Inside the GMAT

About Inside the GMAT

Inside the GMAT is the podcast designed for anyone considering, applying to, or preparing for business school. Whether you're just beginning to explore the MBA path, knee-deep in applications, or focused on mastering the GMAT exam, this show is your inside track to smarter decisions, expert advice, and strategies that work. Brought to you by GMAC (the makers of the GMAT exam) each weekly episode features candid conversations with admissions leaders, test prep experts, and successful students. You'll get practical tips for excelling on the GMAT, insights into how schools evaluate candidates, and real stories from people who've walked the same path. From study strategies and score reports to networking, career pivots, and big-picture trends shaping graduate management education, Inside the GMAT brings you the guidance and confidence you need to succeed. If you want the inside scoop on the GMAT, admissions, and how to get the most out of your business school journey, this podcast is for you.

Publisher

Graduate Management Admission Council

Category

business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 Oct 2020

Latest episode

8 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

105 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   8 Oct 2026

   How to Use AI in Your Application w/ University of San Francisco's Masagung Graduate School of Business

   AI can help you research business schools, brainstorm essay ideas, prepare for interviews, and organize the application process. But how much AI is too much? In this episode of Inside the GMAT, GMAC Zach is joined by Hannah Artis, Senior Director of Graduate Admission, and Frank Fletcher, Senior Director of MBA Programs at the Masagung Graduate School of Management at the University of San Francisco. They discuss how admissions teams are thinking about AI, where it can genuinely strengthen your application, and where relying on it too heavily can cause you to lose the most important part of your candidacy: your own voice. You'll hear why AI can be an excellent "sparring partner," why an overly polished essay may actually work against you, how to use AI to prepare for an MBA interview without sounding scripted, and why critical thinking remains one of the most important skills you can bring to business school. Plus, Hannah and Frank share practical advice for applicants who are still trying to figure out their story, their goals, and their "why." Helpful Resources: Masagung Graduate School of Business: https://www.usfca.edu/management/programs/graduate Key Takeaways: Use AI as a sparring partner, not a substitute. It can challenge your ideas, help you brainstorm, and prepare you for difficult questions—but your judgment and answers should remain your own. Don't polish away your personality. Admissions teams aren't necessarily looking for a perfectly packaged candidate; the quirks, uncertainty, growth, and messiness of your story can help them understand who you really are. AI is particularly useful for research and preparation. Use it to explore programs, identify questions, organize deadlines, brainstorm, and practice interviews—but verify important information directly with schools. Never outsource the interview. Preparation is encouraged; scripted, AI-generated responses can prevent admissions teams from seeing how you actually think and communicate. Critical thinking remains the differentiator. Knowing which tools to use, when to use them, and how to navigate ambiguity matters more than simply becoming more efficient. Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 02:21 – How often does AI come up with MBA applicants? 05:59 – Where AI can genuinely help your application 07:14 – Using AI as a "sparring partner" 09:45 – Why your application doesn't need to be perfect 11:59 – The danger of outsourcing the reflection process 12:43 – AI, recommendations, and interviews 16:08 – USF's policy on AI in applications 17:06 – Are admissions teams using AI too? 19:18 – How business schools are preparing students to work with AI 22:42 – Why you shouldn't outsource your critical thinking 26:08 – The part of your application you should always do yourself 26:46 – Where it's reasonable to seek help 27:57 – How to figure out your story and your "why" 30:31 – Learn more about the Masagung School of Management

2. 

   2 Oct 2026

   A Special Message From GMAC Zach

   After almost five years at GMAC, Inside the GMAT host Zach Fernebok is moving on to a new opportunity. In this special short episode, GMAC Zach reflects on why he relaunched Inside the GMAT, what he learned from talking directly with test takers, and why helping candidates cut through misinformation became one of the most meaningful parts of his time at GMAC. Before signing off, he shares one final GMAT pitch: in a world that is increasingly noisy, persuasive, automated, and fast-moving, your ability to think critically may matter more than ever. Take the GMAT for the score. Take it for your application. But also take something bigger from the experience—the ability to question assumptions, work through uncertainty, recognize when something only feels right, and think for yourself. And don't worry: Inside the GMAT isn't going anywhere. New voices are coming, and the journey continues.

3. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Is an MBA Right for You? Exploring Nontraditional Routes to Business School with EDHEC's Sandra Richez

   "We're not looking for people who know about business. We're looking for people who are ready to learn about business and who are ready to grow and to lead." Is an MBA right for you? And what if you don't come from a traditional business background? In this episode of Inside the GMAT, GMAC Zach is joined by Sandra Richez, Global MBA Program Director at EDHEC Business School, to explore how the MBA has evolved—and why candidates from engineering, the humanities, technology, nonprofit, healthcare, the arts, and other fields can bring enormous value to the classroom. Sandra shares what business schools look for beyond traditional business experience, the transferable skills an MBA can help develop, and how the degree can create space to discover entirely new career possibilities. They also discuss the questions prospective students should ask themselves before applying, why choosing a program should start with your own goals rather than rankings, and what makes EDHEC's Global MBA experience distinctive. Whether you already have a clear career goal or are still figuring out what comes next, this conversation can help you think more intentionally about whether an MBA belongs in your future. This episode of Inside the GMAT is presented by EDHEC Business School. Helpful Resources: EDHEC Business School Contact EDHEC Business School (mailto:edhecmbaadmissions@edhec.edu) Key Takeaways: There is no single "traditional" MBA candidate anymore. MBA classrooms increasingly include people from engineering, technology, healthcare, the humanities, the arts, nonprofit work, entrepreneurship, and other backgrounds—not just finance or consulting. A nontraditional background can be an advantage. Different professional experiences bring different strengths to the classroom, and that diversity improves peer learning, collaboration, and problem-solving. Business schools are looking for potential, not just business knowledge. Curiosity, resilience, openness to feedback, collaboration, communication, and a growth mindset can matter as much as prior experience in business. An MBA builds more than technical business skills. Beyond finance, marketing, and strategy, students can develop leadership, decision-making, communication, negotiation, cross-cultural collaboration, and the ability to operate amid uncertainty. An MBA can help you discover a career path you did not expect. Exposure to new subjects, classmates, industries, and applied projects can either broaden your options or help you narrow down what you actually want to do. The decision to pursue an MBA should start with your long-term goals. Ask where you want to be in five to ten years, what skills you are missing today, and whether you are ready to invest in yourself to close those gaps. Choosing an MBA program should be about fit, not rankings alone. Start with your goals, preferred location, format, career support, alumni network, specialization options, and learning environment, then use rankings as one source of information. The value of an MBA is broader than immediate salary ROI. The episode frames the degree as a long-term investment in transferable skills, leadership capability, career flexibility, and future possibilities. Chapters: 00:00 — Introduction 01:04 — Meet Sandra Richez and EDHEC Business School 07:23 — Is the traditional MBA candidate a thing of the past? 09:49 — The rise of nontraditional MBA backgrounds 11:36 — What different professional backgrounds bring to the classroom 14:20 — What makes someone a strong MBA candidate? 16:32 — The broader skills you develop during an MBA 24:07 — Discovering unexpected strengths and new career paths 30:37 — How to decide whether an MBA is right for you 37:07 — How to choose the right MBA program 44:16 — What makes the EDHEC Global MBA distinctive 51:15 — What to do once you're ready to explore an MBA 54:15 — Closing thoughts

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