Getting an MBA is a huge, life-changing, career-changing accomplishment – which is matched by the challenges of getting in to business school.

At EXPARTUS, our mission is to make it possible for prospective MBA students to get into great schools, without all the stress.

In the list below, you’ll find 45 free resources to make your path from application to admission smoother, plus podcasts, news, and networks that will make you a better business school student.

Let’s get started.

Test Prep – GMAT

1. Free GMAT prep software from MBA.com is a no brainer – get ninety sample questions and two full-length practice tests from the official makers of the test, all for free. Many tutoring companies offer free full-length GMAT practice tests as well, including Veritas Prep, Kaplan, Princeton Review, and Manhattan Prep.

2. GMAT PrepNow offers 35 hours of video instruction on GMAT concepts with their free GMAT prep video course.

3. Want to get an idea of your potential GMAT score without sitting through a full test? Try the Mini Test from Babson’s F. W. Olin Graduate School of Business, and get a score estimate in about an hour and a half.

4. Find GMAT instructional videos and sample questions from Khan Academy. Full-length practice tests are important for your test-prep process, but often you need to focus your drilling on specific problem areas. In addition to Khan Academy’s GMAT videos, you can check out sample questions from places like Varsity Tutors and Platinum GMAT.

Test Prep – GRE

5. Get GRE tips right from the source with sample questions and free software from ETS, the makers of the GRE. And for more free GRE quantitative help, check out ETS’ suggested Khan Academy topics and videos.

6. At Kaplan Test Prep, you can take a self-proctored free online GRE practice test, or schedule a free proctored practice test and get a mini lesson taught by Kaplan Faculty. Full-length practice tests are also available from McGraw-Hill Education, Princeton Review, and Manhattan Prep.

7. In between practice tests, focus on your skill deficiencies with free GRE practice questions from QS LEAP, Varsity Tutors, or Test-Guide.com.

8. Don’t forget about your local library! Most libraries carry test prep books that you can check out, and many have additional online resources to help you improve your English proficiency or prepare for a b-school admissions test.

Podcasts

9. The Growth Show from HubSpot talks with business leaders to take a real look at how they have achieved growth (in their team, their company, their profits, their ideas), and how those strategies can be applied elsewhere.

10. Harvard Business School’s Cold Call podcast is a distilled audio version of their case method of exploring business issues. HBS isn’t the only top business school with a podcast series of its own; Kellogg’s Insight podcast offers perspectives from faculty members on leadership, entrepreneurship, and finance; MIT Sloan’s Voices of MIT series adds students perspectives to the typical faculty interview format; and Knowledge@Wharton adds audience participation with a daily call-in business interview program.

11. Office Hours from Daniel Pink is described as “Car Talk… for the human engine”, and offers monthly insights from authors, CEOs, and business school professors.

12. TED talks are famous for sparking new ideas and providing insight into complex issues. TED Business offers talks, videos, and playlists from experts and influencers that will help you think about business in a new way.

13. What Great Bosses Know is a podcast from Jill Geisler and the Poynter Institute offering concrete, actionable advice for common – and not-so-common – issues faced by managers on a daily basis.

14. As the name suggests, the CEO Exchange podcast from PBS offers a different take on the typical business interview format, with C-suite guests from companies like Wynn Resorts, Xerox, Intel, Best Buy, Kraft Foods, and more coming together for an hour-long discussion on topics that are important in their life and work.

15. Rather than looking at big-picture business concepts, the Manager Tools podcast focuses on the nitty-gritty of management tools and techniques. The extensive backlog is a great resource for current and aspiring managers at all levels.

16. EconTalk is a weekly interview podcast from The Library of Economics and Liberty which takes an in-depth look at economic issues both large and small.

News & Articles 

17. In addition to their popular business school rankings, US News & World Reports offers advice on all things MBA, from admissions to program specialties to post-graduation career advice.

18. In addition to their MBA news and advice, the Livewire and Decisionwire sections of the ClearAdmit blog offer a unique real-time perspective from b-school applicants who are currently in the process of submitting applications, receiving decisions, and choosing their school.

19. Poets & Quants. This site, from former BusinessWeek editor John Byrne, is a clearinghouse for b-school news and advice.

20. The EXPARTUS blog offers valuable insight from someone who has been on both sides of the table. Founded by a former Harvard Business School admissions committee member, EXPARTUS offers thought-provoking articles and news to keep you up-to-date in the world of MBA admissions.

Other Resources 

21. Finding the right business school for you is about more than just rankings, but rankings do still matter. Find out where your target school stacks up with MBA program rankings from US News & World Reports, Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek, and the Financial Times.

22. Get to know your fellow business school applicants, whether to share resources, ask questions, or just vent your frustration about the process, through forums like the ones at College Confidential, Beat the GMAT, Wall Street Oasis, or GMAT Club.

23. Business Because brings you advice for choosing the right b-school, plus MBA news and a network designed just for business school students, faculty, and alumni. Students attending one of the site’s partner schools get automatic access to premium features like the MBA Jobs Zone.

Your Turn

With 44 separate resources on the list, our Ultimate FREE Resource Guide for MBA Applicants and B-School Students is a great place to find everything you need to get started on your path to business school.

But we’ve saved the best for last: a free MBA application assessment from EXPARTUS is a can’t-miss tool for ensuring that you’re showing the best possible version of yourself to admissions committees. Our experienced admissions consultants will analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your application, and help you to hone your personal brand so that adcoms will be able to see exactly why you are the right fit for their school.