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We are thrilled to introduce you to onTrack by mbaMission…a first-of-its-kind, on-demand MBA application platform that delivers a personalized curriculum for you and leverages interactive tools and technology to guide you through the process of creating your best possible business school applications.

onTrack gives you access to almost 100 learning modules on planning and timing your MBA applications, brainstorming compelling content, writing standout essays, refining your resume, interviewing with confidence, applying for scholarships, choosing effective recommenders, and successfully navigating all the other crucial elements of the admissions process.

You will NOT want to miss our live Launch Party, today, May 1, at noon ET! mbaMission‘s Jeremy Shinewald and Poets&Quants’ John Byrne will be giving you an exclusive first look at onTrack and talking all about this exciting new platform!

What Do You Get With onTrack?

Here are more details about what is included in onTrack…

A guided, interactive brainstorming process

Identify and explore your most significant personal, professional, community, and academic accomplishments

Dozens of learning and instructional modules

We walk you through every component of crafting attention-grabbing essays and personal statements, creating a personalized application timeline, exploring post-MBA career possibilities, navigating the waitlist, and every other critical component of the admissions process.

School-specific modules on the top U.S. and international programs

Explore the “whys” and “why nots” of each school, their unique curricular offerings, the professional opportunities they provide, interview insights and strategies, and advice on approaching their essays.

Comprehensive interview guidance and an interactive interview tool

Practice, record, and critique your responses and build your confidence leading up to your actual interview.

Identify your ideal learning path, and jump-start your application journey today!

_{*Offer valid until 5/15/24 at midnight ET for first-tie subscribers only. Valid only on initial subscription.}

What is the GMAT Focus Edition? 

The current GMAT Focus Edition, which is taken primarily by applicants to MBA programs, is an exam with three sections: Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights. The original GMAT exam was updated in early 2024 to this current version, which is two hours and 15 minutes long and includes 64 questions. 

Section details are as follows, per GMAC:

What is the scoring breakdown for the GMAT Focus Edition?

Total Scores for the exam range from 205 to 805, and all Total Scores end in 5. Section scores range from 60 to 90. Comparing your final scores to these ranges should give you a clear indication of where you are strong and areas where you can improve.      

How does GMAT scoring work?

The GMAT is a computer adaptive test, which means that your score is calculated with an algorithm that adjusts the difficulty level of the questions you receive based on your performance as you proceed through the exam. In other words, you essentially receive increasingly difficult test questions as you perform better and less difficult ones when you answer questions incorrectly. In this way, the exam aims to identify your precise ability level.

Your final GMAT scores take into account not just how many questions you got correct and incorrect but also the difficulty level of each question you answered. Your overall score is based on your results on all three sections, weighted equally. 

Overall GMAT Scoring and Section Subscores

Each section has a final subscore of 60–90, and all three sections combine to create the overall 205–805 Total Score that is most often cited by test takers and business schools. 

How can I tell whether a score is for the GMAT Focus or the previous version of the GMAT? 

The previous version of the GMAT was retired on January 31, 2024. The scoring scale was previously 200–800, so if you see GMAT Total Scores that end in zero, those are for the older version of the GMAT. All GMAT Focus scores end in five, making them easily distinguishable from scores for the previous version of the test. 

What other changes were made to the GMAT when it became the GMAT Focus? 

Additional changes that were made to the GMAT when it was relaunched as the GMAT Focus are as follows:

• The exam was shortened. 
• Percentiles were recalibrated based on more recent test-taker trends. 
• The IR (Integrated Reasoning) and AWA (Analytical Writing Assessment) sections were eliminated. 
• The Data Insights section, which is similar to the previous IR section, is now an equally weighted section that factors into a test taker’s overall score. 
• Content areas were revised (e.g Sentence Corrections questions were eliminated) to better focus on skills necessary for business school, such as critical thinking, data analysis, and problem-solving. 
• The Question Review & Edit feature was added, allowing test takers to revisit and adjust their responses, if needed.

Learn even more about the GMAT Focus here.

Formal managerial experience is not a prerequisite for admission to a top full-time MBA program—a truth some applicants might find ironic. Keep in mind that an MBA education is for individuals who aspire to become managers and is not exclusive to those who already are managers. If you are fretting about the fact that you have not had any subordinates to date and believe that having overseen a staff is a prerequisite to gaining admission to a top program, you are adhering to a myth and can stop worrying. Instead, think about the ways you have excelled in your position and made the most of the leadership opportunities you have had.

For example, consider the numerous investment banking analysts who apply to MBA programs each year. Although analysts are at the bottom of the banks’ organizational charts and therefore do not have staffs to manage, they still have demanding jobs and must perform exceptionally well each day to succeed. Most analysts can tell the story of thriving in an ultracompetitive environment and thus reveal their professional excellence via their resumes, essays, and recommendations. And even if most analysts do not have staffs of their own, ample opportunities still exist for senior analysts to train and mentor newer analysts. So, even without a title and a staff, investment banking analysts can find ways to demonstrate their leadership and de facto management skills. And we imagine that with sufficient reflection and brainstorming, you can, too.

The mbaMission team has been hard at work creating something groundbreaking that we think you are truly going to love. 

Twenty seasoned MBA admissions experts, an entire technology team, two directors, multiple video editors, a dedicated project manager, and a full-time copy editor have pooled their expertise to develop an innovative offering unlike anything the MBA admissions world has ever seen before! Unfortunately, that is all we can tell you for now, but the wait will soon be over, and we are inviting you to be one of the very first to experience it when it goes live on May 1. Sign up today to be notified of the big reveal!