Mikaela Houck, Program Coordinator

It’s hard to believe how fast this Spring Quarter has gone - from the beautiful Seattle weather to the upcoming Class 9 graduation, it seems that summer is on the horizon. With June just a few short weeks away, TMMBA is eagerly anticipating our June 1 early application deadline for the class beginning in January 2011.

If you’re looking to apply by our June 1 early deadline, here’s a snapshot of the required application materials:

• Online profile
• 3 Essays
• Resume
• Letters of Recommendation (2 total – one from your current supervisor)
• GMAT
• Transcripts
• $65 application fee
• English language proficiency (if your native language is not English)

If you submit your completed application by June 1, you’re eligible for some additional benefits:  guaranteed your section preference (Monday or Wednesday), defer the $1,500 non-refundable tuition deposit to September, and start participating in career services, speaker events and TMMBA activities.

Apply today! TMMBA has a rolling admissions process, so we’ll start reviewing your file as soon as your application is complete.

Feel free to contact us should you have any questions about the application – we’re happy to help!

Richard Lee, TMMBA Student (Class 2010)

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve notice a lot of potential students at the Eastside Executive Center (EEC).  I’ve also had some co-workers ask me about the TMMBA program.  As all applicants know, taking the GMAT is one of the main milestones in getting into an MBA program.  To help out, I thought I’d share some of my tips and experience regarding the GMAT.

Prep Books

GMAT books is how many (if not most) people prepare for the exam.  Not only do they provide practice problems, but they also describe what to expect – the format of the exam, the number of questions, the material that needs to be understood, etc.

Of the people I’ve spoken to, the clear consensus is that the “The Official Guide for the GMAT Review” is essential.  The official guide is published by the GMAC (makers of the GMAT) and has actual problems from the prior year’s exam.    In addition to the official guide, I highly recommend at least one other prep book.  Although the Official Guide has actual GMAT problems, it gives few hints on how to “attack” the exam.  For this, turn towards the big names in GMAT prep books: The Princeton Review, Kaplan, and Manhattan.

Personally, I used the Official Guide along with the Princeton and Kaplan prep books.  In my opinion, the Princeton guide did a much better job in describing the strategy of taking the GMAT.  However, the Princeton practice problems seemed less rigorous than the Kaplan Guide.  Also, I’ve heard good things about the Manhattan guides, although I have not used them myself.  In sum, I recommend the following:

• Get and complete the Official Guide for the GMAT review
• Read the first half of Princeton Review’s GMAT guide
• Get and complete either the Kaplan or Manhattan GMAT guide

Prep Courses

There are many lectured GMAT prep courses out there, with some costing well over $1,000.  I haven’t taken one myself, although one of my TMMBA teammates has.  He told me that the strategy of taking the exam was the focus of what he was taught.  If that’s the case, I’d recommend an extra book over a prep course.  However, I think someone’s learning style would dictate the decision more than anything else.

Richard’s top two tips

I don’t have many test taking tips as most of them can be found in a prep book.  Below are a couple of tips that I learned from my own experience.

• Do practice problems under a time limit:  When prepping for the exam, I thought I had a good grasp of the math portion.  However, when I did my first practice exam, I discovered that it took me the entire 75 minutes allotted to complete half of the math section. 
• Bring/use ear plugs when you take the exam:  The test center I used was made up of a large room with 30-40 three-walled cubicle stations, each with one computer.  I did not foresee how loud and unpleasant the sound of 30 clacking keyboards is, especially when taking an exam.  Thankfully, they had ear plugs at the desk and I had taken a pair.  I suggest others do the same. 

Other Resources

http://www.mba.com

This is the official site of the GMAT.  There a couple things that every GMAT test taker has to do on this site.

First, you’re going to make your GMAT appointment here.  I recommend making an appointment as early as possible, especially if you don’t plan on actually taking the exam until late-summer.  The application deadline for the majority of MBA programs is around the end of August.  If you don’t reserve in well in advance, you may find yourself unable to take the exam in an area near you.  I’ve heard of people who had to drive 50+ miles to get to the next available test center.

Second, download the free test-prep software which includes sample problems and a full length practice exam.  Unlike other GMAT software, the one found here looks and feels EXACTLY like the real exam.

http://www.khanacademy.org/gmat.jsp or http://www.youtube.com/user/khanacademy
(view the Problem Solving or Data Sufficiency playlists)

If you’re worried about GMAT math, the youtube video links above will help immensely.  Salman Khan walks step-by-step through every single math problem in the 11^th edition of the Official Guide for the GMAT.  Although the 11^th edition of the Official Guide has been superseded by the 12^th edition, the material Khan goes over is still valid.

Mikaela Houck, Program Coordinator

It’s that time of year again for TMMBA prospects to brush the dust off their GMAT prep books, tune-up their resume, and delve into the online application. We are currently accepting applications for the class beginning in January 2011, and now is as good of time as any to take the first step in the admission process.

We recognize that this process can seem somewhat rigorous – from the essays to the interview, it’s an accomplishment just to complete the application! That is why TMMBA is here to help along the way.  

TMMBA offers Application Workshops at the Eastside Executive Center on a regular basis. These small group sessions are an opportunity for you to learn how to maneuver the online application, how to prepare for the GMAT, and who should write your recommendations. We’ll give you an A-Z rundown of the TMMBA admissions process and how to submit your best application.

Our first workshop of the year is scheduled for Wednesday, February 10th at 5:30pm. You can view a complete list of  sessions here - hope to see you at an upcoming event!

Attendees have attended an information session, open house or informational meeting prior to the workshop.

Mikaela Houck, TMMBA Program Assistant

Our September 1st final application deadline has recently passed, and we’re in the final stages of evaluating a strong and diverse group of applicants. Congrats to all TMMBA Class 10 applicants for completing the very involved process of essay writing, GMAT prepping, and interviewing.

Class 10 students will meet each other for the first time at the Welcome Reception on Tuesday, November 17th – Looking forward to a great event!

Tracy Gojdics, Director

I have been meeting with many applicants and prospective students lately to discuss their GMAT scores and want to share with you my thoughts on this test that causes folks a lot of anxiety…

- The GMAT is just one component of the application. When we say that the admissions process is a holistic process we mean it. The GMAT score does not tell an applicant’s whole story.

- We accept a students with a range of GMAT scores. Typically the average is around 630 for a class, but the range can be quite vast. Because we get to know most of the applicants and have had a conversation with them about their work history, aspirations and educational background, should a “low” (to quote applicants) GMAT doesn’t override what we know about you.

- Believe it or not there have been times when applicants with 700+ GMAT scores have not been offered admission. It comes down to fit, ability to contribute, motivation and interpersonal and team skills. Scoring high in these areas are what count.

Is there a “minimum” score required? It depends. If you are unsure of whether you should retake the GMAT please come see me or call me.