A few people who are considering MBA study have asked me about the GMAT test. The GMAT is an exam that most quality MBA programs request their applicants undertake. So here are some thoughts.
The correct attitude for the applicant to adopt towards the GMAT should be one of resigned cynicism. The exam is conducted in Hollywood-inspired faux “high-security” conditions. It features excruciating mental arithmetic, contorted questions that demonstrate a poor grasp of English grammar, and answer frames that are easily guessable without even seeing the questions.
Many people look at GMAT scores in much the same way as IQ scores. And both metrics suffer from the same problem - namely that they don’t actually measure anything except themselves. My advice: prepare, but don’t take it too seriously. It’s useful to rehearse some basic maths, but beyond that, you’ll never need any of these skills again.
Business Schools should not be blamed for requesting GMAT assessment, though. It serves two important purposes: First, it creates a barrier to entry which is always a good thing. Second, it provides a rough indication of potential performance in the course. I emphasise rough, since most MBAs actually offer a variety of subjects which will naturally favour different skillsets and aptitudes. And a big influence on final marks is how hard you work.
During your MBA you are likely to learn about the power held by monopolies, and GMAC (the company that runs GMAT) is a perfect example. The test is an embarrassment, but there is no real alternative. It fulfills a need, has an established brand, and an (often reluctantly-) committed user base.
With the enormous diversity of undergraduate degree courses on offer around the world, you can’t blame business schools for seeking some kind of standardised entry measure, but I think they could be more imaginative. I have suggested that a dry stone walling test might be equally correlated to final MBA outcome, based on my hunch that performance in one area tends to be loosely correlated to outcomes in another randomly-selected discipline.
To prepare for the GMAT, I recommend ’Cracking the GMAT’, by Geoff Martz and Adam Robinson, published by Princeton.