Well my friends, I have been received preliminary acceptance to the CSU-DH MBA online program. Through 7 previous colleges (and more than 100 classes), I apparently have an accumlative 3.66 gpa (3.8 on my last 60 units). Now all I have to get is a 450 on my GMAT Any good insight to the test? I have taken the Kaplan and Arco tests. I received a 600 on my preliminary test and a 510 on my finished test (the end test is much harder than the preliminary). The Arco test scored around 500 as well. Are these test pretty close to what is on the test? Anything in particular to look out for? Is a 450 score really that hard to receive? What about the written portion? How do they really grade that with a computer, or it is graded by in some other fashion? Thanks for any insight! As a side note, my best wishes are for a speedy recovery for Mark Israel. Having been hit by a car in the past, I know what it feels like. It sounds like he faired much worse that I. My thought are also with his wife. I think it is great that she is by his side talking with him - beleive me, he does hear you.
I seem to recall that the Kaplan test isn't scaled (it was something like two in the morning when I was last surfing the Kaplan site), so you might want to go to http://www.mba.com/mba/TaketheGMAT/ToolsToHelpYouPrepare/GMATPrepProducts/PowerprepSoftware.htm and download the powerprep software, which includes two complete GMAT CATs. Give one of them a go under exam conditions and see where you seem to have any difficulties. As they are actual GMATs, using the same software but just with retired questions, you're going to get a fairly decent indication of your probable score. I'd definitely recommend the offical GMAT study guide as well. I also like the Kaplan guides, and Kaplan does have some useful online courseware as well. The ARCO guides I found to be pretty useless. Is 450 a difficult score? Nope. If you're bright enough to have a 3.66 GPA, you should be aiming at well over 550. For the essays, remember that the computer grading means that they aren't looking for pellucid prose. Practice writing for and against agruments in relatively simple prose. Complex subclauses with semi-colons and parentheses are contra-indicated. Angela
First, I would say get a GOOD prep - it should improve your score about 100 points (on average). Second, make sure to take the practice tests in the same manner as the real thing (on the computer). How the computer taking works is the computer will start you out with a "middle" question, if you miss it, it gives you an easier one, if you get it right, it gives you a harder one. The questions are weighted differently. The essay is first, which is not part of the score, it is a 1-5. Some schools don't require it, since it is first, find out, if your school does not require it, skip it. I received the highest score on the essay, but none of the school's I applied to seemed to care, just the score on the other portions. Biggest thing to look for: Since you can't go back, really think about the answer. It is a different mindset, so make sure you practice on how it works. 450 should not be a problem, but like any standard test, look at what they are looking for, not necessarily what you think is right (I disagree on several of their answers of the sentence structure questions). There is a pattern to their questions, especially in the sentence structure and english portion. I think the average if 600 (not sure about that though). Good luck!
Re: Re: Gmat In particular, pay attention to the first seven questions in each section. They're the ones that determine the overall hardness level of the test. I have to agree with you about that one. Although GMAC claim that the verbal questions are not biased agains people with English as a second language, they were definitely a little odd to somebody with the Queen's English as her first language. There was definitely a cultural element there that I wasn't getting at all . . . and I say that despite scoring 44 on the verbal section! They claim that 2/3s score between 400 and 600. The average (mean) is 528, although that only puts one in the 46th percentile of test takers http://www.mba.com/NR/rdonlyres/55DF55BA-4F4E-4DB9-A5BE-39DC98C46551/0/Interpreting_Your_GMATScore.pdf Sigh. If only I could have been scored on my verbal section and essays alone ;-) Angela
Best adise is to be well rested and in good health. Determine wther you are a morning or afternoon person (most productive period) and schedule the test to match. If you get sick just before you take the test, reshedule. Use the practice exams to determine what type of question you have the most difficulty with and work on those. Study HOW to take the test not what is ON the test as the exact material will very for two people sitting side by side. If you took the test twice on the same day (morning and afternoon) it is possible to not get even 1 duplicate question (all questions different). Different test prep systems (as Kaplan, Peterson, etc.) will work better for some and and not for others. Find your comfort level and work with it. Good luck, just rember that thousands have taken the test successfully and you are as good as they are.
