Sitting in his dormitory, a Stanford grad came up with an idea of a website for GMAT takers in 2005, which has grown to become the largest online community of MBA applicants — around two million people access Beat the GMAT annually. Now Eric Bahn, the founder, is all set to relaunch his site on March 8.
“In 2005, I noticed there were not any adequate resources available online to help an MBA applicant prepare for GMAT on his or her own,” he says. “Beat the GMAT was started as a hobby blog with self-study plans for each day. The idea was to create a high-quality free resource where any person with an internet connection could follow my study plan and succeed on the GMAT.”
What’s on offer
Beat the GMAT’s new avatar will publish all information relating to MBA admission process — from GMAT prep to post-MBA life and social networking where in members can chat with others and make meaningful collaborations. There’s also rewards in the name of social gaming to motivate you further.
Bahn is planning to introduce a ‘Write Like an Expert’ video series where top MBA admissions consultants will analyse essays of successful MBA applicants. The discussion forum will allow students to access over 100 GMAT/MBA experts.
Free for all
Since it’s community-driven, everything on the website can be accessed for free except for a set of sample papers. “We want all people regardless of access to resources to be able to come to Beat the GMAT and learn,” says Bahn. The team has distributed over $250,000 worth scholarships to their members.
Traditional Vs online coaching
The conventional methods of teaching don’t interest Bahn. “Traditional classroom courses are great for people who feel like they learn best from the physical presence of a teacher and peers. However, they are not nearly as flexible as online courses. They require students to be in class a number of times each week, which isn’t always viable for working students,” he says. “At the end of the day, a student needs to understand how he or she learns best and pick the option that fits that learning style.”
When asked if he preferred virtual preps to coaching classes, Bahn says, “One form of coaching is not better than the other — it really depends on the individual. I believe that online coaching is great for people who need flexibility as they prepare. Perhaps, demanding work schedules or travel commitments make it difficult for them to attend classes. Or they want the option of studying certain subjects at their own desired pace.”
Eric Bahn gave a series of lectures at Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, from March 1-4.
—shilpa.vasudevan@expressbuzz.com