How to 'Own' your GMAT in 6 months

Everyone hates the GMAT. It is a nail biter. It is long nights with coffee binges. It is a cold, dark place of studying, with consequential dark, puffy eyes. It is stress and anxiety eating purges. It is almost as if you are preparing to end a long term relationship. In a nutshell, it is discomfort, pain, and unecessary drama in your life.

So, what can we propose you besides GMAT therapy ? Well, believe it or not, ESSEC Business School has developed a 6 month plan to get you on track to own your GMAT and pass it with flying colors. If you follow our secrets to success, the GMAT will become nothing but a light breeze – a romantic summer fling that is nightmare free.

"ESSEC Business School has developed a 6 month plan to get you on track to own your GMAT and pass it with flying colors."

Here is a therapeudic timeline of what should be done for your GMAT preparation :

6 months ahead  - Double your chances in the race

It is always a great idea to book your exam 6 months ahead – that way, you can develop a schedule for studying, suit for your attention span. Allow for 2 months between the exam and ESSEC’s application deadline. If ever you relapse and fail your GMAT exam, no worries – you can retake it once per month. You can always regain your studying sobriety chips and redeem your score.

4 months ahead – Build your strategy

In order to claim ‘checkmate’, your strategy for dominating the GMAT needs to be set in stone before taking the exam. Gather up your chess pieces and ask yourself : How many hours of studying do I need ? What days of the week can I set aside to study ? Do I have enough coffee and snacks to get through a study sesh ?

Create a studying google calendar to accomodate your personal needs. Use colors, emojis and GIFs when planning – always incorporate fun into the process, otherwise it will always be monotnous when hitting the books. This will allow you to personalize your goals and set objectives with realistic planning, defining a concrete project that has an expiration date.

"...always incorporate fun into the process, otherwise it will always be monotnous when hitting the books. This will allow you to personalize your goals and set objectives"

3 months ahead – Put your money where your mouth is

Train, train, train. Do as many practice exercises as you can. Exploit the GMAT website to your advantage and immerse yourself in the retired GMAT questions. This way, you know what you are going to be working with when you confront the GMAT monster.

P.S : Non-native English speakers unfortunately might have to start 4-5 months earlier. But no fear ! The best way to overcome a language barrier, especially if you are battling the secrets of the English language, is to go to a burger joint,  have a Starbucks coffee, and sit down during your GMAT studying breaks and watch the ‘House of Cards’. Never fails.

 2 weeks ahead – Ask around for some advice

You should never be ashamed when asking for some external help. The GMAT is a nervewracking experience that may result in PTSD for some, so it is always reassuring when you ask someone who has taken it before.

"...be harsh with yourself and understand where your weaknesses lay."

Before taking a GMAT class however, be harsh with yourself and understand where your weaknesses lay. After this discovery, attend a class - however, we suggest the option to opt for an individual tutor. Sure, it may be expensive, but hey, you will be sure to get all the individual lovin’ and attention you need.

6 weeks ahead – Intensity is key

NO MORE EXCUSES. Even if you forgot to buy the coffee for your studying sessions. Intensify your personalized studying schedule and do as many exercises as you can.  Be your own motivational speaker. Pump up the colors, highlighters, emojis and GIFs – you’re gonna need ‘em.

3 weeks aheead – Mimic confrontation

During this time frame, really try to play out how to finally break up and ‘own’ the GMAT. Stimulate the test setting itself. Practice with the GMAT mock exams online with the time limit provided.

"Familiarizing yourself with how the exam will be will not only calm the butterflies in your stomach but will eiliminate nausea" 

Pick an environment that resembles what the exam setting will look like, and pour it all out. Familiarizing yourself with how the exam will be will not only calm the butterflies in your stomach but will eiliminate nausea and help you get over the exam better than Taylor Swift songs can.

3 days ahead – Calm before the Storm

Rest. Take a bath. Go to a spa. Drink organic tea. Have a dance party. Sing ‘Staying Alive’ by the Bee Gees with Saturday Night Fever on repeat. Do whatever it takes to relax before your exam sneaks up on you.

These couple of days are meant for no more stress, with good sleep each night – sleep reduces stress and helps your brain buddy to remember everything your coffee binges taught you over the past 6 months in preparation for the exam. Be nice to the most complicated organ in your body – it is your only ally in this battle between human and mathematics.

"Show the GMAT that you are ready for battle, and take out your light saber. Dominate."

 D-DAY

As said so famously in Star Wars, “Now, witness the power of this fully operational battle station !” Show the GMAT that you are ready for battle, and take out your light saber. Dominate. Show that test who is boss. Strut in with confidence, and leave with victory.

Throughout the whole process, ESSEC will be there, rooting you on. We will be shouting, “I never doubted you! Wonderful!”, just like when the good guys win in the Star Wars saga.

