Forum: GMAT, TOEFL, and other tests (2 Comments)

2 Weeks to GMAT !!

  • Posted by - parida91 - on 24 January 2013 - 8:55am

    Sir,
    i am in my final year pursuing B-tech (Mechanical Engg.) from a reputed university in India.
    My Score is 7.6/10 till now with no Work Ex.

    I have a GMAT appointment on 9th February,2013.i have given a few practice tests until now and have been scoring in the 580-600 range. As this would be my first GMAT Exam,i am not sure about how to improve my scoring a bit more at such short notice.
    Would you share with me some tips and tricks which would help to improve my score by 60-70 points.i am aiming for a score of 660-670.On Average,i have been scoring above 80 % in Quant but only 20-25 % in Verbal,RC.

    Would 600-650 be a good score for applying to the elite MIM Schools ? Secondly,How Much does Accrediations matter while selecting schools for a good MIM Degree experience ?

    Please Help !
    Thanks.

    • Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 24 January 2013 - 11:36am

      Hi there,

      I understand your situation - and I agree: For the moment, there is not much you can do anymore. You need to wait which score you finally achieve and decide how to move on. Personally, I found it easier to improve the quants score in some weeks than the language score.

      Keep in mind that you can do the GMAT again after 30 days (or more) in case you are not satisfied with your score. If you re-do it I would clearly analyze, however, what your weaknesses have been and work on them (e.g. by using a language trainer; or by working through other GMAT books).

      As for the the MIM schools: About 40 percent don't require a GMAT at all and those that require it have an average score are 610 (meaning some students are better some are worse). So you should get in.

      However, it may be that you find a very renowned school that has an average score of 700 (meaning some are better, some worse) - then it can be a problem.

      But in general, with a GMAT of 600 or more you should find a resonable school. Keep in mind, however, that the GMAT is not the only criterion if a school takes you or not. Essays, for instance, can be very important because here you (again) need to show your language ability - e.g., how to structure a topic and write about it critically.

      As for the accreditation, they don't give you a guarantee that the program is the best for you. But they provide you with minimum standards. Indeed, we found a correlation between accreditation of the schools and future entry salary of the MIM graduates (Source: Global MIM Survey 2012). So unless there is a reason NOT to choose a school with an accreditation I would always go for a school with AMBA, AACSB, or EQUIS accreditation.

      Best if luck
      Thomas