Business schools consider multiple parameters during MBA admission. GMAT score and work experience are the two most important factors that admission officers consider while evaluating candidates. An outstanding GMAT score with good work experience of 4 to 5 years will improve your chances of getting admission to a decent business school. However, what if you fall short in one of these aspects?
A candidate with distinctive and considerable years of work experience may have a slightly low GMAT score. In such a scenario, the low score may weigh your application down. In another case, a candidate may have a great GMAT score but might fall short in the work experience department.
Do you also have a similar issue?
In today’s blog, we try to explore the high GMAT scores but low work experience issues.
Did you look at the average GMAT scores realized by the business schools lately?
These averages give the perception that more younger and less experienced candidates are getting into MBA programs with higher GMAT scores. Is it really true?
It may not be. Work experience is a critical aspect that is given a lot of weightage in the admissions. In the absence of adequate work experience, you would lack a few vital skill sets essential to survive the MBA program and set out on the right career path. The following are a few aspects of work experience that a high GMAT score will not be able to compensate for:
Limitation of aptitude tests
GMAT necessarily tests your aptitude — quantitative and verbal analysis.
Through the GMAT score, the admission officers get to gauge all applications on a leveled ground. This globally accepted score doesn’t give any more scope for the admission officers to interpret. Hence, unless your GMAT score is outstandingly high like 780, the chances of your score overpowering your work experience are meek.
Managerial and leadership skills
As already mentioned, your GMAT score will only reveal your quantitative and verbal skills. GMAT score cannot measure your managerial and leadership skills. These skills can only be evaluated by your professional experience, your achievements in careers, and how you tackled challenges in your work environment. Business schools are aiming to nurture future business leaders with their MBA programs. Your work experience is a crucial aspect for them to judge you on those grounds.
Progress and evolution
If you didn’t get an adequate GMAT score, you could work on it for a few
months to improve it. However, career progression takes time. Apart from
evolving a person’s technical skills, it also evolves his/her personality in terms of leadership skills, negotiations, and communication skills. These skills cannot be achieved as easily as a better GMAT score. Your professional growth instantly conveniences the admission officers of your evolution and the potential you carry.
Are you an MBA aspirant with only a couple of years of experience but a high GMAT score?
The ideal way to approach international MBA admissions in such cases would be to invest more time in developing your professional career.
However, if you still want to pursue management studies, courses like MiM (Master in Management) are offered by reputed business schools to aspirants with no or less work experience.