A Game Plan for 600 GMAT Score
To get into the Premaster Program in Business at the Erasmus University, you will need a GMAT score above 600. This is a cut-off requirement, so there is no need to invest to score much higher than 600 - though you may like to add a margin of error.
THE SCORE GAP
To know what it takes to reach the 600 score, you'll need to know your score gap. The gap can be calculated by taking one of the official GMAT simulations, and also of course by taking the test itself. These two scores, together with a percentile chart, can be combined to calculate the score gap, which you can then use to estimate your total investment of time and money. That is a primary input for choosing the optimal mix of independent study, group courses, and in-person tutoring. Don't rush to decide on this - as many people do - because this decision will have an impact on your total return on investment. And the first thing they teach in the premaster, is that the best decisions should maximize their return on investment. A very sub-optimal choice could even mean that you run out of time to reach your score before the admissions deadline.
USING THE SCORE GAP
Let's take a likely scenario, in which the starting score is 550 and the target is 600. Using the percentile tables, we calculate the score gap at 17 percentile points. For a resident of the USA and UK, where any decent group course run upward of $1000, the best way to bridge that gap is probably through online test bank combined with 5-8 hours of private tutoring. But in Amsterdam - assuming your deadline is 4-6 weeks away - the better option is a 600-level group course. You no doubt want to know which one, quant or verbal, or both?
USING THE SECTION PERCENTILE SCORES
Once you know the score gap you need to bridge, the section-level percentile scores can guide your next move. These numbers together indicate if you should take a quant course, a verbal course, or both - or else some combination of course work, private tutoring, and self-study. There are several factors to consider, but the section scores are the first facts to take into account.
source: www.mba.com
MAXIMUM RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Continuing with our example, where the total score gap was 17 percentile points, let's assume that the verbal score is in the 70th percentile, while the quant score is in the 25th percentile - two scores that will combine for a 550. Most people in such a situation will naturally assume they need to improve their quant score. And indeed it is possible to reach 600 in all sorts of different ways. But studying the weaker section does not always offer the best return on investment. In fact, for technical reasons having to do with the normal distribution, it will be easier - in this case - to level-up the verbal score. Remember the goal for this example was to hit 600. If 700 were the target, then the optimal study plan would be different.