GMAC: Connecting talent with opportunity
“Currently, more than 6,000 programs offered by more than 2,100 universities and institutions in 114 countries use the GMAT exam as part of their selection criteria as it allows them to identify highly motivated and highly qualified candidates worldwide”; he says Sabrina White, Vice President for Market Development, Americas, Graduate Management Admission Council®(GMAC®)
What is the importance of the GMAT test for business school and the student?
The mission of the Graduate Management Admission Council® (GMAC®) is to connect talent (prospective students) with opportunity (your programs.) The GMAT exam is one way we do this. As the only standardized assessment test created by business schools to select students for business programs, the GMAT measures analytical writing and problem solving abilities, and addresses data sufficiency, logic and critical reasoning—all essential skills in business and management. The newest section of the GMAT- integrated reasoning- has been declared by faculty, students and corporate recruiters as reflecting the skills most demanded in the classroom and the 21st century workplace.
Currently, more than 6,000 programs offered by more than 2,100 universities and institutions in 114 countries use the GMAT exam as part of their selection criteria as it allows them to identify highly motivated and highly qualified candidates worldwide. Sixty years of research proves that the GMAT exam is a highly reliable predictor of student performance, as well as the most powerful tool available to graduate management admissions professionals for measuring the skills students need to succeed in graduate management education and beyond.
Why should a business school to partner with GMAC?
Although the GMAT exam is our flagship product, a partnership with GMAC offers you access to much more. From research and market intelligence on graduate management education which assists in strategic decision making, to marketing and recruiting tools and programs to attract and enroll the best students, to worldwide professional development opportunities, to innovative grant and funding initiatives for faculty oriented research projects- everything we do is designed to help schools and school professionals succeed.
What are the other services -apart from the GMAT exam- GMAC offers business schools?
There are a number of products and services we offer, but allow me to highlight two: GMASS and Reflect.
One of the most popular products used by schools is the Graduate Management Admission Search Service or GMASS®. GMASS® is a database of more than 355,000 candidates who have expressed interest in graduate management education. By subscribing to GMASS, you can recruit students that meet the criteria or needs of your program. You can customize your searches by selecting from 30 different criteria such as gender, age, location, work experience, and GMAT exam score range. The GMASS database is updated daily, and the subscription to GMASS is free. (Schools pay for the names.)
In 2013, we began offering a soft skills assessment and development tool called Reflect. Corporate recruiters have indicated for several years that business schools are strong in developing analytical skills, but often overlook soft skills in their academic curriculum. Consequently they graduate students who experience difficulty working on global teams, communicating vision and thinking innovatively and critically.
Based on feedback from more than 900 of these recruiters and top executives. Reflect evaluates 10 soft skills, such as innovation, operational thinking, and resilience that were identified as critical in the classroom and office. Reflect not only provides students with a deeper understanding of how they approach challenges, solve problems, and interact with others, but provides them with a development plan that helps them enhance their strengths and address their weaknesses. Reflect is offered in 22 languages including Spanish and Portuguese.
Schools can explore these two products and others by visiting www.gmac.com.
What is the research work carried out GMAC?
GMAC offers research services in four areas: GMAT data and statistical research, geographic trends, survey reports and validity studies.
GMAT data and statistical research provides insight into the demand for graduate management education. Reports include topics like “Demystifying the GMAT”, to a 5-year profile of GMAT candidates.
GMAT Geographic Trends highlight the countries and regions emerging as preferred study destinations. Trend reports are available for the World, as well as Asia, North America and Europe, with data to go pieces on Latin America and Canada.
GMAC Survey Research provides you strategic level insight into admissions, hiring and program management activity in graduate management education. Participants in our survey can also benchmark against peers and competitor institutions. We offer five surveys: Pre-application trends, Application Trends, Global Management Education, Corporate Recruiters and Alumni Perspectives.
The GMAT Validity Study Service is a statistical analysis of your student information that allows you to add science to the art of admission. Schools that participate in a VSS can immediately determine how GMAT scores, undergraduate grade-point averages and other criteria correlate to mid-program grade-point averages.
We also offer a variety of free webinars, Data to Go pieces and interactive research. Schools interested should visit the research pages of www.gmac.com.
What can bring GMAC, a Latin American business school?
I believe all of the products and services mentioned can be leveraged by schools in Latin America. Currently faculty from a number of business schools in the LatAm region participate in our surveys and several schools use GMASS. However I believe one of the unique strengths of GMAC is its convening power as a global organization. We not only connect prospective students to global business schools, but we also connect faculty and business school administrators so that best practices are shared, knowledge is increased and skills are enhanced. This is how one remains competitive.