You got this. Go get ‘em, tiger.

Read more on how to destroy the GMAT & what the requirements are for ESSEC at :

http://www.essec.edu/en/program/business-school/msc-management-grande-ecole/faq

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The Grey's Anatomy of Writing a Letter of Motivation

ESSEC Students Hard at Work

Let’s face it, writing a letter of motivation isn’t that rosy after all. In fact, this step of the application process is one of the most tedious procedures a student must do – all the stress, impatience, and doubt of self-worth sooner or later will come up and bite. 

Since there is no magic potion for a perfect motivation letter encompassing a students’ worth, it seems that schools have become pickier and pickier with candidate selection and students seem to crack under the stress. Luckily, we’ve come up with some great advice to put some pink glasses on the process and to make it not only memorable, but one of self-discovery that will help students learn their motivations, strengths, and amiable characteristics. 

"The process of writing a letter of motivation is one of self-discovery that will help students learn their motivations, strengths, and amiable characteristics." 

We want to make writing motivation letters great again and to allow students to foster their confidence throughout the recruitment and application process at ESSEC for an understanding of true personal potential. Thus, we present to you the surgical anatomy of the perfect motivation letter, without the need for a medical license.

1.     Do the homework

Before opening Microsoft Word, a thorough research about the school needs to be done. Getting a good idea about the qualifications, expectations and requirements that ESSEC asks from each candidate already presents a good idea about what should be included in the letter. 

ESSEC is a pretty cool school and has an extremely thorough website, so go all out! Exhibiting research about programs, courses, and tracks showcases true motivation to the jury, and lets them know that you are truly excited to join the pioneers at ESSEC.

"We want to make writing motivation letters great again and to allow students to foster their confidence throughout the recruitment and application process at ESSEC for an understanding of true personal potential."

2.     Self – Meditate

Digging deep into yourself is pretty hard to do, especially if you are sitting in front of a blank page on your computer. In order to seek your goals, motivations, dreams, and future plans that you want to pursue, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and ask yourself these questions before writing:

1)    What is my goal?

2)    Why do I think that ESSEC is interesting and suitable for me personally?

3)    What are my strongest qualifications, past experiences, and qualities?

4)    What makes me an awesome candidate?

The cover letter is very personal, and you want to make sure to show who you truly are as an individual. Think of it as meeting the jury face to face for the first time, except on paper - getting to know the real you is the most important aspect of this whole process. 

So, be yourself; even though it’s a cheesy phrase, never forget that you are the only you, which already makes you unique. So, show them what you’re made of! You can even light some incense for true self-exploration and listen to some funky yoga music.

3.     Give lots of examples

In the ESSEC recruitment process, it is very important for motivation letters to highlight your best features as a candidate. Perhaps describe an example of a hard time you have overcome, an international experience, or a personal path that you have taken that has shaped you and your best characteristics. 

"...it is very important for motivation letters to highlight your best features as a candidate."

But, don’t brag – always remember that actions speak louder than words, and let the actions do the bragging. Make sure to give anecdotes of a specific experience that is relevant to the ESSEC program that you are applying to, explaining how these past efforts have made you a more hard-working and creative individual. 

You will be seen as down to earth and realistic this way, which is exactly what the jury looks for.

4.     Keep it short, sweet and bombastic

Your motivation letter should be 1 page max. To limit yourself, here is a great structure format that works well for keeping it real on one page only:

1^st paragraph:                                 Who I am, why I am interested in ESSEC

2^nd paragraph, possibly 3^rd:           Examples and personal experiences

Last paragraph:                               Sum up and End with a power-punch

5.     And…Finally: Proof Read your work of art

Remember that you want to be remembered not only in a unique but also professional way. Check your grammar, prose, and diction twice. Pretend you are Shakespeare – it sounds absurd, but reading your letter aloud to yourself helps you notice hidden errors, and helps for flawless modification. 

Asking around for advice from teachers, friends, and family members never hurts either, so more eyes can scour for unnecessary commas, wording, or give you their opinion of your letter’s clarity. Remember: criticism makes the medicine go down, allowing for a better result.

So, now that you have the rough anatomy of what ESSEC is looking for in a motivation letter, go ahead and get writing! Make this process an art form, moulded from your unique identity – this is the key to providing a powerful, holistic letter of motivation that will get the jury talking. You are in the spotlight, so make it glow with your colorful traits - ESSEC is waiting for you to show them.

"Make this process an art form, moulded from your unique identity – this is the key to providing a powerful, holistic letter of motivation that will get the jury talking."

It’s time to pick up your scalpel, eh-hem, pencil, and start writing. Go get ‘em, tiger.

Read more about what ESSEC requires for admission criteria at:

http://www.essec.edu/en/program/business-school/msc-management-grande-ecole/admission/