How to Study for the Executive Assessment (EA) – Part 1
Are you figuring out how to study for the Executive Assessment (EA) exam? The Executive Assessment was launched in March 2016 to provide a more streamlined version of the GMAT for Executive MBA (EMBA) candidates—but it has grown and is now used for some regular MBAs and other business Master’s programs.
In part 1 (this part!), we’ll talk about study materials and timeline. In part 2, we’ll take a look at the Integrated Reasoning and Verbal sections of the exam. We’ll devote part 3 to the Quant section, as well as more on planning your studies. And part 4 will dive into time management on the exam itself—a crucial component of taking these kinds of exams.
First, I’m going to assume that you’re already familiar with the basics about the Executive Assessment—if not, go read that post I just linked and then come back. I can wait.
Next, if you are already familiar with the GMAT, then you can jump-start your understanding of the EA by taking a look at a separate post that covers the differences between the GMAT and the EA. There aren’t many differences, but they are important. (If you aren’t already familiar with the GMAT, don’t bother to read this post.)
What do I need to learn for the Executive Assessment?
You’ll need to learn a decent number of things—many of which will actually be useful in grad school. You’ll need to learn (relearn, really) certain math concepts, principles, and formulas. You’ll also need to learn some grammar (but it’s not too bad).
Of course, you’ll need to learn how the EA works, including the different question types (as well as the best ways to approach them) and how to manage your time during the test and make the best executive decisions you can to get the score you need.
And you’ll also need to know how to prioritize your studies and set up a good study plan for yourself. Overall, I’d really view your test preparation as your first grad school course. Use this time to get yourself back into a study routine and work out all of the kinks before school starts.
Also, just FYI: A majority of your study materials will actually be built for the GMAT, since very few EA-specific study materials exist. (Why? Business case: Right now, only about 5,000 EA exams are given every year. There’s just not enough of a market yet for companies to spend a ton of development money making EA-specific materials. Even the official test makers have not yet published any physical books—all official study materials are digital-only.) It’s fine to use GMAT materials because all of the question types and the vast majority of the content areas are identical; more on this later.
What Executive Assessment study materials are available?
There are a number of really good resources that you’ll want to use as you get ready for this test. If you take a course, that course should include study materials and a syllabus with specific homework assignments (we have one here at Manhattan Prep). If you study on your own, make sure to take time in the beginning to put together your own syllabus and gather your study resources.
The official test makers (GMAC) sell a variety of official study tools, including 4 practice exams (sold in packs of 2), as well as an online bank of 300 practice problems—100 problems for each of the three sections of the exam: Integrated Reasoning (IR), Quant, and Verbal. They also sell an extra tool with 50 IR problems (but not Q or V). If you are familiar with Official Guide books from the GMAT or other grad school exams: There is no equivalent book for the EA.
I would definitely get at least 2 practice exams and I’d say most people will want all 4. The 300-problem online bank is also excellent—I highly recommend it. I think most people will be fine with those 300 problems, so I wouldn’t buy the extra IR-only tool to start. But it’s nice to know that it’s there if you want more IR practice.
Your official materials will be your practice, but that won’t typically be how you’ll learn how to get better. For that, you’re going to need some materials from test prep companies. I’m obviously biased, so you’ll need to do some research yourself, but I’ll tell you what we’ve got.
- The latest edition (published September 2019) of our Integrated Reasoning & Essay guide actually does cover the IR section for both the GMAT and the EA—in fact, it’s the only printed book on the market that covers the EA (as of right now, when I’m writing this). The book covers full strategies for both the GMAT and the EA. (You can ignore the chapter on the essay; the EA doesn’t have an essay section.)
- We also have two GMAT guides that you can use: All the Quant and All the Verbal. These two guides are GMAT-focused, so you just need to know certain things in order to adapt them for your EA studies. (If you want all three guides, make sure to buy them as a set—it’s less expensive that way, plus the set comes with some additional online features.)
The question types are identical across both exams, and almost all of the content is identical. Here are the two big differences between the exams:
- Quant: No* geometry! *The EA does test Coordinate Plane, so do that chapter in the geometry unit; ignore all of the other geometry chapters. Yay!
- Time management: I’ll talk more about time management strategies later in this series; for now, just know that how you manage time is different on the two exams.
(There are no content differences for either the Verbal or IR sections.)
How much time do I need to study?
This is going to take some effort; the exam is not easy. Neither is grad school, though—and getting ready for this exam will help prepare you for school, too.
Plan to spend somewhere between 1 and 4 months getting ready for this exam, depending upon (a) how many hours a week you can devote to your studies, (b) how long it has been since you were last in school (and, in particular, since you last took a math class), and (c) what kind of score you hope to get on the exam.
(a) How many hours a week can you devote to your studies?
- Ideally, plan to spend between 5 and 15 hours a week studying. (Fewer than 5 and you’ll struggle to build momentum.)
- Your study needs to be effective—no studying in 5-10 minute* bursts the entire week or studying while also trying to sit in a meeting at work or have dinner with the family.
- *Note: It’s great to take 5-10 minute bursts to review flashcards or try a couple of problems—but you’ll also need some longer study sessions.
(b) How long has it been since you were last in school?
- If you’re going for an Executive MBA, chances are it has been at least 10 years. The good news: You also don’t need as high of a score on the exam; your longer work experience counts for more.
- If you’re going for a regular MBA or a specialized master’s, then your last math class may have been in the more recent past. But be aware that you may need a higher score on the exam due to the type of program you want to attend.
(c) What kind of score do you hope to get on the exam?
- As of this writing, EMBA programs are saying they want to see a 150 or higher; a 150 is around the 50th percentile. It’s usually not the case that “higher is better” (as has happened with the GMAT)—most schools just want to see that you have at least met the 150 threshold.
- Not very many regular MBA programs are using the EA (yet!), but they seem to be asking for a higher score—in the 155 range.
If you’re able to manage a solid 10 to 15 hours a week of effective study, you haven’t been out of school for so long that you’ve forgotten how to do any math on paper, and you aren’t looking for score on the higher end, then you may be able to get your studies done in about 4 to 8 weeks. If you have less time to study each week, or it’s been a long time since school, or you do want a higher-than-average score, then you may need more time.
Next time, we’ll dive more deeply into the question types and content areas for the Integrated Reasoning and Verbal sections of the exam.
NEXT: How to Study for the Executive Assessment (Part 2)
For information about our Executive Assessment Complete Course click here.
Stacey Koprince is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in Montreal, Canada and Los Angeles, California. Stacey has been teaching the GMAT, GRE, and LSAT for more than 15 years and is one of the most well-known instructors in the industry. Stacey loves to teach and is absolutely fascinated by standardized tests. Check out Stacey’s upcoming GMAT courses here.
Your comment is awaiting approval.