Take Your GMAT Today! (Avoid the Integrated Reasoning Section)

Under most circumstances, I recommend to students to be patient with their GMAT studies - make sure you have ample time (that is before applications are out and you are visiting schools).  However, now is a different time.  As the high season of GMAT preparation is behind us, we start to look to the future, and this year there is a big red circle around June 5.  Why?  The integrated reasoning section.

Plain and simple this is new and nobody knows how admissions committees will view the new section. Likely, it will be ignored for some time before anyone really understands the implications of this section, but it also could be used as a tie breaker for comparable applicants.  That might be a bit of a stretch, but who knows.  Fact of the matter is things are changing on the GMAT, and more importantly the changes will make the exam more difficult.

The current AWA sections are probably the least stressful for students to learn.  Often, a few hours and they are ready to go.  Integrated Reasoning is going to be different.  After looking at the questions, what I fear most for students is the additional stamina required to complete this exam.  Sure it is only 12 questions, but time alone suggests they are about 25% more involved than existing GMAT questions.  One integrated reasoning question I saw (A two-part analysis question) involves a calculation of [(1+x)^5]*1,050 = [(1+y)^5]*1,550 where you must solve for x and y with 6 potential values for x and y.  This takes some work.

Yes, these are very doable and with some practice you will ace them, but as business school admission is a difficult mountain to climb, you might as well take every advantage you can.  With 4+ months until the change date, there is more than ample time to get appropriate prep done; however, probably good to start soon...