Forum: Application & Admission (4 Comments)
GMAT, interviews & admissions @ German Schools >:D
Posted by - DG - on 30 March 2015 - 10:12pm
Hi Thomas !!
Yet another post ! Been a while! (:D
I have seen that, a lot of time you keep saying - "If the GMAT minimum is 600, then you will not be rejected on if you get a 610" - when you are talking about some specific schools like IE or WHU, HHl, EBS etc
You have also said "There are renowned schools where the GMAT is less important than at other schools" - you most likely intended the German schools I guess.
Could you please elaborate on this ..... why this is so? My hunch is they concentrate mostly on the interview.
I am saying this because the German schools have 2-3 rounds of interviews - ::o
1- regular/standard interview - Tell me about yourself ... etc
2- A presentation on a topic - which you will have to select or they will give you in advance.
3- An interview with a professor / alumni / corporate guyMy reason to raise up this topic today is because
1- we know the admissions in these German institutes are a little different from the regular French or English schools where it is all about your C.V. and we rarely talk about the German ones.2- to analyze whats going on the minds of the admissions committee in these selective institutes and what are the admissions committee looking for when they try to see the "whole picture" and see weather he is the "right fit".
So if we elaborate - whats your take on this and the the GMAT ? :)o
Snehasish Dasgupta B)-
Kolkata, IndiaPosted by - Thomas Graf - on 31 March 2015 - 12:13pm
Hi there,
I didn't say that 600 is sufficient for specific schools (if I did let me know where so that i can correct it). What I say is:
- In general, a GMAT score of 600 is considered as a threshold for many of the better business schools, for instance when it comes to the MBA - and this can be transferred to Masters in Management as well.
- This does not include highly selective schools such as HEC or LBS with average GMAT scores of 700 or more. HEC expects a minimum of 630 or 640, I as I know from a personal conversation.
- So, you could categorize the schools into about 4 categories: Schools that do not require the GMAT, schools that expect less than 600, schools that expect a minimum of 600 and highly selective schools that expect 640 or more at minimum.
- You could add a fifth or sixth category of schools that offer an alternative on-campus test (supposed to be easier than the GMAT) or schools that take the GMAt into account but see the overal picture.
The important take-aways are:
- You have many options to choose - and if for whatever reason your GMAT is not sufficient you can re-do it or choose another school.
- You don't need to excel with the GMAT. Of course, it is great to have a top score as you can impress people, increase your chances of admission and a scholarship. But if you achieve the minimum score expected you can still apply.
As for IE Business School, they mentioned several times to me that they look at the GMAT but do not put too much of weight on it. Instead, they appreciate other assets in a students CV (e.g., self-initiatives in extra-curriculuar activities etc.). I don't know what it really means in practice since IE is a top-ranked school and I am sure they have their strict admisssions process too. But excellence in the class-room - that's what they search for - may not be solely identified via a high GMAT score.
I am not experienced with the German admissions process. I suggest that you (or your friends) share your experience with other users here in this forum. But in general you can assume that renowned German schools look for intellectual brilliance, an ability to think thoroughly and reflect issues from several perspectives, and show ambition.
Best wishes
ThomasBy Thomas Graf
Owner MIM Compass
Author of the MIM eBookPosted by - DG - on 31 March 2015 - 12:33pm
Thomas
We are not on the same page here.
I didn't say that - you said that - 600 is sufficient for specific school. I said - you said - "they wont throw us out for it"
And there might be a logic for it. Having said , I also feel the same way as you do. :)The fact that they are looking for intellectual brilliance, an ability to think thoroughly and reflect issues from several perspectives, and show ambition. may also be concurred with the fact that I mentioned that - they have a very intensive interview process.
In this line of post I was not talking about HEC, ESCP, LSE etc. I initiated the conversation specifically for the German Schools as we rarely talk about them.
Although I cannot talk about the German schools with complete certainty, as I am yet to give the Admission Interviews. I will surely share my experiences later if I get accepted.
I was hoping if there was anyone who could share his/her experience.
Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 31 March 2015 - 3:18pm
Did you ask the schools to bring you in contact with a current student already? By this you would get first-hand experience as for the interviews.
Via our Ask-the-schools page you can contact Julia Teuber from WHU in Vallendar, Dirk Laschke from KLU in Hamburg, Stephanie Kluth from ESMT in Berlin and also the Frankfurt School's admissoins team or the IPBS team in Reutlingen - all programs from German schools. If you need, I can also give you the contact of Annegret Zettler from HHL.
Thomas
