2hrs*7 days schedule

Questions :
1. Given my profile, am I ideal GMAT aspirant and would I be able to differentiate myself from the applicant pool.
2. Is it too late to be driving for 2015 intake and interviews.
3. I am targeting few schools like Fuqua (DUKE), UNC-Chapel Hill (kenan-Flagner), UVA-charlottesville (Darden)and similarly ranked university

I appreciate all the help and guidance.

Thanks,
DS
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by [email protected] » Thu Sep 04, 2014 5:33 pm
Hi dshah9380,

There's certainly enough time remaining for you to reasonably make a 2nd or 3rd Round deadline, although you might have to work on multiple pieces of the application at the same time.

Most Test Takers need 3 months (or more) of consistent study time to hit their goals. You might need more or less time, but we won't know for sure until we get a sense of your current skills. You should plan to take a FULL LENGTH practice CAT Test sometime soon so that we can get a sense of your strengths and weaknesses. You can download 2 practice CATs for free from www.mba.com. It takes almost 4 hours to complete the full CAT, so make sure that you've set aside enough time to do so. Once you have those scores, you should report back here so that we can talk through your options.

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by David@VeritasPrep » Sat Sep 06, 2014 5:40 am
While your credentials are certainly impressive, I would still believe that you need to differentiate yourself from other candidates with a similar background.

That means that a good GMAT score is indeed necessary. A 710- 720 (your goal) would certainly qualify for that.

As to whether you can start the process now, it all depends on where you are. You need quickly familiarize yourself with the question types and then take a full-length CAT - preferably the GMATPrep official practice test.

I say that you should familiarize yourself because if you do not understand anything about Data Sufficiency and sentence correction you will get a pretty low score. Basically, if you are trying to do this in 3 months while also writing your applications you would like to see a score on that initial practice exam that is within 100 points of your goal score.

Let us know how the practice test goes!

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by dshah9380 » Sat Sep 06, 2014 8:16 am
Thank you Rich & David for the response.

Friday morning I gave diagnostic test with Princeton Review 2015 and got 610 total score (Q44 V32). Only gave the two sections test- Didn't attempt AWA/IR

Thanks,
DShah9380
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by [email protected] » Sat Sep 06, 2014 10:41 am
Hi DShah9380,

That's a solid starting score (the average GMAT score tends to hover around 550). Going forward, you should make sure to take the ENTIRE CAT each time, so that you can build up your endurance and learn to face the "fatigue" issues that affect most Test Takers later on in the exam.

As far as the next steps you can take and setting expectations for yourself:

1) You don't have to study every day, but studying for the GMAT is similar to having a part-time job. You should expect to spend 10-15 hours per week on this process (for the better part of 3 months).

2) There are plenty of GMAT products available. With your score goal, you'll likely need a GMAT Course (Instructor-led or Guided Self-Study) to help you improve. While a small percentage of Test Takers can hit 700+ on their own (studying from books), most can't.

3) Most GMAT Companies offer some free resources (practice questions, Trial accounts, etc.) so that you can "test out" their products before you purchase anything. Take advantage of all of these opportunities, then choose the one that best fits your personality, timeline and budget.

4) Don't be shy about reaching out for help. This Forum is full of Experts and Users who can answer your questions and help you to improve.

If you have any additional questions, then feel free to contact me directly.

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by dshah9380 » Mon Sep 08, 2014 1:57 pm
Thanks, Rich for the feedback.

I don't think I shared in the previous posts that I was looking at EMBA/Weekend MBA.

I am also very much interested in getting financial aid from the B-School so I believe I have to put in great effort in the GMAT to actually get considered for some assistance.

My company has lot of steps to follow to even considered for permission to attend B-School (one day off) so asking them to fund for my education is too far fledged idea at this point.

Question :

1. I have found that main issue with me at this time is pacing. I am pretty good at poker so I have learnt when to cut my losses and walk away from the pot but still I attempt to complete the question at the expense of other questions or my score. How do I change my mindset.

2. If I didn't get the previous question right, it lingers on my mind and I am not able to focus on the question on hand. I need some serious help with that.

3. I went thru some materials from Manhattan GMAT and I don't think I can remember all the strategies/short cuts. Is there any other way to approach the questions thoroughly and not deduce based on short cuts, strategy and answer it on reasonable logic base ?

Thanks !
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by [email protected] » Mon Sep 08, 2014 6:41 pm
Hi DShah9380,

Since all of your plans essentially hinge on your GMAT score, we need to focus on that first. The type of program you're interested in and the potential for scholarships are noteworthy, but only because of the "data points" that you can use to assess how strong your GMAT score really is.

