Now is a time when many applicants are scrambling to wrap up the GMAT so that they can finally focus exclusively on the written portion of their applications. Many are trying to decide whether to take the GMAT again, or just accept their current score and move on. While this is not a black and white issue, as the GMAT is only one component of the process, the following is some information that should help you put together your own GMAT game plan.

It’s important to understand how most of the top schools review your GMAT score. By and large, the GMAT score is self reported on your application. This means that the school will ask you for your highest score, or perhaps your highest and most recent, and you manually input it into your data forms. This self reported score is really the only one that the admissions commitee will look at until you are admitted. Once you are admitted, they will confirm the validity of the self reported scores. As a result, your highest score really, truly, is the one that is considered. I have been asked many times, and in turn have asked the schools – “Do you really only consider the highest score? ” The answer always comes back as a “yes”.

Does this mean that you should keep taking the test as much as possible until you see improvement? Absolutely not. You have much better things to do with your time and money. However, I do recommend planning to take the test at least twice. There is no harm in taking it twice, and because this test becomes easier with practice, there is a good chance that you will improve your score. Beyond two attempts it is really up to you – if you feel that you have a reasonably strong chance of significant improvement, you may decide to continue to divert time away from your essays and give the test another try.

What if you take the test and know, without a doubt, that you completely bombed it? Should you cancel your score? Again, since the admissions committee considers your highest score, there is no point in cancelling a low score. Every year I have clients who are convinced they floundered and were very pleasantly surprised. Those who cancel their scores are at a disadvantage – they have no idea how they scored, they have nothing “anchor” with, and no way of measuring improvement. Even if you did score low, it is nice to know where you stand, so that you can intelligently plan your next steps.

What is the score that you should be shooting for? The obvious answer is that you go for your highest possible score. Even if you recieved a 710 on your first attempt, a 760 is significantly better. If you think you can improve that much, even when your starting score is above average for a school, it is worth trying. That said, most of us cannot reach 760. The minimum you should shoot for is within the 80% range for your target school – again, the higher the better. Know that certain demographic profiles can get away with lower scores. It is true that a French female applicant, where English is a second language, may not be required to have as high a score as a Caucasian male from the US. If you are unable to reach the bar that you set for yourself, take comfort in the fact that 80% percentile means that 10% of the admitted class scored below that range. The rest of your application will have to work that much harder for you, but it is not impossible to overcome a low score.

Finally – preparation. While everyone has their own style and approach for preparing for the GMAT, I recommend a formal class or private tutor of some kind. Beyond the curriculum, a key benefit of a class is the discipline it provides. Between classes, homework and practice tests, you are likely to make the GMAT a part of your daily life and gain the practice that you need. Because the test is taken on a computer in a strange environment, practice and familiarity with the test is crucial. You should allow about 2 months for prep, and ideally you will not be distracted by essays and other aspects of the process during that time.

Sitting in front of your computer, reading and rereading essay questions, trying to figure out what the admissions committee wants to hear…it’s overwhelming. Most applicants have a hard time just getting started. Over the weekend, applicant Anand Rao wrote about the prep work he did before taking the plunge. I have plenty of clients who can relate to his attempts to organize before typing those initial words. In the first moments, as you begin your essays, you may actually consider scrapping it all and applying next year. Or you may find other, more creative ways to procrastinate.

There are plenty of ways to prepare your content so that you are ready to write. We go through a number of exercises with clients struggling with writer’s block. One very simple approach is to write out a list of key topics you want to communicate to the admissions committee. For example: accelerated career progression, mentoring experiences, international focus, non-profit leadership. Once you have your list, you can map your topics to specific essay questions. Make sure that all of your material is tied to at least one question. Once you have your essay topics organized, you can put together outlines with specific examples.

After that, you need to just start writing. As you write your initial drafts, don’t worry about perfecting the content or the grammar, and certainly do not worry about word count. It’s less difficult to edit a draft than it is to start from scratch. If nothing else, the goal of your first draft should be to give yourself something to work with so that you can move forward.

As you fill out your business school applications, you will undoubtedly encounter some very challenging essay questions. To be successful, you will go through a lot of soul searching and self discovery. Most applicants are bound to encounter the “why MBA” question frequently. It is surprising how difficult this relatively straightforward question can be. Applicants who have focused goals and defined reasons for wanting to apply often still struggle.

Demonstrating that you will benefit from the experience offered by your target program is critical to your success. Even if you are not asked the question explicitly, you should be aware that your story needs to illustrate that the program can help you achieve your personal and professional goals.

Every year, I work with reapplicants who solicit feedback on applications they submitted in prior years. Here are some highlights from recent feedback sessions that illustrate the point above:

Applicant A:
GPA – 3.9
GMAT – 680
Experience – 2 years strategy consulting
Goal – career in IT.
Feedback – not clear why you need an MBA. Seems like your goals are more technical than managerial.

Applicant B:
GPA – 3.1
GMAT – 710
Experience – 4 years venture capital
Goal – continuing current career in venture capital.
Feedback – not clear why you want an MBA. Seems that you are gaining relevant experience on the job. What can the MBA provide?

Applicant C:
GPA – 3.6
GMAT – 700
Experience – 3 years strategy consulting
Goal – career in arts management
Feedback – not clear why you need an MBA, the degree is generally not required for Arts Management.

The moral of this entry is – make sure it is clear to the admissions committee that the MBA can help you reach your stated goals in a very specific way. Understand what you will gain from their program and communicate that clearly to them. Your explanation should demonstrate an understanding of what an MBA can provide, and the benefits of their specific program. This can also include insights into their culture, and ways that being immersed in that environment can help you develop.

Most applicants spend a great deal of time agonizing over their school list. This is viewed as a crucial first step that must be finalized before embarking on the process. I read with interest a recent blog entry by applicant Ty Coon, where he discusses the evolution of his list. Ty Coon started with a long list of schools, and as he progresses through the application process some schools are falling off, while others remain, for all kinds of reasons. Time is a big reason, as is the expense of applying. Some schools remain because they are viewed as back ups, others because their programs are a good fit.

One important thing to take away from Ty Coon’s experience is that the school list evolves, as does the applicant’s story. Obviously you need at least one school to start with, but much of your list can be determined as you progress through the process. As you become more invested in going to business school, and your story solidifies, you made decide to add additional schools. As you clarify your goals, you may consider schools that you had never looked at in the past. Similarly, this process may cause you to drop schools.

As you form your list, one important question to ask yourself is: How committed am I to going to school next year? Am I dedicated to one or two top choice schools, or to going back to school – period? Some applicants are content in their careers, and will only go back to school to attend a top choice. This is a fine decision – just realize that applying to one school is a risky strategy, no matter how qualified you may be. Other applicants put together a broader list in order to maximize chances of acceptance. This is a personal decision – just be honest with yourself when assessing where you want to be next year.

A couple of other things to consider:
1) Never apply to a school that you will not be happy to attend.
2) It can be important to keep your dream school on your list – otherwise, you may always wonder what might have happened.
3) Remember that there are plenty of great schools that can help you to reach your goals – don’t get caught up in stereotypes and rumors – approach this with an open mind.
4) If you are interested in working for specific companies after you graduate, call the companies directly and ask them where they recruit.
5) Start with one key school and allow your list to change as you go through this process of self discovery.