Executive Assessment TUTORING

Is the Executive Assessment Better than the GMAT or GRE?

MBA candidates have many options when choosing a standardized test to attempt (if any!) as part of a graduate school application, and the least known of them is probably the Executive Assessment. Introduced in 2016, the Executive Assessment is produced and administered by the same Graduate Management Admissions Counsel (GMAC) responsible for the much more popular GMAT and GMAT Focus exams. Intended as a GMAT alternative for mid-career professionals, this lesser-known test may be the best option for the standardized testing portion of your MBA application.

Primarily accepted by part-time and executive MBA programs, the GMAC designed the Executive Assessment to be a test that could reasonably be prepared for in about a month's time in contrast to the two-to-four-month timeframe that is recommended for GMAT study. Provided your target business school programs accept the Executive Assessment, this 90-minute exam could be the best opportunity to shine on the test prep portion of your application in the least amount of time.

Of course, you'll first need to visit the up-to-date list of accepting schools at mba.com to confirm that your target business schools accept this more niche option. If they do not, you'll have to consider the more time intensive GMAT Focus or GRE. However, with the help of a MyGuru expert tutor, a successful Executive Assessment journey may be measured in weeks rather than months. Of course, if you still have questions about whether the Executive Assessment is the best business school admissions test for you, please contact MyGuru to schedule a free videoconference to share your specific experience with one of our GMAT experts!

The MyGuru Edge for Executive Assessment Prep

No two Executive Assessment students are the same, so no two MyGuru one-on-one tutoring sessions are either. Our Executive Assessment tutors are specifically familiar with this exam, not just the GMAT, and are equally familiar with each section of this unique test (yes, that includes the Integrated Reasoning section) so that they can build a targeted study plan with a personalized learning approach to help each student achieve their Executive Assessment score goals.

Using dynamic online whiteboarding tools in a virtual meeting environment that requires no equipment other than an internet connected computer with a microphone and camera, MyGuru Executive Assessment tutoring features both content review and live practice problems. Using this parallel track of instruction, our instructors explain how particular strategies and tactics can be used on test day for future Executive Assessment problems concerned with similar content.

The instructor's live-produced whiteboard notes are then shared as either a static .pdf (see example) after every session or kept on a private whiteboard for future reference and interaction in between lessons. Over time, these notes become a supplementary "textbook" of tactics and content to review that is unique to each student's lesson pland and learning style that isn't available anywhere else.

EA Whiteboard (1)

Request an Executive Assessment Tutor

Get a Custom Executive Assessment Study Plan

Selecting a test prep tutor is a major commitment, so we always offer a free 15-minute introductory videoconference with any potential instructor to help each student decide which path forward is best for their individual Executive Assessment and MBA application needs. While we can also conduct a phone call, we recommend a videoconference as it allows a greater opportunity to share exactly what separates MyGuru from all other business school test prep companies. In that videoconference potential students will be able to:

  • Screenshare live with an experienced MyGuru Executive Assessment coach to learn how our dynamic whiteboarding tool works and to better understand the differences between our standard and premium online tutoring offers
  • Discuss a tailored Executive Assessment study schedule and possible supplementary resources that can help you continue your learning by completing intentionally curated homework assignments between live lessons
  • Share your experience with the Executive Assessment, GMAT, or any other standardized tests you may have taken in the past, to give fuller context regarding what you need from a potential tutor and decide whether the Executive Assessment is really the best test for you
  • Conduct a comfortable introductory conversation with your possible tutor to determine whether the personality fit is good and whether that instructor seems well-positioned to guide the next steps of your business school test prep journey

Executive Assessment Tutoring & Package Options

At MyGuru, we believe on return on investment and do not require any commitment to start working together beyond purchase of a single hour of instruction. We offer several tiers of instruction and hours to maximize value. At each level, MyGuru students have gained admission (and merit-based aid!) from some of the top MBA programs worldwide.

