Dear Fanatical,

Significant scholarships to business school are rare, especially from top 20 programs. The competition to receive an award is fierce as it is from admitted candidates, not the entire pool. I do not recommend selecting schools based on likelihood of scholarship awards, but generally speaking, you will need to be an above average to outstanding candidate in the eyes of the admissions committee for the best chance at an award. Thus you might want to expand your school list beyond the top 10 if scholarship awards are a priority for you. All application components, including the GMAT, are significant in your evaluation, but one is not more important than another. To be in the best competitive position, you want to be above the average of your target schools. There are many GMAT prep programs. I would suggest researching them for teaching methods and style to ensure you are selecting one that is the best match for how you learn and what you need in terms of preparation. Lastly, 25 is not too young. What matters is the quality of professional experience you have gained between graduating from college and the time you apply. If you feel you are ready to go to business school and have amassed quality work experience, then you should apply.

Good luck,
Lisa