What I Learned Taking the Executive Assessment

Whether you’ve already started an MBA for Executives application or are considering one soon, preparing for a standardized test is likely on your mind. Along with the rest of our admissions team, I recently took the Executive Assessment, one of the tests we accept as part of the EMBA admissions process. I want to share some advice and key takeaways as you prepare for the exam yourself. While we also accept the GMAT and GRE, we highly recommend the EA, which was designed for busy, working professionals and has been a great indicator of academic preparedness for the rigor of the SOM curriculum. Preparing for the exam also offers a great opportunity to get back into the swing of studying and time management.

An important first step is scheduling your test. For me, setting a date for the exam provided a goal to work towards and motivation to manage my preparation. I encourage you to check with your local test centers to see the times and dates that are available for the EA. You don’t want to wait until the last minute and find your options are limited, so scheduling early will be key. Rescheduling is quite easy—you can reschedule free of charge up to 24 hours before your scheduled exam time, which is another reason the EA is a preferred option for many professionals applying to an MBA program.

Make sure to give yourself enough time to prepare for the EA. It may have been a while since you have seen many of the concepts on the exam, but the EA preparation materials and practice tests are incredibly helpful in getting you ready for exam day. The EA was designed to allow candidates to prepare for their test in about four weeks. Most candidates I have spoken to prepped for an average of 20 to 30 hours. In my preparation, I started with an initial practice test to gauge my overall readiness, and then focused my attention on my weaker areas, while making my way through prep questions in all three sections. Once I felt I had sufficiently prepared, I took a several more practice tests and was pleased to see that my score had improved. As you prepare, I suggest taking the practice tests in a quiet environment similar to the test center to help you feel more confident on exam day.

The EA has three sections: Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative, and Verbal. Test-takers are allotted 30 minutes to complete each section. The short exam time is a huge plus for taking the EA, but keep in mind that 90 minutes goes by quickly! Exercising time management during your practice tests will be key to preparing you for your actual exam day. Do your best to read every question carefully and eliminate wrong answers. If you are running low on time, make your best guess and move on; any questions not answered will be an automatic wrong answer. You can flag questions you may want to review later and, if time permits, return to them after finishing a section.

While there is an online option, we recommend taking the EA in person, if possible. Our director of admissions, Keith Gallinelli, took the EA online. “For me, I found it challenging to find an uncluttered and quiet place in my house where I wouldn’t be disturbed by others, both human and canine,” he said. “It took me several attempts to make sure my computer’s firewall would not block the test software. I also realized a bit late that I needed a properly sized dry erase board to do calculations, which required a last-minute trip to buy supplies the night before the exam,” he said.

The final step in the testing process is to report your scores to us in time for the relevant application deadline. If you take the EA in person, you will receive your unofficial scores before you even leave the test center; the official scores will then be reported to us in about 24 hours. If you have chosen the online option, scores can take a week or more to be reported to us—something to keep in mind as you schedule your test date. An application will only be considered complete once all materials have been submitted, so the admissions committee is not able to conduct a review of your application without official test scores. If you are unsure whether your score is competitive, reach out to us! We’d be happy to discuss how the committee may view your scores, and potential next steps you may want to take.

Finally, get plenty of rest, arrive early, and try to relax as you begin your exam—you are prepared, and you’ve got this! I wish you the best of luck on your exam and look forward to seeing your completed application soon.

Interested in taking the next step? Submit your resume or LinkedIn profile for pre-assessment, and a member of our staff will review and reach out with feedback on your candidacy.