  • Standard Online | $130 per hour | $600 for 5 hours | $1,400 for 12 hours | $2,700 for 24 hours
    Our most affordable option, and significantly lower cost than our most well-known individual tutoring competitors, MyGuru Standard Online Executive Assessment tutoring is uniquely tailored to each student's needs by an instructor with thousands of hours of tutoring experience and provides a .pdf of each lesson's whiteboard notes by email within 24 hours of each session.
  • Premium Online | $200 per hour | $900 for 5 hours | $2,100 for 12 hours | $4,000 for 24 hours
    Our best value, MyGuru Premium Online Executive Assessment tutoring provides full recording of every session to watch back for up to three months after the final lesson and a private read/write whiteboard where students can demonstrate tactics live in lesson and post questions or comments in between lessons to maintain contact with their instructor. Instructors will check the board at least once a day to respond as warranted.
  • Expert Edge Online | $250 per hour | $1,125 for 5 hours | $2,600 for 12 hours | $5,000 for 24 hours
    Seeking large score improvements or top decile results? Consider premium online tutoring with MyGuru's Director of Instruction, Stefan Maisnier, who has 20 years of tutoring experience helping students get admitted to top schools such as Harvard Business School (two students in the class of 2025!), Cambridge - Judge, Chicago - Booth, Dartmouth - Tuck, INSEAD, Northwestern - Kellogg, Penn - Wharton, and Stanford - GSB among others.

Our packages are designed with flexibility in mind to facilitate regular lessons of 60, 90 (most common), or 120 minutes depending on student availability and preference. Once a package of time is purchased, the cost for any additional time will remain at the prorated hourly package rate. We also refund unused hours minus a 5% processing fee and consider time unused provided at least 24-hour notice is given prior to a lesson for any reschedule or cancellation request.

Although it isn't recommended for the computer-administrated Executive Assessment exam and lacks the dynamic features of our online tutoring, in-person instruction is available in many major US cities upon request, at the same prices as our Premium Online instruction, pending tutor availability.

Your Executive Assessment Tutoring Guru

The MyGuru Executive Assessment tutoring team is led by our Director of Instruction, Stefan Maisnier. Unlike most business school test prep experts, Stefan has an academic background more aligned with the Verbal section of the exam, possessing a bachelor's degree in communication from the University of Southern California and a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. Because he hasn't taken a traditional math course in nearly two decades, Stefan steadfastly believes that the math skills needed to succeed on this exam can be learned (or relearned!) by just about anyone with a college degree - whether that degree is in art history or mechanical engineering. In fact, he is fond of pointing out quick and efficient logical solutions to problem solving questions that he calls "engineer breakers" because the technical solution is so complex that attempting it is a trap.

While he has been a full-time test prep professional for nearly a decade, and a part-time one for almost 20 years, his experiences in live sports television production at ESPN and Fox Sports, financial communications, international relations at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris, France, and academia at Northwestern and City Colleges of Chicago have allowed him to develop a uniquely engaging teaching style. It turns out that having experience in live broadcasting and communicating to a global audience helps to make even the most boring reading comprehension passage more interesting.

Stefan is proudest of keeping in touch with many of his past students and becoming good friends with a few. He enjoys the personal touch tutoring allows most, because it lets him help students overcome personal doubts on the path to success. He's always ready to supportively ask for more effort because "getting into a top business school is supposed to be hard!"  

Director of Instruction - Stefan Maisnier

Executive Assessment vs GMAT Focus

Executive Assessment

Three 30:00 sections in the following order:

Integrated Reasoning is 12 interactive questions involving data interpretation applied to quantitative and verbal scenarios.

The 14 Verbal Reasoning questions include 1-2 long form Reading Comprehension passages, 3-5 individual Critical Reasoning questions, and 3-5 individual Sentence Corrections.

The 14 Quantitative Reasoning questions are approximately 50% Problem Solving and 50% Data Sufficiency.

GMAT Focus

Three uniform sections of 45:00 each - Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights.

Quantitative Reasoning is comprised solely of 21 Problem Solving questions.

Verbal Reasoning has 23 Reading Comprehension & Critical Reasoning questions.

The new Data Insights section contains the legacy GMAT Integrated Reasoning question formats & Data Sufficiencies.

Choosing Your Test

Provided your target business programs accept the Executive Assessment, it is probably the most effective and efficient path to fulfilling the standardized testing requirements of your application. However, be aware that only four lifetime attempts are allowed - two online and two in person.

The primary consideration in favor of the GMAT Focus would be the absence of Sentence Corrections and the de-emphasis of the Data Sufficiency question format in the overall score of the exam.

Proven Executive Assessment Study Strategies

Preparing for a standardized test such as the Executive Assessment is more similar to preparing for a marathon than cramming for a final exam, so the first step is to commit to 1-2 hours of daily dedicated practice for the duration of your prep calendar. The best resources for that practice can be found directly from the GMAC test makers at mba.com where you can take a free diagnostic exam to determine your baseline score and learn how far you have to go to achieve your goal as well as what topics should be prioritized for study.

