The 2010 Results Are In
Every year, Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions surveys admissions officers from top business-schools the United States. The most recent study, released towards the end of last year, picked up on several key trends and looked at points like whether to sit the GMAT or the GRE, and the effect of social networks on applications.
GMAT vs GRE?
A key finding from the survey was that a growing number of B-schools are now accepting the GRE - however almost a third of the colleges that do say candidates who submit a GMAT test score have an advantage.
According to Kaplan's 2010 survey of business school admissions officers, the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) is making substantial progress in terms of gaining acceptance at American business schools: 39% of the 288 B-schools questioned say they now allow an applicant to apply with a GRE test score, in comparison to 24% last year. Of the business schools that only accept the GMAT, 75% have no plans to consider accepting the GRE however.
That said, even though more MBA programs accept the GRE, the GMAT still holds an advantage in the eyes of B-school admissions officers. Whilst 65% of participants who accept scores from both tests say there's no advantage to applicants submitting one score over the other, nearly a third - 32% - say applicants who apply with a GMAT test score hold an advantage over applicants who submit a GRE test score. Candidates do appear to be aware of this; of the business programs that accept a GRE test score, over two thirds report that less than 10% of applicants actually submit a GRE score as part of their application.
Other highlights from this year's survey:Social Network Sites: Two thirds of admissions officers said that an applicant has included in their application a LinkedIn networking request. 9% of officers say they've visited an applicant’s social networking profile to help them evaluative their candidacy.
A Bad Test Score was the Biggest Application 'Killer': Nearly half of the B-schools surveyed told us that a poor GRE/GMAT score is the biggest application killer. A low GPA came in second at 33%; with insufficient relevant work experience following at 10%.
The New GMAT Section: Schools were asked about their views on the new integrated reasoning segment which will be added to the GMAT in June 2012. Almost half, 47%, of admissions officers have a neutral view, whilst 31% think it is a good development. When asked about their opinion of the difficulty of the revised test format, 4 in 10 don’t think that the IR section will result in the exam being more difficult, but 1 in 5 think it will.
To see a full summary of the survey, click below:
