It sounds pretty exciting to have an MBA degree from abroad universities. After completing the MBA programme, you will most likely end up having a prestigious job in multinational companies. 

Well, global aspirants studying in foreign universities have become a reality today. A statement published by the Ministry of External Affairs mentions that 753,000 Indian students were studying in universities abroad. 

Undoubtedly, the numbers are soaring high, but every course has admission criteria before enrolling in the colleges. For getting the world’s best MBA programs, you have to settle your GMAT scores. It plays a vital role in the MBA admission procedure of top B-schools both abroad and India. 

There is a prevailing trend that helps students to secure admissions for MBA programmes. More than anything, it’s the average GMAT scores Top B schools favours while making admissions for students coming from other countries. Fair enough to say that the GMAT scores in Top B schools keep changing from time to time. However, the average minimum cut-off remains constant, which is usually somewhere between 500-750. 

Criteria for Admission in Top B Schools of the World

It can be a little overwhelming for an MBA aspirant to choose from the list of renowned B schools abroad. You can decide from the various factors when considering a management institute, such as ranking of the B school in the country, the standard of education, teaching quality, subjects available, and placement opportunities.

According to the popular surveys conducted, the universities or business schools are ranked on the below-listed parameters. These are the five indicators on which rankings are determined. 

• Credibility (35%)
• Average starting salary after post-graduation (25%) 
• Average GMAT scores (15%)
• Tuition fees (15%)
• Job placement (10%)

Among all the five factors, four are directly not in control of the aspirants. If the scores of GMAT are promising, the remaining factors are almost favourable for the students. 

Scope of GMAT

GMAT, also known as Graduate Management Admission Test, is similar to the Computer Adaptive Test (CAT). The curriculum emphasizes specific disciplines like writing, verbal, reading, quantitative, and analytical skills. The test conducted is in written English and served as a basis for admission in management programs of the world’s top B schools. 

The GMAT is a top assessment test that evaluates the language and problem-solving skills and addresses other disciplines like critical reasoning, data sufficiency, and logic for the application of real-world business and management success. 

After 2018, the Graduate Management Admission Council has reduced the GMAT exam’s time by 30 minutes. Now the exam duration is for 3 hours and 30 minutes with the instructions and breaks. A candidate can appear a minimum of 5 times in a year, while the total number of attempts is eight times. The gap between all these attempts needs to be at least16 days apart. 

Cut-Off Scores for GMAT

When you are taking an entrance in the reputed business schools of India and abroad, the cut-off scores of the GMAT are decisive. The candidates have to obtain the minimum scores because the admissions in the premier B schools are based on it. 

Usually, once the results are declared, different management institutions decide on the cut-off scores of the GMAT. In both the national and international levels, the cut-off marks go beyond 650. Remember, if you wish to enrol in the leading universities and colleges, you have to strive harder to get the maximum scores. 

The top B schools abroad with their average GMAT scores along with the minimum cut-offs for 2021. 

Top Business Schools	Average GMAT Scores	Minimum Cut-Off Scores
Harvard Business School	730	590
The Wharton School	730	540
Stanford Graduate School of Business	734	600
MIT Sloan School of Management	727	690
Columbia Business School	727	690
HEC Paris	690	570
Booth School of Business	730	610
Kellogg School of Management	730	620
Haas School of Business	725	680
Yale School of Management	720	680

Significant Data for Average GMAT Scores 2021

• The Stanford Graduate School of Business gets the highest average GMAT score for the MBA program 2021, with a batch scoring of 734. 
• The top 10 business schools worldwide have an average GMAT score for the batches at 724, which is the 94th percentile score. 
• The management institutes of the world ranked between 11th to 20th positions have an average GMAT score for the batches at 720, indicating a 92nd percentile score. 
• The top B schools of the world ranking between the 21st and 30th position have an average GMAT score for the batches at 713, approximately at 91st percentile score. 
• The HEC Paris has the lowest average GMAT score for MBA batch 2021, with a batch scoring of 690. Almost 44 points less than the average of Stanford. 
• The world’s top 30 management schools have the lowest average GMAT scores for batches at 540. This GMAT scoring for MBA has been accepted at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. 

Best Practices Involved in a GMAT Preparation

If you are determined to prepare for GMAT, it’s going to be a turning point in your career. Your preparation strategy will be a stepping stone to decide the future course of action related to the GMAT examination. 

You can implement all your skills and knowledge to show that you are sincere about getting admissions in the B schools. Here’s a run-down of a few tips that will help you outshine the GMAT exams for an entrance into the MBA program of India and abroad. 

• Be Consistent

You have to be consistent with your study schedule while preparing for an MBA GMAT entrance test. This will decide your future for getting admission in the renowned international management institutes. A consistent approach will clear all your doubts and soar the confidence level. When you are free of the mental burden, you will perform well in the examination. 

• Maintain a Study Journal

It can be a total mess if you are simply selecting a book and start reading it. Without having a proper study plan, there is no clear vision of what needs to be studied. It’s better to maintain a study journal where you keep track of the topics you have covered. 

There should be a record of the topics, questions, and practice sets for each day. It will help you to achieve your goals quickly. 

• Focus on Sectional Targets

Your regular study routine must encompass all the topics included in the GMAT syllabus. Make sure you split your timings into various sections like quantitative ability, logical reasoning, and verbal ability to achieve a balanced score in the exams. 

It is crucial for your GMAT test, as all the universities consider sectional GMAT cut-offs. 

• Increase Your Study Hours

GMAT is based on an adaptive computer test, and the difficulty levels involved in the examination are on another level. There are also various types of question patterns. 

To effectively cover all the topics and types of questions, students need to increase their study hours. Typically, they should focus more on the study hours as the exams are near. 

• Make Time Targets

Time targets are essential from the viewpoint of any examination. You can target the number of questions to be attempted during the examination. 

Also, chase the time to solve an aimed set of questions within a given time bracket. Initially, start with the easy targets and gradually move to the difficult to improve speed and accuracy. 

• Take Preparation Tests

When you are preparing for the GMAT test, you need to identify your base. This will help you assess your shortcomings and where you need to give your focus. 

You can opt for the free GMAT prep tests to know your potential for the upcoming examination. The more you practice these free tests, the better are your chances to secure a score above 700. 

• Make a Study Plan

Your efforts will be futile if you aren’t following a proper study plan. It will give you an idea regarding the topics that need to be covered, the priorities for a specific section, framing the study hours, planning breaks, etc. 

The study plan will give you the right direction to move ahead for the GMAT exams. It will bring discipline to your study schedule and make it easy to catch up with the syllabus. 

• Plan Breaks

Make sure you also periodically rest your brain. This much-needed break will help you to relax and rejuvenate for the next study session of GMAT preparation. 

Taking intervals to rejoice therapies like walking and running, engaging in physical activities like these would help to keep you healthy and focused.    The process will make your mind more efficient in completing the task. 

• Evaluate Your Performance

At the end of the day, don’t forget to evaluate your performance. Identify all your faults to take the necessary course of actions for the future. This will keep you abreast of your GMAT preparation. 

Conclusion

Pursuing a postgraduate degree in a business discipline that too from a foreign university is a rewarding experience. The GMAT examination is part of the entire process. 

You need to have a sound preparation strategy that will help to crack the GMAT examination. Making an entrance to top B schools will be easier if you excel the test with favourable scores between 650-720.