Taking the GMAT might be some of the dreaded components of 1’s journey of making use of to a prime MBA program.
The examination prices practically $300 and takes over two hours to finish—to not point out months of finding out and preparation. Of the practically 600,000 people who’ve taken the latest GMAT version, the common pupil solely scores round 550 out of 805. For context, the median rating for fall 2023 entrants to varsities on Fortune’s MBA rating was 665.
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Just a few dozen take a look at takers have ever scored an ideal rating.
However Julia Shackelford is one in every of them.
“It was very surreal,” Shackelford tells Fortune of when she first noticed their 805 rating. Their preliminary thought was it needed to be an error. Nonetheless, Shackelford had simply spent 10 arduous months making ready for the graduate enterprise admissions examination—and it had paid off.
Shackelford, who earned a bachelor’s in finance from the College of Arkansas a few decade in the past, determined final 12 months it was time for a profession improve after years working in shopper lending at an area Arkansas credit score union. She had an curiosity in worldwide enterprise and transferring overseas, so pursuing an MBA grew to become her plan.
How lengthy must you examine to get an ideal GMAT rating?
Shackelford anticipated to have the ability to examine for a couple of weeks and be able to take the GMAT, however she shortly realized that her quick timeline was too formidable for somebody additionally working full-time.
As a substitute, for the following 10 months, Shackelford spent her weekends and evenings strategically finding out for the GMAT. She utilized free and paid sources from web sites like MBA.com and Goal Take a look at Prep. She created a examine plan with the very best goal rating in thoughts—which enabled her to conduct in-depth preparation for all three GMAT sections: quantitive reasoning, verbal reasoning, and information insights.
Shackelford additionally took all six MBA official follow exams which might be obtainable with retired questions and later reviewed all of her solutions with the proper ones.
What’s the finest recommendation to get an ideal GMAT rating?
Their overarching recommendation, she admits is “not sexy” however is easy: “study a lot and really over-prepare.”
“I was pretty anxious and over-preparing was important to me because I really didn’t want to have to take the test twice,” Shackelford tells Fortune—including that for over-preparers like her, you will need to to not neglect to train, sleep, and drink sufficient water.
“Give yourself plenty of time, but also take care of yourself,” Shackelford provides.
The everyday GMAT test-taker is of their late 20s, however Shackelford says even those that haven’t taken a standardized take a look at in a few years can do properly in the event that they put within the time. These finding out might have to surrender their conventional weekends or night plans in alternate for staying dwelling and finding out.
In the end whereas one’s GMAT rating is just a part of one’s software into enterprise college, with admissions counselors contemplating all components of 1’s software, together with essay responses, resume, {and professional} references, getting an ideal rating could be very more likely to enhance one’s software and assist it stick out.
Shackelford utilized to a few colleges—the College of Chicago (Sales space), London Enterprise College, and Copenhagen Enterprise College—and is ready to listen to again. If all goes properly, Shackelford might quickly be among the many new graduates of Sales space incomes median annual salaries of $180,000.
