Ready for B-School? Time to Act Like a Student

Today’s post is brought to you by MBA House and written by Jarrod Stokes, Math Instructor at MBA House. (And I totally agree with him!!!)

Going back to business school after years in the workforce isn’t as easy as just filling out the paperwork and walking through the doors. Instead of navigating managers, regular workdays and the familiarity of your professional experience, you’ll find yourself juggling professors, new and different concepts and vibrant team dynamics. If you want to show that you’re ready for school again, then act like a student and start studying for the GMAT. Get organized. Study the material, not the questions. Most importantly, be honest with yourself: make a study plan and stick to it. The GMAT isn’t just a prerequisite on your business school checklist, it’s your chance to show the Admissions Committee what you’re capable of as a student.

It’s easy to look at the GMAT as a tough obstacle to overcome. It’s a major challenge to take a test on material you may not have seen since high school. But that doesn’t mean the test has to be impossible. The first thing you can do to make the GMAT an easier experience is get organized. The GMAT has resources online (www.mba.com) that show you what the sections of the test are; how much time you’ll have; what material will be covered; practice exams; admissions information, and more. Take the time to really understand what the test is and what you’ll be asked to do, before you jump right into studying.

When you know what the GMAT is made of you can really start to build a study plan. The most important thing to consider is how much time you have. Nobody can tell you how many hours a day you should be studying other than yourself, and there’s no right or wrong amount of prep. Everyone will have a different experience studying to take the exam. The more honest you can be when making your plan, the more you’ll get back from your preparation.

These are some questions you should consider:

• How much can you commit to studying? And that isn’t just time on the clock – it’s time when you’re mentally fresh and ready to focus. Work, family and outside obligations will always be factors in your schedule, so factor them in from the start.
• Should you focus on the math section or the verbal section? This will depend on where your strengths lie. Take a diagnostic exam and see how you do. Once you have a baseline, then you can determine where to focus your studying.
• How long should you study before taking the test? Again this is personal to you, but if you’re able to commit a lot of energy in a short period of time, don’t drag it out for months when you’re already prepared. On the other hand, if you don’t have much time available, don’t rush the test just to make a deadline.

No one will tell you that taking the GMAT is easy, but it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. The more you learn about the test before sitting down to study, and the more you can lay out how and when to prepare for the exam, the more confident you’ll be when test day comes around.