How important is it?

There is no doubt that you should target a high GMAT score and that a high score will improve your chances of admission. A high score projects you as a person with good analytical and verbal skills, both of which are necessary to perform well in a management program and later, after completion of your course, to perform in real life business situations.

If you are applying to a top MBA program that is ranked high, you will need a high score just to qualify for an admission. The average GMAT scores are upwards of 680 in most of the top MBA programs in the US. This figure can be as high as 720 for students from Asian countries who normally score higher. So, if you are applying to a top MBA program, you will need a high GMAT score just to stay in contention. You will first need to get a good score, and then work to get the other application issues right. Your past academic, professional and personal background that you project through information you fill in your application form, and the quality of your application essays finally get you an admission. Since admissions are very competitive, it�s the quality of your background that gets you an admission.

Things could be different if you are not so particular about applying to the ranked MBA programs. The GMAT could be one of the most important factors for admission. If you have a score that is much higher than the average GMAT score indicated by the university, your chances of admission are really good as long as you fulfill the basic requirements. You must have the specified number of years of work experience, the required undergraduate academic performance, and fulfill the application requirements required by the university and you will be on your way. It�s the numbers you have to get right here - fulfill all application requirements, have the required number of years of work experience and an average academic background.

To sum it up, your GMAT score can just qualify you for admission if you are applying to a top program, whereas it can get you an admission if you are not applying to the ranked programs. In either case, a high score can work to your advantage.

You convey another aspect about yourself through your GMAT score. A good score shows that you have taken your MBA admissions seriously. You show that you knew it was important, you took it seriously and you achieved what you set out to achieve.

Thousands of graduate management programs around the world use the Graduate Management Admission Test� in their admissions process. You may be considering whether your program should adopt the GMAT� exam, as well.

The GMAT is an invaluable tool for admissions professionals.

Interest in graduate management education has never been higher, and the job of selecting a class to fill the limited capacity of most MBA programs has never been more challenging. The applicants come from different countries, cultures, academic backgrounds, and levels of work experience. Using the GMAT� exam gives admissions professionals one element of the application that is a consistent measure. The GMAT� exam is given under standard conditions around the world, with the highest level of security, to ensure that scores are comparable across applicants.

The GMAT is a valid predictor of academic success for all kinds of applicants.

The GMAT� exam was created to measure the academic abilities needed to succeed in graduate management education. Over the 50 years of its use, the GMAT� has been repeatedly studied, tested, and modified to ensure that it continues to help predict performance in the first year or midway through a graduate management program.

Using the GMAT allows you to increase the objectivity in your admission process.

When you use the GMAT� in your program, you can participate in the Validity Study Service (VSS) at no charge. The VSS allows you to study the statistical relationship among GMAT� scores, other admissions criteria, and academic success in your program. A validity study helps to ensure that you are making the best admissions decisions and provides a specific, fact-based rationale in the event that applicants, faculty, or administrators have questions about how you made your admission decisions.