I'm curious about why you provided the additional information about the company that you work for? Is it to point out that you're "on your own" and will have to finance your education yourself?

As to your questions:

1) It's too early to focus on pacing right now. You have to become comfortable with the material, tactics and patterns behind the GMAT before you worry too much about how quickly you're working through the Test. Pacing usually improves with time. If you're still concerned (and having trouble) 8 weeks from now, then we can talk through the issue in more detail.

2) You'll learn to "focus on the question in front of you" with more practice. It's just like the pacing issue (above). You mentioned that, while playing poker, you can cut your losses and walk away from the pot, but now you're saying that your mind lingers too much on prior questions. So which one is it? Can you move on or can't you?

3) To score at a high level and perform efficiently (solving a problem in the easiest, most-efficient, fastest way possible), you MUST become familiar with the content, tactics and patterns that appear on the GMAT. Attempting to "avoid" that approach will likely hurt your performance and cost you valuable study time. You can use the design elements of the GMAT against the actual GMAT and score at a high level as a result. To have access to that level of expertise, you'll likely need to enroll in a GMAT Course.

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by dshah9380 » Tue Sep 09, 2014 6:33 am
The type of program you're interested in and the potential for scholarships are noteworthy, but only because of the "data points" that you can use to assess how strong your GMAT score really is.
Rich : I am not sure I follow you on that. Would you mind elaborating on that.
I'm curious about why you provided the additional information about the company that you work for? Is it to point out that you're "on your own" and will have to finance your education yourself?
Rich : Just reinforcing the point that financial aid from the company is off the table. It is sink or swim moment for me. All the more pressure to get decent GMAT score that helps me differentiate myself. By the way, I also had question on my Grade school GPA..It is lowly 3.0 -(couple of reasons were changing the method- India was all theory and US was all examples). Will that factor negatively or would rich Work experience counter that with decent essays/GMAT/Recommendation letter.

1) It's too early to focus on pacing right now. You have to become comfortable with the material, tactics and patterns behind the GMAT before you worry too much about how quickly you're working through the Test. Pacing usually improves with time. If you're still concerned (and having trouble) 8 weeks from now, then we can talk through the issue in more detail.
Thanks for the feedback. I will now follow your advise to the tee and will keep you posted on the progress.
2) You'll learn to "focus on the question in front of you" with more practice. It's just like the pacing issue (above). You mentioned that, while playing poker, you can cut your losses and walk away from the pot, but now you're saying that your mind lingers too much on prior questions. So which one is it? Can you move on or can't you?
That's the thing. In Poker, I feel I can't control the destiny so I am okay with walking away from the pot when I know I don't have numbers in my favor and last pot doesn't linger much on my mind. On the contrary, GMAT is different beast. I feel I should know this. I control my destiny and hence when I am unraveled by a difficult question- I feel like admitting defeat and that defeat is still lingering at the back of my mind. This is not how I am in real life. So I might need some coaching on it.
3) To score at a high level and perform efficiently (solving a problem in the easiest, most-efficient, fastest way possible), you MUST become familiar with the content, tactics and patterns that appear on the GMAT. Attempting to "avoid" that approach will likely hurt your performance and cost you valuable study time. You can use the design elements of the GMAT against the actual GMAT and score at a high level as a result. To have access to that level of expertise, you'll likely need to enroll in a GMAT Course.
I agree and will try to focus on patterns, tactics and content. I might enroll the course with you just have to see how the schedule will pan out.

I appreciate the help and feedback.
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by [email protected] » Tue Sep 09, 2014 10:59 am
Hi dshah9380,

Certain scholarships are based (wholly or partly) on an applicant's GMAT score. If you plan to apply for a particular scholarship, then you'll know what score you'll need to be considered for that scholarship. Of course, scoring at a certain level does not necessarily guarantee that you'll receive the scholarship, but the score requirement gives you a "target" to aim at.

Business Schools tend to publish data on their past classes. That data often includes the average GMAT score and the "middle-80 percent" score range. These numbers can be useful as a gauge that you can use to measure your GMAT score, relative to a past group. If your score is considerably lower, then you might not be considered a strong applicant. Remember that the application process involves many "pieces" and the GMAT is just one of them. Plenty of applicants have scored in the low 600s and have been admitted to Top schools.

Your questions about your GPA would be best answered by an Admissions Expert. Right now though, without knowing all of your application details (including your GMAT score, which you don't have yet), there's no way to really evaluate your overall application. A lower GPA usually requires that you "make up" for it in other areas.

The GMAT-related issues from the prior posts will be addressed as you get into your studies. As you become more and more familiar with the content and tactics, you'll find yourself improving in all of these areas.

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