The Application Process

Hey guys. I'll be a sophomore next year and I thought about taking the GMAT this summer as I have a loooot of time. I consider finishing college within 3 years (I'm 50% sure about that). Well, even if I didn't graduate early, I'd have to take the test next summer if I want to apply to HBS 2+2. Bottom line, do you guys think it's too early for me to take the GMAT? Can I apply to other graduate programs (like Polisci) with that test? If the test is valid for 5 years and I take it in August, I could apply for MBA admission only until 2014, right?

Thanks:)

I'd wait frankly -- lot can steer your life once you get out of school and you may be pushing the limits of the GMAT eligibility. If you find yourself with the same consideration senior year, I would say its about a 50/50 tradeoff, but not at this point.

Good luck!
Aveek Guha, President, www.mbadaycamp.com

EssaySnark clarifies, yes the GMAT is only good for 5 years, and some schools count the 5-year cutoff at date of matriculation not date of application. So that narrows the window even further, since you'd need to have +/-1 year of "life" left on the GMAT when you apply. EssaySnark actually had a client get caught in a bind because she was admitted to a school based on her self-reported score, and then the 5-year date ran out -- and the school had not yet received the offical score from GMAC. She had to jump through major hoops to get it all fixed. So don't take it too early or you may find you need to retest only because the score expired, which is a true bummer of a reason to have to go through that miserable experience again.

But yes, if you're planning on applying to 2+2 (Spain's IESE also has a similar program called Young Talent where you'd apply as a junior -- well worth exploring), then you'd take the GMAT next year -- or even in spring of '12. Or, keep in mind that you maybe should take the GRE instead. The GMAT is preferred if you're only going to try for bschool. If you're actively considering other graduate programs including polisci, then no, you won't want to take the GMAT, you need to take the GRE. Some insights into the pros/cons of GMAT vs GRE are laid out for you here https://essaysnark.blocked/2010/06/ ... s-pox.html.

Good luck with it!

I would wait just a little bit longer... but what's great is that you're already thinking about b-school, so you can start to do things now that will help your chances of admittance as a younger student when you're ready... that's where I would focus my time, if I were you