You'll want to procure a package of online problems for regular drills and each practice set should be fully self-reviewed to ensure that you are getting the most out of every exercise. Make sure to take a break between doing and self-reviewing your practice to avoid simply accepting an answer explanation rather than challenging yourself to determine why your answer was incorrect, while the correct answer was right instead.

Real Executive Assessment Student Feedback

  • Madison L. I worked with Stefan on test prep; he was outstanding. The 1.5hr sessions FLEW BY! Stefan is so fun and passionate about test taking strategies. He is so knowledgeable and is someone I wish I would have found earlier in my application journey. I am so grateful for his support! I loved having the whiteboard and he always sends the PDF of the notes that you cover in class. Stefan makes everything super easy to understand and very accessible. If you don't understand it, he will try to flip the concept on its head and reteach it to you. He is super patient! This has been my favorite test prep experience. I have tried it all - Manhattan Prep and other test prep companies. I only wish I found him sooner.
  • Lena C. I went through a few tutors before I came across MyGuru for MBA prep. I was skeptical at first, but after signing up and starting to work with Stefan, I immediately had a good feeling. Because of Stefan's help, I went from a 46 percentile to 98 percentile! He also taught me a lot about key elements of language, reading and logic. A true master in his craft.
  • Marina N. Stay with me through this review. I have to share my excellent experience with MyGuru. I found MyGuru to take the Executive Assessment exam for business school. I didn't have much time for the preparation. MyGuru was responsive, informative and matched me with my instructor Steve Markofsky, 1 hrs after I inquired for a tutor. Steve taught me how to think strategically about how to approach the test. He also helped me understand the math and the math rules. I signed up for a 10 hr package, and then extended another 5 hr package because I was seeing my learning progress. Steve knew all the content. He was timely, professional, patient and resourceful. I also thought he did a superb job knowing how to move the instruction forward in the short time frame we had, so that I could see my progression as well. I was admitted to my MBA program at Yale University and I credit MyGuru, for helping me not tank the test! Thank you Steve! And thank you MyGuru!
  • Lauren H. Stefan Maisnier is an exemplary tutor one who is patient, nonjudgmental and encouraging at minimum. Not only does he lead your session with the utmost professionalism, but he just so happens to be funny too, can't beat that combo when studying for your test. Stefan had me well prepared for the Executive Assessment test even though math was not my strongest suit and thanks to his professional guidance, I was accepted into NYU's part-time MBA progam.
  • Padmapriya N. Stefan is a brilliant tutor. I had less than 2 weeks to give it my best for my EA. His tips and guidance throughout those 2 weeks were so valuable for the test day. He was very kind and accommodating in providing times for tutoring that worked in my personal/professional life. Stefan is just the person you want to work with when your under peak pressure to crack any standardized test. I highly recommend Stefan for any standardized tests you want to take and get that dream score.
  • Pedro D. I sought the help of MyGuru to initially prepare for the rather obscure Essential Skills, but later turned into an Executive Assessment Exam prep. I was very impressed with my instructor Stefan on every session. He was always very comprehensive and professional, with interactive and dynamic sessions. Stefan helped me to push on the Quantitative and Verbal skills week in and week out. I really felt like I was progressing with my learning, getting confident, and pushing myself forward in the process. I went from zero to hero in only a few months and was able to hit a score on the EA that led to be accepted on a Top European Business School. A 5-star service all around.

Executive Assessment Strategy & MBA Admissions News

MBA Admissions and Test Prep Strategy Blog

Visit our Grad School / MBA News and Test Prep Strategy blog for our student testimonials, admissions news, as well as Executive Assessment, GMAT Focus and GRE test prep concept reviews. Popular articles include:

Self-Paced EA Video Course

Our self-paced Executive Assessment (EA) prep course, authored specifically for this exam (not the GMAT!) by our Director of Instruction, Stefan Maisnier in partnership with Analyst Prep, is comprised of more than 20 hours of video content to provide an excellent foundation for your EA journey. Many MyGuru tutoring students begin by self-studying with this course before choosing a package of tutoring hours. A free playlist of many lessons from this course is available on YouTube, while the full course can be purchased for only $229 by clicking on the adjacent image.

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