740 on gmat - need to retake?

[blakeejones]

I took the gmat last weekend and scored a 740. Unfortunately, my subscores are less impressive: Q46 (68%)/V45 (99%)

My goal is admission to the Haas part time MBA program. My work experience is relatively weak (2 years, not particularly quant-heavy), but I have strong employer support/recommendations and a 3.73 undergrad GPA.

Would you recommend retaking the GMAT to up my quant score? I did no prep for quant prior to taking the test, so I'm sure I can raise it if I retake. I'm also confident I could maintain a high verbal score.

Does retaking with a 740 look bad? Is a 740 overall enough to overcome a low quant score? Is a balanced score more important than a high overall? Any advice is appreciated!

[mbamissionjenK]

Hi there,

Congrats on the 740!! That is impressive.

Given all the info you posted, I would not think you would need to re-take! For one thing, your actual scores on quant and verbal are similar, just the percentiles are skewed because most applicants score so much better on quant. So it's not as though you demonstrated a large 'lack' on the quant side so to speak. Sure over 75th percentile or so in quant would be great, BUT your overall is so high, AND your GPA is so high, it all works. (Sometimes higher GMAT is needed to balance lower GPA for example).

I think you've shown that you can handle the academics of the program, so the decision will fall on your overall story and goals etc that you share in the application-- mainly your essays-- to describe who you are, what you'll bring to the program, why you want the MBA, why Haas, why part-time, and why now. ;) Focus your time on those essays!

[blakeejones]

Thanks, Jen! I was very happy when I saw the 740, but the quant score has had me worried ever since. When I saw that anyone lower than the 75th percentile would need to prove Quantitative Proficiency before being able to enroll at Haas, I got even more worried.


Side note: It's strange to me how someone can score in the 68th percentile for quant and still get in the 97th percentile overall, but I'll take it!

[mbamissionjenK]

Sure thing. Was that a statement specifically released by Haas and applicable to their part-time program as well? Some schools are even more focused on the quant percentile than others, such as Wharton, Stanford, HBS, and Haas tends to be as well but hadn't heard that strict of a statement particularly for the part-time program before, interesting. You could certainly go for it with a bit more prep and try once more if you have the time/energy to do so. Otherwise did they provide a process by which to demonstrate the quant proficiency? Certainly the 740 is still excellent and a lot of the decision as I said WILL come down to how you convey your story and your goals!

[blakeejones]

Hi Jen,

Yes, I found the following regarding the Quant Requirement on the Haas Evening/Weekend MBA website:

Quantitative Proficiency Requirement

In addition to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, applicants are required to demonstrate quantitative proficiency. This is a requirement to enroll in, not apply to, the Evening & Weekend Berkeley MBA Program.

Quantitative proficiency will be evaluated by the admissions committee during the application process. Applicants with strong quantitative skills, as demonstrated through academic performance (including GMAT/GRE, GPA, undergraduate and graduate degrees and quantitative coursework) and/or work experience, will be waived from this requirement. Applicants can automatically satisfy this requirement by scoring 75% or higher on the quantitative portion of the GMAT or GRE.

For those applicants who are admitted but have not demonstrated sufficient quantitative proficiency as determined by the admissions committee, enrollment in the program will be conditional upon completion of a math course or math waiver exam. The deadline to fulfill the quantitative proficiency requirement for students enrolling fall 2014, including official transcripts received at our office, is July 28, 2014. Please note, round three applicants are strongly encouraged to take the math waiver exam and/or begin coursework, if needed, prior to receiving an admissions decision.

Math Waiver Exam - We offer the waiver exam to applicants who may have taken formal courses in mathematics previously or who have gained the skills through work experience or self-study. Waiver exams will be available for registration from February to June. To view our waiver exam schedule and to register for an exam, please visit our website in January 2014. View a PDF of exam topics.

Online Math for Management Course - UC Berkeley Extension offers an online Math for Management class specifically designed for Berkeley-Haas students. In addition to fulfilling the quantitative proficiency requirement, we recommend this course to all entering EWMBA students as a means to prepare for topics covered in the first year core classes. Successful completion of the course with a grade of "B" or better will fulfill the quantitative proficiency requirement. The minimum amount of time to complete the course is 8 weeks. The course must be completed and official transcripts received at our office by July 28, 2014. For more information about the course and to enroll, please go to the UC Berkeley Extension online catalog.

College-level Mathematics Class - Applicants can complete a college-level calculus mathematics course. Only classes taken within five years of August 2014 will satisfy the quantitative proficiency requirement. The course must be at least three semester or five quarter units. Applicants must earn a grade of "B" or better (no pass/fail grade will be accepted). The course must be completed and official transcripts received at our office by July 28, 2014. View a PDF of approved courses.

After speaking with some colleagues at work currently in the program, I think that I'll forgo retaking the GMAT and focus on my essays. I earned good grades in Calculus and Statistics back in college, but those courses were 6 and 7 years ago, respectively, so I don't think they will do me any good. Hopefully I still get in and can just take the waiver exam or the 8-week online course to refresh myself!

[mbamissionjenK]

That's true, it sounds like a 75th percentile is great and all because you waive that requirement entirely, BUT your score is respectable and you have some other quant experience to note and likely the actual admissions decision will be based on the rest of your application. Wishing you the best!

[aguirrestom]

I am having the same problem with a 710 Q 46 V42. I am a minority which could help my odds, but not sure if my Quant skills will really hinder my app. If I retake the exam and score an overall lower score but with a higher Quant, would you suggest I report the score, now that we are not required to report our scores for the GMAT??

[mbamissionjenK]

Hi there--
In terms of the question about the 710... it's a borderline score and depends upon what schools you are interested in... the closer to or higher-than the school's average you score, the better of course. It's tough to assess your profile and situation without more information, but to your point about re-taking and keeping the score, it could be a way to show a higher quant score if that's what you are concerned with, sure. Generally schools will focus on the highest score and/or the score you self-report. Good luck!