Mr. Engineer: I'm currently preparing to take the GMAT next month and have found the ARCO and Princeton Review series to be the most helpful... I'd also recommend the following website: http://www.gmatclub.com/ Great discussion forums and tips/strategies sections...Good Luck! Gene
Congratulations on being accepted to CSUDH. I am preseently in my final semester of the CSUDH online MBA program and have been very happy with the curriculum and instructors... think selecting CSUDH is a good choice! When I was accepted to CSUDH two years ago, a sufficient GMAT essay score would exempt you from the GWE/GWAR test requirement (Graduate Writing Exam required of all Cal State students), but the website no longer cites this as as an exception.... everyone may have to take the GWE exam now but it is worth a shot to ask the Cathi the advisor if a good GMAT essay score will get you out of it! Good luck-
Thank you for the 411 on CSU-DH. Did you have to take the bridge courses before actually starting the program? How long did it actually take you to complete the courses? What were the best/worst classes? Does CSU-DH require a thesis project? And if so, what type?
Actually, I had to take three bridge classes. In my undergrad, I took two finance classes but no accounting (had to take the fin/acc bridge class), took marketing but not economics (had to take the marketing/economics bridge class), and took two statistics but no ops research (had to take the ops research/stats bridge class). I took the bridge classes early when they were only six week classes, but now I believe they are eight weeks each. Some of the brige classes did have applicability to the core classes in that I was able to use some of the assignment prep and text for other classes ( if that is any consolation). KEEP ALL OF YOUR ASSIGNMENTS! You never know when it will be useful for application to other classes! Anyway, the bridge courses do not have to be taken first. You can take Advanced Topics in Operations Management and the Accounting/Finance bridge course simultaneously... just don't think you can take the Advanced Topics in Accounting before the Accounting/Finance bridge course. I started in August 2002 and pretty much kept a two class workload and will finish in June, so the total will be 22 months. Classes are offered throughout the year (four - twelve week semesters). There is not a thesis requirement. Strategic Management is taken in your final semester and acts a capstone course to assemble the other core courses into one big picture. Best and worst classes? I think the best class was an elective class - Entrepreneurship! I worked my butt off and that may be why I got so much out of the class (get out of it what I put into it). Marketing was a very good class as well as Adv Finance (another one that was more difficult than the average). The only class I thought was aweful was the Statistics/Ops Research bridge class. Online is no way to learn that type of mathmatical material. Hope this helps!
Thanks again for the information. I took the liberty of printing your posts so I could remember what classes to take with what. It is good to hear that I can take some of the bridge courses along with the regular classes. Because my undergrad degree is in technology and not business, I suspect that I will have to take most of the bridge classes. Even with the extra expense, it is still much cheaper than a private on-line degree (less than half of what Keller or UoP costs - and with a more recognizable name). Where you able to make any contacts while in the degree program that would assist you in obtaining future employment? A colleague who is an MBA said that networking among fellow MBA students is just as important as the classes themselves. That is the only negative that I see with an on-line degree - you lack the face to face contact to develop professional relationships. I heard from other students at other MBA schools that Entrepreneurship was one of their toughest courses. I thought of either that class, or if they offer a course in Supply Chain Management (seeing that they are outsourcing a great deal of the semi business). Anything but Marketing (I can't lie to a customer with a straight face - lol)
I can't really say that I have done any meaningful networking, although I can see how networking could be a benefit... do you really think that networking (even an MBA taken in class) is that much of a benefit? I understand that the Yale and Harvard grads have a tendency to recruit and hire grads from their school and possibly from their class, but do you really think those that graduate from non Ivy League schools maintain those types of relationships? Just a thought...
If you want networking try: http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/EWMBA/prospective.html or: http://www.berkeley.columbia.edu/ or: http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/sloan/ or: http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/exed/ But prepared to spend $$.
