The GMAT is the only required admissions test for business schools around the world.  It’s generally considered to be a major part of your application, however a high score by no mean guarantees your admission to every school. I was rejected by both Chicago GSB and Kellogg before being accepted to Columbia.

Nonetheless, it’s worth studying hard for the test.  A score of 700 and up will be enough to make sure your application is taken very seriously at even the best of MBA programs.   The average GMAT score at Columbia Business School was up to 709, last I checked.  Follow the teachings on this site and you will surpass this with ease.

The key to business school applications is to tell a story.  It needs to be compelling.  And concise, with a clear beginning (where have you been?), middle (what are you doing now, and after business school) and end (where is all this taking you? why? is that what you really want your life to be about?). 

These are deep questions.  Business school essays give you the rare opportunity to spend a lot of time thinking about them.  Throughout this blog I espouse this philosophy of mastering the GMAT through genuine hardwork and avoiding shortcuts to real knowlege.  This is even more true for taking the time to ask yourself hard questions, and to really find some conclusions about what you want to do. What do you want to do while you are here?  

 Self-knowledge is the key to writing a good business school essay.